First Flying Day of 2016

A Happy New Year to all from Stratford on Avon Gliding Club!

After the recent rain storms and a severe lack of flying due to a saturated airfield, the traditional January 1st flying day wasn’t looking promising.

A small bunch of pilots turned out looking hopeful for some flying and Andy S went off in search of anywhere we could operate a glider safely. When he didn’t return for a while, we considered sending out a search party but Andy reappeared with a plan!

By the time we’d set the field up the plan had changed due to the dry areas not being as extensive as first thought. Rather than operating a formalised launchpoint, we’d land the glider in the dry area and then take the cable out to the aircraft and launch from the same spot.

Conditions were exciting aloft, quite a bit of churn low-down and then a big swing to southerly with sufficient strength that the winch would be nearly idling at the top of the launch. Up top a smooth, brisk wind held hints of weak wave. Peter C flying with Barry K managed to climb a bit and stretch out to 22 minutes what would be Peter’s first wave flight.

Landing from the north at the west end over the gate offered all pilots the opportunity to brush up their circuit planning.

In total, with one glider and a minimum operation, we launched 7 times enabling everyone who wanted to fly an opportunity to do so for the first time in 2016!

Thanks to Andy S for making it happen!