Dartmoor Gliding News - Saturday 9th May 2026.

 The forecast for several days had been suggesting wave. Looking at the atmospheric sounding it was clear that today would not be a super high day possibly 4-5000 ft. Wind was just south of east. Mike Jardine had jumped in to provide instructor cover as the others were getting ready for their Aston Down adventures.

Right from the off it was obvious that there was wave ( more accurately Mountain Lee Wave ) and not just a single hydraulic jump but a proper wave system with bars showing up down wind of us.

Wave clouds over the airfield

One of our pilots, John Allan, had this to say.

First off, straight after the morning briefing, and into an optimistic sky showing signs of wave activity was Andy Davey.  Almost immediately he released the cable, we heard him call on the radio to say he'd contacted wave at the top of the launch.  A few minutes later I followed with a nice 1600ft launch.  I could feel the rotor earlier in the launch, but towards the top, the smooth feel of wave was immediately present, giving 2knots of lift on release, then quickly moving 4.  

The wave was interesting and changed quite a lot as time went by.  It was sometimes a puzzle to reach the next layer of lift, but 8200ft above sea level was the maximum we found.  I was pleased to find young Jamie Young enjoying a wave cloud that was much more like a convergence at 6000ft or so.  Quite bumpy at times, with hot spots of turbulent lift.    With around 8000ft it was an easy glide with not much sink to Hatherleigh, then after regaining height again, to Plymouth, Okehampton East, looking down on the huge array of tents at the Ten Tors encampment at Okehampton Camp, and then finally going back to Saltash.  

What a great day, where almost everyone managed to find wave, or at least some soaring when the wave finally died around 3pm onwards.

Plymouth looking across Devonport and the Hamoze

View across the Plym

Tavistock

Soaring the wave clouds
(like a bird soaring a cliff)

Flying up the side of clouds never gets old

Looking east over Plymouth from Saltash

Thanks to Mike Jardine, in the back seat of the Twin Astir, many of our trainee / early hour pilot had a chance to sample wave flying for the first time. He completed 7 flights all together until the wave stopped. This is a tremendous effort given that he would have had to contend with the rotor ( read heavy turbulence )  during each flight. Thankyou Mike.

All together the were 5 privateers totalling 13:23 hrs the longest of which was John at 5:07.

Club flights were controlled to 40 minutes each to allow as many as possible experience the conditions. 15year old Jamie manged to bag his Silver height during his flight in the Astir CS77.

These are Instructor Mike Jardine's notes

Ian and Lance both managed heights of over 5,000 in the wave , new heights for their log books. The conditions also gave Michael the opportunity to gain the necessary height to complete his spin training .

Air brakes were required to descend through today’s wave and thermals. 

Lance still climbing at 5000ft QFE ( 5820ft AMSL )

The club fielded the Twin Astir and the Astir CS77 today. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time we have fielded all fibreglass aircraft. That's progress. The second Twin Astir will join the fleet soon.

What a fantastic day.

Steve