Typical Bank Holiday weather resulted in flying only on Sunday of the long weekend. The sunny Sunday did bring out the visitors looking for the opportunity to experience our sport – 7 of them plus the father and son who had flown with us the previous Sunday and were back for more. Richard D (duty instructor) and myself were kept fully occupied in the backseat from 11:00 to 18:00. 4 gliders rigged and disappeared off (EEF and 737 clocking up 7 hours between them) and 1 Lasham glider dropped in. Special mentioned should be made (and thanks given) to the small number of members that kept the ground operation running smoothly.
Sunday 19th
OK so got a bit out of order with the blog entries. One of those days where the duty instructor will just have to accept ends will be changed. Started the day with easterly which was forecast to go to SW and then NW – and it did. It was good to see the Swales making an appearance which set the longest flight time to beat. The record looked quite safe lift got scarce until James W launched the K8 into an unpromising sky and somehow managed to stay airborne longest than anyone else.
Couple of visitors from Lasham dropped in and took a relight one of whom made it back whilst the other needed more help from another field.
The Champions of task week are…
…all those that turned up and flew, and more importantly those that turned up and hooked-on, log kept, instructed and manned the winch, we thank you all.
To the flying, which may not yet be over as there are still 4 days left (hmmm he says seeing the forecast):
So far we have flown and soared on 6 consecutive days, admittedly not many of those have been good for x/c but we tried some very short tasks on the bad days and some short tasks on the better days. Chris landed out one day, on the next he tried to land out with Phil in the Janus and today Phil and Carol succeeded in landing out – Carol needed a piece of cake I’m told 😉
Yesterday we had two visitors land, both took relights only for one to land out again at Popham and get an aerotow retrieve, or so I’m led to believe; some days just aren’t yours.
All in all it is fair to say it was like gliding, only lower!
Tuesday 21st August.
Need I say more…..
Rivar- Welford- Riv….Well nealry.
I left Rivar at 2000, got to Welford at 1500 feet QFE with little hope of getting back. The glide computer said I would arrive with 272 feet left, I knew I probably wouldn’t, not into a headwind.
Getting to Hungerford, well to the east of it, the glide computer said -84 feet and didn’t change. I opted for a grazed field at the bottom of the ridge.
Still I did manage a heady Riv-Hun-Riv earlier in the day…
Thanks Pete for such a quick and cheerful retrieve.