13 Logbook 2017

Date

Pilot

From

Task or Route

T/O

Land

Time

Kms

IGC

Pics

10-Jan

801

Steve

G Cook

Dunstable

Local

09:29

11:17

1:48

28-Jan

802

Steve

J Loadman

Dunstable

Local

11:43

12:38

0:55

24-Feb

803

Rob

C Hampson-Jones

Dunstable

Stourport O/R

11:56

15:37

3:41

264

Surprisingly good day for February. Some streeting especially near Droitwich TP, so continued to Stourport with cb 4800'.

21-Mar

804

Rob

Dunstable

Elmswell-Potton-Oxford

11:39

15:42

4:03

322

25kt flying wind. Blown downwind into East Anglia, luckily it started streeting just before we went round ELM. Some good runs but getting from one to the next required thought. Large area of post-shower nothing on the leg to OXF, just got away from BIC then street home.

02-Apr

805

Steve

P Houlahan

Dunstable

Bicester-Lake Bala O/R

11:54

17:37

5:43

435

Dunstable didn't clear as expected, so we hobbled to BIC low, started there and connected with much better conditions (= sunshine) at Banbury. Mostly pleasant out to the Mynd, & struggled a bit after that in spite of improved cb, low at Bala, but got away. Nice run home but those close to home were more gloomy about what we should expect. Dead air after BIC and a poor glide meant a light-up 10k from home. Well, it's what you expect from a first x/c of the year!

03-Apr

806

Steve

Dunstable

Docking-Pickenham

11:35

15:32

3:57

319

Met said downwind to E Anglia, cloudbase 2000' lower than advertised, unsoarable at TP2. Came back into improving conditions.

07-Apr

807

Steve

B Craig

Dunstable

Harpley-Garboldisham-Spalding

11:55

16:55

5:00

383

Low (2k') & glooky when we set off, but generally opened up going NE. At Kings Lynn, suddenly went 8/8 and we were lucky to get a low save near the first turn. Then more sun heading sth, and a Binder blinder 45k flown without turning by Bill as it streeted on the 3rd leg. More soggy again on the final leg, another low scrape away. The day didn't have much more to deliver.

10-Apr

808

M Newland-Smith

Dunstable

St Catherine's Point-Hereford

10:31

16:14

5:43

512

Quite a lot of cloud at LGC but still OK. Gentle bimble down the ridges then a blue patch past Lasham, looked like cirrus shadow. Crossed to IOW, climb just short of SCP then run out along the coast. Talked to Southampton then Bournemouth, was restricted to 3,000ASL then they asked for 2,000' which was denied! Despite the forecast, conditions improved steadily to 3-4kts to 4,500' with energy lines into wind. Spreadout from the Cotswold edge but still good climbs around, probably 100-150km left in the day and I thought I was pushing it with 500.

13-Apr

809

Rob

M Fox

Dunstable

Elmeswell-Whittingdon-Silverstone

11:10

15:17

4:07

320

Expecting spreadout generally so set a modest task to the East where forecast suggested better conditions. I think that was right, there was less mid level cloud and patches of sunshine produced some strong thermals though the cloudbase remained around 3500'. There was much wandering to find areas of lift.

15-Apr

810

J James

Dunstable

Talgarth O/R

11:45

16:52

5:07

394

Undecided as to which direction to go, went for a wander west. Not bad but some gaps and spreadout to contend with. Had a play on the ridges at Talgarth then fell back into wave behind, left at 10k then 165km final glide to LGC.

18-Apr

811

Rob

Dunstable

Local

10:33

10:50

0:17

Prop stop failed returned engine out.

18-Apr

812

Rob

Dunstable

Perranporth

Donington - Camelford

11:16

16:38

5:22

592

Improving run out to the start, then a fantastic run to begin with. After Brize, blued out and top cover, crept along the Dorset coast and climbed well south of Exeter where there was a bit of convergence. Good beyond but medium and high cover changing all the time. Downhill glide after finishing to a landing at Perranporth to soar home tomorrow. Hopefully new 400km goal record

19-Apr

813

Rob

Perranporth

Dunstable

Lands End-Four Marks-Bicester

11:33

17:10

5:37

532

Launched out of Perranporth into an uncertain sky and in the time it took to turn back over the airfield a convergence had formed overhead to 4,000+. Ran down to Penzance then crossed over to the N coast and turned Lands End. Some way back to the start, got much better past Bodmin then eventually picked up the south coast convergence which ran intermittently all the way to Lasham. Blued out beyond Benson but still lift around.

