Category: Flying Reports

The snow may have put paid to flying on the last day of February (and first weekend of March) but February turned out to be the best February we have had in terms of launches.  214 launches, the previous best was 10 years ago with 170 launches.  As measured by flying time it was only the 3rd best with 36:32  just 2 hours behind the second best but the very best was 2013 with an astonishing 71:29.

The last 3 days (Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday) clocked up 27, 38 and 20 launches respectively.  Lots of shorts flights, the longest flight across the 3 day being achieved by Steve B with 22 minutes.

 

Word of the day was “murky”, so not great urgency to start flying and it was midday before the first glider took to the air.  A gentle NE wind gave launches of 2,000′ in the K8 and 1,600 in the K13 but not sufficient to tickle the ridge.

Paul P set the challenge of the time to beat on the second launch in the K8 with 11 minutes.  Paul B and Rowland P matched that but then Martin S launched in the Puchacz and nabbed 12 minutes.  Trevor G took to the air and ended longest flight debate with an unbeatable 14 minutes.  After his extended period away in the sun Charles Mc re-soloed.

An impressive 27 launches (considering the conditions) and, naturally, Tony P’s home baking.

A weekend and flying on both days!  Saturday was particularly busy with 13 members needing the services of the Duty Instructor, Richard D.  Flying started at 10:30 and 40 launches later ended at 16:16.  Around 13:00 EUF came back online after its ARC which Bob B did the test flight and remained in the back seat helping work through the list.  A dozen folks managed between 10 and 20 minutes with Bill C taking top dog honours with 25 minutes.

Sunday was a lot quieter and offered a solid cloud base at 1,100′ which lowered to 800′ and “tiffin time” was declared.  Cloud base went back up to 1,100’ish and the students from Southampton were keen to get their bums of the ground.  Not surprisingly short flights were the order of the day (mostly 6 minutes).  Nick J pushed the boundary with the final flight of a whole 7 minutes.  Only 14 launches but that was pretty good considering the weather on offer.  Big thanks to Chris K and Rob J who drove the winch but didn’t fly.