There aren't many days at North Hill that are soarable from 10:30 to enable a long flight, but today was one of them.
 |
| Early start with Cumulus popping (Mark Layton) |
Congratulation to Rich Roberts V5 for an out and return flight to Sackville Farm 509km at 80kph, completing his FAI Gold Distance, Diamond Distance and Diamond Goal Badges. (If he'd claimed his previous Gold height flights it would have been Gold Complete!).
 |
| Well done Rich Roberts (Ron Johns) |
Pete Startup 230 completed Out and Return to Lasham 324km at 95kph - one of his fastest flights ever.
Shaun Dayman JDD made a valiant attempt at 300 kms but got caught in the confusing convergence coming back, but made his first successful field landing.
Nice field (Shaun Dayman)
Ron Johns had derigged the ASH ready for Comp Ent, but was keen to do some cross-country training in JZK, so he and Kevin Fairburn completed Out and Return to Salisbury.
Congratulations to Josh Howlett for getting his Silver height in LRD.
On one of the best cross-country days in England with 1000km and many 800-900km flights up-country, North Hill was on the fringe.
 |
| A fantastic soarable day (BGA ladder) |
Back at North Hill it was a normal soarable training day, until the Sea breeze convergence had gone through and the flights in the afternoon became very short. - J&P
Cross country tales
V5 Cullompton - Sackville Farm - Cullompton 509km 80kph
"After a lot of years in gliding , and three proper attempts at 500kms (one from DGS ending at 492km!)
I am chuffed to say 500km complete , job done. Thanks to all at DSGC who made it happen yesterday.
It was the right choice as an O/R as after getting the hell out of Devon the CB was higher , thermals bigger and stronger.(as normal). I set Wantage as a GO/ or NO go point , depending on what time I got to it.
No point in using up credits for an epic retrieve if the fight wasn't really on, however, first leg was averaging in the 90kph. No excuses then, I just needed to get on with it!
It was difficult as normal getting back home through Somerset and Devon. Inconsistent and disorganised convergence / Seabreeze fronts , but I did it at last!" Rich Roberts
230 NHL - Lasham - NHL 324km 95kph
"Nice day, bit of a sea air mess on the way home but convergence helped." Pete Startup
JDD NHL - Mudford Gate - Chilbolton - Near Crewkerne 277km
"A bit of a slow start going west. Cloud base and conditions got progressively better though going east. Made Chilbolton without too much difficulty as well as back to Yeovil where I got myself the wrong side of the convergence and fell out of the sky! Happy with my first 'real' field selection and landing." Shaun Dayman
JZK NH2 - Salisbury - NH2 214km
"Instructional cross-country ..great p2 Kevin Fairburn his first flight in DG505…straightforward, but with numerous strange convergences in the Somerset levels - very enjoyable ." Ron Johns
G29 NHL - Okehampton - Salisbury - NHL 132km
"First mistake was heading west to Okehampton, after 10km conditions deteriorated and progress was hard work with spreadout which continued for the rest of the flight. Eventually near Crewkerne I turned round and headed for North Hill and deployed the turbo at Chard." Eric Alston