22-Apr

814

Steve

A Darby

Dunstable

Radstock-Bridgenorth

11:45

16:32

4:47

436

Didn't think it would clear at DUN, but it was ok when we set off into reasonable conditions with good cloud heading west. Then the day had a mixture of variable climbs, some good blue, some completely stable flat blue (in & out of Bridgnorth) and finally some fanstastic 7kts with cu from Redditch home. Much better than expected.

25-Apr

815

Rob

Dunstable

Weymouth-Gloucester

10:10

14:56

4:46

473

Good run out, Bournemouth let us cross the corner of their zone then round Weymouth. Went OK with climbs4kts long-term but north of Nympsfield showers started developing and cutting off the rest of the task area. Discussed pressing on but there were some big walls of snow going down to the ground which would require a bit of faith (and luck) to traverse safely. Returned home to try again another day.

05-May

816

Steve

P Brown

Dunstable

Craven Arms-Mursley-Calvert

10:35

14:55

4:20

360

A bonus to fly after previous forecasts for the day. A "sporty" day with winds aloft 25kts+, but which didn't present many streeting opportunities hoped for, particularly slow into wind. As a result, we declined the last 2 legs.

10-May

817

Rob

Dunstable

Foston-Presteigne

10:18

18:46

8:28

643

Some cloud to start with but rapidly disappeared. Gently ran on track in the blue, met some cu north of Gainsborough then a good run in and out of Foston with much higher base over York. Last cloud on the way SW near Camphill gave 6,000+ then a descending glide out. Not too bad until we got to Telford where there seemed to be virtually no lift. Flailed our way towards the Shobdon area, thought we were sunk but got away, which set the scene for the rest of the flight: glide down to field selection height, grind away in surprise, rinse and repeat. Lost the will to live about 30k out into an increasing headwind and dying lift, needed another 1,000' to make sure but it wasn't there.

14-May

818

Steve

M Peters

Dunstable

Oakington-Cherington-Feltwell-Edgehill

10:19

16:46

6:27

551

2 great showers slowed us right down, the 2nd requiring a ridiculous diversion. Abandoned when clear we couldn't complete.

21-May

819

Rob

Dunstable

Cromer Pier-Foxton-Boston

10:49

16:09

5:20

522

OK to start, bits and pieces of cirrus coming and going, not really much in the way of streeting although it sometimes looked like it. OK run back home, spreadout to start then reducing cloud amounts and finally a little street in the direction we wanted to go but not that much action. We thought the wind direction vs the clouds made the thermals rather short-lived but if you went for a big sunny patch there was usually something there.

24-May

820

Dunstable

Oakington-Swindon-Liphook-Langport

10:48

18:50

8:02

614

Almost unsoarable for the first hour or two, somehow survived topping out 1500-2000ASL. Improved a bit down to Swindon, saw 3,000 at least twice. Better run past Lasham then a kind of convergency-type thing that wasn't great. Was getting lower and lower past Yeovil, clouds almost gone, 180k from home - might as well go round the turn I thought and another convergence formed right at the TP and allowed a run out along some much lower wisps. Finally connected with about an hour of decent weather from Wells onwards, then a slowly dying sky. Took loads of excess height as was carrying most of the UK's insect population on the wings. Worked out OK in the end. Flew solo which was just as well as the thermals were pretty tight. I'm knackered, think I will go wine tasting tomorrow, not flying...

28-May

821

Steve

J Roberts

Dunstable

Kettering O/R

13:14

15:13

1:59

119

Weak, low, lots of top cover!

01-Jun

822

Dunstable

Docking-Cromer Pier-Aylesbury-Saxthorpe

10:12

17:24

7:12

704

Cumulus early at LGC, OK to start with then got rather soft down track. Deviated E a bit, not a very good run to Cromer along the coast but improved inland. Things stepped up a gear past Cambridge but spreadout made route choices critical. Good all the way out to the last turn then a big fat street as far as Mildenhall on the way back. Slight hole around Cambridge but survived and picked up again nicely. Flew solo, could really have done with a higher wingloading as was doing empty crisp packet impressions in the glide. Much better day than anticipated, probably left 150k on the table but would have been difficult to set a task given the small area promised.

