Mon 10 September

A small group of DSGC members gathered at East Devon Crematorium, joining with the family to say goodbye to John Phillipps. 

John Phillipps 1921 - 2018

John enjoyed gliding until his mid-80s including club trips to Scotland and Spain,  a long-standing member of DSGC, his last private glider being the LS4 he shared with Ken Jenkins. 

John died peacefully in his sleep at the great age of 97.

Sun 9th September

After a quiet day at the Club yesterday it was thought that a good weather forecast for today might see more members at the Club. However the flying list was limited to start with and then slowly but surely more members arrived so it was on with the day. All four two seater gliders and a Junior were brought out of the hangar ahead of daily inspections and canopy cleaning whilst the launch point was set up in the North East corner of the airfield.

And then the day’s flying got underway - with thermals becoming evident from mid-morning onwards, as ever from the winch it was a question of finding the first helpful thermal to allow further sky searching for better thermals to be undertaken.

Late morning there was a rope break which due to the crosswind saw the drogue parachute disappear into the trees on the South side of the airfield and this meant a single rope winch operation for some time until order could be restored and twin launch operation resumed.

After lunch a second Junior was brought into use and the afternoon saw several members having good flights in a Junior whilst the 2-seater  flying list progressed well.

Alongside our booked Trial lesson visitors, we also welcomed Chris Jones and Kristen Rapp from FlyBe following our liaison visits last month. Kristen is a Silver C pilot from Germany and Chris enjoyed silent flight for the first time, we hope to see them both again soon. 

Although RASP was suggesting some useful cross-country conditions the private owners found it hard going. Pete Startup 230 got to North Tawton but decided that Dulverton was a turnpoint too far. Rowan Smith  CLM spent an hour west of Tiverton trying to get into wave. Robert Lee DKU enjoyed a flight to Wellington. Pete and Jill Harmer OL took off just as they all arrived back and went off looking for the wave - to no avail.

And it seemed that almost as soon as we had started flying for the day it was time to put the gliders and ground equipment away.

Tricky day for cross-countries (Jill Harmer)

On a day when teamwork was needed to get other members into the air we had just that - Thank You to all who helped in one way or another today - 46 flights in total. - Mike Sloggett

Sat 8th September

Today was very quiet with few members.  In the morning Nick Jones arrived in his beautiful classic Jeep and several members enjoyed driving it for a lap around the airfield before putting it to some real work - 75 years old and still able to pull roots out with no fuss, amazing, didn’t even mark the bumper!

Nick's classic Jeep (Peter Smith)

Some weak lift was found on the south ridge through the morning, in which both David Wojnar and Josh Funnell tried their hand in the Junior, while Ollie Handford continued his training in the K21 with Martin Woolner.  We also welcomed Andrew for his (Christmas present) trial lesson.  By lunch time the cloud was descending so unfortunately further flights had to be scrubbed. 

Thanks go to the skeleton crew for working well together to enable the few flights that were possible. - Ruth Comer

Fri 7th September - Course Week

With some poor weather preventing flying on previous days of the September Course week, it was no surprise that with a good forecast for the last day of the week Course members, Instructors and Helpers were getting gliders out of the hangar soon after 8:30 this morning. With the Course helpers having already got all the ground equipment ready one could sense a steely determination all round that everyone was going to make the most of the evident good weather.

September Course (Mike Sloggett)

And after the first winch launch getting in to the air around 9:30 it was then non-stop flying until lunch.

Early morning sky with a balloon visitor (Emma Kendall)

Lovely Devon sky (Mike Sloggett)

Richard Copus and Rob Rankin both used their morning flights to build further on their flights from earlier in the week and meanwhile Andrew Darke was being put through his paces before eventually completing his first solo in a glider to add to his very extensive private and commercial flying experience including as First Officer on Concorde for a number of years, Well Done to Andrew.

North Hill (Mike Sloggett)

By mid-morning, the sky had become quite thermic albeit as ever it was a tad tricky to get away from the winch launch - however as the morning progressed then so did the consistency of the thermals just off the ridge and the flights became longer and longer.

Just after midday Andy Davey launched in a Junior (LRD) and then spent the next five hours airborne landing just after 5, having made the most of the thermals until they “died” shortly before he landed, Well Done to Andy on his Silver Duration. 

Congratulations to Andy Davey after his 5 hour flight (Mike Sloggett)

During the afternoon, Emma Kendall continued to make progress with her pre-solo training in general and particularly how to spot and use thermals (after all that practice in the simulator yesterday).

