Posted on

Wednesday 3rd

A slow start, even for a Wednesday, yielded some extended flights for those patient enough to wait for the morning mist to clear. Alternate patches of sunshine and overcast limited soaring time and out of three gliders that were rigged two managed and hour or so. The exception was EEF which steadfastly deigned not to soar in such poor conditions, sulking around the circuit instead. Nonetheless we managed to fill two log sheets and do some useful stuff, most useful of which was Rowland going solo, well done! (Especially for providing a good excuse for an evening tipple.)

Many thanks to Peter E and Stephen for helping out with TLs and other stuff. It would have been difficult to manage otherwise.

And by the way:

“The ASW 15 had just entered the full climb of a winch launch when its pilot saw the helicopter approaching. The Board highly commended him for his lookout; presence of mind and subsequent actions.”

Thus recorded the UK Airprox Board on the prompt action taken by Steve Barber in avoiding a collision with an overflying helicopter.

Posted on

Wednesday 27th

Not exactly a promising day with complete cloud cover and a south-easterly.  Not many folks in attendance with some of the regulars at Sutton Bank and of those there Colin B was getting the club trailer into a usable state and the HAX boys were busy fettling.  We threw a K13 into the air for a weather check and I was able to report cloud base at 1,600′ – which just happened the be launch height.  After a couple of hours the cloud base got lower and it was time to put the toys away – besides there’s a limit to how many 5 or 6 minute flights one wants to take.  A modest 11 launches.

Posted on

Wednesday 30th

I must be tough on Bill C – turn up at the airfield with a reasonable day in prospect to be faced with the dilemma “rig the Duo Discuss or the T21”.  On Wednesday the answer was “both”.

The day started blue, folks were staying airborne by stumbling into lift and working it.  Clouds did start to pop but going into a climb with an idea with where to head next mostly had to be revised as those clouds were no longer there.   Steve B downgraded his plan for a 300km in HZD down to 100km.  Mid afternoon conditions got significantly better – in fact about the time I returned in the LS3-17 to hand it to Colin B.  He then romped off around the Devizes/Wantage/Rivar 100km triangle.  That meant it was left to me to test fly the Vega which involved climbing to well over 3,000′, thermalling, spinning and side-slipping (all to the left and the right) all within 16 minutes.  Having helped rig 5 gliders and doing a stint on the winch Perer E returned from a 7 minute flight to discover HZD needed collected from Bidford.
22 hours flown off 25 launches with 4,000 being reported the highest ahieved.

Posted on

Wednesday 23rd

We had read the Lasham forecast, including Jon G who had taken the day off work based on what it promised – which ended with “Should be good for a fast 400-500km+. If it streets as well it will be epic!”.  I’m guessing the Duo Discus that appeared low nearby deploying the iron thermal would have taken issue with that summary.  Fortunately, the engine was started well away from the village.
There was a fair wind blowing NNE so maybe the ridge would deliver until the trigger temperature was reached.  Not so, circuits were the order of the day until at 14:00 Bill O launched into a better looking sky and stuck for over an hour.  This prompted a flurry of activity but only the occasional launch got some soaring.  For those who did manage to connect, climbs to 3,900′ were available and for everyone, pockets of sink of 8 down could be encountered.  Of the 36 launches only 4 managed over an hour (Rob J top dog with 1:13) and another 4 of over 20 minutes.
The folks who packed the toys away were invited to the pub to help celebrate Colin B’s significant birthday.

Footnote:  Having started this entry with a dig at the forecast I feel it only fair to say that the Lasham Weather God normally is remarkably accurate most of the time.  We benefit from not being far away and so being able to take advantage of these forecasts.