Friday 2nd August 2024.
Posted: 03/08/2024 15:34
Friday 2nd. A light to moderate SW'ly blew all day, with warm sunshine, but soaring conditions were not easy, with one cross country pilot describing them as low, humid and horrible. In the event 3 XC's were posted on the BGA ladder and a further 7 flown, as 14 private owners contributed to a launch total of 38, all off runway 20, with 4 First Flight pupils given their first taste of gliding. The flights on the Ladder were by Dean Crosby in his LS10t, Andy Wright in his Nimsbus 3 and Toby Wilson in his Std Cirrus. Dean abandoned his XC at Gainsborough due to the head wind and returned to site via the Humber Bridge, covering 213 km, Andy flew 167 km with TPs at Burton upon Stather and Humber Bridge having spent some time trying to get a climb at Rufforth, while Toby abandoned his 1st and 2nd choice tasks and completed a 78 km trip around Sutton on Forest, Rufforth, Sutton and Thirsk. The other XC pilots included Bob Calvert who flew into his favourite area, the Yorkshire Dales area between Masham. Aysgrth and Ripon and, finding some wave, climbed to 8,500' asl, the best of the day. The next highest was 6,800' asl by Chris Handzlik in his DG300 via a cloud climb, as he flew 127 km to near Wetherby S, York East and Topcliffe, while Bill Payton, flying his DG1000t, had a restart from Sutton having had to use his engine over Rufforth and then did 153 km before having to again resort of his engine just S of Newark before returning to site. Clive Swain in his Kestrel flew 164 km around Boroughbridge, Pocklington and Kirbymoorside before indulging in some more local soaring, while Peter Goodchild flew around 115 km around York to near Driffield before having to use his engine near Sutton on Forest. The XC list was completed by Rob Bailey in his ASG29t who, doing an O/R to the York/York East area, covered 134 km, all distances by OLC or manual measurement and while Fred Brown in his Ventus ct stayed more local in his 3 hour flight, he still covered some 96 km. The best of the day's flights in club gliders saw Tony Drury/Duncan Pask have 49 minutes in the DG500 and Robin Hutchinson have 42 minutes in the Discus, both staying local. Cloud base eventually rose to around 4,500' asl with best average thermal strengths around 3-4 kts, although Chris Handzlik recorded a 5.1 kt climb.
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.