Sunday 21st August 2011

Fifty-five launches , 7 gliders on the grid, 14 members present, one 1 day course, 3 trial lessons, seventeen flights longer than 15 minutes, no cable breaks: the stats – a bit like England vs. India – say it all.

And the Met? Alto cumulus 800ft-1500ft at 1200Z with Mist – Outlook: Little change. That was Nigel Williamson’s interpretation of the Met Office’s F214 and F215s for the day as part of his Bronze exam; good job that he, like the rest of us, took little notice of the forecast.

Mike Gadd looks pleased waiting for his first flight in a K8

This was a classic English summer’s day with cloudbase at 2.2kft agl and some 4-6kt thermals which enabled everyone to enjoy a. great launches to 1300-1400ft (the wind being Westerly straight down the runway) b. the rare sight of a vintage Slingsby Tutor actually soaring (6 minutes) (thanks to Martin Smith) and c. the even rarer sight of Alan Carter willingly part with £60 for 8 flights in his SF-27 – (one of which was for 27 minutes!)

Martin Smith in his Tutor side slipping to the runway ( this is normal - it does not have air brakes or spoilers) 

We are all hugely indebted to Nigel Williamson for winching from 1000 through till 1400, and to Scratch Hitchen for taking over thereafter (and tutoring Jeff Cragg).

We were also very pleased to host aero modeller Dante Pertusini who was on holiday from London for a one day course (‘it’s very different’), Dr Stephen Burchett from Ivybridge for taking a trial lesson (‘I’ll be converting this to full membership’), Cessna 152 PPL pundit Eily Tatlow from Bodmin (‘that launch is just fantastic’) and to Tom Broadbridge and friend Katie Connell for keeping the two seaters in work.

Instructor Martin Cropper (rear seat) with One Day Course candidate Dante Pertusini  in G-DBVB

Just another day at the office? If only they were all like this! Oh, and, never, ever cancel a day’s flying on the basis of the forecast..!

PS. Technical Note: How did the Sunday Crew achieve this launch total? One, by having seven gliders to launch but also, two, by being able to maintain a launch rate of 8-9 launches per hour (with peak at 10 launches 1500-1600). And the principal reason for that launch rate was because gliders were landing in the ‘undershoot’ created by moving the launch point in from the east end of the airfield, thus on only one or two occasions did a glider landing prevent another from launching. Today really vindicated that decision – which has proved hugely beneficial from flight safety, aircraft handling and hassle reduction points of view – whilst enabling pilots to get into the air to exploit the conditions. The decision to move the launch point at the east end gets my vote – and I expect everyone else who flew today…

Martin Cropper

The decision to move the launch point was made after we negotiated limited use of the top field with our farmer. This allows the winch to be moved into the top field so that even with the new launch point position existing launch heights can be maintained and even improved on. 
We owe our thanks to our farmer


Steve