Jaca 2015

Day 3

Trying to relate the weather information at the morning briefing to what we could see the windsock doing meant that it would be anyone’s guess what the wind on the airfield would do during the day. The local instructor’s estimate was “light on surface, no more than 5kts”

Once the gliders were parked and ready to go we then dithered a bit as there were no clouds to indicate that the wave was working. It was only when the local gliders lined up that we decided it was time to book a place on the runway. The first glider to launch was back on the ground very quickly, and then the next two spent a fair time trying to stay airborne just above circuit height.

As the two gliders climbed away we launched and found that the rotor thermals were actually working in the valley and that the upper wind was from the North East. We climbed in company with Merv Saunders in his DG 1000 and after about 45 mins contacted the secondary wave over the valley at around 9000ft. For a few thousand feet the climb rate was around 13kts up and also the wind had increased to about 60kts. By 13,000ft the climb rate had reduced and finally we topped out at 14,900ft.

The Duo Discus with Hugh and Martin Holliwell took the alternate route into the wave via the rotor thermals along the Hecho valley, and then into the primary system. They also topped out at around 15’000ft. When we descended back into the circuit we were somewhat surprised to find that the surface wind was now 25kts from the west.

On the second flights in the afternoon we found that the conditions had clearly changed and it proved to be impossible to transition into the wave system from the rotor thermals in the valley. Both the P2’s enjoyed the challenge working the rough thermals, but after nearly three hours of trying the cold took over and we landed around 6pm. 20mins later Merv landed in his DG having been airborne for 6 hours and a max height of FL 195.

The eat out this evening was at the airfield and it proved to be an excellent spread.