Monday 1st to Tuesday 2nd December 2025
Posted: 03/12/2025 14:25
Monday 1st. Atlantic fronts crossing the UK brought low cloud and rain off and on all day as a moderate SSE'ly blew, so there was no flying.
Tuesday 2nd. Clear blue skies and winter sunshine were the order of the day, with the surface wind a light to moderate SSE'ly, so the day's 14 ATs were off runway 20. However, a wind veer to SW'ly was evident at relatively low levels and this contributed to the day's 5 flights of over 30 minutes of which 4 were over an hour, with hill, but particularly wave lift the main soaring aid. Clive Swain flying the Discus was the first soaring pilot, having 1:24 in wave augmented hill lift keeping him at 1,200-1,400' QFE on the home bowl. He was followed by Austin Hartland in Astir DSU with 34 minutes at 1,100'-1,400' QFE in the same area, a couple of excursions to the W resulting in only a loss of altitude. Bob Calvert then flew DSU for 1:18, finding a area of reduced sink over Kildale, while Rob Bailey flew the Discus for 1:07, initially not losing much height after release near Hutton Sessay and then climbing from 1,700' to 2,200' QFE over Gormire. The longest and highest flight of the day belonged to Neil Pavely in his Nimbus 2. Neil took a high tow to 4,300' asl and then contacted some weak wave to the ENE and then to the W of Masham that took him to 6,700' asl. Proceeding NW, Neil climbed to 8,500' asl 4 km NW of Leyburn before flying to Garsdale Head and on the way back climbing to his best altitude of 9,600' asl over Coverdale. The return home included visits to Pateley Bridge and Ripon, Neil arriving back at site to land after 2:33, having covered 163 OLC km.
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.