Thursday arrived with a spring in its step – another blue sky day. Being a club day, there were plenty of bods about to shake out the vehicles and empty the hanger etc. Those with more gliding experience than me (which, as the Jack Russell hadn’t resumed his role co-piloting Launch Control, was everyone...) discussed the implications of a wind shift from Westerly to Easterly. There was also a good amount of chit-chat about important sounding factors such as ‘thermals’ – which, contrary to my mountain climbing experience, were expected to be found in warm weather, not worn in cold.
The clubhouse was alive with the whiff of bacon and sun-cream. With the gliders DI’ed and sheep rounded into their pen, we course students were rounded into the lecture room. Here JB primed us on circuit planning and launch failures, while I practiced aileron/rudder coord. under the table. With the grey cells fried like the aforementioned bacon, we took to the field to start the fun.
Team JB kicked off with Chris, who practiced an approach and landing on the West end of the field before being unleashed on the Junior. He seemed to have good success in the Junior and went MIA (ed: Missing In Action) for long periods of the day as, to the envy of the assembled crowds, he sniffed out the best of the thermals.
I was next into the hot seat. JB handed me the controls after we had left the ground, and I was starting to settle into my climb routine. Then, with speed that would impress an agitated warlord, JB pulled off a ruthless coup and seized control. Next thing I knew, we were nose to the ground and heading back for an unexpected cross-field landing. It turned out that, using the sixth sense acquired in the course of 2400 hours (or was it 24,000?) in the sky, he had spotted a loss of power and done the necessary to extract us from the sticky situation, before I’d noticed that anything was amiss. Once established on terra firma he explained that this was his first ever unexpected loss of power. I felt strangely privileged, and better informed as to why British pilots had the better of Baron von what’s-his-name back when JB was a lad. Flights two to four were less eventful, and I enjoyed practicing the circuit and counting through the shrinking animals as we rounded out. For those not in-the-know, the animals are JB’s method of rounding out smoothly: aim for the elephant, then the cow, then the dog (not the one in Launch Control), then the mouse etc.
Team Paul seemed busy and happy... We forgot that Paul K and Paul C existed for part of the afternoon when they disappeared for 42 minutes – the longest of the day. Rob R flew it himself allowing Paul a nice snooze in the back – much needed rest after 42 minutes locked in with Paul K. Meanwhile, Rob F scooted here there and everywhere on the Gaitor and, like the 1990s Spice Girls hit ‘When 2-Become-1,’ successfully synced aileron and rudder.
Konrad seemed to be having terrible luck. Every cable he attached to broke, and he struggled to get past 700 feet.(ed: expect JB had something to do with this!) He remained unfazed and brought JB back down time after time with cool panache. All in all, another fantastic day. We’re so lucky to have such fantastic instruction, and of course the able help of Aston, William and Allan. HUGE thanks to all. Looking forward to Friday!! - David L
The clubhouse was alive with the whiff of bacon and sun-cream. With the gliders DI’ed and sheep rounded into their pen, we course students were rounded into the lecture room. Here JB primed us on circuit planning and launch failures, while I practiced aileron/rudder coord. under the table. With the grey cells fried like the aforementioned bacon, we took to the field to start the fun.
Team JB kicked off with Chris, who practiced an approach and landing on the West end of the field before being unleashed on the Junior. He seemed to have good success in the Junior and went MIA (ed: Missing In Action) for long periods of the day as, to the envy of the assembled crowds, he sniffed out the best of the thermals.
I was next into the hot seat. JB handed me the controls after we had left the ground, and I was starting to settle into my climb routine. Then, with speed that would impress an agitated warlord, JB pulled off a ruthless coup and seized control. Next thing I knew, we were nose to the ground and heading back for an unexpected cross-field landing. It turned out that, using the sixth sense acquired in the course of 2400 hours (or was it 24,000?) in the sky, he had spotted a loss of power and done the necessary to extract us from the sticky situation, before I’d noticed that anything was amiss. Once established on terra firma he explained that this was his first ever unexpected loss of power. I felt strangely privileged, and better informed as to why British pilots had the better of Baron von what’s-his-name back when JB was a lad. Flights two to four were less eventful, and I enjoyed practicing the circuit and counting through the shrinking animals as we rounded out. For those not in-the-know, the animals are JB’s method of rounding out smoothly: aim for the elephant, then the cow, then the dog (not the one in Launch Control), then the mouse etc.
Team Paul seemed busy and happy... We forgot that Paul K and Paul C existed for part of the afternoon when they disappeared for 42 minutes – the longest of the day. Rob R flew it himself allowing Paul a nice snooze in the back – much needed rest after 42 minutes locked in with Paul K. Meanwhile, Rob F scooted here there and everywhere on the Gaitor and, like the 1990s Spice Girls hit ‘When 2-Become-1,’ successfully synced aileron and rudder.
Konrad seemed to be having terrible luck. Every cable he attached to broke, and he struggled to get past 700 feet.(ed: expect JB had something to do with this!) He remained unfazed and brought JB back down time after time with cool panache. All in all, another fantastic day. We’re so lucky to have such fantastic instruction, and of course the able help of Aston, William and Allan. HUGE thanks to all. Looking forward to Friday!! - David L
(ed: David had a trial lesson day with Blundells School 14 years ago at North Hill, and has now found time to take up gliding with DSGC)
The wind was fickle today requiring three different launch points, and a few very interesting cloud formations.
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| Altocumulus castellanus with virga (Dave Cl) |
There was just the short period of soaring mid-afternoon as an almost invisible sea breeze front came through with Paul and Paul in K21 Matt W in K6 HEB, Gordon B in Junior and Chris M in Junior all managing nearly an hour. Dave tried out his new camera....and Matt W completed BI renewal checks.
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| Pete H and Matt W (Dave Cl) |
Peter Sm spent a productive afternoon rolling the area of bare earth.........
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| View from the back of the tractor (Peter Sm) |
...........and now all we need is some rain to make the grass grow again! In the evening the course members and hangerson enjoyed night out at The Viceroy in Dunkeswell. - J&P
