So what makes a memorable day at the club? Certainly the summer ridge, post cold front day and scores of people rigging for cross-country but sometimes the poor forecast, brave few, days become memorable as much for the reminder that the sky is full of invisible energy. With the BBC threatening storms from France grazing the Southwest, it was little wonder it was a small crew on site when the duty instructor arrived. A fresh to strong ENE wind and the site was set up with a single K21.
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| Interesting medium level clouds (John Pursey) |
The sky was interesting with curious middle level clouds of all types, the poor weather still way to the south showing as high level masses. Blue skies over the The Blackdowns as Pete Smith and duty dawg JP debated whether instruction was possible. A couple of met trips ensured and it was...interesting! Not the roughest weather either of us had experienced but the upper wind speed and levels of sink were...interesting! It was gusting up to 30kts at the launch point. At altitude, forward progress over the ground was minimal at 50+kts on the ASI. Having decided that it was not a day for trying to instruct the small crew at the launch point were offered experience flights to demonstrate how large wind gradients and rotor levels of sink are fine with respect, height and airspeed. No great soaring but memorable! (Hopefully Adam, Ruth and Paul think so!)
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| K21 at launchpoint (John Pursey) |
Clearly it was waving and the sky was on the move. Trouble was the “up” was simply not anywhere near the top of the winch launch. Periods of greater than “10 down” over Forest Glade suggest it must be going up well somewhere else! Unfortunately no tow on offer and an early end to the day. The obvious become obvious in the sky by mid-afternoon, wave clouds lining up downwind of the hills.
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| Altocumulus Lenticularis (John Pursey) |
Thanks to Alan T for duty LM and skilled driving of the winch on a challenging day, Paul M for driving the LV and Mark W for keeping the field going. - ,JP
