After yesterday's incessant rain and fog, Sunday's weather forecast was all over the place running up to today, with various shades of 'not great, especially in the morning'. It wasn't therefore a huge surprise to find a somewhat reduced number of members in attendance. However on arrival things were looking up. Some low cloud was hanging around the west ridge, but there was plenty of blue to be seen (as the tug pilots were keen to point out). Mike Sloggett and Ron Johns set about instructional flights with new/temporary members Tim Petty and Adam Fox Edwards. Initially a couple of aerotows, as the winch was having a 'moment', before normal service was resumed. Dave Herbert was up next after soloing during a week at Lasham, keen to remember how to fly from a small field again!
Matthew Williamson had an attempt at multitasking - DLM and simulator fettling, but found this didn't work well. Doing what he does best, the simulator fettling was delegated to Matt Wright. A break during the later part of the morning waiting for showers to pass enabled all those members who had realised their mistake in believing the forecast, to get themselves up to the club. Together with trial lesson attendees who turned up with their families, this suddenly made the quietness of the morning vanish.
After the showers came a further brightening sky, with some excellent looking clouds. The walking talking liftometer Mr Startup, suddenly appeared in the queue for an aerotow. Nick Hine, who had been biding his time in the launch point all day, persuaded Matt Wright that a flight in the DG was in order. They took a trip to Tiverton to fly over Nick's house followed by a push even further north west to cover Matt's house followed by a check out at MUD for a score of 67 minutes. A surprise downwind radio call for a left hand circuit had everyone slightly perplexed, as they had been spotted north of the club only minutes earlier. It all became clear as the DG 'appeared' at about 30ft above the field height on the south ridge, at a 'reasonably brisk' pace. Allegedly (so Matt's story went) the usually mild mannered Nick got all demanding and made him do it.
Ron had uncovered the ASH and took Adam for a fly in the frankly fantastic looking sky. Rumour has it he also made up with Exeter ATC, albeit with some help from Adam acting as intermediary ;) Pete Warren was putting Mike Robinson through his red card checks, to enable Mike to fly solo again after a good few months. By this time almost everyone had flown and the launch point was pretty much empty. Mike Sloggett was (still) instructing, with James Sydney as his next student. Matthew Williamson had persuaded Pete Harmer that instead of flying the Junior on his own in peace, he should instead fly the DG505 with Matthew as observer. Pete looked ecstatic at the suggestion so off they went for well over an hour of heading to Bampton and some general bimbling. James returned looking very happy with his soaring flight after missing out on the best part of the day last weekend. Pete Startup had timed his launch well and made it very close to the Moltons - somewhere in between North and South and then went on to Taunton and Tiverton for 148km.
A caravan or two began to arrive at the club later in the day in preparation for next week's cross-country week, Kevin Atkinson and his ASH25 arrived and Jill could be found scouring the internet looking for the most optimistic forecast.
Another fun day out at North Hill, especially once the showers had passed. - Tim Peters
Matthew Williamson had an attempt at multitasking - DLM and simulator fettling, but found this didn't work well. Doing what he does best, the simulator fettling was delegated to Matt Wright. A break during the later part of the morning waiting for showers to pass enabled all those members who had realised their mistake in believing the forecast, to get themselves up to the club. Together with trial lesson attendees who turned up with their families, this suddenly made the quietness of the morning vanish.
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| In between the showers (Mike Sloggett) |
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| Nice sky later with good streeting (Mike Sloggett) |
A caravan or two began to arrive at the club later in the day in preparation for next week's cross-country week, Kevin Atkinson and his ASH25 arrived and Jill could be found scouring the internet looking for the most optimistic forecast.
Another fun day out at North Hill, especially once the showers had passed. - Tim Peters
