Date

Pilot

From

Task or Route

T/O

Land

Time

Kms

Eng

IGC

OLC

Pics

06-Mar

O Binder

Ostheim

Local

13:16

13:40

0:24

First flight and C of A Test flight by Oliver Binder.

06-Mar

O Binder

Rob

Ostheim

Local

14:02

14:45

0:43

Strong SW'ly on wet snow, a couple of weak thermals but mainly confirmation of 13's handling and engine performance. Satisfactory and some.

06-Mar

Rob

Steve

Ostheim

Local

15:05

15:25

0:20

First taste of 13 for Steve.

12-Mar

Steve

Rob

Bourn

Local

12:23

13:05

0:42

Steve first P1 flight.

12-Mar

Steve

Rob

Bourn

Local

13:20

13:30

0:10

12-Mar

Rob

Bourn

Bourn-BSE-Bourn

13:59

15:34

1:35

105

V cold, weak thermals under cirrus.

12-Mar

Rob

A May

Bourn

Local

15:49

16:32

0:43

Andy's first flight.

13-Mar

Rob

D Brown

Bourn

Bourn-RAT-Bourn

15:00

16:22

1:22

Clb to 5000, glide to Rattlesdon, Clb to 3000 and level cruise to Cambridge. Power on cct to GA, power on cct to ldg and T/O. Engine up/off ldg.

18-Mar

Steve

Rob

Bourn

Local

15:02

15:22

0:20

18-Mar

Steve

Rob

Bourn

Local

15:26

15:35

0:09

18-Mar

Rob

A May

Bourn

Enstone

Direct

15:53

17:15

1:22

100

Some wave over cloud nr Bedford and MK

19-Mar

Rob

Steve

Enstone

Enstone-Brecon-Enstone

11:42

16:31

4:49

265

Strong NE'ly, tiptoed under 3000'cb to glide onto the Blorenge at Abergavenny. Ridge run to Pen-y-Fan, then into wave to 8500' Kept above cloud to the Severn. 8/8ths 30km out of Enstone so used engine to get home.

21-Mar

Rob

A May

Enstone

Dunstable

Direct

13:10

14:58

1:48

13 comes home. Some 4kts in the Easterly gale.

26-Mar

Rob

Dunstable

Local

08:08

08:32

0:24

First flight off Dunstable, 150m ROC 5.8, strong SW'ly.

26-Mar

Steve

Rob

Dunstable

Local

09:05

09:27

0:22

Max wt, 200m, ROC 5.1

26-Mar

Steve

G Lynn

Dunstable

Local

09:48

10:13

0:25

First solo for Steve.

26-Mar

Rob

Steve

Dunstable

Local

11:16

11:29

0:13

T/O from hangar ridge.

31-Mar

Rob

K Munslow

Dunstable

Local

12:11

14:02

1:51

V windy, marginal hill soarable, some weak thermals.

03-Apr

Rob

L May

Dunstable

STS O/R

11:50

12:35

0:45

Laura's first flight. Good conditions.

03-Apr

Rob

S McLaughli

Dunstable

LEZ-PRE-DUN-CHN-DUN

12:58

18:02

5:04

511

20kt WNW, good 4-6kt thermals and good streeting. Did O/R to Radnor Forest and then out to Chipping Norton and back for a first 500 in 13. Runs brilliantly at 95kts. Radnor to DUN 181km @ 165kph finishing at 2600'

04-Apr

Rob

J Slater

Dunstable

LEZ-EDG-NYM-NOS-MAH-DID-BIC-DUN

12:16

17:14

4:58

456

Start with low cb of 2800, soon improved until 5000 then 6000 in centre of country, fringe areas were weaker and lower, shwrs in NE. Strong climbs 5kts typical. Wind NE/15.

05-Apr

Rob

P Harrison

Dunstable

LEZ-BLD-KNI-LEZ

11:58

17:06

5:08

527

New UK 500k Triangle Record 505.4 @ 109.21kph. Moderate day 3.4 kt average. Excellent over Wales with CB upto 6000' Good fast run home with a convenient street.

