Wed 31st August

A windy day, rather more than the forecast suggested, prevented 2 of the 3 trial flights from taking place but otherwise the day was bright and sunny, with cloud that looked full of promise.

Launching (Mark Layton)

 Only one K21 was towed to the west end  along with the DG505 and Junior. The day was mainly Blue but reduced to Yellow later on which meant that early solo pilots flew with instructors, but there were some reasonable times for Club and private gliders. 

Interesting cloudscapes (Mark Layton)

 The cloudbase started at about 2000ft but quickly rose and by the end of the afternoon, some gliders climbed to over 4000ft AGL.

 

A beautiful sunset at North Hill (Lisa Humphries)

At 17:30 the Members  Wednesday evening group took over   and flew until a beautiful sunset  - in total there were 48 winch launches today. - Chris Warnes

Sun 28th August - TSC Pocklington

Final day and the forecast had a suggestion that the afternoon would deteriorate so after a few hours of grid squatting the day was scrubbed. Of course as soon as it was and people flew for fun, it got very soarable - typical! 

Amy in the back of BBB (John Pursey)

 I flew Amy Playle for 3 hours down to Hull and around with storming conditions along the Humber. Mike took Stirling cloud flying so we will need to watch out for him once he is back at NHL and the clouds build up…

Time for some photos (John Pursey)

Prize giving saw our Blue Eagle get best wood in Mike’s skilled hands.

Getting home (John Pursey)

 So another great Two-Seater Comp was over and only the task of getting home. For me this involves the RAC and at the time of writing this is still to happen… - John Pursey

Sat 27th August - TSC Pocklington

 The Met briefing was fairly optimistic despite some contra indicators and so the tasking had a max task of 250km. With the TSC use of multiple TPs and declaration on route it does allow the slower gliders a chance to judge just how far they can push it.

Looking down the Humber (John Pursey)

Stirling teamed up with Mike Armstrong in the Blue Eagle with Alan in BBB as my radio operator. As usual the conditions over the Wolds got going quickly and the Eagles were off with yet another master class from Mike on cloud and energy line selection. BBB slipped behind and after crossing the Humber AXJ was getting hard to spot. Conditions down the Trent Valley were fairly good, 5000ft bases though widely spaced. Wide enough for an Eagle to need each cloud to work…

High bases but widely spaced (John Pursey)

 I saw DD3 with Phil and Gill Morrison go racing by the mouth of the Trent then they were gone. The hot ships turned Belvoir and back for the full task but upon spying Blue Eagle heading back from Newark (the TP before Belvoir) I realised both the size of his lead and the wisdom of not going the extra distance with the day wearing on! Both Eagles got back, this the second time in a week I have managed to return Alan to base - almost becoming the norm!
Another day win for Blue Eagle AXJ.

For older DSGC members a familiar face at the front - “Jono” Smith a club stalwart in the 80s

 A very pleasant group gathering in Pocklington’s Italian restaurant rounded off a lovely day. - John Pursey

Sun 28th August - Junior Nationals Keevil

 Looking at Rasp this morning  gave the impression of a very good day ahead, could this mean four consecutive days of flying?! Dan had been put in the seat of the DG500 (Elan) a club glider from Aston Down with Alex O’Keefe. The two seat competitors were lucky enough to have nine gliders / instructors available for the ten pupils still on site. Unfortunately although similar to Dan's favourite club glider, the DG505, it does not have the performance, and nothing like the three gliders he’d had the privilege to fly so far this week.

DG500 today with Alex O'Keefe (Sally Hender)

However, the grid was set and the briefing held at 10am with a task set heading north this time, with a turnpoint over Diddly Squat Farm Shop, and the hope of lift over Jeremy Clarkson (known for his hot air). The 54 gliders started launching at 12:00, with the start called at 1:05pm, Dan started the task at 13:24 and landed back at 17:02.

252km

 
Dan….. "a good cross country flight, it was hard work compared to yesterday, but a great experience."

Junior Nationals 2022

We then headed to the prize giving and party BBQ, with great food and games thrown in, congratulations to Finn Sleigh 2022 Junior Champion.

AeroSparx (Sally Hender)

A fantastic week, thank you to everyone involved in the setting up and running of the whole event, from the directors, to the instructors to the volunteers running the airfield/bar and catering. What an introduction to competition flying. - Sally Hender

Friday 26th August - TSC Pocklington

 After 3 days scrubbed for competition flying though some local soaring, Friday brought a real window of opportunity. The weather briefing hinted at the risk of spread out and sea air but at least from the grid it looked good as the first gliders launched. 

