Dartmoor Gliding News - Sunday 13th October 2024

Looking out of the window when I woke up I could instantly see the weather wasn’t following the met office sunny forecast. Although overcast, the cloud base was high so an optimistic crew arrived at the airfield. The RASP turned out to be correct with no real chance of meaningful lift under an overcast sky. Our regular Sunday Duty Instructor Peter Howarth was unavailable today, visiting yet more of Plymouth's restaurants, did someone mention there was a rumour of a food blog?

Mike Jardine stepped in to cover and I was the duty IFP. Mike had 6 members requiring instruction, and I had 3 trial flights to deliver.

It was just 4 degrees C with a little wind chill as well but as the day wore on and the wind picked up it just got colder.

Mike and David DI FGR. Lovely sky captured by Ed Borlase.

John Osment was the star of the day, after being put through his paces by Mike he re-solo’d after a 25 year break, well done John. With so few ‘old hands’ on the field the newer members were in at the deep end running the field which they did perfectly. A big thank you to Sean Westrope and Ed Borlase for each doing 4 hours in the winch.  It was great to see Ray Boundy back at the field and helping out and a big thank you to George Purkiss for driving the retrieve and helping out. The conditions were never going to be great for soaring but they were benign, so good for training.

John demonstrating that the magic  touch hasn’t left him.

John clearly looking forward to his solo flight.

John off for his first solo after a 25 year gap.

And off he goes with a wave of the hand!

John still smiling for the rest of the day.

Geoff Cooper, David Osment, Julia Old, Freddie Purkiss and Darren Clark all flew with Mike and made good progress.

Ed chose to fly the K8 and Sean the Astir to keep current. Julia Old managed the longest flight of 12 minutes.

My first trial flight visitor was Annie Howes. I think she enjoyed it judging by the number of times she said amazing and thank you.

Annie Howes ready to be amazed.

My second trial flight was with 13 year old Oscar Ferris who with his brother, had never flown before. Whilst a little nervous at first there were lots of ‘wows’ and smiles in the air.

Oscar being briefed by Steve.

My last Trial flight was 11 year old Seb Ferris, who nervous at first, throughly enjoyed the experience of flying and was still smiling when he left the airfield.

Seb and Steve waiting to launch.

A grey sky, but at least we flew.

28 flights in all on a very cold October day.

Thanks to everyone for turning up and thanks to Mike, Ed and David for the pictures.

Steve Fletcher

Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 9th October 2024

A forecast of a NNW wind slowly increasing, a low cloudbase slowly rising and possible heavy showers.

When I set off cloudbase was 5-600’ asl and there were several showers encountered on the way and I was level with cloud coming up through Chillaton. The club gliders were moved out of the hangar to permit some work on a private glider and FGR had its tailplane assembly removed for a 500 flight check.

Colin assisted by Peter giving the k13 tailplane its 500 launch checks     Photo by Mike Jardine

Gliders ready for DI’s Photo by Mike Jardine

The cloudbase appeared to be rising so the club gliders were DI’d and taken to the east end. Just before noon flying commenced with Mike Jardine doing a test flight in FGR following its inspection. With lots of customer’s for the Ka-13s and limited time left the solo pilots helped with winching, cable retrieving and looking after the launch point.

Charlie Benham enjoying the start of his one-day course with Phil Hardwick Photo by Peter Howarth

Neal Oxley waits for his first launch with Mike Jardine Photo by Peter Howarth

John Allan sets off for a likely looking cloud but was soon back on the ground. Photo by Peter Howarth

Gary Hine waits for his first launch with Phil Hardwick. Photo by Peter Howarth

Dave Archer looking for lift whilst avoiding the showers Photo by Mike Jardine

K8 on a modified circuit following a launch failure Photo by Mike Jardine

Showers approaching from the west. Photo by Mike Jardine

Showers passing by on the east. Photo by Mike Jardine

As can be seen showers were approaching from the north-east and cloudbase was lowering so with most having flown we opted to call it a day and fly everything back to the hangar so I prepared the Astir for a hangar flight.

Astir at the back of the queue for hangar flights with a rainbow above the tail. Photo by Malcolm Wilton-Jones

Ka-8 and Astir waiting. Photo by Malcolm Wilton-Jones

Cable being attached for the Ka-8 hangar flight Photo by Malcolm Wilton-Jones

John Smith taking up slack for his hangar flight in the Ka-8 Photo by Malcolm Wilton-Jones

Blog by Malcolm Wilton-Jones

Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 2nd October 2024

A brisk north-north-east wind, stronger at height, was forecast but the cloudbase was very low initially but some members were rigging their own gliders in the hope of wave.

Club gliders being DI’d in the morning. Image from John Allen

Another two club gliders undergoing Daily inspections. Image from John Allen

Andy Davey is first off in search of wave,
he was back 5 minutes later! Image by Neal Oxley

A short time later Make Jardine shows Geoff Cooper
how  to do a weather check. Image by Neal Oxley

We had two voucher visitors today, Brian North and Nigel Matthews, who were flown with Phil Hardwick and Steve Fletcher in the Puchacz.

Brian North with Steve    Image Peter Howarth

Nigel Matthews with Steve and Phil    Image Peter Howarth

A handful of students were flown mostly by Mike Jardine with a little help from Peter Howarth in the two K-13s.

Peter Howarth is about to give John Osment
a Launch Failure. Image by  Mike Jardine

Final approach in the Ka-13. Image by  Mike Jardine

I had been on the winch since the start through until after lunch and on arrival at the launch point none of the solo pilots wanted to fly so I decided to try a couple of launches in the Astir CS77. On the first one I flew NE past Mary Tavy and Blackdown but found nothing until on the base leg I found a band of lift. On the second launch to 1350’ I flew SE and stayed above 1300’ for a few minutes. I then noticed a K-13 circling near the spot I had found lift earlier so decided to join it. Arrived just below it at about 800’ and the vario started to sing. We were both trying to centre on a narrow core and keep opposite each other and climbing slowly and trading places but drifting downwind. As I climbed past the Ka-13 he left to head back but I also gave up when I could not get above 1100’. On the way back I found another core but it also petered out at 1100’ and I found no more and landed after 23 minutes. The Ka-13 had made 15 minutes, and these remained the longest flights of the day.

Julia climbing in a weak thermal.

Plymouth in the distance. Image by Mike Jardine

Airfield from the east. Image by Mike Jardine

By this time all the other solo pilots were still trying to find the elusive wave but the best efforts were around 11 minutes.

38 launches.

Malcolm Wilton-Jones