Tuesday 8th April 2025
Posted: 09/04/2025 14:01
Tuesday 8th. Some low stratus soon burned off to leave a clear, blue, sunny day with the occasional cloud, the SSE'ly declining from light to moderate to light over the day. Flying, starting at around 1100 hrs, extended into the evening, with Tuesday evening flying recommencing following the change to British Summer Time, the resulting launch total being 21. Lift was again hard to come by, so only 3 flights exceeded 30 minutes with one of these exceeding an hour. Astir pilots Neil Amos and Austin Harland managed 36 and 35 minutes apiece by finding and utilising some persistent if weak thermals emanating from the gulley on the eastern side of the airfield, peak altitudes being 2,900-3,100' asl. Austin had earlier had 27 minutes in Astir DPO, finding lift in virtually the same place. The >an hour pilot was, you've guessed it, Bob Calvert in his Discus 2ct, who, after climbing to 2,900' asl locally, set off to the north and via a climb to 3,400' asl over Black Hambleton contacted a convergence just south of a line between the Tontine and Carlton Bank TP's. Exploring the convergence for a while and climbing to his maximum altitude of 4,300' asl, some 1,200' above the inversion, Bob returned to site but found little lift locally and landed after 2:38. Bob provided the following photo which show him climbing at 6 kts.
The day's flying activities were completed by Clive Swain's 2 flights in the Falke, while congratulations are due to Josh Jackson who successfully converted to the Astir.
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.