The story of 2018 so far...
It's been a while since I posted an update. This winter has been so bad that barely any flying has taken place at all, and it's much less available when you only have weekends to do it (it's really not worth using leave days from work!). We've had rain (lots of it), snow, wind (generally in the wrong direction) and thick, grey cloud cover that seems to have lasted for weeks at a time made even worse when your launch point is almost 1000' above sea level to start with.
In January and February last year I'd clocked up around 20 launches - but by the same time in 2018, that number was just 2 or 3, with no real wave to speak of (because of the easterly winds that temporarily displaced our favoured and prevailing south-westerlies) and a lot of damp drizzle dissuaded anyone from their grand ideas of becoming airborne.
In the UK, most gliding clubs operate due to varying amounts of goodwill from their membership - doing everything from launching, log keeping, organising the airfield, instructing and tug-flying. I'm not sure whether I managed to bring good fortune for everyone else, or I just drew the short straw - but the first really good usable (weekend) day of the year also happened to be my first duty day of the year and so I spent most of it helping everyone else get airborne (we managed 49 launches). Thankfully I managed to steal the club Discus away for an hour in the late afternoon to try and get back into practice with my thermal soaring, a skill that can easily get rusty and that hasn't seen much use for almost 6 months during the winter.
Fast forward a bit more and we are now starting to see the odd soarable day develop; one or two have been really quite good, whilst most have been tricky to make the most of.
On the tricky days with weak thermals but little wind, the ship of choice is not made of glass, but wood - so I took my first flights in the club Ka-8.
It doesn't offer the comfort or the level of instrumentation of the club's more modern aircraft, and it makes some slightly unnerving creaking noises at times - but it's airworthy and they say that it will climb if you stand underneath it and fart.... When you strap yourself in for the first time though, it makes you pull this kind of face:
Of course, it could just be that I have been a little bit spoiled with the club aircraft that I'm lucky enough to be able to fly usually - with a Discus, a DG303, and a DG1000 being the highlights.
Nonetheless, it's an experience I'd recommend - a different type, and in this case quite a lot different, with a cruising speed not that much above 30 knots, everything happens quite slowly - except for takeoff, where you're off the ground in not very far at all, even behind a Eurofox. When you're behind a Pawnee, you're almost airborne before the wing-runner has had time to let go!
Another aircraft I've experienced this year has been the privately owned T-21; it's owners happy to offer up the second seat to club members whenever it flies, it's at least the same age as the Ka-8 if not older, and doesn't even offer the luxury of a canopy.
It was an overcast day and for most it, our flight of 30 minutes had been the longest - we took just 1000' from tow, lost half of that, and then managed to gain it back, so it proved to be a good 'machine' (I use the word loosely) to scratch around in on a weak day. A different and enjoyable experience that I'd definitely recommend to anyone - although I will fly in anything, and perhaps not everyone is quite so adventurous!
Eventually though, as a clearance started to develop, I flew the Ka-8 to around 1400', lost out to about 650' and then found a strong late thermal to climb back to just above 2000' and record the longest flight of that day at 44 minutes.
This short post then, gets us right up to date for the year and it looks like the soaring season is just about getting under way - so what's in store for this year? I have some plans:
Firstly, I will be flying an Astir in our regional inter-club competition - with very little X/C opportunities so far this year, and having only qualified at the end of last season, it could end up being field landing practice - but I think most people will be in the same situation!
I will be taking any opportunity to complete Silver legs - I need to do all three; height, distance and duration. I'm looking forward to the duration the least, but hope to be able to complete it on a day where I can go somewhere (and thus concentrate on that whilst the time takes care of itself).
Finally, I'll be flying a DG303 in our club's task week. I'm looking forward to the challenge and friendly rivalry (and support) that this brings - with some of my friends also taking part to add a bit of spice to the mix. I'm hoping the weather is a little better than last years (where I didn't get to take part, but instead flew the two-seater comp at Pocklington).
Soaring in 2018 begins here!
Nonetheless, it's an experience I'd recommend - a different type, and in this case quite a lot different, with a cruising speed not that much above 30 knots, everything happens quite slowly - except for takeoff, where you're off the ground in not very far at all, even behind a Eurofox. When you're behind a Pawnee, you're almost airborne before the wing-runner has had time to let go!
Another aircraft I've experienced this year has been the privately owned T-21; it's owners happy to offer up the second seat to club members whenever it flies, it's at least the same age as the Ka-8 if not older, and doesn't even offer the luxury of a canopy.
It was an overcast day and for most it, our flight of 30 minutes had been the longest - we took just 1000' from tow, lost half of that, and then managed to gain it back, so it proved to be a good 'machine' (I use the word loosely) to scratch around in on a weak day. A different and enjoyable experience that I'd definitely recommend to anyone - although I will fly in anything, and perhaps not everyone is quite so adventurous!
Eventually though, as a clearance started to develop, I flew the Ka-8 to around 1400', lost out to about 650' and then found a strong late thermal to climb back to just above 2000' and record the longest flight of that day at 44 minutes.
This short post then, gets us right up to date for the year and it looks like the soaring season is just about getting under way - so what's in store for this year? I have some plans:
Firstly, I will be flying an Astir in our regional inter-club competition - with very little X/C opportunities so far this year, and having only qualified at the end of last season, it could end up being field landing practice - but I think most people will be in the same situation!
I will be taking any opportunity to complete Silver legs - I need to do all three; height, distance and duration. I'm looking forward to the duration the least, but hope to be able to complete it on a day where I can go somewhere (and thus concentrate on that whilst the time takes care of itself).
Finally, I'll be flying a DG303 in our club's task week. I'm looking forward to the challenge and friendly rivalry (and support) that this brings - with some of my friends also taking part to add a bit of spice to the mix. I'm hoping the weather is a little better than last years (where I didn't get to take part, but instead flew the two-seater comp at Pocklington).
Soaring in 2018 begins here!
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