Wednesday 29th March 2012

Another beautiful day with sunshine from dawn till dusk. The wind was very light from the east. The pressure is a little high, would there be enough energy to set off thermals?

Early flights found very little except a somewhat unsettled feeling atmosphere. ( wave influence perhaps ). And then suddenly they were soaring.

DGS pilots are really making the most of the current run of good conditions. Alan Carter, David Rippon and Robin Wilson all returned flights of more than 2 hours for their cross country endorsements. Alan Carter is also claiming a Silver Height, having reached 4800 feet above the airfield ( 5600 feet above sea level ) an truly astonishing height for local thermals. This flight will need to be confirmed after we have downloaded his logger trace. Mike Gadd worked hard completing his Bronze skills tests with a series of “interesting” cable break exercises.

There were several air experience flights most of whom were introduced to thermal soaring. Other flights of note were Ged and Trevor in the Twin Astir who seem to be away for most of the day, returning with a series of aerobatics to loose height ( Trevor hates using the airbrakes for this purpose? ) . Don and Richard Williamson took the K13 on a mini cross country.

Another great day

Steve

Sunday 25th March 2012

Light easterlies with an unusual profile and clear blue skies.

Early attempts to contact the wave were met with persistent 4 and 6 knots down!!

Instructor Martin Cropper flying air experience visitors. 

Richard, not wanting to waste time, set about getting the cooking facilities in the new “West end “ launch vehicle and celebrated with a fantastic cuppa.

A pair of old stagers. The Guslaunch winch attended by the ex Perranporth Landrover

Without warning, the wave and thermals got themselves organised and everyone went soaring.

Is this "Maverick"?  No it's Richard Williamson during his 2hr+ cross country endorsement leg in the Zugvogel

Well done to Nigel and Richard Williamson for completing their 2 hour soaring flights, Roger Appleboom for completing his first bronze leg with a convincing 2 hour 38 min flight (forgot to take a watch—or so he said), and Shrek for completing his first bronze leg of nearly 2 hours.

Nigel Williamson on final approach in the K8 after 2hrs 17 minutes of soaring

This picture was taken by regular visitor Henry Ford from the Zugvogel at 4200 feet

A really good day in the end---everything comes to those that wait.

Don

Saturday 24th March 2012

Arriving at the airfield today at 8:30 I was pleased to see I was not the first. The hanger was open, vehicles out, and a couple of private gliders were being rigged.

There was an excitement in the air that you could almost taste caused ,no doubt, by the forecast easterly winds with the pressure high enough to discourage the thermal formations that can breakup wave patterns at this time of the year.

Time for a little equipment TLC while the airfield was rolled ( thanks Bob ) and everything prepared for what promised to be a busy day.

The K8 heads into the blue.

Did the day deliver? Oh yes! The wave was evident throughout the day. Always weak, sometimes very difficult, but ,for the careful, accurate, pilot it remained usable for most of the day. Junior pilot Simon Thornton was so pleased that he was going to have the longest flight of the day only to discover that he was beaten by 3 minutes by Andrew Beaumont who recorded a flight of 1 hour 37 minutes. Best reported height was only 3200 feet but everyone had fun.

A rueful Simon after discovering the Andrew had claimed the longest flight of the day by 3 imutes

We hosted 2 one day courses today. Both Nigel and Christian went home with smiles on their faces having had lots of soaring in the wave with plenty of opportunity to start learning to fly the aircraft.

One Day Course Students Nigel and Christian with me at the end of the day

A fun day.

Steve

Thursday 22nd March 2012

A trough of low pressure approaching from the NW. rain expected by midday, but eventually arrived at 4.30---some things are good if they are late!

Visibility wasn’t great, and soaring was very difficult. We retired to the launch vehicle for a briefing on how to get out of trouble if caught in cloud.

Later the CCF cadets arrived. Richard continued his excellent work teaching a group how to fly the simulator, while Robin and Steve pushed on with another group clearing the car park as part of operation first impressions.

Mike Sloggett, Matthew MacKay, Bob and I set about flying with the remaining cadets until rain finally stopped play.

Don

Wednesday 21st March 2012–A Game of 2 Halves

With a RASP forecast showing some thermal activity by 11:30 and shutting off at about 15:00, and a possible Easterly Wave forecast included, I was keen as ever chasing my 2 bronze legs to take the day off work and get up the club for an early start on Wednesday. Despite a number of operational tasks: DMX needing it's elevator fitted; the blue Landrover needed waking up with the Red Disco and quad US; and needing to change ends, flying started by about 11:00, just in time for the predicted conditions and promising looking sky.

Colin Boyd in the Beautiful K6 G-DFUB

By early afternoon the flying list started to fill up with a cue of 4-5 gliders lined up at launch point including some private gliders blowing out winter cobwebs: Colin Boyd and Robin Wilson K6, (although not so many cobwebs on that k6 I'm sure!); Alan Carter and Sandra Buttery's SF27; the Twin Astir with Phil Hardwick,
Bob Johns and Robin Wilson getting comfortable for the new season ahead.

