2014 - Nympsfield
Summary;
We had six days flying, covering 27, 892kms from Nympsfield to the Welsh hills and coastline, to Ely in the east, Dover on the Channel and places south west of Devizes. Some climbed to over 9000ft, explored the clouds and wave, found convergence and good thermals. Some found fields, others gliding clubs or small airfields, but most found their way home. The longest aero tow was 360kms and the latest retrieve, after rounding Dover, was Steve Eyles and Mike Oakley in the club DG500, with Justin getting home at 01.30hrs. We think that we have a record breaking flight, with the longest competition O/R ever set and completed in the UK, by Trevor Stuart at 572kms.
Winners;
Enterprise Challenge Trophy for the competition winner: Dave Masson
John Cadman Trophy for the most Enterprising flight: Ken Barker
Blunt Nails Trophy for best placed low performance glider: Philippa Roberts
Sam Witter Trophy for best performance after an engine start: Tony Maitland & Phil / Diana King
And here's how it unfolded;
Friday 27th: no flying yet, but enjoy the booking in drinks!
Saturday 28th: opening at 0930.
Saturday turned out not to be a scoring day, but with true spirit, one enterprising pilot narrowly missed a gold height climb in a cb.
Sunday 29th: This was one of the days when imaginative task setting was all: The Pilgrim’s Way. A list of turning points along or near the south coast following a strip of good weather – go to a tp and return, or several t/p’s. The winner turned near Dover, and in so doing made the longest out and return ever in any UK competition.. The day was won by Trevor Stuart to Dover with 572 km, making extensive use of the sea breezes..
Monday 30th: A day with a very uncertain forecast. The task was to make out and returns in any or all of the 4 quadrants of the Compass Rose, with bonuses for doing more than one sector. The winner was Tim Macfadyen with 382km.
Tuesday 1 July: Dave Mason went for possibly the best day of the year with a very good strip of weather in the south and east midlands. Being ambitious, a task was set with turning points every 50k or so to Ely and a similar set put to Haverfordwest. Nympesfield, Ely Harry west is 750k. The majority of pilots took the easy way and went in the general direction of East Anglia, where the conditions were good, nice with pretty views. The problem was the return! The more thoughtful pilots went home a round about route, but a number tried to get back in a straight line – mostly failing! Nick Gaunt, a perverse Yorkshireman wen the other way, to Camarthen and back. Out met man tried to live up to his forecast and did Ely & Brecon. A very enjoyable day with its challenges. The winner was Rodney Witter who went to Ely and then on Camarthen, slightly regretting no trying Haverfordwest, but in the event lost his nerve 20 km out and started the engine for a total 624 km.
Wednesday July 2, day 4, At Catherine Wheel task, based on a quadrilateral on Bromyard, Pershore and Swindon, with the option of out and returns from each t/p, fitting the task between 2 shslfs of high cloud. The north west sector proved difficult under the cirrus. Some collected a few km from Pershore, but a greater distance was available from Swindon whence the less thoughtful pilots went SE towards Lasham, where the conditions were good. In the event, the day was won by Dave Masson with a distance of 459 km, flown to the NE of Swindon, giving a longer distance available without running into the Sea air.
Running results:
At Day 4: 1st Dave Masson, then: Trevor Stuart, Paul Rice and Gedes Chalmers, all running close. All to play for on Days 5 & 6!
Thursday July 5th - day 5:
Another day requiring exact forecasting! A narrow strip of soarable weather forecast oriented 060/240 to the SE of Nympesfield. The task set was to fly to within a circle centered on Melkesham and the out & returns in either direction along a funnel 30 degrees wide on the axis of the weather. At midday the good weather looked just out of reach to the South. by about 2 Liam in the K6 was coerced into taking a launch, shaming everyone else into having a go. Most landed out or back by teatime, except one who was last heard of by the writer near Dunstable, Dave Masson landing at Membury and Mr & Mrs King in their Duo landing after 6 having been to Radstock and Hungerford, having the advantage of an engine to retrieve. Rodney Witter, being an independent sort, disregarded all instructions and climbed to over 8000 ft in wave over south Herefordshire.
The winner for the day was Tim Macfadyen with 194km, 2nd was Trevor Stuart with 223 km. Ken Barker was third, having been to Gransden Lodge and back to Dunstable for an aerotow retrieve which led to a wave flight!
Friday 4th July was a rest day, brought out by weather. The annual Enterprise Club Meeting was held.
Saturday 5th July - day 7 A task was set in Ever Decreasing Circles: out to a radius of a multiple of 20 km and return, with the option of making a further out & return to 20 km less. The day delayed itself as the weather took its time clearing, but everyone launched under severe penalties if not completed by 6 and scores in by 6.30. A question arose if the scorer had an unfair advantage in that he automatically had received his score card, no matter when he finished! Ken Barker won with 160km.
The landing time was set to enable all, including the scorer to be at the closing prize giving and party. Justin Wills announced the prizes and awards, and Ken Barker on his clarinet played us out at the end.
Final results are below. Nearly 28,000 km flown in gliders ranging from the mighty K6, Cirrus and ASW 15s up to JS1s and an Arcus. And that's what Enterprise is all about, maximising the day whatever you are flying!
