Things are a changing. There was some fog and low cloud early in the morning on the way to the club. A light breeze from the North then backing northwest and perhaps some high-level cloud developing in the afternoon to take the edge off the sun. But much cooler than of late. The barometer was forecast to drop throughout the day. No rain but RASP had five stars. Curious.
The duty crew were Mike Jardine and Richard Roberts. The latter had a one day course and two other visitors to fly. With the Twin Astirs, DSL and HBK, offline due to maintenance and hydraulic wheel brake repair respectively DGS returned to its old school roots with two K-13s, FGR and CCY.
Whilst members got the gear out and emptied the hangar the clubhouse was out of action for an exam. The Wavers had their teas and coffees, al fresco, on the terrace (how very un DGS!).
The reason was that Zack was resitting the Sailplane Pilot Licence (SPL) theoretical knowledge examination. Or for old school pilots, including Wednesday's duty instructor, the legacy BGA Bronze theory test. Try and keep up at the back!
Under Sailplane Flight Crew Licensing (SFCL) rules the examination is now managed directly at club level by the Chief Flying instructor. It covers ten subject areas: Air law; Human performance; Meteorology; Communications; Principles of flight; Operational procedures; Flight performance and planning; Aircraft and general knowledge; Navigation; and Navigation using instruments.
While Zack was busy sweating inside the CFI conducted the morning brief on the terrace using his laptop so we could get on with the business of flying. After what seemed like hours white smoke appeared and the clubhouse could be regained. Congratulations Zack. Studying does have its rewards.
On the ground the main focus was to get DSL through its annual inspection. On Saturday, using a new bush and fresh bolts the play in the rear rudder connecting bar was eliminated. A simple and straightforward fix to what could have been an expensive and involved repair. Today Phil and Colin, after removing the seats and myriad of seat and side panels, set to work inspecting the fuselage and tail plane.
Unsurprisingly the first launch was a little later than normal, at 1100 precisely, with David Moorley taking a set of thee circuits with the Duty Instructor.
After the briefing and the inevitable paperwork Basic Instructor Richard took junior Harry Carnegie aloft to start his one day course. Harry was accompanied by his Dad. Harry had recently returned from a deployment in HMS St. Albans and managed to fit in his course before deploying again. He is obviously enjoying his naval career. Now he will have a chance to participate in Royal Navy gliding courses and expeditions in the future. But his next focus is a specialisation change to Mine Clearance Diver (yes, not content with the challenge of defusing unexploded bombs he wants to do it underwater!). MCDs are a special breed. My best man was one. Some of his tales would make your hair stand on end. Good luck with your career Harry.
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| Harry, happy to be starting his course with Richard. Suitably supported by former Fleet Air Arm pilot Michael Malric-Smith (on the right - you didn't want to see his face did you?) |
Rowan continued his training whilst I gave Richard a break and took Simon Holder up for his two flight voucher. Simon, who works at Lee Mill was celebrating his 60th birthday and enjoyed two soaring flights. To be honest they were extended periods of scratching in the very weak and broken thermals which just slowed the inevitable rate of descent. Frustrating for me until right at the end of the second flight where we climbed three hundred feet and I could hand the controls to Simon so that he could explore the effects of the elevator and ailerons. He loved it.
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| Simon Holder prepares to aviate with Gavin |
The day became thermic; John Allan soared in the K-8 for 36 minutes and Rowan enjoyed 24 minutes aloft on his last flight of his training set. Steve Fletcher "got away" in his Open Cirrus and clocked up the flight of the day with 2 hours 42 minutes.
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| Steve's view of Roadford lake |
However, getting away wasn't guaranteed. Both Sean and Rick took two launches before getting established and soaring for well over an hour each. Sean in his Libelle and Rick in his syndicate Standard Cirrus.
There was evidence of a sea breeze front to the south, beyond Tavistock, that was linking the moors with the south coast. We weren't the only ones who had noticed it. On Glide and Seek we could see three gliders on a cross-country task out of Lasham (Alton, Hampshire) in the sea breeze front before turning Tavistock. They were all above 4,000 feet in two ASG 29E and one Ventus 2CXT (these are high performance gliders with 18m wings and self-sustaining engines, if required). After making the turnpoint at Tavistock they sped back to the east heading directly over Dartmoor. These three flights were the top scoring flights on the day's BGA ladder.
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| "Dartmoor. Here be dragons". Lasham-based Howard Joseph's view of Dartmoor from his Ventus 2CXT of hazy visbility and relatively low cloud base. |
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| Richard briefs Di Dawe before her soaring flight |
I handed back the glider to Richard and he flew Di Dawe who was supported by friends and family.
