A year ago the second Course week of 2016 had started with a day of much talking and little gliding and unfortunately with poor weather most days that continued to be the case for much of that particular week.
So it was good news all round today as Course members and helpers arrived at the Club to find the weather was as forecast - with blue skies, a bright sun and a reasonable wind in direction and strength.
So it was good news all round today as Course members and helpers arrived at the Club to find the weather was as forecast - with blue skies, a bright sun and a reasonable wind in direction and strength.
Mike Sloggett and Peter Smith, as Course Instructors, welcomed Steve and Andy (both with previous gliding experience) Roy (a returnee from last year) and Tim, John and Hans all existing Club members.
Introductions done, briefings completed and importantly Course objectives discussed and agreed, it was time to unpack the hangar and set up the launch point in the South West corner.
With the wind strength suggesting an 'interesting' approach the decision was made to start with just the K21s which after their daily inspections were soon being walked down to the other end of the field.
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| North Hill airfield looking rather brown (Mike Sloggett) |
And then it was a morning of progress for all involved - there were odd clouds here and there during the morning but no consistency to the potential lift under and around same.
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| Launching into a beautiful blue sky (Mike Sloggett) |
After a lunch break with the wind strength having eased a Junior was brought out of the hanger for the afternoon.
And the afternoon provided continuing opportunities for further progress to be made by various Course members with the limited availability of evident lift allowing practice of circuit planning and the approach from the East.
And the afternoon provided continuing opportunities for further progress to be made by various Course members with the limited availability of evident lift allowing practice of circuit planning and the approach from the East.
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| A quiet launch point for the course (Mike Sloggett) |
And then almost as soon as the day had started hangar flights were being completed with the gliders and ground equipment being put away just after 6pm.
All in all a good start to the Course week with Roy commenting that he had already had nearly as much gliding on the first day as he had had in the whole of last year's Course week!
By the end of day a total of 29 flights had been completed (23 K21 training flights, 6 Junior flights) - Mike Sloggett
All in all a good start to the Course week with Roy commenting that he had already had nearly as much gliding on the first day as he had had in the whole of last year's Course week!
By the end of day a total of 29 flights had been completed (23 K21 training flights, 6 Junior flights) - Mike Sloggett
