Sunday 24 June 2012

Ok that's it.

The 18m video will be available on the UK Junior Gliding TV YouTube channel as soon as we can get it finished off.

A cracking week which the weather did its best to destroy but did not succeed.

Thanks to Ron for a very well run comp.

Hopefully see you at the regionals.

Poz. Out

Derren the champ

No airspace penalties, no admin penalties, no incidents

And Phil shouted "no flying"

Ron at prize giving

Before everyone deletes the blog from their browser

I thought I would use this opportunity to highlight the fact that we have 10 spaces left at the Hus Bos regionals this year.

Hopefully the weather will be better than we have had this year.

Jerry Langrick is directing the comp and it therefore promises to be a well run and good fun week. There is a mixture of first timers, club pilots wanting some organised flying and some grizzled old nationals pilots - so whatever your standing in the gliding world you would be more than welcome. We will also be running some maggot racing in the bar in the evening so an element of training will be available.

It starts on the 4th August.

Please ring Ursula or Sarah 01858 880521

I'm really impressed with myself actually...I have done an entire week without mentioning www.komettrailers.co.uk - it would have been very unprofessional to mention this well built good value trailers on here ;)

Pictures from Prize Giving will be posted later



Mr and Mrs Francis head back to the caravan

Scrubbed

Prize giving 12:30

Derren is Double UK Champion.

Does anyone have a standard class/club class glider as he has aspirations of world domination

It's getting darker

Gavin "nice eyes" Goudie has emerged from the caravan and destroyed a breakfast.

I personally cannot see anything but a scrub

Ron is inspecting the field

He has set sail down the newly formed River Bosworth with the vague expectation of finding dry land

Well that got well out of hand

Close to £1200 behind the bar last night.

This morning is briefing at 11 DO NOT GRID BEFORE or you may drown

Last one not standing

Last ones standing

Saturday 23 June 2012

Things are getting messy

Bumble's flat mate is having a go at Rory's yard of ale

Minime

Everyone enjoying the Hog Roast

Still no fatalities

The hog roast looks amazing

No one has keeled over yet which is a bonus.

A few notable faces who have made the trip:

Anna/Leigh Wells here/on the way.

Gav Goudie also here

Spot landing competition on the runway at HB

A couple of unnamed pilots reckon it reminds them of a story that included a small airstrip at the overseas, an overcooked landing, a dented rudder and an angry pilot

Scrubbed in the air

First launch will likely be 13.30

First launch not before 1:30

Better weather coming from south according to Ken in the sky

Ken the sniffer is in the air

2k up.

Very broken lift

Cloudbase is 3k

He sounds depressed

First launch not before 13:15

It's not great out there to be honest

First launch not before 12:45

First launch is still meant to be 12:30

Not sure about the weather though

In the bar last night

The director was getting into the drinking games...


An insight into what goes on in the scoring office

This was played in briefing this morning to shouts of "how do you score them?!"

Ron is clearly enjoying himself


Hog Roast tonight

If you don't have anything to do tonight then why not join us at HB this evening for some grub and beer.

First launch 12:30...possibly

Windy and fairly low today

Tomorrow

Looking ok according to Hugh

Tasks

A Hus- eyebrook- southam-Corby- Hus 155km

B Hus - eyebrook- chipping norton- Corby- Hus 212km

We have found Jayne's perfect wine glass

Day 4 (again)

With tomorrow looking like a write off already today is our final chance.

Happily the airfield looks a touch drier after reasonable winds all night and no rain.

There is a semblance of sunshine almost.

Hopefully the wind drops enough to make a day out of this

Friday 22 June 2012

5 more views and we have 11,000

Thanks again for the interest. I just wish we had had a few more days flying

Looks like a few competitors have headed home already.

Task looking likely tomorrow.

Rory is the final pilot to bed

Bumble, Minime and Ben Langrick just arrived and have hit the vodka roulette game.

Tomorrow

Could very well be flyable!

After considering relocating the comp to various airfields with runways we've decided that we will fly from the tarmac here if needed tomorrow. Could be an entertaining launch as it will require each row of gliders to be pushed on line one at a time.

Anyway, we're about to settle in for a night in the bar...

I forgot to say...

It is scrubbed. Thanks Matt for helping put my glider away.

The field is still saturated. The wind is getting stronger. The rain is getting harder.

