Geoff writes: we didn’t write about our flights yesterday because of the accident on the Mynd. However, we will write about them now, together with the report for today.

Saturday 8th August

Geoff: This was actually a very good XC day. I climbed out first, but base at that time was only about 3500′ ASL, too low to go really. I came back to the front, where Judith and Mark Leavesley were still low. We then got a climb more or less at the same time, and left the hill. Base was still low, but at least there were a few of us going. Mark was advising and guiding our BCC team (I wasn’t in it, but Judith was), so he hung around so we could all fly together.  This worked really well – flying in a small gaggle, with one or two other people, meant we could work the thermals really well, and there were some gliders ahead of us as thermal markers. The sky was excellent, and there was plenty of lift, and it was, for most of the flight, reasonably smooth. Mostly Mark led out, once or twice I went first, but really it was a fairly easy day with clearly defined clouds to go for.

We did hesitate for a while about whether to track north or south, it wasn’t always clear which way the wind was. In the end we went north, and after passing Bridgnorth headed between the two ATZs of Cosford and Halfpenny Green. Base was steadily rising, and the sky suddenly, before Bridgnorth, seemed to look a lot better. For once, I felt I was flying reasonably well, both thermalling and decision making. Mark and Judith got relatively low at one point, but I followed a better track beneath the cloud street, and stayed high. We joined up again as I flew over to then whilst they were climbing up.

In the end, both Judith and I went down because we went on a glide too far, to a glider a few km ahead of us who was climbing. We got there too low to really work it, and landed near Pattingham, for around 48km. Mark reached the thermal much higher, and was able to work it better, and went on to do nearly 80km.

We were both really pleased with the flight, and it was nice to land in the same field. However, after landing, we phoned for a retrieve, and found out about the accident, which was obviously extremely upsetting.

We walked into the village, and went for a drink to the first place we found – Pattingham Working Mens Club. They were incredibly friendly, and we would strongly recommend going for a drink there if you land near Pattingham!

Judith writes: I used to always thermal left. If I was going right, I was just messing around and people would only join me in a thermal if I was going left, as this meant I actually meant business. However, my Aspen just doesn’t like thermalling left (it was torture for me to have to thermal left for four days in Piedrahita). I feel that I am falling out of the thermal, rather than circling positively like I do when turning right. So… I have spent seven and a half hours in the air in the last four days. Pretty much all of it was going in circles. Today something in my right shoulder just went ping in the second thermal and as the flight progressed it just got more and more painful. Each time I tried to turn left, it didn’t work well enough, or we were all going in a right hand thermal anyway, so I gritted my teeth and carried on. By the fourth thermal each turn was agony. It was such a good day, and I was enjoying flying with Geoff and Mark that I didn’t want to land, but in the end I couldn’t force myself to into the next thermal.

Flying with Mark was brilliant. He’s incredibly generous in the air and he waited for us at points to make sure we could carry on together. He also showed us just what an incredible thermaller he is. He’s offered people in the LMSC XC coaching/guiding and I don’t understand why people are not biting his hand off – it was a great learning experience as well as a giggle at cloudbase.

In the BCC, the Long Mynd team came third. Clive Davies flew his personal best from the Mynd to Bridgnorth – 33km. All our team members went XC, so a great result.

See photos of today.

Sunday 9th August

The BCC was cancelled today, but people went to the Long Mynd to free fly. It was well off to the south, but the forecast was for it to come on later, as it eventually did. It was flyable off and on for a few hours, and the sky was epic. However, no-one got away (most people having left before it became flyable). I did get one strong climb but left it because I was tired, and not really in the right frame of mind. And it was rough. Probably a mistake. I was expecting it to continue working, and get smoother, but that really was the only chance to leave. I do think today was a good XC day, and we could have made more of it. But there’s always another day.

1 Comment »