13 Logbook 2010

Date

Pilot

From

Task or Route

T/O

Land

Time

Kms

IGC

Pics

01-Mar

280

Rob

Dunstable

SOU-CAS-THP-NOW

12:10

16:10

4:00

318

Nice dry air from the NW over a flooded landscape. Some good early season thermals with streeting. Cbase just made 4000'

04-Mar

281

Rob

P Hunt

Dunstable

ABN-ELY-NPT

12:13

16:25

4:12

305

Cold NE'ly produced some nice streets for a circle free first leg, they kept bending into the TMA on the second leg making for a few jumps and slowed progress. Weakened off into E Anglia but once round ELY the wind carried us home, more or less. See the Satpic sequence and how the Wash affected things, in our case NPT was in the hole, not completely dead but only weak blue thermals here.

05-Mar

282

Steve

R Berry

Dunstable

CNR-HAL

13:00

15:08

2:08

Proving flight. Proved there's room for improvement.

06-Mar

283

Rob

R Berry

Dunstable

MTM-NMT-SAC

12:02

16:55

4:53

331

Not too good around Melton Mowbray, TP was very grey so went wide, and got cornered by airspace, took some digging but eventually got under way again. Quite good after that, just half an hour late!

07-Mar

284

Steve

Rob

Dunstable

SAN-CHE

10:29

15:36

5:07

223

Nice conditions at 1030 didn't hold on after Fairford, getting lower & bluer in the Cotswolds. Engine burn at Chedworth. Then a slow pootle home into wind via Bletchley.

13-Mar

285

Steve

H Jones

Dunstable

AND-DID-THM

10:18

14:23

4:05

196

Weak day, not above 3k QNH, 4/8 to Andover, then progressive glook running North. Amazed to still get weak climbs under the overcast, until eventually it had to stop! Needed a short burn at Aylesbury to get home.

14-Mar

286

D Jamin

Dunstable

REA-GWD-SWS

11:34

15:51

4:17

323

Some nice bits with 4-5kts to 5,000'+. Some difficult patches with spreadout and sheary cores. With Daniel Jamin. Grand day out for March.

15-Mar

287

M Burton

Dunstable

ORA O/R

11:42

16:54

5:12

457

Thought we were being a bit ambitious with a 350Km task in 20-25kts. Launched when some reasonable clouds appeared, took a couple of climbs to get 20Km down track and didn't circle for the next 330Km. Amazing streets right into Wales with 4-4,500' base turned Old Radnor and only needed two streets to get all the way home. Spent 3/4hr pratting around on the hill then did another 100Km with base rising to 5,800' in a sort of convergence between 8/8ths to the N and more open sky to the S. 5-600Km+ was on if you'd known how good it was going to be - haven't flown energy lines like this in the UK for a long time.

21-Mar

288

Steve

A Harrison

Dunstable

STK-FRO-FOR-FRO

11:08

16:34

5:26

372

Very slow, especially 3rd leg, tortuous climbs to final glide, but lucky to get last little climbs at around 1615.

27-Mar

289

P Hunt

Dunstable

WOR O/R

14:23

17:40

3:17

241

Launched after last of the rain from the trough had died away. Took cloud climb to cross to the next lot of convection, then some nice streets into WOR with 8/8 beyond as far as we could see! Bit of a grovel on the way home with a drift back to Edgehill in weak lift until connected again. *! % Hinton right in the way so more unnecessary grovelling... Good to get home, though.

28-Mar

290

Rob

Dunstable

CRY-HAB-POT-WSL

12:17

17:32

5:15

527

Declared Shobdon o/r and then discovered a narrow dry slot running E-W with good streets out to the Black Mountain and back to Bedford. 5,000' base in places & good climbs. Quite a surprise but glad we decided to fly as it didn't look great in the morning with low cloud & top cover coming in.

01-Apr

291

Rob

Dunstable

OAK-BED

11:30

14:04

2:34

167

Not a bad start but influence of trough too severe and eventually went to 8/8 with embedded showers. Just got away over some very weak sunshine near Bedford, then through snow to get back to LGC. Very cold, about -5C at cloudbase over OAK.

09-Apr

292

Steve

T Rose

Dunstable

OAK-PEW

12:04

16:46

4:42

359

No LX so no trace, had to rely on Tom Rose as my computer mmm Interesting day where top cover was the issue, some long glides, but some good climbs where the sun did get through.

