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.