Wednesday 16th to Friday 18th October 2019

Posted: 18/10/2019 18:07

Wednesday 16th.  Low cloud and rain in the morning cleared away to the NE allowing brighter skies to develop and flying to get underway around 1430  hrs from runway 24, as the initially moderate, SE'ly flow veered into the WSW.    Only 4 ATs were flown, all in K21 JVZ, with the visitors from the Nene GC flying 2 of them and Brian Wise flying with Andy Evans and then Tony Wiseman in the remaining 2 flights.  Extended circuits were the order of the day, with the day's two 3,000' tows generating the longest flights.  34 minutes for visitors Chris Sheppard and David Mansfield and 39 for Brian Wise and Tony Wiseman, some weak hill lift being utilised to extend flight times.

Thursday 17th.  Thursday dawned sunny, as a light to  moderate SE'ly blew, and remained that way for all the flying day, although with some convective cloud developing that enabled some to soar.  The day's 28 ATs were off runway 20 and 3 private owners launched, generating the 3 longest flights of the day.  Tony Drury in his DG303 had 1:42, Duncan Pask in his LS10 had 56 minutes and visitor Andrew Willmot had 46 minutes.  The convective conditions were not sufficiently strong enough to enable any significant cross countries to be flown, so all pilots stayed local.    Paul Bulmer, flying Astir DPO had  the longest flight in a club glider, 37 minutes, with 7 pilots having > 30 minutes of flying time.  They included Bruce Grain and Stuart Richardson with 36 minutes in the DG1000 and Steve Thompson and Roger Taylor with 34 minutes in the DG500.   Although no glider cross countries were flown, there was a land out, with Dick Cole putting the Eurofox down in a field just to the north of the A170 following an engine failure during the day's engine running-in programme.  The subsequent retrieve was successfully accomplished and with the Eurofox back in the tug hangar, the investigation of the cause of the engine failure could begin.

Friday 18th.  More rain between 0500 and 0900 hrs, amounting to 9 mm, left a legacy of low cloud that initially blanketed the site, not clearing away until late morning.  The brighter skies and light to moderate SW'ly wind that followed were certainly flyable, but this was not the case with the airfield which had eventually succumbed to a wet October and was declared unfit for use.

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.

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