Wed 14th - Sat 17th July

A series of days with very similar weather - hot and sunny with some limited local soaring at times. On Wednesday and Thursday - the normal club days  it was good to see our regulars and also some of our new members who have recently had Trial lessons come back for more flying.

If only the clouds worked  (Mark Courtney)

 On Friday, we held another special Trial flight day catching up with some of the backlog of visitors who had bought vouchers over the last 2 years. Well done to all our visitors who got caught up in the traffic jams in Devon and Somerset trying to get to North Hill.

Saturday was surprisingly busy considering the hot beach weather, but it was far cooler in the air than on the ground. 

Thanks to everyone for the great teamwork involving with flying in the heat - there's more hot weather to come. - J&P

Sat 10th July

A truly miserable start tested people’s resolve today, low cloud and drizzle was the problem. So a small group gathered outside the clubhouse and exchanged stories of epic flights whilst many, many cups of tea were consumed diluted occasionally by drizzle. I was however confident of a clearance and insisted we waited until 11:30 when the forecast predicted an improvement.

11:30 became 12:30, lunch was consumed, some disbelievers left to earn brownie points or to paint a fence or dig the garden, others were seen muttering in small groups about my sanity. I was beginning to agree with them…until a small bit of blue sky was spotted!

A K21 was taken out and James Flory readied the tug, still surrounded by orographic it was still a waiting game but improving rapidly. Ian Mitchell took off in his Falke at just after 1pm to fly people at Dunks, his enthusiasm was equal or even higher than mine (people also muttered about his sanity).

The tug had a new CO gas monitor fitted and James needed to test it, a quick circuit was flown as a test flight doubling as a met check at 1:40. The report back was that we could start flying!

Paul Summers and I took the first aerotow at exactly 2pm, (only to 1500ft because I was paying after all!) I have to admit some hours after my 11:30 prediction but the view was worth the wait. Visibility was amazing, Wales to the NW, Portland Bill to the ESE, the remaining clouds formed a fantastic skyscape, the air was perfectly still.

Paul with Trial lesson visitor Peter -what a sky! (James Hood)

Paul did another flight with me and then took the very patient Trial lesson visitor Peter for his flight finding lift off the tow, a beaming smile said it all when they returned!

Next up with me was the one and only Cheryl, “I’ve not flown the aerotow for ten years” she said. That was not evident in her performance, flying brilliantly for the whole flight.

It could almost be summer - with Paul and Cheryl! (Mark Courtney)

 

Martin Woolner enjoyed flying his Falke  and James was able to exchange tug flying with a flight with his son Sam in the Falke because Stuart offered to help in the Pawnee.

Last flight of the day was me with Stirling, by now the clouds were dissipating and lift was difficult to find, by the time we landed the sky was going completely blue. Kit was put away and more tea was consumed in full sun this time with real summer warmth.

Last flight of the day (James Hood)

When a day is written off in your mind and you end up flying your enjoyment seems to be amplified, that was indeed the case today.

Hope the paint dried on the fences that were painted! - Mark Courtney

Fri 9th July - Course Week

The weather was not looking promising as we scanned the forecast on Friday morning with the initial forecast suggesting rain by midday; again! With lots to still achieve the kit was out and the field set up before 9. The first flight with Sam Slattery followed soon after, although he didn’t make it above 150 feet before James Flory in the back pulled the release! After that excited Sam was pleased to see James get out and let him get on with 3 subsequent solos.

Congratulations to Mike Meatyard - First solo in a glider (James Flory)

 Meanwhile John Sillett was putting Mike Meatyard through his paces with a combination of launch failures and circuits, before John did the decent thing and got out to allow Mike to do his first solo on gliders, closely followed by a second. Meanwhile James flew briefly with Karen King before letting her do 3 more solo flights and John introduced Steve Dicksee to the circuit.

 Fortunately by now the weather had had second thoughts and was looking ok for the afternoon so after a quick lunch James sent Josh Batchelor off to complete another solo whilst John flew with Tim Petty continuing his return to flying training. There was even time to let a few course helpers get some time in the junior. James closed proceedings with a flight with Emma Flory, another one of the course helpers, enjoying a nice flight on the south ridge.

