Fri 6th August - Course Week

Despite plenty of rain and  potential thunderstorms being forecast the last day of the course started with blustery but flyable conditions. 

In between showers (Jill Harmer)

 With the wind blowing straight down the airfield the West ridge was just about working giving everyone the chance to have a quick surf before being blown downwind for a challenging circuit.
After a mid-morning dash for cover when the weather broke flying ops resumed for some more short flights. Lunchtime started with another dash in from the rain and was followed by Pete and Olly managing to make the most of the ridge and pick up enough drifting thermals to manage a 52 minute flight despite the changeable conditions.

August Course members, Instructors and Helpers

 The day drew to a close with a final sprint indoors to avoid a deluge but not before everyone had managed a couple of flights. A great end to the week. With thanks to the Instructors Pete Harmer and James Flory and course helpers Hans Jenssen, Brian Knight and Jill Harmer (and guest helper and visitor Roger Davis.) -  Adam Baillie new member and first-time blogger

ed,  Congratulations to Pete Harmer who passed the 5000hours gliding marker during the course.

Thurs 5th August - Course Week

 The combination of rain, wind and fog meant that the course members enjoyed a day of catching up on the ground training, lectures and simulator flying. Lectures included circuit planning and launch failures, local airspace rules and thermalling techniques.

Proof of concept with 3 projectors (Matt Howard)

 Simulator flying included practice at flying circuits at North Hill and ridge flying in the Alps. With some help from Matt Howard, we were able to work on the upgrading proof of concept for 3 projectors. Most of the Flight plans that the North Hill Condor Racers have been enjoying, are now available on the Club simulator.-  J&P

Wed 4th August - Course Week

Club flyers shared the day with those on the course, hence a busy start to the day at North Hill. Winds were very light & the sun was shining. The winch was setup at the West end of the airfield, with the launch point conveniently close to the cafe.

Roger Davis from Rattlesden GC ready to enjoy Devon thermals (Julian West)

Once launches got underway it was apparent the conditions were not conducive to long flights & this kept the ground crew busy. Roger Davis bucked the trend by staying up for over an hour in the Junior. It was decided he ‘used up all the lift’ & there was none left for anyone else, hence the many short flights following.

Barbie and Mike Fairclough both enjoyed flights in the Pik20 (Julian West)

The launch point got even busier mid-morning when a number of private gliders arrived. It was great to see a beautiful array of gliders queuing for launches, including a PIK 20b, Pegasus, DG 202, Discus, K6, Mosquito, Duo Discus, LS7 & more. There was plenty of fascinating chat abut the design intricacies of the differing gliders. 230, W7 and DD3 set the 200kms task of Iwerne Minster - Mudford Gate with Pete and Wyn completing, and Phil missing out on MUD.

Chris Warnes preparing to fly DG505 (Julian West)

After a staggered lunch, the afternoon weather looked a little more promising. A few pilots had longer flights but they had to work hard as the lift was tricky. Whilst spectating, one of the instructors kindly educated me on the difference between a glider ’thermalling’ and a glider ‘going round in circles’. Chris Woodward got back in the Junior today, and Matt Howard had more than his fair share of low launch failures.

Nick Harrison in DG202/17 (Julian West)

An early cable break whilst launching the Perkoz was swiftly dealt with & everyone worked hard to ensure flying continued. As always, the instructors worked hard to give everyone on the flying list some time in the air. Everyone helped out with winch launches, aerotow’s and ground crew duties, there was even a short period when all the gliders were in the air giving the ground crew some respite! Overall, another great day at North Hill  - 52 launches with great teamwork, great banter & fantastic flying! - Julian West

Tues 3rd August - Course Week

There was low cloud and fog lifting in the valley but it didn't delay the start with the first launch  before 10:00. The cloud bubbled up and the first soaring flight was at 11:00.  It was a good soaring window, but it only lasted until lunch time, when the sea air had come through and the top cover increased. 

 

Well done to Chis - back solo (Jill Harmer)

Chris Woodward was given the normal check flights and then resoled the K21 after the Covid layoff. Roger Davis who is visiting North Hill from Rattlesden enjoyed an hour in the Junior including a trip to Tiverton. 

Launch failure briefing by James Flory (Jill Harmer)

So a good training day in very benign wind conditions meant all course members made some progress. - J&P

Mon 2nd August - Course Week

The start of another course week was a bit cloudy with best bases  up to  2300ft, and just a couple of excursions half-way to Cullompton was the most anyone ventured. But all the course members enjoyed their introductions or reintroductions to gliding at North Hill. 

 The showers held off until 5pm when a line of heavy rain came through just after a timely retreat to the clubhouse.

Sat 31st July

With a gloomy lowish cloud-base it was no great surprise to arrive mid morning and find the hangar doors still shut. In the clubhouse Duty Instructor Mark Courtney had a group looking at some cross-country / bronze stuff and was warming up for a chat about how wings work… 

With hints of higher cloudbases, a few of us got the field set up to be rewarded by rain. Undeterred the next gap was used to drag gliders across to be rewarded by some more lower cloud. 

Dan Hender and Chris Coville flew the Junior while Mark demo’d a straight ahead simulated launch failure to Harvey. I dodged the cloud with  Ben and noted it was basically soarable apart from …the rain! This caused a break in the proceedings but flying restarted after lunch and a most of those left that wanted to fly flew. Josh got some more solos, Jack some Red Card exercises and the Junior went on some more missions.

