After yesterday was scrubbed due to weather, today was being approached with suitable optimism that it would be flyable, the only question was whether thermals, wave or ridge flying would be possible. As it happened all three were possible today!
With the Scottish Gliding Centre Development Week morning briefing with their 40 participants underway, and likely to be continuing until lunchtime, the DG505 was brought on line together with DG1 (Dave Perriam), CEC (Guy Adams), M (Andy Davey), 711 (Ron Johns and Daniel Johns) and JDP (Gordon Hutchinson). Soon Mark Courtney and Rob Hender were airborne albeit having requested an aerotow to Benarty ridge they were soon rather disappointed to be towed to Bishops with limited flight time as a result.
Two ridges to choose from (Mike Sloggett)
Meanwhile Andy Davey took an aerotow launch to 3000ft and was soon reporting climbs in weak wave so shortly afterwards Mike Sloggett and Paul Summers were airborne in the DG505 with Dave, Guy, Ron/Daniel and Gordon all taking to the skies with varying success - 711 getting to 5000ft in wave to the West of Kinross being the most successful before the wave deteriorated resulting in everyone landing.
Loch Leven (Mike Sloggett)
As the day progressed Mark and Stuart Thompson took to the skies in JZK followed by Mike and Rob Hender who found that Benarty ridge was working in places, so after they had landed Mark and Paul had the last flight of the day, glad that they had decided to ask for the DG505 to be returned to the launch point rather than being put away for the night as had been the original plan. - Mike Sloggett
