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Sunday 27th June
The high pressure persists, bright, sunny and hot with a gentle southwesterly wind. It was not an easy day to get away from winch launch - but some did. As the sea air encroached from the north a convergence line set up to make soaring little easier during the afternoon. 25 members out to fly, seven flights between 1 and 2 hours and six over two hours. There were 9 private gliders flying.
Otherwise football was the competition (some may have gone on to consider that ill advised in the event...).
Otherwise football was the competition (some may have gone on to consider that ill advised in the event...).
Saturday 26th June
A busy and very hot day today. Blue to start with but Cu eventually started to pop but it was always difficult locally to get away from the winch due to sea air although some managed to. Those that opted for an aerotow were rewarded with some good flying both in the thermals that could now be reached and later in the sea air convergences which provided some astonishing climb rates to 5,000' QFE in places!
Rowan flew for over 2 hours in the Junior and was seen smiling a lot!
The x-country efforts were thwarted going East by a huge area of sea air that had come up from the South coast and wiped out everything East of Sturminster Newton.
Pete(230) turned back from there and headed West via Taunton to Mudford Gate then home. Ron and Phil in 711 went West first to Okehampton then East until the sea air forced them back. John B(M5) went to Frome and then returned to play in the convergences, Eric and Kaye(OL) went to Glastonbury to see a bit of the action.
Stu P and Si L took their sons for a trip to the coast in the Falkes followed by Carl T with another keen young flyer.
Lots of training utilising most of the Club fleet and several private gliders were out today.
Thanks to the back seaters for hanging in there in very hot cockpits.
Rowan flew for over 2 hours in the Junior and was seen smiling a lot!
The x-country efforts were thwarted going East by a huge area of sea air that had come up from the South coast and wiped out everything East of Sturminster Newton.
Pete(230) turned back from there and headed West via Taunton to Mudford Gate then home. Ron and Phil in 711 went West first to Okehampton then East until the sea air forced them back. John B(M5) went to Frome and then returned to play in the convergences, Eric and Kaye(OL) went to Glastonbury to see a bit of the action.
Stu P and Si L took their sons for a trip to the coast in the Falkes followed by Carl T with another keen young flyer.
Lots of training utilising most of the Club fleet and several private gliders were out today.
Thanks to the back seaters for hanging in there in very hot cockpits.
Thursday 24th June
The remnants of an decaying overnight front lingered for most of the morning, with even the odd patch of drizzle. But by lunchtime it was easily soarable to the low cloudbase of 1800'QFE. Then conditions just got better and better through the afternoon with the peak occurring at about five o'clock. This meant that the evening Trial Lesson group from Colyton Scouts got some excellent soaring flights.
Wednesday 23rd June
Clouds started popping in mid and west Devon fairly early, but in the Culm valley and East Devon, the veil of high cloud persisted and delayed the cu development until 1130. However once the sea-breeze had changed the surface wind to southerly, the convergence looked rather ragged and lift was hard to find. Satellite images show a definite break in the convergence line which extended from Bodmin to Salisbury Plain.
Ged and Dave from Brentor completed their 'washed out at Lasham' Ass Cat course with Don. Congratulations to Jeff for solo clearance at North Hill- hope to see the Mosquito out now.
Saab owners club enjoyed another lovely summer evening of trial lessons.
Ged and Dave from Brentor completed their 'washed out at Lasham' Ass Cat course with Don. Congratulations to Jeff for solo clearance at North Hill- hope to see the Mosquito out now.
Saab owners club enjoyed another lovely summer evening of trial lessons.
Tuesday 22nd June
An evening session for a large group from the Environment Agency enjoyed a lovely long summers's evening of trial lessons.
Sunday 20th June
A bright start had all the kit out early, set up to take advantage of the forecast light north westerly, instead a fresh NNE blow necessitated a change of ends. Training and checks continued all day, Paul S was to excercise the rights of his cross country endorsement on a planned trip to the Park, but the tricky conditions stopped that before it started.
