October started off well with 5 flying days -3 of which were exceptional for the time of year. Then 2 weeks of no flying because of the rubbish weather. Today we finished off October in style.
We started flying about 10:30 and an hour later Alan B set the bar to beat with a 2,100' launch and 14 minutes. Another hour and Rob J pipped Alan's flight time by 1 minute Not to be out-done by his syndicate partner Chris K clocked up a 20 minute flight. which include climbing in a thermal from 1,000' to cloud base at 1,800'. Alan still held highest launch honours until I got my hands on the K8 and launched to 2,350'.
16 members enjoyed what the day had to offer.
Sutton Bank October 2013 part two
Just as the locals predicted Thursday was indeed a good ridge day at SB.
The day started off bright and mild but with not quite enough wind to make the ridge work the first flights by the locals were not that long.
Not to be put off Chris and I took the Janus for a flight and after thermalling down from our 2,000ft aerotow began working the ridge, after an hour we landed to give Carol and Rod a go.
As Carol and Rod were flying I noticed that the SB motor-glider was ridge soaring as well and was making good use of the lift.
It soon became clear that not only was the motor-glider ridge soaring but that also it was doing so with the engine switched off! After half an hour's ridge soaring they gave up and came into land probably due to the fact that with the engine turned off it was not costing anything and the treasurer had noticed!
After an hour or so Carol and Rod landed and after a brief delay for lunch Carol and I took it up for another hour, Chris taking his LS7 ridge soaring for almost an hour as well.
So out of the 7 days we were there we had one day of wave and one day of ridge/thermal clocking up about 4 hours airtime each but as usual the flying, banter and the friendly locals made it all worth while.......roll on next year :-)
Phil
The day started off bright and mild but with not quite enough wind to make the ridge work the first flights by the locals were not that long.
Not to be put off Chris and I took the Janus for a flight and after thermalling down from our 2,000ft aerotow began working the ridge, after an hour we landed to give Carol and Rod a go.
As Carol and Rod were flying I noticed that the SB motor-glider was ridge soaring as well and was making good use of the lift.
It soon became clear that not only was the motor-glider ridge soaring but that also it was doing so with the engine switched off! After half an hour's ridge soaring they gave up and came into land probably due to the fact that with the engine turned off it was not costing anything and the treasurer had noticed!
After an hour or so Carol and Rod landed and after a brief delay for lunch Carol and I took it up for another hour, Chris taking his LS7 ridge soaring for almost an hour as well.
So out of the 7 days we were there we had one day of wave and one day of ridge/thermal clocking up about 4 hours airtime each but as usual the flying, banter and the friendly locals made it all worth while.......roll on next year :-)
Phil
Sutton Bank October 2013
Chris managed 2 hrs 1 minute in the LS7 whilst Carol and I had two flights, one which had to be cut short to 29 minutes as the wave slot closed beneath us forcing us to descend quickly through a small hole.
Our second flight lasted over 1 1/2 hrs and enabled me to take some photos and to shoot some video.
I was only there only to act as photographer honest officer!
Tomorrow looks like being a great ridge day with the possibility of wave........more tomorrow.
Phil
Saturday 12th October 2013
Here's what you missed. The sky cleared by 10am as predicted. Sadly too few turned up to get out more than the K13 until after 3pm, when the Vega came for a couple of circuits. As RASP had predicted, the cloud base under good looking streets took us to almost 3000 feet.
Thursday 10th October
With a ridge day forecast we got going a little earlier than normal for midweek flying. The forecast held good for a strong northerly blow, improving as the day progressed. The check flight proved the ridge to be working stupendously well with sustained lift at 1700ft all the way from the Gibbet to the western ridge. Briefings were duly issued for ridge rules, high final turns and blistering approaches and the fun began.
(Pictures of empty launch points have been refreshingly frequent of late, so I will spare your bandwidth. Suffice it to say that Ka13, Puchacz, Vega, Swales, ASW15, Cirrus and Duo Discuss were at one point simultaneously absent.)