07-Apr

Steve

Dunstable

LEZ-PSE-SWE-DUN

11:17

15:47

4:30

277

Much clag & weak conditions on the way out to Cheltenham, then turned south to Cirencester & Swindon for sunshine. Streeting well in sw conditions & sunshine, pretty classic all the way home.

08-Apr

Steve

R John

Dunstable

DUN-THM-WCB-EDG-DUN

10:46

15:08

4:22

226

Strong westerly & much of what everybody complained of as wave interference. Particularly difficult to centre past Kidlington (annoyed their Tower & Approach in the struggle past), and at Winchcombe called it a day.

10-Apr

Steve

Dunstable

LEZ-BVT-LLC-LEZ

11:42

17:06

5:24

618

New UK 600k Triangle Record 601.3 @ 118.83kph. Low cloudbase to start but improved steadily to 5-6000asl. Some good runs on the first and last legs with 5kts available if you tried hard on the second leg. Some spreadout from about 100Km out on the way back but not really a problem.

14-Apr

Steve

D Starer

Dunstable

LEZ-WOC-LEZ

14:05

17:45

3:40

254

Took off at 1400 after a drizzly morning. Declared this one: LEZ-WOC-LEZ and did it. c 67kph out c 85 kph back. Max achieved was 5500', max 5kts, largely 3 kts, turned WOC to be faced with a deadish sky & drifted cautiously home.

16-Apr

Rob

Dunstable

LEZ-RIV-GRM-LEZ

11:31

17:54

6:23

399

Fair soaring for awhile ahead of approaching front. Cloudbase got low around Swindon but was still just about soarable. Took glide to the Cotswold edge and slowly got into better conditions. Waited 30 mins for clearance to allow passage S of Birmingham. Had to find a cloud climb to get home near Northampton. Fascinating stuff.

17-Apr

Rob

Dunstable

DNS-SOA-TAL-GLS-TOW-DUN

11:19

18:05

6:46

428

High launch to FL55 for photo shoot. Then slog into 20kt wind. Glide across dead area terminated with a climb away from 800' over Stratford on Avon. Climbed to 5300' in wave over Severn. Street to Black Mountains, airbraked down to beat the ridges. Strange damp air clouds way below us past Gloucester. Interesting day/Great flight.

27-Apr

Steve

Dunstable

DUN-BRN-PCT-DUN

11:40

17:23

5:43

430

Pootled v slowly (mostly below 3000') until c Peterborough when the sky started to open up. Gentle NW allowed us fairly close to the East coast. Some fab streeting for the last 20k & back. Returned into ever worsening sky. Engine start at Cranfield to get us home.

29-Apr

Rob

Dunstable

LEZ-UTT-DEN-WOC-DUN

11:39

17:25

5:46

510

Slow start in weak conditions but slowly improved to very good especially around Severn valley. Tricky creep in /out of Denbigh with much lower CB. Not fast but interesting flight in areas rarely flown in.

30-Apr

Rob

Steve

Dunstable

LEZ-ACL-MEN-NMT-DUN

12:23

16:27

4:04

373

Out of the clag and into a fantastic East Anglia with CB 5500 and 6kt thermals. Great view of the coast and Norwich City playing Wolverhampton. Final glide from Gransden back into the clag. 96.8kph.

01-May

Rob

Dunstable

LEZ-PER-LED-SHO-Llanbedr-Portmadog-Cader Idris-DUN

11:18

19:11

7:53

558

Clearance after front. Timely cloudstreet with surprisingly high CB of 4000' gave a swift run to Cotswold edge into 20kt headwind. Used engine at Pershore to climb above cloud to find rather tricky wave. A further high level burn gave a glide to the Welsh coast near Llanbedr. Fantastic views, good thermals and ridge around Harlech and Cader Idris. Then further engine to climb up for a swift 250km glide home, with several wave top-ups on the way.

05-May

Steve

M Bird

Dunstable

LEZ-MYN-HER-DUN

11:28

16:23

4:55

382

Broken thermals on first leg started to improve towards the Severn Valley, so too the blue gaps started to widen, with long glides en route to the West. Turned short at the Mynd and routed back via Hereford.

