YGC Blog

Sunday 29th.  A strong and cold N’ly that gusted to 45 kts and brought along some heavy showers prevented any flying, apart from the visiting and parked Xiamango that showed signs of taking off  by itself before being restrained.  The high winds brought down a tree that closed the A170 up Sutton Bank for a few hours during the day.

Monday 30th.  The wind was still in the N, giving a wind chill temperature of 7C,  but had moderated considerably from Sunday.  However,  the accompanying sheet of low cloud at around 1300 -1500′ QFE delayed flying until late morning.   As a trial, the launch point was placed just to the west of the winch track relatively close to the clubhouse.  This positioning eliminated problems with pedestrian and vehicular traffic between the clubhouse and launch point interfering with landing tugs and gliders while still providing a long take off run up runway 02 and allowing the area of field south of the winch track to be used for landings.  In spite of the late start, 17 ATswere flown using the club K21s, with Paul Hampshire, visiting from Parnham, having a launch in his Astir.  5 Trial lesson pupils were flown and there was a single Falke flight.   Flight times were generally in the 15 to 20  minute range although some thermal activity allowed John Marsh/Gemma  Hampshire to stay aloft for 38 minutes and later, taking off at around 4:40 pm, John and Bryn Evans found a thermal at around 800′ that took them to 2200′ QFE.    The DG1000 returned from the 2 seater comp at Pocklington and was rigged while Fred Brown provided some aerobatics in the K21 late in the day, being preceded by Dick Cole’s somewhat lower aerobatics, again in the K21.  Congratulations are due to David Ryall and  Harry Clark for their recent successful completion of a BI course and to Rob Bottomley who had his lapsed BI rating re-validated.

Friday 20th.  A strong S’ly  restricted flying to a single flight, with Andy Parish taking Mr Backhouse for 30 minutes in the K21 soaring the southerly ridge.  The resulting approach and landing was one of the roughest Andy had experienced, so the calmer air of the simulator  was preferred for some further flying.  Phil Lazenby was declared Task Week day winner from Thursday, for his declared  flight of 113 km, Sut/Ton/Sof/Nrt/Sut.

Saturday 21st.  The wind had moderated and gone round into  the SW producing a good wave day.  33 launches were flown off the winch with an additional 4 ATs during the afternoon, 19 of the flights exceeding an hour.  A number of pilots contacted the wave, with climbs generally petering out at around 10,000′ asl. Chris Teagle andDerek Taylor used the wave for cross country flights.  Chris flew his LS6C around Pateley Bridge, Selset Res, Harrogate N and Northallerton to cover 225 km while Derek covered 256 km in his ASW 22 turning Ripon, Barnard Castle, Harrogate N and Barnard Castle before returning to Sutton.   Sam St Pierre in his DG200 had an interesting flight, starting with a winch launch failure that saw him scratching for lift at hill top level.  Patient flying saw him slowly ascend before contacting the wave and topping out at just over 10,000′.   All  the club gliders were flown, including 2 flghts in the Falke and Lindsay McLane/Sue Aherne had 4:43 aloft in the DG1000 visiting Barnard Castle and reaching 10,000′ while Eric Preston had 2:33 in the club DG303.  The good conditions led to 13 private owners launching, most as part of continuing task week.  6 Trial Lesson pupils chose a good day for their first gliding experience.

Sunday 22nd.  The wind had stayed in the western quadrant but lift was now mainly  provided by thermals rather than wave.  35 ATs were flown off runway 24, with the good thermal conditions resulting in 22 of them generating flights exceeding an hour.  With the DG1000 away at the 2 seater competition at Pocklington, the rest of the club fleet were well utilised while 15 private owners also took advantage of the good conditions and the last day of Task Week.  Andy Wright in his Nimbus 3 and Derek Taylor in his ASW 22 both flew a 419 km O/R to Thrapston while Chris Teagle flew 314 km in his LS6C, turning Hemswell, Helmsley and Burn.   Wave was however present, and David Latimer used it to get to Tebay but found no wave downwind of the Lakes so returned, turning Harrogate N and Leyburn to clock up 250 km and reach 11,400′.  Phil Lazenby abandoned his declared thermal based flight and also used  the wave for a tour of the Yorkshire Dales, visiting Boroughbridge, Leyburn, Aysgarth and Wetherby for a distance of 158 km.  Bill Payton disappeared in his Ventus 2cxt for 6:32 while John Carter had 4:46 in the club DG303 and Bob Beck/J Wilson 1:39 in the club DG500.  The Falke had 3 flights and 6 Trial lesson pupils again had a good introduction to gliding.  Task week ended therefore on a very good note with Colin Troise/DG600 and Ian Johnston/DG300, sharing the last day’s prize, courtesy of the equitable scoring system.  John Ellis/Nimbus 3 was declared the overall winner with Steve Ball/Jon May coming second overall in their Duo Discus. 