Another day of high expectations for the cross country crowd - tasks were set -750km for 711 and 500km and 300km for others. The strong NNE and the later than expected start of convection meant that everyone went to fallback quite quickly.
Ron & Peter the Chair (711) went sightseeing round southern Devon and Dorset. Dan (611) aborted the task after O/R Whiddon Down. Simon (SM), Pete (230) and Matt (477) completed their 300km O/R to Chievely. This being Matt's second in as many weeks, however this time he crossed the start line correctly and now has a shiny Diamond - congratulations Matt. Mike (DFK) did O/R to Salisbury. In all 15 private gliders enjoyed the conditions which continued working in the blue locally.
Sight seeing from 711, Totnes and River Dart above and Dorset coast and Chesil Bank below.
Another day of high expectations for the cross country crowd - tasks were set -750km for 711 and 500km and 300km for others. The strong NNE and the later than expected start of convection meant that everyone went to fallback quite quickly.
Ron & Peter the Chair (711) went sightseeing round southern Devon and Dorset. Dan (611) aborted the task after O/R Whiddon Down. Simon (SM), Pete (230) and Matt (477) completed their 300km O/R to Chievely. This being Matt's second in as many weeks, however this time he crossed the start line correctly and now has a shiny Diamond - congratulations Matt. Mike (DFK) did O/R to Salisbury. In all 15 private gliders enjoyed the conditions which continued working in the blue locally.
Sight seeing from 711, Totnes and River Dart above and Dorset coast and Chesil Bank below.
Saturday 19th July
The day started blue and full of expectation, but cloud blew in from Wales and turned into a lot of overcast for the morning. There were few people but most managing extended circuits in ragged lift, during the afternoon the sky improved and by 3:30 there was a nice slot which allowed Paul C in Junior, Pete & Jill in K21 and Matt(477) to launch into a good bit. Matt breezed round the 100km Tiverton - Yeovil Res.
Anthony and Laura - members from a few years back- visited en-route church to reception for some wedding photos with the glider that brought them together. Congrats to them both.
Anthony and Laura - members from a few years back- visited en-route church to reception for some wedding photos with the glider that brought them together. Congrats to them both.
Thursday 17th June
The north easterly blast reduced a little and veered a bit to be less of a cross wind, the sky was completely cloudless all day. Initially only enough people to operate one K21, but slowly more members arrived, the second K21 was in use by mid morning and a Junior after lunch. Through the morning the sky was quite turbulent, but no really workable thermals, but in the afternoon good smooth thermals to 3000'QFE were plentiful provided that the first one was blundered into. Big areas of strong sink particularly low down.
We welcome George back to gliding, fresh from Booker 40 years ago.
It was good to see Reg visiting the Club with the President, Reg was one of the Club stalwarts in its early days, gaining the Club's fourth C Certificate, second Silver C and first Gold height. He was the first owner, in 1965, of the Olympia 463 which is still on site. He subsequently moved to fly with the Dorset Club at Tarrant Rushden in his much admired Dart 17R.
Colyton Scouts had a Trial Lesson evening and continued to enjoy the thermals.
We welcome George back to gliding, fresh from Booker 40 years ago.
It was good to see Reg visiting the Club with the President, Reg was one of the Club stalwarts in its early days, gaining the Club's fourth C Certificate, second Silver C and first Gold height. He was the first owner, in 1965, of the Olympia 463 which is still on site. He subsequently moved to fly with the Dorset Club at Tarrant Rushden in his much admired Dart 17R.
Colyton Scouts had a Trial Lesson evening and continued to enjoy the thermals.
Wednesday 16th June
Expectation was high but yet again disappointment from the strong north easterly blast distorting any glimmer of thermals. The low inversion at 2200ft QFE didn't help, but all was not lost - broken thermals gave some extended flights of ~35 minutes. Most people lost interest so we packed up early- evening group had already been cancelled. Welcome to new member Nigel - power pilot from Exeter and aviation writer.
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