Author: StephenO

Fairly modest turnout not particularly surprising as forecast had rain arriving in the afternoon.  Question was when.  Unusually (?) the Beeb and the Met disagreed.  We managed 5 launches before the rain arrived, so it was time for lunch.  Lunch eaten and the rain cleared.  There was a cable out and no one rushing to launch so I felt obliged to take the K8.  Launch to just over 2,000′ and with reduced sink in an east-west line just to the south of the winch resulted in a 16 minute flight.  Clouds came and went limiting launch heights but some manged to enjoy some weak lift in the same band that I had played in.

After almost 5 months at the mercy of the medics Peter E made a welcome appearance, climbed into the Puchacz and flew as if he’d been flying yesterday.  A gap in the clouds enabled him to launch us above the lower cloud and after descending through the clear air he ran up and down the east-west line picking up scraps of lift.

We just had 2 members going to take another launch when the rain threatened to return and we packed up.  Fun and games were had when the launch point wagon came to a grinding halt thanks to the sodden ground.  Various ploys were attempted to get the wagon home until one (assisted by some brute force shoving) succeded.

Note from Duty Instructor Richard:

Fortunately all the recent rain didn’t waterlog the field bit cloudbase started rather low at 900 ‘. Luckily, we had some very well defined streeting so we just went up the side so I can report that cloud tops started at 1400’. The streets prevented ridge soaring attemps but there seemed to be an area of lift between the streets and above cloudbase. I got a couple of knots and 200′ from it so I think we were experiencing some gentle wave. Not often the duty instructor claims the two longest flights.

I know, this photo has nothing to do with flying at Rivar Hill but Richard didn’t have a photo from the day and Geoff G sent out this photo which seemed worth preserving on our website.

Geoff said:

This was taken with my iphone at Old Warden a few months ago. Yes, it did fly (after an aerotow), but not for very long !

Been a bit tardy with the blog updates so here’s one posting covering the last three Wednesdays.

23rd October

Cloudbase at around 1,000′ but big gaps presenting the opportunity to launch in a clear patch above the cloud.  Short flights between 4 and 6 minutes but for one notable exception – Ken P and Sergi clocked up 16 minutes.  The previous weekend Mr Young, at 86 year old chap fund raising for his local hospice, finally got to fly (after very many failed attempts).  His first flight in any type of aircraft.  He enjoyed it so much he was back with a friend as he was convinced she would enjoy the experience.  He was right.

After morning lectures over a SUGC car load appeared early afternoon.  With 3 two-seaters on-line and more instructors around than you could shake a stick at, they all got a couple of flights.  23 launches in total.

30th October

A challenging due east cross wind but despite the absence of any wind on the nose launches up to 1,400′ were available.  A day when the only solo flights were taken by instructors.  A modest turnout but we still clocked up 14 launches.

6th November

Checking the weather daily for the 4 days before resulted in confusion.  Every time I looked at the forecast it had changed and forecasts from different sources rarely agreed.  Rain was expected but we cracked on to get everybody at least one flight.  A light sprinkling of rain convinced us the rain was finally about to arrive.  With the gliders safely back in the hangar it seemed we had been a bit premature packing up.  However, before we left the field the rain arrived.  16 launches with Paul P being the only person to achieved a double digit flight (a whole 11 minues!).

 

 

A day without rain!  Not only that but the sun came out, a layer was shed and wooly hat replaced with a beany hat.  Paul P offered himself up and claimed first to complete annual checks for the new flying year,  Soon followed by Bill C to take second place honours.  Pretty much a 90 degree cross wind so launch heights not great.  Despite this, Rob J managed a double digit flight on the first launch (10 minutes) which was never bettered.  The previous Wednesday’s TL, Harry C, reappeared and joined – welcome Harry and we wish you well with learning to fly gliders before joining the RAF.  Once morning lectures were out of the way 4 SUGC members appeared.  Thanks to help from Colin B, Nigel B and Ken P each of the SUGC folks, and Harry, managed 4 launches each.  Also thanks to Wednesday stalwarts who made it possible – Bob S, Paul P, Rob J, Tony P and Bill C.

Flights may have been short but it was a good day with an impressive 32 launches.