Monday 23rd.  A light to moderate NW’ly that slowly backed into the SW was accompanied by generally cloudy skies that eventually brought rain by lunch time.  The flyable morning allowed 5 AT’s to be flown in the K21, generating flight times of 13- 19 minutes, a  gentle introduction to gliding for the week’s course members.

Tuesday 24th.  A moderate to fresh W’ly brought some early shower activity but more importantly, winching from runway 24.  21 winch launches were flown, with all the available club fleet utilised, with the exception of the Ka6, and 4 private owner launches.  15 of the flights exceeded an hour with Dean Crosby flying Sam St Pierre’s DG200 having 4:49 and  Stuart Heaton/Albert Newbery  3:22 in their DG1000T.  David Hill clocked up some solo hours in the club Astir with a flight of 2:10 and Andy Parish/K Smith had 1:55 in the club DG500.

Wednesday 25th. The light to moderate  W’ly backed into the SE as the day progressed and slackened off.  29 ATs were flown, with the Falke also busy with 5 flights and there were 2 Trial Lesson pupils.   The airmass produced some good thermal conditions with Andy Wright completing a task of  319 kms, Sut/Goo/Ley/Bev/Sut in his Nimbus 3 and John Ellis, also in his Nimbus 3 covering 305 km in turning Poc/Staindrop/Pontefract and having the longest flight of the day, 4:42.  Bill Payton/Stuart Heaton had 3:36 in their DG1000T, while Tim Howle had 1:55 in Astir KRN and Ian Plant/Max Bowser1:08 in the K21.  With the end of thermal activity an evening group visit saw 10 ATs flown off runway 24 with flying ceasing for the day at just after 7 pm. 

 Thursday 26th.  The wind was now from the NE and moderate, but thermal lift was still available and of the 20 ATs flown off runway 02, 5 exceeded an hour.  The week’s course members continued to make progress with the club 2 seaters busy, aided by the 3 Trial Lesson pupils and the launch total of 20 included 5 private owners.   Albert Newbery/Bill Payton spent 4:20 aloft in their DG1000T, with Andy  Parish/ Mr Rogcasteel having 57 minutes in the K21 and Tim Howle 33 minutes in the club Astir. 

Friday 27th.  A light NNW’ly brought in another thermic airmass, and 34 ATs were flown with all the available club fleet utilised anda number of private owners also rigging.  12 of the day’s flights exceeded an hour with visitor Chris Garton having 6 hrs in his Ventus andDerek Taylor adding another 317 km to his 2010 distance total witha flight around Market Weighton/Staindrop/Burn.  Bill Payton took Chris Thirkell for a 4:13 flight in Bill’s DG1000T while Tim Howle had 2 hrs in the club Astir and Ian Plant/Max Bowser 1:04 in the K21.  The week’s course came to a successful conclusion when Bryn Evans, one of our Junior pilots,  went solo and another course member resoloed after a break of 8 years.  Congratulations to them both.  Another 6 Trial Lesson pupils were introduced to gliding and there was a single Falke flight.

Saturday 28th.  A fresh to moderate W’ly brought in a number of big showers but most of these by-passed the site, allowing 22 winch launches and 9 ATs to be flown.  A number of pilots went wave hunting but were generally unsuccesful.  5 Trial lesson pupils were flown and11 of the day’s flights exceeded an hour.  Hill lift was a little marginal at times but most pilots used thermal lift, withcloud base being around 3000′ asl.  Staying aloft was not all that easy as  Tony Waddoup found out.  landing out in his Ka6e near Hawnby.  15 private owners launched including the T21, which Tony Maufe and Nick Gaunt flew for 1:02 signalling the imminent start of Slingsby week at Sutton.  David Latimer had a flight of 3:41 visiting Ripon and climbing to around 4000′ asl in weak wave, one of a number of pilots to decide the day was not one for significant cross country flights.  Conrad Thwaites had 1:03 in the club Discus and Bob Beck/Paul Hampshire 1:07 in the K21.   Meanwhile at Pocklington, the Sutton group flying the club DG1000 in the 2 seatercompetition had had a reasonable week with at least one 300 km flight contributing to their 10th position.

