Wednesday 2nd to Thursday 3rd October 2024
Posted: 04/10/2024 16:49
Wednesday 2nd. High pressure replaced the low pressure of the last few days bringing a day of partially cloudy skies after a sunny start, a slowly weakening NE'ly wind that started moderate and decreased to light to moderate and some thermal soaring opportunities. 13 ATs were flown off runway 02 with 5 flights lasting 30 minutes or more and 3 of these over an hour, while the launch total included 4 for First Flight pupils. The > an hour pilots included 2 by visitors and one by Steve Thompson in his Ventus 2bt which was the longest and highest of the day, 2:38 hrs and 6,100' asl. Steve, after soaring locally, visited Pickering and on the way back to site climbed to his maximum height, but his poor trace did not clearly indicate how this was achieved. Visitors Adrian Noble in his DG300 and David Gill in his Discus had 1:08 and 1:04 respectively, both soaring locally in the weak thermals and climbing to just under 4,000' asl, with Adrian's flight being his 2nd of the day. The 2 other flights of 30 minutes or more were flown by Clive Swain/David Bednarshi, 55 minutes in K21 KLW and by visitor Barney Crump in his DG200, Barney maintaining 2,800'/3,200' asl in weak thermal for a while and extending his flight to 30 minutes.
Thursday 3rd. With the High Pressure still dominating the UK weather, sunny skies gradually produced some Cumulus as a light to moderate E'ly blew, resulting in 27 ATs off runway 02, 7 of these for First Flight pupils. The the day's thermic activity led to 10 flights of 30 minutes or more, including 3 over an hour, with the > an hour pilots including 2 from visitors, with Graham Morris in his ASW27 doing a 109 OLC km XC with TPs at Kirbymoorside, Tontine, Helmsley and Easingwold, no further progress being made to the south in spite of a few attempts. The other visitor to have over an hour was Paul Whitters in his Std Cirrus who had 1:11 flying locally, while YGC pilot, John Ellis flying his DG808, had 1:55, going to ~15 km from site. 2 more of the Staffs visitors and 5 YGC pilots had 30 minutes or more, all flying locally, the list including Adrian Noble in his DG300, 53 minutes, Barney Grump in his DG200, 46 minutes, Tony Drury in his DG303, 43 minutes, Guy Hartland/Julian Gerretson in K21 KLW, 42 minutes, Steve Ogden in the Discus, 34 minutes, Andrew Cowen in Astir DPO, 33 minutes and Guy Hartland with one of the day's First Flight pupils with 30 minutes in KLW.
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.