Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 22 January 2025

It's a Wednesday in 2025 and the Wednesday Wavers went flying again, but only a bit!

The forecast for the United Kingdom was for yet more Dunkelflaute with fog forecast at the club until midday.  The conditions on the journey to the club wasn't as expected.  There was sunshine in east Cornwall which contrasted with the dark heavy cloud to the south over Plymouth and part of the Tamar Valley.  On arrival it was clear and fine at the club.  So much for fog.

I did notice some high cloud formations that could have been a form of cirrus and the harbinger of Storm Éowyn, due to arrive on Friday.

The clear skies darkened on the approach to the club.  Looking south east.

The turn out was a select crowd but the opportunity to open the hangar doors and range the gliders, ready for inspection, was taken before the fog closed in.

John Smith conducts the Daily Inspection on K-13, FSD

The fog stopped play so the trailers on the hard standing next to the clubhouse were moved.  Colin's T-21 trailer was moved to be closer to the hangar to allow him to effect repairs.  Replacement steel has been delivered.  The AMF trailer designated for the Puchacz was parked up alongside the fence.

Why the move around of trailers?  It is in preparation for the arrival of "Zack's Shack".  All will be revealed next week.

Meanwhile in the clubhouse there were deep discussions between John Allan, Mike Bennett, Colin, and the "Night Owl" on the plan to install a significant upgrade in solar generating capacity on the clubhouse roof.  This is going to be backed a significant upgrade in storage capacity.  This will reduce the use of our generator, hopefully even during winter.  DGS's renewables planning is mindful of the need to have sufficient generating capacity for the club's load even if the sun doesn't shine.  The main generator at 12.5 kW does that.  Maybe we could export power to the National Grid when the UK generating capacity falls short and the European interconnectors are switched off?

"Nature abhors a vacuum" (horror vacui) as posited by Aristotle.  "The space for Zack's Shack" was quickly filled by the white car brigade.

It was still foggy so FGR was positioned to be derigged.  It was derigged quickly as the Wednesday Wavers are well practiced at this.  The components were stored at the back of the hangar ready for it annual inspection.

While deriging was happening the Duty Instructor was determined to make some progress so a K-13, FSD and a K-8, FXB were towed to the east end in an ethereal white mist.

Back in the clubhouse I made a final tweak of the ASI colour coding of the Puchacz ASIs; its a fiddly job.  Colin took the front instrument panel to the hangar whilst I removed the rear instrument panel from inside the canopy to facilitate easier canopy handling later on. 

The front instrument panel was installed and connected.  The Skylaunch launch assistant was secured in a better position by Peter.  Meanwhile, I cleaned and polished the tail planes.

Cleaning and polishing the Puchacz tail planes

Despite the wood burner in the clubhouse cranking out the heat on a chilly day the clubhouse was empty.  The Wavers had headed to the launch point to fly.

A little later Colin was called to the launch point for a technical matter whilst I made use of the by now brilliant sunshine and aired my trailer.

St. Michael de Rupe, Brentor Church, wreathed in mist

Colin took a weather check flight with Mike.  The weather closed in and prevented any further flying so the Wavers returned to the west end and started work in the hangar rigging the Puchacz after its annual inspection.

Colin and Mike Jardine ready for a weather check

The rigging was quicker than previously.  We are getting used to the aircraft and are getting better.  I applied sacrificial tape to the fuselage at the wing roots and then taped the wings and Peter, the tail planes.  There was a great team effort on polishing the wings.  Discussion on pros and cons of hand polishing versus hard waxing with mechanical mops ensued.

"Up, Down a bit, Jiggle, its in".  Ready for the Port wing.

The process was greatly eased by the use of the fantastic belly dolly that Andy Davey built.

The loneliness of the first wing holder watching the world go by.

The Polishing Posse in action.  Many hands make light work.

While the wings were being polished the seats went back in.  All the cabling in the cockpit was secured better.  The Polishing Posse, suitably enthused, went on to wash the fuselage and check the tyre pressures.  Time for a cup of tea and a decision that the canopy fitting could be left for Saturday.  This was influenced by delegating the refitting of the improved battery box to Adam.  He's going to have to be a bit of a contortionist to do so.  From then the Puchacz will be available but until the field is drier and firmer we will hold it in reserve.

Look at the shine on that!  The Puchacz awaits the installation of the canopy and rear instrument panel.

We took another look at the weather.  The mist and fog were continuing to roll on to the airfield and then tantalising clear again.  As Steve Fletcher said "It's a bit late to start a 300 km task".  So it was decided to draw stumps and the kit and gliders were brought back to the west end.  The hangar was packed and the doors closed.

How many people does it take to get the Astir CS77 back in the hangar.

With that the Wednesday Wavers departed with the last leaving by 1530.

Today we went flying, albeit a single flight of three minutes duration.  More importantly the Fleet Manager was delighted at the progress made with the gliders that did not fly and our getting ready for the soaring season.

We await the arrival of Storm Éowyn.

Gavin Short