Tuesday 17th.  The winners from Monday’s Task Week competition were Jon May/Steve Ball in their Duo Discus courtesy of their flight to the Tontine.  (They did make it back using their engine).  Sam St Pierre won the Limerick prize with the following .  “There was a task setter from Leeds / Who turned up to fly in his tweeds / His friends said, how funny / He’s plenty of money / But he still won’t buy clothes he needs”.   In order to entertain the competitors as the site was under a low overcast, the Limerick competition for the next day had the starting line, “The weather was cold, damp and dire”.  Soon would be pilots could be seen scribbling away  in various parts of the clubhouse.  The Task Week Director, John Hart, anticipating an improvement in the weather set a number of Yorkshire turn points, but unconvinced some pilots left site.  However, around 2 pm the sky started to brighten and by 3pm good looking Cu were in evidence to the West.  6 of the 8 ATs of  the day were by Task week competitors with 4 of the launches giving flights in excess of and hour.  The soaring window did not last as the skies soon filled with spreadout.  John Ellis was aloft for 1:40 in his Nimbus 3 visiting Pateley Bridge and Leyburn.  An exciting  cloud climb to 7,600′ near Pateley Bridge allowed a final glide that took in Leyburn, invisible under the spreadout.  Ian Johnston in his DG300 and Sam St Pierre in his DG200 also visited a turning point in their flights of 1:25 and 1:24 while Colin Troise had a busman’s holiday with a flight of 1:12 in the club K21.

Wednesday.   A light W’ly was accompanied by medium level cover and Cumulus that tended to overconvect or produce showers.  With a longer flying day in prospect, the day’s task was to visit one or more Yorkshire turning points mainly to the east or south east.  John Ellis was declared yesterday’s winner with Ian Johnston and Sam St Pierre joint second.  The standard of entries in the Limerick competition was so good/ so bad that an winner could not be decided.  However, the first line of the next day’s competition was “I was sat in a field in East Yorkshire”.  Flying commenced around 1015 hrs and 32 ATs were flown off runway 24, 21 by private owners and the rest in the club K21s/DG1000 and Astir.    Club flying included Derek Smith taking David Ryall on a BI course.    21 of the day’ flights exceeded an hour with John Ellis in his Nimbus having around 5 hrs in which he had two starts, the first resulting in a low arrival back at Sutton that required an engine start to regain height.  The second start  was a prelude to a round tour of Yorkshire.  Jon May/Steve Ball logged up 4 hrs in their Duo Discus, while Les Rayment/Liam Watt had 1:11 in the DG1000.  Tony Waddoup flying his Ka6 landed out in between Scarborough and Bridlington.  By late afternoon/early evening, the sky cleared out beautifully and Jesper Mjels in his Pik 20 took a late launch and contacted wave, reaching 13,000′ over Barnard Castle.

Thursday 19th.  With a similar but somewhat drier airmass than Wednesday, the Task Week Director allowed pilots to set their own tasks or alternatively/as well visit any turn point in Yorkshire.  Tony Waddoup was declared the winner of Wednesday’s competition and gave an amusing account of the whole flight and retrieve, both the former and the latter having elements of  farce.  The Limerick cometition was won by George Rowden with the following fanciful tale.  ” I was sat in a field in East Riding / When a buxom young wench came a’striding / “Can a do ought for thee” / I said yes, with glee / So now in the hay we are lying”.     Cumulus growth  was soon impressive, but showers were few and far between and competitors went off in all directions, many commenting on the ferocious sink that resulted in field landings for Dave Ashby in his ASW 22 and Chris Stothard in his Vega.  John Ellis flew down a cloud street after visiting Pontefract but instead of lift found so much sink he ended up in the circuit at Burn.    42 ATs were flown, the number split pretty evenly between club and private flying and 20 of the flights exceeded an hour.  All of the club fleet except the Ka8 were flown.  George Rowden had just over 5 hours in his LS8t  visiting Horncastle in Lincolnshire but had to use his engine to get home.  Bill Payton took John Russel for 4:21 in Bill’s DG1000t, while Phil Lazenby did a 100+km task in his Ka6, one of many pilots to visit Yorkshire turn points.    Locally,  Derek Smith added Harry Clark to his BI course while Conrad Thwaites had 2:43 in  the Discus and Andy Parish took John Hart’s guest, Mr Noble for 51 minutes in the DG500.  Duncan Pask had an interesting flight in the new Astir as a incorrectly inserted pitot meant he had no ASI.