After his first flights Harry witnessed and took part in ground handling operations. Richard resumed Harry's course with an extended soaring fight followed by three shorter flights as the conditions changed.
Jamie managed the last soaring flight before the sea breeze set in from the North giving a damp cooling strong crosswind. Its unusual that we get a sea breeze from the north and discussion ensued whether this was actually the front that Rick had highlighted in the morning brief or the sea breeze. However, the darkness and murkiness dissipated at the end of the day as it cooled somewhat so the consensus was that it was a sea breeze from the north.
The training continued with Michael and Lance, bouyed up by the sucessful annual inspection and ARC of their, yet to be flown, DG300, on Tuesday. As the sea breeze started to disappate Lance enjoyed a short soaring flight, with Mike, as did Zack in the K-8. Then Ray Staines had the final set of flights for the day in conditions that were clearing and brightening up.
I did the last session on the winch. The sky was clearing and inbetwen the training flights there was a steady stream of privateers retruring to the glider rack at the end of the day. Some had had great flights others less so. When one's flight in a flapped 19m-winged glider is shorter than either of Dave Archer's flights in his 1964 Ka-6CR, G-DHEB (Debbie), you know it's not been a good day.
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| The privateers return to the glider rack at the end of the day |
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The winch returns to the Motor Transport hangar.
The yellow cab is almost camouflaged against the scorched grass of the airfield. |
Back at the hangar the Astir CS77 fuselage was on the workshop dolly. Whilst flying was going on a second day of work had achieved a strip down of the undercarriage, replacement of the brake shoes, adjusting and testing the wheel brake. The rest of the fittings can be reinstated on Saturday. If there is time the glider can be rigged and test flown. Many thanks indeed for all those involved in the project; John Smith, Malcolm, DB, Mike Bennett, Colin, and me (a little bit). If I have left anyone off the list, apologies, you know who you are. Great DGS team work to get us flying again.
Two weeks ago I showed a photo of a number of boxes that had been delivered to my home, for the club. It's always the way. When you finally get the pieces together for a project you find that you can't use it because there is a missing bit.
Many know that the tails of the Twin Astirs are very heavy. Former DGS syndicate had home-made tow out gear based on the Astirs spigot wheel feature. It's OKish but not suitable for use by trainees or visitors.
The committee approved the purchase of professional tow out gear. After much research we decided on an IMI tail dolly (from the Czech Republic) and a Soaring XX Giga tow out bar (from Slovenia). The hybrid set up allows the fuselage boom to be safely lifted, the tail dolly fitted, the glider lowered and then the tow out bar connected to the tail dolly axle. If the system is successful we will consider a second set.
However, there was no extended axle provided for the IMI tail dolly. I sourced one, but the axle was not quite long enough to accommodate the jaws of the Soaring XX Giga tow out bar. Good old Screwfix and a lot of work on Tuesday solved the problem. The system works and is ready for use... We just need a Twin Astir to fly.
So belatedly here is the grand reveal of what we have got:
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| Unpacking and assembling in my garden |
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The IMI tail dolly is substantial and beautifully made.
It's also very big to accommodate a Twin Astir tail boom |
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The business end of the Giga tow out bar with its jaws to locate on to the tail dolly axle...
but there was no tail dolly axle in sight! |
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After much work at the club on Tuesday I made an extended tail dolly wheel axle
and fitted all the washers, spacers and nuts to my satisfaction |
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| And the gear will be labelled up, useful at the launch point for identification |
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The Soaring XX Giga tow out bar, telescopically extended
and the "spoon" scoop that is used to lift the glider's tail boom is fitted. |
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| A close up of the lifting "spoon" |
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Lifting the fuselage. It's easy.
Place the "spoon" under the tail boom and lower the tow out bar to the ground. |
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| Straddle the tail boom and fit the tail dolly. |
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| The jaws of the tow bar engaged with the tail dolly axle. Normally the tow-bar would be in line with the tail boom, but there wasn't enough room in the hangar to demonstrate that. For those thinking about it the spoon is stored at the tow hitch end while towing. |
I hope that members enjoy using the new tow out gear for the Twin Astirs.
Today was a tad cooler but still a sunny day. Some soaring was to be had and there were sea breezes from the south, producing a sea breeze front over Tavistock, and a larger sea breeze from the north. At the clubhouse lots of work was underway in the hangar and outside. Thirty-six flights made or which 14 were training flights and nine were visitors flights. The Wednesday Wavers and their visitors had a good day.
Gavin Short
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