Friday 15th to Monday 18th September 2017
Posted: 19/09/2017 15:10
Friday 15th. A light to moderate NW'ly wind meant operations off runway 02 had to cope with the usual low level turbulence on take off, while the predominately cloudy skies meant soaring opportunities were absent. In the event, 13 ATs were flown in one or other of the K21s behind the Super Cub, with none of the flights exceeding 30 minutes. Jon May, the only private owner to rig and launch in his Duo Discus, was also unable to reach the 30 minutes soaring target having to make do with the day's longest time of 27 minutes, 3,000' tows for the day's First Flight pupils resulting in them having flight times of 24 to 26 minutes. Graham Taylor, flying K21 solo, had 20 minutes off a lower launch height while John Tayler and Robin Hutchinson had a flight of 24 minutes in K21 JVZ to go with an earlier flight of 21 minutes in the same glider.
Saturday 16th. Low cloud and frequent showers in an unstable N/NNW'ly wind meant that Saturday was non-flyable, so the simulator was used to provide some gliding experiences for a group of visiting Scouts as well as training for club members.
Sunday 17th. The N'ly flow between an anticyclone to the west and a depression to the east of the UK contained a succession of heavy showers, amounting to 10.6mm of rain over the day, the accompanying low cloud contributing to the decision to keep the hangar doors closed.
Monday 18th. Although the synoptic situation had remained roughly the same, resulting in the continuation of a light to moderate N/NNW'ly flow, the anticyclone to the west was more in charge of the weather. Consequently, although predominately cloudy, the higher cloud base and lighter, occasional showers, allowed a limited amount of flying to take place off runway 02. The 5 ATs behind the Super Cub totalled just over 90 minutes in total, with no single flight exceeding 20 minutes, although 3 reached that time, the result of 3,000' tows for each of day's First Flight pupils, Mike Smith or Will Blackburn being their instructors. Mike Smith also had the first flight of the day solo in K21 KLW, with Alan Beaumont also having a solo flight in the other K21 later in the day.
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.