Sunday 7th to Monday 8th December 2025
Posted: 09/12/2025 11:35
Sunday 7th. The bright start to the day didn't last long as low cloud and rain from 1300 to 1800 hrs was brought in on a moderate SE'ly, the clearance at 1800 hrs bringing a veer in wind direction into the W. Consequently, there was no flying.
Monday 8th. A sunny day with thin high cover and a moderate SW'ly produced a flying day, with 16 launches off runway 24 and landings on 24 or 20, launches being split 8/8 between the winch and AT. The visitors from the Cambridge University GC had a day with hill and wave soaring possibilities, there being 8 flights of over 30 minutes, of which 3 were an hour or more. The main W'ly ridge was flown in hill lift and some pilots encountered weak wave, mainly from over Sutton Village north to Boltby, with Chris O'Doyle/visitor Csrtsa Constandou climbing to 5,500' asl during their 1:04 flight in the DG1000. Dean Crosby, flying the Discus for 1:05, initially climbed to 2,400 asl over the home bowl, but then flew NW to just S of Boltby where he climbed to 3,300' asl, while the other 1 hour pilot was Chris Handzlik in the Discus, who took a high tow but then spent his flight hill soaring the home bowl at 300-900' QFE. Bob Beck/visitor Mike Burkin had set the pattern for the day as, in K21, they initially climbed to 3,200' asl from their release height of 2,500' asl, before slowly descending and spending the rest of the flight hill soaring the main W'ly ridge, with Bob subsequently having 51 minutes with visitor Edgar Cifuentes in JVZ slowly climbing from their winch launch of 600' QFE to 1,600' QFE along the main W'ly ridge.
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.