Christmas flying

Is it just me or was the build up to Christmas not as longwinded as it has been in previous years? Usually I seem to start suffering around September time noticing the harbingers’ introducing mince pies and Santa hats but this year it really seemed to start a little later. There’s still the complete and anarchic scramble for food at the supermarket, and watching the people hell bent, single-mindedly focused on grabbing as much food as they possibly can because (in their minds) this will be the last opportunity to eat for months and albeit the shop are closed for just one day there’s simply no persuading them the end of the world isn’t gong to happen. It’s just another day, but with a few more mouths to feed, and on that note if these people are buying extra because of guests, surely not everyone has to buy extra?

I waited my time, carefully calculated the best time to get my provisions and pounced Christmas Eve about ten pm. Ok so I had to wade through scattered vegetables on the floor and dodge the few zombie shoppers wandering around lost in their world of Chrimble purchasing, but I grabbed what I wanted and needed and was all finished in 20 minutes.

Christmas turkey was in fact lamb as requested by my daughter, it was nice, peaceful and I needed the break.

But, festive feasting can only last so long, it’s nice to spend time with loved and of course there’s family to entertain. But it’s nice when they either go or you leave.

Once I got back MY peace and quiet my mind turned to the important things in life and I decided to go flying. The weather looked good for Lleweni Parc so I called Kevin who confirmed he would be operating.

I hooked up my trailer, good ol’ LS7 and zipped up to Denbigh. Luckily I’d found a really lovely place to stay which if you decide to go gliding up there is simply the very best place to stay, oh and very reasonable rates. http://www.glanclwydisa.co.uk/index.php?option=com_hotproperty&task=view&id=1&Itemid=3

The flying was superb, and it was the smoothest wave I’ve ever flown in. I sat there it just over six thousand feet looking over Colwyn Bay and watching the wind turbines in the Irish Sea spinning like children’s pinwheel windmills. It was serene, peaceful and made the world a lovely place to see.

The ying yang of wave flying means you pay for the peace and tranquillity of the smooth air when you decide to land and boy was it rough, things flying about the cockpit, me flying about the cockpit and the glider bouncing around like a cork in a washing machine. It’s a little unnerving and turning finals at a thousand feet at with eighty five to ninety knots on the clock you feel as though there’s no way you can possibly get the glider down, but on getting a little closer to the field and still not using airbrakes you start to wonder if you’re going to undershoot. It’s not too bad really but you should have your mind focused on the job in hand.

I would have stayed longer, the weather was favourable but I developed a cold that blocked my ears, nose and throat so I grounded myself and trailed home.

I had hours of flying, blew away some cobwebs and flew at a new site (again) and had a lovely time, all this in the depths of winter, I would have had to take thirty or more winch launches at Rivar to fly this long…

Happy New Year to all of you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SpyMFYzabI&feature=plcp&context=C3869a0dUDOEgsToPDskLZKswbsqjA_6DXfZCHoFQg

Sunday 18th December

After braving the icy roads and dealing with problems with the winch and signalling lights we finally got going about 11am. With a crosswind we were not hopeful of high launches but we were happily proved wrong and many of us took advantage of the 2000ft release heights to prolong our soaring.

Ken Porter quickly set the level at 15 minutes only for Rod Harris (dressed as Santa's little helper.....sorry Rod!) squeaking in a 17 minute flight despite only getting 1800 ft on the wire (No Rod that does not count as a launch failure!). Bill Cook and Steve Gaze completed their annual checks and a good time was had by all.

All in all a good turnout with 24 launches being flown before the bitterly cold air finally sapped our enthusiasm for more.

Phil

Radio training and emergency landings.

I guess this is why we should all get proficient with the radio, you'll never really use it until you really need to.  (as well as field landings)...

Also, so many people say to me that flying in a glider is dangerous as it doesn't have an engine but this shows it can be just as dangerous with on, plus my landings have never been as bad as this one. Not that it's a bad landing, just a good ploughing.
And all this to advertise a watch?? How strange. See http://www.bremont.com/mayday.php

Saturday 10th - on(?) the west ridge

Well OK, as Stephen has asked for an entry.

Keen members Nigel, Graham and Jon got there good and early to help Tim set up. Tim then duly dropped the pen when signing the DI book, and it found its way right down into the skid void. Despite the resultant delay, we got the first launch off just after 10.30, by which time a few more bodies had turned up. Jon did everything right and Tim sent him off for his first solo in 15 years - congrats to Jon.


Then Graham did likewise, and was also rewarded with a couple more solos.

Meanwhile, the K8 pilots were getting 16-1800 ft launches, although it wasn't particulary windy, and heading off to the west to try to out-do each other on the west ridge. Despite it being such a light wind, the ridge was giving some reduced sink, even lift briefly, so there were several flights considerably extended beyond a standard circuit.

All in all, a remarkably decent day for midwinter. The sunset tables now indicate that the sun will begin to set later (even though sunrise will also keep getting later for a few more weeks).

Sunday 11th

Impressive turnout of the duty team (the wondeful C team) despite the rubbish forecast.  Conditions were better than expected but hardly inviting.  Jim Mc turn up just about the time we'd decided that the forecast rain probably was on its way.  Dry when we left but by the time I got home the rain had started..  Yet another no-flyable day - good job they flew yesterday (hopefully someone will add a blog entry about yesterdays 25 launches)

Windy Wednesday (7th)

Modest turnout for a sunny Wednesday (Christmas shopping/chores taking their toll?). After lunch we stirred ourselves into action and started to pull the toys out.  Chris K towed the winch out but once away from the shelter at the top end it started to rock in the wind.  Not a good sign so after consultation with Colin B back came the winch and we packed everything away.

Day trip to the Long Mynd

Seeing the forecast for a strong westerly Carol and I towed the Janus to the Mynd for a spot of wave and ridge soaring. The wind was blowing at a steady 20kts straight onto the ridge so they only give you a lob to about 100-200ft, this is because the idea is to give you plenty of airspeed not height. After being chopped at about 150 ft we had to dive at the ridge, which we cleared by all of 50 ft and contacted amazing lift as we turned left. At Shalbourne a 150ft launch is always followed by a land ahead but in a westerly at the Mynd there is nothing straight ahead to land on!

(Off the wire at about 150ft then dive for the ridge!)

The lift along the ridge was very strong in places with climbs of 6 to 8 kts but highest most of us could get to was just over 1500ft. It seemed that the wave was out of phase with the ridge and was supressing any good climbs. As time went by the airmass changed and weak wave was contacted by quite a few including us. We eventually reached 4000ft before going into cloud but few others were lucky and climbed a bit higher in a few gaps. A call went out from the launchpoint saying that the wind had increased and was now gusting to 45kts! So after watching how a few others flew their circuit we began ours. The brief was to leave the ridge at 1,000ft, fly a high circuit, not to go too far back and to approach at 80 kts.

Despite what seemed a very high circuit and after dodging a few sheep we came to halt just past the launch point.

Even though the round trip took over 6 hrs we both agreed that the 3 hrs soaring made it all worth while.

Phil

Saturday at the Mynd.

Well, Carol and our glorious leader Phil are off to the the Long Mynd where they're hoping to catch some wave. The forecast looks good and the club there have opened a wave box to fl 245. I do hope they can find their rigging pins......I'm working.....