Flight

After very early start from home in Lewes we arrived a cold and breezy, but sunny, Combe Gibbet by 8:30. 45 minutes of ridge flying gave me a good idea of where I might find lift later in the day. An initial XC helped me sort out my navigation technology, including a disconcerting “Man Overboard” alarm from my Garmin 76CSx. Dropping the stowaway didn't help and I landed after 13km. A kindly lady out for a Sunday drive with her son got Andrew, Catherine and I back to take off. 

Despite a wagging finger indicating to us that it was all over for the day from Craig Attwell who was leaving the car park, we launched again around 4:00 pm into a promising looking sky. A climb immediately to 2,700 fizzled out so back down to ridge height. A few beats and connection to a solid climb with Catherine, Andrew and someone on a yellow glider took us downwind and up over 5,000. Heading South, my Flymaster Nav airspace warning sounded a couple of times as I dipped down into the Middle Wallop MATZ, but all was well. Sitting under a cloud with the yellow glider I drifted over Andover in air that kept me at 4,500 without the need to turn.

But turn I did to change course and head South West, following my route plugged into my Garmin. Sticking rigidly to the line of my course, which I knew was very safe in terms of airspace, probably cost me because I only got a short climb before a long slow sink into the blue. Had I followed the yellow glider further South under the cloud before changing course, the path Catherine flew as well, I may have gained a lot more height. A useful lesson learned.

At about 1,500, with few obvious thermal triggers, I spotted a hang glider packing up in field. Knowing that a hang glider must have a retrieve I waived a few more Km of glide and landed. Many thanks to the pilot's wife, Babs, who had forgone a hair appointment to retrieve. It was a UK PB in terms of distance and height for me and some useful knowledge gained on UK XC flying.