Wednesday 20th to Tuesday 26th September 2017

Posted: 27/09/2017 16:52

Wednesday 20th.  A light to moderate S'ly slowly backed into the SE during the course of the day, sunshine being at a premium on an overall cloudy day.  However, cloud base was sufficiently high to allow gliding and there was even sufficient convection to allow a few flights out of the 13 ATs flown on the day, to indulge in brief periods of soaring.  The best of these, from a duration point of view, was one of the three flights involving Andy Parish and Diane Thomas, who shared a flight time of 45 minutes in K21 JVZ, while Andy also flew the other 2 flights to exceed 30 minutes, both of these being with Paul Frost, again in JVZ.  Duncan Pask flew the only solo flight of the day, 26 minutes in the DG500 while the Falke was busy with an additional 6 sorties.

Thursday 21st.  The initially moderate SE'ly flow veered eventually into the WSW as a front approached and then crossed the site in the early afternoon, its cloud  and then rain meaning that there was no flying.

Friday 22nd.  A sunny morning was followed by increasing cloud and eventually rain around 1900 hrs as an initially light to moderate SSE'ly wind slowly increased in strength to become moderate.  The increasing and lowering cloud base resulted in flying coming to an end mid afternoon, but not before 16 ATs and 2 Falke flights had been flown, including 2 by private owners.  Rob Bailey in his ASG29, had the longest flight of the day as he explored the southern ridge as far as Stonegrave. while John Ellis, self launching in his DG800, went north and west of the site in his flight of 49 minutes.  Other flights to exceed 30  minutes included Will Blackburn who took, P Elvides, one of the 6 First Flight pupils of the day for 33 minutes in K21 JVZ.  Andy Tyas was the only pilot to fly a club single seater, taking Astir DPO for 2 flights for a combined flight time of 33 minutes.

Saturday 23rd.  A dry, but essentially cloudy day limited flying to 4 Falke flights, plus a number on the simulator as the moderate SE'ly wind's associated cloud limited operating heights.

Sunday 24th.  The wind was now a moderate ESE'ly as a blocking high over Scandinavia kept Atlantic fronts at bay to the west of the UK.  One Falke flight and 9 ATs off runway 20 resulted as hazy sunshine in the morning gave way to a cloudy afternoon, the change resulting in flying coming to an end around 1400 hrs.  Three of the club 2 seaters shared the bulk of the flying which included 4 First Flight pupils, with the only single seater flight of the day being undertaken by Toby Wilson, his flight in Astir DPO being the longest of the day at 34 minutes as well as being the last.

Monday 25th.  The sequence of a gliding day followed by a non gliding day continued with the moist and light ENE'ly airstream keeping the site in cloud for most of the day and the gliders in the hangar.

Tuesday 26th.  The site was initially in cloud but the cloud base quickly rose as a light NE'ly blew, allowing gliding to get going around 1130 hrs and continue until around 1735 hrs, by which time 14 ATs had been flown, the wind having veered into the E/ESE while remaining light.  Some sunny intervals developed as the day progressed, leading to some gentle convection which was exploited by Ron Beezer and one of the 6 First Flight pupils of the day, L Stead, who had 39 minutes in K21 KLW.  John Carter and Christina Griffiths, flying K21 JVZ also used the available lift in their flight of 37 minutes, climbing up to cloud base around 2,000' QFE, departing to lose height outside the cloud before turning back under the cloud and climbing again, this sequence being repeated at least twice.  Other pilots to exceed 30 minutes included Andy Parish and Andrew Benord in KLW and Will Blackburn and First Flight pupil Yvonne Morgan in JVZ who both had 31 minutes of flight.

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.

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