Sat 31 May

 A day pretty much as forecast; low cloud but flyable when it counted and by later afternoon quite fun. Usual faces there early getting stuff out and DIs done - thank you to all. A briefing at 9am and we were off with a list that had way more in the solo column than the two-seater one.

Gentle, slightly south of west wind,  so Clubhouse-end operations and a cloudbase that looked close. First launches just stroked the base and ample opportunity to exercise the last part of the “eventualities brief” concerning releasing under tension before any attempt to push forward. 

 

John Pursey with Karen King (John Pursey)

I flew and let loose first Gill Morrison then Thomas Gunner. The cloudbase went up to around 2000ft by early afternoon and with the sun intermittently having full reign it got more sporty. Alan Turner, Ashley Thomas, Chris Woodward and Dan Hender brought out their gliders and went soaring. 

Mark Courtney did some instructor training with Paul Medlock and James F, for once, flew just himself! After a lunch time break I flew with Karen King and Phil Rowlands in some lively air, with James Flory doing a round of flights with Sally Hender. The day ended with smiles all round, I think, certainly I was happy. - John Pursey

Thur 29th May

 What started as a quiet morning with relatively few members soon turned into a good soarable day. The low cloudbase quickly lifted and promising lift including some good cloud streets swept quickly over from the south west.

Cloudbase lifting (Mike Sloggett)

 

Strong winds down the strip meant it was a blue card for most of the day,  making for useful dual practice for many, under instruction from Mike Sloggett and Chris Wool. A short lunch break was followed by longer flights in the afternoon - well done to Callum Ellis and Mike for achieving the longest at 42 minutes. Thanks also to Callum for a long stint doing both winch and cable retrieve duties to help keep the show on the road. Paul Summers and Chris carried out 3 aerotows for some spinning. 

 

Streets developing (Mike Sloggett)

Three two-seaters plus one Junior were flown, and many people had either two or three flights. Despite this, the launch point and gliders were packed away by 17:00, making for an earlier finish.

Thanks to all who came up for a great flying day - those who had trusted the pessimistic forecast certainly would have missed out!  - Arthur  Lean (First time blogger)

Sun 25th May

 At the morning briefing at 9:15am by duty instructor, James Flory he advised of a Blue card day ahead, with gusting winds. Simon Minson was also on site to assist with training, so he took on Richard Roberts and Paul Summers’ respective blue card checks and BI revalidation, while James started on the remaining five names on the two-seater list. 

 

Thanking the Instructor for a rating card check (Paul Warren)

Just two K21’s were brought out from the hangar, and flying began at just after 10:00am, fortunately flying from the east end, so no walking involved. Logging training started for Rob Hender, as we needed someone when I was flying!  At 1:00pm we stopped for lunch, as both James and Simon had to leave. Ian Mitchell then took over at 2:30pm and was able to complete the two-seater list.
In what looked like a challenging day, there was actually a lot of lift around, you just had to get through the launch and landing to enjoy it.  We packed everything away by 5:00pm.
Thanks to the small but very efficient team who stayed the whole day and got everyone flown that wanted to. - Sally Hender

Fri 23rd May -Task Week Summary

 Each day briefing started at 10am, accompanied by breakfast made by Vicky - a great start. 

 

Briefing and Breakfast (Sally Hender)

Tasks were set, weather briefed and a register of pilots taking part.
 
 Help was provided on planning and programming of Oudies for those who wanted it. Novices were assured they would get a retrieve if needed.
 
 Task set , grid looking busy below-

 

A busy grid, but Ron got it organised

 

Bumblebee to the rescue again

On the best day  5 Pundits set off for the 300K task, and Pete Startup 230 won on handicap beating Ron & Dan Johns 711, Simon Minson SM. Phil  Morrison and Nick Jones DD3 shortened the task turning back at Sherborne, and Wyn Davies W7 completed 177km also cutting off the eastern end.
 
 NH2 - North Tawton - NH2 - Clyffe Pyppard - NH2 326km
 Meanwhile Pundit 6 Dan Hender JDP  decided on a slightly different task to enable a potential Diamond claim,  but having declared Wantage, the sky was very flat in the east, and he missed out on the 300k paperwork as he had turned short, but actually completing  326Km.

