It was a bright start with a fresh northwesterly wind and the Clubhouse was packed by 08:30 with a good weather forecast and lots of expectation. Private gliders were being rigged whilst the launch point was setup, and there was just a little questionmark about what card colour would be set due to the gusty conditions.
It was thermic from first launch, but the ridge wasn't doing anything useful. With Pete Harmer, Peter Smith, Mike Sloggett, Chris Wool instructing and Pete Bennett looking after the 3 Mile High flights, and Mark Courtney and Robert Lee tugging it was a busy launch point all day.
The private gliders pushed out at 11:30, and some struggled to get away coincident with a cloudy part of the cycling sky. Rowan in CLM had visited Wimbleball Lake but got caught in some rain and landed near Burlescombe. Ron (with Malcolm Vest) in 711 also got wet but managed to scuttle back with his long wings. Pete Startup 230 went to MUD (to check on the runner beans) and then did Beaminster and Tiverton but couldn't face the struggle back into wind for a second time down to Axminster although he did find a bit of wave. Rich Roberts V5 flew Tiverton, Crewkerne, Taunton and found first time with water helped him get back. Paul Medlock HMS aborted his attempt to go to The Park getting caught in the sky cycling.
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| Nice field for Rowan at Burlescombe (Rowan Smith) |
Congratulations to Aston Key for passing everything that Wooly could throw at him and converted to DG505 solo.
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| Aston solo in DG505 (Mike Sloggett) |
Thanks to everyone for making it all happen, in the evening another group of Air Cadets enjoyed some extended flights with some weak wave. -J&P
