Thursday 22nd to Friday 23rd February 2024
Posted: 24/02/2024 21:35
Thursday 22nd. Another Atlantic depression's frontal system brought a day of rain and low cloud, the wind being a light to moderate SW'ly, so there was no flying.
Friday 23rd. After some light, early hours rain, the day dawned with the weather providing flying conditions as a light to moderate SW'ly blew, 25 winch launches off runway 20 being the order of the day. Some weak wave and main bowl hill lift, particularly in the afternoon, meant a few flights exceeded 30 minutes, with one lasting nearly an hour, but generally flight times from the 800-900' launches were in the 10-20 minute range, apart for a number of simulated launch failures. The only flight to almost reach an hour was by Jesper Mjels flying Astir DSU, his 57 minutes comprising a slow climb to a peak height of 1,700' QFE in weak wave, via a 1,5 km long NW/SE orientated beat some 2,5 km SW of site. Jesper followed this with some hill soaring in the home bowl at 900-1100' QFE before landing. Others to extend their flights over 30 minutes included Bruce Grain/Iain Worthern? in K21 KLW with 46 minutes, Dave Campbell, solo in K21 JVZ with 43 minutes, and Martin Newbery, 39 minutes, also solo in JVZ. Bruce/Iain initially maintained 5-700' QFE in the home bowl before climbing to 1,300' QFE and exploring some 4,5 km to the NW of site, with Martin also finding a slow climb to 1,600' QFE, first in front of the home bowl and then just forward of Hood Hill. Dave spent all his flight at 5-700' QFE in the SW'ly facing part of the home bowl, while Ian McFarland/Eilleen Scothern almost made the >30 minute list with 29 minutes in JVZ, like Dave, soaring the home bowl, this time at 4-500' QFE.
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.