 But what of the important progress of DSGC Novices

  The Club 100 was completed by Alan Rappaport FWH, John Borland FAJ ( no start line),  Alan winning on handicap with SF27 (with a failed battery).
 Congratulations to Dave Perriam DG1  for completing Silver distance and Silver badge (and just missed the 100km Endorsement because of the start line) with an out and return to Barnstaple.  Congratulations to Shaun Dayman JDD for completing Silver Distance  and Silver height (and just missed the 100km Endorsement because of the start line) with an out and return to Barnstaple.  Completing the line up was Mark Wallis who landed at Eaglescott, but congratulations  for completing Silver Distance and Silver Badge.

 

In DSGC May 2025 Task week - Statistics

• 16 DSGC pilots have now started posting on the ladder. Great news, well done all.
•  Of those who went cross-country,  46 flights ended up flying 115 hours.
•  4029 km total distance for the week.
•  An average of 143.9 km per pilot, per flight.
•  DSGC ladder for 2025 now shows over 7000km flown. Let’s keep adding to that total for the rest of the year.
•  Only 4 land-outs all week

Wyn down safe and sound

2 of us tricked by the Dorchester sea air Rich and Wyn

Ron & Dan ASH25 stayed on the working side of the sea breeze front

The Club two-seaters got in on the action on various days as well – DG505 visits Devon and Cornwall 

NHL - Bodmin - NHL 212km - Simon & Mark with a private hire of JZK.

 

Simon Leeson & Mark Courtney in DG505 JZK

 

Local task on a soft day with Rich Roberts and Nicholas Johnson training cross-country

Rich Roberts & Nicholas Johnson in DG505 JZK

 

Top three pundits of Task week 2025 - BGA Ladder
 1st Pete Startup 4432
 2nd Dan Hender 3906
 3rd Ron & Dan Johns 2730

Brian Masters Trophy - last awarded 2016

 Thanks to  many : all the Pilots for taking part,  the Tuggies and Bumblebee for stepping into the breach, the retrieve crews, Vicky for feeding and watering all, weathermen, task setters, logkeepers, the weather for playing ball and Rich for organising everyone.

Tue 20th May - Task Week

It was a busy Clubhouse this morning,  and the tasks were set ..... Well, it was a slow start with a clear blue sky and then at about midday the clouds started to pop up and it turned into a really good thermic sky.

Task week grid (Sally Hender)

Novice
NH2 - Knowstone - North Tawton - NH2 Club 100km
Silver distance  - Release at Hembury Hill - Barnstaple

Pundits
NH2 - Knowstone - North Tawton - Blandford - Frome - NH2 301km

 

Clubhouse was packed for briefing (Sally Hender)

So 5 Pundits set off for the 300K task, and Pete Startup 230 won on handicap beating Ron & Dan Johns 711, Simon Minson SM. Phil Morrison and Nick Jones DD3 shortened the task turning back at Sherborne, and Wyn Davies W7 completed 177km also cutting off the eastern end.

NH2 - North Tawton - NH2 - Clyffe Pyppard - NH2 326km
Meanwhile Pundit 6 Dan Hender JDP  decided on a slightly different task to enable a  potential Diamond claim,  but having declared Wantage, the sky was very flat in the east, and he missed out on the 300k paperwork as he had turned short, but actually completing 326Km.

NHL - Bodmin - NHL 212km
Simon Leeson and Mark Courtney with a private hire of JZK completed O/R to Bodmin.

The Club 100 was completed by Alan Rappaport FWH, Rich Roberts V5, John Borland FAJ ( no start line), with Rich at 85.4kph, but Alan winning on handicap with SF27 (with a failed battery).

Congratulations to Dave Perriam DG1  for completing Silver distance and Silver badge (and  just missed the 100km Endorsement  because of the start line) with an out and return to Barnstaple.  

Congratulations to Shaun Dayman JDD for completing Silver Distance and Silver height (and  just missed the 100km Endorsement  because of the start line) with an out and return to Barnstaple.  