10-Apr

293

Steve

P Whipp

Dunstable

PIC-BIC-CAX

11:18

17:11

5:53

415

Better than expected, although a day that needed frequent change of gear. Thermals seemed small even under the bigger clouds. Lovely run from Milton Keynes to last turn and home. Paul Whipp acted as substitute LX.

16-Apr

294

Steve

P Hurd

Dunstable

FOR-STC-STK

11:16

16:40

5:24

424

Streets didn't line up quite on track, but had a couple of nice runs whilst connected with the clouds. Stokenchurch was our downfall, as we got below 2k and grovelled for ages.

17-Apr

295

Steve

H Hingley

Dunstable

RAB-GRM

12:23

18:08

5:45

312

Phew! largely low and totally blue, the hotspots delivered, especially Helen Hingley's selection of car parks, most other bits didn't. Banbury save on last leg was very welcome, last climb 6pm at Aylesbury.

18-Apr

296

L Runhaar

Dunstable

BED-ORA-CHL-SAC

12:35

18:23

5:48

579

Puzzled over the met. data then decided to go north first towards the front then run E-W to stay in the cu. Seemed to work out (for once!) with some good runs and the odd 5-6kt average. Finished task high then P2 did another 160Km to take it over 600. Another nice day - some strange smells at 6,000' (fnarr) - might have been fumes from Jeklvoklyeklloklsmeklyoblysmorgasbord...

20-Apr

297

Rob

Dunstable

TOD-BVT-BWL

10:37

17:37

7:00

633

Bit of a grind south of Salisbury on 1st leg but improved N of Frome. 5,000+ and 4-5kts, lots of shear in the thermals, though. Convergence line near Welshpool, then dead air in and out of Bwlch - had enough to glide to Mynd and ridge soar if necessary, no problem. Wind at Mynd blowing from just E of N so not much good. Finally realised we needed to get back the other side of the convergence but not quite enough height to do it with. Relit to next thermal then soared home - bit frustrating but you learn something every flight...

22-Apr

298

Rob

Dunstable

GUI-NPT-PIC

10:03

18:37

8:34

814

10am start - first climb 6kts to nearly 4,000' but as we went north it was only just starting to convect. Blue over N York Moors however good climbs to 6K. Followed convergence to Humber then trickier with poor vis and sheared climbs to NPT. Surprised by nice round, strong thermals in E Anglia for the last turn. Crept home under top cover but towns working OK.

23-Apr

299

Steve

A Sampson

Dunstable

RIV-PET-THE-RAR

11:44

18:04

6:20

509

Blue, some long glides, but some good climbs, getting more sparse as the day wore on. Northampton delivered well on the way in & out of the final TP. Was pleased to complete this task.

24-Apr

300

Steve

M Smith

Dunstable

MAN-BIC

12:25

16:50

4:25

228

Abandoned 350 at BIC on the way to MEM. Appaling vis, it worked only over the hot spots, and at BIC, Martin Smith suggested the call of the bar could be heard.

27-Apr

301

Rob

P Ligertwoo

Dunstable

SAX-WEC

11:19

16:00

4:41

373

Not a good task, had to pass through a poor blue hole between Cambridge and East Dereham twice! then thwarted by the ever thickening cirrus.

04-May

302

Rob

Dunstable

LA7-ENW-BEA-SNW-LA7-DUN

09:00

16:56

7:56

793

Position to Lasham, start 0945, quite soarable. Interesting ridge run to ENW and back in the pleasant company of 102. Left the ridges and a good cross/tailwind run to BEA - Southampton ATC very helpful with a VFR transit. Better than expected leg into-wind with good energy lines. Turned SNW ahead of some 8/8 coming in then fairly straightforward back to Lasham to finish high. Soared back to LGC - looked iffy but was actually working fine.

06-May

303

Steve

Rob

Dunstable

BED-SWA-WRM-NAW

11:57

16:47

4:50

416

Slow moving edge of front required remote start. Conditions ever better into East Anglia, then weaker after Cambridge coming back. Long blue (Wash influenced?) gap, maybe 30k, to reach Wellingborough, where the remains of the front made the run into Naseby slow. Interesting & enjoyable flight.

