Monday 10th to Wednesday 12th July
Posted: 14/07/2017 10:57
The weather on Monday was not suitable for flying, and all the aircraft stayed under cover. This meant an unfortunate and uneventful start for the members and instructors who had arrived for the week long gliding course.
Tuesday 11th promised to be a repeat of Monday, but the weather forecast was consistent in its prediction of a clearance to flying conditions at the end of the day. At 1730, after much muttering, a small blue patch appeared through the rain. The Motorglider was dragged kicking and screaming from the hangar, and by the time the pilots were taking off, at 1810, the promised clearance had arrived. A single K21 was given a DI, and when the first aerotow took off at 1840 the cloudbase was 1800 ft and there were large blue areas across the sky.
The week long gliding course kicked off with motorglider flights for the members to enjoy the thrill of flight over North Yorkshire and an appreciation of handling and circuits, in the soft evening sunlight. Meanwhile, Peter Hancock, a new member and initiate to the Tuesday evening course enjoyed three flights developing his skills in beautiful still air, and learning features of the circuit plan.
Wednesday 12th saw all the gliders out "on the grid", and a briefing room full of eager glider pilots. The forecast was for good soaring conditions in a moderate northerly breeze, easing during the day as a ridge of high pressure built over our area.
The motorglider was flying for most of the day, with Ron Beezer renewing his instructor rating on that, which will be a great asset to the club and the Tuesday evening group (when he is not windsurfing in Sunny Spain!). Ron's day continued with a trip around the moors: Tontine, Stokesly and Pickering were his turning points.
There were 39 glider flights including 14 private owners, and a good number of significant cross country flights. The week course had 9 flights with Nigel and Catherine flying with Chris Shepherd and Alan flying with Bob Beck. Our summer instructor Will Blackburn (welcome Will!) was kept busy with trial flights, while members enjoyed good soaring conditions. It was good to see the Ka8 get an airing, Mike Greenacre enjoying some vintage soaring with a couple of hours.
The new ASW24 on site continues to get plenty of airtime, with Jim McLean taking it cross country during the early afternoon and then Polly Whitehead having 2 hrs 10 minutes at the end of the day, when lift was less prolific. Lindsay McLane declared Grantham out and return, but history does not record whether he made it all the way. Albert Newberry and Bill Payton took their DG 1000 away for more than 4 hours, so they will have gone a long way but we don't know where! It was good to see Dave Bradley in the air again, in the club Discus, but he was even more welcome at the RSPB reserve near Gainsborough! This was where your author landed out on his way back from Belvoir Castle, and Dave volunteered the long retrieve. John Ellis acting as guardian angel, watching the landing from the air and checking all was well. John had been south too, though his turning point is not recorded. There is no note as to who retrieved Tony Drury from Tontine, where he landed, but he is much more considerate with his distance from the club! Rob Bailey was successful in his declared flight to Scunthorpe, Saltby, and Chesterfield for 346 km at 86 kph. A triumph in the weak soaring conditions mid afternoon. Derek Taylor flew south to a turning point north of Boston, but succumbed to the spreadout on the way back north and needed the iron thermal. Duncan Pask successfully rounded the club 100k triangle: Pocklington Rufforth and back so well done Duncan!
If I missed your achievement please forgive me, its my first attempt at blogging the blog!
Another highly successful day's flying at Yorkshire Gliding Club!
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.