With the DSGC team near the back, the sky local to Pocklington looked good initially but spread out was already starting to appear. BBB and AXJ headed off to Castle Howard with Mike Armstrong in AXJ taking young Amy Playle. Amy has only just gone solo and was to be given a master class by Mike in picking good energy lines. 

Mike and Amy in AXJ (John Pursey)

 

At Castle Howard the JP / AR combo in BBB picked a less good line and with a seriously deteriorating cloud structure, started to get low. The inevitable happened and we ground to halt alongside a field of detectorists scouting for Saxon finds. 

The Duo with Phil and Nick were already heading back down the Wolds, but with 8 octas were slowing down. Slowing down gave way to an engine start but with the Solo engine running badly the glider was coming down and a field beckoned. 

This shouldn't happen (Phil Morrison)

 Even Mike A  in AXJ couldn’t get far without lift and soon the whole team were in fields. Stirling started the retrieve process with BBB with the Chef to get back and get going on the paella social evening. 

Chef at work (JP)

With the exception of the hot ships on the front of the grid it was a day of landouts.
The evening was rounded off with a paella and 30 guests from the wood teams with a generally swapping of field stories. - Chef JP

Sat 27th August - Junior Nationals Keevil

 With a good day forecast, the grid was opened early and the briefing held at 10am, setting out the three tasks. Task A ……… out and return to Tiverton!! Would the boy find his way home? He definitely had an advantage, he was in the back seat to Ed Downham in his EB28!

Big wings for Dan today (Sally Hender)

Dan….’The grid was set, and the first launch taken at 12:15pm, we self launched at 1:14pm, and although the weather suggested an early start, we waited for 30mins to use others as markers. We steamed down to Tiverton, struggling over more difficult climbs and a lower cloudbase over the Somerset Levels, turned Tiverton East, we were then forced into the seaair to get to the second turnpoint at Bridgwater. We then took a massive climb at Glastonbury Tor up into cloud at 6/7 knots, and shot home at 120knots, being first back to the airfield again!’

Self-launching (Sally Hender)

Not sure about the points for this task though, think the handicap may scupper a high placing. Thank you to Ed Downham for this amazing opportunity. 

Todays Task

 Update Results…… 777 points for Dan and Ed, they came 1st overall, to Finn Sleigh who had 776 points! - Proud mum, Sally

Fri 26th August - Junior Nationals Keevil

 There was a better forecast today, and with it looking like it could be an early task. So gliders were pulled to the grid for 9am, the briefing at 10am with three possible tasks. Many of the Juniors embracing the fancy dress ‘animal’ theme (but hoping not to land out)!

Fancy Dress - Zebra (Sally Hender)

The sniffer was sent out at 11am, and the grid started launching at 11:55am and Task A chosen. Dan (Zebra) was back seat of a Duo Discus with Ed Foxon, and they got their launch at 12:46pm, not having any time to test the area, starting the task at 1:06pm.

On the grid in 620 with Ed Foxon (Sally Hender)

 They were the first glider to attempt the task, and therefore had no markers to follow, making it more challenging in the blue sections of the task.

Task sheet (Sally Hender)

 Dan flew the whole task, which was a fantastic experience, and blazed in from 15km out at VNE, first over the finish line, blitzing passed an ASH25. However, once points were calculated, and the Duo handicap accounted for, this did not remain the case.  Unofficial results. First place got 580 points, Dan and Ed came in twelfth with 480points - 92kph. The grin on Dan’s face when he climbed out of the glider made it all worthwhile. Thank you Ed Foxon, for an amazing opportunity. - Sally Hender

Thur 25th August - Junior Nationals Keevil

 Rain, drizzle and low cloud was what we woke to this morning, very disappointing, and hopes were pretty low of any flying today. However All attended the 11:30 briefing, with the news that a clearance was coming this afternoon, fingers crossed again!!!

Getting in the mood for Top Gun (Sally Hender)

 So out to the runway at 2:15, to sit there until 4pm when the day was scrubbed.

Back to the bar and a showing of Top Gun for the evenings entertainment. - Sally Hender

Thurs 25th August

 The front cleared through North Hill with no rain overnight leaving some blue sky and a light north westerly wind. Four two-seaters and a Junior were prepared and taken to the launch point. 

HCX launching into a blue sky (Mike Horwood)

 There was a good turnout from the Thursday regulars and Pete Harmer, Peter Smith and Chris Wool worked through the training list, with Robert Lee looking after the Trial lesson visitors and Barbie Fairclough standing in for Mark as Tuggie. Soaring started with the first flight in the Junior with Roger Davis. Then it was the usual hit and miss to get the first themal off the launch in the blue, although the ridge was kicking them off.

