Day 2 was much less classic but a lot of fun was still had by Lasham members at Deeside Gliding Club at Aboyne. The first expedition flight in the morning contacted south-westerly wave to 7,000ft, but we (John and Helen) were forced to descend as the gap threatened to close. This set the pattern for the day: lots of low-level cloud periodically narrowing the gaps. Kevin and David reached around 12,500ft in 775; and Geoff, who arrived yesterday, got his first flight at Aboyne this year, soaring to 12,500ft with John, also in the Duo.
Darren Smith, though, is today’s star pilot. After a check ride with John, he took Discus SH4 soaring. This was Darren’s first solo flight from Aboyne, his first ever solo wave flight – and he got to within 500ft of his Gold height. He had the excellent judgment and the willpower to break off the climb at just above 13,000ft because the wave gap was closing – good call but bad luck!
A happier badge claim story, from yesterday: congratulations to Nicki Marchant, another Lasham visitor, who got her Diamond height in LS6c 335, topping out at 21,000ft. Nice to see all the wave boxes in use! After ten years of trying for the height, this completes her Diamond Badge.
Above: Darren Smith in front of the Lasham Discus, SH4, after an
impressive first solo wave flight (Pic: Helen Evans)
Above: Kevin, soaring in 775 with David Williams, took this
photograph of Darren Smith at around 12,000ft just north-west of the site (Pic:
Kevin Wood)
Above: a much less classic sky above Aboyne today – visiting
and local pilots head out to the west end of the field to retrieve an imminent number
of gliders landing before the gaps close
(Pic: Helen Evans)
Above: Nicki Marchant, having flown her Diamond height
yesterday, is pictured today after another wave climb, this time to 13,500ft
(Pic: Helen Evans)
Geoff now has to work out how the wave myth was sustained on his flight! Was there a helicopter pulling the glider up on a cable? Seriously there is nothing worse that travelling on an expedition and getting nothing. However much you say it all averages out over the years, it is good to know that good conditions really do happen to balance out the grot
ReplyDeleteEb Grimshaw (who tends to dog me on these trips... and I feel obligated to report him in full) says:
ReplyDelete"OK so wave DOES seem to exist in some form or other... but the half has clearly not been told us. And I still suspect that many of these lift areas are nothing more than long thin thermals. Often it's quite rough up there... +4 -4 in rapid succession... not at all the 'smooth extensive lift area" that John Symmonds keeps going on about. Also there are 'wave bars' with CORNERS... I've seen them with my own eyes!
Clearly I shall have to investigate in depth and report back, as always, in my column of frank and fearless gliding exposees 'Post Initio'... telling struggling learners what no-one else is telling them.... in your wonderful 'Rising Air' magazine of course..."
Incidentally (Geoff here again) I also saw Mr Grimshaw fearlessly grilling Tim Lean over dinner in one of the local hostelries. It seems that most of what we've all been taught about aerodynamics is also very much 'Janet and John' too, so Eb is threatening to expose it all himself if I can't persuade Tim to 'publish and be dammed'!
Anyone fancy the Editor's job?
Geoff Martin