A small group of instructors headed off to Mendip Gliding Club for the day, and the rest got the club gliders ready for flying.
A K21 and a Junior were moved to the launch point and Josh and Charlie rigged the K6, and they both managed to fly it before the wind picked up. By this time more members and instructors had arrived, and another K21 was swiftly brought into action.
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| Sunny day after the recent wind and rain (Jill Harmer) |
Round about lunchtime, the wind picked up significantly giving higher launches and extended flights with some lift developing to the south of the airfield. It wasn't until a nice convergence set up along a line of showery rain into the setting sun that Chris Warnes got the longest flight of 34mins, - forced to land due to the rain.
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| Long shadows in November (Jill Harmer) |
35 launches in total (with a respectful pause at 11:00am) - J&P
At Mendip Gliding Club
A last minute decision to go to Mendip Gliding Club meant that Simon Minson had to leap out of bed leave his tea and rush to the Club. Steve Westlake and I were having breakfast by the time he arrived, Martin Woolner was hitched up by 9 and we all set off by 9:15.
We arrived at 10:15 to see the club pleasantly busy, the launch point set up and a glider ready to launch. The wind was bang on the ridge @SW15 gusting 25. Out of our group Si launched first followed by Martin and Steve in his Discus.
There was only one instructor on site and with a spare K13 at the launch point I was asked to instruct, with the ridge booming it was an easy decision! The ridge was working all the way to the motorway and back to Wells. To get to the motorway you have to get down to less than 600ft QFE at Cheddar Gorge which makes for a fantastic view of the ridge, when you turn back the airfield is a very long way away!
Martin got into wave and because a “box” had been opened (an agreement with Bristol airport) he could explore to 4500 ft QNH cutting off before 5000ft as per agreement. Steve landed after a couple of hours to let me have a go in his Discus ( thanks!)
The ridge was strong all day enabling long, low, fast beats for the entire length, with thermals being boosted by the ridge lift we had 5 kts lift at times.We all elected to land by 3:30 to de rig, we set off home feeling very content.
Many thanks to our friends at Mendip for making us feel so welcome.
Further trips are planned from North Hill with the Perkoz and/or the DG505, keep an eye on GG for info should you be interested. - Mark Courtney
At Mendip Gliding Club
A last minute decision to go to Mendip Gliding Club meant that Simon Minson had to leap out of bed leave his tea and rush to the Club. Steve Westlake and I were having breakfast by the time he arrived, Martin Woolner was hitched up by 9 and we all set off by 9:15.
We arrived at 10:15 to see the club pleasantly busy, the launch point set up and a glider ready to launch. The wind was bang on the ridge @SW15 gusting 25. Out of our group Si launched first followed by Martin and Steve in his Discus.
There was only one instructor on site and with a spare K13 at the launch point I was asked to instruct, with the ridge booming it was an easy decision! The ridge was working all the way to the motorway and back to Wells. To get to the motorway you have to get down to less than 600ft QFE at Cheddar Gorge which makes for a fantastic view of the ridge, when you turn back the airfield is a very long way away!
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| Cheddar Gorge (Mark Courtney) |
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| Cheddar reservoir (Mark Courtney) |
Many thanks to our friends at Mendip for making us feel so welcome.
Further trips are planned from North Hill with the Perkoz and/or the DG505, keep an eye on GG for info should you be interested. - Mark Courtney