12-May

Steve

P Hurd

Dunstable

LEZ-BOT-DOW-LEZ

13:03

17:49

4:46

330

Raced well out toward Northampton, after which it went largely totally non-soarable for awhile. Market Harborough: took a 2 kt climb with gratitude, then poor glide to Melton Mowbray. 2nd leg, initially hopeful with climb to 6000' base, then nowt. Very intermittent after that, eventual climb at Huntingdon out of 2000' and a saving thermal kicked off by Bedford town centre to get us home EVENTUALLY! Very slow. Big wing day.

03-Jun

Steve

I Reekie

Saal

Saal-Suhl-Bamberg-Schweinfurt-Saal

11:42

14:37

2:55

206

Saal grass soft, needed a push to start rolling. Take off downhill fine. Ride was no problem. Ony 3 of us flew as was not good, and landed in rain ealy pm.

Saal collection

04-Jun

Steve

T Hutchings

Saal

Saal-Ebern-Kulmbach-Ostheim-Saal

11:17

17:11

5:54

418

Went SE to Ebern, then followed streets (across the wind) to Kulmbach, returning to Saal as the other guys were just starting to launch. Got to Ostheim this time, although wave/rotor interference from hills. Good run downwind to Ebern again, then back N aiming for Dornberg. Struggle again in the lee of hills, then ok till conditions ran out 30k short of the turn.

05-Jun

Steve

P Wimmer

Saal

Saal-Karlstadt-Bad Neustadt-Saal

14:11

16:58

2:47

197

Went to River Main between Karlstadt & Wurzberg, down south, after awful initial conditions. Street N/S brought us back to Bad Neustadt, then street E/W took us East of Saal by 20k. V o/cast initially, breaking up as afternoon went on.

06-Jun

Steve

D Lingafelter

Saal

Saal-Karlstadt-Geisla-Saal

13:20

16:33

3:13

280

Lots of showers & big dead areas, tried to go SW first Should have turned back but wanted to run down the Main towards a big shower, turned around (Markt Retzbach) & air was dead, so had to have a burn at Karlstadt. Turned north, avoiding showers & lots of that going up the front of the cloud stuff like you do with big showers. Cloudbase rising over the Wasserkuppe, continued North (up to 7500') until conditions ran out at Geisla (NE of Fulda).

07-Jun

Steve

M Holzheime

Saal

Saal-Aalen-Regensberg-Gunzenhausen-Saal

10:21

17:41

7:20

565

Declared 750 with P2 Martin Holzheimer, looked good at first, but spent forever on 1st leg south low most of tme. Then turned east 7 gave up at 1500' 80k from 2nd tp, with showers & spread. Returned sth of Nurnberg to the west, turned Nth at Gunzenhausen

08-Jun

Steve

M Birch

Saal

Saal-Geisen-Eisenach-Saal

12:42

16:02

3:20

326

Got bogged down in the middle after 1st tp (Geisen), 2nd tp Eisenach. Several 8kt climbs, one over Rhon moumtans peaked at solid 10 & a bit of 11.

09-Jun

Steve

T Manwaring

Saal

Saal-Grif-Tirs-Gotha-Saal

11:12

18:30

7:18

631

2nd attempt at 750, this time up & down the Turingerwald. Cirrus into 2nd tp slowed us down considerably, and heading NW after 5pm the cu/lift died out rapidly, so cut & run.

10-Jun

Steve

J Behr

Saal

Saal-Thuringerwald-Saal

11:03

15:53

4:50

386

11-Jun

Rob

Saal

Wiener Neustadt

Direct via Bayreuth and Czech border

10:46

17:52

7:06

576

Totally blue start, with convection to 5000', few small cu around Bayreuth. Some decent cu over the Bayerischerwald with base rising to 7000' Dodge round airspace to reach Wiener Neustadt.

12-Jun

Rob

Wiener Neustadt

Timmel O/R

10:06

18:55

8:49

824

Attempt at 1157km record flight to Oberalp Pass and return. North side of main divide remained blue for a long period, routed South both ways but slower. Max ht only 12000. 3.5kt average.

