Sunday 23rd to Tuesday 25th February 2020

Posted: 26/02/2020 11:58

Sunday 23rd.  Another front which crossed  the site around 1800 hrs brought some more rain, 5.6 mm, as well as  low cloud and  a moderate to fresh wind that varied between NW and W'ly.   The combination of the gusty wind and post frontal showers meant there was no flying.

Monday 24th.  A period of heavy snow from 0600 to 1000 hrs on a moderate ESE'ly wind was followed by clearing skies as the wind veered into the WSW and increased to moderate to fresh, with high 30 kt gusts.  Getting to the club was a problem and with a snow covered airfield as well as the gusty wind not surprisingly there was no flying.

Tuesday 25th.  Only vestiges of Monday's snow remained and with a cold, moderate W'ly blowing, inspection of  the airfield confirmed there were sufficicent dry areas to allow flying to take place.  The first of the day's 10 winch launches off runway 24 saw Steve Thompson and Tony Kirby have 47 minutes in K21 KLW,  reporting operating heights on  the ridge of between 650 to 900' QFE.  Encouraged, Tony Drury was next to launch in  the DG303 and landed after just over an hour in the air, being followed by Mark Jerman in the Discus who  posted the longest flight of the day, 1:14, making use of some early season thermal to climb to cloudbase at around 2,700' asl.  Robin Hutchinson then followed flying KLW solo before Dave Campbell, also solo in KLW , used thermals to climb to cloudbase,  now at 2,800' asl, in his flight of 57 minutes. The third flight of the day of over an hour saw George Rowden have 1:05 in the Discus, with a climb in  thermal to cloudbase, now at 3,100' asl.  No one ventured too far north along the ridge, with Mark Jerman getting to Kepwick, and with a Notamed fast jet excercise over Topcliffe all day, no one ventured too far west.  The  wind, always a little fickle in strength, dropped off by late afternoon with the result that the last 2 flights were only airborne for 20 and 18 minutes.

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.

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