The day started wet and blustery as expected, and Bronze lectures on airspace, altimetry and navigation were enjoyed by Cheryl, Paul S and Jimbob. At 2:00pm the sun came out and although the field was very wet, aerotowing by Ian was possible, Mark, Mike, John and Steve instructed. The Davies family doubled the number of pupils, and Robin St returned for his first flight this year. Extended flights were had by all in thermals to 3000ft, a bit of ridge lift and some weak wave. Paul did some Bronze C checks with Mark in DG505.
Richard continued to re-design his caravan and Lisa was giving guided tours of her new ASW 20.
PS Have you checked out the new DSGC Google group yet? - subscribe via the DSGC website members page.
Thursday 1st April
No Fools here!
A lovely sunny start and the first possible flying day for the Instructors' preparation training this week and it was a soarable Thursday! Soaring in thermals from the first launch and then later the cloud became more overcast the wind increased and backed southerly and it became quite gusty. John and Ernie had 2 aerotows each for their spin/stall training with JB, and the Thursday regulars were joined by Max, Will, Dylan and Rhodri - junior members on Easter hols. Conditions got fairly rough with +/- 10 knots at times to 3300ft above site but the South ridge started working late on. Robin in JPT enjoyed 2 hours flying.
As a measure of just how bad this winter weather has been, this Thursday was only the ninth flying Thursday in the six months since 1st October. However don't give up hope - Robert's stats in the Clubhouse show that in any given year since 2002 there has always been one good month in the summer.
A lovely sunny start and the first possible flying day for the Instructors' preparation training this week and it was a soarable Thursday! Soaring in thermals from the first launch and then later the cloud became more overcast the wind increased and backed southerly and it became quite gusty. John and Ernie had 2 aerotows each for their spin/stall training with JB, and the Thursday regulars were joined by Max, Will, Dylan and Rhodri - junior members on Easter hols. Conditions got fairly rough with +/- 10 knots at times to 3300ft above site but the South ridge started working late on. Robin in JPT enjoyed 2 hours flying.
As a measure of just how bad this winter weather has been, this Thursday was only the ninth flying Thursday in the six months since 1st October. However don't give up hope - Robert's stats in the Clubhouse show that in any given year since 2002 there has always been one good month in the summer.
Turnpoints 2010
There are some significant changes to the BGA turnpoint list for 2010 that affect North Hill.
The most significant is the moving of the NHL turnpoint from the middle of the field to the hangar so a "tight" 300 to the East may no longer be a 300 at all - beware! Actually I don't think that any of our regular 300's will be affected but the 100km triangles were tight so may need a re-think - please double check before setting out on a badge flight.
OK, I've now had a chance to look at this and the only common task really affected is North Hill-Taunton-Yeovil-North Hill which is no longer 100km but just under! All our other normal tasks are still ok.
You can make some nice flat triangles using the CFI's new personal TP at Mudford Gate(MUD) as well - or you could landout there and pop in for tea while waiting for your retrieve!
Other changes include additional TP's to the West and Southwest, and a couple of control TP's at Hembury Hill and Culmstock to bring comp flights from the East around the Dunks DZ.
Honiton(HON) has been deleted due to it's proximity to the Exeter aproach path.
I will put a list of the changes significant to North Hill on the x-country board tomorrow.
Pete S
The most significant is the moving of the NHL turnpoint from the middle of the field to the hangar so a "tight" 300 to the East may no longer be a 300 at all - beware! Actually I don't think that any of our regular 300's will be affected but the 100km triangles were tight so may need a re-think - please double check before setting out on a badge flight.
OK, I've now had a chance to look at this and the only common task really affected is North Hill-Taunton-Yeovil-North Hill which is no longer 100km but just under! All our other normal tasks are still ok.
You can make some nice flat triangles using the CFI's new personal TP at Mudford Gate(MUD) as well - or you could landout there and pop in for tea while waiting for your retrieve!
Other changes include additional TP's to the West and Southwest, and a couple of control TP's at Hembury Hill and Culmstock to bring comp flights from the East around the Dunks DZ.
Honiton(HON) has been deleted due to it's proximity to the Exeter aproach path.
I will put a list of the changes significant to North Hill on the x-country board tomorrow.
Pete S
Sunday 28th March
After the good weather on Saturday and the poor outlook for Sunday not many members turned up.
We had light south westerly wind and a variable cloud base, everybody managed to fly before the rain set in about 4pm
Peter W spent all day preparing the trailers for the long haul to Portmoak next month.
We had light south westerly wind and a variable cloud base, everybody managed to fly before the rain set in about 4pm
Peter W spent all day preparing the trailers for the long haul to Portmoak next month.
More on Saturday
230 - for more than 1 1/2 hours I was stuck on the ridge before the sun arrived and I got a thermal climb away!
And later I found myself stuck on the ridge again watching a crowd of you running a line of lift to the South and quite high - I just couldn't get a climb to get there! Well done to those that did.
I found that the energy lines were quite short,none too reliable and cloudbase variable - a combination of wave interference(wind 280/15), and the very wet ground I guess. The furthest I got was the eastern edge of Tiverton - wasn't brave enough to try for the TP on the far side. Anybody go any further?
