Buckminster Flying Week

We will update this blog as the week goes on but it's been a good week so far. 

Sunday. After Saturday's wave, with the wind in the same direction we had expected a similar day on Sunday. But this is Milfield ! We had quite a low cloudbase but thermal streets stretching from horizon to horizon. Most of us tramped up and down fairly close to the site but one intrepid visitor flew nearly to Alnwick then ran downwind to Whiteadder reservoir in the Lammermuir Hills before returning to site, a trip of  around 140km.

Monday started with the same wind direction but rather scrubby clouds which, on the first launch, didn't produce any lift. We stopped for lunch but, suitably refreshed and chatting in the garden, we noticed the sky clearing in the valley. It was suggested, to one of our visitors with an SLMG that this was wave and he might like to go and test our suggestion. He duly took off and shortly was reporting 4 knots of lift. A rush then ensued with a further 9 gliders taking off. At the end of the day there were several postings on the National Height Ladder, best being just over 16,000'. When we were all finished sunset looked like this !

Tuesday looked similar with the duty instructor being greeted by this view from the Hurricane room.

Sadly, after 4 launches the gap closed but 3 of those lucky enough to launch reached around 9000'

Wednesday was spoiled by low cloud so no flying.

Thursday looked as bad and the forecast gave little hope of flying but, as briefing commenced there appeared to be some signs of wave at the mouth of the valley. We had no sooner started to get the first gliders to the launch point when spots of rain were felt. They came and went and it was decided to 'give it a go'. Just as well ! Between 11am and 1pm we did 10 launches with the worst flight being a mere 1hour 10 minutes, getting to 6500' and the best reaching 11,500'. The last to land came down through rapidly deteriorating visibility and, shortly after everything was packed away it started to rain. Apart from around Milfield, and the Tweed valley between Kelso and Coldstream , it appeared that everywhere else was experiencing rain. A visitor en-route to Aboyne (mad fool !) almost decided to stay after experiencing our wave. He had to call at Portmoak on the way past but was dismayed, looking at their webcam to see rain and huge puddles.

Why would you go to Aboyne ?

Friday was dissapointing. We made a few launches in the morning but it got steadily more showery and we stopped for a long lunch. Later in the day it cleared allowing some further flights but, (as far as I know - I had to leave early) nothing significant. Our visitors left with most feeling they had had another good week at Milfield.