Dartmoor Gliding News - Monday 25th May 2026

 With many people heading off to the beach for bank holiday Monday to enjoy the record-breaking temperatures, a small but no less determined group formed to make the most of Rick offering to open the airfield for flying. 

Today we were presented with a moderate ESE breeze increasing throughout the day with little chance of any thermal activity. So, would there be wave? The forecast for wave did not look right at all, with the wind having an increasing southerly component at a higher altitude. This would diminish any chance of it properly forming. Temperatures were in excess of 30 C throughout the day. 

Not a cloud in sight

We had an early start with the first launch at 09:37am. Myself and Rick had 3 flights in preparation for my SPL skills flying test, we looked at side slipping and revisited stall with wing drop. Malcolm launched in the Ka8 and recorded 18 minutes in weak thermals that were most likely being broken up by wave. 

Lance preparing to fly.

Trainees Lance Whitehead and Valerie Kiely each made steady progress in their flying . We were also joined by new member Harley Brockhouse. An Ex-gliding instructor at RAF Predannack, he was keen to get back to flying. 3 flights in the K13 saw him well on his way to flying solo again. 

Rick briefing Harley on the K13

The solo pilots each had their fill. The Ka8 was flown by Malcolm, Mike Bennett, John Smith, Adam and David Archer and the Astir was flown by Jamie, Adam, Malcolm and Rick.

John Smith getting ready to fly

Adam returns in the K8 after a short soaring flight

There were some thermals around, but most were always broken. John Smith claimed flight of the day with 35 minutes. 

A big thanks to Rick to especially open the airfield today despite the heat. 

Jamie Young