Friday 13th.  A strong N’ly that gusted up to 35 kts was enough to prevent flying but to make sure 9 mm of rain fell, mainly in  the morning.  A perusal of the automatic weather station via the internetduring the morning unearthed the information that it had stopped  snowing and that the temperature was -32C with a wind chill of -48C.  It warmed up later.

Saturday 14th.  With yesterday’s low sinking south, the site was left in a light to  moderate NNW’ly that was accompanied by sunny intervals after the passage of an early morning shower.  22 ATs were flown off 02, the majority by the clubs K21s, DG1000, Discus and DG303 with the balance by 6 private owner launches.   A relatively low cloud base, narrow cored thermals and lots of sink meant that soaring condiitons were not easy, but 3 pilots had flights of over an  hour, John Carter having 3:25 in the club Discus.  Steve Ball/David Everett in Steve’s Duo Discus went to Pocklington and back in  their flight of 2:23 while Graham Evison/Bernard Jarvis had just over the half hour in the DG1000 which was  kept busy, along with the K21s, flying 8 Trial Lesson Pupils.   The Rotax Flake contributed 2 more flights to the day’s total. 

Sunday 15th.  The moderate wind had veered into the NNE and while high cover most of the day affected thermal strengths and availability,  27 ATs were flown off runway 02, 8 private owner launches adding to those flown by the club’s K21s. DG1000, Discus and DG303.    As with Saturday, 3 pilots had flights of over an hour and there were 8 Trial Lesson pupils.   The tricky thermal conditions were made somewhat trickier by the presence of weak wave, although the latter allowed Nick Gaunt to satisfy the wish of his Trial Lesson Pupil to fly over Castle Howard.  Bill Payton disappeared for just over 4 hours and Jon May/Steve Ball in their Duo Discus visited Pocklington with the engine having to be used to return to Sutton.  Eric Preston had 40 minutes of local soaring in the club Discus and another pilot joined the wheels up landing roll of  honour.

Monday 16th.  The first day of the club’s Task Week dawned with a moderate and damp N’ly bringing in a low overcast, but knowledgeable (or should that be optimistic) Task Week Director, John Hart, set a task that involved visiting one of  more of a number of  local turning points, with any turn point on the other side of the Pennines as an optional  extra.  The overcast eventually broke at around 2 pm leaving sunny skies but with the Cirrus of tomorrow’s frontal system already well in evidence.  17 ATs were flown off runway 02, including 8 private owners eager to win the day, but with lift virtually non existent, apart from some very weak wave and boisterous rotor, flight times were very limited.  Jon May/Steve Ball in their Duo Discus released from their tow, did an engine burn to gain more height and did get to the Tontine turn point but found that even the north facing hills near the turn point were not working so another engine burn was required to get home, the whole flight taking 46 minutes.  George Rowden investigated some isolated clouds on track to Pocklington but found only broken lift and returned to site, while Rob Bottomley, another turbo driver, managed 31 minutes in his Discus T.  John Marsh, after cutting the grass on runway 24 in the morning, kept the K21 busy with instructional flights , including Alan Rivis, a Day course member.  As  well as the chance of winning flying prizes, a prize was offered for the best limeric starting with the line, “There was a  Task Setter from Leeds”.  Prize winners will be announced tommorrow.   Meanwhile the new underground fuel storage tank finally disappeared underground  as the hole was backfilled and grass seeding of the felled, cleared, rotavated and now levelled area in the NE corner of the airfield is expected to be undertaken shortly.

Tuesday 10th.  A moderate strength, showery, SW’ly airstream provided hill soaring conditions with 6 of the 10 ATs of the day providing flights of over an hour.  One of the club K21s, the DG500 and DG303 flew as well as 3 private owners, with Martyn Johnson enjoying just over 3 hours in his DG 600.   Mike Smith had 1:05 in  the club DG303 while Derek Smith/Andy Bowes  had 1:15 in the K21.

