Saturday 13th June

A slow start to the day today but a very enjoyable one, Martin and Stuart kept busy during the morning and then Paul S arrived to fly the trial lesson Diana who had a lovely flight. 

Surprisingly although the cloud base was 2400ft at best during the afternoon there were some long flights. Jess flew me around 3 times and we enjoyed her thermalling skills taking us to cloud base with the Bennetts (Peter and Martin) in the other K21 trying to keep up with us. 

Pete P1 with Dad Martin (Jess)

Karen, one of our new members from Open Weekend, also had 3 lovely flights this afternoon and is doing really well considering it was some time ago that she was a solo pilot at another club. 

Lisa checking up on the Ashill Beer and music festival  (Lisa)

Lizzie also flew with Rowan and her granddad helped us pack the hangar, so we have another volunteer who was a great help. ICL at The Park was scrubbed so Henry, Liam and co arrived back to enjoy the far better conditions at North Hill (I wonder if Pete Startup is reading this!). A 'real girl power day' for me today, way to go! - Lisa

Thursday 11th June

What a strange day of weather! It started off with a howling, cold, easterly wind and a cloud sheet at about 4000 ft. Before getting going, we emptied the hangar so that we could rig CCY out of the wind, following it's extended inspection.

Once we got the gliders down the far end it was obvious it was going to be a 'hat and coat day' .

The first flights proved that it was tricky for training, and a limit on single seat flying, with good height winch launches lasting 3-4 mins in a pile of sink and turbulence. After lunch, it got noticeably warmer and humid and the wind swung more positively to the south east, and just at that time the gliders stayed up and we were able to make a swift change of sides whilst the gliders were airborne. Aston had the longest flight of the day of 41 minutes in the Junior until the the very last flight of the afternoon when Pete and Malcolm bettered it with 46 minutes. 

Erika (Met Office) & Rowan - (Henry)

A second evening group for the Met Office enjoyed 14 flights in the pleasant but cloudy conditions, complete with barbeque. - J&P

Wednesday 10th June

The forecast was for a strong wind and cold, and we had just that -  the wind was easterly so we walked two K21s and a Junior to the southwest corner.

The early launches were very rough and quite testing, there were some strong thermals to over 2,000ft but the sink was widespread and some launches although high, didn't last long.

Pete W (wrapped up for winter!) has longest flight of the day (JSt)

Mike Sl, a rare visitor on Wednesday, gave some welcome help with the instructing and we flew everyone who wanted to fly.

 

Leona (Met Office) with Pete H - (Henry)

We handed over to the Evening flyers at about 6.00pm to Henry and a group from the Met Office. - JSt

Sunday 7th June

With a steady breeze from the North East the launch point was set up in the South West corner of the field and daily inspections completed on both K21s, both Juniors and a K13 (R37).

Mid-morning the thermals started, but as ever getting away from the winch was down to whether pilots could make the most of the opportunity to do so.

Several private owners, seeing some gliders not getting away off the winch, chose to aero-tow instead .

K13 at the launch-point (Mike Sl)

Around lunchtime the thermals became a little sparse but then "re-cycled" providing an afternoon of thermals all over the sky - with climbs up to circa 4000 ft cloud base achieved by some.

Great Devon sky (Mike Sl)

During the day we had some aero-tow Trial Lesson flights, some returning Open Day visitors using their temporary membership and several newly joined Junior members keen to learn flying and ground skills. 
But the big news of the day was: 
 

Josh goes solo and soars for nearly an hour (Simon L)

Congratulations to Josh, having just turned 14yrs, had all the right conditions (and ticks in boxes) for his first solo, and then soared for almost an hour on his first flight.
- Mike Sl

Cross-country flights

Simon M ASW20 SM, Henry Cirrus COR, James ASW20 ENW, all completed NHL - Blandford, The Park, Cullompton -NHL for 203 km.

Tom  DG100 DG1 attempted a 300 km but fell back to out and return to Chilbolton. 

Rowan Libelle CLM completed NHL- Wimbleball, Tiverton, Beer Head, Crewkerne for 144 km.

Pete St Discus 230 completed NHL - Iwerne Minster, Tetbury, Sturminster Newton -NHL for 303 km.

