Monday 29th September to Wednesday 1st October 2025
Posted: 04/10/2025 13:22
Monday 29th. A sunny start with cloud building in the afternoon led to 13 launches off runway 20 into a light, mainly WSW'ly wind, 2 of the launches being for First Flight pupils. Some thermal activity led to 5 flights of 30 minutes or more, including 3 of over an hour, with Robin Hutchinson in Astir DPO having 31 minutes and Konrad Kawalec in his Discus t having 30 minutes both in local weak thermal. The 3 pilots to have an hour or more all used an area of lift to the NE of site, mainly N of Churchhouses, Bob Calvert getting there in his Discus 2ct via Kirbymoorside and climbing to 5,400' asl in his 1:54 flight, while Derek Taylor in his ASW22 arrived via a self launch to 3,000' QFE and climbed to 4,800' asl before landing back after 1:02. Rob Bailey in his ASG 29t initially found some lift that maintained him at 3-3,400' asl to the NW of Helmsley before climbing to 4,100' asl 10 km east of Churchhouses, in his 60 minute flight.
Tuesday 30th. A light to moderate S'ly blew all day, a sunny morning developing into an afternoon with some nice looking Cumulus. 16 launches were flown off runway 20, including 4 self launches by Derek Taylor/Steve Ells in their Arcus M and 2 ATs by Graham Morris in his ASW27, the launch total also including 5 for First Flight pupils. 7 of the day's flights exceeded 30 minutes, with 4 exceeding an hour, all the latter being flown by private owners, with the longest flight in a club glider being 31 minutes by Sarah Stubbs in K21 KLW with one of the day's First Flight pupils. Both visitor Graham Morris' and Derek Taylor/Steve Ells' first flights of the day were 35/36 minute affairs, but on their second flights both had > an hour, Graham having 1:10 of local soaring, while Derek/Steve flew down to Rufforth but had to resort to the Arcus's M to avoid a landout, their flight lasting 1:20. Konrad Kawalec in his Discus t and Bob Calvert in his Discus 2ct were the other soaring pilots. Konrad had an hour of local soaring while Bob flew down to Boroughbridge and then the Harrogate/Knaresborough area, but had to resort to his engine near Knaresborough before returning to Sutton via Boroughbridge after a flight of 2:51.
Wednesday 1st. A slow moving front brought low cloud and rain on and off during the day to there was no flying.
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.