Expeditions - Denbigh
Sky Sight was very optimistic at the morning brief and Chris Gill as Denbigh’s 'Business Development in Chief' was soon talking up the forecast and talking wave. Early launches and the Eagle was away with a visitor in the back and JP in the front.
A trip round DRS highlighted the Eagle / DuoDiscus difference to John who having smoked it in the Duo the day before realised that 45kts vs 80 kts makes a big difference when crossing sink. The cloud meant there wasn’t the thermal on the ridge to reach the obvious wave out in the valley. But all good things... A moment of blue skies and rotor thermal got people to the cloud base and one after the other pushed forward into wave.
DD3 and JB had followed the early starters after twigging the Denbigh phenomena of showers that appeared upwind, but never reached the airfield, as they dumped their load on the moors. With a 40kt wind a classic examination of glider polars ensued, with the Ventus through no skill of its pilot ruling the roost...! (apologies to JB who did a great job of maxing out the local conditions to 6000ft)
Ever present cloud up wind with a changing cloudscape meant hands were never far from the air brake. After 3 hours the Eagle was the last to leave the ridge after the last gap filled and the air got very moist. The clear vision panels were both open and a straight in approach from the Tusk demonstrated both the strength of the wind and The Blunt Nail high speed performance of the Eagle.
All gliders tucked away the Otter barrel was about to be broached when the 'Denbigh BD guy' announced there is wave to be had and pushed the club LS7 on to the flightline to prove the point. A howling rotor-like nature to the surface wind stopped the team from readying DD3 but didn’t stop them from launching Chris G and Team Essex.
Wild tows and reports of 50kt winds made the putting to bed of DD3 all the more a sensible move. The young boys got to nearly 10.000ft while the older boys got to the Otter. More to come we hope, with more SW forecast. - John Pursey#
Portmoak
Saw the sun today for a while. Great fun Bishop out and return many times.
However still plagued with showers stopping flying. - Wyn Davies
Portmoak
Saw the sun today for a while. Great fun Bishop out and return many times.
However still plagued with showers stopping flying. - Wyn Davies
North Hill
A weak warm front was expected at some time during the day, with some rain for late afternoon and a brisk southwesterly wind.
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| There's Woolly (Mark Courtney) |
With good height launches and extended circuits, Chris Wool and Mark Courtney got the best flight of the
day with 42 mins at lunchtime just before the warm front showed its
hand.
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| Best part of the day (Mark Courtney) |
19 flights in all making the best of the available weather, we packed up just in time for the rain setting in. Thanks all, with special thanks to Aston Key, Tim Petty and John Borland for completing the rope change at lunchtime. - J&P
