It ended as it began......
A bright forecast saw gliders out of the hangar and ground equipment
being prepared ready for the low cloud to disappear, which it did...
...and following which a steadily increasing number of club gliders and private gliders stayed up longer and longer as the day progressed .
...and following which a steadily increasing number of club gliders and private gliders stayed up longer and longer as the day progressed .
.JPG) |
| Busy launch point |
As
ever the day proved that gliding is like a box of chocolates - you
never quite know what you are going to get - with some gliders managing
to find the wave (some with the help of an aerotow) and others not being
as fortunate.
.JPG) |
| Gliders flying in the wave slots |
The wave setup was very similar to yesterday with a southwest - northeast orientation off Exmoor. The 8/8 cloud upwind was steadily moving in, and by 14:30 the wave slot over the motorway was getting noticeably smaller. At 15:00 on the dot (as forecast) the cloud almost instantly filled in, and a useful radio call from the ground advised that the cloudbase over North Hill was 700ft. All the gliders enjoying the wave flying beat a hasty retreat through the diminishing holes in the cloud for a very orderly mass landing (more
landings per minute than Heathrow) - with the rapidly increasing low cloud
seeing gliders landing in all directions and on all parts of the airfield.
Apart from one weather check flight which turned into a
practice launch failure that was it for the day with the low cloud well
established over the field to the extent that even the birds decided to
walk rather than fly the field.
Despite the early end to the flying the day had seen a number of members continue their training or renew their card rating and various private gliders had had a good airing.
Stats for the day were a total of 48 flights (41 winch and 8 aerotow) with total flying time of just under 25 hours. Lisa enjoyed her first flight with Ron as a syndicate member of the ASH 25 visiting Wimbleball lake and 5000ft, Eric in ASG29 and John P in Lak12 HOG also had 2 hour flights.
- Mike Sl
 |
| Advancing cloud sheet |
Despite the early end to the flying the day had seen a number of members continue their training or renew their card rating and various private gliders had had a good airing.
Stats for the day were a total of 48 flights (41 winch and 8 aerotow) with total flying time of just under 25 hours. Lisa enjoyed her first flight with Ron as a syndicate member of the ASH 25 visiting Wimbleball lake and 5000ft, Eric in ASG29 and John P in Lak12 HOG also had 2 hour flights.
- Mike Sl