03-Jun

823

Steve

J Roberts

Dunstable

Rufforth O/R

10:01

16:02

6:01

478

Probably wrong to task x-wind today. Appallingly low/slow until we reached Lincolnshire. Low point nr HusBos. Ever better into Yorkshire, and abandoned at Rufforth, looking at ever better conditions north of us, but suspicious of top cover cutting the day off back home. In the end, it wasn't anything like as bad as expected, so could have tried harder.

13-Jun

824

Steve

T Mills

Dunstable

Ashbury-Cocking-Rivar Hill

10:57

16:15

5:18

356

Strange structure to thermals (warm sector?). More low saves than ideal, but good use of the day and nice to complete. Variable on the next two legs and a little frustrating as you knew there were 3-4kt climbs around but they were difficult to locate precisely (for us).

14-Jun

825

M Clarke

Dunstable

Kidderminster-Wroughton-Evesham+100km

10:57

17:07

6:10

488

Fed up with East Anglia so tried Wales. NW not great so gave up with the task, rather unreliable typical southerly flow. Some good climbs if you tried hard and base went to over 5k. Tacked on a 100k triangle

18-Jun

826

Rob

Dunstable

Whittington-Alfreton-Rodney's Pillar-Hay on Wye

11:42

18:20

6:38

603

Not bad to start with 4k+ base locally, better than forecast. Less good after WHN as not much cu but clouds appeared on track. Negotiated a clearance through E Mids, then grovelled a bit after finally reaching a good-looking cumulus field. Some large clouds over Wales on the leg to Hay, lift still rather narrow. First 60k of the way home felt like it was dying but perked up a bit after we got away from Worcester, then not too problematic after. Sometimes the sky looked fantastic but there were rarely thermals to match it and they needed a lot of finding, centring and re-centring. Happy to complete the task.

19-Jun

827

Rob

Dunstable

Cray-Montgomery-Hay on Wye

11:59

17:35

5:36

527

After yesterday, decided on a shorter and hopefully faster task. Not bad run out but Severn Valley a bit murky. Took a while to gain enough height to get onto the Brecons and missed the street by 5mins. A bit so-so up to MON and back, cirrus coming and going led to uncertain lift. Best thermal of the day off Upper Heyford to 6,200' then a fast glide, which made up for a lot of the grinding. Again, another day where the sky looked better than the thermals - lots of surging and re-centring made the long-term average not as good as you thought it might be.

26-Jun

828

M Burton

Dunstable

Louth-Tontine-Soham

10:43

17:09

6:26

647

Bits of medium and high cover to start but reasonable climbs in light winds. Picked up nicely past Louth with 5k base and good thermals, with some convergences. Glide in and out of Tontine then another short bit of sea breeze followed by mostly climb and glide. A little sticky round March and Cambridge as the cloud cover cycled but a nice glide back from there.

02-Jul

829

Rob

H Dyer

Dunstable

Weymouth-Ledbury

11:00

16:55

5:55

504

Set 650k, but lost the will at Ledbury, could have completed with a late finish, but P2 was sick and had been for some hours. Never really got going and was later than expected at Weymouth by which time the sea breeze had pushed in 10km, so took time to get in and out. Easy enough run after that but nothing stunning.

05-Jul

830

Steve

C Hampson-Jones

Dunstable

Littleport-Hereford-Burbage

10:57

17:42

6:45

520

Better than expected with cu from Littleport, so nice running until the Malverns. Then blue & wispy to Hereford. Turning east it was clear that it was totally blueing out to the south, so we continued as far east as we could before turning sth into the blue. In the Cheltenham area, I was sorely tempted straight home with cu, but we continued on task very cautiously. Climbs were few & far between, & it did look like we'd have an engine start at Aylesbury. Pleased to complete.

12-Jul

831

Rob

R Knight

Dunstable

Brecon-Presteigne

12:00

16:37

4:37

434

Very enjoyable flight including a nice thermal off the top of Pen-y-Fan. Robbie did most of the flying and enjoyed the glider.

20-Jul

832

Rob

Dunstable

Leominster O/R

13:22

16:55

3:33

326

Waited for clearance to go through, then 1st thermal 8.6kts. Not a bad run out to the Cotswold edge, then a bit scrappy as medium cover moved through. A few showers near the TP which merged and expanded, went into the sector 10k due south but the next TP didn't really look on and would have been cut off by what was developing into a mature line.

