With Club flying started as the morning progressed there were predictions of Silver heights being completed later in the day and cross country flights being planned - no surprise that North Hill cafe was busy throughout the morning as pilots anticipated little time for lunch later in the day.
However as is often the case with gliding, predictions are reliant on the weather playing fair to the forecast and unfortunately as the day unfolded it became clear that the high level cloud, which was around for much of the day, was preventing the sun from getting through to really heat up the ground. There were odd thermals evident but often out of reach from a winch launch with various private owners deciding to take an aerotow to endeavour to secure a better opportunity of getting away for a longer flight.
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| Mid-morning (Mike Sloggett) |
The light and generally crosswind throughout the day meant that winch launches were not that high in turn providing limited time for pilots to search for any available lift in and around the airfield. And with the thermals "just too far away" it was no surprise that in and around the airfield there were plenty of 'sink holes' ready to catch out unsuspecting pilots with 'turn in' early decisions being needed in various circuits throughout the day.
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| Early afternoon (Mike Sloggett) |
Trial lessons were completed by Roly Clarke and Pete Bennett in the DG505 and visiting pilots from Kestrel Gliding Club enjoyed flying in various DSGC club gliders.
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| Late Afternoon (Mike Sloggett) |
Pete Startup (Discus 230) and Ron Johns/Daniel Johns (ASH25 711) completed cross-country flights on an Exmoor convergence. - '40kms without turning. Squeaky bum glide home through totally lifeless air though'.
With the gliders and ground kit put away just before 6pm whilst it turned out to be a day of unfulfilled promise nevertheless everyone who wanted to fly had flown, so a good day all round. - Mike Sloggett
With the gliders and ground kit put away just before 6pm whilst it turned out to be a day of unfulfilled promise nevertheless everyone who wanted to fly had flown, so a good day all round. - Mike Sloggett
