Monday 25th to Friday 29th August 2025
Posted: 01/09/2025 19:17
Monday 25th. Monday 25th. A sunny day with isolated Cumulus as a light to moderate S'ly blew resulted in 26 launches off runway 20, with 16 flights exceeding 30 minutes and 6 of these over an hour. The launch total included 9 First Flight pupils and 9 private owners, 7 of whom were visitors. The day's low relative humidity of 34% contributed to a high cloud base with the Clive Swain in his Kestrel 19 reaching 7,200' asl, Bob Calvert in his Discus 2ct reaching 6,700' asl and visitors John Pursey/Graham Hames reaching 6,500' asl in their Eagle, with Bob providing the following photo.
Most of pilots did their soaring locally, including Clive Swain who spent just over 6 hours aloft, but Pete Goodchild in his PIK20D did an O/R to Rufforth and Martyn Johnson in his DG600 went almost to York and back. Bob Calvert ventured furthest, visiting areas around York, Harrogate, Ripon Hawes, Masham, Knaresborough and Tockwith and covering 215 OLC km. The Falke, meanwhile, flew down to Kirton in Lindsey, returning later in the day and Austin Harland recorded the longest flight in a club glider with 43 minutes in Astir DPO
Tuesday 26th. Some light rain around 0700 to 0800 hrs delayed the start of flying until 1100 hrs but thereafter, 37 launches were flown off runway 24 with landings on 24 or 20 as a moderate WSW'ly blew. and the skies cleared. There were 17 private owner launches, including 5 for visitors, with a number of pilots having relatively short soaring flights in the early afternoon and then taking another flight later in the day. The result was that there were 18 flights over 30 minutes, with 11 of these over an hour but the longest flights were around 2 hours. Peak altitudes were over 5,000' asl with Martyn Johnson in his DG600 getting to 5,900' asl and average peak climb rates were 3-4 kts. Some pilots engaged in a little hill soaring, notably Dean Crosby in his LS10t, who hill soared to Tontine and then continued his flight in thermal, visiting Guisborough before returning to site via Tontine, on his second flight of the day. Dean's first flight of the day saw him having to use his engine near North Dufield before returning to site. Martyn Johnson's first flight saw him use thermal to do an O/R to the Tontine area while his 2nd flight took him to Osmotherly and back Bob Calvert in his Discus 2ct included 20 minutes of hill soaring at the end of his 2:20 first flight of the day and visited the Ripon area on his second. Toby Wilson/Alec Nocalai in K21 Jvz had just over an hour as Tuesday evening group continued flying until the evening while earlier, Austin Harland landed out at Rufforth in Astir DSU.
Wednesday 27th. An approaching front with its associated low cloud and rain led to the cessation of flying in the early afternoon after 11 AT launches from runway 20, of which 3 were for First Flight pupils and all 4 private owner launches by visiting pilots. Two of these flights were in a Capstan and the other 2 in unknown and non Flarm equipped gliders, one of whom had a 44 minute flight This was one of 5 flights of over 30 minutes which included the day's only flight of over an hour by Paul Bulmer in Astir DPO, his 1:08 flight including a climb to 4,100' asl in moderate thermals. while Andreas Rieder/ Eamon Dowler had 42 minutes in K21 JVZ.
Thursday 28th. A light to moderate S'ly increased to moderate as it veered into the SSW and then decreased to light as showers developed from mid afternoon. 23 ATs and a self launch departed from runway 20, leading to 7 soaring flights, 2 over an hour and 7 over 30 minutes. 4 First Flight pupils were flown and there were 8 flights by private owners, including 4 by visitors, but 4 of these flights were in non Flarm equipped gliders so no flight traces are available. Andy Wilson and visitors Craig Lowrie/Geoff Burtenshaw were the > an hour pilots with Andy having 1:05 and Craig, Geoff having 2:03, but Andy's flight was. However, in their Duo Discus t, Craig/Geoff flew 116 OLC km, visiting Knaresborough, and then oscillating between Tockwith, Rufforth, Tockwith, Boroughbridge and Sutton and climbing to 4,500' asl with a average peak climb of just under 5 kts, by far the best of the day. Steve Scothern's 59 minute local flight in his Discus t included a climb to 4,000' asl and the use of his engine, while Ian Bullous also flew locally for 48 minutes. The longest flight in a club glider was by Andreas Rieder/Eamon Dowler with 32 minutes in K21 JVZ.
Friday 29th. The light to moderate SSW'ly slowly veered into the W with showers developing and flying delayed until 1230 hrs when the Falke had a 37 minute local flight. Thereafter, 8 launches departed runway 20 with 5 resulting in flights of over 30 minutes of which one was over an hour. The latter was by Bob Calvert in his Discus 2 ct, lasting 3:14 during which Bob flew 108 OLC km, climbed to 6,900' asl and operated mainly in the Pateley Bridge/Ripon area using moderate strength thermals. Andreas Rieder/Ted Rathmell with 50 minutes in K21 JVZ, James Shaw/Sarah Stubbs with 37 minutes in the DG1000, Chris Prosser in his ASW19 with 34 minutes and Andy Wilson with 30 minutes were the other soaring pilots, all flying locally.
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.