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Dave Mansfield's account of his 300km Diamond Goal
Having done a fairly fast 100km flight on Monday, it was my day for the DG300 on Thurdsay, Wednesday saw Roger Emms achieve his Diamond Goal 300km. Having seen on Monday the amount of landerable fields on Monday , some encouragement from Roger Emms and John Young, I wrote out the declaration form and set up the logger, gps, IPAQ, map, water and food. The day was late in developing but I did have Brian Palmer also on a 300km task.
Finally I was first on the grid ready and eager, however all I encountered was that sinking feeling and was back on the ground in 5 mins. Brian took off and was soon seen thermalling away. My turn at the front of the grid again, yes I did turn left and found the lift, slow at first but then stronger, time to turn my back on the airfield and off on course, head right of Peterbourough so I miss the ATZs of Wittering and Cottesmore. I then received the radio message that Brian Palmer had landed out just east of Peterborough Power Station and that the air was dead. I arrived over Brian some minutes later in sink, but heading over the industrial area to the west of Brian's excellent field picked a 2 knotter. Height regained I tiptoed towards Market Deeping, another search for lift, I spotted what was going to be my salvation many times over the 300km journey, COMBINES thank goodness for working farmers. Now onwards to Bourne top up time, looks like a working band is 2000' to 3500', a 3 knotter this time , round the stub of Cottesmore MATZ, lookout is important the spot on the horizon is getting bigger, fast jet passes me left to right above me , top up again to 3300 towards Grantham, round west of Grantham then north towards Newark, time is getting on but getting low again so searching for more lift under cloud street, b***er none here, pick a field, look for combines, then I spot a glider, off to get under what he is in, scratching from 1450' (my cut field still in view), slowly gaining height, off to Newark now, quick top up and round the first turn point ONLY taken me 2hrs 27 mins 85km, how long will the rest of the Task take?
Longest leg next - but should be downwind. Few more thermals stay left of track to miss Langar Parachute zone move over to Belvoir Castle and share a thermal with glider from Saltby. The big Melton Aerial clearly visible on my left and Melton Mowbray on my right , good cloud street so manage to keep a good long glide to north of Market Harborough, good climb now back down cloud street. Some good straight line gains up to 4000', passing Hus Bos on right, good run down to NE Watford Gap, need some lift, find a combine again and a bird thermalling, onward back under cloud street go up to 4100', need to get back on track so head for Towcester, found another good thermal, back down cloud street to Finmere, top up in 4 knot thermal and then the second turnpoint Bicester, good run round turnpoint. What a good leg. 1hour 53 mins 133km.
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Bicester Turnpoint picture courtesy of Paul Daly who did his 300km the day before. |
Back east of Finmere, pick up a top up and on to east of Buckingham, hit a 3.5 knot thermal take it up to 4000' then back on track to Stoney Straford, follow small cloud street to Newport Pagnall, thermals weak , looks good further on, so take decision to press on, good landable fields everywhere give me a confidence boost, look for combines and a decent cloud, found one near Olney, take one climb, then heavy sink , take another climb, I am slowed down to crawl, stuck near Olney, see Bedford off to northeast, finally see a seagull thermalling, great , join the bird and guess what he is in a 0.5 knotter, grrrrrr, still it is lift , then I spot the crow further off to the right going up faster, go to the crow and finally centre in 3 knots and climb to 4200' , on my way home now, can't resist 5 knot thermal just west of Bedford, takes me from 3000' to 4600' highest I've been all day. Now if I go back on track, it means going over the middle of Grafham Water, I want to miss the usual sink over the pond so choose to go right of Grafham, good decision but high sink near Grafham, weak thermals now, get back to 2000', inch forward and hit sink again, pick farm strip as my field and start local area search for thermals, Brampton Racecourse on left and a small wisp in the sky, my prayers answered. Take this new thermal back up to 2700' will I make Upwood? Nose down and go for it, can't resist my favourite thermal source, disused Alconbury runway, take one more thermal for good luck, then point DG nose at Upwood and go, where did all that lift appear from, going through some good bits, keep going. There is the hangar, convert speed back to height. I've made it !!! now slow down and do downwind checks, good circuit, now for the landing, could not have been better, Roger (his 300km was the previous day) comes out to retrieve me, ear to ear grin. Steve (my other syndicate partner comes out his 300km flight would be two days later).
Wow, now I realize what I have achieved, 307km in 6 hours and 7 minutes. (Not the fastest but that long first leg delayed me) There was with a height range of 2000-3500 feet most of the task.
Low points were long haul on first leg , then being stuck at Olney. What did it teach me- look for the cloud streets and lines of energy, push on if thermal strength weak, choose a field when at 2000', gives you plenty of oppurtunity to concentrate on finding that allusive thermal when you know you do have the safety of that field. Learn to read thermal sources and do look for the birds and other gliders even if the seagull was only in a 0.5 knot thermal, at least it is lift.
Dave Mansfield |
