Sunday 13th March

With a flying list all but full by 8:30 in the morning it was a question of teamwork needed by everyone from start to finish.

The DG, both K21s, R37 and a Junior were taken out of the hangar whilst the launch point and winch were set up for the South West/North East run albeit with an expectation that should the wind direction move round as forecast then a change of sides at the East end of the field may well be necessary during the day.

Hazy to start (Mike Sl)

Flying started around 10 with the limited visibility needing pilot lookout to be sharp and focused - after the first flight a decision was made to limit the number of gliders in the air at any one time to 3 although as the day progressed the visibility did improve to the extent that this restriction was lifted. The visibility was not very good throughout the day below an obvious inversion which limited the hard to use thermals to about 1500' QFE and the brisk easterly wind only added to the challenge of soaring.

Good inversion (Mike Sl)

During the day there were odd pockets of 'blue' lift areas which allowed various pilots some fun working such lift in the absence of clear clouds marking them.

Power at North Hill - two Falkes and Pawnee (Mike Sl)

Simon M (ASW20 SM) and Pete St (Discus 230) both had fun in their gliders recording the longest flights of 40min and 60min respectively. 230 was feeling flush and wanted to get into the clear air above the inversion, at least momentarily, so took an aerotow to 3000' which Pete W was happy to oblige.

Teamwork! (M5Matt)

As they say every cloud has a silver lining so the tricky thermals allowed the flying list to be worked through steadily and by late afternoon with everyone who wanted to fly having done so gliders were flown home and the hangar repacked suitably. CCY was also derigged and put in the workshop ready for its annual maintenance check.

Another North Hill sunset (Mike F)

An unspectacular day but with good signs of spring around the corner and with 48 winch and 4 aerotow flights completed for the day. - Mike Sl