Friday 18th to Monday 21st March.

Posted: 21/03/2016 21:02

Friday 18th.  The persistent high pressure was in cloudy mood as the low stuff spread in from the North Sea on a light to moderate N'ly, preventing any flying a Sutton.

Saturday 19th.  Not much had changed weather wise with the high still in  charge so it was again a case of a North Sea originated, low overcast.  This delayed flying until the early afternoon when a group of Scouts were flown, the overcast restricting AT heights to between 1200 and 1500' QFE.  The 6 ATs of the day were shared by instructors Fred Brown and Robin Hutchinson, with one other Scout being flown in the Falke by Jim McLean.

Sunday 20th.  Sunny skies started the day, as the initially light to moderate NNW'ly slowly decreased in strength and became more variable in direction.   Th eclear and sunny skies  did not last, however, as convective activity led to periods of over development and even a few light showers.  25 ATs were flown as a further group of Scouts were introduced to gliding, they, 4 First Flight pupils and the members making sure that all 4 two seaters were were kept busy, with solo pilots given the choice of either the DG303 or the Discus.  There was even a private owner launch as John Ellis took to the air in his DG800 and proved the convective nature of the day by staying up for 2:45.  He also proved the benefit of his engine, as running into scrappy lift and showers and down to 1000' above ground nearing Market Weighton, the iron thermal was use to reconnect with the better weather and lift before John made his way to Ripon and then north getting a 4 knotter into cloud, the best climb of the day.  Returning to site with an indicated arrival height of 300' QFE,  John again used his engine to ensure a non disruptive entry to the circuit pattern given the busyness of the airfield.  No one else exceeded an hour with only Rob Bailey's 40 minutes  in the Discus exceeding the 30 minutes mark, although Mark Newburn got close with 28 minutes, also in the Discus.

Monday 21st.   The high pressure continued to decline and the wind strength decrease, but the light NW'ly was still able to provide some lumpy climb outs from runway 02.   The broken cloud, at around 4,000' asl, provided  some thermal activity, this being utilised by a number of pilots including Rob Bailey in the Discus, who, on his second flight of the day, had just over an hour.  A further 5 pilots had over 30 minutes, these being Graham Morris and Mr Bulmer with 43 minutes in K21 KLW, Paul Whitehead and Mr Hastings, a visiting reporter from York Press, who had 40 minutes in the DG1000,  father and son Graham and Rob Morris, part of a visiting group from the Crowland GC, who had 39 minutes in K21 JVZ, and George Rowden and First Flight pupil Andrea Martin who had 34 minutes in JVZ, the same time being achieved by Paul Whitehead and Rob Morris in the DG1000 off the last flight of the day.  The day also saw John Ellis have his introductory flights in the new Eurofox under the tutelage of John Tayler.  In all 13 ATs were flown behind either Eurofox OF or the Pawnee, the combination of drying airfied and cool temperatures meaning that neither de-mudding and de-bugging were not required as a precursor to hanger packing.


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