Lisas new glider, a nice ASW 20, is on site from Ireland and should be flying soon - call sign Lima Hotel - what else!!!!!!!!!
So still no real x-country from North Hill yet - it can't be much longer can it?
And later I found myself stuck on the ridge again watching a crowd of you running a line of lift to the South and quite high - I just couldn't get a climb to get there! Well done to those that did.
I found that the energy lines were quite short,none too reliable and cloudbase variable - a combination of wave interference(wind 280/15), and the very wet ground I guess. The furthest I got was the eastern edge of Tiverton - wasn't brave enough to try for the TP on the far side. Anybody go any further?
Lisas new glider, a nice ASW 20, is on site from Ireland and should be flying soon - call sign Lima Hotel - what else!!!!!!!!!
So still no real x-country from North Hill yet - it can't be much longer can it?
Saturday 27th March
The promise of a nice afternoon and the forecast for a lousy Sunday brought out 41 members to fly today. There were some doubts in the morning that the low cloud would clear, but just past noon the sun started breaking up the stratus at 1000ft and the ridge huggers could start to find some thermals kicking off. As the sky opened up late afternoon there was clearly some wave interference from the north westerly wind, but nothing workable. 15 gliders enjoyed flights of over an hour with Pete in 230 over 3 hours soaring. There were 76 winch launches for the whole club fleet and 10 private gliders which kept the launch point busy.
Sunday 21st March
The first day of spring! and the weather lived up to expectations,the early sunny conditions enticed more than 30 members to arrive before 9am.
Some early low cloud soon burnt off and soaring was soon underway the cloud base reaching 3000ft with good 4kt thermals, the Skylaunch continues to give superb trouble free launches, many thanks to Les for his hard work in training.
There were 8 private gliders flying, the Ash 25 had it's first Skylaunch without problem and Joe D flew his new Cirrus for the first time, he spent so long polishing it he missed the best of the thermals.
The K13 has been rigged after its Annual Inspection, thanks Carl for your hard work. We finished flying at 6pm with some late Southerly wave. - JSt
Some early low cloud soon burnt off and soaring was soon underway the cloud base reaching 3000ft with good 4kt thermals, the Skylaunch continues to give superb trouble free launches, many thanks to Les for his hard work in training.
There were 8 private gliders flying, the Ash 25 had it's first Skylaunch without problem and Joe D flew his new Cirrus for the first time, he spent so long polishing it he missed the best of the thermals.
The K13 has been rigged after its Annual Inspection, thanks Carl for your hard work. We finished flying at 6pm with some late Southerly wave. - JSt
Thursday 18th March
Perhaps it was the forecast of rain and strong southerly winds by midday that put people off, because only Cheryl and Dave arrived to fly. Which was a pity as we could have flown until mid afternoon, instead we put them to work cleaning the ground equipment. After lunch Cheryl went on to wash the Clubhouse windows and do a bit of gardening around the front door - we need more like Cheryl.
The Discovery is green after all!
The Discovery is green after all!
Wednesday 17th March
A picture taken by one of our Wednesday regulars, not bad! A 7 knot climb at just over 9000'.
The early misty conditions soon cleared to give us some hazy sun in the fresh south westerly wind, which was a novel experience for this year.
The first two flights contacted wave and had about 30min each, Robert soon followed in the Junior but the wave had gone or he avoided it. The rest of the day was overcast but good conditions for training.
Ernie continued his Asst. Cat. training with Mike, and Robert had some check flights with Pete H, Tim completed his yellow card flights with Mike.
You guessed it, Joe was not at North Hill but flying a Duo Discus at Omarama for the photo.
The early misty conditions soon cleared to give us some hazy sun in the fresh south westerly wind, which was a novel experience for this year.
The first two flights contacted wave and had about 30min each, Robert soon followed in the Junior but the wave had gone or he avoided it. The rest of the day was overcast but good conditions for training.
Ernie continued his Asst. Cat. training with Mike, and Robert had some check flights with Pete H, Tim completed his yellow card flights with Mike.
You guessed it, Joe was not at North Hill but flying a Duo Discus at Omarama for the photo.
Sunday 14th March
Another good March day! the thermals started before 10am and lasted until 5.00pm the fresh north north-westerly cross-wind made for some interesting flying, particularly on the aerotow climbout over the ridge. Our three newish members Wynn, Rod and Dylan all had their first taste of thermal soaring.
Cloud base was 4500ft above site with strong thermals, JSt and Rowan found weak wave over Wellington Monument. Rowan's mother had a Mother's day trial lesson and was quickly whisked to 3000ft, many gliders had flights of more than 2hours, John P managed 5 hours in H5.
All the club gliders plus six p/o gliders had 56 launches, Matt started his B/I training in the K13 with Simon M, at the end of the day the K13 was derigged ready for its annual inspection. - JSt
Cloud base was 4500ft above site with strong thermals, JSt and Rowan found weak wave over Wellington Monument. Rowan's mother had a Mother's day trial lesson and was quickly whisked to 3000ft, many gliders had flights of more than 2hours, John P managed 5 hours in H5.
All the club gliders plus six p/o gliders had 56 launches, Matt started his B/I training in the K13 with Simon M, at the end of the day the K13 was derigged ready for its annual inspection. - JSt
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