Today was the the latest of the Club ‘ad hoc’ flying days which had been planned to allow some Basic Instructor training alongside some Club flying. The actual weather was not quite as forecast with grey skies and a brisk Northerly wind evident as members and visitors from Dartmoor Gliding Society arrived at the Club. But as the morning briefings got underway the grey skies started to be replaced with more and more blue gaps and as the sunshine increased then so everyone’s optimism improved.
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| Fluffy clouds (initially) Mike Sloggett) |
With a forecast of a North Easterly wind for much of the day the decision was made to set up the launch point in the South West corner of the airfield and soon the K21s, DG505, Perkoz and a Junior were being brought out of the hangar and readied.
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| Coaches and wanabe BI's (Mark Courtney) |
Mark Courtney, Martin Woolner, Simon Leeson and Ian Mitchell started the Basic Instructor training with Roger Green, Richard Roberts and Roger Appleboom from Dartmoor Gliding Society together with Nick Harrison from DSGC.
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| Mike Sloggett with Hans Jenssen (Mark Courtney) |
Meanwhile Peter Smith and Mike Sloggett started to work their way through the Club flying list, completing card checks with Ray Dodds, Hans Jenssen and George Sanderson whilst John Borland and Paul Medlock took to the air in the Junior (LRD).
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| The west ridge (Mike Sloggett) |
The air looked encouraging with various fluffy clouds around the airfield so Pete Startup (Discus 230), Eric Alston (ASG 29 G29), Wyn Davies (LS7 W7), Andrew Logan (ASW15 FMS) and Andy Davey (Libelle 5) all launched, some finding success in getting away and some not. Those that were not successful first time around managed to get away on their second flights.
After a stop for lunch it was more of the same during the afternoon with Tim Petty also getting airborne in a K21 and in turn the Junior.
After a stop for lunch it was more of the same during the afternoon with Tim Petty also getting airborne in a K21 and in turn the Junior.
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| North Hill sunset |
By late afternoon both the Basic Instructor training and Club flying list had been completed so hangar flights were flown. A good day all round with 34 launches. - Mike Sloggett
W7 and 230 did a refresher circuit before getting away properly having been shown how to do it by Andy Davey getting some serious stick time in his new Libelle. Eric and Andrew Logan also rigged and flew. The nice fluffy Cu made a rapid exit around lunchtime and the soaring few were left with the old upwind, stumble into a blue thermal, get blown downwind, repeat game. It eventually stoked up on the high ground of the Blackdowns and some decent thermals to 3,500' were around - if you could find them. Not an easy day. - Pete S(230).
W7 and 230 did a refresher circuit before getting away properly having been shown how to do it by Andy Davey getting some serious stick time in his new Libelle. Eric and Andrew Logan also rigged and flew. The nice fluffy Cu made a rapid exit around lunchtime and the soaring few were left with the old upwind, stumble into a blue thermal, get blown downwind, repeat game. It eventually stoked up on the high ground of the Blackdowns and some decent thermals to 3,500' were around - if you could find them. Not an easy day. - Pete S(230).
