Saturday 4th to Thursday 9th June 2022
Posted: 10/06/2022 16:31
Saturday 4th. A moderate NE'ly blew all day so operations were off were off runway 20, with the occasional landing on 06. Similarly to Friday 3rd, there was a brief soaring window in the early to mid-afternoon when 5 flights exceeded 30 minutes, although there were none over an hour. Nigel Burke took Freddie Taylor, a guest of Phil Lazenby for a 45 minute flight in K21 KLW, climbing to the day's best altitude of 3,500' asl, with John Forrester flying the same glider solo for 43 minutes, while Toby Wilson/Adrian Melia had 41 minutes again in KLW. 20 ATs was the day's launch total, all flown by the club's 2 seaters.
Sunday 5th. The moderate wind continued to blow from the NNE/NE so operations continued as on the previous day, increasing and lowering cloud putting an end to flying in the early afternoon after 4 ATs and 2 flights by the Falke off runway 02, and rain setting in around 1700 hrs. Dave Watson/Neil Shead did some instructor training in the first 2 flights, coming off tow at 800' QFE on the first one, with Steve Thompson/J Reeves flying the remaining two and providing the only flight of the day to exceed 30 minutes, but only just with 31 off the last flight of the day. The day's flying activities included 2 flights in the Falke.
Monday 6th. Overnight rain amounted to 10 mm, the sky clearing by mid-afternoon to allow a couple of ATs off runway 24 with landings on 02 as a light to moderate N'ly blew. Both flights in K21 KLW were for First Flight pupils with Nobby Noble P1.
Tuesday 7th. The light to moderate wind blew from the NNE before veering into the ENE, causing a change of operating runway from 02 t0 20 around 1700 hrs as the Tuesday evening group took over the operation. Low cloud delayed the start of flying until around 1230 hrs but continuing brightening allowed some soaring flights in the mid to late afternoon. All 4 club 2 seaters were flown with Polly Whitehead, Thomasz Rusin, Julian Gerretsen jand Dave Murgatroyd flying solo. Thomasz was the first pilot to extend his flight to 30 minutes, with the 6 other >30<60 flights ranging up to 52 minutes, this being by Dave McKinney/Frank Maczka in K21 JVZ. The only flight to exceed an hour saw Clive Swain/Stuart Wallace have 1:09 in JVZ with the last flight of the 25 ATs on the day, their landing being at 21:28 hrs.
Wednesday 8th. Overnight rain amounting to 13 mm, left a legacy of low cloud that delayed the start of flying until early afternoon, as the initially light S'ly veered into the W and became light to moderate in strength. AT operations off runway 24 were limited to 4, all in club 2 seaters, with Les Rayment and Ron Beezer sharing the task of flying the day's 3 First Flight pupils and Brian Wise flying K21 KLW for 51 minutes off the last flight of the day. The availability of hill lift meant the First Flight pupils had an average of 34 minutes flying time, with peak operating heights being 1400' QFE to 2,500' QFE.
Thursday 9th. An encouraging soaring forecast meant a busy trailer park followed by a busy launch point, with 2 tugs used to increase the launch rate, as 12 private owner launches contributed to the day's total of 21. Although 16 of the day's flights exceeded an hour, with 10 over 2 hrs and 7 over 3, those who had cross countries in mind had mixed fortunes as soaring conditions were quite variable leading to some low saves and skies became overcast around 1600 hrs at site. The day's longest flight was by Andrew Cluskey in his Shark, who abandoning an attempt to get to Stickney Bridge in Lincolnshire due to extensive top cover, instead turned Market Raisen and returned to site via Grimsby, Hornsea Mere and Snainton, a distance of around 260 km. Andrew's flight included flying over the North Sea for 16 km, some 3 km off the coast and on the way back near Scarborough, met Chris Booker in his LS1 who had also abandoned an attempt to get to Stickney Bridge, turning back when some 24 km SSE of the Humber Bridge. Chris, however, didn't make it back to site, landing out near Slingsby. Arthur Docherty in his ASW20, visited Pocklington and Great Barugh, 7 km SW of Pickering, before returning to site, his final glide from beyond Ostwaldkirk being a little marginal and resulting in a truncated, left hand base leg approach to runway 24 from 800' QFE over Oswaldkirk. Albert Newbery/Stuart Heaton in their DG1000t flew to 6 km SW of Pocklington but on returning north ran into a area of poor conditions and resorted to their engine to reconnect with the lift. Having done so, they continued, visiting Northallerton before returning to site. Toby Wilson took off late in his Standard Cirrus and did an O/R to just beyond Sutton on Forest, joining most of the day's cross country pilots in having a low point of 1,500' asl or less. Peak altitudes were around 4,500' asl, but Clive Swain in his Kestrel reached 5,100' asl and spent the last hour of his 4:19 hr flight hill soaring the main bowl as the overcast turned off any convective lift. Peak climb rates of up to 4. 7 kts were encountered, but generally average climb rates were rarely over 2 kts, indicating the variability of the conditions. Those flying club gliders also made the most of the day with Ron Beezer having 1:45 in the DG303 and visiting Dishforth, while David Cockburn had 1:13 in the same glider. George Rowden took a returning First Flight pupil for 1:03 on her second flight of the day, climbing from 1000' QFE to 3,500' QFE, while Steve Thompson had exactly an hour with M Bradshaw in the DG1000.
This blog describes a snippet of life at the Yorkshire Gliding Club. Why not take a flight and try it yourself, or we can teach you to fly as a full club member.