09-May

304

Rob

D Crisp

Dunstable

NOW-CRY + BGC O/R

11:37

17:30

5:53

524

Left a grey drizzly Dunstable to find first climb over Milton Keynes. After NOW, a superb almost circle free run to the M5 with cloudbase quickly climbing to 4500', delightful run along the Brecons and back. Some huge effortless thermals on the return leg. Dunstable was still grey on the return!

11-May

305

Rob

Dunstable

Darlton-Chichester-Sandhill Far

10:14

16:29

6:15

611

Difficult tasksetting with much conflicting data. Eventually decided to stick to the centre of the country to stay away from the trough(s) to the west and wind/moist air to the east. Excellent into-wind run to DRL, several climbs of 8kts. Snow showers approaching the turn then ever increasing spreadout heading south - workable up to around Bicester then deviations required to stay up. OK around CHI but long glides back until 30Km from SAN when skies opened up again. Base 4,000-5,500 in places, good climbs where the sun stayed out. Some really nice runs and some fairly challenging episodes.

13-May

306

Rob

Dunstable

Guisborough-Royston-Beverley

08:53

19:56

11:03

913

9am start, glide out to 1300' for first thermal. Not too bad a run on the 1st leg but spreadout started on the way south of the Humber and led to much deviation and faffing in/out of Royston. Big plates of layer cloud on the way north again but some good climbs of 5-6kts. Final leg home became more and more difficult with 90deg deviations to stay up - eventually lost the battle in the circuit at Crowlands. Climbs were OK for most of the day but we found them tricky to locate, centre in and stay centred!

14-May

307

Steve

A Paul

Dunstable

Cromer Pier-Foxton-Langham

10:02

16:48

6:46

578

A day of major deviations. A couple of stunning runs along the Norfolk coast, photos by Aidan Paul. A number of 5kt climbs & cloudbase maxxed at 5200', very nice. Serious topcover in the Cambridge area, and again dead from Wyton back home. No more deviations possible, so lit up at Bedford.

15-May

308

Steve

G Lynn

Dunstable

Sutton Bank O/R

11:24

17:28

6:04

538

Some spreadout, but generally a good day. Nice climbs & no big deviations today. Happy anniversary Gillie - you're a smashing P2 x

17-May

309

Rob

Dunstable

Buckfastleigh-Alton-Bicester

11:08

17:26

6:18

613

Some spreadout, but geneNearly didn't fly as it didn't look good at LGC with showers and lots of spreadout. Gently went down track and conditions slowly improved, then good past Swindon. Short run on convergence past Lyme Regis then climb & glide into BUK. Picked up sea breeze again near Axminster then a great run along the south coast: got clearance from Bournemouth & Southampton between 4 & 5,000' and managed to stay between 4.5 & 5K all the way through many thanks to the ATC units. Glide into ALT rewarded with 6kts to 5.5K then a street to Newbury. Nice climb over DID to 6,300ASL then home. Fantastic views of south coast from an area we seldom fly in, great day.

18-May

310

Rob

Dunstable

Jedbrough O/R

09:38

19:28

9:50

888

Started at 0945, first climb 5kts to 4,700' shortly after then some long glides into weaker and lower conditions under altostratus. Eventually into the blue north of Newark - ran in low to Cottam power station which was producing a pillar of cloud that went up to 8,000'+. IMC climb which got us into a weak convergence after the Humber.Tricky until reached the N York Moors, then followed sea breeze up the coast until past Newcastle, then an amazing run in and out of the turn over the Borders. Came back down the Pennines then transferred back to the east. Cloudbase over the Moors was now nearly 8K, good run as far as Grantham, then into spreadout and poor vis. Followed what lift there was left in the sky and was on glide but lost out due to bugs/bad air/bad piloting. Tiny trickles over Milton Keynes at 1930 but not enough. 400' short of a sensible finish height... Oh well, was a fantastic flight, thanks Rob & all the ATC guys who helped out today.

21-May

311

Steve

T Mills

Dunstable

Newark-Daventry

09:48

14:34

4:46

304

OMG! Mostly low, weak & slow to Newark, then top cover killed what there was. Lit up shortly after, but lost the will to live. Ed had told me to go to work.

22-May

312

Rob

S Carmicha

Dunstable

Enstone-Stoney Stratford

13:34

16:34

3:00

145

Blue and very reluctant, eventually a few hours of weak thermals to 2700 asl.

