Saturday 3rd August 2024
Posted: 04/08/2024 13:16
Saturday 3rd. A light to moderate WNW'ly backed into the W, as another sunny and warm day generated some good soaring conditions, with 21 of the day's 27 launches off runway 24 exceeding 30 minutes, of which 21 were over an hour. 5 pilots posted XCs on the BGA ladder, with a further 7 XC flown, including an O/R to Northallerton plus some local soaring by John Marsh/Naomi Kennard in K21 JVZ. Cloud base rose to between 5,000-5,400' asl with best average climb rates around 5 kts for those utilising the day's thermals, but Bob Calvert in his Discus 2ct and Jesper Mjels in his DG400 both contacted wave over the Dales with Bob climbing to 10,200' asl and Jesper to 8,800' asl, Bob getting as far NW as Alston and Jesper 10 km NW of Grimwith Reservoir. Thermal based XCs were more the order of the day, with some long tasks flown. Dean Crosby in his LS10t flew 448 km with TPs at Leyburn, Worksop, Malton and Retford, Charlie Tagg in his Ventus 2cxa FES flew 417 OLC km with TPs at Woodhall Services, Kirbymoorside and Gainford, Rob Bailey in his ASG29t flew 374 km with TPs at Catterick and Grantham and Andy Wright in his Nimbus 3t, flew 322 km, rounding Leyburn and Newark, having some difficulty getting to the Leyburn TP and finding poor soaring conditions at Newark. Dave Latimer in his Ventus 3M set off on an W/E 500 km task but, having turned Bootle in the west, had to resort to his engine near Hawes after having covered 127 km. Continuing with his flight and after visiting Rufforth and Pocklington, Dave had to again resort to his engine as his final glide ended at hill top height some 2.4km SSE of Sutton. Toby Wilson abandoned a task within the North Yorkshire Moors and flew the Club 203km task of Sutton. Northallerton, Garforth, Beverley at a handicapped 88.6 kph in his Standard Cirrus. The other XC pilots included Bill Payton/Dave McKinney in Bill's DG1000t who flew 210 OLC kms but had to resort to their engine just N of the Humber, Fred Brown in his Ventus 2ct who flew 159 OLC kms visiting Rufforth, Harrogate North and areas around Masham and Ripon, finding some weak wave near the latter that took him to 5,400 asl and Ian Bullous in his DG800, who flew 103 OLC km around Sutton on Forest, York and Kexby but had to use his engine while just S of RAF Topcliffe. John Forrester in the Discus and Sam Batchelor in Astir DPO were two of the pilots flying club gliders who had > an hour flying locally on another good soaring day, a day that also included flights for 4 First Flight pupils.
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.