Recent days have been bright but cold due to an easterly component in the wind, imposing a significant wind chill factor. There was no weather summary today by Andy. Was he missing? Well yes, from Brentor. He and a few others (Phil and Richard) were at Denbigh, Llwenni Parc in Wales. How did you guess?
What would the day bring? RASP had the wind from the east, high cloud base, seemingly suppressed thermal activity in the morning and then developing in the afternoon. Could that suppression be caused by wave? Skysight didn't think so, as it was forecasting the wind from the southeast. I am not a Skew T expert, but I don't think it was forecasting wave either. But, then there is the "Mary Tavy hydraulic jump" and as the Wednesday Wavers say "never say never to wave at Brentor".
Recent social media chat had been about wave and lenticulars in various parts of the world. Tempting but probably unreachable for the average DGS member.
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Holiday snaps from my father showing some beautiful lenticulars in a place few of us will ever visit, let alone fly. Tierra del Fuego |
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| Steve Fletcher spotted these clouds in southern Chile on his hols |
Holiday snaps are all very well but what of the team at Denbigh? Well, they enjoyed wave, or at least Andy did. However, the DGS achievements were eclipsed by Chris Gill and Geoff Burtenshaw flying an Arcus M 615km from Lleweni Parc in Wales, across the Irish Sea to Northern Ireland then back across to Scotland, and then to land at Carlisle airport in England. All four countries that comprise the United Kingdom in a single flight. Impressive stuff!
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Andy's view looking west from Lake Bala at 11,000 feet |
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| Chris Gill and Geoff Burtenshaw's flight across the Irish Sea, twice! |
Back to the present. What did the day bring for those at Brentor? The Duty Instructor's take on the forecast was that RASP predicted a high cloud base at the start of the day with an Easterly wind direction but no wave. In reality, and contrary to the forecast, 20 minute showers of very light rain were rolling across the moors which delayed activity. When they had cleared, a K-13 and the Astir CS77 were deployed to the west end launch point. The first launch was at 1150, which was almost two hours lost to the weather and to the initially small number of Wednesday Wavers.
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The day started with John Smith and his crew continuing the work on the conversion of the bus
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| The delay in starting to fly gave the DCFI, Peter, ample time to give John and Neal some sage advice. |
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This was the high cloud cover. The wind direction was marked by the burning of some of the land east of Tavistock
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Neal Oxley had the K-13 to himself for training purposes; today circuits and launch failures |
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| Neal returns to earth after another training flight |
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| Chairman, Steve Lewis, gives Steve Fletcher some advice on the Astir CS77 |
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| Instructor Mike about to level Steve's wings prior to launch |
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| Peter ready for his launch in the Astir CS77 |
After Peter's 13-minute flight, and achieving "Man of the Match", Dave Archer took the K-13 for a circuit.
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Malcolm returns to the airfield after his 12-minute flight. Shock at Brentor.
The "LiftMeister" has been usurped! |
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| Determined to see what the fuss this gliding malarkey all about, Christine Oxley, tries her hand under the watchful eye of Mike. Photo for the family album taken by husband Neal. |
There followed more training flights, launch failures, and as a passenger for IFP Steve Fletcher keeping his hand in, for Neal
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At the end of the day, clear progress made by John and Colin on the bus conversion
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| Lenticular clouds to the north of Brentor. "Never say never to wave at Brentor" |
"A very productive day in both the air and on the ground. Fourteen flights and good progress on Neal's training. Thanks all". Mike
Gavin Short
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