24-May

313

Rob

J Jeffries

Dunstable

Caxton Gibbet-Cray Recservoir

11:54

18:20

6:26

528

Task designed to stay in the cumulus band and in that respect sucessful. West of the Malverns although the cloudbase reached 6000' the thermals were extremely weak and difficult to work. Cray was a 45 km glide in and back to a soarable area, and but never found a climb good enough to get away from low altitude. Lit up near Hereford

27-May

314

Rob

Dunstable

Ivybridge-Grafham Water

10:27

16:37

6:10

672

Trough cleared LGC around 9am to leave low congested cu. Started 1030, cloudbase c.3000'ASL but some good slow speed energy runs. Improved past Swindon, then OK run Yeovilton - Exmouth no sea breeze evident but higher bases just over the coast. Run home good, slight slower patch downwind of the Somerset Levels but soon recovered to 4-5kts/5,000'+. A little bit of spreadout but no real problem. Cracking views of south coast on the way in and out, nice not to have to use the last dregs of the day for a change. Quite fast at 111.3 kph.

28-May

315

Steve

T Pridgeon

Dunstable

Malton-Souham-Darlton

09:27

18:14

8:47

761

Nice to have a really good day, but inevitable that first and last legs would be challenging. Lots of 5 kt climbs, good cloudbase (max 6k). Steve's first 750km in the UK.

30-May

316

Rob

A Hobbs

Dunstable

Brecon SW O/R

12:07

19:51

7:44

434

Absolutely stunning run into a 20 knot wind, sky opened quickly after a lot of spreadout just before launch. Quite a few gliders in wave over South Wales, which contrived to mash low level thermals. Having got enough height to slide onto Hay Bluff, suddenly poor air and we are left floundering for a climb. 1:25 minutes later we try again for Hay Bluff, interestingly with the same height as before but decide to focus on the low level Talgarth ridge which produces. Run in and out of Brecon straightforward and the plan is to contact wave off the Black Mountains ridge, it was working all afternoon but by the time we tried the convection was too weak to contact. Did get a 10 mile run on wave past Pontrilas which led to a pair of stunning Cloud streets, perfect for a free ride to Lasham! Took last climb at 7pm but gave up at Thame totally exhausted. Adrian was great company but this was not the day for the heaviest club member!

04-Jun

317

Steve

N Perren

Dunstable

Yattendon-Tuxford

11:10

16:21

5:11

426

Very nice initially with strong deep climbs until half way up the 2nd leg when it started to overdevelop, then it blued out past Newark and was very weak apart from the isolated 4 or 5 kts on the way home. Very weak from Kettering. I thought earlier I'd under-declared, but maybe not.

05-Jun

318

Steve

Dunstable

Wittering

07:35

08:22

0:47

Position Wittering for Inter Club League.

05-Jun

319

Steve

J Innes

Wittering

Melton Mowbray-Newark-Crowland Bridge

12:59

16:29

3:30

177

ICL at Wittering, poor conditions, made it to the last turn but couldn't get the last couple of hundred feet needed, so lit up in the Crowland circuit.

05-Jun

320

Steve

Wittering

Dunstable

16:35

17:26

0:51

11-Jun

321

Steve

D Evans

Dunstable

Bidford O/R

14:53

17:20

2:27

192

Spent the morning adding up the numbers in Milton Keynes & saw the first of the sunshine coming through at lunchtime. 3pm launch at DUN was a bit ahead of the clearance of the clag, but deviating north got us into the sunshine. Some good but not high climbs until top cover short of the turn. Easy run home. Good to have earned in the morning to pay for the launch.

12-Jun

322

Rob

Dunstable

Warcop (Cumbria) O/R

10:37

18:26

7:49

659

Slow clearance at LGC but not too bad for the first 100Km, then more spreadout and deviation. Every now and then a 5kt climb but any streets formed crosswind so not many runs. Lots of cycling, gritted teeth and crossed Pennines but TP just too far away for comfort. Bit of a struggle on the way home with sea air coming a long way inland.

16-Jun

323

Rob

D Bennett

Dunstable

Devizes-Cambridge

11:04

16:40

5:36

378

Set the right task for the conditions, then upped it to 500 just before take-off in the light streets on track. It did provide a circle free ride to abeam Wantage, then virtually blue in and out of Devizes and slow here. Put a number of short little runs to get into wind. Getting a little low at Henlow highlighted the difficulty in getting back to the working band. Called it a day at LGC rather than continue to Oxford.

