Category: Flying Reports

The day started with Bob tricking us all into holding by landing back after little more than a circuit.  Then he jumped straight back in the glider and disappeared.  There was good lift around, but also strong sink and big blue gaps, such that even with the northerly wind I needed more height to get back from the other side of the A4 than I actually had.  Everyone else managed to avoid the trap though, and congratulations to Jeremy on his 2hrs towards XC endorsement.  We await news of where Jim and Pete went.

Despite a stiff NNE wind with an 1800ft launch and expecting a nice ridge ride, I soon found myself at 700 feet near the gibbet – ooh-er! Luckily a small sharp thermal lifted me back to 1000 ft enabling a quick scuttle back to the field vowing to go for thermals on a relaunch.

Various birds of prey were actively showing us how to soar. One trial lesson pupil was amazed when a red kite arrived below and closely passed us upwards at twice the rate that we were ascending! The three Southampton students and three trial lessons all had good soaring flights.

Under long cloud streets, the single seaters were soon disappearing around Wiltshire. However, strong sink did cause one visit to a decent field below Rivar Hill!

24 launches gave 9 gliders almost 20 hours averaging 48 mins under cloud streets rising to over 4000 feet!

Weather man said it was the hottest day of the year but it certainly didn’t feel like that at the launch point despite the blue sky and sun.  Out of the wind with the canopy down it was toasty.  With a 90 degree cross-wind, from the east, the expectation was for modest launches.  Not much expectation either for soaring.  In the event we had good launches to 1,500′ (K13) and soaring opportunities were available with climbs to 2,800′ – though the thermals weren’t easy and 8 down in the circuit was reported by Tony P flying with Peter E.  Ken R and Bill C were fettling their Duo Discus and took a few test flights, including one that lasted 1:32.