The Going for Solo course was one of the best we have ever run, with 5 excellent flying day's. Both guys on the course made rapid progress from zero flying experience, both are now ready for launch failures and, pending doing ok at those, solo.
Saturday shaped up much better than forecast with Ken going out to Newbury and back along the streets. Derren and Owain also did something, not sure exactly where they went.
Sunday was the day. DW, Bob King and others ventured out on a 500k, congratulations to Marco who did his first 300k, and to Roger Westerhuis who went to Hus Bos in the K6 for his 50k, but then took a local aerotow to 3000ft, and flew home into wind! Many others did the club 300k task.
I was homebound, which was right underneath the general dropzone for the aerotow. How painful it was!
Wednesday 29 April 2009
Thursday 23 April 2009
Another very good soaring day...
Corbin Davies and James Best have done their 50ks! Both took an Astir each to Lasham, James landing their just 1 hour 30 after launching off the winch at Bicester. Well done guys.
DW, Derren, Mark Simplyrich, Sunay and Bob King did Lasham - Avebury for a very fast 220k.
The guys on the Going for solo course filled their boots today on the winch, and are now doing the entire flight by themselves. Dave also did another long soaring flight and looked at Spinning.
DW, Derren, Mark Simplyrich, Sunay and Bob King did Lasham - Avebury for a very fast 220k.
The guys on the Going for solo course filled their boots today on the winch, and are now doing the entire flight by themselves. Dave also did another long soaring flight and looked at Spinning.
Tuesday 21 April 2009
Monday 20th April and Tuesday 21st
Monday
The summer is here, temperatures into the 20s and soaring conditions that make things happen.
DW, Derren and Matt Cook headed out yesterday into the yonders on Bidford and Bedford. Meanwhile. back at Bicester we have Tarmin and Dave on a weeks intensive going for solo course, both who have started afresh to gliding today. Both had a great day, both doing 3 hours in the air each.
Tuesday
Again, a cross country grid of 15 launched into a working but blue sky. Not sure where they all went today, but one things for sure, life is too short for work when there's good gliding to be done.
The course guys had another cracking day and have now progressed through stalling onto circuits. We also welcome two new members who have joined us today, one who came on a half day course, and another who just popped in to have a look around, and then was persuaded to go flying, not that he needed any persuasion! It was also nice to see a busy bar this evening.
Tomorrow looks like another reasonable day!
The summer is here, temperatures into the 20s and soaring conditions that make things happen.
DW, Derren and Matt Cook headed out yesterday into the yonders on Bidford and Bedford. Meanwhile. back at Bicester we have Tarmin and Dave on a weeks intensive going for solo course, both who have started afresh to gliding today. Both had a great day, both doing 3 hours in the air each.
Tuesday
Again, a cross country grid of 15 launched into a working but blue sky. Not sure where they all went today, but one things for sure, life is too short for work when there's good gliding to be done.
The course guys had another cracking day and have now progressed through stalling onto circuits. We also welcome two new members who have joined us today, one who came on a half day course, and another who just popped in to have a look around, and then was persuaded to go flying, not that he needed any persuasion! It was also nice to see a busy bar this evening.
Tomorrow looks like another reasonable day!
Last week...
Internet problems at home stopped me from updating last week. Last week was our first official week of full time operations, and what a successful week it was, until it rained and rained.
Both Charles Jessop and Alan Linfield were on a Going for Bronze course. Charles got solo at Bicester, then went on to do several long soaring flights, a couple of nearly silver heights (logger needed to be switched on), converted into a single seater, completed his bronze written exam and field landings, as well as clocking up enough hours and launches for the bronze. The only thing left is his GFT, shame the weather wasn't quite good enough on enough day's!
Alan got solo again after a long layoff, and though already Bronze, did enjoy the couple of good days in the sunshine.
On Monday, DW, Derren, Owain Walters and others headed out x/c. Derren and Owain did two tasks, with Derren relighting for the second task, whilst Owain scraped away from his finish, nice one.
Both Charles Jessop and Alan Linfield were on a Going for Bronze course. Charles got solo at Bicester, then went on to do several long soaring flights, a couple of nearly silver heights (logger needed to be switched on), converted into a single seater, completed his bronze written exam and field landings, as well as clocking up enough hours and launches for the bronze. The only thing left is his GFT, shame the weather wasn't quite good enough on enough day's!
Alan got solo again after a long layoff, and though already Bronze, did enjoy the couple of good days in the sunshine.
On Monday, DW, Derren, Owain Walters and others headed out x/c. Derren and Owain did two tasks, with Derren relighting for the second task, whilst Owain scraped away from his finish, nice one.
Thursday 16 April 2009
Wednesday 8 April 2009
Wave to FL130 - but you needed a turbo!
The rain cleared at lunch time to give another great ridge day, with a good 20kts straight onto the Bishop.
Many tried to get into the wave but few succeeded. Lukas, T19 got to 7500ft by pure luck, and Terry got to 13000ft at Pitlocherie (but needed his turbo to get into it)!