The second of our experienced Pilots, Doug Gage was also put through his paces re-soloing at North Hill, to add to his previous gliding solos and his previous commercial flying experience, Well Done to Doug.

Peter Field congratulates Andrew Darke and Doug Gage (Mike Sloggett)

The final training flight of the week for Rob  Rankin was anticipated to be simply an opportunity for Rob to demonstrate his ability to plan a circuit but instead Rob decided he would show how to ‘sniff out and climb in’ a thermal not marked by any clouds so Rob goes back to Hong Kong with that skill nicely established.

And then almost as soon as the day had started it was time to put the gliders away for the week. A really good day to end a week where patience was needed on the poor weather days but where today proved that all good things come to those who wait!

As ever a big thank you from the Course members and Instructors to the various Club members who helped and supported the flying during the week - Richard Harris and Allan Mounce for their 5 day stints and William Pope, Graham Barden, Ian Hunt, Jill Harmer and Tim Petty. - Mike Sloggett

Thur 6th September

If you were up early enough the sun was out and Richard Harris and Allan Mounce had all the ground equipment ready with the launch point set up. By the time the aircraft were out and DI'd  a  bank of orographic cloud was on the ridge and drizzle was in the air. After a while it all cleared to blue sky and sunshine only to cycle twice more during the morning.

Sheltering from the drizzle (Emma Kendall)

Eventually with complete cloud cover, the cloudbase went up to a level that allowed some low launch failures for Doug and Andrew on the course, whilst others used the Simulator. After lunch, the cloudbase showed signs of getting a little higher and Wooly took an exploratory launch with Peter March in DG505, followed by Aston Key in Junior who managed to find some ridge lift and lift in the valley and achieved the longest flight of 42mins. Peter Field continued the launch failure scheme for Doug and Andrew, and Mike Sloggett attempted a full height launch with Richard Copus, but it wasn't long before they were all chased back down on the ground by some heavy showery rain. Having dried all the gliders again, a few more flights were attempted but the frequency of the showers finally beat us and the kit was returned to the hangar. 

Mike Sloggett and Richard Copus waiting for a full height launch (Jill Harmer)

Sorry for those who didn't get to fly, -blame the weather. - J&P

Wed 5th September

 Course news

After a theory-heavy day under murky skies yesterday the course members were eager to put their knowledge into practice, with much more favourable weather today. Along with the Wednesday club members we set up at the far end of the field.

West end launch point (Mike Sloggett)

Doug and Andy each had the fun of an aero tow in the Perkoz to practice some spins. Richard  Copus and Rob Rankin worked on winch launches and circuit planning, with Rob also getting in some launch failure practice and thermal soaring. Emma Kendall enjoyed the challenge of going without an altimeter. Andy Davey managed 2 hours in the Junior with a climb to 3,800ft, and is striving for a 5 hour flight for silver duration before the week is out.

Devon skies (Mike Sloggett)

John Sillett slipped in some aerobatics with James Price towards the end of the day - how else could they get down from 2,000ft?

 Pete Startup in 230 and Eric Alston G29 enjoyed mixed conditions on the Club 100.- Emma Kendall (first time blogger)

 Club flying

The good summer (autumn ) weather continues with all the the club gliders walked to the S/W corner, there was some early soaring before lunch, about 1:00pm the lift became very good if you could contact it.

Busy launch point with Mike and Rob Rankin (John Street)

By mid-afternoon the thermals were reaching 4,000ft with 4-6kt thermals under most clouds

Eric, Pete Startup, Jeff Taberham and Andrew Logan all flew their own gliders and had good flights.

Our returning visitor from Canada Roger had a nice flight in the DG505 which he found quite different from flying his K6 in Canada he also commented he wasn't used to flying from such a large wide field! - John Street.

Tues 4th September - Course Week

After some gliding yesterday Course members, Instructors and helpers were all ready to get flying ‘bright and early’ today - but unfortunately the weather was not.

With low cloud and grey skies there was little enthusiasm for taking gliders out of the hangar.
So the morning was used to revisit the ground school briefings from yesterday to ensure that the key messages had been embedded with the Course members and after completion of same some further briefings were completed. The Club simulator was also put to good use during the morning by the Course members. 

DSGC Simulator (Mike Sloggett)

As the day unfolded the amount of teas and coffees being drunk increased - along with the cloudbase to the extent that early afternoon it appeared as if there might be enough height gained from a winch launch for take offs, circuits and landings to be practiced.

