With Friday a scrub and your scribe driving back to Devon for a wedding, stand-in pilot Mike Armstrong (long-standing member at Camphill) was handed a copy of the S80 vario manual and given a tour of the taps (beer) by Alan Rappaport.
Saturday’s RASP was much more optimistic and as I secretly looked at my phone as the wedding guests arrived I could see the grid assemble.
 |
| DD3 and BBB flights |
Alan was Mike’s rear gunner and the pair hardly had time to settle before the launching machine sprung into life. Mike last flew an Eagle in 1964 and from the back too. The years rolled back and after a moment or two getting used to the vario and recovering from being dropped in poor air, had BBB en route to Fridaythorpe. A sneaky cloud climb north of the Humber had the Eagle on its way to Burton Upon Stather and beyond. DD3 with Phil Morrison and Nick Jones was the last to launch and soon chasing the front runners. Lots of gliders were slow getting going and DD3 soon made up ground.
 |
| DD3 over the Trent Humber confluence (Nick Jones) |
Mike had BBB on to Gainsborough after a squeaky low scrape over the centre of Scunthorpe. On quizzing Alan “would John press on?” the resounding “yes” meant they continued south to Newark. DD3 was blasting along and went to the most southerly TP, Oakham. As they headed home Mike had BBB on a return journey too and with a few forays into cloud introduced Alan to the unusual concept of returning to the site to land…( Something I have yet to do with Alan in the competition over the years!) Home too for DD3.
So the results: DD3 was 4th on the Day and 4th overall. BBB thrashed the wood class and the intermediate class too, 7th on the day and 7th overall. Mike’s 200+km was judged the flight of the week and the winner of the flattened Capstan gin bottle trophy!
 |
| Team Eagle takes best wood... (John Pursey) |
A successful week for the North Hill team, sadly only 2 competitive days but as ever a great week of food, Otter and some flying. Plans afoot for 2022 and 2 Eagles with Mike a possible “ringer” pilot!