"The Cu out towards North Devon was positively inviting and didn't fail to deliver out and back. There was even a nice Cu waiting for me at Barnstaple.  Navigation a doddle - just followed the Link Road! Bumped into Dave (not literally) on the way back from South Molton. On arrival back at North Hill there was yet another thermal to afford me the opportunity of getting my height gain in addition to my distance." - Shaun Dayman 

 

Alan, Shaun, Dave all flew 100kms (Jill Harmer)

Completing the line up was Mark Wallis who landed at Eaglescott, but congratulations for completing Silver Distance and Silver Badge.

Flying locally in the good conditions were Geoff Lawrence HES, Ashley Thomas 877, Andy Williams FUN, Rob Hender LRD, Mark Layton 477, Steve Westlake and Dave Weeks KEK and JB and Sally Hender HCX, and later Robert Lee DKU, Jeff Taberham 380 and Nick Harrison JDD.  

Sally Hender "After launching the whole grid for the task week, tasks, JB and I took the penultimate launch of the day. I had a great flight in HCX with JB, went out to Tiverton then across to Wellington, practicing my turns, sharing the flying (JB gaining us height, me loosing it!).
Flew for 1 hour 40 mins, before having to come back to help with the booked group evening. To loose the height we had gained, JB threw some loops and chandelle’s getting us back down after an ‘epic’ flight!"

Many thanks to Stuart Procter for tugging with Bumblebee.

In the evening, several members helped with the Group evening booked by Bridport Round Table.  - J&P

Mon 19th May - Task Week

 Sally was running the Launch point ......

Is this the largest cupholder? (Shaun Dayman)

NHL - Tiverton - Culmhead -  Wellington - NHL 67kms

230
"DSGC newbie X-C learning and achievement week. Short task to get people to progarm a task into their gadgets and fly the task using start/finish lines and using sectors. Late start due to excessive cloud cover but improving as the afternoon went on so did two laps. They're doing great!" - Pete Startup

JZK
"Small local task part of task week." - Rich Roberts and Nicholas Johnson

W7

Near Blundells School Tiverton (Wyn Davies)

"Short flight to TIV. Didn't find a good climb , and slowly descended into a field" - Wyn Davies

Sun 18th May

With no formal Duty Instructor available for training flights today, it was great when a few  Instructors actually turned up to help out with the few members who had come on the off-chance. 

Task Week Grid (Rob Hender)

 

Thanks also to Simon Leeson for tugging, Dave Perriam for looking after our Trial lesson Visitors, and everyone for running the show. 

John completes Silver with Silver distance (Jill Harmer)

 

Congratulations to John Borland for Silver Distance and complete Silver. 

 

Andy completes his qualifying cross-country (James Flory)

Congratulations to Andy Broderick for completing his qualifying cross-country for his SPL TMG extension flying Henstridge and back.

Cross-country flying

JDP NHL - Bovington - Launceston - NHL (another attempt at a documented 300kms!) 235kms
"Weather at Dorchester was awful, the sea air had come in and it was a struggle to get away after the turn point. Hit a blue gap, 10km short of Okehampton but pressed on. Made my own luck finally getting to Launceston. I was tempted to see how much further I could go getting into Cornwall, but thought about my retrieve crew and decided to stick to the task. There were a few potential clouds in the distance, and thought if I could get to them I may get away, but I was so low and the clouds so wispy they didn’t work at all. 

The whole village turned out to help carry out (Sally Hender)

Picked a field which turned out to have just been planted, so a carry out was required, but the whole Village came out to see the aircraft that had supposedly ‘crashed in the field’ so many hands made light work!" Dan Hender

711 NHL - Cerne Abbas - Hatherleigh - NHL 225kms

230 NH2 - Dorchester - Roadford - NH2 263kms
"Went East first but Dorchester was aready 10km into sea air when I got there. Made a sh*t or bust dive in and out under the convergence which left me low and questioning the wisdom while climbing out of yet another farmyard. Once I got going again had a really good run to Okehampton only to find Roadford was in sea air too but this time I was high enough to get in and back out without too much drama until the glide through yet more sea air home - phew!
Well dome to JB2 (John Borland) on his Silver distance in the not so easy direction." Pete Startup

W7 NHL - Dorchester - North Hill 128kms
"Great conditions - but Dorchester was behind the sea breeze front. Got there and almost back to the sea breeze front. But not quite. Good field, and spent 10 minutes soaring with the sea gulls, until they flapped their wings." - Wyn Davies

FAJ  O/R North Hill 130kms
Well done to John Borland for his Silver distance flight and completing his Silver.