Falke under grey skies (Mike Sloggett)

But with the afternoon rapidly moving by and with cloudbase still not ideal a decision was made that Peter Field would use SuperFalke VG with the Course members rather than the winch being set up - with the Course members having the opportunity to have various circuits and approaches demonstrated.

G-BKVG (Mike Sloggett)

With a final briefing session completed late afternoon the day was brought to a close with fingers crossed for better weather tomorrow. - Mike Sloggett

Mon 3rd September - Course Week

The first day of the September Course week saw us welcome existing members Andy Davey, Emma Kendall, Richard Copus and Rob Rankin (who was so keen to come gliding at North Hill that he had come all the way from Hong Kong where he lives and works), as well as Andrew Darke and Doug Gage (who having come from Bangkok also had a long journey to come gliding).

Introductions and Course briefing completed the launch point was set up in the South East corner of the airfield under bright skies suggesting an opportunity o get some gliding in before the forecast rain arrived later in the day.

Uneventful circuits (Mike Sloggett)

Some uneventful circuits allowed Andrew and Doug to demonstrate that they had not forgotten how to fly gliders from their previous course at The Mynd whilst Emma and Rob continued with their pre-solo training - just before lunch Andy launched in a Junior and climbed away from the winch launch with a thermal helping him get to cloud base at around 2200’ above the airfield, staying airborne for circa an hour and a half before the forecast rain started to appear on the horizon and leaving Andy with no option but to land.

Increasing cloud (Mike Sloggett)

Over lunch the rain started to fall and so the week’s “ground school” commenced with briefings on Circuit Planning and How a Wing Works - and despite optimism that the rain and low clouds might move through in time for some more gliding to take place during the afternoon it became evident that such optimism was misplaced......

The sun came out eventually (Mike Sloggett)

.....so the gliders and ground equipment were put away for the day. - Mike Sloggett

Sun 2nd September

A quiet day at the Club with the weather forecast having perhaps reduced member optimism for today.

The launch point was set up in the North West corner of the airfield and the day’s gliding started under greyish skies, with little evidence of any areas of lift.

And then mid-morning those members on the ground started to notice that launched gliders were staying up and even climbing in what appeared to to be weak wave to the South of the airfield - no surprise that this encouraged a quicker launch rate but the weak wave did not last long before deteriorating as the wind changed strength and direction.

The two Falkes G-BKVG and G-CDSC arrived back in formation from Sywell with Simon Minson, Stu Procter and James Hood thoroughly enjoying the busy LAA event.

VG at Sywell

As the morning progressed trial lesson flights were completed alongside the Club flying list of training flights and card checks.

And after lunch with the flying list having been completed those members present had the opportunity for further flights if they wished them

With the final trial lesson flight of the day completed and with everyone having had all the flying they wanted late afternoon the decision was made to fly the gliders back to the East end of the airfield and put everything away for the day.  - Mike Sloggett

Saturday 1st September

For the First day of Meteorological Autumn, today was rather frustrating with the wind direction being South West one minute and then South East the next which kept everyone moving with a couple of changing ends required. Also there were few grown up members today but we managed to operate with the excellent Juniors support, hooking on gliders, retrieving and generally being a great help. Steve Westlake was duty dog this morning and Rowan Smith this afternoon, with 3 trial lesson flights booked and some red card checks to complete I stepped in to help so that everyone flew.

Roly Clarke flew the Trial Lessons and announced that today was his last day as BI having completed over 500 launches with various visitors over the years, (I wonder how many pairs of white gloves have been a part of this?), he is now concentrating on his solo flying and gaining his NPPL so having given so much to the club in his BI capacity he is taking some well-deserved ‘ME’ time – thanks Roly, you have been a superb ambassador for the club.

Roly on his 500th BI flight with Philip Gyger (Lisa Humphries)

Our Junior members all flew and are progressing well, its great to see the enthusiasm by all of them, the newest member Oliver was taken under Daniel's wing today to show him the ropes, well done Daniel you are a great teacher!

Dick Stevens and Roy Boddy enjoyed their flights today, some being red card checks along with Mark Wallis. 

I managed to fly a friends and family with the son of one of our Learjet Captains, Rowan loved it and will be back for more.

Lisa takes Rowan for his first glider flight (Lisa Humphries)

All in all a lovely day at DSGC, thanks to Ruth, Karen and Stirling too for their much appreciated help in keeping things moving. - Lisa Humphries