Wednesday 11th.  A drier airstream from the W was initially sufficiently strong to allow winching off runway 24.  7 winch launches were flown, 4 giving flights of over an hour before the decreasing wind strength resulted in a change to ATing around 1250 hrs.  11 ATs were flown to give a total launch for the day of 18, the ATs generating another 5 flights of over an hour.  With the hill lift being supplemented by thermal and weak wave staying aloft was not a problem and pilots reported strong lift at times but the relationship between the weak wave lift and the clouds appeared to be extremely variable and wave climbs were generally less than 1000′.  Stuart Black, visiting from Lincolnshire,   had 6:16 in his DG300, while David Hodgson had 2:08 in the DG303 and Les Rayment/David Ryall 1:04 in the K21.  In addition to the utilisation of the K21s, DG1000, Discus, Astir and DG303, the Rotax Falke had a single sortie and there were 2 private owner launches.  The club 2 seaters were kept busy with 5 Trial Lesson flights.

Thursday 12th.  A moderate N’ly that freshened as the day progressed was accompanied by an increasing number of heavy showers, some with thunder and lightning.  In between the showers, 6 ATs were flown off runway 02, with the majority of the flights for the 5 Trial Lesson pupils of the day in the K21 and DG1000.   Cloud base was quite variable, peaking at around 2000′ QFE  but with lower broken cloud at around 800′ QFE during the afternoon, and it was in this period that some weak wave was found over Sutton Village.   The presence of wave  probably accounted for the very strong sink experienced on the final approach to landing over the White Horse ridge.  Flight times were generally around 20 minutes, but George Rowden and Trial Lesson pupil Diana Taylor had a 25 minute flight courtesy of some lift under a rapidly developing cumulus.

Thursday 5th.  A bright start to the morning promised a reasonable soaring day in a light to moderate WNW’ly but rapid Cu development led to spreadout, showers and recycling.   The Northern’s competitors were given a 191 km task, the first turning point being Driffield.  Most turned Driffield but progress from there to Masham was difficult while the Masham turnpoint disappeared under an extensive, slow moving shower.  Consequently, no one completed the task with a few making it back to Sutton but the majority landing out .   Many and varied were the retrieve tales as a number of competitors landed on top of the Yorkshire Wolds, the only access from the roads in  the steep sided valleys being via deeply rutted and steep farm tracks.  A number of YGC pilots launched ahead of the grid into reasonably looking skies, with Bill Payton in his Ventus 2ctx completing the task although this involved a long, low hold in weak hill lift on Black Hambleton and much shower dodging.  The cycling conditions meant that for those YGC pilots flying locally, selecting the right time to launch was critical to a reasonably long flight but with cloud base rising to around 3500 to 4000′ asl, some good local flights were enjoyed.

Friday 6th.  An overcast morning with cloud base only 1500′ QFE, deteriorated even further by lunch time with rain arriving on a light to moderate  SSE’ly flow that went into the S.  Consequently, the Northerns task was scrubbed for the day.  There was, however, sufficient flying time to fit in 3 club flights in the K21, 2 instructional and 1 with Sam Gaunt, a forestry worker who is on site clearing and levelling the felled area at the NE corner of the site.  Wave was influencing flying  with some rotor making for turbulent conditions, but usable lift was hard to find and the best flight time of the day was only 18 minutes.  With the arrival of the rain and the hangaring of the gliders, virtual flying was continued on the simulator.

Saturday 7th.  Another generally cloudy, but initially bright day dawned with a light to moderate W’ly blowing.  The Northern’s team, trying their best to provide a contest day, eventually rebriefed at the grid and set a 105 km task with turning points at Ripon, Catterick and Helmsley.  By the time the competitors launched, however,  showers had broken out in the task area and there were only 2 finishers.  Between the showers and the launch of the grid, local flying provided 13 ATs, 4 by private owners and the rest in the club K21s.  Bill Payton flew his Ventus 2ctx for 2:43, while Steve Ball/Robin Hutchinson in the former’s Duo Discus had 39 minutes.

Sunday 8th.  A light and variable wind under generally cloudy skies again kept the Northern’s team busy deciding on a suitable task for the last  day.  Eventually something of a clearance and developing Cu sent the Grid off on a 122.5 km task with turning points at Wetherby, Ripon and York, but the better conditions were decidedly transient and nobody completed the task with 11 gliders landing at RAF Linton on Ouse.  A shuttle service of AT retrieves resulted.  12 ATs were flown by club pilots, utilising the K21s and DG303, with Eric Preston having 42 minutes in the DG303 and John Marsh/P Ireland, the day’s only Trial Lesson pupil, having 37 minutes in the K21.  The Rotax Falke contributed 2 flights to the day’s total.

