Last week, CGC returned to Denbigh Gliding Club, based at Lleweni Parc airfield in North Wales, taking down with us a K21 and Pegase.
During the trip, we had 4 days which provided the right conditions to allow wave lift to form, giving everyone the opportunity to experience wave flying. For some, this was their first time exploring wave, while for others it was a valuable chance to build confidence and refine technique at a challenging airfield. The conditions that provided us with wave lift also meant we often had a cross wind, which made landing on Lleweni Parc’s extremely narrow tarmac runway very exciting. Even without the great soaring opportunities that Lleweni Parc brings, landing on their narrow runway always provides a good challenge being that it is so different from Gransden’s much wider grass runway.
The wave was clearly present throughout our visit, although its strength varied from day to day. On the stronger days, the wave was well-defined showcasing why North Wales is such a popular wave-flying site. This allowed for one of our members, Alex, to have a 3 hour wave soaring flight over Snowdon with Denbigh’s CFI, Chris Gill. Alex said – “It was lovely to fly with Chris at Denbigh Gliding Club. He is a real expert in flying in wave, and knows the area like the back of his hand. The club gliders have oxygen in them and the right equipment to get the best out of the day. A very nice week”
On other days the wave was noticeably weaker, providing lots of lessons in wave flying. Staying connected to the lift required careful positioning and emphasized the importance of precise airspeed control and accurate tracking relative to the wind. Even with the weaker wave, we were able to use this to extend flying, with the wave lift matching the sink rate of the glider, allowing us to stay airborne for longer.
As well as the flying, lots of socialising and fun activities took place in and around the surroundings of North Wales when conditions did not allow for flying.
By the end of the trip, everyone had experienced some wave flying and had more of an understanding of the skills required to exploit it and identify wave bars, especially when conditions are marginal.
Thank you to all the instructors from Cambridge who came along on the trip, and to Chris Gill for his expertise while we were there.