An encouraging number of ab-initios appeared on the scene so with three hours in the back seat I had the privilege of seeing the day unfold from the air. It started with a clear blue sky and some of the easiest ridge soaring I have ever experienced, but the unstable Arctic air soon filled the sky with ragged cu. We began to experience the predictable sink pockets and some strong thermals to 3000ft. Activity then spread away from the ridge and the better performance a/c were seen off in the distance, some staying airborne for close to three hours with me having to ration training flights to 30 minutes. By mid afternoon the vault had filled with alternate bands of convective spread-out interspersed with bands of bright sunlight - Wavy, where were you? This combination of ridge lift, convection and wave interaction prevailed for an hour or so, bringing ridge soaring to a halt for a while, but as the Sun lost its power the disruptive influences subsided. So those that stayed on to the bitter end were rewarded with some more extended ridge flights.
Note to self - 'bring more soup'
(Pictures of empty launch points have been refreshingly frequent of late, so I will spare your bandwidth. Suffice it to say that Ka13, Puchacz, Vega, Swales, ASW15, Cirrus and Duo Discuss were at one point simultaneously absent.)
An encouraging number of ab-initios appeared on the scene so with three hours in the back seat I had the privilege of seeing the day unfold from the air. It started with a clear blue sky and some of the easiest ridge soaring I have ever experienced, but the unstable Arctic air soon filled the sky with ragged cu. We began to experience the predictable sink pockets and some strong thermals to 3000ft. Activity then spread away from the ridge and the better performance a/c were seen off in the distance, some staying airborne for close to three hours with me having to ration training flights to 30 minutes. By mid afternoon the vault had filled with alternate bands of convective spread-out interspersed with bands of bright sunlight - Wavy, where were you? This combination of ridge lift, convection and wave interaction prevailed for an hour or so, bringing ridge soaring to a halt for a while, but as the Sun lost its power the disruptive influences subsided. So those that stayed on to the bitter end were rewarded with some more extended ridge flights.
Note to self - 'bring more soup'
Sunday 6th
After such a busy Saturday we only had about half the number of folks flying on Sunday and less than half the number of launches. However, what we lack in quantity we more than made up with soaring. The LS3 was rigged and each of the 3 syndicate partners had flights of over an hour. 3 other flights of 48 minutes and Climb rates on offer were generally modest and the cloud base limited but 3 knots on the averager could be found and climbs to 2,700'.
By 15:00 everyone had flown and nobody left to take advantage of the thermals still on offer. Colin and Stephen were left to wait for Richard to return before derigging.
A terrific day for the time of year enjoyed by so few.
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| Launch Point at midday - 4 gliders soaring |
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| After an exhausting flight time for a power nap |
Saturday 5th October
What a busy day!
First launch was 10:37 and the last was at 18:27 during which time we clocked up 51.....yes 51 launches!
Due to annual checks being conducted and lift not in attendance every flight was below 10 minutes that is apart from Bob who defied gravity to clock up an amazing 45 minutes in the K8.
With only two 2 seater's it took a while for Jim and I to get through the flying list but never the less everyone eventually got to fly.
With a 1/2 day course (which Pete Ellison kindly flew for me), 4 annual checks and a first solo everyone had a good time.
So....
Congratulations go to Steve Trenaman for having his first solo.....well done Steve!
Also to Mark Patterson, Chris Keating, Paul Prentice and Steve gaze for completing their annual checks and to Pablo for converting to the K8.
All in all a long but constructive day's flying.
Phil
First launch was 10:37 and the last was at 18:27 during which time we clocked up 51.....yes 51 launches!
Due to annual checks being conducted and lift not in attendance every flight was below 10 minutes that is apart from Bob who defied gravity to clock up an amazing 45 minutes in the K8.
With only two 2 seater's it took a while for Jim and I to get through the flying list but never the less everyone eventually got to fly.
With a 1/2 day course (which Pete Ellison kindly flew for me), 4 annual checks and a first solo everyone had a good time.
So....
Congratulations go to Steve Trenaman for having his first solo.....well done Steve!
Also to Mark Patterson, Chris Keating, Paul Prentice and Steve gaze for completing their annual checks and to Pablo for converting to the K8.
All in all a long but constructive day's flying.
Phil
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