Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 15 October 2025

Yesterday Andy issued a call to arms.  "There is the possibility of some wave action tomorrow (Wednesday), so it might be worth an early start".  The troops rallied and I was first at the club at 0710 while it was still pretty dark.

I had checked Skysight wave forecast the day before, and it looked promising.

A tempting wave forecast for mid-morning on the edge of the ranges

We had one visitor planned for today; Amy Williams. Phil was the one to fly her whilst Mike Jardine, the Duty Instructor, ran the field.

With the overcast and low cloud, probably due to greater moisture content than forecast, and it was cold in the wind.  Privateers were flying with their coats on.  However, that didn't stop one of Amy William's supporters from arriving on the field in shorts and a T-shirt.  He hadn't realised that the airfield is at 820 feet above sea level and on Dartmoor.  That display of bravery notwithstanding, autumn is very much here.

Lots of privateers rigged in anticipation of wave, and a sole K-13 at the launch point

Andy took the first flight and discovered that "It's definitely waving, but the cloudbase is too low".  With a flight time of only three minutes, we were then in the waiting game for the cloud base to rise.  Phil consulted with Amy and her team, and they agreed that coming back another day would be the best option despite being nice and cosy at the back of Zack's Shack.

Andy returns from his very short flight.

Training and instructor checks must go on, so Peter and Mike took a flight together.  I wasn't sure who was checking out whom.  Mike, after his holidays, or Peter, after our long trip to Yorkshire and back.

Then it was the turn of visiting pilot Chris Morris from Seahawk Gliding Club (RNAS Culdrose) to fly with Mike.  We will probably be seeing more of Chris at Brentor this autumn.

After that, there was a pause.  We watched the sky for two hours, waiting for the cloud base to rise and seeing the wave bars move about the sky.  Occasionally, there was a tantalising light patch and occasionally some sunshine.

I went back to the clubhouse for a cup of tea to warm up and I lit the wood burner.  Colin and Steve Lewis had arrived, and they were getting the Twin Astir Trainer fuselage out of its trailer to continue their inspection.  Later, the "Night Owl came up for a look-see and a chat.

The Chairman supervises getting our new Twin Astir Trainer, G-CHBK, out of its trailer, ready for further inspection and work by Colin and the team

Colin finds potential dry solder joints on the rear stick PTT (push to transmit) switch

The control column grip in the rear has seen better days.

This is the base.  The fixings had broken off, allowing the stick grip to rotate.  White TESA fabric tape was not the correct engineering solution and was summarily removed.

The top fitting was broken too.  A call to Soaring Oxford (UK Grob agent) was made for a replacement.

I packed the seats and the side panels/pockets in the back of my car ready to seek the services of a local upholsterer to recover the seats and make new side panels. 

Flying resumed at two o'clock with Mike making a couple of training flights with Ken.  Malcolm, in his syndicate Twin Astir stayed up for 13 minutes.  Despite the promise of wave he stayed aloft in thermal lift.  Steve Fletcher thought he would try and he managed 23 minutes.  The lift seemed to be consistent over Brentor church but hit and miss elsewhere.  John Alan flew for 17 minutes while thinking "Is this wave or thermal lift?"  Then it was Ian's turn with Mike.  They managed a very tidy 30 minutes, earning Ian "Man of the Match".  Congratulations.  I tried to join them in my Standard Cirrus a couple of times, but without success.  Malcolm's second launch was similarly unsuccessful.  So that just left DB to fly with Mike to round off the day.

Ian found a good thermal climb which set him up for a 30 minute soaring flight.

A tempting patch of sunlight on Blackdown close to Mary Tavy

The sun started peeking through the almost 8/8ths cloud cover

And even some sunlight on the airfield.

Ian heads to the church to find that persistent thermal

The hangar was packed and the private gliders were derigged.  It was time to adjourn to the clubhouse for post flight discussions.

When the Chairman announced to members that the club had bought its first GRP training glider last week, he alluded to another club development that was coming this week.  As we were busy trying to get in the air this morning, and Colin and the Chairman couldn’t make it to the club until the afternoon, the grand reveal of the next club's strategic development was postponed until Saturday.

Two large parcels are ready for the grand reveal on Saturday

For those who can't wait, here is a clue.

Today, the promised wave didn't materialise.  So no waving for the Wednesday Wavers but we tried.  Some thermal soaring was had under a mostly overcast sky.  Six privateers underwent group rigging practice, and most flew.  Mike had two trainees today, who progressed they flying.

Fourteen flights were made, of which four were soaring flights.  It would be unfair to say that "Jonah", on site, put the mockers on the wave today.  The Wavers look on the bright side, it didn't rain, and we almost all flew.

Gavin Short