Monday 2nd to Thursday 5th September 2024
Posted: 06/09/2024 14:34
Monday 2nd. A dull and damp dayslowly brightened as a light to moderate S'ly blew, but the improvement came too late for any flying.
Tuesday 3rd. A cloudy start with a light NW/WNW'ly blowing did not stop flying commencing around 1030 hrs, with brightening skies leading to some thermal soaring in the afternoon. 25 ATs were flown off runway 24 with 20 being used for landing, the launch total including 4 for First Flight pupils and 3 for private owners. The latter contributed 2 of the 5 flights to exceed 30 minutes and the only flight to exceed an hour. This was by Clive Swain in his Kestrel 19 who had 3:25, the first hour being confined to the main bowl at hill top height to 1,700' QFE, before Clive eventually climbed to a much more comfortable operating height band of 2,100' to 3,500' QFE with a maximum altitude of 4,600' asl using the day's weak thermals. The other private owner to fly was visitor Pat Fowler, who had 2 launches in his Astir, the second of which lasted 35 minutes spent mainly hill soaring the main bowl. Adam Sayer/Amelia Forrester, flying the DG500, had the second longest flight of the day, 40 minutes, spent mainly between 2,800' to 3,800' asl, while Bob Beck/Elliot Hall had 33 minutes in K21 JVZ and Tim Stanley took one of the day's First Flight pupils for 34 minutes in K21 KLW. The Falke, meanwhile, had 3 flights with launch failures, field landing and circuit flying practiced.
Wednesday 4th. A light and variable wind from between NW'ly to E'ly was accompanied by an overcast that was thick enough to produce some light rain/drizzle at times, but also high enough to allow flying but no soaring to take place. None of the day's 14 ATs off runway 20 exceeded 30 minutes with the best durations being 20 minutes, which were by flights with 3 of the day's 5 First Flight pupils. Visitor Pat Fowler again flew his Astir but had to be content with a 14 minute flight. The wind conditions meant that most landings were onto runway 02, with the occasional one onto 20 and 06.
Thursday 5th. A moderate and at times moderate to fresh N'ly blew all day, bringing in low cloud from the North Sea, so there was no flying.
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.