This weekend was a tale of two completely different days - unlike yesterday a much more positive forecast for today with the weather predicted to be good all day, with maybe a little rain here and there, and a brisk wind during the middle part of the day.
With a fairly long list of requested dual flights and solo pilots keen to maintain currency, the morning duty team of Ron Johns and Andreas Kraemer soon had the various Club members present bringing all the Club gliders out of the hangar, whilst the winch was set up for launches to the northwest corner of the airfield.
With a fairly long list of requested dual flights and solo pilots keen to maintain currency, the morning duty team of Ron Johns and Andreas Kraemer soon had the various Club members present bringing all the Club gliders out of the hangar, whilst the winch was set up for launches to the northwest corner of the airfield.
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| Launching into a thermic sky (Mike Sloggett) |
And soon gliders were being launched into an evidently thermic sky albeit with cloudbase not that high above launch height.
However the ridge was working sufficiently in places to provide extended circuits and as the morning progressed then cloudbase steadily increased. During the morning a couple of light rain showers meant the odd delay in flying but just around lunchtime the sky just got better and better...
After a short lunch break, it was more of the same during the afternoon with Mike Sloggett and Rob Rand ‘juggling gliders and members’ to ensure that the flying list progressed suitably.
However the ridge was working sufficiently in places to provide extended circuits and as the morning progressed then cloudbase steadily increased. During the morning a couple of light rain showers meant the odd delay in flying but just around lunchtime the sky just got better and better...
After a short lunch break, it was more of the same during the afternoon with Mike Sloggett and Rob Rand ‘juggling gliders and members’ to ensure that the flying list progressed suitably.
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| Rotax Falke tows the Perkoz (Mike Sloggett) |
During the day, we welcomed several Trial Lesson visitors who were able to complete their flights in the Perkoz, thanks to Ian Mitchell kindly using the Rotax Falke for towing, due to the Pawnee being unavailable.
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| North Hill in the sunshine (Mike Sloggett) |
Andrew Logan (ASW15 FMS) was the only private owner to rig but after his soaring flight clearly felt he had made a good decision.
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| Several gliders easily got to the motorway (Mike Sloggett) |
Meanwhile on the ground other private owners were seen during the day checking out their trailers ahead of a long drive ‘North of the border’ to the Scottish Gliding Centre at Portmoak, and some have already headed off to Denbigh, - watch this space for all the stories.
Thank you to the various instructors and members who all ‘worked together’ to get others into the air today - 35 winch launches and 3 aerotows. - Mike Sloggett
Thank you to the various instructors and members who all ‘worked together’ to get others into the air today - 35 winch launches and 3 aerotows. - Mike Sloggett
