Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 26 November 2026

The Wednesday Wavers weren't focused on the arrival of today's budget but on the arrival of the approaching warm front.  Earlier during the week, Wednesday's weather looked like rain throughout the day, so I was planning on more work on the Twin Astir Trainer's canopies.  I was the duty Basic Instructor, but we had no visitors booked, and I wasn't expecting to fly due to the rain.

But this morning's forecasts had a slower arrival of the warm front and hence the rain at 1230, not first thing.  That meant that the rain would coincide with the budget statement at 1230.  An omen or an unhappy coincidence?  Time would tell.

So the Wavers got the kit out and set up the field at the east end, but guess what, the forecast veer in the southerly wind direction didn't happen.  Maybe we should have launched from the west end.

Mindful of the oncoming rain, we took just a K-13 and the Astir CS77 to the launch point.  Unfortunately, I found that the brake cable repair in the Astir CS77 did not pass my daily inspection and so Scratch and I ran a new Bowden cable to the main wheel brake drum to the control column.  Meanwhile, Mike Jardine kicked off the flying with a check flight for John Osment and then refresher training with John's son David after a three-month lay-off.

John Osment prepares for a check flight.

David Osment prepares for the first of many refresher flights with Duty Instructor Mike Jardine.

Dave Osment dusts off the cobwebs with some good circuits, approaches and landings in the southerly crosswind.

No rain on the horizon yet

The west end of the airfield. Can you spot Scratch and Gavin working on the Astir CS77?

After a pair of flights by David, it was Ian King's turn for his pair.  With the Astir CS77 now at the launch point, John Osment took the first flight which was followed by Scratch.

John Osments prepares to launch while Scratch shows the Chairman that he can count to three.

Clearly, it takes a lot of checks and talking by the ground crew to get an Astir CS77 in the air.

Scratch is the second Waver to launch in the Astir CS77

Amazingly, David Archer made it to the airfield before the rain set in to have a pair of flights.

Dave Archer shows that he hasn't forgotten how to do it.

It might be greyer but still no rain visible

I took a launch in the Astir CS77.  I enjoyed the comfort of the recently-installed headrest and settled into an enjoyable flight.  I explored the slow speed flight characteristics with the wheel down and then with the wheel up, and compared the sink rates.  I then sped up to the minimum sink speed and continued to push into the surprisingly strong southerly wind.  A good circuit and landing were rewarded by the flight of the day at six minutes.  Yes, it was that type of day. 

The sky didn't look like it was going to rain soon, so the Wavers continued launching.

With the rain still holding off, it was time for David Osment to resume his refresher training with a further three flights.  These were interrupted by the arrival at the launch point of Neil Tucker, who had come to conduct the quinquennial (a chocolate bar is available for the first junior to tell me what that means) electrical safety checks of the clubhouse, hangar, and workshops.  The results, mostly good.  Neil was rewarded with an air experience flight with Mike Jardine.

Neil Tucker about to conduct aviation

Neil, the visiting electrician, about to launch

Peter had a flight in the Astir CS77 and was followed by John Allan.

John Allan looks happy, as does launch Marshal Ian King

A man outstanding in his field

The club pundits wait to critique John's launch

David Osment about to take his fourth" get back in to the groove" flight.

Dave Osments's refresher training continued with a fifth flight, a practice launch failure to land ahead, as the rain had now set in.  Indeed, the Astir CS77 was walked by back to the hangar before his launch by Steve, Phil and Gavin. 

Back at the clubhouse, Mike Bennett continued to sort out the blackout curtains for the simulator after winching for the first half of the day's flying. 

Scratch makes reversing the tractor and winch into the Motor Transport hangar look like child's play

The end of the day's cleaning of gliders before putting them to bed.

I wasn't fast enough.  In this picture, there are two Flight Instructors washing the gliders. 

David Archer assists John Smith in the building of improved parachute storage for Zack's Shack.

The Wavers retired to the clubhouse after the kit had been packed away, rather than heading straight home.  The warmth of the wood burner was too tempting.  The mock-ups of the instrument panels for the Twin Astir Trainer were discussed.  John and David Osment will bring the glider back to DGS tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon after delivering their Standard Cirrus to Les Clark for some tlc.  While Viktor and I head to Colchester to bring his new acquisition, Ka-6cr, G-DDKG, Aka "Red Bear" to Brentor.

The rear canopy scoop for the Twin Astir Trainer was repaired, and some time was spent rationalising the flight manuals for the Twin Astir Trainer (G-CHBK) and the Twin Astir 1 (G-DDSL) 

At 1600, it was time to lock up and head home.  A productive day that involved flying.  An unexpected bonus, namely 16 flights, that many of us weren't expecting.

Today, the warm front and the associated rain arrived about an hour later than forecast, which was good news for the Wavers.  Due to an "inadvertent leak" the budget arrived an hour or so earlier than planned, which was bad news for the rest of the nation.  It appears that politics can be as unpredictable as the weather.

Gavin Short