Category: Flying Reports

More wind than expected but but less from the west than forecast.  I assume the forecast was the reason for a fairly modest turnout for a Wednesday but easily enough to operate.  A day for throwing the duty instructor at the sky for a weather check.  Launch to 1,700′ in a Puchacz gives a clue to the volume of wind.  Straight into a thermal and at 2,000′ I remembered this was a weather check and members on the ground would be waiting for a decision.  Against basic instincts, abandoned the thermal and exercised various methods for using the height and back on the ground in less than 10 minutes.  Unusually a few failed launches with cable overrun without leaving the ground and a day for breaking weak links (all at a comfortable height).  Longest flight honours went to Aliaksei with 21 minutes.

A good day for surplus garden produce being available – courgettes, cucumbers and plums.

The lack of blog posts is not indicative of the flying days.  We have been flying but there have just over double the number of days that we have lost (i.e. no flying on Saturday, Sunday or Wednesday) over this period.  Plus there have been no flying evenings.  On the positive side though, there have been some cracking days and instruction and check flights have been restarted.  From my observations club members have been very diligent in maintaining social distancing, wearing masks where appropriate and cleaning.  Fingers crossed that we are able to continue to make more progress with more members getting to fly despite the current backing-off of the lockdown easing.

The more observant member will have noticed the change of types of strops.  A planned change that was accelerated after the Duo Discuss failed to leave the ground when a strop broke.  We then discovered hidden rust.

Of the “cracking” days Wednesday 22nd July stands out with 34 launches (which included 3 launch failures – deliberate or otherwise) clocking up 30 hours of flying with 8 private gliders rigged.  When the comment  “I thought some people had work to do” Jim C pulled his phone away from his ear to retort “some of us are working”.  He then went to his office (aka EFF) for four and a half hours.  Lots of reports from folks exceeding climbs to 5,000′ (QFE).  The following Wednesday was pretty good with the same number of launches but cloudbase of 3,600′ and half the total flying time.

Looking through the stats, the weekend of 11th/12th July was our best weekend over the period with 56 launches and 45 hours of flying.

At last we are able to take to the skies once more.  Far from “business as usual” with the restrictions that need observed (solo flying only, other than for those from the same household, and distancing and cleaning procedures to follow) but at least some members are able to benefit from the easing of lockdown.  We got flying on the last weekend in May so were able to enjoy a little of the exceptional “summer in May”.  Over the weekend we clocked up 54 launches, flew for over 22 hours, 23 solo members got to fly and climbs up to 6,600′ were available.  On the Sunday I returned after a romp around in the club Vega feeling chuffed to have seen 7.5 knots climb rate o the averager, only to be deflated when Pete and Claire landed in their Janus reporting 13.5 knots on their averager – astonishing.

Wednesday flying that week was held on Thursday, by which time the weather had changed.  However, we managed 28 launches and 6 hours of flying and another 4 members had got themselves current.  The wind started off NNW as forecast but, then ignored the forecast and came from the west.  Most flights were little more than a circuit but Bill C defied gravity for well over an hour in his syndicates K6.

A big thank you to Tony P and Sam A for looking after the log and retrieve but were unable to fly because of the restrictions on dual flying.

With the lockdown easing has come the, limited, opportunity to fly again.  Solo only (well, other than 2 people from the same household flying together).  With no flying for 12 weeks and the utterly rubbish winter we’ve just had currency is going to be an issue.  While our esteemed CFI is figuring out who will be able to fly solo before check flights are available the plan is to get the instructors flying again this coming weekend.  During our absence from the airfield the grass had taken the opportunity to grow to unprecedented lengths, so, our landlord has now given the field a bit of a trim.  The obstacles should have been taken away before the weekend.