The positive pozicast was wrong

Horrific today. Very windy. Very wet.

9992

8 more page views and we have 10,000.

Thanks very much for putting up with the drivel I have served.

Soggy HB

Dunstable forecast

Andy is a bit more positive. Wind slowly reducing throughout the day. Showery but sunny spells...could we get a window?

Directors briefing in 30mins when Hugh Brookes will tell what's occurring.

Ron was last seen at 9:30pm with the Chateauneuf du pap so thinking about it...make it 08:15 for the directors briefing.

Meanwhile I look out of the window in the club house and wish I hadn't put the Vertigo's on and instead just put the glider in the trailer. It looks very sorry for itself out there

Windy

The wind is battering the caravan. The awning floor is underwater.

Kind of wished I had stayed at work.

What a cr@p summer so far.

Thursday 21 June 2012

Bar emptying.

Howard, Rory, Rich, Mark, Phil and Bob Thirkell watching the football.

Today

The rain this morning was unreal, so much for the airfield drying out! It's all damp and horrible here.

In briefing now. Hugh isn't too confident about the weather, maybe 4-500 foot cloudbases with a huge area of heavy rain predicted here for 3pm ish. The cross section looks like a child's scribbled all over it. Not much hope for tomorrow either I'm afraid.

Therefore today is scrubbed.

Tomorrow

Isn't looking that great on the synoptics. Few pilots still in the bar so they're obviously not that hopeful!

Wednesday 20 June 2012

No finishers

Turns out no one finished. A few made a last ditch effort at getting to the control point but turned back whilst still within glide of the airfield.

Here's what the first leg looked like for the guys from the start zone today:


Think that explains why lots of them hit the spuds so early!

352 has just landed

Don't think he's been round the control point though.

Few have made it back to sywell. Think the days dead now

F2 has just called marginal

3 more past Y. Still some going. A scoring day!

Still 9 flying

Sounds like they're getting very close to getting round too

12 still going

B3, CT, E1, E11, F2, ZP, 9, 10, 57, 80, 210, 352

Cock of the day

Will most likely go to Richard Browne in XS, who landed out at wittering, got an aerotow retrieve, then promptly landed in a field. Oops!

Landouts

Lots of them. There was a big gap for them to cross right at the start, I guess around 30-40km and it seems many of them didn't make it across.

Not sure what its like in east anglia but its picked up nicely here so if they make it round they'll get back fine.

Lots of crews phones ringing as I type and some pilots have asked their crews to set off to the east so it obviously isn't that good

Lots of relights

Big areas of spreadout in the drop zone and over the airfield. Drop zones been moved and they're all off again

First launch 12.15 task A

I'm off to rope run/fly so keep an eye on official sites for now

Scrap that...

Just heard first launch not before 12.15

First launch 12.00

However its looking a bit soggy/low here still. Spreading out already in places too. Sky should have sorted itself out by midday though

Today's met


Today's tasks

A: HUS-Bury St Edmonds-Wendling-Caxton Gibbet-HUS 345KM
B: HUS-Bury St Edmonds-Caxton Gibbet-HUS 268KM

Daily "Derren looking like a muppet" picture


Morning

Briefing 10.30. The sun is shining. Gliders are gridding at the west end.

Looking like we'll get 5,000ft+ cloudbases but there'll be lots of top cover around. Expecting them to have a 300+ task out to the east.

In other news, the diddly diddly doos have scratched Jaynes legs to pieces this morning.

Well this sucks...

On the other hand at least it isn't raining.

My iPhone isn't quite as negative about the rest of the week now re the weather

Hopefully when I get back to HB on Friday the weather will have perked up.

Tuesday 19 June 2012

That's it from me for a few days

Hopefully Matt will take over posting for the next couple of days whilst I go on a training course in London.

Thanks for all the hits so far and the positive feedback

Catch you soon

Poz

All but 3 round.

Howard and Jerry still outstanding. Chris Curtis on his way in

Finishers

80, xs, 410, f2,352, 57,01,jva, wz

Re-brief.

I think I just heard rebrief. I can't believe it is a change of task. The weather is looking fantastic.

Matt and myself have set 267km within the task area.

Keep an eye on soaringspot now as I'm off to roperun

First launch likely to be 12

It is already looking bombastic out there.