13-Jun

Rob

Wiener Neustadt

Oberalp Pass O/R

09:19

20:31

11:12

1162

2nd Attempt at 1157km record flight. This time a better day insomuch as thermals averaged 4.1 but all very rough and broken due to opposition of sun/wind. Extremely hard work. Averaged 107.6 kph, enough to complete flight but thwarted by spread/rain band over Eastern Austria. Forced to abandon after 1084 kms.

14-Jun

Rob

R Colbeck

Wiener Neustadt

St. Johann

Wnr Neustadt-Gerloss Pass-St. Johann

13:47

18:51

5:04

402

Late start due Paj probs. Weaker than previous days but pleasant enough. Led to a good photo session on the top of the Kitzbuhler Horn.

15-Jun

Rob

St. Johann

SJ-Lesce Bled-Timmel-Niederoblarn-Kufstein-SJ

11:29

19:12

7:43

833

Good looking day, try for big OLC and varied route. Not disappointed though thick cirrus over Switzerland stopped Westward progress. Base to 15000' along S side of main divide. South of that, damp air from South cut off soaring there after our earlier visit. Early cut off due cirrus. Great flight though.

16-Jun

Rob

R Colbeck

St. Johann

Wiener Neustadt

St. Johann-Wiener Neustadt

10:51

15:44

4:53

311

Storms threatening, left early for reposition to Wiener Neustadt. Found first thermals just starting E of Zell am See, ran Dachstein and Grimming to Trieben valley. Stumbled on wave S of Eissenerz and climbed to 13500'. Big Cbs blocked Semmering for awhile but eventually crept through talking/squawking to Wien. Vis on East side atrocious. Derigged.

02-Jul

Rob

Bicester

BIC-PIT-ADF-AND-BIC

13:50

17:33

3:43

378

E wind @ LGC so decamp to BIC. Launched into near 8,000' cloudbase with thermals to match. Declared 300Km triangle, completed @ 123kph. Bit spreadout to W, blue to S but amazing conditions for the UK. If it had been consistent all the way, 130-140kph was on...

03-Jul

Rob

Bicester

BNW-PPL-BWL-BNW

13:03

17:13

4:10

435

New UK 400k Triangle Record 406.7 @ 116.24kph. Good first leg - one thermal to almost the first turn, then became more difficult with decent stuff very hard to find. Kept going and conditions improved further N; still required patience and lots of fiddling to catch a reasonable climb. Headwind on way home but pressed hard and got 7kts 25km out which sped us up a bit.

08-Jul

Steve

Rob

Bicester

BNW-HOB-EAR-MAR-BIC

11:50

16:55

5:05

424

Flew Std Nats Day 1 task and continued to Marlborough. Stiff wind and a tendency to spreadout made for much wandering. A couple of nicely aligned streets allowed good progress into the wind. Base upto 5000'

09-Jul

Steve

Bicester

BIC-WAL-CAL-BIC

13:57

19:13

5:16

301

Launched out of BIC into a stiff westerly. Trouble getting away, so took an engine burn to find wave which then failed (wave not engine). Eventually ran a conventional street to Bidford & did a thermal-wave climb in the lee of Gt Malvern which took us at 2-5kts to 12000'. A bit scrappy after that. Turned for home from 12000' NW of Shobdon.

11-Jul

Rob

A Roch

Bicester

BIC-HEC-ELY-BIC-LED-BIC

10:52

17:21

6:29

616

Post cold front but blue forecast. In the event 3-4kts to 4500 and good cu with a few blue areas to finish. Not the easiest of thermals but made up with some nice runs. 3kts average for day and just over 100kph.

12-Jul

Rob

S Carmichae

Bicester

BIC-NES-BIC

13:50

16:05

2:15

145

Hot, blue and weak. Not too much fun though checking out the top of Didcot chimney saw two blokes sat on the top eating their sarnies who gave us a cheery wave!

13-Jul

Rob

J Corpe

Bicester

BIC-NLE-WOG-OUN-ILS-BIC

13:01

17:21

4:20

350

Post front, band about 50k wide with good high cu, blue to North, overcast to South. Flew the band West until cramped by Brize then East to Oundle. Soarable beyond but much lower cloudbase. Back to didcot+ to finish.

