Monday the first day of the course saw the start of the extreme heat period. We had our daily briefing where Steve and Peter got the plan for the day setup and we took both the K21 and the Grob up to the West side of the field with a fairly brisk southerly wind to greet us. We started flying at 10:45 and then Steve and Peter began to progress through the list. We then stopped for a much needed cooling/lunch break. We then continued to fly until 4:00 when everyone had a sensible number of flights and thunderstorms began to fall over us as we towed the gliders back. All the gliders were packed away for 5:00 and then headed back to the club house for some much needed magnums.
Tuesday was a slightly earlier start as we wanted to get the most out of the day before the midday blazing heat. We had a quick briefing with the same setup as yesterday and began flying at 10:00. The start of the day showed to be very calm with very little wind however not a thermal to be seen. We decided to implement a new strategy for the instructors where they get to ride back on the retrieval vehicle (a life of luxury). Steve and Peter were quickly getting through the list and we then stopped for lunch at 12:30 making extremely good progress. After lunch the southernly wind had picked up by a considerable amount so landings where definitely sporty to say the least. Thankfully with the progress made earlier we got through the day so everyone had 4 flights. We brought the gliders back to the other end and were packed up again for 5:00. And yet again paid tribute to the ice cream sales.
Wednesday was where the heat really began to show is toll on everyone. The sensible call was made to not fly today. But we definitely made good use of the time through theory lessons on winch launching and launch failures aswell as some simulator work where Steve and Charlie where having great fun in the alps.
Unfortunately, club and course flying had to be called off once more on Thursday due to the exceptionally high temperatures. RNAS Merryfield was recorded as the hottest place in the country, reaching 36.7°C. However, the day was still used for ground school including lectures and training in the DSGC simulator.
Friday brought cooler temperatures and even some light cumulus in the afternoon, allowing for plenty of gliding to take place with a total of 22 flights. Charlie Fabb and Idris Emrani both improved their launches and landings, and juniors Adam Smyth and Arthur Lean re-soloed. Congratulations to Adam for achieving the longest flight of the course at 38 minutes, which he flew solo in the Grob 103. (Not to mention Dan Hender who flew to Bampton and back in JDP!)
Flying stopped at around 16:00 to allow sufficient time for SFCL paperwork and ice lollies to be completed, wrapping up a successful course week. Preparations were also ongoing for Pete Harmer’s 80th birthday party – happy birthday, Pete!
A huge thank you to the instructors, Peter Field and Steve Westlake, for their hard work in the extreme heat, and to helpers Karen King, Tim Petty and Rich Lean as well as others who kindly came up to assist on the ground. Careful management of the heat and hydration made sure flying could take place safely throughout the week.
Thanks all for making it a great course despite the boiling conditions! – Adam Smyth and Arthur Lean
In the evening, we held a Birthday party for Pete Harmer, where he was presented with a BGA Diploma for Services to Gliding.
It was a great party, thanks to everyone for coming to help Pete celebrate, With special thanks to Sally Hender for organising, Cheryl Smith for the cakes, and Vicki Lucas the fantastic spread. Pete would also like to thank all those who couldn’t make it, but sent special kind messages. The full citation reads as follows:
” Pete Harmer started gliding at the age of 18 at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, and it has been a lifetime of gliding to date. From solo in a T21b in 1965, a short break (for cars and women), Pete restarted gliding in 1973. He quickly became an Instructor, Full Cat, DCFI, Tug Pilot and was RAEGC Club Treasurer for many years, meeting wife Jill and enjoying two-seater flying with Ka2b.
In 1995, the Club was forced to leave Farnborough and after a couple of years at Odiham, Pete and Jill moved to Lasham Gliding Society with Ka2b and a share in a Nimbus 3DM.
At Lasham, Pete led the Friday evening group for several years, and the University of Surrey Wednesday afternoon group, and in 2001 took on the Lasham arm of the Faulkes Flying Foundation – flying scouts and schoolchildren in DG505 and Rotax Falke.
In 2004, having moved to Devon, Pete ran the Devon & Somerset GC Exeter University group on Wednesday afternoons. Pete became Secretary of DSGC in 2007, and then in 2009 was asked to become CFI for a 6 year stint. Pete continued to lead the Thursday Instructor team until recently, and has been Safety Officer and Junior Development coordinator.
Competitions, expeditions, holidays, vintage and modern gliders have all been part of the gliding circus , having flown 100 types and visited more than 100 gliding sites around the world.
Pete was awarded DSGC Instructor of the year 2011 – 2016 and again in 2018 and 2019 (voted for by members), and loves passing on his own enjoyment of gliding to others. He has flown almost 8000 Instructional flights, sending over 30 pilots on their first solo.
He has achieved all 3 Diamonds and with a total of over 5000 hours, and more than 11,000 launches gliding, although now restricted to flying P2, he still just loves being in the air.”