Some serious humpty into East Anglia. I wouldn't be surprised to see 120km/h today

Hugh's X Section

Tasks

Naseby West - Diss- Towcester-Ramsey-Hus 426km

Naseby West - diss - st Neots - Ramsey - Hus 334km



Thanks Vertigo Covers for my new canopy glove

Looks like their professionalism is as prevalent as ever ;)

Thanks Andy, the address got a good laugh

Airplane spotters

I think I will set up a new website soon.

I reckon we should start taking photos of the spotters and put them on the Internet with their addresses etc

Hus Bos crawling with them this morning. What is the fascination of G-reg's???

I've not seen any removing the covers of gliders this morning for a change however if they do perhaps we can has an x-rated version when we remove their clothes...see how they like that!

Rant over

Anyway gridding is pretty much all done. Briefing still at 10:30.



Gridding.

The 2 most highly desirable gliders on the grid

Director's briefing

That was a happy Hugh Brookes.

Thumping climbs today. Monster cloudbase 5k+ into East Anglia

Going on late. Starting early

450km on the cards

View out of the window this morning

Andy Roch at Dunstable is forecasting 5000ft cloudbases.

RASP isn't.

I think I will go with Andy Roch.

The airfield is only mildly swampy now.

Important trip

I won't be posting too much this morning as I have to get to Rugby train station at 08:45.

It's looking reasonable though. Expect a grid before brief at 10am

Monday 18 June 2012

Today's day winner


Scores on the doors-provisional

Derren 1st 872
Chris Curtis 2nd 840
Russell 3rd 778
Iain Evans 3rd 778 (joint)
Afandi 5th 773
Andy Davis 6th 759

Rest of the scores on soaringspot.

Well done to Ron and John and Hugh for a well set task.

Matt and I went for a rumble down to Bicester and back and didn't really get any further than Northants. It was a tricky day that was perfect for the 18s.



Italian night

Scores not too far away

A few issues with the scoring software but I've been assured they are not far away

Looks like they all got back

Sorry about the delay

My pilot Jerry Langrick - 781 has just landed. Along with 900 - Chris Starkey

Graham Smith in 42 is 2km

Howard is marginal 10km

Dave Booth, Tim Scott and Steve Jones

Stephen Ell and Frank Davies

Brian Birlison

Phil Jeffery and Mike young on their way

Rich Hood is the first non-flapped back

565 has just called and we think we heard 57

It's gone a bit quiet

Bit of spreadout on track but it's still looking reasonable

Loads more finishers

Including Phil Jones, Mark Holden, Nick Tillet, and a club K21.

I couldn't type quick enough to get everyone down

Ian Evans as well

Andy Davis and Bob thirkell

Finishers

Russell, Chris Curtis, Derren, afandi are back

I can't hear what time but they are launching on task a I believe

Sky that is on it way

EPIC!

Its now sunny

We have regridded as its a bit of a lake where the grid was.

For those that know HB we are now behind dads hangar...first time in HB's history that we are launching from back here...what a summer!

Keep and eye on soaring spot now for updates as launching will be fairly soon.

Hope work is good for everyone :)

First launch not before

12:00

Church notices

Italian night in the club house tonight

Met - similar to yesterday but less spread out, more sun, better to the south. Hugh is more confident than yesterday.

Tasks in a previous post but they head as far south as they dare.

Tasks

Hus-kingsclere-welford (not the one near Hus Bos)- Kettering south-Hus
277km

Hus - did - Kettering south - Hus
206km

Monday briefing

The Weather Cone

It's not optimistic

Previous comment

Whoever commented about the 3 S's thank you! Ron and Hugh thought it was very funny.

More input would be great if any of you get bored at work.

10:30 briefing. Grid before

Morning campers

As the dulcet tones of Boomer Bridges rampage across the swamp that seemingly was the campsite until last night's biblical rain storm Hugh Brookes and Phil return from a late night dub step rave

No news on gridding/mooring yet

Sunday 17 June 2012

Good night.

Lovely evening in the bar.

Everyone has cleared off now after reading Dave Masson's forecast for tomorrow.

BBQ evening

What a turn out. I reckon most of the competitors have come along this evening. All cooking their own food. Surprisingly good mood at the club considering the weather we had today. I believe we only have 1 or 2 cases of trenchfoot so far.

Football is on in the bar...Netherlands vs Portugal.



They're in control

Jayne's killer kitten

Chewing the cud

BBQ night at HB.