14-Jul

Steve

P Rackham

Bicester

BNW-MOM-MYN-BIC

11:16

16:42

5:26

325

Conditions at MYN were pretty grim. Very broken, unreliable & blue. Took an engine burn up to 5000' after which we had much better air, and a good run home.

16-Jul

Steve

T Rose

Bicester

BIC-ABE-SHO-BIC

11:45

17:47

6:02

333

One of the lowest slowest 300's known to man. Once over the Cotswold Edge, it got even lower, rarely much more than 2000' over the ground. Totally blue with cornfields working better than towns. Big grovel downwind of ABE on east facing slope below hilltop height. The parascenders stopped flying to watch, eventually turned & S-turned my way above the hill, and then had a better run up towards SHO. Then at first the run home into wind was promising, but got progressively back to the true nature of the day by time I got to Gt Malvern. Headsets passed forward twice in the flight with anticipation of a burn - but avoided fortunately.

18-Jul

Rob

P Watson

Bicester

BIC-KGS-SWS-WNG-BIC

14:18

16:55

2:37

223

Hot and blue but broke through 3500 as we launched to 4500 and then rose to 5000 with a few 3-4kt thermals. Didcot gave us 6-7kts to 6800 on the second visit. Sfc temps 33.

19-Jul

Steve

R King

Bicester

BNW-WPL-BNW

13:06

17:37

4:31

404

Wanted a shot at the 300k o/r, which needed us to achieve + 121kph. In the event, couldn't better 111kph, as it was a bit blue to start with and took a number of 4kt climbs, whereas the flight delivered 6-7 knots on the return leg, with a super 70k final glide from 8500'. Answer - start later on such hot high days by working the end game backwards.

21-Jul

Bicester

Dunstable

BIC-MAH-GRL-DUN

15:14

17:08

1:54

195

23-Jul

Rob

P Hunt

Dunstable

LEZ-SNO-AST-LED-DUN

14:42

18:39

3:57

292

Started in a weather front with cb 3000asl, this lowered progressively to 2300asl near Oxford. Cloud climb to 2700asl to cross a gap to Abingdon then base rose nicely with each climb to 5500 and some nice climbs too. Fascinating stuff.

24-Jul

Dunstable

LEZ-GAI-STN-LVN-BRA-LIT-DUN

11:03

18:19

7:16

705

Declared o/r to the north but gave up near Burn as it was blue and low. Came back south and conditions improved past Melton; turned Caxton and pushed east to the limit of the weather, then ran west to Brackley. Final TP at Ely with 6,000' base and 5-6kts

28-Jul

Steve

A Gibbs

Dunstable

LEZ-LRI-NOS-NWK-DUN

11:32

16:53

5:21

411

Set off early with base not more than 2200' agl. V slow improvement into the Cotswolds. After leaving the Edge, the air became decidedly worse, turned Evesham with the intention of going for Aston Down, but the poor air coming up the Severn made us run for the cu at Little Ris. Then really good run back down the cu to NOS, left turn and a reasonable blast North. Good climbs, good depth: 2500 - 5200' QNH. Could have probably gone further North, but turned Newark for a nice 400k.

29-Jul

Steve

A Harrison

Dunstable

LEZ-BYT-DUN

10:29

15:36

5:07

337

Dec Dishforth o/r, but encroaching front from the West brought top cover, and then started to encroach from the North. Turned back around Retford, then getting forced East for sun all the time. Thermals difficult although occasional 5-6 kts, likely wave interference. Last climb off the steel factories at Corby before glide to Sywell, started engine for climb from 500' to 5000' to get home.

30-Jul

T Pridgeon

Dunstable

DUN-KEE-ELY-DUN

11:37

16:17

4:40

426

New 200km Goal Record attempt, 137.1 kph achieved but start wrong. Dug us out of the circuit at Cranfield having found nothing for a long time...

04-Aug

Steve

I Reekie

Dunstable

DUN-BLY-SIL-LRI-DUN

13:42

17:07

3:25

182

Pootled low under 7.5/8 to STS, SIL, LRI, and back around the circuits at Kidlington & then Bicester. (Oxford Tower offering advice on where to find the cu was probably the most polite "bugger off" I've met). Amazingly achieved 180km out of a hopeless day.

