Recent News. January 12th 2013

Seemingly a late start to the 12th  but the day finished rather well.  One trial flight, a flight for another probable new member, a flight each in the PW5 for Glyn Jackson and Will Hopkirk followed by a flight in the K7 for Viv Davy. 

THEN...

A string of rotor cloud south of the mountain in the NW airflow was spotted by Glyn who rushed away to get oxygen and he and Mel Jenkins (Viv’s daughter) climbed into the Twin Astir requesting Ralph Gibson to tow them wave-wards.
Not to be out-done, Peter Cook in his Libelle and Will in the PW5 got towed there too.  Unfortunately Peter did not tow as high as the others and unable to contact, was soon back on the ground.  Glyn and Mel were working an area of rough air just SW of the York Road quarry climbed to just over 8000ft.  Will was right on to it though and staying upwind of the patches of cloud and making short beats in lift got to a very healthy 9000ft.  87 minutes for the Twin and 78 minutes for the PW5.  Three rather happy pilots I would think.  And it was good to see back at the controls of RWS,  Ralph Gibson, recently restored to good health having been flattened by an untoward lurgi.  As an aside, Glyn has been experimenting with what he calls “Pawnee Cam.” - one of the current crop of video or multi-exposure things, clamped onto a wind strut and gets a good picture of the Pawnee, its pilot and the glider behind.  There is a rather nice shot of the PW5 pulling away after release and the mountain as a back-drop.

Very nice to meet Mel who belongs to the London Gliding Club based at the famous Dunstable site.  She manages to do heaps of flying each year, but we were glad to provide her with some local soaring here.