25-Jul

833

Rob

Dunstable

Ludlow O/R

14:00

17:42

3:42

319

8/8ths at 2,000' at LGC until mid-afternoon, crept out to Bicester where it improved to 4k+. Some good climbs but long glides as well. Clouds grew bigger and bigger going west, some showers. Looked inviting into central Wales but running out of time so turned back. Weakened off on the way home so glad we did.

29-Jul

834

Steve

S Walker

Dunstable

Harpley O/R

10:06

13:29

3:23

260

Good early start just after 10am, and nice run downwind. Lots of topcover from Downham Mkt. Return into wind with increasing topcover, looked hopeless from Marham west, so was delighted to have a 3k' climb at Littleport, just about the last one. As it started light drizzle at GRL, we decided we'd done enough!

04-Aug

835

Steve

S Astley

Dunstable

Local

11:05

13:20

2:15

128

Extended local flight

06-Aug

836

Steve

V Russell

Dunstable

Louth-Ramsey-Harpley

10:22

16:15

5:53

473

A really nice day's flying. A little weak in Lincs, and again in E Anglia, but otherwise some great climbs (a few 7 kts) to max 5500'. How it should be!

20-Aug

837

Steve

H Jones

Dunstable

Ravensthorpe-Felixstowe-Halesworth-Thrapston

10:48

16:20

5:32

467

Good early start with reasonable cb, straightforward until the east coast, where climbs seemed few & far between, but good when found. Looking east suggested that the sunshine wouldn't get through, but was ok til we reached Lakenheath. Helpful USAF cleared us into the Mildenhall ATZ, but it then cycled with some sun through to the last turn. A day of lovely climbs, changing conditions, much fun.

25-Aug

838

Steve

P Rackham

Dunstable

Devizes-St Neots-Oakington-Bedford

11:53

16:10

4:17

357

Went SW first for the cu, but started too early so weak til we reached the M40. Nice conditions to Devizes with cb up to 4k. Started to blue out around Aylesbury heading east & climbs fewer & far between. Low point at St Neots, but fine after that. Nice day to go flying. With Paul Rackham.

27-Aug

839

Rob

P Warner

Dunstable

Calne-Basingstoke-Ashbury

12:16

16:23

4:07

303

Cu and weak climbs to Wantage, then blue and area of delayed start. Required an engine start at Wroughton, then decent conditions and clouds until Didcot. Blue and weak back to Dunstable.

31-Aug

840

Rob

S Routledge

Dunstable

Framlingham-Wendling

11:25

15:15

3:50

371

On the basis that the showers would hold out longest to the East and Topmeteo suggested high cloud bases in that direction, the task was set. Apart from a lower cloud base it was the way to go and we found some decent thermals. A big detour NW of track on the last leg was needed to avoid a showery area. Then landed as the first shower decended on Dunstable.

01-Sep

841

Steve

M Hayden

Dunstable

Wellington O/R

11:06

16:09

5:03

432

Good conditions with 3500' cb when started. Pretty straightforward until beyond Bristol area, when cb came down, clouds were ragged, and good climbs were rare. So we were slow with some required deviations from track. (I really don't think Topmeteo "gets" sea air). Better again coming east, one low point nr Swindon. Really good start to September!

02-Sep

842

Rob

Dunstable

Royston-Bruton-Bridgenorth

11:16

16:29

5:13

553

Originally declared Diss but got to Royston and at 2,000' we were well over the tops of some very low scraggy cu. Abandoned then thought of another task more to the W and restarted. Base a bit variable but by the time we were past Oxford it went over 4k with good climbs. Little bit of a faff going round Bruton due spreadout, then a Clearance from Bristol up to 5k helped a lot. Became very good going north with 4-5kts to 5k+, last climb 100km out then got over glide along a street that gave almost unbroken lift. Again, the forecast area of grot in the centre of the country failed to materialise. Probably 200k+ left in the day when we finished so 750OLC was on, even if it would have been difficult to declare.

14-Sep

843

Portmoak

Local

13:06

16:57

3:51

15-Sep

844

Portmoak

Local

10:04

13:43

3:39

203

03-Oct

845

Rob

Portmoak

08:38

12:42

4:04

327

04-Oct

846

Portmoak

11:26

13:18

1:52

05-Oct

847

Portmoak

08:42

17:56

9:14

1098

225:35

18870

Time

Flts

2017

Rob