05-Aug

Steve

G Lynn

Dunstable

LEZ-MAH-ELY-OLN-DUN

11:17

15:00

3:43

265

Poor first leg North, largely below 3000', turned MAH & headed for circuit at at HusBos, got away and then blued up on the run East, and improved in the process. Ely is my personal demon, and it was blue, which I can't take, but I heroically fought off these adversities, and we had a pretty good run back into an ever improving sky.

07-Aug

Rob

A May

Dunstable

LEZ-EYE-SYW-CHL-DUN

14:53

18:24

3:31

306

Launched into clearance behind front. Base 4000 locally but dipped to 3000 at Corby, much lower N and E. Ran almost without circling to Edgehill then weak round CHL. Increasing headwind and weak climbs on last leg spoiled an otherwise fast flight. Club at Nympsfield and Regionals at Bicester all scrubbed!?

08-Aug

Rob

C Withall

Dunstable

LEZ-WES-ELK-DUN

14:29

17:53

3:24

302

Billed as a classic but much high cloud cut off or weakened large areas. Blue and weak around Colerne so turned back early.

09-Aug

Rob

Dunstable

LEZ-COB-RAM-CHN-ABN-DUN

13:48

17:45

3:57

314

Very windy, followed weather as much as possible, but SW was better. Bases rose to 6000 around Oxford. Wave influence.

11-Aug

Steve

Dunstable

DUN-OSW-ROS-MYN-DUN

11:30

17:44

6:14

567

Up the West of Birmingham to turn back at Oswestry, and good run to ROS, and then back to the Mynd with minimum circling. Returning home, we met clag towards BIC for a cautious final glide.

20-Aug

Rob

S McLaughli

Rieti

Around Rieti

15:22

18:10

2:48

167

Local exploration, only weak lift available.

21-Aug

Rob

A May

Rieti

Cantalice - Campoli - Gualdo Tadino - Lago Ripa

12:19

18:21

6:02

412

Slow start with other competitors by grinding up to 10000' in wave before the start. Ran Campoli ridge too high and took too much height on Northern ridges, nevertheless an enjoyable day and first look for Andy. Task: 378.3 @ 103 kph.

22-Aug

Rob

S McLaughli

Rieti

Campo di Giove - Nocera Umbra - Lago Ripa

11:44

18:34

6:50

650

Great start on back of Terminillo with 8-9kt lift to 8800 then fast run E of Velino. TP1 looked difficult in blue hole and sea air on nearby mts. 3kts over turn saved the day. Sea breeze at end of Morrone ridge followed by fantastic run along Gran Sasso to Gorzano and onto Vettore, job done rest was ridge run home. Another 200k with Shaun flying followed. Best day of the week. Task: 346.9 @ 124.58kph.

Rieti collection

23-Aug

Rob

A May

Rieti

Rieti Ospeda - Pescasseroli - Norcia - Acquaspa - Lago Ripa

12:10

16:34

4:24

345

Classic first leg; 2 thermals at 4.7kts at key points, then another strong climb to reach Velano at the right height for 4th strong climb. Then fast run to N end of Gran Sasso. Weaker climb at Norcia and nearly blue home. Could probably have done it 7kph faster without turning after Norcia. Andy did all the flying just a few suggestions from me. Good training for Andy, absolutely wapped the locals! Task: 308.1 @ 131.43kph.

24-Aug

Rob

A May

Rieti

Cantalice - Campoli - Valle Longa - Gran Sasso ridge - Amatri

12:34

16:40

4:06

317

Low cloud to start, but improved for great run to Valle Longa and back to Gran Sasso. Then thick middle cloud caused us to abandon task and explore first the Gran Sasso ridge then wave to 10800' uncomfortable final glide in rain. Useful for Andy again.

08-Sep

Steve

Bicester

BIC-OAK-Ipswich-Colchester-MRM-BIC

11:41

17:02

5:21

435

Blue to most directions apart from NE. Eventually we went due E to the coast at Ipswich with reasonable streeting. Then South to Colchester, then back inland to Marham at 1530 for a cautious flight home. Ed put me low at ELY to fight my demons & I won (momentarily), Ed found a great climb at Bedford as it was finally blueing out for the day, for a gentle run back to BIC.

