Friday 2nd to Monday 5th September 2022
Posted: 06/09/2022 21:35
Friday 2nd. A light to moderate NE'ly slowly veered into the ESE so that initial operations off runway 06 were replaced by operations of runway 20. The cloud amounts varied throughout the day, with limited periods of soarable conditions that led to only 5 flights of over 30 minutes out of the day's total of 24, 4 of these soaring flights being over an hour. Bob Calvert's 4:10 in his Discus 2ct was the longest of the day as he flew south to 5.5 km east of Burn, returned to site and then visited Sutton on Forest, some 145 kms in total. Average thermal strengths were 1.5-2 kts, with cloud base around 4,600' asl, although Rob Bailey in his ASG29t had a best climb of 5,3 kts as he attempted a 245 km task with TPs at Ripon and Rydale Bridge. However, with it blueing out in the Yorkshire Dales, Rob abandoned the task to record 105 kms and visited Aysgarth instead before returning to site. Bill Payton solo in his DG1000t and Justin Wills in an unknown glider were the other >1 hr pilots but I have no further information on their flights. Graeme Cooksey with one of the 7 First Flight pupils of the day had 33 minutes to complete the soaring flightsm with the rest of the flights having between 15 and 28 minutes., including the only 2 flights in a club single seater, Steve Ogden and Dave Thompson both piloting Astir DPO. The day's 11 private owner flights were by a mixture of YGC members and visitors, the split being 6/5 in favour of YGC.
Saturday 3rd. Persistent low cloud and occasional showers as a light to moderate ESE'ly blew meant there was no flying.
Sunday 4th. A light to moderate SSE'ly blew all day, initially bringing in low cloud and a few showers that delayed the start of flying until around 1145 hrs before brighter skies arrived later. The day's 19 ATs were off runway 20, with soaring opportunities somewhat limited, although hill lift, thermals and even wave were available, albeit all weak. The day only provided 1 flight of over an hour, that by Bob Calvert in his Discus 2ct, his 2:07 making use of weak thermals, weak hill lift of the southern ridge and a brief period of weak wave that briefly maintained him around 4,400' asl . 4 of the day's 5 flights between 30 and 60 minutes were flown in 2 seaters, with Toby Wilson/A Milner having the longest flight, 55 minutes in the DG1000, while Sarah Stubbs flying Astir DPO had the only flight in a club single seater, but just failed to have an hour, landing after 55 minutes of using weak thermals and hill lift. The club welcomed our regular visitors from the Stratford Gliding Club.
Monday 5th. Rain in the early hours was accompanied by low cloud, the latter hanging on and delaying flying until around 1145 hrs. Operations were then off runway 20 as a light to moderate SSW'ly slowly veered into the SSE. 21 launches were flown, with 10 giving rise to flights of over 30 minutes, 6 of these being over an hour. Cloud base eventually rose to around 4,100' asl, but Bob Calvert in his Discus 2ct climbed to 5.600' asl in wave in the Wass/Ampleforth area in his flight of just over an hour, but didn't venture far from site, this being the case for most pilots. The exceptions were 2 of the visitors from Stratford with Barry Kerby/Keith Balkwill in the Duo Discus going north to Thimbleby, then on to just east of Northallerton before proceeding south to just NE of Boroughbridge. Returning to Sutton in sinking air, they descended to 1000' asl just south of site but managed to use a weak thermal to get back to circuit height, landing after 1:58. Barry and Keith's colleagues provided 4 of the 6flights to exceed an hour, with Andy Balkwill having 1:30 in his LS8-18, during which time he ventured 7.5 km to the ESE of Boroughbridge, Sharon Kerby having 1:37 in her ASW28t and Ed Syson having 2:04 in his LS6. The other >1 hr pilot was YGC member, Dan McLean, who had 1:25 in Astir DPO.
This blog describes a snippet of life at the Yorkshire Gliding Club. Why not take a flight and try it yourself, or we can teach you to fly as a full club member.