877 Ashley Thomas stayed local, but achieved his longest flight in 877.

JDD  Shaun Dayman headed off to Dorchester but scuttled back home beating the sea breeze front. "I struggled to see a way forward beyond Chard so headed north and still couldn't get high in order to have the confidence to keep going. Struggled to even find a decent climb as I drifted back towards North Hill."

DD3  JB and Phil Morrison also got caught with the sea air, but the iron thermal came to the rescue.

CEC Mark Wallis stayed fairly local in the Tiverton area.

A tricky weather day with the sea breezes keeping everyone on their toes. - J&P

Sat 17th May

 At the briefing this morning the clubhouse was packed, but by the time we had walked the gliders up to the west end there seemed to be very few on the airfield, and there were only four names on the two-seater training list.

Duty Instructor James Flory assisted by Steve Westlake started the flying off at 10:15am. The list was actually completed by 1pm, so we stopped for lunch, due to lack of members on the airfield. Private owners, Alan Turner (CYA), Shaun Dayman (JDD), Ashley Thomas (877), Dave Perriam (DG1), Alan Rappaport and John Pursey took turns in (FWH) and John Borland (FAJ) all took launches in their own gliders. Josh Howlett had the longest flight of the day in a K21 with 97 mins. Unfortunately after lunch, we had to switch ends as predicted the wind changed direction, but it was smoothly completed and didn’t impact flying too much. 

For Task week they started off the first day, with a moderate 20km task, however Rich Roberts was the only one to make the attempt, unfortunately landing out between Cullompton and Willand, so a nice short retrieve!!! We even had a member of the public (who had had a trial lesson previously) phone Tom Sides (at home) to say they thought there was a glider in trouble! Very thoughtful. 

Sileage ready to cut ( Rich Roberts)

 

The Trial Lesson  visitor and Lisa’s friends and family flight (from Australia) both enjoyed their flights.  

"Lovely day, I was lucky to get my neighbours son in law a couple of flights , he is a microlight pilot in Australia and will ve joining his nearest club on return! My neighbour is a member of the rotary club and will be arranging an evening for their members . Vicky’s cakes were a big success and they took away her cake recipes"  - Lisa Humphries

 

Sally waiting to launch (Lisa Humphries)

Conditions declined again as the afternoon progressed, so by 5:30pm everything was packed away.  23 winch launches and 7 aerotows. Good luck to everyone who has kindly purchased a country for the Eurovision Sweepstake this evening! 😉🤞.
- Sally Hender

Thurs 15th May

 Yet another long trudge to the far west end of the field awaited us in the same old bright blue sky. Good for most folk but not ideal for the gliding fraternity. On the plus side we must of racked up the 'steps' over the last few weeks.

 

Junior waiting for aerotow to the wave? (Mark Layton)

Mike Sloggett and Chris Wool worked their way through the two-seater list made longer by the yellow, then blue card conditions as the wind increased during the day making the approaches 'interesting'! Most flights from the first launch were relatively short as there were no signs of lift from the winch launches in the NE cross wind.

 

Is there wave there? (Mark Layton)

After lunch the signs of potential wave looked a possibility so after having not a lot to do Simon Jordy burst into action flying the EuroFox. With winch launches being less than 5 minutes in the blustery conditions the aerotow queue grew as the 'wave hunters' excitingly jostled for position. Unfortunately it was not to be, but at least those who flew had flights in the blue thermals if they could find them.

Despite the increasingly challenging  conditions it was useful for training and with the mission, (if possible) to pack up early once everyone had flown it was reckoned we finally made it! (and so did Mike to the regional premiere of Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning !) - Mark Layton

Wed 14th May

 The forecast gentle north easterly would have been nice but a trip to the west end where the windsock was horizontal and quivering belied the accuracy of the forecast, nevertheless it was bluish sky, sunny and  dry, - we would have given much for it a few weeks ago.
 
Thermal activity should have kicked in soon after midday, it was late arriving and difficult to corner when it did, but there were a number of extended flights.

