Date: 30/07/07
Aircraft Type: LS8 - 18
Registration:301
Task: Lasham, Gainsborough, Popham, Naseby East,
Lasham
Distance: 757.7km
Speed: 89kph
Duration: 8 1/2 hours
Story:
The most difficult bit about tackling a 750km flight is
getting your head around the idea that people travel less
far to go on holiday and take weeks in the planning.
On Sunday our esteemed weather guru, David Masson, had
given me the warning that Monday could be on. I had almost
got my 750 2 years ago so I knew what I had to do and time
had dulled the trauma of the whole experience so I was ready
for another shot.
Preparation is the key difference for a flight of this
length. THE DOG! She couldn't sit with her legs crossed
all day and with Dave away representing queen and country
I was the sole "responsible adult". Trish Emck came to my
rescue and totally understood how important this was for
me. (I am eternally in debt Trish).
I arrived at the airfield at 8:15. The glider was already
rigged so I put 4 cans of water on and put it on the runway.
I was already about 4th on the list. I already had it in
my mind to do a double O/R flight to the north when David
M told me he was setting GAI-POP-NAE. The time was racing
by and before I was anything like prepared Bernie was telling
me my tug was on it's way. 9:40. Oh dear. Flap flap.
By the time I was on tow I was starting to relax and asked
for a 3500' tow south of the clubhouse. Oops my winpilot
was still on a 10k start line from France - changed that.
I settled down off tow and built up speed through a gap
in the clouds to cross the start line heading towards Basingstoke.
I eased back the speed to maintain myself at cloudbase which
was 2,200'. The lift was already good this early but with
the low cloudbase I wanted to stay up against the cloud
so weaved my way slowly following the energy north and topping
up in the odd 3 - 4kts to maintain my height. Y44 and I
were together quite a bit on this section.
My first lowish spot was up near Market Harborough when
I was forced to take a 1.5kts which eventually blossomed
into 4kts when I had the height to search a bit more. By
now cloudbase was up to about 4,000' at 11:30.
The run up to Gainsborough was straight forward and I was
being careful to plan my route around the less than familiar
airspace. The north section I think was affected by some
wave as the cloud streets seemed to be forming across the
wind, there were some long gaps to cross and some significant
sink in parts. I was glad to have the long tips.
Traveling south again I was beginning to feel quite tired
and passing Didcot at about 3pm I couldn't imagine how I
was going to find the energy for another 300km I was also
getting very HUNGRY. My sandwiches had disappeared behind
my seat and no amount of contortions could retrieve them
so I was surviving on Jelly Babies. I started talking out
loud to myself. "COME ON. You are going to really regret
this if you bottle out now".
After I had turned Popham and headed back north again I
seemed to develop second wind (or it might have been the
effect of the Jelly Babies). Back up near Didcot cloudbase
was 5,500' and the climbs were still strong with some 6
- 7 kts although the clouds were more spread out and there
were some long gaps to cross.
I greeted Naseby like a long lost friend but was glad to
leave her behind. All I had to do was get home. More talking
out loud to myself. More jelly babies. Somewhere near Bicester
I met up with 31. Sky god Chris Garton. That'll do. I'm
sure he wont mind me hooking on for a ride for a bit. I
followed his line a while but he quickly left me and I was
definitely not racing on this stretch.
South of Oxford I was on final glide although I did a wimpish
top up at Goring to be fat and happy. I giggled to myself
that I had done it.
I will save the age old question about how girls pee in
a glider to some huddled corner of the airfield (ladies
only). Suffice to say it was not nice but all credit to
my friends who were big enough to come and give me a hug
- although I did wonder why they had pegs on their noses.
Kay Draper