Perkoz on aerotow (Mike Horwood)

Clouds started forming by lunchtime and the private owners got going. Pete Startup  was the only one to venture very far and completed the Club100 Knowestone - North Tawton twice! Pete - out of interest my lowest point was 1600' agl near North Tawton. I was right over the Den Brook windfarm and the turbine blades there are 120 metres high - thought they looked big! 

Congratulations to John and Dave for 5 hour flights (Jill Harmer)

 

Congratulations to Dave Perriam in DG1 and John Borland in FAJ who both completed 5 hour flights for their Silver Duration. 

North Hill - It's greener than it was (Mike Horwood)

 Thanks also to Peter Smith for fixing the broken gearlever in the Gator this morning before flying.

Thanks all - a very nice North Hill day all round 40 winch launches and 5 aerotows - J&P

Wed 24th August - Junior Nationals Keevil

 With high expectations the grid was set up by 8:30am!!! The briefing at 10am however told a slightly different story with a more reserved forecast.

 

Grid Squatting (Sally Hender)

At 11:00, we had a surprise visitor of Pete Startup, who came to see some old RAF colleagues and tap up Team Hender for tea and biscuits.

Surprise visitor (Sally Hender)

We mooched over to the grid at about 12.00, then waited two and a half hours with delay after delay, only to be told the day was scrubbed. So the bar was opened early! 

Bar is open (Sally Hender)

 Pete then took a passenger with him back to Cullompton, for a keen junior to collect a motorbike. Arrived safely 10pm  got lost a few times!- Sally Hender

Wed 24th August

 Sadly after my optimistic note re today and the weather then changing it’s mind for the worse…

As is often the case with gliding a day is looked forward to with great optimism based on the weather forecast, members turn up planning to fly and then the actual weather turns out to not be as good - with members then drinking copious amounts of tea and coffee whilst looking at various forecasts hoping to find something positive which will suggest flying later in the day. Today was one of those such days with the actual weather being somewhat different (for the worse) compared to last evening’s forecast.

The morning “drifted” towards lunchtime and with no apparent likelihood of flying various members left the Club with alternative plans, in some cases to win some ‘brownie points’ at home, to be used another day.

The Club Simulator in use on a duff day (Mike Sloggett)

Chris Warnes used the simulator to good effect with a  new Junior  member who had recently had a trial lesson and Mike Sloggett completed some ground school briefings.

And then it was time for the remaining members to leave early afternoon with the Wednesday evening group flying having also been cancelled due to the actual and forecast weather. Oh well hopefully better tomorrow with a frontal clearance overnight! - Mike Sloggett

Tues 23rd August - Junior Nationals Keevil

 Dan wasn’t flying today, he has his fingers crossed for the predicted better weather tomorrow.
With the poor forecast last night, many of the Junior pilots played ‘Met Roulette’, deciding to enjoy the clubbing delights of Bristol instead… they lost!

Only 38 on the grid today (Sally Hender)

 So of the 50 competing gliders only 38 made it to the grid! With just an 80km task set, there were delays from 12:00 onwards, the sniffer went out at 1pm, with the grid finally starting to launch at 2:30pm. The start gate eventually opened at about 4pm but of the 38 solo gliders, 29 landed out!!!!
There was rather a lot of analysis during the evening, and some late evening meals! - Sally Hender

Mon 22nd August - TSC Pocklington

With a less than optimistic forecast split between BBC - a definite no fly, and RASP - a local 5Stars, gridding was on. With possibly a short weather-window, the set tasks were modest. Down to Scunthorpe, on to Kirton Lindsey with return via Malton.

From the front of the grid and with a less than impressive sky, talk was more about beer than flying. The sniffer glider, however, reported improving climbs and a very rapid “man your machines we are going to launch” shout went out. 

BBB led the way after a very good local climb and despite the poor looking sky ahead set off with some optimism. DD3 rapidly shot by and was gone......., Stirling in AXJ, sat with Mike Amstrong at the back of the grid with the sky filling in overhead.

 

Picked a nice field.....( John Pursey)

The Humber proved to be hard to cross for BBB with a fresh headwind and very erratic thermals. I think DD3 was already heading back north when Alan and I started field spotting along “Sunny Scunny”. The chosen field was good and had a road alongside. This had seemed a good idea but after the 20th car stopped to see the “crash “ we realised it wasn’t such a good idea! The retrieve crew in DD3 completed the full task and jumped into the best 4x4 by far, towing  BBB trailer.