 

Launch Control (Mark Layton)

Andy Pincombe, John Burrow and Martin Woolner all helped with instructing ensuring everyone flew. JB completed red card checks with David Wojnar in an extended flight in the Perkoz.
 
Some private gliders came out to play, Richard Roberts V5 topped the day with over 2 hours and Pete Startup 230 not far behind. 

CUL - Axminster - Crewkerne - Hembury Hill - CUL - NHL 96kms

"Set task to the west , pushed out but in blue only able to get to about 3,000 ft max so rapidly went off the idea. Cu appeared on the south coast so worked my way to them, then had a run along the coast going east following the line of cu. Some worked great, others absolutely nothing. A bonus x country for me regardless. Need more faith as I think the west did get better. Driving home I think I could have been still flying an hour and a half later to the west." Rich Roberts V5

Not the day we hoped for but everyone flew 32 winch launches and 5 aerotows. - Peter Smith

Sun 11th May

 A tricky day with some rain at lunch time, but the wind / low cloud couldn't decide, so just 10 flights today.

Simulator room was just a bit darker than yesterday (Tom Sides)

 

In the afternoon, Pete Harmer instructed in the Simulator, with Sally Hender finding it really useful stick time for her first training exercises, interspersed with Rob Hender taking Pete on a cross-country out and return to Mudford Gate and including a practice field landing. 

In the evening,  James Smart took to the radio test  machine again - well done to Ashley Thomas who passed his FRTOL with James. - J&P

Sat 10th May

 Just like buses - another 300k day for Pete Startup, 

NH2 - Wantage - NH2 306kms

230 "Went a bit blue with sea air after the Mendips heading back into Devon but with the high climbs it wasn't a problem. Great conditions today. " - Pete Startup

NH2 - Trowbridge - NH2 179kms

JDP - "A short task due to getting back for a working evening, aiming for in excess of 100kph, but sadly a low bit on the Somerset levels meant just 98.2kph" - Dan Hender

A super sky  (Paul Gunner)

 Meanwhile, back at North Hill, many Instructors, a full Flying List, lots of local soaring and training and check flights - 34 winch launches and 8 aerotows. 

And Sally Hender normally found in Launch Control has started flying training. 

Sally starts flying training (Tom Sides)

 In the evening,   well done to Dave Perriam  who passed his FRTOL test with James Smart.  - J&P

Fri 9th May

 A cross-country day at last and first 300kms of the season from North Hill, and some pics from SM.

North Hill grid (Simon Minson)

  NH2 - CHILBOLTON - CLYFFE PYPARD - NH2 302kms

 230 "Got high, stayed high, just bimbled along and loved it! With SM for company.
And many thanks to Alan for coming out at very short notice to tow us." - Pete Startup

SM "Late start in south west, 302K a good run once past Shaftsbury, with cloudbase between 5-6000ft!
A big thanks to Alan for flying the tug, all in all a great day out with the boys. - Simon Minson 

Final leg 112kms to go (Simon Minson)

NH2 - SALISBURY CATHEDRAL - NHL 213kms

711 Out and Return  to Salisbury -Ron & Dan Johns

DD3 "Conditions were good to Salisbury but we turned back at Salisbury South as we thought it was getting a bit too late to do the full 302km task. Sadlly the anticipated sea breeze front failed us on the way home and with no climb west of Yeovil we resorted to the iron thermal at Watchford Farm to guarantee a stress free return. Nevertheless it was an enjoyable flight and great to experience climbs to 6000 ft around Salisbury. " - JB & NJ

CUL - MARLBOROUGH - NHL 254kms

V5 " A fallback task from a 500kms,  Good day out with 230,711,W7,SM,DD3 " Rich Roberts

Thurs 8th May

 RASP indicated a good day, cloudy to start and brighter in the afternoon. That is exactly what transpired. The surprisingly cold start to the day was a bit of a shock, but the regular members knew better and had 'emergency' spare warm clothes at hand for yet another day at the west end. 

