The front cleared overnight, leaving a bright start with a cold north easterly wind. Cloud base rose to 2000ft QFE with some limited soaring. There was some evidence of a weak wave system but not much that was usable. It was nice to see Fred on the field after his accident. Congratulations to Lisa for completing her Assistant Cat course at Hus Bos this week.
News from Portmoak & Talgarth to come...
Thursday 14th October
A good crowd assembled early in the Clubhouse, several claiming to have seen an optimistic forecast for the clag to clear mid-morning. We prepared the kit and towed two K21s to the far end of the field and set up the launching into the cold north easterly wind.
No sign of any brightness, so picket the gliders and return to the Clubhouse for early lunch. Many were still optimistic so we waited, after all it did clear yesterday, the height of the day passed with no change. Some wanted to go home so we towed everything back and put it away.
The DG505 was put in its trailer, ready for a couple of weekends at Talgarth, while other prepared for the long haul to Portmoak for, hopefully, a week of ridge and wave soaring.
No sign of any brightness, so picket the gliders and return to the Clubhouse for early lunch. Many were still optimistic so we waited, after all it did clear yesterday, the height of the day passed with no change. Some wanted to go home so we towed everything back and put it away.
The DG505 was put in its trailer, ready for a couple of weekends at Talgarth, while other prepared for the long haul to Portmoak for, hopefully, a week of ridge and wave soaring.
Wednesday 13th October
Cold, low cloud and poor visibility greeted the Wednesday crew but the clubhouse was full.
In anticipation we got the kit out, Mike Fitz took a launch and approached "cloudbase" at 350ft so we decided to have an early lunch, after which some members gave up and went home.
After lunch the conditions had improved so JS took a launch and we started with launch failure training,gradually the conditions improved and we had a pleasant afternoon's flying.
Roly continued his BI flying and Clive was practicing back seat flying, we packed up about 6.00pm.
In anticipation we got the kit out, Mike Fitz took a launch and approached "cloudbase" at 350ft so we decided to have an early lunch, after which some members gave up and went home.
After lunch the conditions had improved so JS took a launch and we started with launch failure training,gradually the conditions improved and we had a pleasant afternoon's flying.
Roly continued his BI flying and Clive was practicing back seat flying, we packed up about 6.00pm.
Sunday 10th October - Brentor
After Mark, James and Dave went to Brentor yesterday with some success, Henry looked at the weather for Sunday and persuaded John S(RN Retd.) to take the Pilatus B4 to Brentor.
The mist was thick at North Hill and all the way to Okehampton. By mid-morning a bar of light was breaking through parallel to the western flank of Dartmoor. Around lunchtime James turned up having just rolled out of bed.
Don (The CFI at Brentor) and a willing band of helpers started to DI and rig gliders. The B4 was online and John was persuaded to take the first launch, unfortunately unsucessful. James and Henry jumped into a K7/13 to show him how it should be done.
After being thrown around at the top of the wire in rough wave rotor for a few minutes, the air suddenly went smooth and the vario literally hit the stop!!
TEN-UP...
Pointing at the altimeter "We're at 2,500 ft" ... nope "3,500 ft", The lift was strong all the way to 5000 ft QFE (8.2 knots average on the trace).
At around 7500 ft QFE the climb levelled out and the K13 saw a high point of 8100 ft. An epic descent followed with full airbrakes being ineffective against the lift, in places still doing two knots up!
The circuits started at around 1500-2000 ft and final turns were well over 600 ft. Approach speeds of 65-75 knots were required until the last 50 ft when everything smoothed out.
Brentor is a great site for wave off Dartmoor in Easterlies, slightly North of East is preferable.
North Hill pilots, get to Brentor more often! It's only an hour away from Exeter.
They have a blog similar to ours.
The mist was thick at North Hill and all the way to Okehampton. By mid-morning a bar of light was breaking through parallel to the western flank of Dartmoor. Around lunchtime James turned up having just rolled out of bed.
Don (The CFI at Brentor) and a willing band of helpers started to DI and rig gliders. The B4 was online and John was persuaded to take the first launch, unfortunately unsucessful. James and Henry jumped into a K7/13 to show him how it should be done.
After being thrown around at the top of the wire in rough wave rotor for a few minutes, the air suddenly went smooth and the vario literally hit the stop!!
TEN-UP...
Pointing at the altimeter "We're at 2,500 ft" ... nope "3,500 ft", The lift was strong all the way to 5000 ft QFE (8.2 knots average on the trace).
At around 7500 ft QFE the climb levelled out and the K13 saw a high point of 8100 ft. An epic descent followed with full airbrakes being ineffective against the lift, in places still doing two knots up!
The circuits started at around 1500-2000 ft and final turns were well over 600 ft. Approach speeds of 65-75 knots were required until the last 50 ft when everything smoothed out.
Brentor is a great site for wave off Dartmoor in Easterlies, slightly North of East is preferable.
North Hill pilots, get to Brentor more often! It's only an hour away from Exeter.
They have a blog similar to ours.
Saturday 9th October
Summary: Windy and misty. Strong easterly. 15 knots.
The Winch rope was checked out.
With visibility down to the beech trees and cloud base around 300 ft, Mark C carried out briefings in the classroom all morning to several people including two from Exeter University.
By lunchtime it was obvious the mist was not clearing so Mark, James and Dave decided to make a fleeting visit to Brentor. Summary: Rough rotor! Some flights were had in wave.
