Saturday 1st to Wednesday 5th January 2022
Posted: 06/01/2022 12:33
Saturday 1st. A moderate and at times moderate to fresh SE soon veered into the SSW, providing some restricted hill soaring on the into wind slopes and even a taste of hill triggered thermal, it being a remarkable mild day with the maximum temperature reaching 14.6C. 6 ATs off runway 20 were flown, with Pete Goodchild in his PIK having 3 flights and Sarah Stubbs, with 2 flights and John Marsh with 1 flying the Astir. John had 33 minutes and Sarah 30 minutes from one of her flights with the White Horse ridge and the into wind section of the home bowl providing what lift there was. The reporter would like to wish all readers a very Happy New Year with hopes for good soaring opportunities in 2022.
Sunday 2nd. The wind, still moderate to moderate to fresh, had veered slightly into the SW improving the strength and areas of lift. Consequently, flight times had improved compared to Saturday, with 1 flight over an hour, and 11 between 30 and 60 minutes. Launching was via a combination of winch and AT, 11 of the former and 8 of the latter, all off runway 24, although landings on 20 tended to become the norm later. 4 private owners flew with Chris and Kelly Teagle flying their Kestrel 19, Chris having the longest flight of the day, 1:07 off a winch launch as he explored as far north as the Kepwick ridge. Syndicate partners Jamie Quartermaine and Mark Jerman flew their ASW 27 with Jamie having an AT and Mark 2 winch launches. Chris Handzlik and Thomasz Rusin shared a 54 minute flight in the DG500 of the first AT of the day, before later Chris had 57 minutes in the DG303 off a winch launch and Thomasz, similarly launched, had 58 minutes in the Discus, Darren Lodge having 57 minutes in the same glider off an AT. Thomasz explored the lift on the forward ridge, while together in the DG500, they penetrated as far west as the A19. Approaching rain led to the cessation of flying in the early afternoon.
Monday 3rd. The SW/WSW wind had become fresh, with gusts into the high 30 kts, so there was no flying.
Tuesday 4th. An overnight cold front left a legacy of a big temperature drop, down from Monday's 10.2C to a maximum of 3.3C, this drop being compensated by sunny, blue skies and a light to moderate WNW'ly wind that increased to moderate before decreasing again to light to moderate. Operations were off runway 24 with landings on either 24 or 20. Both K21s and the DG500 were flown, predominately dual, the exception being Tom Dale, who. flying the DG500 solo, had the longest flight of the day, 35 minutes, the next longest being 20 minutes. This time was claimed by Bruce Grain and John Forrester in K21 JVZ from two of their three flights together and also by Guy Hartland and Mark Jerman in the DG500.
Wednesday 5th. A moderate to fresh NW'ly had the windsock dancing all around the compass as well as vertically, demonstrating the turbulent conditions this wind direction and speed bring to site. Later on, the wind backed into the WNW and slowly decreased to become eventually light to moderate. A single Eurofox flight as this process was ongoing again resulted in the decision not to fly and the calmer conditions that eventually arrived, were too late to allow flying to take place.
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.