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Wednesday 12th December

Not exactly a promising day but we were able to fly.  South easterly with some fairly lively turbulence on approach in the lee of the tree.  Only 10 launches (one of which was a launch failure)  with Steve B taking longest flight honours with only 7 minutes.

Before flying there were jobs done with the MT shelter cover moved to (hopefully) keep it safe from rats.  It proved a bit challenging with more opinions of what to and how to than Brexit.  Colin also set to adjust the new matting at the launch points.  The K13 got restored to the right way up too.

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Tuesday 4th December

Seems like we have to keep our wits about us and move “Wednesday” to more suitable days at the moment.  Tuesday was the one day that looked flyable and fortunately enough folks said they could make it.

Looking toward Didcot

Interesting forecast showing Northerly at 12:00 and Southerly at 13:00.  Fortunately there was naff all wind so we set-up with the launch point at the north end.  As the day progress the wind strength increased (slightly) and launches to 1,700′ were available in the K8.  Not much call for my services other than one annual check so I got in a solo flight and matched Rob J’s longest flight of the day – a massive 11 minutes.  Ok, not very impressive but flying days have been few and far between recently.  After a record breaking October, November was heading for a record in the opposite direction but was saved on the last day of November by another moving Wednesday.

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Q: What do you do on a wet December Saturday?

A: Fly your Silver Distance!!!

Not many people turned up today, but with E team stalwarts Liz and Graham along with Alex and Matt from SUGC, we soon wrapped up an analysis of angles of attack on the winch launch.  Matt’s working towards his bronze and wanted some help with airspace – and what better way to learn this than map up and plan a few tasks?  We duly briefed and prepped up a flight to Bicester, after which we scrubbed at Shalbourne but sent Matt off home to his Condor set-up where, with a bit of advice from Alex, he flew a very respectable Silver Distance flight as briefed.  With yet more wonders of modern technology we’ve done some trace analysis which in discussion seems to reflect pretty much what he’d have done in real life – so well done Matt on your Virtual Silver Distance.  And what a great learning experience this has been all round!

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A break in the weather

A brisk wind between fading Atlantic storms dried out the airfield and provided a welcome opportunity for flying in clear blue skies dotted with skipping white fluffy things. Even though only there for decorative purposes they did provide an incentive getting airborne.

Launches, proceeding with metronomic regularity, yielded three hours of airtime which would have been more impressive had there not been thirty of them. Anyway, some good training opportunities arose and some much needed currency was topped up. So the best was made of a short, sunny, cross windy day.

‘All you touch and all you see is all your life will ever be’

JW landing in a rosy sunset and long shadows,
heralding the end of the last day day in November.

Stephen’s rare absence was apparently due to him being closeted with his accountant and dentist (hopefully not both at the same time). Thanks to Ken R and Peter E for helping me out in the back seat and organising JPC derig.