Sadly, continuous light rain kept the toys inside. However, the monthly guillotine checks were done under the winch shelter. The swallows are doing their ‘thing’ in the hangar.
Dumfries & District GC
A mini one man expedition to visit the Dumfries and District Gliding club on Sunday 18th. This club is decidedly off-the-beaten-track – about 6 miles from the nearest (small) town, most of which is along a single track road, you come to a sign for the club
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| Entrance to the airfield – only 1 mile to go along the track |
On arrival the winch was out and running so that looked promising. Turns out I was only the second person to appear so it was time to retire to the club house and drink tea until others arrived.
Slowly others arrived until we had enough (just) to operate but the amount of wind was enough to dampen sufficient enthusiasm to commit aviation.
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| View from the runway |
The club has been through a difficult period since the MOD visited in 2011 and ran large vehicles on the runway and ripped it up so much that it’s only recently that the runway is once again useable. A small club to start with but the effect of the runway problems was to halve the membership. A tough time but the hard core of members are ready to rebuild the club. At the moment Sunday is the main day the members gather. A club worth visiting and supporting. The Galloway region is something special with spectacular scenery around every corner and such quiet roads (I saw 6 cars and 1 motorbike in my 20 mile trip to the club).
Wednesday 14th
I suppose one has to feel sorry for the folks burden by wok and unable to get out to play on such a day. From 11:00 to 13:30 everything we threw at the sky soared away (well, with one exception). Colin B took the LS3 to somewhere north of Bristol. The Duo Discus (with Ken R and Bill C) only ventured off a modest distance as Bill had to head to work in the afternoon (the suggestion to “drop him off” was not thought to be prudent since he was working at Heathrow).
In the afternoon the blue hole settled in with great looking cu to the north, south, east and west. The prospect of the good stuff from the north coming within reach kept tempting folks but only a few got lucky – Rob J in the Cirrus (on his free launch), Steve B in the ASW-15 and myself in the LS3. Climbs to 4,800 were available and the visibility was exceptionally good. 25 hours flown off 37 launches.
Open Day
An excess of wind (20 mph westerly gusting 40 mph) put paid to any hope of flying. Even so about a dozen folks turned up from as far afield as Melbourne, Australia and Polruan, Cornwall. Admittedly both these chaps were on holiday in the area. We welcomed about a dozen visitors and they were shown the club fleet and winches and watched videos in the clubhouse (thanks to Rob S and Phil M bringing their laptops along). Rob S had arranged for a fellow electric car enthusiast to big his go-faster car along which provided some interests to both visitors and members. At 0 to 60mph in 3.7 seconds I think it fair to brand it as “go-faster”.
A very good turnout of club members there to share their experience with our visitors and eat donuts. Many thanks to all of them and those who phoned ready to appear if needed.