In the afternoon a blue hole opened up over the valley between North Hill and the motorway. This was probably a wave slot but with no-one around to find out, we'll never know.
H made an appearance, she's probably still getting used to being the 'wrong' side of the counter.
Halloween & fireworks party on Saturday 30th October is being organised by Cheryl & Steph - please look out for posters and put your name down for food.
The Winch rope was checked out.
With visibility down to the beech trees and cloud base around 300 ft, Mark C carried out briefings in the classroom all morning to several people including two from Exeter University.
By lunchtime it was obvious the mist was not clearing so Mark, James and Dave decided to make a fleeting visit to Brentor. Summary: Rough rotor! Some flights were had in wave.
In the afternoon a blue hole opened up over the valley between North Hill and the motorway. This was probably a wave slot but with no-one around to find out, we'll never know.
H made an appearance, she's probably still getting used to being the 'wrong' side of the counter.
Halloween & fireworks party on Saturday 30th October is being organised by Cheryl & Steph - please look out for posters and put your name down for food.
Thursday 7th October
The forecast was spot on, and not particularly favourable. A bright, misty start with a comfortable southerly breeze, but this soon backed to south east and picked up to boisterous - not our best wind. Every launch and circuit seemed to be different, but the over-riding characteristic was the strong sink in circuit and on the approach with much use of firmly closed airbrakes! Not a very busy day but everyone had at least one sample of the conditions.
The incoming front turned the southern horizon black late in the afternoon, and it started to spit with rain just after closing the hangar.
The incoming front turned the southern horizon black late in the afternoon, and it started to spit with rain just after closing the hangar.
Wednesday 6th October
Blimey - a soarable day in October - bonus!
The day stated bright and breezy with the wind around 270/10 and increasing and backing as the day wore on to 230/15.
Much training was done and the interesting approach over the trees kept everybody on their toes - it was surprisingly bumpy at times given that the wind was pretty much down the field.
Cloudbase reached around 3,000' QFE during the afternoon and streeting was evident.
Good soaring was indicated by John S(RN Retd.) in his B4(CVV) who got away first and initiated a minor rigging frenzy.
Pete(230) ventured along an into wind street as far as Crediton West before it ran out and turned soggy, Joe turbo'ed off towards Exmoor and JB(KJW) ran downwind to the Quantocks and soared the ridge for a while as the wind backed, then took a thermal climb but the struggle back into the increasing wind and weakening day meant him using the "iron thermal" to get home.
Thermals stopped abruptly at about 16:00 - it was like somebody turned a switch off!
Can somebody fill in the stats and put some detail to all the training that was done today?
A good day and the weekend looks to be warm and flyable both days.
The day stated bright and breezy with the wind around 270/10 and increasing and backing as the day wore on to 230/15.
Much training was done and the interesting approach over the trees kept everybody on their toes - it was surprisingly bumpy at times given that the wind was pretty much down the field.
Cloudbase reached around 3,000' QFE during the afternoon and streeting was evident.
Good soaring was indicated by John S(RN Retd.) in his B4(CVV) who got away first and initiated a minor rigging frenzy.
Pete(230) ventured along an into wind street as far as Crediton West before it ran out and turned soggy, Joe turbo'ed off towards Exmoor and JB(KJW) ran downwind to the Quantocks and soared the ridge for a while as the wind backed, then took a thermal climb but the struggle back into the increasing wind and weakening day meant him using the "iron thermal" to get home.
Thermals stopped abruptly at about 16:00 - it was like somebody turned a switch off!
Can somebody fill in the stats and put some detail to all the training that was done today?
A good day and the weekend looks to be warm and flyable both days.
Sunday 3rd October
There was no flying, plenty of rain overnight and poor weather in the morning turned people away.
Several forecasts were wrong with the day becoming flyable in the afternoon but noone around to fly! It seems the rains were off to the east.
Exeter University Activities Fair got some new members signed up, more to follow.
New mobile friendly version of our webcam.
Checkout the Facebook group or Googlegroups for more details.
Several forecasts were wrong with the day becoming flyable in the afternoon but noone around to fly! It seems the rains were off to the east.
Exeter University Activities Fair got some new members signed up, more to follow.
New mobile friendly version of our webcam.
Checkout the Facebook group or Googlegroups for more details.
Saturday 2nd October
There was flying, the winds were breezey and southerly, the yellow card was up all day.
Thursday 30th September
A misty start that cleared as we prepared the kit for flying. Launching started well with unexpected height into the gentle breeze, but there was indication of the wave activity usually found just south of the field in south westerly winds. There were ominous looking small patches of cloud below us, which over the next hour or so thickened up to a solid sheet of orographic with a base at 600'. Early lunch - this was a bit of a shock for Emma on her first day catering for us, in the recently refurbished kitchen, but she coped very well.
After a two hour break, the cloud cleared a bit to give a flyable sky again. There were five trial lessons, and training continued until the orographic cloud returned late in the afternoon, this time thick enough to drizzle on us as we packed the hangar. Doesn't it get dark early now?
After a two hour break, the cloud cleared a bit to give a flyable sky again. There were five trial lessons, and training continued until the orographic cloud returned late in the afternoon, this time thick enough to drizzle on us as we packed the hangar. Doesn't it get dark early now?
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