Wednesday 28th to Friday 30th December
Posted: 31/12/2016 19:30
Wednesday 28th. With a strong area of high pressure centred over southern England, it was a frosty and misty morning in North Yorkshire but the mist in the Vales of York and Pickering left sufficiently clear conditions close to the club to allow flying to get under way after briefing, the wind being a light S'ly to start before gradually backing into the SE and strengthening to become light to moderate. 11 ATs were flown off runway 20 in either the DG500 or K21 KLW, the flying list containing 2 First Flight pupils who appreciated the smooth conditions aloft. The day also saw a number of guests flown, John Carter taking one of them, Chole Newton, for the longest flight of the day, 30 minutes in the DG500, while Mike Smith, taking First Flight pupil J Bloomer, in KLW almost replicated this duration with a flight time of 29 minutes. The only 2 solo flights of the day saw Graham Evison have 17 minutes in the DG500 off the first flight of the day, while Andy Tyas had 18 solo minutes in KLW later on.
Thursday 29th. With little change in the synoptic situation, conditions at site were similar to Wednesday, a light to moderate SSE'ly leading to 12 ATs off runway 20. Much foggier conditions prevailed in the Vales of York and Pickering, but again there were enough clear fields in the vicinity of the site to allow flying. With an absence of any usable lift, only the 2 K21's were flown, and only 1 flight exceeded 30 minutes, this accolade falling to Steve Thompson and one of the 3 First Flight pupils of the day, Mr Wanwick, who, courtesy of a Mile High flight recorded 36 minutes. A number of pilots, opting for lower tows, achieved 25 minute flight times, these being Alan Beaumont solo in JVZ, Steve Thompson with another First Flight pupil, Mr Daunt, in KLW and Duncan Pask and Tony Drury in JVZ. Flight times were, however, of secondary importance to Geoff Turner, who repeated a solo flight that he had first achieved some 30-40 years ago, so well done Geoff.
Friday 30th. The dominating high pressure centre had retreated into the near continent, and with a cold front anchored over the north of Scotland, the upper winds had become W'ly although a light to moderate S'ly blew at site level. As the day progressed the low level wind gradually veered into the WSW providing brief and tantalising episodes of zero or even low positive numbers on variometers. The day's 11 ATs off runway 20 behind the Eurofox owed much to the persistence of a number of pilots. Thus Peter Guest had 1 dual and 1 solo flight, Tony Drury 2 dual flights, one of which, with Steve Thompson, had him practising his BI patter, while Chris Haresnape also had 2 dual flights, most of the day's flights being in the high teens or low 20's in respect of duration. Award of the day must go, however, to Chris Booker who had 2 dual and his 2nd and 3rd solo flights, the last of which saw him aloft for the day's best duration of 29 minutes as weak wave conditions started to get established as the light began to fade.
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.