Last Flying Opportunities in 2020

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Dec 242020
 

So (currently!) nothing changes in Shropshire regarding Covid Tier – a chance to get some flying in while we still can!!!?

We have identified the following days as possible/likely flying (and hopefully soaring) opportunities …
Sunday 27 Dec
Wednesday 30 Dec
Thursday 31 Dec

The day(s) will go ahead subject to …
a weather call the evening before …
and sufficient booked demand.

So if you are looking for some fresh air to give you the appetite to continue eating your way through that Turkey Mountain …

Please book  for solo, private and P2 flying in the usual way at mgcbooking@gmail.com

Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas

Mark & Andy

 Posted by at 5:00 pm

Flying Sunday 20 December

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Dec 192020
 

The weather looks OK for flying tomorrow. If you would like to fly, either solo, P2 or private owner, it would be advantageous for you to book please – via the usual method, an email to   mgcbooking@gmail.com. This will enable us to gauge demand, and we will know whether we need to add a second instructor (or alternatively if there is no demand, possibly cancel the day)

This will be the last flying day before Christmas (no midweek flying next week), so please do avail yourself of the opportunity if you can.

Start time will be posted on the bookings page shortly after 8pm tonight (when the Strictly Final ends!)

Mark

 Posted by at 3:20 pm

Midweek Flying – Update

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Dec 142020
 

We have ruled out Friday because of likely unflyable conditions.

Four bookings each so far for Tuesday and Thursday. We really need a few more bookings to make it viable to open both days, otherwise we will consolidate to a single day.

PLEASE DON’T DELAY… If you are interested in flying (whether solo, P2 or private) tomorrow or Thursday, please email which day(s) you could make to the usual booking address… mgcbooking@gmail.com by 6pm tonight (Mon 14 Dec)

As previously stated, the day(s) will only take place if we have viability, in terms of weather and sufficient attendees, so we will use your responses to help inform our judgement when determining which day(s) to open this week. Final weather/start time call will be made at 8pm the night before. On marginal days we will consult all booked attendees via email for a go/no-go decision. We hope that knowing we are doing our very best to keep you updated, ensuring you get a decent day’s flying with the minimum chance of wasted trips, will enable you to book with confidence.

Mark, Rob & Andy

 Posted by at 9:40 am

Midweek Flying

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Dec 132020
 

We have identified Tuesday, Thursday and Friday as possible days next week. If you are interested in flying (whether solo, P2 or private) next week, please email which day(s) you could make to the usual booking address… mgcbooking@gmail.com

The day(s) will only take place if we have viability, in terms of weather and sufficient attendees, so we will use your responses to help inform our judgement when determining which day(s), if any, to open this week. Final weather/start time call will be made at 8pm the night before. On marginal days we will consult all booked attendees via email for a go/no-go decision. We hope that knowing we are doing our very best to keep you updated, ensuring you get a decent day’s flying with the minimum chance of wasted trips, will enable you to book with confidence.

Mark, Rob & Andy

 Posted by at 1:17 pm

Saturday 12 December

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Dec 122020
 

Another goodHolly acceptance checks 5 day. Bright, with 20W and enough headroom from the off. Decent ridge all day and some wave in the afternoon, which quite a few managed to contact. Thanks to Steve Alexander for launching us, and congratulations to Holly Harris, who finally hit upon a day when all the pieces fell into place and she was able to complete acceptance checks with the CFI, so is now officially in service as a Basic Instructor.Let’s hope she gets a chance to practice her craft soon!

Mark

 Posted by at 6:40 pm

Weekend Weather Prospects

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Dec 112020
 

Let’s do it “old school” from the synoptic chart …

Between occluded fronts at the moment, the second of which clears through overnight, leaving us with different air-mass and a ridge of high pressure for Saturday (=Good, and with a westerly forecast = V. Good), before the next front arrives on Sunday (=Rain=Bad)

The conclusion being, Saturday is the only show in town. Cloud base may be an issue … perhaps. If you are a RASP watcher, don’t be overly influenced by the grey cloudbase line on the Blipspot. That is the height at which cumulus would form, but there is unlikely to be much/any convection tomorrow. Of more value in the winter, is to have a look at the forecast sounding to see at what level(s) the air is fully saturated (Red and blue lines coincident)

Anyway, if you are up for it, booking (mgcbooking@gmail.com) would be in your interest to ensure we have enough instructors to meet the indicated demand. There will be a final weather call and a confirmation of start time at about 8pm tonight, via a note on the Bookings page… https://www.midlandgliding.club/rota/MGCBookings.htm

See you tomorrow, hopefully.

Mark

 Posted by at 1:36 pm

Wednesday 9 December

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Dec 092020
 

A rather good day! First of today’s thirty launches at 10:30. K13, K21, K23 and K8 out, and kept busy all day until we finished at around 15:45. Launched long south all day, into 5W to start off, gradually backing to 10S by the close. Cloud base was never a problem, and high launches (from Pete the Winch) were a feature, with 1900 achieved ft by the end of the day. There was even a bit of weak wave during the afternoon to sustain us.

Congratulations to Andy Kidd, who re-soloed in the K13, then went on to convert to the K8.

Thursday looks poor and has been scrubbed, Friday seems likely to go that way, but look to the Bookings page for updates. Some hope for the weekend

Mark

 Posted by at 7:07 pm

Wed 9 December – Worth a Shot!

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Dec 082020
 

Well, the forecasts point to a bit of a ridge of high pressure, dry air aloft, possibly some ridge action early on, going 10SW, backing S later. Should be enough head room to operate from the start. We are promised a second two-seater back on line, so we will have two instructors on duty (Dave and … Me – always a comfort when the weather forecaster decides to turn up!)

Book for dual or solo flying via mgcbooking@gmail.com and take a look at the bookings page… https://www.midlandgliding.club/rota/MGCBookings.htm … after 8pm tonight to find out the exact start time.

Hope to see you there!

Mark

 Posted by at 12:53 pm

Wednesday 2 December – We Return in Style!

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Dec 032020
 

Dominic Haughton’s report on the day …

A Grand Day Out

The front went through at 12:30, cloud cleared in ½ hour and launching started soon after into a cloudless  sky. Rob was instructing in the K13 and the K23 had about 4 takers including Steve G-R and Peter Clare, all aiming to pack in as many flights in as possible.  I expect the K23 did 10 or 12 flights in not much more than a couple of hours, including contacting the wave that Jon (in KA) and I (Z19) used.

My first flight in wave-suppressed ridge was <10mins. The was next was straight into wave where Jon was already established at 6000ft QNH just west of the club. I airbraked down for another launch, again straight into wave and that worked from the top of the launch to 6000+ft, 1.5 km SW west of the club. There  was a small sweet spot consistently going up at 5 knots. I think Jon got to around 7000ft but without clouds above it is hard to know how high it could have gone. In any case, the sun was going down… and so did Jon and I.

Some pics attached ‘pour encourager les autres’ as they say in Sisteron

BaroTraceDH 2Dec20Wave4 2Dec20Wave1 2Dec20Wave2 2Dec20Wave3

Dominic

 

 Posted by at 10:19 am