Dartmoor Gliding News - Wednesday 26 November 2026

The Wednesday Wavers weren't focused on the arrival of today's budget but on the arrival of the approaching warm front.  Earlier during the week, Wednesday's weather looked like rain throughout the day, so I was planning on more work on the Twin Astir Trainer's canopies.  I was the duty Basic Instructor, but we had no visitors booked, and I wasn't expecting to fly due to the rain.

But this morning's forecasts had a slower arrival of the warm front and hence the rain at 1230, not first thing.  That meant that the rain would coincide with the budget statement at 1230.  An omen or an unhappy coincidence?  Time would tell.

So the Wavers got the kit out and set up the field at the east end, but guess what, the forecast veer in the southerly wind direction didn't happen.  Maybe we should have launched from the west end.

Mindful of the oncoming rain, we took just a K-13 and the Astir CS77 to the launch point.  Unfortunately, I found that the brake cable repair in the Astir CS77 did not pass my daily inspection and so Scratch and I ran a new Bowden cable to the main wheel brake drum to the control column.  Meanwhile, Mike Jardine kicked off the flying with a check flight for John Osment and then refresher training with John's son David after a three-month lay-off.

John Osment prepares for a check flight.

David Osment prepares for the first of many refresher flights with Duty Instructor Mike Jardine.

Dave Osment dusts off the cobwebs with some good circuits, approaches and landings in the southerly crosswind.

No rain on the horizon yet

The west end of the airfield. Can you spot Scratch and Gavin working on the Astir CS77?

After a pair of flights by David, it was Ian King's turn for his pair.  With the Astir CS77 now at the launch point, John Osment took the first flight which was followed by Scratch.

John Osments prepares to launch while Scratch shows the Chairman that he can count to three.

Clearly, it takes a lot of checks and talking by the ground crew to get an Astir CS77 in the air.

Scratch is the second Waver to launch in the Astir CS77

Amazingly, David Archer made it to the airfield before the rain set in to have a pair of flights.

Dave Archer shows that he hasn't forgotten how to do it.

It might be greyer but still no rain visible

I took a launch in the Astir CS77.  I enjoyed the comfort of the recently-installed headrest and settled into an enjoyable flight.  I explored the slow speed flight characteristics with the wheel down and then with the wheel up, and compared the sink rates.  I then sped up to the minimum sink speed and continued to push into the surprisingly strong southerly wind.  A good circuit and landing were rewarded by the flight of the day at six minutes.  Yes, it was that type of day. 

The sky didn't look like it was going to rain soon, so the Wavers continued launching.

With the rain still holding off, it was time for David Osment to resume his refresher training with a further three flights.  These were interrupted by the arrival at the launch point of Neil Tucker, who had come to conduct the quinquennial (a chocolate bar is available for the first junior to tell me what that means) electrical safety checks of the clubhouse, hangar, and workshops.  The results, mostly good.  Neil was rewarded with an air experience flight with Mike Jardine.

Neil Tucker about to conduct aviation

Neil, the visiting electrician, about to launch

Peter had a flight in the Astir CS77 and was followed by John Allan.

John Allan looks happy, as does launch Marshal Ian King

A man outstanding in his field

The club pundits wait to critique John's launch

David Osment about to take his fourth" get back in to the groove" flight.

Dave Osments's refresher training continued with a fifth flight, a practice launch failure to land ahead, as the rain had now set in.  Indeed, the Astir CS77 was walked by back to the hangar before his launch by Steve, Phil and Gavin. 

Back at the clubhouse, Mike Bennett continued to sort out the blackout curtains for the simulator after winching for the first half of the day's flying. 

Scratch makes reversing the tractor and winch into the Motor Transport hangar look like child's play

The end of the day's cleaning of gliders before putting them to bed.

I wasn't fast enough.  In this picture, there are two Flight Instructors washing the gliders. 

David Archer assists John Smith in the building of improved parachute storage for Zack's Shack.

The Wavers retired to the clubhouse after the kit had been packed away, rather than heading straight home.  The warmth of the wood burner was too tempting.  The mock-ups of the instrument panels for the Twin Astir Trainer were discussed.  John and David Osment will bring the glider back to DGS tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon after delivering their Standard Cirrus to Les Clark for some tlc.  While Viktor and I head to Colchester to bring his new acquisition, Ka-6cr, G-DDKG, Aka "Red Bear" to Brentor.

The rear canopy scoop for the Twin Astir Trainer was repaired, and some time was spent rationalising the flight manuals for the Twin Astir Trainer (G-CHBK) and the Twin Astir 1 (G-DDSL) 

At 1600, it was time to lock up and head home.  A productive day that involved flying.  An unexpected bonus, namely 16 flights, that many of us weren't expecting.

