New Month - New Weather? Thursday was a pleasant lull between a wet Wednesday and developing storm Alex. There were a few early morning showers to clear away, and then it was full steam ahead with 4 two-seaters and 2 single-seaters at the launch point -first time for a while that the hangar was empty.
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| Steve Westlake back flying (Mark Courtney) |
And it was a white card day so all our early solos could collect more launches. Pete Harmer was doing the last booked training day, with John Davis and Rob Rand whilst Peter Smith, Mike Sloggett and Mark Courtney looked after the flying list.
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| Mass retrieves (Mark Courtney) |
John Borland in Junior got the soaring started up to 2000ft in strong thermals and had the longest flight of the day 59mins. But the morning session ended abruptly with a mass landing after a shower had passed through North Hill.
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| Parked for the squall (Mark Courtney) |
After lunch, soaring continued but with much weaker lift, and a slightly higher cloudbase to 2500ft, and Mark launched a number of aerotow training flights.
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| Passing showers with great rainbows (Mark Courtney) |
Towards the end of the afternoon the winch driver reported a large expanse of rain heading for North Hill, and all the kit was rapidly taken to the hangar in the dry. A really nice day before some wind and rain. Thanks everyone - J&P
Denbigh
So after a wet Wednesday when even Chris Gill couldn’t feign a positive spin, Thursday was cast as the last great hope. Wind from the west, only up to 4kts but Skysight promising decent convection. With all of Wednesday’s rain it was hard to see how the convection would be epic but Chris was being positive as ever!
A new factor in today’s brief was the Welsh decision that the counties in the north were to go back into lockdown adding a new dimension to flight planning... Crossing borders out of Denbighshire had to be by 18:00!
Developing convergence (John Pursey)
All the NHL team rigged and queued for launches. The early ones getting some good lift ahead of a set of showers, the mid-ones short flights in dead air whilst DD3 towed to a new developing convergence.
In the Eagle I flew a local who just wanted the “Eagle experience” and that’s just what he got. The tug had the decency to land first!
With JB and DD3 as late launchers enjoying the recycled air, the Eagle took “the local” up again and enjoyed good air ahead of a rain storm.
Circling with buzzards amongst the towering clouds, we kept our distance as Denbigh got a washing. The plastic in the air shot off to Bala following Chris Gill while AXJ ended up with sink and dead air behind the rain and with the curfew in mind opted for a precautionary return to the airfield. Just as well because from Ruthin a straight in flight on to the E end of the runway completed “the locals” Eagle experience.
Lake Bala (Nick Jones)
DD3 and JB enjoyed a run out to the west before curfew thoughts meant landings and packing up.
Having lost Nick Harrison from the ground roll call it was a relief when he phoned in a land out at the NWGC site! Tom S whizzed off to retrieve.
Joe checking that all the visitors had left (John Pursey)
Trailers left as ready with Nick’s caravan and supporting team the last out. Technically JB as tail end Charlie didn’t cross the county line til 18:30 but there were no armed police or roadblocks so all was good. All quiet at Denbigh and next week it’s westerlies all week... - John Pursey
