Sunday 29th Dec

Liz Sparrow wrote...

Sunny and soarable today...
...but not terribly warm - the ice didn't thaw all day except in the sun. Meanwhile a great time was had by all, although poor Chris was stuck in the back seat of the K13 doing patter prep for his FI(S) course next month, Liz giving him a hard time from the front. Nigel gets 'Soaring Hero of the Day' award with 17 minutes and Liz and Chris get the XC award for being the only people to lay off enough to land the cables in line with the winch - nearly got to Burbage by the top of the launch. (But seriously, folks, not enough attention is being paid to this. We will have to start asking the winch-drivers to cut ALL launches that are not properly laid off. Make that New Year's Resolution now!!) We flew from when the canopies de-iced until they started to mist up again. Nice day's flying!

(Copied from Liz's post to facebook, for others' edification)

11/12/13

They say "a picture is worth a thousand words" - I think Colin's last lyrical entry puts the lie to that cliché.  The few of us who made the effort to make our way through the fog to the clear air at Rivar Hill enjoyed flights to remember - with one exception.  Rowland needed the services of an instructor but the canopy's of both the K13 and Puchacz misted up (despite all our efforts).  For reasons best known to itself the K8 remained clear.  Three of us had launches to 2,200' taking 11 minutes to return to earth but Steve B managed to squeeze that extra minute to take "longest flight of the day" honours.
I snapped away with the camera on my phone.  The pictures don't do justice to Colin's words but I offer them anyway.

Looking East

Looking North

A camera can't see this

Last launch of the day - 2200 ft and two minutes after sunset, soft scarlet strands merging layer cloud into threads of valley mist to the south. To the north under magenta sky a carpet of fog shrouds the entire Thames Valley. Three score miles away to the east the lights of evening commerce queue into Heathrow, the lead disappearing softly down into the fog. Bright cherry clad fingers of Membury and Kingsclere soaring up through the mist; the lights of hamlets twinkling in the gloaming.

Below fellow aviators, momentarily my humble support, track slowly up the airfield behind headlamps drawing the means of my brief release from earthbound existence to its well earned place of rest.

I sit in crystal air with views beyond the Evening Star. I am the aviator, I am the navigator, I have no purpose or existence beyond my craft.

Everything is – just – perfect.

Sunday 8th December

As yesterday's forecast suggested today was indeed a good flying day.

Loads of good high launches, plenty of extended soaring and for me the chance to indulge in my favourite sport of bung pulling................yes you guessed it more Instructor checks!

This time it was Pete Ellison's time to have his annual BI checks done by me so after much spinning, stalling and Bloggs generally having much fun his logbook was duly endorsed with a signature :-)

Good to see Jim McCormick back at the club.

Also nice also to see that despite a layoff for a year or so Jim hadn't forgotten how to launch and land a K13 as for the first two flights he flew the whole flight without me needing to take over......well done Jim, good to see you back!

Yes I know the picture shows him in the Puchacz but this was just before his third flight!



Phil

Jack Dee live again at the Apollo

Wednesday Sunset

We were treated to a splendid sunset.  Camera on my 'phone hardly does it justice but here goes anyway.

As to what could have been achieved in the LS3 - I'd say a much shorter flight.  The lightness of the K8, getting more from a winch launch than anything else and it's ability to fly at speeds that other gliders would fall out of the sky meant I was able to milk every scrap of reduced sink on the ridge

Sunday 1st December

Following the rather splendid previous day (34 launches, 10:47 time flown and 28 people taking to the air), Sunday was much more modest in numbers and wind strength.  Wind still from the north but not enough to provide any lift on the ridge.  However, 11 of us clocked up almost as many launches as the previous day (just 2 shy) but just under half the time.  Mind, 3 strop failures on successive launches didn't help the average flight time.  The winch driver reported a noticeable surge at around 1,000' on the launches around this time, for some the weak link held but for others it didn't.  About midday Nigel B set the bar with a 2,100' launch in the K8 to clock up 16 minutes.  Couple of hours later (having completed a few check flights and no one looking for my services) I jumped in the K8 but only 1,900' launch.  On return I was surprised to be informed I'd upset Nigel by pipping his longest flight of the day by 1 minute.  He made a couple more attempts to regain poll position but was greeted on landing by a (not very tuneful rendition) of "Only 16, only, and I loved her so-oh-oh" by Chris K.
We were treated to an interesting sky that a coupe of members described as "just like the White Cliffs of Dover, but suspended in the air".  Out of our reach to go and explore unfortunately.

Photo Comp

Best gliding photo that you have personally taken wins a prize at the annual dinner.

To enter post your photo on blog, tweet with #shalglide, post on facebook or email it to me.

Photos will be shared publicly.

one to start, from before digital cameras, (but not that long before)

Wednesday 4th December

Wednesday morning saw fog on the airfield and miasma in the club house as Andy, Alan B, Ken R & Bill plied dope on wing fabric. Fortunately the weather cleared before we were all comatose. The wind, forecast to be NW, obligingly shifted to the North allowing even the Puchacz to be launched to 2000ft. The ridge appeared to be giving 1kt of lift which meant that we were coming down at 1kt (think about it). So good launches together with slowly descending flights provided a welcome bonus for the staunch winter circuit bashers. The notable exception was Stephen O who clung on for just over the half hour in the Ka8. Had he rigged the LS3 – who knows what joys may have transpired.