Congratulations - 3 first solos in course week Mike, Sam and Josh (James Flory)

What a week, the weather did its best to keep us guessing but despite the showers we achieved three first solos, two new winchdriver qualifications and several ground task cards being signed off for a variety of roles. Overall a great team effort . Special thanks to Dave Perriam, Gordon Hutchinson and Emma Flory as our ground helpers and to Andy Batchelor for helping out throughout the week.  (Ed. and thanks of course to Instructors John Sillett and James Flory) - James Flory

Thurs 8th July - Course Week

The promise of a reasonable flying day was sufficient to draw in quite a number of club members which, when coupled with the members of the 5 day course already gathered on site, made for a busy day to come. By 09:30, all 6 of the club gliders were ready for action, quickly joined by a number of private gliders as the morning progressed and the cloudbase gradually lifted. Course flying, with instructors James Flory and John Sillett, kicked off initially with a sequence of launch failures for the students but, with the skies clearing and conditions improving markedly, some trainees progressed to aerotows for spinning exercises in the Perkoz. Alongside the course flying, training continued for other club members turning out for normal club flying, With continually improving weather  conditions, flight times started to increase, with the longest flight of the day going to Gordon Bonny in the DG100 at 72 minutes. 

Congratulations to Josh Batchelor  for first solo with Instructor  James Flory (Andy Batchelor)

 As the afternoon progressed, James Flory declared course member Josh Batchelor ready for his first solo. At 16 years old, Josh is one of the younger members of the club, having only joined last August. Taking the responsibility of being pilot in command of a glider in his stride, Josh completed an excellent launch, circuit and landing, at which point his slightly nervous parents watching from the sidelines finally felt they could breathe normally again! 

Storm clouds to the south (Mark Courtney)

The mixture of club and course flying, continued until after 1700, when an issue with cable fouling in the winch drum led to a temporary pause in flying.  With a crack of thunder heard to the south and some angry looking clouds building and creeping ever closer, the decision was made to return the gliders to the hanger, with the doors being closed around 1809, signifying the end of  a busy, but very rewarding day. - Andy Batchelor

Competition Enterprise report

 Nick Jones, Phil Morrison and Dan Hender DD3 at Milfield, 

We had two super flights today - 

After a very short effort at doing the task, we had to start the engine after 20mins.

The day was saved for us when we picked up the SeaBreeze front and flew south to the end at Eshott, turned and flew along it northwards to the Lammermuir hills in Scotland 90kph.
We returned to Milfield and Phil repeated the trip with Dan, needless to say much faster at 110 kph. - Nick Jones

Sid's Task Week report

Pete Startup  230 was at Nympsfield for Out and Return to  Banbury 153Kms "Another stumble around what should have been a straightforward task. Bit of a gap to cross in and out of Banbury and some overcast on the way home."

Wed 7th July - Course Week

With the club room full (ish) by 9 am there was a splicing lesson from Gordon Hutchinson, with a couple of naturals in the group and a couple of not-so naturals.  Gordon’s persistence paid off, and 6 reasonably well spliced ropes, for the time-being, ‘decorate’ the club room. 

Craft lessons in splicing (Andy Batchelor)

 On to the gliding-  heavy showers and dense cloud was the start (and as it turned out the theme) of the day therefore, instead a still eager bunch of students sat down to an excellent lecture by John Sillett on Spins and Spiral Dives with our takeaway ‘don’t stall!’.    However, should we end up in a Spin or Spiral Dive then the theory of ‘how to recover’ has been covered in preparation of a practical experience (with instructor on board!)

John preparing for a spinning lecture (Andy Batchelor)

As there was a momentary brightening of the sky, around 11 am., gliders and kit were efficiently put into position enabling two K21s, a Junior and the Perkoz to have a collective 36 minutes of aviating.
As more of the wet stuff decided again to put in an appearance, an early mid-day lunch was called followed by 20 or so Bronze Exam questions ably hosted by James Flory. 

Another break in the weather was sufficient to allow two K21 low  simulated launch failures before yes, you guessed it, the skies opened. A quick dash back to the clubroom to watch two videos of ‘what not to do’ narrated by Pureglide New Zealand www.youtube.com/c/PureGlide

With regards to the club flying, Glenn Turpin was the duty instructor with a handful of members in attendance to have the pre-mid-day one Perkoz and one Junior launch.  
All gliders dried and in the hangar by 5 pm, with Thursday looking more promising…..- Karen King 

Tues 6th July - Course Week

After a successful day one, day two presented the course with a typical July day, not strawberries and cream and blobs of sun cream on the end of the nose, but a blustery rain-laden morning with a room full of potential weather forecasters proudly comparing weather apps.