The best 4x4 towing that big trailer (John Pursey)

 By then Alan was dealing with a policeman and two passers-by who were about to have a ruck because they collided whilst stopping to have gawk! The copper knew the more belligerent chap and sorted things out. I bravely hid in a bush near the entrance getting 'what 3 words' to load watching the fun and trying to ignore the Capstans circling overhead. The day went further downhill when the drizzle started and the garage phoned saying my car’s turbo was toast. To round it off by the time we got back to the gate with the loaded trailer, we discovered the gate was now padlocked! Phone calls sorted that but it was late by the time we got back.

Getting back late (John Pursey)

 AXJ with Mike and Stirling had struggled to the Humber but wisely opted to drift home.
With scores in, DD3 sits in 3rd place only 2 points behind the leader- all to play for! - John Pursey

Sun 21st August - Two Seater Comp Pocklington

The DSGC team has set camp and recovered from the stresses of the last week. A last minute suggestion by Lord Jones- in post birthday party excitement- that perhaps if Stirling drove the best 4x4 by far, the Blue Eagle could come as well…
A mad rush to get it back in the workshop for its Annual Inspection (thank you Ian and all those who helped!) and only just dry blue paint but it was ready for a Saturday trip up north.
BBB left earlier with your scribe and had an eventful tow when the mighty Sedona decided on the M5 to not really want to go above 2000rpm… Fine on the flat but 40mph on inclines on a motorway was a lonely place to be. Wolds View Garage investigating and hopefully we will get back. At least the barrel of otter settled quickly and feasting commenced!

Day 1
A good forecast with the area to the north looking especially good on RASP, led to a flurry of preparation. Team Eagle with both AXJ and BBB to ready and DD3 to dry led to a pre-briefing rush. The task set in true TSC tradition with 6 TPs.

 

TSC Day 1 Task (John Pursey)

Launching started around 13:00 and with Cu to the north it was just a question of finding the first climb and making a start. Stirling in the back of AXJ was given a master class with Team Eagle’s ringer pilot, Mike Armstrong.

 

The Humber Bridge (Stirling Melhuish)

Mike after a great climb off-tow was the man to beat and showed why years of practice, ruthless thermal selection and balls of steel make him the winner he is! 

 

JP and Alan Rappaport in BBB (JP)

BBB with Alan Rappaport and me got out of phase with the cycling clouds and lost time midway.....

Obligatory visit to Kirbymoorside - home to Slingsby and the Eagle birthplace (John Pursey)

  .... but I managed to get Alan back to the finish (No landout! - a first for this pairing) but elected to miss out the Humber bridge TP which by then,  Mike and Stirling had already rounded. 

DD3 with Phil and Nick whistled round the full task. Nick’s post flight comment “it was really easy and a lovely scenery “ - and it was. 

 

The N York Moors did look particularly beautiful (Nick Jones)

With results coming in, TSC Results,  

Mike Armstrong how I dunnit! (Nick Jones)

 Blue Eagle sits atop the standings - well done Mike! - John Pursey

Sun 21 August -Junior Nationals Keevil

 With a good day forecast and knowing it was his turn to fly today, (after a day being crew and dog sitting on Saturday) Dan was actually out of his tent at 7:30am!! He helped take the covers off of LEW, Chris Gill’s Arcus, then attended the briefing which took place at 10am with the three ’bow tie’ tasks set, weather dependent.

Sniffing in the Arcus (Sally Hender)

Flying with Chris Gill, Dan took the first launch of the day at 11.30, being the ‘sniffer’. The rest of the grid then started to take off from 11.50am, with six tug planes and grid of 34 solo gliders and 6 two seat gliders, this was cleared by 12:46pm, and Task A chosen by the launch director.

Task A (Sally Hender)

Dan…. "Hard day, made it round, 207km, speed 115kph, flew fair amount of the task, no need for the engine! Nice to try the Arcus, basically a Duo with flaps! But would make a nice club trainer Tom! Good fast first leg, with very little turning. Turned Swindon, with no sun on the ground to help, third leg was downwind, and struggled to get any climb to turn the next turn point at cloudbase.......

Final Glide (Dan Hender)

......Final glide much easier, scraped over the threshold at VNE."
Thanks to Chris Gill for the experience. - Team Hender

Sun 21st August

 With the forecast suggesting some grey skies it was perhaps not entirely unexpected that only a few members were at the Club first thing - with Peter Smith already crawling under the winch to continue the repairs started by Alan Turner yesterday. But with enough members to fly both K21s, a Junior and the Perkoz were soon being brought out of the hangar and daily inspections completed whilst Launch Control was set up on the North East side of the airfield.

