Sunday 24th to Thursday 28th January
Posted: 09/02/2016 13:02
Sunday 24th. A moderate and very mild SW’ly flow provided mainly overcast skies but with a high enough base to allow flying, the wind later decreasing to light to moderate as it backed into the SSE. 4 ATs were flown, this number just exceeding the number of club 2 seaters utilised, this comprising both K21s and the DG500, the DG1000 being off site for its ARC. John Carter and Mark Newburn took the first flight of the day in K21 JVZ and climbed to 4,600 asl in wave in their flight of 1:03, the longest of the day, this combination of pilots also flying later when 35 minutes were had in the DG500. John Marsh and Martyn Johnson also flew the DG500, proving that the wave could be contacted from a 1,000′ AT, the climb peaking at 3,400′ asl in their flight of 30 minutes, while Brian Wise and Duncan Pask had the same flight time in K21 KLW. Those experiencing the wave climbs also experienced some interesting descents due to cloud.
Monday 25th. A moderate to fresh and very mild S’ly veered into the SW as a cold front crossed the site around 1400 hrs, the wind gusting into the mid 30 kts and continuing to veer into the west after dark. Although there was insignificant rain associated with the front, the wind conditions and a lack of members meant it was a non-flying day. The day did allow John Carter and Tom Dale to put up new warning signs along the public footpath which runs along the western side of runway 20.
Tuesday 26th. A similar day to Monday with the exceptions that it was even windier, gusts into the low 40 kts, and the low overcast provided bits and pieces of rain over the course of the day, the temperature peaking at 10.5 C and the conditions ensuring another non-flying day.
Wednesday 27th. Another windy day, the initially fresh SWly wind slowly veering into the W over the course of the day and abating, but not before gusts in the mid 40 kts had been experienced as another front crossed the site around midday. The front provided 10 mm of rain over the morning and a clearing sky by nightfall while the weather in general provided no opportunity for flying. The depressing weather and lack of flying does not appear to be of much concern to one ever present member of the YGC who much prefers a quiet life in office, as the following photo shows.
Thursday 28th. The flow from the SW continued into Thursday, a moderate to fresh flow with broken cloud allowing flying to commence off runway 20 around 1120 hrs. Later the cloud increased and a few showers developed which caused some disruptions to the flying day. Towed off behind the Eurofox on the first flight of the day, Paul Whitehead and Tom Dale in the DG500 found good, if turbulent, lift mainly in front of that section of the main bowl between Gormire Lake and the A170’s climb up Sutton Bank, and were able to maintain 1400 to 1800′ QFE without any difficulty in their flight of 44 minutes. The turbulent conditions on take off and landing had, however, resulted in the Eurofox being replaced by the Pawnee and pilots had to be aware of much stronger winds at flying height and strong sink on finals necessitating a high approach. Andy Parish and David McKinney had 43 minutes in K21 KLW while Andy and Peter Robinson, off the last flight of the day, had 39 minutes in the same glider. Although having the shortest flight of the day, John Carter and George Rowden contacted some wave over Byland Abbey and climbed 300′ before abandoning the climb due to the wave drifting off to the east and a shower approaching from the west, the arrival of the latter leading to a decision to land after 13 minutes.b
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.