Author: StephenO

The flights may have been short but it was still a splendid day.  Unseasonably warm, lots of sunshine, a gentle breeze down the strip and Tony’s home baking (salted caramel chocolate cake) – what more could one ask for at this time of year?  OK, enough wind to kick-up against the ridge would have been an improvement.  With 4 SUGC skipping lectures the average age dropped significantly – not sure if Wednesday’s can now qualify as “old farts day”.

Alan P and Paul P rigged their Swallow and EUF came back online (thanks to all the work done by Andy B and his glamorous assistants Bill C and James H).  With 4 instructors to hand (Ken P, Peter E, Colin B and myself) the 2 seaters were kept busy and we all got a lunch break (a different times!).  With the longest flights being a mere 9 minutes (Paul B and Rob J) we got in lots of launches – where “lots” = 44.  Those launches made October a record breaking month with the most launches in October.  Previous best being 2007 with 252 which compares to this months 284 (and there are still 3 possible flying days to fit in October).  However, in terms of flying time most of the Octobers in the last 10 years beat it.

The day ended with a rather fine sunset and for the drive home a big ole moon.

 

At 20+ certainly summer temperatures (in the 2nd week of October!) but not summer soaring.  With an ESE wind launch heights were pretty lackluster.  This combination resulted in 40 of the 49 launches being 6, or less, minutes.  OK, a few bung pulls in there (it is annual checks season) but not many. And, yes, I did say 49 launches – pretty impressive, eh?  With 3 TLs and 3 from the Southampton Uni group plus a good turnout there was no shortage of people wanting to launch.  Fortunately, Peter E and Colin B pitched in to help get through the list.

Given the briefness of most flights it was hardly surprising Geoff G got quite excited about his 8 minute flight.  However, it was Ken R who proved it was possible to soar when all others simply returned to earth.  Not only did he break into double digits but did so twice (19 and 12 minutes in the K8).

Tony P celebrated his birthday on the day by baking a scrumptious chocolate cake which we made short work of.

Out with the old flying year and in with the new.  The last weekend of the previous year was exceptional – hopefully someone will make a contribution to the blog about it.  The first flying day of the new year was also exceptional with 33 launches and lots of soaring (for the time of the year) for a few hours in the afternoon.  Just to prove it here’s a picture of an empty launch point.

and one of glider sharing a thermal – unfortunately only 2 of the other 3 gliders managed to get themselves in the frame at the same time

Lots to keep Colin B, Peter E and myself busy in the backseat including the start of annual checks activity.  Longest flight honours went to Tony P and Peter E with 53 minutes.  Next longest was 44 minutes for Chris H with myself launching into a blue sky somehow we scrapped away and stayed aloft as others launched and landed.

Finally, here’s a contribution from my son who came across this rubbish bin in Tasmania

After a week of no flying (thanks to weather not playing ball) the warm sunny day was most welcome.  However, the completely blue sky less welcome than that on offer on the previous day.  With 4 instructors on-site and not much call for back seat services the duty instructor had to reacquaint himself with how to hook-on, signal, retrieve etc but did get time for an uninterrupted lunch – this despite a good turnout.  We were able to welcome Lynne and Paul N – Paul had been a member in 1986 and was one of the syndicate partners in the K8 EAZ.  Another member of that syndicate was Gillian B who was able to catch up with Lynne and Paul.  Our other visitor was from slightly further afield – Southern California.  John H had managed to get a free day at the end of his work visit and found his way to Rivar Hill to try his first flight in a K13 and to experience a winch launch.  John posted about his visit to us here (you will need a GliderPilot.net logon to read it)

Did I say it was blue?  Yup it was blue with only occasional feeble thermals few but the vis was outstanding.  It was only on the 16th that the double digit flight time barrier was broken with 14 minutes.  Out of the 44 launches there were another half a dozen flight in the teens.  It was Ken R, in the Vega, that defied gravity with a staggering (for the day!) 39 minutes.  He did at least have the grace to admit that it was hard work.

The real highlight of the day was when James H wheeled out the “new” winch to give it a test.  Colin B sat at the other end of the wire in the Puchacz to sample the first launch.  Huge thanks to the various members who have pitched in to the rebuild project but especially our resident engineering genius James H.  Still plenty of work to finish the job but we do now know it works well.