'A day of much anticipation and optimism, and then the weather took over...'
With
the first day of the Inter Club League having been 'scrubbed '
yesterday the weather forecast suggested a much better day for flying,
for both the ICL and also general Club flying.With the wind
forecast to start as a North Easterly, albeit predicted to change during
the day to a North Westerly, there was little alternative but to set up
the launch point in the South West corner of the field with the K21s
and a Junior being 'walked down' whilst a steady convoy of private
owners planning to take part in the ICL set off with their trailers to
set up a suitable rigging area at that end of the field.
With the
skies not suggesting anything other than, potentially, extended
circuits, there was little enthusiasm for the ICL pilots to get into the
air so Club flying got underway whilst Pete Smith started to work with
the digger on the new trench for the communications line at the Westerly
end of the field.
Various light rain showers interrupted the
morning's flying and at one stage the rain set in to the extent late
morning that a tea break was called for.
However, as is often the
case, no sooner had the tea break started then the weather improved and
with a potential start for the ICL task(s) declared for 1pm following the rebrief, it was soon
a question of seeing how much Club flying could be completed before the
ICL took precedence for launches.
As it happened the afternoon saw
good teamwork in and around the launch lines with both Club flying and
ICL launches being completed together. And then, with everything
going (too) well, the wind decided to change to the previously
predicted North Westerly and so it was 'change ends time' - following
which Club flying continued until around 6pm and the various ICL gliders
'out on task' started to return home.
 |
| not an inspirational sky! |
And. as ever, the weather
decided to improve just as all the gliders were being put away or
de-rigged with the tea and biscuits discussion in front of the
Clubhouse, about how the day had been, completed in bright sunshine
under a blue sky.
Still, there is always next time... - Mike S
How did North Hill team do?
Met was a little tricky initially with models differing, but after a later briefing, Assigned area tasks with Taunton and Chard turnpoints were set.
Traces and scores are still being assessed, but Matthew W in SF27Novice turned Taunton and Chard landing near the turnpoint.
James in ASW20 flying Intermediate and Simon M in ASW20 Pundit both completed the tasks.
Matthew's tale
Whilst 2/3 of team NHL sat drinking tea, their gliders still in their
trailers, the pundits convinced Matthew W to make a leap of faith in the
SF. After a few weak thermals I took the decision, at 2500ft, to go
through the start line and probably land out on the way to Taunton but
clock up some mileage, how wrong was I. It was streeting all the way to
Taunton. Unfortunately around Chard the sky wasn't co-operating and
ended up in a field! Joined an hour later by another glider!
 |
| SF27 & Matthew selfie near Chard |
Considering the weather in the morning and early afternoon a fantastic time was had, thanks Muggles et al for organising! - Matthew
James review
ICL Intermediate - Good over
Taunton, Good over Chard, Rubbish over BEA and got low over CHA coming
home, managed to pick up the sea breeze and shot home. - James
Competition Enterprise Day 2
Pilgrims Way Out and Return, 7 turn points were set out towards the
east, CLP, RIV, FMA, PAR, ENW, ADS and WDP. The idea was to do a out and
return to a waypoint and then do another one closer in. I set myself
the task of Parham (about 250k) and then leave out the second o/r with a
fall back of going to Rivar Hill and then doing another to Clyffe
Pypard (about 200k). The start was very scratchy with some massive blue
gaps that the pointier gliders breezed through. I managed to get to RIV
and decided not to push on, so began the run home. I had underestimated
the strength of the wind drastically with a 15 knot headwind and a
massive gap in front of me near CLP I scratched around for a while
hoping for the gap to close in a bit. However it didn't, so I got bored
and went on a suicide mission across it, ended up in a field near CLP
and am now currently awaiting someone to collect me.
 |
| Comp Ent Field number one -Ka6 - near Swindon |
Not a great start
to the comp but I was reasured by control who said 5 other gliders
landed out very close to me, and one of them was a Ventus! - Liam