17-Jun

324

Rob

P Rackham

Dunstable

Lasham-Eastbourne-Butser Hill- Eastbourne-Butser Hill-Dunstable

11:04

17:28

6:24

539

A lot of flights on the S Downs yesterday and a similar wind encouraged me to fly. Low blue at LGC for most of day, so took the shortcut - climb to 5500' by Thame and started soaring just past Reading. Good enough to get to ridge. First run on ridge but wind angle made us a little cautious, decent cu and climbs appeared over London and South. So second run predominantly in thermal. VG S of Lasham then completely blue! Tiptoed across to Chilterns into and amazing late afternoon sky (cold air advection I think) which lasted well into the evening. Fascinating and fun flight.

21-Jun

325

A Garfield

Dunstable

Gainsborough-Bletchley-Frome

12:21

18:28

6:07

609

Good to start with, then became more moist towards GAI. Run back well west of track as very spreadout to the E. Nice run from BLY to about 40Km from FRO where it went 8/8. Took extra 500' in cloud, max glide in and out, little dribbles under the glook - finally got away again near Marlborough. A bit of spread on the way home but not a problem. Much better conditions in places than anticipated, although the cores were easy to miss and seemed short-lived. If you got it just right there was 5-6kts but mostly 3-4Kts. Another great day!

22-Jun

326

Rob

V Blaxill

Dunstable

Great Ashfield-Swanton Morley-Elmsfield W-Northampton W

13:16

17:40

4:24

411

Ran to Newmarket with only a few circles as conditions steadily improved Eastwards. The sea breeze was evident but ragged about 10k to the East and didn't attract a detour although the shape of the task was designed to use it. Conditions gave regular 3-4kts, but there were always the odd 5-6kts to keep searching for, hence a couple of low points! Clouds ended at Bedford airfield and we looked down on the inversion ahead. Apart from slowing us down it worked well enough.

23-Jun

327

I Reekie

Dunstable

Reedham-Docking-Devizes

11:15

17:34

6:19

612

A bit blue to start with the odd haze cap/small cu under cirrus cover. Improved towards the coast, met sea breeze at REE, followed convergence to 30Km from DOC. In and out in the blue, bit sheary, then better run as far as Bletchley where it went nearly blue and quite difficult. Eventually realised that something was going on further south and once deviated under the cu near Didcot, 5kts & 5,500' with no top cover. Three 'streets', one to the south through the danger areas, one to the north through Lyneham and one to DEV, just right! I think it must have been a convergence as it ran at least into Somerset with blue to either side. Great run from then on, hardly any circling. Heat low forming over SE England?

24-Jun

328

Rob

S Bowles

Dunstable

Rougham Field-Earith-Abingdon Bridge + Northampton O/R

11:58

17:01

5:03

416

Where to go? Eventually went East which produced an easy enough route but cloudbase was never higher than 3600' Earith was under thick cover and a dive in and out was required. Then confronted with a wide black band, so headed for the sunny side and climbed in massive lift to 4700' way above the tops of the cu we had been climbing under! Ran for 40km then we were back to 3500' cloudbase but at least it kept working. Another of these "dry" bands took us to Abingdon and beyond and eventually the height to finish the task. After finishing the task the skies opened and conditions boomed, did NOS and back for the hell of it. Well worth flying for the experience.

25-Jun

329

Steve

E Drew

Dunstable

Feltwell-Gainsborough

11:07

16:31

5:24

425

Cloudbase dropped as we went into East Anglia, leading to really weak overcast conditions from Feltwell to about Spalding. Slowed us down so much that we had to abandon the 600k attempt (to DNW & MYN) at Gainsborough. Shame, should have avoided the sea air & gone west.

26-Jun

330

Steve

Dunstable

Brecon SW - Conway S

11:32

18:02

6:30

624

A triumph of tasksetting over reality. Very murky start but reasonable climbs, became clearer over the Cotswolds. Unreliable from Cheltenham until Ross, then back into good weather. Almost blue at BSW, lines of cloud going c.30deg east of track, followed to Newtown then bent left towards TP. About 50Km out, clouds stopped to be replaced with murk and stratus - seriously considered turning back but got to 6,200' and started long glide out... Some weak climbs to 4K, round Conwy then blue: got away from 1,400AGL 10Km west of Lleweni Parc, climb built then cloud formed underneath! Some sort of sea air incursion which we ran back into the good weather. Fine until Bicester then decayed to blue with increasing headwind but had enough margin to cope. Fascinating flight in all sorts of conditions.

