I set-up as soon as I got up on the hill today. There were gentle cycles and it was hot with a gentle breeze. As we hit the temp for the thermals to break through the inversion into the 30knot winds at 5000ft things started to get rowdy. Again I found myself not finding the conditions ideal for my first flight, but I have never packed up my glider and driven down twice on a row, and also everyone else was going.... So after Alby bombed out and came back for a re fly I decided that was my chance, follow the bird. The take-off felt fine, I got into smooth lift and started turning, I was climbing out over launch and the glider was turning nicely, easy to centre with just a little high siding, then whamo and I start getting really rough air, I was averaging a climb but it was hard work and the side wires were slapping, it was not particularly fun. I got about 1000ft over launch and then saw Alby circling in weak lift downwind, I pulled on the VG and went on glide to him hoping to join his thermal, about half way there he lost it and I changed course to fly back to the bomb out at Godfrey's. I watched Alby land and then set-up to land on the airstrip just downwind from the windsock. The landing was fine the glider has quite strong pitch pressures with the VG off and I needed one hand on the basebar to retain pitch authority in the final stages of rounding out, the stall/flare was gentle and the glider felt tail heavy as it stalled, aiding the flare. Whatever, it was gorgeous to fly and I enjoyed it, I can't wait for a smoother day when I can go further.
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