It's getting colder at DGS. The polar air has arrived on a north westerly air flow. Frozen sleet had fallen overnight. Time to adopt winter gliding garb. The hangar apron's resplendent golden brown covering of beech leaves had been damped down by the sleet, its hues subdued. New yard brooms arrived the club ready to clear the apron.
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The road to Brentor Church with a promising sky
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Now heading directly to the club, a less promising view
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And at the club it looks glorious with evidence of an early fettler at work
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A very crispy looking trailer park
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No visitors were booked to fly with the Wednesday Wavers today so we
had the club to ourselves. With the juniors at school there would be no
more first solos today either. So the Duty Instructor, Mike Jardine
and I, as the Duty BI, felt a little redundant at the start of the day.
But there was flying to be done and, some slightly older, trainees to
fly.
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The church of St. Michael du Rupe
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Val arrived at the club which was bathed in bright sunshine but then things started to change.
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Looking east to the moors over crunchy grass
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As more Wednesday Wavers arrived there were changes in the sky
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A wing walker's view of the airfield
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We headed to the East end with a single K-13 and K-8, mindful of the soft ground. We then headed back to the clubhouse, and the wood burner, ready for the morning brief.
What of the weather for the day? To paraphrase our late Queen
"Forecasts may vary". So the Wednesday Wavers would have to make he
most of what mother nature presented us.
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However, this shows the reality, and the wetness of the ground, at the east end
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I had long thought that the Icelandic and Inuit languages had the most words
for snow but having heard Alasdair describe the onset of the drizzle on
Saturday afternoon in Scottish (Gaelic for the pedants) I wondered.
Apparently there 421 Scottish words for, or related to snow. I am sure that Alasdair can enlighten us with some more when he is next at the club but in the meantime I have worked some into the blog.
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The view towards Mary Tavy
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K-8, GDK is ready to go. What are the Wednesday Wavers waiting for?
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| The skies darken heralding the sneesl (to begin to rain or snow) |
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We experienced a flindrikin (a slight snow shower) at the launch point
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The view towards Mary Tavy became distinctly dreich
(weather that makes outside look grey, dull, gloomy and very uninviting) |
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| The snawie (snowy) launch point. |
With that the launch point crew decided to head back to the clubhouse as the snow started to
feefle (to swirl) whilst we were driving down the centre track. To stop us misting up Geoff drove with the window open so we received some
skovins (large snowflakes) inside the cab. From the passenger seat I switched on the fans, heater, and the heated seats on instead!
Radioing the winch produced no response. Robin had already abandoned his cab and had wisely headed back to the club house.
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The Wednesday Wavers take shelter in the clubhouse from the oorlich (uncomfortably damp, cold and chilly weather) for a warming cuppa
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Just as the Wavers were getting comfortable and warm the Duty Instructor cleared the clubhouse as the flukra (snow falling in large flakes) had abruptly ceased. It was time to go flying.
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Heading back to the launch point the Duty Instructor encounters
two deer crossing the runway. Can you spot them?
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We welcomed Steve Raine, our previous long-serving treasurer, to the launch point who was happy to observe the proceedings.
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| Then came the unbrak (the beginning of a thaw) |
The flying started with Geoff experiencing an aborted take off (the winch engine was cold!) and then on the next flight the effects of the controls near the stall which he found to be quite enlightening.
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The snaw (snow) cleared at the launch point.
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Behind the launch point Andy attempts to soar the ridge
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Dave moves the cable into position ready for Neal and Mike's launch
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Mike Jardine worked through the trainees; Geoff, Neal, Val and Robin before starting again on a second set for the trainees.
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Hugh ready to hook Robin and Mike up!
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View of the airfield and distant moors from the west |
The same routine was carried out with the K-8 with flights by Mike Bennett, Hugh, Gavin, Andy, John Allan, Dave Archer, Peter, Phil, and Scratch before staring the cycle again. There were some snippets of lift on the ridge but several of us concentrated on spot landing on the stub. Dave successfully made his first landing on the stub in the K-8. Congratulations.
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| K8 ready to launch |
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Peter's view of Mary Tavy and the snawie moors
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Mikes views of the Tamar |
In the early afternoon is was quite warm in the sun. I had to take off my woolly had whilst in the tower!
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The launching continues unabated in the autumn sunshine
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Having experienced the effects of the controls near the the stall on his first flight
Geoff is scrupulous on his pre-flight checks!
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There was glush (melting snow) on the south-facing slopes to the north during the afternoon
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Andy readies himself for the final flight of the day in GDK
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After Andy's hangar landing the toys were packed away very smartly. It was pleasant doing so in daylight. We must thank DB for his efforts who emerged from the hangar, as we returned the gliders, after working there all day.
After the flight log had been produced (24 flights) we headed home after an unexpected almost full day of flying.
Gavin Short
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