The sun needs to heat the ground (Mark Layton)

In an already overdeveloped sky there was lift to be had from the offset with a few flights approaching an hour and had to be called down. This brought a flurry of private gliders into the throng. Finding thermals were a bit of a hit and miss affair with some luckier than others and noone ventured too far from North Hill apart from Pete Startup in 230 who headed over to Tiverton. 

 

Launching at the west end again (Mark Layton)

After a quick lunch break, including a two minute silence for the 80th VE anniversary, the sky brightened up as forecast with a welcome rise in ambient air temperature. Most enjoyed soaring flights of some kind, with others doing back-seat flying training for mutual flying plus the normal array of cable failure checks sending gliders to different area's of the airfield. 

Front of the queue (Mark Layton)

 Mike Sloggett along with Chris Wool worked through the flying list and thankfully managed to get everyone flown by 1700. CFI Mark was back on tug pilot duty flying the EuroFox and finding the seat as comfy as ever before his mini lay off.  

A productive day all round with some fun added for good measure! - Mark Layton

Wed 7th May

The run of fine weather continues for the Club, with the chilly North easterly wind providing convection for the skilled and the lucky, whenever gaps in the high cloud permitted some heating of the ground.

Peter Startup and Wyn Davies topped the list with over 2h each, and Chris Warnes and Richard Roberts both over 1:40. 

Congratulations to Richard Lean (Peter Smith)

Finally, your humble scribe was lucky to become DSGC's newest solo pilot, being sent off under the watchful eye of Peter Smith, 34 years after my previous glider solo.
Thanks to everyone in the club who has helped me along the way so far. - Richard Lean

Sun 4th May

 With a call out last night advising of no instructor for the majority of the day, there were only six hopeful names on the two-seater list. Thanks to Ian Mitchell for  offering to run the field, and JB arrived at about 10.30am having missed all last night's messages, which meant hopes were raised as he agreed to instruct instead of flying DD3 as planned, - thank you both. The airfield was then set up, with aerotow only, due to lack of experienced members to run the winch,  (Tuggie Robert Lee was pleased about that!) This also meant the three booked trial flights could be flown by Shaun Dayman, all of whom thoroughly enjoyed their flights. 

The Pundits line up on the grid (Sally Hender)

 Flying began at 12pm, with the new Junior members flying first, staying at the club the night before to get to the top of the list is a good idea it seems!
Private owners, Pete Startup (230), Simon Minson (SM) and Dan Hender (JDP) set off just after lunch on the Club task…. Out and Return to Salisbury 212kms. 

JDP arriving back (Sally Hender)

"JDP - What a day, not as good as it looked, it was hard work. Good run out to Salisbury, then a hard leg back, with limited sun on the ground. Overall difficult flight but managed 75kph" - Dan Hender

"230 - Floundered from the off in the brisk wind, got low at SAL. Hideous really.................not what I'd planned! With SM and JDP." - Pete Startup

"SM - fell back to this 200k club task, from our declared 300 ! Not a easy day, still a great day out with Pete and Dan" - Simon Minson

Other owners took the opportunity for local soaring: Phil and Gill Morrison (DD3), Barbie Fairclough (DFK), Paul Medlock (JDD) and Alan Rappaport (FWH) .. after helping with the tug duty. 

 

Tug Duty (Jack Sewell)

Ian Mitchell arrived to help instructing mid-afternoon, and James Flory also popped across, and after getting clearance from Mrs F, stepped in and helped instruct (and tug too!). JB was then able to take his opportunity to fly DD3 with Phil Morrison. 

 

Keen Junior members learning the ropes ( Jack Sewell)

Overall, from what seemed like an unlikely day to succeed, we managed to fly everyone on the list. A big thank you to Gordon Hutchinson and Rob Hender who did an exceptional job running the airfield, neither of whom actually flew, thank you. - Sally Hender

Sat 3rd May

 Today looked to be another good opportunity to get some more flying in.  The kit was all out and checked by the 9:20am as requested.

James Flory carried out the morning briefing as he was kindly filling in the Duty Instructor role due to illness.  The busy clubhouse then partially emptied and flying commenced at the west end of the airfield. It was great to see many newer faces on site today.

As it was my first full duty as DSGC launch marshal, I was keen to do my best and help to get everyone flown. However at times it felt like this - But Blindfolded!

juggling everything 

…..But with a mix of training, check flights, card renewals, and spinning, it kept everyone busy. 