27-Jun

331

Steve

S Hayley

Dunstable

Salisbury South-Yeovil-Salisbury South-Buckingham

11:36

17:13

5:37

430

Tried to exploit the convergence suggested by RASP, but all we really found was sea air incursion coming straight up the peninsula, which was fascinating but not helpful, so abandoned attempt to get down to Bovey Tracey.

28-Jun

332

P Sharp

Dunstable

Heyford Station-Humber Bridge-Boston

11:44

17:06

5:22

474

Declared HEY-HUM-BUN 600 FAI. Grotty run in the blue to BIC, hardly working at all to 2,000AGL. Climbs got better 2nd leg, cu from Corby onwards, very nice up at the Humber. Gave up on the task at Boston as looked blue in E. Anglia and there hadn't been the hoped-for convergence on the E coast. Run back 4-5kt climbs and 6K+ bases but felt like it wasn't going to last much longer. Spend much of the north-bound leg on the radio to Cottesmore, Cranwell, Waddington and Humber.

30-Jun

333

Rob

Dunstable

Rodney's Pillar-Gainsborough Power Station

11:57

17:25

5:28

528

Rather damp'n'low to start with, improved beyond Bicester. Variable cloudbase but 4kts+ was there if you could find it. Little claggy into ROD, nice run past Alton towers and into TP2. Looked good on the way home but had a sticky patch near Melton which slowed us down a bit. All in all a good day, task length about right as didn't have to struggle too much at either end.

03-Jul

334

Steve

M Hayden

Dunstable

Sixpenny Handley-Saxthorpe-Bungay-Enstone

09:29

19:02

9:33

776

Started before 10 with good cu, slow but uneventful to the SW, nice run back to the NE until we ran into the cirrus which slowed us down significantly sth of the Wash. At SAX, we decided to go & look at the coast & were considering abandoning to get back in the sunshine, but were tempted sth by the sea breeze which was doing its thing east of Norwich. Shortly after Bungay, back into the sunshine and a really good into-wind leg. All but ran out of day at Banbury, slow & marginal glide home from ENS.

05-Jul

335

H Schuricht

Dunstable

Sennybridge-Oswestry-Stratford

11:26

16:33

5:07

524

Rather misty and murky when I got to the Club and the satpic was full of cloud. Decided to go to Wales and look for wave as it was showing up on the hires image, declared a wavy task just in case. Not a bad run out, lots of spreadout but good climbs. No wave to speak of so did the rest of the task in thermals. Apart from missing a few climbs in central Wales and a glide in and out of OSW under spreadout, it was really nice. One cloud on last leg gave a 204Km final glide at 177kph! Probably a 750 day if you knew in advance where it was going to be good.

11-Jul

336

Rob

Fuentemilanos

Moncayo-Gredos Mountains

12:53

18:50

5:57

685

123.3 kph. First flight at Fuente, high launch into the San Ildefonso valley, good convergence on the ridge to 10,000'. Ran E as far as the Moncayo, then back to the Guadarrama where the convergence had moved N of the mountains. Transferred to a shower line/trough NW of Fuente with base >13K, so much lift we had great difficulty getting below the airspace on the way home, had to resort to airbrakes...

12-Jul

337

Rob

Fuentemilanos

Avila-La Granja

13:29

18:02

4:33

399

Less cloud, not so strong today, some cirrus cover to begin with. Went 15Km further E than the last cu, found the energy line had moved S towards the TMA on return, had to ridge soar until it perked up again. Tried to go W into the blue beyond Avila but sank lower and lower, so came home.

16-Jul

338

Rob

Fuentemilanos

Gredos-Embalse Gabriel y Galan

14:00

19:53

5:53

458

First flight after three stable blue days. Difficult getting away, tried to go E but barely soarable. Scraped up from the local hills, improved going past Villacastin in the blue, saw a few shreds of cloud on the inner range, SW of Avila. Made contact with a forming line which went from 9,000' to 12,000' going W, then onto the S face of the Gredos. Left the mountains and went 35Km west of Bejar; returned via the Gredos and a 125Km final glide.