Monday 9th.  A light to moderate SSW’ly was initially accompanied by bright skies but cloud rapidly developed showing the presence of low level, weak wave.  The wave was mobile and the airmass moist so that holes came and went quite rapidly, keeping the morning’s pilots on their toes.   9 ATs were flown off runway 24 with landings on 20 before a lowering cloud base and rain stopped flying around 2 pm.  The K21s and DG1000 were flown, with 4 Trial Lesson pupils given an early taste of wave flying and some hill soaring on the northern end of the main bowl.  Lift in the wave was typically 1 kt with extensive areas of zero with slow climbs having to be abandoned as the holes filled in with cloud.  Flight times prior to  the arrival of  the rain were generally in the 20-30 minutes range, George Rowden and Trial Lesson pupil Kathryn Scother, managing the latter time.   

Saturday 7th.

Monday 2nd.  A light N’ly airstream was accompanied by overcast skies, the initial low cloudbase delaying club flying until late morning.   A short period of brighter skies allowed the Northerns competition director to set a short task, 90 km with turning points at Northallerton and York.  About half the competitors completed the task and details can be found via the YGC website under Northerns.   Club flying continued during the afternoon, finishing around 1745 hrs, by which time 8 ATs had been flown.  Flight times were typically 15-30 minutes, but David Campbell and Junior Brin Evans, had 31 minutes in the K21, their flight coinciding with the brief spell of brighter conditions. 

Tuesday 3rd.  Low cloud delayed flying until 14oo hrs at which time the extensive cloud  cover was only 1800′ - 2000′ above site.  The lack of any thermal activity meant the task for the Northerns competitors was scrubbed, but with the S’ly wind veering into the W and strengthening to around 15 kts, flying conditions began to improve.  Eventually 15 ATs were flown, 6 private owners taking advantage of the 2-4 kt thermals, while the club’s K21s, DG500 and Ka8 were also busy.  2 of the day’s flights exceeded an hour,  with Mr Starling having 2:27 in his ASW15B and Junior Brin Evans having 58 minutes in the K21 with John Marsh.  3 Trial Lesson pupils took to the skies and there was also a visitor from the Nene GC. 

Wednesday 4th.  A wet and cloudy morning with orographic forming on the hill, delayed real flying until after lunch but the simulator was put to good use.  With little prospect of soaring even after the rain stopped,  the day was scrubbed for the Northern’s pilots.  Club flying did however take place with 9 ATs flown, all in the K21s, this including 3 Trial Lesson pupils.  Flight times were typically in the range 15-25 minutes, but Dianne and Richard Noble, 2 Trial Lesson pupils, were kept aloft for 31 minutes each by John Marsh and Martyn Johnson.

Friday 30th.    A light to  moderate, SW’ly airstream was accompanied by extensive cloud.  Some local flying was   undertakenwith 7 ATsby the club K21s, Discus and Astir with the majority of the flying by the 5 Trial Lesson pupils of the day.  Flight times were generally in the range 20 30 minutes but Andy Parish took Trial Lesson pupil David Goldsborough for a flight of 38 minutes in the K21 and A Spencer had 27 minutes in the Discus.  The Rotax Falkealso contributed to the day’s flying with 2 sorties.

Saturday 31st.  On the first day of the 2010 Northerns, the, by now, WSW’lyairstream continued to bring in cloudy skies keeping the grid waiting for a clearance that failed to materialise.  Club and visitor flying did however take place with 13 ATs, 5 of these by private owners, including several Northern’scompetitors.  The club K21s were busy with 3 Trial Lessons and the Discus also flew as did the Rotax Falke.  6 of the day’s flights exceeded an  hour, withcourse director Andy Parish spending an hour aloft in the K21 with D Watson sampling the weather.  Rory O’Conor did in fact fly one of the tasks set for the day in reverse but had to have recourse to the engine of his DG8oo in order to make it back to Sutton.  Jesper Mjels took a high tow on the last flight of the day and contacted wave, climbing to around 9000′ in his flight of 2:10.

Sunday 1st August.  A light WNW maintained the predominately cloudy nature of the airmass and with a few spots of rain heralding the arrival of showers around lunch time,  the task for the Northerns pilots was scrubbed.  Perversely, the weather then improved somewhat allowing some soaring flights out of the days total of 16 ATs.   5 of  the day’s flights were by private owners, including some Northerns pilots and Mike Bond had a flight of 1:45 in his Kestrel.  Dick Cole and Steve Briggs had 1:06 in the club DG1000 reporting a 4000′ asl cloudbase and a convergence in the local area but little lift elsewhere.  Rob Bailey had 50 minutes in the Discus and there were 2 Rotax Falke flights.