Not much has happened recently to Blog about and the last few weeks have not provided any decent flying weather. Today though, things changed a bit. Initially launching was delayed as the take off run out towards the village was deemed too wet to use and a re-brief was scheduled for 12 noon. By that time the wind had backed and a drier strip was identified going out from the bank past the clubhouse and we managed to go flying ! Although there had been some signs of wave, it seemed to come and go and the first couple of launches just provided circuits.
Mike Crews towed out to Akeld Bridge and your blogger, not seeing anything exciting in that area, towed upwind of Milfield hill. There was some signs of lift but nothing solid and I headed back towards the site. Mike, meanwhile, seemed to be holding his own near Fenton House. When I reached Galewood there was a small patch of lift which I circled in and, gradually, crept away. Slowly edging South the lift got better and at times was over 3 kts. I finally topped out, just South of Wooler, at 7700'. The wave gap was bridged by a line of cloud but to the South there was a clear slot again. It didn't provide a climb but enabled me to get South of the Ingram valley in zero sink.
On the return Cheviot now had a solid, smooth cap and over Lilburn Towers there was a solid lift. There was quite a bit of cloud nearer the site and, as it was starting to look dark on the ground I returned to the site, via Milfield Hill just to see what was happening. Looking at my logger trace afterwards made me appreciate that they are useful, not just for recording height and the location of the best lift but also to analyse your flying. I always try to fly a proper circuit - this wasn't far off a text book one!
