Bright blue skies from first thing and yet a day of frustration today.
Yesterday’s Wednesday fliers had been disappointed with a strong wind thwarting plans to fly – the forecast for today was for a less windy day than yesterday but with the wind strength still likely to be a potential challenge – particularly as any flying would be taking place at the West end of the airfield, making approaches and landings ‘interesting’ to say the least.
Briefing completed Mike Sloggett had a first look at the conditions at the West end returning with news of a decision to not take any gliders out of the hangar for an hour or so – with evident optimistic hope from all present that the wind strength would reduce enough to allow some flying.
Mid-morning another look at the West end by Mike resulted in a decision that a Met flight was planned albeit that after same the gliders might well be put away!
A K21 and a Junior were soon being walked down to the other end of the airfield and Mike took Michael Maeric-Smith, a visiting member from Dartmoor Gliding Society, to see what the conditions were like – launch fine, circuit fine, approach and landing just as ‘interesting’ as expected.
It was therefore decided to tow the K21 back down the airfield where it could be safely parked in the lee of the Clubhouse, whilst Pete Startup did a hangar flight in the Junior. The winch and Launch Control were left out just in case some afternoon flying was possible.
However, after lunch it was evident that little had changed so with no likelihood of being able to soar for extended flights the risk versus reward equation of simple short circuits and ‘interesting’ approaches and landings meant an easy decision for the gliders and ground equipment to all be put away.
Thank you to everyone for the teamwork around getting set up to fly, at least we tried….- Mike Sloggett
