Wednesday 15th to Saturday 18th May 2024
Posted: 21/05/2024 16:44
Wednesday 15th. A cool, light to moderate ESE'ly was accompanied by low cloud that didn't clear until midday, allowing flying to commence around 1315 with 9 ATs off runway 20. What lift there was seemed concentrated between site and Sutton Village, with visitor Malcom Guard in his Vega 15 m having the longest flight of the day on his second attempt, 1:13, while operating between 2,200' and 3,400' asl in weak lift. The only other flight to exceed 30 minutes was by Dave McKinney/Neil Meakin who had 35 minutes in K21 KLW operating in the same area between 2,200' and 2,800' asl.
Thursday 16th. A light to moderate N'ly brought in low cloud and drizzle but this was replaced by sunny skies later in the day, allowing some flying to take place from around 1230 hrs, with 6 ATs off runway 02. Three of these were for First Flight pupils with visitor Malcom Guard in his Vega 15m, having the longest flight of the day, 2:00 while staying local to site, in which he climbed to an maximum altitude of 5,300' asl in thermal, his best average climb rate being 2.8 kts . One other flight to exceed an hour was that by Bruce Grain/Charles Frenchville in K21 KLW, their 1;12 being flown mainly 10-15 km north of the site where they climbed to 4,600' asl,
Friday 17th. A similar day to Thursday except that the low cloud didn't clear until early afternoon with the first AT off runway being Bob Calvert's launch in his Discus 2t around1430 hrs, Bob not returning until just over 3 hrs later, having visited Boroughbridge and then Tontine but not without incident. Bob struggled after turning Boroughbridge and had to resort to his engine but then, going N of site, contacted a good thermal near Boltby that took him up to his max altitude of 4,700' asl. Going on to visit Tontine Bob found poor conditions on his return and had to again resort to his engine to get back to Sutton. Of the 3 other flights on the day, only one, that by Guy Hartland and one of the day's 2 First Flight pupils in K21 KLW exceeded 30 minutes, their 33 minutes the result of finding a weak thermal just to the SE of the site.
Saturday 18th. Not much change in the synoptic situation as the light to moderate N'ly continued to blow, but sunny skies developed earlier in the day allowing flying to get underway just before 1100 hrs, the first AT off runway 02 being followed by 22 others, including 7 for First Flight pupils. The day brought some weak blue thermal and wave and also a convergence that allowed 6 flights to exceed 30 minutes with 5 of these exceeding an hour. Kelly Teagle in her Kestrel 19 was the first of the 6 private owners to fly, all but one having a > an hour flight. Kelly's 1:04 was flown locally in thermal with a max altitude of 3,900' asl. Kelly was followed by visitor Andy Balkwill from the Stratford GC who had 2 hrs locally in his LS8-18t, including a trip to Hemsley. Andy climbed to 5,100' asl in the improving conditions as did fellow visitor Neil Croxford in his LS8-18t, who also stayed local during his 1:33 flight. Two pilots contacted the wave. Clive Swain in his Kestrel 19 climbed to 5,700' asl some 6 km to the SW of site after some earlier thermal soaring in his 4:07 flight and Bob Calvert in his Discus 2t. Bob first climbed to 5,500' asl using a southwards retreating convergence and then contacted the NW/SE aligned wave over Gormire, eventually climbing to 8,000' asl and using the height to visit Boroughbridge to the SW and Churchhouses to the NE in his 4:55 flight. Bob also provided the following photo of the southwards retreating convergence while soaring in blue wave.
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.