09-Sep

Bicester

Dunstable

11:20

12:30

1:10

15-Sep

Rob

T Rose

Dunstable

SIL-BUC-OLN-PRI

12:45

15:45

3:00

120

Essentially local with 15kt Northerly and 2500' base, but bits of wave above. Tried inflight start cold and hot, both without problem.

17-Sep

Rob

Dunstable

DID-SNO-DID-BIC-OLN

12:50

16:32

3:42

239

Blue to start with weak front approaching from W. Low out to Oxford then small burn to contact 5kts near DID. Ran into overcast with 2,000' base at Swindon, then came back into better conds between the blue further east and the clag. Unexpected and enjoyable.

19-Sep

B Craig

Dunstable

Brecon O/R

11:53

16:44

4:51

412

Launched into 20kt WSW just as convection was starting. Struggled a bit to begin with but picked up with good streets at 4,000ASL. Followed energy lines past the Malverns, little bit of wave then large street up the Usk Valley to BRE - strangely blue to the N. Beat up Pen-y-Fan then returned home over the top of the Black Mts. Best climb peaked at 7.5 to 5,600'. Cracker for late Sept.

23-Sep

P Rackham

Dunstable

DUN-SIL-LAS-BIC

13:04

16:44

3:40

283

Interesting takeoff from SW with c.8kts SE. Started @ DUN then turned west past SIL as low cloudbase. Better near BIC then followed streets to LAS with fab viz. Decided to be on glide by 1600 - took cloud climb near BIC for easy run home. Season still going...

30-Sep

Steve

T Pridgeon

Dunstable

AYL-SYW

11:24

13:32

2:08

122

Drifted downwind with the weather until it was guaranteed we couldn't get back, so started engine at Sywell, then got rained on in final glide & had to take another little burn to get in.

03-Oct

Rob

L Duhaney

Dunstable

MOR-NYM-DID-STK

10:42

15:49

5:07

328

Attempted a power flight to Talgarth. In the event a very cloudy day, some wave, some thermals and several ridges explored. Very congested and low base West of Severn so turned back at NYM.

04-Oct

Rob

Dunstable

BCL-Severn Power-DID-OXF

11:47

16:14

4:27

330

OK run to Cotswold Edge then thought about going into Wales: checked watch, saw time and date and decided against it. Nice run home round south of Brize. Visibility best I have seen for a long time, cloudbase made 4,000+ASL eventually with 2-3kts and streeting. Amazing for October. (Would have been good in June!)

07-Oct

Steve

Dunstable

HER-PRE-CRY-BLY

10:32

17:35

7:03

438

2 engine burns to the Cotswold Edge, for the first sub-cumulus soaring of the day, scrappy with wave mix. Cloud shadows suggested wave there, but couldn't connect. Valiant thermal struggle after Gt Malvern got us waffle SE of Hereford, into blue led to 6 kts and revealed an otherwise unclear wave gap. Stepped forward in stages to Radnor, then turned south to join the LGC expedition at TAL. Best height nr Cray was c 10.5k'. Took a few weak top ups in diminishing & lowering wave bars back to the Edge to ensure glide home.

08-Oct

Rob

S Astley

Dunstable

BED-LAS-HIN-DID

12:04

16:24

4:20

347

Strong Southerly not much promise. Did assisted aerotow take-off successfully from SW run. Drifted to BED in reasonable though low street.Nice street formed up which led to LAS followed another to Hinton and another to DID. 347k in a 20kt wind in October - Fab

15-Oct

R Colbeck

Bicester

BIC-TAL-LLW-TAL-BIC

12:13

17:10

4:57

353

Climbed through thin overcast, then downwind glide over 8/8 to Talgarth. Excellent E wave over site - pushed north but not much happening. Topped up to FL125 then started 150Km slog into 35kt wind... Amazingly, there were long lines of reduced sink running almost directly upwind; climbed a bit at Cheltenham, still not enough for Bicester. Again, there were energy lines, just enough to stretch the glide and these continued as we went through the clouds. Incredible we didn't have to use the engine to get back against such a wind - a really interesting and worthwhile flight!

Totals

Time

Flts

Rob