2 Unusual Flights

The first of these was on Thursday 8th July 2010.    Having done 30 mins. local soaring in the Junior up to 4600ft I made my way back to the start of the downwind leg at the bottom end of the field at about 900ft. At this point I ran into lift, approx 2 knots, and headed towards Alconbury in a straight line. About a mile or so upwind the lift finished and I turned back on the reciprocal course and back into the lift which extended downwind to opposite the launch area when I ran into sink. Turning back into wind I flew on the same heading and continued climbing. I repeated this exercise once more and was then at 1800ft.  By this time all a/c and equipment had been put away so I flew back into circuit and landed.  The area of lift was far too big to have been thermal and there was no cloud street above. I believe that this was low level wave and if so is unusual for Cambridgeshire, I have experienced this once before but tracking east west at the bottom of the site.

The second flight was on Saturday 17th July 2010.   We had rigged the Cirrus and I was ready for my slot in it at the launch. The weather was overcast and showers were obvious well up wind.  I decided to launch and released at 1300ft into lift and with a shower cloud close by. I continued climbing at 2-3 knots but was getting overtaken by the rain. Rain on ¾ quarters of the turn and sunshine on the remainder but still climbing. At 2600ft (cloud base at approx 3000ft) I then had to make a decision, keep in the dry but be blown further downwind, I was over Worboys quarry, with a strong headwind back to site and no way but back through the rain, or turn immediately back through the rain, which at this point was getting heavier. Discretion being the better part of valour I turned back through the rain. Flying at 70 knots and with the vario stuck on maximum down I made very slow progress even thinking I may have to land on the old hard runway at Upwood. Eventually I cleared the rain over the hangers at 1300ft, having lost 1300ft getting back. There was some weak lift but I was getting blown back into the rain, so I set up a circuit and landed. The whole flight lasted 20 mins. The Cirrus got a good wash and I know no how it behaves in heavy rain.

                                                Roger Morrisroe.  (Romo).

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