Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 23 April 2025

Today the Wednesday Wavers welcomed Harvey Hunt to the fold.  Last Wednesday, after successfully completing a One Day Course, he joined as a full member.   Having previously arranged his work schedule to ensure every Wednesday was free to go gliding we welcome him to the Wednesday crew, albeit there was to be no waving today.

Brentor church from a different perspective.  This was taken from Cudlipptown
 on Tuesday en route to the Peter Tavy Inn for lunch.

The forecast was that the overnight rain would suppress the thermal activity until later in the day.  The firing ranges weren't active. No low flying fast jets detailed in the NOTAMS.  Let's go and fly.

Hangar unpacking. CCY out into the sunshine.

CCY looking splendid sporting its fresh blue livery following extensive maintenance.

The fleet ranged for their Daily Inspections 

There was another activity going on in the trailer park today.  Peter's Kestrel 19 was having its annual inspection and Airworthiness Review Check conducted by BGA Inspector Ian Mitchell from North Hill.  Fingers crossed then.

After an extended weather check by Mike Jardine, the Duty Instructor, training began for Harvey.  Mike Bennett took a couple of launches, whilst not matching the 11-minute weather check (how long does it take for an instructor to determine the height of the cloud base?) he saw that the sky was becoming thermic despite the low cloudbase due to the overnight and early morning rain.

The airfield from the South

Harvey taking the controls for co-ordinated turns

Harvey turning the glider on his own with no input from Instructor Mike

Next up was Steve Lesson with a set of three launches that included a practice launch failure.

Our first visitor of the day was Erik Vischer, a South African, who immigrated to UK over 50 years ago.  We exchanged a few pleasantries in my basic Flemish and his Afrikaans (both are based on the Dutch language) before switching to English.  Erik isn't retired yet.  He has been a house husband in Salcombe for 16 years, supporting his wife in her successful career as a CEO and director of several multinational companies.  A nice twist on life.

Erik, a power pilot, returning to try "Free flight" again

Although Erik and I only enjoyed two extended circuits, the sky was starting to wake up.  John Allan exploited difficult conditions low down to achieve "Flight of the day" in the K-8 with a flight of 36 minutes.

The obligatory flight certificate is handed over by Gavin to Erik

Sean took a flight with Mike and then Neal had a set of three training flights. Neal, you must be getting good at this now!

Alas, for much of the day the ground near the airfield was in shadow rather than sunshine. Here the K-13 looks down on the K-8.

I handed the Puchacz over to Steve Fletcher so that he could fly his friend, Malcolm Young, for a couple of flights.

Tavistock to the South

Neal climbing in thermals.  He managed a 10-minute soaring flight with Mike.  Later in the afternoon he upped his game and soared for 27 minutes. Bravo!

Phil and Malcolm got their Twin Astir out of the T-hangar to try the conditions, whilst Dave Archer had a check flight.  Harvey had a second set of training flights with Mike which included some soaring.

Our second visitor, Chris Ziajka, hails from nearby Gunnislake.  Having served in the Royal Navy for ten years, he then became a fireman.  The flight voucher was a 65th birthday present from his wife.  Hopefully, his flights might give him an idea what to do when he reaches the state pension age in a little over a years time.

On his second flight, we climbed to cloud base, which was at a paltry 1,700 feet AGL.  At cloud base we pushed out to see Tavistock in bright sunshine.

Former firefighter Chris receives his flight certificate from Gavin

The Astir CS77 was flown by Sean and John Smith, whilst Neal cracked out a further two flights which included a launch failure.  Malcolm, Phil and Robin continued to enjoy the delights of the Twin Astir.

The Astir CS77 on approach

Our third visitor was Aleksandra Danylenko who came to the UK from Ukraine at the start of the war with her, now, 11 year old son.  Slava Ukraini.  A busy lady and indeed a veritable live wire; she had to juggle her busy schedule of college studies at Exeter and Paignton for English and professional development, respectively, to get to the airfield in time for her flights.   Her partner accompanied her from Chudleigh.

Aleksandra ready, if a little apprehensive, for her first flight with Gavin

A soaring flight later saw a very enthusiastic Aleksandra when she realised that she had two flights.

Emboldened after her first flight.  " My pilot, my glider!"   Aleksandra was thrilled with her first soaring flight and looked forward to more of the same.

Before the second launch, there was the obligatory selfie video to send back home to her extended family in Ukraine that includes two sisters and a brother.
 

After another soaring flight, I returned "Sasha" safely to earth and back in the arms of her partner.  Sadly, Viktor wasn't on site to provide a post flight debrief in Ukrainian.  As ever, it's all go at "Dartmoor International"

Aleksandra receives her flight certificate to go on her wall next to her 25m swimming certificate.  Do they have such an award in Ukraine?

Steve Lewis came up from the hangar to check on proceedings and ensure that he was current in the K-8.

Late afternoon and the northwesterly had set up a magnificent cloud street just begging to be exploited.

The Puchacz might be parked up after the three visitors and a Friends and Families flight,
but the training goes on in K-13, FSD with Instructor Mike.

A very happy Alasdair returns the K-8 to the launch point after another soaring flight, this time 28 minutes.  Alasdair, take pleasure in filling in your Pilot's log book as the hours start to rack up.

Mike cleared Steve Lesson to fly in the K-8.  Steve remembered the lesson that it's easy to break a weak link on the initial part of the launch, but he recovered and landed safely.  Then it was time for hangar flights to put the gliders away.  I took Harvey in the Puchacz to demonstrate landing in a different part of the field.  The glorious cloud street we witnessed earlier turned into an ominous, dark cloud that was full of sinking air.  We found ourselves at cloud base at the top of the launch (1,000 feet AGL).  Harvey was amazed at the sudden change in conditions.  That's flying on Dartmoor for you.

No waving today but a busy one with 45 flights; training, visitors, friends and family, and solo flights.  Not forgetting that Peter's Kestrel 19 passed its annual inspection and has an ARC (Airworthiness Review Certificate) issued so that it can continue to fly

As ever, maintenance was being carried out in the hangar, the workshops, and the conversion work on the Citybus bus as it is transformed into a launch point for the west end.

We look forward to the repaired undercarriage doors being refitted to the Astir CS77, the ARC certificate being attached in the cockpit of CCY, a test flight, and its return to service.  Thanks to the Maintenance Team.   Your untiring efforts are much appreciated.

Gavin Short