We had six days flying, covering 27, 892kms from Nympsfield to the Welsh hills and coastline, to Ely in the east, Dover on the Channel and places south west of Devizes. Some climbed to over 9000ft, explored the clouds and wave, found convergence and good thermals. Some found fields, others gliding clubs or small airfields, but most found their way home. The longest aero tow was 360kms and the latest retrieve, after rounding Dover, was Steve Eyles and Mike Oakley in the club DG500, with Justin getting home at 01.30hrs. We think that we have a record breaking flight, with the longest competition O/R ever set and completed in the UK, by Trevor Stuart at 572kms.
Winners;
Enterprise Challenge Trophy for the competition winner: Dave Masson
John Cadman Trophy for the most Enterprising flight: Ken Barker
Blunt Nails Trophy for best placed low performance glider: Philippa Roberts
Sam Witter Trophy for best performance after an engine start: Tony Maitland & Phil / Diana King
And here's how it unfolded;
Friday 27th: no flying yet, but enjoy the booking in drinks!
Saturday 28th: opening at 0930.
Saturday turned out not to be a scoring day, but with true spirit, one enterprising pilot narrowly missed a gold height climb in a cb.
Sunday 29th: This was one of the days when imaginative task setting was all: The Pilgrim’s Way. A list of turning points along or near the south coast following a strip of good weather – go to a tp and return, or several t/p’s. The winner turned near Dover, and in so doing made the longest out and return ever in any UK competition.. The day was won by Trevor Stuart to Dover with 572 km, making extensive use of the sea breezes..
Monday 30th: A day with a very uncertain forecast. The task was to make out and returns in any or all of the 4 quadrants of the Compass Rose, with bonuses for doing more than one sector. The winner was Tim Macfadyen with 382km.
Tuesday 1 July: Dave Mason went for possibly the best day of the year with a very good strip of weather in the south and east midlands. Being ambitious, a task was set with turning points every 50k or so to Ely and a similar set put to Haverfordwest. Nympesfield, Ely Harry west is 750k. The majority of pilots took the easy way and went in the general direction of East Anglia, where the conditions were good, nice with pretty views. The problem was the return! The more thoughtful pilots went home a round about route, but a number tried to get back in a straight line – mostly failing! Nick Gaunt, a perverse Yorkshireman wen the other way, to Camarthen and back. Out met man tried to live up to his forecast and did Ely & Brecon. A very enjoyable day with its challenges. The winner was Rodney Witter who went to Ely and then on Camarthen, slightly regretting no trying Haverfordwest, but in the event lost his nerve 20 km out and started the engine for a total 624 km.
Wednesday July 2, day 4, At Catherine Wheel task, based on a quadrilateral on Bromyard, Pershore and Swindon, with the option of out and returns from each t/p, fitting the task between 2 shslfs of high cloud. The north west sector proved difficult under the cirrus. Some collected a few km from Pershore, but a greater distance was available from Swindon whence the less thoughtful pilots went SE towards Lasham, where the conditions were good. In the event, the day was won by Dave Masson with a distance of 459 km, flown to the NE of Swindon, giving a longer distance available without running into the Sea air.
Running results:
At Day 4: 1st Dave Masson, then: Trevor Stuart, Paul Rice and Gedes Chalmers, all running close. All to play for on Days 5 & 6!
Thursday July 5th - day 5:
Another day requiring exact forecasting! A narrow strip of soarable weather forecast oriented 060/240 to the SE of Nympesfield. The task set was to fly to within a circle centered on Melkesham and the out & returns in either direction along a funnel 30 degrees wide on the axis of the weather. At midday the good weather looked just out of reach to the South. by about 2 Liam in the K6 was coerced into taking a launch, shaming everyone else into having a go. Most landed out or back by teatime, except one who was last heard of by the writer near Dunstable, Dave Masson landing at Membury and Mr & Mrs King in their Duo landing after 6 having been to Radstock and Hungerford, having the advantage of an engine to retrieve. Rodney Witter, being an independent sort, disregarded all instructions and climbed to over 8000 ft in wave over south Herefordshire.
The winner for the day was Tim Macfadyen with 194km, 2nd was Trevor Stuart with 223 km. Ken Barker was third, having been to Gransden Lodge and back to Dunstable for an aerotow retrieve which led to a wave flight!
Friday 4th July was a rest day, brought out by weather. The annual Enterprise Club Meeting was held.
Saturday 5th July - day 7 A task was set in Ever Decreasing Circles: out to a radius of a multiple of 20 km and return, with the option of making a further out & return to 20 km less. The day delayed itself as the weather took its time clearing, but everyone launched under severe penalties if not completed by 6 and scores in by 6.30. A question arose if the scorer had an unfair advantage in that he automatically had received his score card, no matter when he finished! Ken Barker won with 160km.
The landing time was set to enable all, including the scorer to be at the closing prize giving and party. Justin Wills announced the prizes and awards, and Ken Barker on his clarinet played us out at the end.
Final results are below. Nearly 28,000 km flown in gliders ranging from the mighty K6, Cirrus and ASW 15s up to JS1s and an Arcus. And that's what Enterprise is all about, maximising the day whatever you are flying!
