Dartmoor Gliding Society - Wednesday 17 June 2026

It rained heavily overnight, and cloud base was low when I left my village. Up on to the A390, and I was then into the cloud.  No view of the Hamoaze or Plymouth this morning.  On the back roads to the club the cloud/fog got thicker and thicker and then the rain started.

This is the road to the club.  You can't see, but there is a tractor coming!

When Ollie Riggs, today's One Day Course candidate, phoned in from Plymouth he was not surprised when I told him we wouldn't be flying.

So much for a flaming June.

Resigned, the Wednesday Wavers started to work down the to-do list.

One of the ground radios was not transmitting.  I suspected a setting, one of 42, had been changed.  After a half hour stepping through and comparing the suspect radio with a good one and my own radio the job was done.

The Twin Astir 1, DSL, needed its wing tape renewed, and we took the opportunity also to tape the tailplane and put fresh a fresh yaw string on the front canopy.  Phil adjusted the wheel brake.

Dave Archer investigated the quiet radio transmission from the Astir CS77. 

Cattle and countryside noises were eerily loud in the fog.

It was still drizzling, and foggy of course, so we had to wait to be able to commence outside jobs.  A few tried the simulator whilst others debated the social media ban for under sixteen-year-olds.  The weather clearance never came. 

However, other jobs were underway including on private gliders.  Viktor came up to say hello and work on Red Bear.  The weather in Launceston was nice, but not so at Brentor so he left.  If anything the fog was getting thicker.

Three pundits standing away from the noise of Mike and John cleaning the patio
with shovels and a leaf blower

Club planning continued into the afternoon.  Then we received some great news.  One of our parachutes had a damaged thigh strap safety clip.  I sent it back to Thomas Defence Systems yesterday.  It arrived in Bridlington, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, before midday.  They finished the repair work in three hours and its on way back to us. That's outstanding customer service.  Thank you.

The last of the Wavers left the site and disappeared into the fog.

Saturday looks much better!

Gavin Short