Local sourced meat...a huge amount for £7.50 we have been told

It's a very depressing scene here.

Lovely cu to the south but another shower on its way.

A real shame. One less shower and I reckon we would have launched

Scrubbed

14:15 is is earliest first launch.

Shower on its way through and then it looks good. Sniffer is up in the air. Keep an eye on soaringspot for further updates as we are getting Matt's glider ready and then rope running

Ron reckons 1 hour and we will be launching...

Sunshine has broken through...

And the usual (hysterical) shout of "launch" fills the club house.

First launch not before 13:00

First launch not before 12:30

No sign of this sunshine.

I'm putting the caravan awning up so can't here the tannoy but it drizzling at the moment

It's still cloudy

Hugh doing a sun dance

Concentrating during briefing

Chris Curtis and Andy Davis listening hard during Sunday's briefing.

Grossing straight after briefing. Clear skies about 20km south of us and moving this way. First launch not before 12:00

Tasks

Naw-ban-Ely-Hus 243km
Naw-tow-ear-Hus 177km

Hugh doing his artwork

Tasks are set

The rain has cleared and we are go

Briefing at 10

Rig before briefing do not grid

Things looking very positive for a reasonable day

Captions?

It's that fine rain

I woke up to glorious sunshine. Had the 3 S's. Walked out of the shower blocks and it drizzling. However I have been assured that things will improve.

It is touch and go today. Certain they will grid though.

Personally looking out of the window it looks a bit cold and wet

More to follow after 8am when we have had the directors briefing.

Quote of the morning:

Frank Birlison "is this rain showing on the charts?"
Nick Tillet: "no but it's showing on the airfield"

It's gone midnight

Howard and Sarah have just headed off and all that are left are this shower.

Saturday 16 June 2012

Really positive feel from the pilots tomorrow

Tomorrow is looking OK.

Meanwhile Matt Waters, Ollie Barter, Alex Jones, Ben Langrick, Mini Poz and (actually on the a34 somewhere) Will (Chopper) Chappell have all made the journey north to drink with me and the wench

The opening to the 18M Nationals video by UKJuniorGlidingTV



Scrubbed

After the various church notices, great Video by Matt Davis, and various mobile phones going off Ron has scrubbed the day.

Briefing 10am tomorrow.

Hugh getting depressed

Ron doing what he does best

Briefing 20 minutes

The England vs South Africa match will be on in the clubhouse at 14:00

Waiting for the red arrows

The ladies are in Control

Jayne, Mo and Gill are taking to prisoners

Briefing at 11am

Hugh (the metman) is not overly confident today.

Red Arrows are coming past at 10am for anyone who can brave the breeze

John Wilton owns a hairbrush???

Whilst speaking with John of 634 fame this morning in the gents, I noticed he owns a hair brush. Anyone that knows John will also know that the days he needed a hairbrush disappeared with Spandau Ballet and Kevin Keegan's perm. Any ideas on its possible use please comment below (keep it clean please).


Anyway, the important stuff. Sadly my optimism earlier for today has not paid off. 40mph winds at 2000ft (700m ish for the international readers) will probably mess up any chance that we have of flying.

Briefing is at 10am.

You cannot grid before briefing as the cones would blow away (probably with you glider).

News from last night includes Jayne Bridges standing on one of her 6 week old kittens - don't worry though...it has recovered and was last seen heading up her faux velvet caravan curtains






Anyway important

Friday 15 June 2012

The bar after the football

Sorry to any Swedes looking at the blog

But what an amazing turn around for England :)

Soaring cafe

I believe we are now world famous on the Soaring Cafe.

Hello everyone abroad! I would love to say the weather is incredibly hot and sunny sadly having spoken to the met man it's not looking great tomorrow but Sunday, Monday and Tuesday looking reasonable

Awning+wind=good fun to watch

I'm not sure who is braving the conditions out there but there is a very flappy awning being erected. Providing entertainment for us in the bar.

Kevin Houlahan and Graham Smith just registered.

The bar is filling up

I have just seen Bob Thirkell, Jerry Langrick, and Rich Hood turn up. We have already got through 1 barrel of Youngs in the bar. The Football is going to be on in the bar later.

If anyone is looking forward to the food this evening we have Cajun Chicken, ham egg and chips or goats cheese salad

So far

Derren, Howard Jones, Chris Curtis, Mike Young, Gary Stinge all here and signed in