Mike studying the clouds as he waits to launch the Zug

My second launch in the Zug connected me with lift and an energy line E-W directly down the strip which I took to cloudbase at 2600ft, but with a drift that left me a good 2 miles downwind in a strengthening Easterly. However pushing forward under cloud with the good glide of the Zug and circling back a few times I was able to stay with the energy to watch my first 30 minutes bronze leg go by, then my 1 hour cross country leg go by, and after a small lunch snack in the cockpit (just to prove to myself I could) I decided to bleed off my height and land after 75 minutes to let someone else have the fun with the club Zugvogel. By this time there was lots of good flying by others making the most out of the challenging conditions of small and concentrated lift low down down in a strengthening Easterly.

K13 returns after a good soaring flight

Alan Carter was chasing his 2 hour, and very nearly succeeded with the longest flight of the day at 1.5 hours and ended with a very well executed out landing in a good field at Longcross, 2.5 miles downwind. I was nominated / volunteered to go and retrieve Alan with Sandra, and after a couple hours we were back at the airfield parking the trailer under a blue sky with thermal activity obviously over for the day.

Mike, Alan and Sandra parking the trailer after the retrieve

I was therefore then surprised to see only one K13 sitting at launch - with everything else up in the WAVE that had set up after the thermal activity had died! So only one thing to do really, and taking Dons' brief, I took the awaiting K13 and cable and launched straight into my first ever flight in Wave, that lofted me in beautifully smooth air to 3500ft over Tavistock, Whitchurch, Cox Tor and surrounding area to watch my second 30 min bronze leg go by. After another 1 hour, time to practise some stalls and spins to get back down to an eagerly waiting ground crew at 5.30 to put the gliders away.

Mike took this photo of Mary Tavy  while flying the K13 in wave for his second 1 hour flight of the day 

The club gliders were kept busy all day, with instructors Don and Steve in the K13's and Steve Raine enjoying some early soaring in the K8 and John Howe also managing 28 minutes.

John Howe on final approach in the K8

What a day, obviously pleased with getting my 2 bronze legs plus my cross country flight of 1 hour on the same day, but the longest flight goes to Alan Carter with 1.5 hours, best height was Colin Boyd 4200ft. All told there were 6 flights over 1 hour, including Dave Rippon with his 1 hour cross country leg, nice one Dave!

Thanks to Dave Rippon and John Howe for winching, sorry If I missed anyone, and sorry to those that ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time and so not able to make the most of the day - my commiserations, I know how that feels!

Mike Gadd

Sunday 18th March 2012

We weren't sure of what the conditions would bring today but a hardy bunch were raring to go. As it turned out, it was changeable day. We were sometimes looking up at nice puffy cumulus, then rain would come through followed by clear skies. If you timed it right there were soaring opportunities but but the Northerly was blowing them away quite quickly.

We had a reasonably good start to the day with the first launch at 10:15 am seeing Roger Applebloom having a check flight with Don followed by three more solo's. I tried the Zugvogel out for size with my first flight on type. Needless to say, 'trying it out for size' being the operative statement. My head was touching the canopy until I settled myself further back in the cockpit and after a circuit and landing, Richard (my son) couldn't contain his laughter when I couldn't get back out again!

Grumpy trying the Zugvogel on.

I decide to jump in the K8 and managed to get a further 5 launches to complete my bronze

Bronze Completed !

 C.Leith Whittington, Shrek and Dave Parker continued their training with Don in BVBWith Dave and Don achieving the longest flight of the day Flight with 30 minutes. Martin took BVB for a trial lesson with John Gill. Roger Applebloom continued his progression at lightning speed by converting to the K8. Richard Williamson and Phil Hardwick flew the Zug after I took over from Phil for the afternoon shift on the winch.

Only 25 launches but a good day was had by all.

Nigel

Saturday 17th March 2012

The forecast was suggesting a front approaching carrying large quantities of rain. However, glider pilots are nothing if they are not optimistic, so, out with the aircraft and let flying commence.

In the hangar there was the usual suspects doing the aircraft maintenance work. In the clubhouse it was smelling like the local Indian takeaway as Sandra and Pauline got ready for the Safety and Curry evening. 

The flying proved to be quite frustration with just enough thermal activity to tease by not enough for consistent soaring. Later in the day a very long line of showers approached the airfield, which added enough additional activity in the atmosphere and suddenly they were all soaring. Our commiserations go to Mike Gadd, who is desperate for a bronze leg, but sensibly landed after 25 minutes just as the showers reached the airfield.

Mike ready for yet another go in the Zugvogel

The longest flight of the day went to Matthew Wiles who managed to get the wrong side of the showers and was cut off from the airfield. He brought the K8 back to the airfield after 33 minutes after having to battle back through the rain. It did keep him quiet for a little while afterwards.

And the Safety and Curry Evening. David Jesty presented a Safety Brief and Q&A session to a packed audience; it was standing room only at the back. The delicious curries followed which raised over £40 for the tea fund.

Steve

Thursday 15th March 2012

Don’t you just love long range weather forecasts. The predicted good day turned into fog, and worse than that, fog all day.

