After Friday's fun flights Sunday didn't look very promising and the previous night's RASP prediction was weird - the winds the opposite of the Met Office forecast. When we opened the hangar doors there was no significant cloud but a reasonable breeze from the SW. Mike Rose took an early tow, before 10am, and contacted lift just to the S of the field followed by your blogger who did likewise. The initial climb rate wasn't very exciting and both Mike and I looked upwind for lift but didn't find anything. Coming back to the site produced the same slow start but then, with several other gliders now in the system, things started to get interesting. By 3000' there was a solid 3 - 4 kts and higher, bursts of 6 - 8kts. The only thing which caused a problem was the wind strength which went from 45 to 60kts in places. We made the call to open the wave box, (which in hindsight was far too late), and Stuart Black 'held' at FL182. We received a call that it wasn't available until after 1.30pm. so, as it was only around 12 noon, decided to descend. By that time though he and your blogger had reached around FL194 so a quick photo shoot before returning home.
Now, this surprised me, Stuart doesn't have a Diamond height badge but, on landing he realised that this flight would qualify.We just need to sort out a calibration certificate and fill in the form.
Stuart took some photos on Friday and today showing some of the fantastic views.
Now that the club gliders are all fitted with Flarm loggers we were able to post height claims for the DG505, Ka21 and Astir which has made Borders the Club of the Month on the National Ladder.
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| Friday 15th February - a wonderful view of Berwick |
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| Textbook lenticulars on Sunday 17th February |
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| FL190 photo opportunity |
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| Time to go home |
