After yesterday's spectacular skies, and great soaring in the south west it was hoped for more of the same with lighter winds. A busy morning with lots of private gliders eager to launch.
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| Large grid at North Hill (James Hood) |
Martin Bennett passed his solo checks, and flew the K21 after a short layoff. Emma Kendall got back in
the air after some months out of action with a skiing injury, and lots
of members enjoyed catching some tricky thermals.
Congratulations to Martin Woolner on completing his NPPL SLMG with Ian Mitchell in the Rotax Falke.
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| Martin Woolner completes NPPL (Jill Harmer) |
Dan Hender finished the day with an hour long soaring flight and plenty of aerobatics with Ian Mitchell. 55 Launches in total with 15 private gliders out soaring. - Emma Kendall
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| Junior LRD at Tesco's (Mike Sloggett) |
At Tesco's in Cullompton, Junior LRD was on display in the car park, publicising our Open Day event next Saturday 11th May. There was a lot of interest from the Sunday shoppers. Thanks to all the helpers who gave up there flying day. - J&P
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| As viewed by most of the cross-country pilots (Phil Morrison) |
Cross-Country
After a spectacular Saturday, despite the 20kt wind, the Cross-country pilots were psyched up for an even more epic Sunday. However by 9:30am the early cumulus clouds were showing rapid vertical development with the tops spreading out like a ‘wet blanket’ to shut out the sun and spoil the fun! By 11:00am the sky over North Hill was completely over-developed while to the west of Cullompton the sun was still getting through and cumulus were still forming. So Phil Morrison and James Hood (DD3) and JB, with the benefit of turbos, set off to the west followed shortly by Pete Startup 230, Ron and Dan Johns 711 and Simon Minson and Stu Procter in JZK.
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| Ron & Dan over Dartmoor in 711 (Ron Johns) |
For me (JB) it was a straight glide to Cadbury before finding a climb then a tip-toe to Crediton West (Yeoford) and on to Okehampton East before heading for Bodmin. Well that was the plan, but it all went to rats! Cornwall's a different country and seems to have it’s own weather too! Two separate convergences lowered the cloudbase by 1000ft, and Bodmin (still 50km away) looked too much like hard work, so I turned Launceston and back tracked to the better conditions before heading north to Eaglescott. Meanwhile 230, 711 and JZK had by various routes headed for Launceston. Barnstaple looked like it was well into the sea air, so I went to South Molton then east to Bampton, where a super convergence had formed to provide a nice romp on to Taunton.
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| Quantocks, Hinckley Point, and Bridgewater Bay (JB) |
Meanwhile the rest of the gang turned Launceston and returned to NHL exploring lots of Devon’s nooks and crannies en route!
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| Dragons breath dangly clouds marking the sea breeze convergence south of chard (JB) |
The visibility was stunning and from Taunton, it was clear by the dangly ‘dragon’s breath' clouds along the south coast that the Sea Breeze convergence was starting to work, so I headed south via Chard for a top up climb before going to play along the sea breeze convergence as far as Beaminster. I suspect it would have taken me to Dorchester but time was getting on so I turned around and followed it back to Chard then home for a nice cup of Tea! - JB