Not to be disheartened, we started the day with a hearty breakfast and then set up the field "just in case".

Operation first impressions moved on a pace. We found an old bath in the car park and got £20 for it from the local scrapyard!!

When the Kelly College CCF cadets arrived, about 15 in all, the airfield become a hive of activity. Richard Williamson delivered flight training on the simulator, while Ged supervised the jet washing of vehicles and the hangar apron, Mike Gadd supervised the painting of the generator hut,while Bob Jones and I kept the cut gorse flowing to a bonfire ably supervised by Steve Raine.

Thanks everyone, and very sorry the weather didn’t play ball.

Don

Wednesday 14th March 2012

Wednesday was a great day for sunshine. After the early mist burned off, the sun ensured that there were a lot of burned faces at the end of the day.

Just a shame that some of that warm air wasn’t going up! Despite valiant attempts to push out over Dartmoor, an airing for the Twin Astir and hanging around the farm and scrapyard no usable lift could be found.

Malcolm White (left) seems happy with his one day course  

Ged had a busy day, split between a day course for Malcolm White and polishing Shrek’s circuits. The later culminated in Shrek’s first solo flight at the end of the day. ( That's the second new solo pilot this week !!)

Shrek is congratulated on his 1st solo by instructor Ged 

A great finale. Congratulations Shrek.

Steve Raine

Sunday 11th March 2012 Roger Applebloom's first solo

Last weekend was a good one; Yeovil Town got 3 precious points, England beat France in Paris, and I had my first solo flight; life seldom gets better!

It takes a brave person to risk someone first solo on a busy day when there is only one functioning 2 seater, so Don obviously either had more faith than me in my abilities as a potential pilot, or was intent on getting rid of me one way or the other and at whatever cost. For whatever reason, the chance to fly solo swept away two months of frustration at not getting it right; cramped circuits, speed control on final turn, rounding out too early/too late, holding off maybe/not at all.....all the usual stuff.

Final checks done, cable on and secure, the Puttock behind in spirit if not in body, and Shrek's implorations to bring BVB back in one piece ringing in my ears, I wanted only to keep the first flight simple, cautious, without bending or breaking anything. I pulled off the launch a bit early because of speed, went almost straight to the high key point and the downwind leg, turned early, landed long, 3 minutes of doing nothing too badly.....and nothing broke. The second flight I actually enjoyed.....no loved....every second! And still nothing broke. Job done.

Roger is congratulated by Don after his first solo flight

My thanks to all the instructors who have had to endure some pretty terrible flying since last August, and to those on Sunday who didn't get a flight because I was hogging the only glider: looks like cakes on me next Sunday.

Roger Appleboom

Interestingly this is what Martin Cropper, with his somewhat jaded sense of humour, thought of the day

When you’re learning to glide the time at which you fly is governed by the ‘Flying List’. First come, first served: you can’t say fairer than that. Well, it is fair in that it’s consistent, but when you’re not master of your own destiny ie. reliant on a lift, and your family has other plans for you ie. the next serial is grandma’s at two pm, and they haven’t even started flying until 1030 because there’s mist on the runway or cloudbase is only 250ft, and then some berk needs to hog the cables because he’s doing launch failures from which the retrieves take forever, this rigid adherence to the Flying List can seem a little unfair. And thus it was for Luke and Joe  to whom we have to say thanks for turning up, but on some days, you may find you leave without having flown, for all the reasons above.

And so who was that berk hogging all the cables? Step forward none other than Roger Applebloom who, after a little more than his original projection of 80 launches for a fixed fee, went solo for the first time today. Congratulations, Roger! For those who do not know him, Roger is proprietor of a garage, workshop and motorcycle training school near Taunton who bikes the 70 miles down every Sunday and regularly arrives at the club FIRST (within the speed limit – he says). This dedication and consistency has earned him many a lecture from Don (today’s was ‘TePhiGrams and radiation fog – my part in their creation’) but who today was rewarded by the departure of the CFI from the back seat, and made 2 faultlessly flown solo flights. Only one line remains unsigned on Roger’s ab initio training card, and that’s because everyone had to depart early (not least Don, who took one of the ex-Perranporth K-13s to Dunkeswell) – the cans can wait for next week..!

Following Roger’s solo, and with only one K-13 serviceable, the challenge fell to David Jesty to get through as many of the trainees as possible in the time remaining. Still, with conditions improving and with the K-8 taking the solo pilots (Allan Holland 38 mins, Alan Carter and Allan Ballard), Leith Whittington, John *** and Shrek all achieved some soaring training thanks to David’s sharp eye for a thermal and refusal to let any chance go to waste. Our two Trial Lesson visitors, 80-year old Albert Greatrix (whose family remembered ex-member Frank Maresh with affection) and slightly younger Kyle Moore (ex-microlighter who may well join) went away happy after flights of 14 and 12 minutes respectively.

So 27 launches on a day that started clagged in mist, some disappointment for our younger brethren but a very creditable first solo to Roger Applebloom – is that judged to be failure – or success?

Martin Cropper