 
By the close of play it was getting quite pleasant and I had half an hour with an ex 737 pilot (Alan R) who started to remember what the “foot rests” were really intended for as he made the most of the weak hill/thermal lift. Thanks to Tim Petty for a long session on the winch and Dan for keeping his mum’s stool warm in the launch wagon. - John Pursey

Wed 28th & Thurs 29th July

Midweek flying was quiet after the recent hot weather, with 27 launches on Wednesday of up to 30 mins, and after a bit of rain, the wind picked up strongly and the evening flying had to be cancelled. 

On Thursday there were 46 launches with some reasonable soaring in the short weather window in the middle of the day.  It was good to see Ron back in the air getting checked out with Wooly. Pete Startup made it to Eaglescott and back and there were several local soaring flights of 2 hours. 

Launch point (David Clements)

Pete Startup "  Based on the forecast, I hadn't planned anything today other than just fly in the small weather window it suggested would be available. Although it didn't look it at the time, it was quite soarable and I could see a sea breeze convergence setting up towards Exmoor so I thought I'd bimble up that way and play in that. Wasn't great when I got there and didn't run very far before fizzling out but as I was heading West anyway and there seemed to be a few better looking Cu on track I just kept going to Eaglescott. Bit spread out around there so I just followed the, by now fairly overcast, energy line home."

Fri 23rd - Sun 25th July - Camphill

With the Camphill Vintage week being a victim of the lockdown extension, the official week was shunted on a month. Team Eagle had already had a few days in the Peaks on the original week due to holiday being booked by the workers but a last minute decision was made to dash back up for the end of the official week. Obviously it missed the best weather but 3 days of flying, over 12 launches and many hours made it well worth the trip.

John & Dan (John Pursey)

Easterly winds meant no ridge soaring but the local topography helps chuck the air up in other ways so even on the greyest day (Friday) it was not all sled rides down. Locals and rally goers had the chance to try BBB - many thanks to Ian and Malcolm for a Wednesday sprint for CofA and insurance- and Dan had over 3 hours on Sunday, long enough for his rear to enjoy the Eagle back seat sitting position!

Newly restored BRA (John Pursey)

Lots of gloriously restored Capstans, a new one to us was BRA which the Strand family had refurbished as a team effort! Very impressive. Young Imogen Strand came for a couple of flights in the Eagle and her family are keen to come to the Pocklington 2 seat comp so could be some serious rivalry… - John Pursey

Fri 23rd July - Course Week

 Friday morning greeted us with an overcast sky and a fresh easterly breeze, bringing welcome relief from the previous blistering hot days. For a couple of hours there were thermals to be had of which Roger Davis (ex CFI Rattlesden) showed he had lost none of his skills and made the best of it with a 50 minute flight in the Junior. John Borland also saw the improving conditions and got a couple of flights in with DG300 before the lift disappeared in the afternoon. 

K21s  - the workhorses of the course (Andy Pickrell)

 

On the course, Dave Perriam had obviously got lonely flying solo all week, so opted for the Perkoz for some company, then kindly ran the launch control in the afternoon.

Back on the course Julian West and Harry Rigby were making good progress and volunteering for cable brake practice, though Rob Rand had a real one to contend with on the second flight of the day. Julian West and I were practicing our circuits and discovering gradient wind in the fresh easterly.

Thanks must go to all those who helped out for the week  including the course helpers Andrew Logan, Tim Petty and Hans Jenssen and particularly to Instructors Mike Sloggett and Pete Smith for the four days under those canopy’s in stifling heat, and  for also accommodating my new disability in not being able to talk, but which may have improved their telepathic skills!  Thanks also to John Sillott for stepping in for Pete Smith for the last day.

Second July Course (Jill Harmer)

As a visitor and newcomer to DSGC, and keen to learn to fly, my overiding memory is not just the flying, but just how friendly, helpful and encouraging everybody is. 

New Member Andrew Pickrell

 

Thank you all and I would love to come back and do it all again. - Andrew Pickrell - new member and first-time blogger.

Thurs 22nd July - Course Week

 The day started extremely hot as usual for this week. We had many flights including a 205km flight from North Hill to Calne from an aerotow with Pete Startup. Lift was present and many flights were up for more than 10 minutes at a time. 

North Hill (Mike Sloggett)

 The helpers as usual were extremely helpful with the cables being delivered quickly and many flights from the hardworking Instructors who continued flogging with the less experienced throughout the entire boiling day.  Well done to Geoff Lawrence who breezed through his Bronze exam papers today.

Sea breeze has gone through (David Clements)

All course members  were invited to fish and chips at the end as a reward for the good 4 days of work they done in the extreme heat. - Harry Rigby -first-time blogger

Cross-country - How did Pete do it?

"Really enjoyed this flight - obviously not for the distance or speed but for the planning. Devon has been heaven for the beach-based body-basters this week, but with clear blue skies and daily sea air incursions, soaring has been a bit thin on the ground. Same old story today, convection started, but today some Cu appeared then promptly started to move North as the sea breeze moved in so an aerotow to a remote start 13km away was the order of the day(2nd time this week). The first 60 km across the Somerset Levels were a bit soft but once North of the Mendips it improved a lot(thanks to MC for finding us a good climb near Radstock). Then back to Devon. As expected and again planned for, the sea air had moved way North to between Taunton and Glastonbury but a good climb at the last cloud gave me a comfortable margin for the 30km glide home into an increasing Southerly sea breeze." -230