Gordon doing a Met lecture (Andy Batchelor)

The forecasters amongst the students ranged from the half pint full ‘let’s go for it’ optimists and half pint empty ‘we won’t get much flying today’ pessimists. Thankfully, Gordon gave an the group an excellent introduction to aviation meteorology and forecast sources. At midday and with years of meteorological experience between John and James it was decided that the pine cones were open enough and the cows were standing in the right direction for us to fly.

One advantage of the wind strength and direction was an active west ridge and sporadic thermal activity. So began a series of ridge soaring, thermalling flights and circuit work with its challenging approaches and landings.

What started for me as a ‘question mark day’ ended as the day I rediscovered Gliding. - Thank you John.

Congratulations are in order to Andy. After years of SAR winch operations Andy was today ‘signed off’ as competent in gliding winch operations. I’m sure Andy is looking forward to years of isolation at the opposite end of the airfield! - Steve Dicksee (New Member and first-time blogger)

Mon 5th July - Course Week

The second course of the year has started well with a full complement of 6 ‘keen as mustard’ students - Tim Petty, Mike Meatyard, Josh Batchelor, Karen King, Sam Slattery and Steve Dicksee (who is new to DSGC, but not to aviation), 2 instructors (James Flory and John Sillett) and a ground crew of 3 (Dave Perriam, Gordon Hutchinson and Emma Flory).

Course members, Instructors and Helpers (Andy Batchelor)

Introductions and a briefing in the Clubroom then smartly onto the field (cable run NE to SW) for launch no 1 at 10:03, and a stop for lunch at 13.00hrs. Of the 23 launches (average 3 to 4 each) one was a 1st solo for Sam.  An excellent start to the week!

Congratulations to Sam - adding a glider to his long list of aircraft (James Flory)

 Throughout the day there was a Southerly wind, which rarely dropped, with a varying degree of curl over on the approach.  Rain thankfully held off until just before 5 p.m. when the instructors made a good call to head for the hangar with torrential rain arriving just as everyone retrenched to the clubhouse.

All in all a great first day with thanks to the instructors, and ground crew team for giving their time to the course week.  Ideally England, on Wednesday, will also have a great one! - Karen King 

Fri 2nd July - Trial Flight Day

Another successful Trial Flight day with the weather cooperating. Some low cloud to start which cleared in time for our first launch at 11:00.

A sample of some of our pre-booked Trial flight visitors (Jill Harmer)

Visitors arrived promptly despite being caught up in the Devon County Show traffic jams, and all the aerotows were completed. 

 There was some soaring in the middle of the day and sea fog was visible marching inland during the afternoon, but it turned round and went back again.

 In the early afternoon, there was a gap in booked flights giving some members the opportunity for aerotows. Well done to George Vojtisek for getting cleared solo aerotow.

Well done George - solo aerotow (Mike Sloggett)

 Thanks to the Instructors, Tuggies and Helpers for making the day possible. Further days are planned for later in July.

Thurs 1st July

Some annoying orographic cloud  at 600ft formed after the  fog in the valley had lifted up the hill, which delayed the start of flying. But as soon as the winch launches could complete safe circuits, the gaps also opened up to enable aerotowing as well.

Well done Josh solo aerotow (Mike Sloggett)

And it was just as well as the two-seater flying list was almost full of members requiring aerotow practice and spinning in the Perkoz. Well done to Josh Funnell for being cleared solo aerotow.

Andy took a high tow to practice aerobatics (Robert Lee)

 Soaring was at a premium even for the hopeful private owners, but extended circuits kept everyone busy - 50 flights in all. Thanks everyone. - J&P. 

Wed 30th June

Some keen members were up the club early and everything was unpacked by 8:30 with the K21s and the Perkoz taken across to the launch point.
After a steady launch rate in the morning, the wind decided to change directions and the launch point was moved to the west end of the field. Pete Startup enjoyed a 2 hour soaring flight to Wellington and Witheridge. JB, Andy Davy, Robert Lee and other private pilots enjoyed longer local soaring flights.
By 4pm the wind decided to flip again and all the gliders were moved to the east end of the field ready to hand over to the evening crew.
All in all a very pleasant day with everyone enjoying some time in the air. - Josh Funnell

 

The weather stayed fair for the evening group to take over the gliders from late afternoon onwards. The conditions were calm with a very light wind allowing trainees to practice their winch, launch, circuit planning and approach/landing whilst various solo pilots used either a K21 or Junior to build their flying skills.

 With a bright sky flying continued on well into the evening with the last flight shortly after 9 - Mike Sloggett