17-Jul

339

Rob

Fuentemilanos

Somosierra-Santa Maria, Portugal inc double run on Gredos

12:19

20:14

7:55

827

109.86 kph. Good locally to start with, tried once more to go E, got as far as Santa Tome where the convergence headed off into the TMA yet again. Came back W, up the high Gredos valley past El Barco, Bejar and onto the Sierra de Gata, with the odd cu over the high point of the ridgeline. Thermals surprisingly good over the lower mountains, even in the blue, so ran into Portugal just beyond Penamacor. Came back the same route, added a leg over the central Gredos then got back onto the Guadarrama which was still working at 1930 with large cu over the tops.

18-Jul

340

Rob

Fuentemilanos

Local

11:51

12:12

0:21

Prop stop cable breaks.

19-Jul

341

Rob

Fuentemilanos

Soria-Palencia-Seron de Nagima-Almanzor, Gredos etc

11:30

20:36

9:06

1259

Aerotow. Launched into stunning convergence, first 217Km @179Kph on one lap of the Guadarrama, turned Soria then ran a band of cu out towards Palencia at 11K+ then back E as far as Gomara. Rejoined the Mountains which didn't work that well until past Tome, where it went mega, with 12K+ bases again until half-way down the Gredos. Another 243Km went by without turning @175Kph. OLC gives 1,049Km @142.7Kph; actual distance 1,260Km @144.5Kph... We can see why people fly here!

20-Jul

342

Rob

Fuentemilanos

Almazan-Bejar-Covaleda

12:10

20:47

8:37

1021

Aerotow. Declared an FAI 1,000Km triangle but after a good start, it went blue on track with storms over the first TP near Teruel. Ran a minor convergence to get back on the ridge, which was being damped down by spreadout. Amazing line from Segovia to El Barco, best lift underneath wisps ahead of the clouds, flew at an average of nearly 100Kts for 45mins. Turned the top of the Gredos near Bejar, came back along the Guadarrama then headed N to Quintanar; the clouds were getting huge with tops >25K but no showers. Trickier coming back with lots of cloud at many levels and good thermals quite rare.

22-Jul

343

Rob

Fuentemilanos

Gata Mountains

13:23

19:36

6:13

620

NW wind and low-looking cloud just off the hills. Climbed up on one of the spines and found drier air coming up the S side nearly 2,000' higher base. Crept round/under/through the airspace with not much AGL, improved over the Gredos, ran above cloudbase for a while on the S side. Brief visit to the Gata, then back via El Barco. Soggy air until Villacastin then best conditions over the plains as the hills had overconvected.

23-Jul

344

Steve

Fuentemilanos

Local

12:57

13:22

0:25

Prop stop cable breaks again.

23-Jul

345

Steve

Fuentemilanos

15:55

19:08

3:13

207

Aerotow.

24-Jul

346

Steve

Rob

Fuentemilanos

Gredos Mountains

12:38

16:28

3:50

330

Aerotow. Struggle to get away from aerotow and only just able to connect with convergence near the Franco Monument with the conv. edging southwards into airspace, then tiptoe along convergence to the West until clear of airspace over the Gredos. Then nice double run on the Gredos.

25-Jul

347

Steve

T Hutchings

Fuentemilanos

12:09

17:27

5:18

298

Aerotow. Totally blue.

26-Jul

348

Steve

G Lynn

Fuentemilanos

12:56

17:03

4:07

236

Aerotow. Blue and fairly difficullt again. Stunning scenery though.

27-Jul

349

Steve

T Hutchings

Fuentemilanos

10:45

18:06

7:21

613

Aerotow. Blue again,but a decent day.

28-Jul

350

Steve

G Lynn

Fuentemilanos

12:56

17:04

4:08

325

Aerotow. Unlikely day, blue again, tricky at the end.

05-Aug

351

Rob

Dunstable

Aston Down

Position

10:58

14:05

3:07

171

Soared across to Aston Down.