We were grateful that Peter Smith supported James with some extra capacity for more instructional flights during the day, a super effort by all.

Lots of visitors today (Mark Courtney)

Dan Hender, Tom Sides and Stuart Procter flew the visitors today, as well as some friends and family flights. All seemed to have a good time. Thanks guys. 

Ellis Goodland - first taste of gliding (Lisa Humphries)

The new Junior members started training on the ground tasks at the west end, while at the east end, a big thanks goes to Gordon Hutchinson for super-long winching stints in order to allow even more training. Two more winch drivers signed off.
Hopefully the more people we get signed off on all the tasks, the more we will all collectively gain. Good progress today, keep it up.  

 Special mention to Joel Roulson, as he managed to do stints in Launch control and then the winch, as well as flying the Junior for 45min, and also to James for instructing all day. Great work thanks.

Good to see Mark C at the club again, as the CFI , he put in a stint in the K21 with Simon Leeson flying back seat, and then was seen flying the tug!  Great news. 

CFI back in the air (Rich Roberts)

 
So what about soaring opportunities? Depending on the time you launched it was either very good locally or you found nothing but down.
Josh Howlett having resoloed on Thursday, then followed up completing his 1st 1hour flight.

A day that was hard work in the air trying to soar, and a busy day on the ground trying to get into the groove and make the logistics all gel. A demanding day, but we got there….lets do it all again.

- Rich Roberts (ed: and a big thank you to Rich on his first DLM duty and he did it all day without flying - magnificent job!)

Fri 2nd May

 The last day of the  Club Open Week looked like it was going to be the best day of the week. It had potential with a high RASP star rating but it didn't really deliver what was expected. On the plus side, there were some clouds, but on the down side the viz was initially poor, so longer than usual waiting times between launches were called for. Fortunately, some hardly noticed the difference!

Despite the favourable forecast there was only a handful of members present at the morning briefing which resulted in decision to aerotow-only for the day. The first flight launched from the east end for a change but it was quickly changed to the west end due to the tail wind.

 

Waiting for aerotows (Mark Layton)

Mike Sloggett, James Flory and Andy Pincombe had to share the limited number of training flights (Andy mainly, as Mike had to leave early and James flew the EuroFox most of the day sharing a few tows with Robert Lee). The rest of the crew wanted to fly their own gliders  Pete Startup 230, Dave Perriam DG1, Shaun Dayman JDD, Ashley Thomas 877, Mark Layton 477 and Chris Woodward HKB. Some had more success than others, the thermals were difficult to find let alone keep in for any length of time. 

 

After another hot day (yes it is still the first days of May after all) everyone seemed quite glad when we finished and packed everything away at 16:30 before retreating to the clubhouse for cold drinks.

A huge thanks goes to Mike who drove up from Plymouth everyday to keep the Open Week running whilst being assisted by various other instructors. - Mark Layton

Thur 1st May

It was one of those days when it was probably better going to the beach or sitting in a pub garden with a nice cold beer! But alas there were a large number of members at the morning briefing (expertly presented by Shaun Dayman as part of his instructor training) that thought going gliding would be a far better option.

The persistent south easterly weather system this week did not produce much, as predicted today. Circuits were what we expected and that was what we got. Even the aerotows didn't fair much better. Mike Sloggett assisted by James Flory worked through the very long two-seater list with various training requests. 

Congratulations to Josh Howlett (Mike Sloggett)

 Congratulations to Josh Howlett who was put through his paces with launch failures sending him to different locations around the airfield before completing his first solo at North Hill, and promptly followed it up with a second. This was some 20 years after his previous gliding at Nympsfield. 

A short grid  and short flights (David Clements)

DG1 (Dave Perriam), 877 (Ashley Thomas), FUN (Andy Williams) and FAJ (John Borland) all flew their own gliders, but unfortunately the flight times were still all relatively short. 

Great shot (David Clements)

 
As packing-up time approached the R151 cub arrived to allow a new syndicate member to get signed off for towing. Various members obliged and carried on into the evening.

A busy day with plenty of launches making the most of hot conditions left everyone happy to have flown. - Mark Layton