Start of the 2019 Season

It's been a while since I posted, it would seem. It hasn't been a particularly busy winter, flying wise - I've managed to do enough to keep current, but Lima-Five-One has been in it's trailer in a nice warm barn, and only came out in March as the weather started to take a turn and the ARC was due.

This is obviously the first time I have needed to take an aircraft through it's ARC, but it was relatively painless thanks to the wealth of expertise we have at Yorkshire Gliding Club, not only some hugely experienced pilots, but engineers as well. It's fortunate, because the first thing that happened when we lifted the glider fuselage out of the trailer was that the tail skid dropped off!

One expensive new skid and a couple of days work later, and I had a newly airworthy glider for another year - and with another day, we sorted out the instrument fit.

Gone is the old LX160 to be replaced by an IGC approved LXNAV S100 for task flying and logging duties, and that also necessitated the fitting of a 57mm variometer to replace the 80mm one. The remaining gap was filled by the compass, not that in this modern GPS age it's something that ever gets looked at, but I think it's pointing vaguely in the correct direction. Maybe replacing that with something cool and electronic can be a job for a future year.

Around this time last year, we were in the grip of 'the beast from the east' and all the weather that brought with it; we're getting easterlies again this year but nothing on the same scale. Since getting L51 back in the air, I've had an unexpected 8,000' wave flight (unexpected because it was from a more northerly flow, and we're more accustomed to westerly wave) and completed my first declared cross country task in my own glider - a run around the 100k triangle to Pocklington, Rufforth and back - although last years Ka-8 jaunt on the same route in reverse took 2:32, and this flight took 2:08 which on handicap was about 6 kph slower this time around in a significantly better glider! Must fly faster (or actually, having looked at the trace - climb better!).

For comparison though, last years run was with 6,000' cloud bases in July - and this years attempt was in March, although I did manage to get a climb up to 4,800' for the final glide home. I can confirm that L51 is (as you'd expect) far superior in the glide, with the last 25km or so covered at 70 knots and arriving back with (just) enough for a circuit, whereas I seem to remember in wood, it was about 15km at 45 knots and a top up needed to get in!

Here are some lessons I learnt:

1. Good air is good - I was watching the L/D when I was in good air and it really helps you go further without stopping.

2. That cloud street that isn't far away and pointing toward your turnpoint is in fact further away than you think and not pointing toward your turnpoint.

3. Dropping out of the good part of the convective layer really messes with your speed; it's the difference between scratching around in broken up 2 knot thermals, and easily centering 6-8 kt climbs higher up.

4. Gliders go further than you think, even at speed, for less height than you think. Local soaring teaches you nothing about that. 

5. You really can see the White Horse of Kilburn all the way from York.

Onwards and upwards - Sutton Bank is hosting this years Yorkshire Inter-clubs, which are now just one month away, so it's a case of trying to use any cross-countryable weather that's available from now until then so as to be in good form for it, we need to beat the Rufforth lot!