I didn't get established in the wave until it was getting dark; I'm not bitter....
Annette flew the K6 on the ridge. A fine time was had by all.
Tuesday 7 April 2009
Monday 6 April 2009
Portmoak Video's and Photo's, so far..
Seth has a collision between his elevator and his nose...
For videos please see below our youtube links:- YouTube Link
Another great ridge day and Micky Boiks birthday
Another nice ridge day with thermals and weak wave. Easy to stay airborne, and many did long flights. Much bashing of the bishop was done...
Micky Boik enjoyed a couple of nice flights in the mighty AA, and some walked up to the top of the ridge to take photo's. These will be on tomorrow. Micky also enjoyed a proper coming of age, and is currently munching on birthday cake in the bar.
Not sure what happened at Bicester today, forecast looked good.
Tomorrow looks really promising in the afternoon,with small ridge of high pressure and a NW'ly flow. Will it wave properly???
Good day at Portmoak, cracking at home...
A moderate SW'ly gave good ridge on the Bishop all day, so much bashing of the Bishop was done.. It was also very thermic with some 6kt climbs to 4500ft. Unfortunately, this screwed up the wave with only acouple of us climbing up to FL50 in 1/2 kt.
Rob Hatcheck did his 2 hour cross country endorsement leg in the morning, and his hour leg after lunch. 46 different gliders launched from Portmoak on Sunday and 105 winch launches were done.
Although it was nowhere near as good for x/c as down south, it was an excellent fun day.
Back home the club task was 300k, going out to Cambridge and Grantham. Conditions were reported to be cracking, with a 5000ft cloudbase and climbs to match. Many thanks to Andy Henderson, Maz, Nick Kelly and everyone else who helped out on the field yesterday.
Just a quick note on tomorrow (Tuesday). It's looking good at home.
I hope to upload photo's and video's from Portmoak later today.
Rob Hatcheck did his 2 hour cross country endorsement leg in the morning, and his hour leg after lunch. 46 different gliders launched from Portmoak on Sunday and 105 winch launches were done.
Although it was nowhere near as good for x/c as down south, it was an excellent fun day.
Back home the club task was 300k, going out to Cambridge and Grantham. Conditions were reported to be cracking, with a 5000ft cloudbase and climbs to match. Many thanks to Andy Henderson, Maz, Nick Kelly and everyone else who helped out on the field yesterday.
Just a quick note on tomorrow (Tuesday). It's looking good at home.
I hope to upload photo's and video's from Portmoak later today.
Saturday 4 April 2009
Ridge and Wave at Portmoak, Thermals back home..
Today started wet both up here and at home, with a clearance arriving about 14:00. Conditions at Portmoak were ok, with a good wind on the Bishop ridge, and weak wave up to FL55.
Back home looked good too, with at least one silver height under a 5000ft Cu base.
Tomorrow is looking good!
Back home looked good too, with at least one silver height under a 5000ft Cu base.
Tomorrow is looking good!
Thursday 2 April 2009
Portmoak trip starts
OJ and Debbie and Mike P and Felix left Bicester today and are now at Portmoak. The others will join us in drips and drabs over tomorrow and Saturday. Luckily the forecast is promising for the next few days...
Back at home, John Wright is covering for me tomorrow and on next Wednesday, and winching will be available on both days.
We will begin full time operations from Monday 13th April running through until the end of October.
In the mean time, we hope to report great things from the North over the next week / 10 days.
Back at home, John Wright is covering for me tomorrow and on next Wednesday, and winching will be available on both days.
We will begin full time operations from Monday 13th April running through until the end of October.
In the mean time, we hope to report great things from the North over the next week / 10 days.
Another nice day and Dave Watt lands out..
A good turn out for a reasonable day, with some 18 aerotows. Dave and Derren declared BIC- Cambridge - Great Malvern - BIC for just over 300k, but turned back at Broadway. Derren scraped in, Dave did not landing a few fields away.
Mark Lavender and Dereck set off on BIC- Oakington - Hus Bos - BIC for 220k. Mark went round, Dereck did GRL Out and return.
We welcome Paul Murphy as a new member, who flew with Dave Perkins in the T21. Must have been cold...
Corbin tried for his 50k to Gransden in the clubs Astir but landed at Silverstone. Conveniently, DFR is now in it's box ready to head north to Portmoak on Friday.
Thanks to John Marriott for instructing, Dave Hook and Alan Twigg fot towing.
Mark Lavender and Dereck set off on BIC- Oakington - Hus Bos - BIC for 220k. Mark went round, Dereck did GRL Out and return.
We welcome Paul Murphy as a new member, who flew with Dave Perkins in the T21. Must have been cold...
Corbin tried for his 50k to Gransden in the clubs Astir but landed at Silverstone. Conveniently, DFR is now in it's box ready to head north to Portmoak on Friday.
Thanks to John Marriott for instructing, Dave Hook and Alan Twigg fot towing.
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