Thursday 23rd to Friday 24th June 2022
Posted: 27/06/2022 16:01
Thursday 23rd. A light to moderate S'ly that tended to veer into the SSE later in the day meant operations off 20, Cumulus development to the north and over the Pennines not extending to over the site until after midday. Initial 2 seater only launches in the morning were joined by a rush of private owner launches as Cumulus blossomed locally, with a number of cross countries flown. Conditions were very variable both in time and location, so much so that there were 4 land outs, 3 from those flying locally, while 2 pilots resorted to their engines. In contrast, particularly those flying south into Lincolnshire, there were few alarms. The land out pilots were Nick Gaunt/Barry Stephenson in their T21 who landed on the Gallops, just outside the airfield boundary, putting in another claim on the trophy for the nearest land out to site. In landing out, Barry Stephenson set something of a record, as he had 2 land outs in the same day, landing out earlier in the day in the company of Guy Hartland in K21 KLW, this time half way between site and Sutton Village. The third local land out was by Dave McKinney, the first of his flying career, who landed his ASW28 at Bagby airfield and had an AT back to site, while the land out remote from site was by Paul Whitehead, who landed his ASW24 6 km south of Collingham. One of the engine out pilots was George Rowden in his LS8-18 who, attempting a fast 100 km FAI triangle, ran into a dead area at his 2nd turn point of Harrogate North and after a 15 minute struggle to stay aloft resorted to his engine. The other pilot to resort to his engine was John Ellis, who attempting an O/R to Burton on Stather had his low point 5 km west of Goole N. Those successfully completing their cross countries included Derek Taylor in his ASW22, 323 km, Rob Bailey in his ASG29, 245 km, Martyn Johnson in his DG600, 192 km, Steve Thompson in his Ventus bt, 191 km, and Les Rayment in his DG800, 175 km,, while Bruce Grain/John Dore did a 62 km O/R to Rufforth in the DG1000 posting the longest flight in a club 2 seater with 1:10, Chris Knapp having the longest flight in a club single seater with 1:18 in the DG303. Chris Teagle in his Kestrel did what George Rowden failed to do, ie a fast 100 km triangle, flying the Sutton/Pocklington/Rufforth/Sutton task at a handicapped speed of 95 kph, never getting below 4,400' asl except on his final glide of 41 km, which commenced prior to rounding the Rufforth TP. In the best areas, cloudbase was between 5,500' and 5,900' asl with peak average climb rates of 5-5.5 kts contributing to a interesting day at Sutton, the day's 32 launches generating 20 flights in excess of 30 minutes 14 of which were over an hour.
Friday 24th. After Thursday interesting but variable soaring conditions, Friday weather was more mundane, a light S/SSW'ly being accompanied by high cover that limited soaring conditions before clearing later in the day. The day's 9 ATs off runway 20, all in either K21 JVZ or KLW, produced no flights of over an hour, with David Slocomb/Osian Petts 43 minutes in JVZ being the best of the day, the result of thermals over Boltby and Oldstead, that enabled them to climb 400 feet above their release height of 2,000'. The only other flight of > 30 minutes was when David took one the day's two First Flight pupils for 35 minutes in JVZ. Konrad Kawalec was the only pilot to fly solo, having two 20 minute flights.
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.