Today, the warm front and the associated rain arrived about an hour later than forecast, which was good news for the Wavers.  Due to an "inadvertent leak" the budget arrived an hour or so earlier than planned, which was bad news for the rest of the nation.  It appears that politics can be as unpredictable as the weather.

Gavin Short

Dartmoor Gliding News - Saturday 15th November 2025

After yesterday's visit from Storm Claudia, the first order of business was a pitch inspection. The runway was in surprisingly good condition given the prodigious amount rain over the last couple of days... With the wind in the east there is always a possibility of wave and today was like that. The signs were good from the start. There was a cap cloud covering Dartmoor. The were several stationary lines of clouds laying more or less north - south. Game on.

The early view to the east - wave clouds on view

And later. The clouds have dissipated but the wave is still there

The conditions early on were somewhat challenging with the wave moving around / coming and going. This did not stop Andy Davey flying the club Astir CS77 for 53 minutes returning after he had explored the local wave system.

By lunchtime, the wave was really established and entry to the system was an easy, short, jog east from the top of  the winch launch to the edge of the cloud where a right turn had the glider climbing in smooth lift. Climb rates varied but typically 2 knots low down building to 4 knots a few hundred feet higher. Occasional patches of 6 - 8 knots were reported. The local wave system topped out at 4000ft QFE ( or 4800t above sea level). 

To the north there was a large active looking cloud which produced much stronger and much rougher lift giving entry to the wave again which topped out at 6000ft above sea level north to Sourton just downwind of Yes Tor.

Mike and I ready to launch and ...

.. a couple of minutes later established in the wave and sharing a joke

Val enjoying the view

The view to the west as we rose above the cloud

The wave later in the day

This view never gets old

Rick progressing along the primary with 6 knots on the vario

Can you spot the K13 on the secondary wave bar?

Our One Day Course candidate was Daryl Vickery who was treated to several forays into the wave.

Daryl with Scratch

Elsewhere, Adam and I spent several hours replacing the complete rudder pedal assembly in the K8. It will return to service after certification from Colin.

A fantastic winter flying day with 17 launches with an average flight time of 32 minutes (flight times were curtailed by mutual agreement to ensure everyone could fly).

Steve

Dartmoor Gliding News - Saturday 8th November 2025

After a week of wind and rain, Saturday dawned clear and bright with  a SW breeze. We are between frontal systems with the next due tomorrow, but today we can fly.

At the early morning briefing we were very pleased to announce that we have purchased a second Twin Astir to complete our new look training fleet., The "new" aircraft is already well know at DGS, Twin Astir G-DDSL has in fact been operated for many years from our airfield  by a private syndicate. We are very excited and expect to see DSL at the launch point soon after the instructors have had some time for aircraft familiarisation. Here are a few library photos to wet our appetites

Sitting in the sun.

At the launch point

On approach

The airfield was very busy as club members strived to use today's weather window. The launchpoint was a very active place today as we worked through everyone's flying needs, a heady mix of dual and solo flying. There was a little soaring to be had if you launched at the right time with Andy Davey recording 16 and 26 minute flights in his Libelle. Alasdair Barclay posted a very creditable 23 min in the Astir. Best 2 seater flight was 17min flown by myself with today's One Day Course candidate.

Early on the sky was uninspiring

A rather tall line of clouds to the south - possible showers?

Looking for any signs of soarable conditions

By early afternoon the sky looked great,
although cloud base was less than 2000ft 

We had 3 visitors today. Lance Whitehead was our One Day Course candidate. He enjoyed his day so much that by the end of the day he had joined the club as a full member. Welcome to the club Lance. Our other visitors were Richard Harper and Jules English who enjoyed Air Experience flights,

New member Lance

Richard

Jules

We flew until bad light stopped play as we were treated to a little sunset colour.

Phew!! What a day. 45 launches. A new member. and a new two seat aircraft. Not bad for November.

Steve

Dartmoor Gliding News - Saturday 1st November 2025

 We are still getting weather fronts crossing daily with lots of rain. Today was no different. SW winds and frequent showers meant that flying needed to be carefully timed. But fly we did with just 1 K13 and 1 K8 due to the limited number of members on the field today.

The wind was almost fully across the runway at times.

Rick took the first flight as a solo; self check flight perhaps. This was followed by Rick flying with Ian King, today's only pre solo trainee. Scratch borrowed the K13 after this to fly William Stevens today's air-experience flight. Later K13 flights saw Scratch flying with Rick doing some instructor training and a flight with me to complete my annual checks.

K13 waiting patiently

And off again

Ian and Rick

William Stevens

The K8 saw some use for circuit practice until Malcolm Wilton-Jones managed to hitch a lift on a passing cloud to record The longest flight of the day at 30 minutes. 

K8 under a showery sky

Malcolm's view to the south

Definitely some lift there.

Elsewhere work continues on the Twin Astir Trainer and the simulator clubhouse extension.

The day finished with a lively Committee Meeting.

Steve