Saturday 6th June

An extremely busy club day: twenty names on the instructional flying list, three booked Trial Lessons, at least ten private gliders rigged and both motor gliders out. There was a blustery, mainly westerly wind all day, which made for rather difficult thermals and at times a turbulent approach. However, there was much soaring to be had, as well as check flights in the circuit and cable break practice. Thanks must go to the Duty Instructors – John P and Martin W, who without the help of Mark C, Simon L, Rowan S, James H and Paul S would have been hard-pressed to get through that intimidatingly long instructional list. Tug Pilot, Robin W-F, was also kept busy all day. DLMs and club members worked unstintingly to ensure that airfield jobs were shared, so that the winch rate turn-round was not allowed to lag. Flying finished around 6 pm. - WWF

Cross-country pilots

It proved extremely difficult to get away from North Hill until quite late when Pete St 230 completed 100 km following the energy NHL - Tiverton - Okehampton - NHL and checking out the new FLARM receiver at UKMUD. 

On a day when Lasham set various tasks round Hembury Hill and Dave Masson completed a double out and return of 645 km in 7 hrs 28 mins at a speed of over  80 km/h!

Friday 6th June - Course Week

Day 5 - A day of three halves. The morning started with a fairly light southsouthwesterly wind, unsoarable, so we flew lots of circuits. The weak cold front passed through North Hill at lunch time so we took an extended break. When we resumed, the wind had veered to west north west and strengthened. Initially the west ridge was soarable, then the thermals kicked off and the fun began. All the course members ended the day with a good soaring flight and left with smiles on their faces. We hope to see them all again.

A big thank you to all the ground helpers especially the winch crew on Thursday when they had a very trying time, (ed: and thanks to John and Guy for Instructing). - John Si

 

In the evening, another local scout group from Ottery St Mary enjoyed pleasant evening flights for their Scout aeronautics badge. - J&P

Thursday 4th June

A bright sunny start with a light south easterly wind, meant a walk up the field for the course members, while the Thursday gang enjoyed a lecture by Pete on spin avoidance and spin recovery. However the normal tricky conditions with a south easterly prevailed, with some hints of thermals off the south ridge and Pete and John managed to find an interlude of smooth air at 2000 ft. After lunch the wind couldn't really decide what to do, the windsock flailed around and was always pointing the wrong way!

 

Changed ends but still downwind! (Hans)

There was a short delay when the Skylaunch refused to start, but the Supacat came to the rescue, the ropes were wound in by hand and the electronics were fettled and normal service was resumed after a change of ends.

A short delay gave time for a course photo (Hans)

In the evening, the Course members went for dinner at the Keepers Cottage, and the late team turned up...

Whimple Scouts (Mark C)

...to fly a group from Whimple Scouts, (after another change of ends), finding some late evening wave to extend the flights. - J&P

Wednesday 3rd June

With a perfect forecast and a bright start and a north westerly wind there was much expectation of a good day and we were not dissapointed, there was soaring from the start with climbs to cloudbase.

John St was spotted in a Junior (Mike Sl)

With most launches ending up soaring, there was no problem fitting in with the course week all pilots had soaring flights the cloudbase was 3,500ft.

 

Chris flies K13 solo (John St)

Well done to Chris W who added the K13 to his list of solo aircraft with a good soaring flight. - JSt

Tuesday 2nd June - Course Week

How frustrating! - the rain and low cloud did eventually clear by about 15:00, but by then after numerous pitch inspections the gusting wind was too much and play was abandoned for the day. Could have done with that at Headingly!

The morning was spent usefully on briefings on launching, circuits, and launch failures with Guy and John. Aston gave a new and useful presentation on launch point activities.

We all hope to be able to catch up during the rest of the week. - John Si

Monday 1st June - Course Week

The first day saw the six course members and helpers all keen and ready for a bright start. The weather was grey with a brisk SW wind and rain forecast for later. As we had three members who had flown at NH we kept the preliminaries to a minimum to make the most of what was expected and proved to be a shortened day.

From the first launch there was a little thermal activity which allowed for some extended flights. A short break at about 11:00 for coffee as a strong squall passed through. We quickly resumed with an even brisker SW'ly making launches and approaches quite exciting (to say the least). On the plus side launches of 17-1800ft were the norm with the best to 1900ft.

The predicted rain curtailed activities at about 15:00, the toys were put away and we adjourned to the clubhouse for tea and briefings/debriefings. All in all, a successful day despite the weather.- John Si