Once again we had a great weekend with the Junior Winter Series, which kicked of this year at the Mynd. On Saturday, in spite of it being a great soaring day, we achieved 102 launches. Go Juniors!
Oct 312021
Jul 282021
My apologies for the length of time this has taken. The good news is that the LMSC weather station is back up, and has been working for the past few days, so that is now live on the site.We’ll need to continue checking it, but it seems ok – if anyone thinks the readings are wrong, please post here, or email me direct at geoffm@directlearn.co.uk
(Having just written this, I realise it’s probably a stupid thing to say that it is working now….. but let’s hope so).
The MGC weather station still has to be fixed, and we still need to order a part for this. The MGC cams are working, both static and time lapse. The data overlaid on the static cam is wrong.
The LMSC cams will be back on the site shortly – I may well have broken one of them constantly erecting and taking down the weather station pole….
Again, sorry this has taken so long. We were hit with a number of issues, unrelated, within the space of a few weeks.
Apr 132021
For those of you who have got out of practice looking at the weather we have at least three good days coming up.
Wednesday very good. Cloud base steadily rising to 5000′ light easterly and 6+ star rating
Thursday also very good. Cloud base 4000’+ (possibly blue over Wales) light North Easterly, 6+ star rating.
Friday again very good. Cloud base 5500′ likely blueing out. light Easterly Only 5 star!
I think Thursday may be the best of a good bunch the skewT shows it blueing out at 6000′ but I reckon you could pick any one and not be disappointed.
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
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
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
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
Dec 122020
Another good
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
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
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
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
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
Dominic
Sep 292020
Another warm, clear and bright autumn day with hardly a breath of wind. 1300ft off a long south launch, with some thermal activity thrown in – enough for Dominic in Z19 to turn Shelton Water Tower. Eddie (FWY) was the other private owner who rigged and flew. Andy and Rhys continued their training; Martin S got some stage 3 exercises signed off; plenty of customers (Martin, Steve, Peter, Chris, Charles) for the K23 and Junior. Chris also flew the Falke over lunch to keep his currency – but mainly to enjoy himself.
Four main cable breaks unfortunately, but we still clocked up 37 flights over the day. Thanks to Pete S for the launches.
Looks like another decent day on Thursday – got to be well worth a punt. Book your two-seater place in the usual way via mgcbooking@gmail.com
Mark S
Sep 272020
Our first week on Winter hours, so we are open Thursday and Friday, come what may, with other possible ad-hoc days if the weather looks promising.
Please book for Dual flying on Thursday and Friday. It enables us to gauge demand and possibly to add an additional instructor, if there is sufficient demand.
The weather seems suitable for an ad-hoc day on Tuesday, but it will only take place if there is sufficient demand. Tuesday seems to be benign, particularly suitable for training, circuit practice, and early solo flying. Please register your interest with an email to mgcbooking@gmail.com by lunchtime on Monday. We will let you know at that point whether there has been enough interest to make the day viable.
Mark S
Sep 272020
A beautiful clear day with about 10NNW all day. A very keen group of members, and so by the end of the day we had logged 57 launches. We had private owners staying current; Tim in FVP; Steve and Mark W in FWM; Mike Stringfellow in HOY (A very tidy Mini-Nimbus). Congratulations to Simon Towers, who re-soloed after a lay-off for a couple of years; Hefin who converted to the Junior; Suzie flew really well and Deon continued his training. Matt Cook was running the Intro course for aspiring new members Ed and Jane Eastham and they had a great day. And then there were, of course, all the usual suspects in the K23 and Junior.
Thanks to David Brown for launching us, Mark W as LD, and everybody involved for their enthusiastic team-work on the field, which made the day so productive and enjoyable.
Mark S
Sep 132020
I think the Mynd gliders must have thought it was task week as almost all were in the air; 3*LS4, 2*Pegase, DG300, Nimbus2, Std Cirrus, Arcus & JS1-21, plus K23 & K21, needless to say it was a good soaring day. Two new members, James & Vernon, also took to the air and had a good day. 291 visited Bromsgrove, Ledbury & Hereford. The Nimbus did Tims and TL & DZ junior both had wave flights, even though it evaded the rest of us so l’d say it was a successful day. More please 🙂
TL in wave near Newtown.
TL evidence if logger failure!
Mac in DZ in wave
EFT breezes Tims
Sep 032020
Tomorrow will be the last Friday evening session of the season, and it’s set to be dry with a decent cloud-base and 15-20kt on the ridge.
What’s not to love!!?
So roll-up, roll-up, for a bit of end-of-term fun!!
Aug 102020
Some great news. We’ve done this in the past and we’re starting them again. Every Friday in August we will be offering evening flying for club members, run by volunteer winch drivers and instructors. Come up early to stay the weekend or come straight from work on a Friday to get your flying fix!
We will arrive as soon as possible mid afternoon, but the official start will be 5pm or as soon as we can grab a glider as the course finishes their week. Just turn up when you can. Last launch around 8pm subject to exact sunset time etc.
Evening flying often produces benign conditions ideal for training or early solo consolidation. This is a great opportunity. Have a few circuits before soaring at the weekend or get a check before the rush on Saturday. There can often be smooth wavy evenings, ridge flying or late in the day thermals too. Always helps enjoy your Friday at work more if you know you’re sneaking out early to fly!
We have a team ready for every Friday in August starting this Friday 14th but we need to assess demand before we set it up. Please email mgcbooking@gmail.com to book a Friday evening slot in the usual way. Unusually, please also email if you’d like to fly single seaters or your own glider. This isn’t a booking. It just helps us gauge demand. All welcome whatever you’d like to do. A lot of people used to get exercises for Mynd stages or bronze complete during these evenings.
To save wasted journeys there will be a weather decision go/no go each Friday lunchtime.
Please email us and support this new initiative
Aug 022020
A very decent day, with a steady 15kt on the ridge throughout, and plenty of thermal action. Dave Brown finished his annual; Mark J completed his checks with Steve; new member Chris Jones had a very successful flight in the K13; Hefin converted to the K23. A string of takers for the K23 and Junior. Lots of private owners out and about – Dave in 154; Tim Brunskill and Mike Dodwell with their Pegs; James in BA; Julian with the Duo;Laurent in PZ; Glyn with DZ; Holly in BOL, who achieved her silver height for, I think, the third time, but on this occasion WITH a logger – yeeaay!! Nice to see Dominic and Dave Rance back, both after treatment for shoulder injuries, … and Mike Greenwood too, after a long lay-off. Apologies to anyone I’ve forgotten!
Simon and Guy provided the launches whilst taking it in turns to fly the mighty Nimbus. Retrieve winching today was by members of the cast.
And lunches by Helen – nice to have you back Helen!
Another Top Mynd Day!
Mark S
Aug 022020
If you believe forecasts then this is a look at the week ahead.
Monday. Good, 10/15 knt WNW Cloudbase 3900′
Tuesday So So 20/25knt SSW/SW Cloudbase up to 3300′ after a damp start.
Wednesday, Poor, 25/30 knt S Cloudbase up to 2500′ then it rains.
Thursday, Better 10/15knt S Cloudbase 4500′ after a damp start.
Friday. Good/ Continental, 10/15knt S Possibly 6000’+ convection later in the day and probably blue.
So if you believe it plan your week accordingly otherwise just turn up, we are here and will fly if it is flyable.
Dave.