| Flight details: | Wind was a bit too southerly but the sky looked good so decided it was worth a punt.
Simon Steel bravely headed off first but being on his own wasn't able to connect with that crucial second climb past Ringmer.
Climbed out with Tefal, Craig and Bobby Brown(?) at about 10am and as there were good clouds downwind and signs of higher level cloud coming in we left with it.
Climbs maxed out at around 2500ft amsl and the drift was taking us almost directly north. Tefal and Craig headed off on glide past Ringmer, I saw Bobby climbing upwind of me so went to join him and we got to just over 3000ft and then left to join up with T and C who had found another climb.
We took that as far as we could while Bobby went off on a crosswind glide past the Gliding Club and got a weak climb. We headed over to join him arriving a little higher and the 3 of us managed to find the best of the lift and get away but despite some determined effort Bobby wasn't able to connect and landed.
After another crosswind glide trying to get away from airspace we climbed again to 3000ft and then the 3 of us all took different lines in search of more lift. Craig dashed off north towards the green hills but didn't get anything, Tefal decided staying in the air was the key so headed back to the heat of Uckfield.
I pushed crosswind to pass downwind of a big brown field and got a weak climb that drifted me north under the 2500 airspace where I got my strongest climb of the day - typical!
Had to leave it at 2500ft and pushed east towards Mayfield trying to get to the 3500 airspace. Got there and climbed under a big black cloud over Mayfield whilst having a well needed pee...
Started to relax after doing the hard work and climbed to 3500ft.
Made a decision to push towards Canterbury rather than head north with the wind to the Thames - the sky was looking pretty dark that way and looked more welcoming to the east.
Unfortunately it was the wrong decision and I flew from 3500ft to the ground |