James Flory started the general Club training with Ella Penny whilst Mike Sloggett started some One to One training with Emma Flory, and which seemed to be focused on exploring various parts of the Western end of the airfield with Emma not getting to the top of the launch(es) throughout the morning.

With few winch drivers available Dave Perriam and David Cowley shared all of the day’s winch driving between them (Well Done and Thank You both) whilst also sharing the Junior with Josh Batchelor, Chris Mew and Pete Warren.

Robert Lee and Peter Smith looked after the Trial Lessons  visitors - all the Trial Lessons flying in the Perkoz through winch launches due to the cloudbase not allowing aerotows.

Trial lesson visitors in Perkoz (Mike Sloggett)

 After a short lunch break to allow everyone to ‘refresh and recharge’ the flying continued in the afternoon with Ian Mitchell as Duty Instructor and by late afternoon the flying list was completed.

A drop of rain has made the seeded grass grow (Mike Sloggett)

 Thank You to all for the teamwork today which enabled others to get into the air - and a particular Thank You to Leina Penny who helped on the ground throughout the day and who was rewarded for same by having her first glider flight, much to the delight of her daughter Ella. - Mike Sloggett

Sat 20th August

On a day when the Duty Instructors were elsewhere, thanks go to James Flory and Mark Courtney  for stepping in to cover Club members instruction. the trial lesson visitors were looked after by Tom Sides  and Simon Leeson enjoyed a tugging duty and managed to get a soaring flight in the afternoon.

Streeting and convergences (Mark Courtney)

 Several private owners flew locally and enjoyed 1-2 hours soaring. - J&P

Fri 19th August - Course Week

 The weather forecast suggested that today might (might) be the best day of the week so the Course Members and helpers were invited to plan for an early start.

With only a short walk of the gliders across to the launch point the first flight of the day was launched around 9:30 and there were already signs of some thermic activity starting which suggested the forecast might well be accurate.

Congratulations to Julian West - First Solo (Peter Smith)

 As the day unfolded the Course Members continued to make progress with Julian West, having impressed Mike and Peter with his flying skills during the week, being sent solo by Peter, Well Done Julian

Several of the Course Members enjoyed their best soaring of the week with climbs to 3000’ and flights out to Cullompton and back. Andrew Logan (FMS) and Pete Startup (230) used spare ropes to make the most of the conditions soaring locally.

As the day came to an end the smiling faces of those present confirmed that it had indeed been the best day of the week - a week when a day and a bit was lost to poor weather but during which Course Members enjoyed making progress both in the air and on the ground.

A particular Well Done to Peter Smith who in and amongst his Course responsibilities toiled away in the MT hangar ‘early and late’ most days changing many blades on the blecavator ahead of it’s use on the next field levelling stage.

As ever Thank You to the Course helpers, Tim Petty Hans Jenssen and Dave Perriam who kept the winch and launch point running smoothly and efficiently, and to Simon Stabb for his help during the week (ed: not forgetting a big thank you to Course Instructors Mike and Peter) - Mike Sloggett

Thur 18th August - Course Week

 With the weather looking more promising than the previous three days, the decision was made to start gliding as early as possible to make up for the lack of flight time earlier in the week. We all helped at the hangar, carefully manoeuvring aircraft out and onto the grass  for DI's, and then towed out to the launch point. After setting up the winch at the other end of the airfield, we started flying operations  for both Course and Club Members with five gliders: the two K21’s, the DG505, the Perkoz and the Junior.

August (2) Course Members, Instructors and Helpers (Jake Stabb)

After waiting a little while for the low cloudbase to improve, flying operations commenced at around 11:00 with various club members and course members taking to the sky in an effort to make the most of the retreating cloudbase. Multiple flights were had by everybody, with some more experienced pilots practising their launch failures and others spent their time in the air trying to find some elusive thermals. Most flights did not land much longer than 10 minutes because the monotone sky seemed to be largely void of lift, however the views were stunning with clear sights over to the Exe Estuary and even the South Coast of Wales popped through the clouds. At 13:00 there was a short break in glider operations as members enjoyed some delicious food and refreshments from the café before flying operations once again resumed. At around 16:30, glider operations were stopped, and everybody helped in the complex task of putting the gliders back in the hangars and packing away parachutes into the lockers, ready for the Course Fish and Chip Supper.

Not great weather (Mike Sloggett)

A big thank you to all the incredible ground staff- Dave Perriam, Tim Petty, Hans Jenssen, and guest helper Simon Stabb - for making sure we can get up in the air safely each day and thank you to Mike Sloggett and Peter Smith for instructing young pilots (and not so young Julian West) on how to fly, and gradually advance on the course.
-Will Budd-Thiemann (new member and first-time blogger)