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Sunday Extra

Here’s the evidence of being above the cloud and the fog in the distance.

There was a lot of circuit bashing with no one breaking into double digit flying time until launch 25 (4 hours after the first launch) when Selvam clocked up 13 minutes.  Couple of launches later Rod matched it and a couple of launches after that Trevor squeezed an additional 2 minutes from somewhere.

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Sunday 12th October

As often happens when fog fills the valleys, Rivar Hill kept its head above the clouds. The sun never quite broke through but visibility was ‘CAVOK’ with inbound Heathrow traffic in clear view below featureless top cover. Despite early canopy misting and Alan P’s best efforts to obscure the entire airfield with bonfire smog, flying commenced in the late a.m.
The airfield had been well attended from an early hour, but the absence of a duty team presented Richard D with the unenviable challenge of running it with little experienced backup. So, resourceful as ever, RD sends an SOS to Stephen O who then conjures up the requisite crew in short order. And so it came to pass that electronic jungle drums brought forth a surfeit of helpers, with four instructors ensuring that everyone who needed back seat assistance got it with a minimum of delay. Even so, steady demand kept three two-seaters busy until late afternoon.
It started to rain as the hangar curtains were drawn. Thanks to everyone who answered the call.
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Wednesday 24th

Colin B had sent out an email telling folks not to be put off by the rain in the morning as soaring would follow – and soaring there was (well, unless you were the HAX boys taking a K13 for a series of circuits).  Paul B set the days time to beat on the 4th launch of the day with 1:08 in the K8.  That was topped by Jonty H with 1:10 (again in the K8).  Jonty was looking to get the spot landing entry on his post solo card signed off by landing in line with the launch point.  The assembled gentlemen enjoying the sunshine in the lee of the caravan debated as to whether his landing back at the empty launch point qualified as a spot landing as he must have been all of half a meter short – these boys can be hard to impress.

Looking for gliders at an empty launch point

Bill C took the honours for longest flight in the Vega with 54 minutes.  Longest K13 flight was Rowland with 44 minutes, gaining a bronze leg on his 5th (or there abouts) solo flight.  King of the castle was claimed by Paul Mc who topped out at 3,400′ in the Vega.
Footnote: I suppose it’s not really fair to pick out the HAX boys as you had to be a bit lucky with the timing of your launch.  Only 8 of the 23 launches managed more than 20 minutes.  I also have to appologise to Jonty H as I stripped him of his longest flight honours.  I only took the K8 as it seemed rude to leave it sitting when there was spare cable sitting next to it.  Mind, it took 900′ of the 2,000′ launch to find my first (weak) climb.

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Sunday 21st

What a difference a change of air overnight makes.  Saturday those who turned played the “is that a pylon I can see” game through the murk.  Sunday, great vis and decent wind from the north with just a touch of east boding well for the ridge.  Unfortunately (?) the ridge lift got mucked up by the thermals.  Lots of members appeared needing the attention of an instructor – without Richard D’s help I would never have got through the list.  Lots of trial lessons too, which kept Peter E busy.  The entire club fleet had a good airing.
Stewart R from The Park turned up with his Ventus being drawn by the favourable forecast.  After 3 hours he returned with tales of a couple of low scrapes on his way back from Oxford.  Phil M and Carol P disappeared in their Janus for a couple of hours but I didn’t hear where they got to.  Bill C had a decent flight in his K6 but the private Puchacz seemed to have the knack of launching into the sink between the thermals.
Almost 19 hours flown off 45 launches and 29 people flew.  A busy and excellent day.  Thanks to all who helped out (special thanks to Chris K who did most of the winching despite felling ropey and did training of new winch drivers).