Wednesday 20th May

The first flying day for a week or so, brought out the usual Wednesday crowd. The wind was SSW, and quite blustery restricting solo opportunities. The day started with patchy low cloud, but we could launch when the blue bits came through, as the day progressed there were glimpses of thermal, south ridge and weak wave lift - but barely usable apart from a short period at lunchtime.


A beautiful blue Tiger Moth fluttered down the final approach on a perfect evening, and the Trial Lesson Session of the Devon Strut of the Light Aircraft Association had officially begun. The other participants, who had been arriving by car, made there way across the field to the launch point: everyone enjoying the warm sunshine and south-westerly breeze - a vast improvement on the weather from the first attempt last week. There were sixteen flights, using the two K21s and the DG 505, giving each "student" a chance to get their hands on the controls. There will be another Devon Strut Trial lesson Evening next Wednesday for a second group of enthusiasts from the Light Aircraft Association.


These two group evenings followed a presentation that Robin Willis-Fleming gave to their April meeting, on gliding in general, and on the activities of the Devon and Somerset Gliding Club in particular. There was great enthusiasm about arranging some gliding, and enough members interested to set up two evenings.


Our thanks to Mike Mold for the photos and Peter White, Coordinator of the Devon Strut who organised things so efficiently from his end, and from DSGC Graham Barden who liaised and organised the event from our end. We very much hope that Devon Strut members will make use of their one month membership that goes with the trial lesson, and come back to fly with us at normal club rates during that time. We would be even more delighted if some decide to join us permanently! In the meantime, we are looking forward to next Wednesday, and hoping for similar weather.
- Wendy