08-Aug

352

Rob

D Bennett

Aston Down

AD-Northampton S-Rutland-Caxton Gibbet-Elkstone-AD

11:49

16:38

4:49

387

Open Nationals Day 1 - Overcast beyond Northampton but still convective inc 7kt climb near Sibson. Excellent run home once reaching the sun near Gransden. 1st at 105.5kph

09-Aug

353

Rob

D Bennett

Aston Down

AD-Great Malvern-AD

11:38

14:17

2:39

101

Some weak wave soaring ahead of approaching front. Contest called off after getting airborne.

11-Aug

354

Rob

P Hunt

Aston Down

4Hr AAT - East Anglia Tewksbury

12:50

17:32

4:42

460

Day 2 - Beset by problems; Prop drive belt broke on start up. Then Logger froze towards the end of flight. Lucky to salvage a score. Sky past Cambridge looked good but was weak compared to West. Should have done more distance in West. 2nd.

15-Aug

355

Rob

D Bennett

Aston Down

AD-Edgehill-Calvert-Moreton in the Marsh-Tetbury-AD

13:27

16:29

3:02

203

Day 3 - Very weak at start and looked liked staying that way. Started early and struggled in weak low convection. Day suddenly switched on at 1530 and all the late starters did well. 6th and finished 2nd overall

15-Aug

356

Rob

S May

Aston Down

Dunstable

Position

19:32

20:26

0:54

100

Finally persuaded Siobhan to take a flight!

22-Aug

357

Steve

P Candler

Dunstable

Bletchley-Swannington-Bottesford-Dunstable

10:10

15:32

5:22

419

Poor first leg with cloud base dropping into Norfolk, small cores, and running from the top cover, then someone switched the day on, we had a romp coming West. Slow grind back.

09-Sep

358

Steve

T Claiden

Dunstable

Chipping Norton-Sandy

11:28

15:07

3:39

229

Showers & dead patches following showers made for an entertaining flight

09-Sep

359

Rob

T Claiden

Dunstable

Local

16:04

16:21

0:17

17-Sep

360

Steve

Dunstable

Oakington-Eyebrook-Belvoir Castle

13:56

16:52

2:56

284

Late launch after rigging. Some stunning streets and a couple of lovely 6 kt climbs. Should have worn our long johns.

20-Sep

361

Rob

Dunstable

Stratford on Avon-Honeybourne

13:08

16:22

3:14

205

Pretty windy and included a long scratch near Chipping Warden.

02-Oct

362

Steve

R Dowty

Dunstable

Cranfield

12:02

12:38

0:36

Photo shoot with the K16. Returning south, attempted engine start failed (possibly not fully erected?), necessitating landing Cranfield.

02-Oct

363

Steve

R Dowty

Cranfield

Dunstable

12:50

13:48

0:58

Return from Cranfield. Some weak wave over Mursley.

16-Oct

364

Steve

Dunstable

Butser Hill-Eastbourne NW-Butser Hill x 2

10:24

15:47

5:23

563

Waited for low cloud @LGC to lift a bit then position down to the ridge. Lots of cloud on the western end to start with, opened out nicely later. Plenty of others enjoying the conditions - good mostly but went off a little bit on the 2nd lap in places so kept a bit higher/slower after. Just made it through trough/front to return to LGC, glider now very clean!

24-Oct

365

Steve

T Pridgeon

Dunstable

Butser Hill-Lewes NW-Butser Hill

11:11

16:10

4:59

369

2 burns to get onto Butser, down to Lewes, much weaker on the ridge than I've had before, then hung around Parham trying to use the convection, lit up again at Butser. Soaring started from Reading, some nice climbs to 3500' QNH, and soared home. Tom Pridgeon says it was just like summer but colder! Lovely flight.

06-Nov

366

Steve

R Colbeck

Dunstable

Woburn-Eyebrook

12:27

15:09

2:42

161

Fun flight for this time of year. Initially very shallow glides before having to top up, then some streeting improved things, but some awkward glides across the streets. Eventually we saw 3000', and on one occasion a 3kt climb. Sometimes 130k feels like 500! Perfect forecasting of start and finish times by Andy Roch. Rog Colbeck had a blast.

23-Nov

367

Rob

A Kefford

Dunstable

Stoney Stratford-Winslow

12:08

13:16

1:08

Exercise glider, engine and me.

04-Dec

368

Rob

D Jamin

Dunstable

Bletchley-Aylesbury

11:45

12:39

0:54

General airing.

436:33

36422

Time

Flts

2010

Rob