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Arrived at the airfield to a very unpromising sky but the Janus and the LS7 rigging.  The sky changed and the LS3 and Jantar also rigged and all were rewarded with flights of over an hour.  With Trevor’s flight in the Jantar of over 4 hours.  Cross-wind launches, lively landings, lots of drift and some big sink holes – but on the other hand some stonking lift (reports of 8 up) and working cloud streets.  About half the flights got to soar.

This summer crop circles are reportedly few and far between (one of the main folks doing it has developed hay fever) but we have one just a couple of miles due west of the south end of the airfield.  I wasn’t able get a photo but if anyone does please add it to the blog.

Well, the sky was looking good but nobody was staying up for much more than a circuit.  In the first dozen launches only Ken H managed to defy gravity for more just over an hour.   Chris B arrived at the field after closing his shop for the afternoon and rigged pronto.  Chris didn’t stop to ask why there was a club glider on the ground and a spare cable and nobody thought to tell him nobody was staying up.  Just as well otherwise he might not have flown for three quarters of an hour.  As it turned out the gliders launched shortly before him also went soaring and the ones launching in the following half an hour.
I went for a flight with Rob S in the Puchacz – once up near cloud no need to turn – just rattle along the front.  Cloudbase proved interesting and variable.  Around the airfield the cloudbase varied between 3,200 and 3,700 with “lumps” hanging down here and there..

Fortunately there were enough members who hadn’t seen the forecast (or had decided to ignore it).  OK, not exactly inspiring flying – mainly circuits with the odd flight creeping into double digits.  With one exception.  Graham T was looking for instructor ballast as he hadn’t flown the Puchacz for some time.  I delayed having a cuppa as it would just be a 10 minute delay.  Unfortunately, no one had told Graham that is wasn’t soarable and I had to wait 40 minutes .

Another day with a modest turnout of members and this time no one needing an instructor in the back seat.  A little more action on the rigging front with the LS3-17, Jantar and Skylark making an appearance (how does Alan P decide which of his gliders to rig?).  Stiff southerly and cloud base remaining stubbornly at 3,000 all day didn’t make for the most promising of days.  About a 50% chance of getting away but there were half a dozen flights of over an hour.  When Trevor G and Bill C need second launches to get away it’s a sign it’s not easy  Longest flight honours to Trevor with 2:10 in the Jantar.