Not disimilar to yesterday, though potentially stronger winds early on. Our best chance once again of safe flying is late evening. This does look like the last horrible day with tomorrow showing a decent day. We will take our early morning trip to have a look at 10am if the wind is has not already come down.
1pm
15
This morning we had low level convection cloud on the face of the main mountain. This is always a good sign after a period of strong sustained dry southerly winds. It generally shows the passage of a cold front so cooler moist and usually unstable good flying conditions from the NW. The cold front seems to be by mid day a warm front and the forecast is still SW winds. Usually I would wait to go to Peña Negra on a day like this, but we will go direct to La Lastra, and if necessary come back later to PN which we can use much later in the day if necessary.
An inversion around 2600m going to over 3000m by 3pm. Not the mega altitudes today, but far more chance of safer XC conditions.
1pm
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winds at 1800m
conditions along track over time
Chris from the DSC club asked me for a caricature last week. After a few preliminary sketches whilst waiting at the airport I have bashed this one out. Chris is a very brainy maths professor with various published maths books to his name. I initially went with a big brain box, but no, that cheeky grin and chin was just calling out to me in all its complex wobbly complexity.
Chris Sangwin. Derbyshire Soaring Club.
Probably climbs to 4400m with mainly blue themals and some upper level cloud which may allow things to calm a little. Windy, but not quite so dramatic as yesterday. We will leave at 10am to go to Lastra to have a look. Wind seems to go more west at end of day so possible flying at Peña Negra in the evening.
1pm
1500
winds at 1800 and track
conditions along track.
The wind did not abate today so I had time to finish of this which has been lingering on my drawing board for quite a while during this busy period of flying lately. I really loved the reference image and I hope the painting makes you smile if you know these guys.
3 friends
1500
1pm
After yesterdays epic conditions today is going to be disappointment I fear.
Although the thermic conditions are similar, though a lower inversion at 1500hrs at around 3800m, it is unlikely that we can safely fly during the day time due to the forecast winds. which are 40km/hr at take off level and 60km/hr at 3000m. For the brave this is a 400km day, for the cowardly, sensible and normal, it is a little bit too much!
We may go early to have a look at La Lastra to see if it is possible early on. The most likely flying scenario is flying late at around 8pm at lastra when things have smoothed out and dropped off.
A potentially remarkable day.
The inversion at 12 noon is 3800m which is markedly higher than the usual which is around 2600m. Later the inversion reaches 5200m where thermals should reach if above 36ºC. Winds at lower levels around 15 to 20km hour, touching 30 at top of climbs. It is possible that the wind will come on to PN but we will go directly to Lastra as the last few days it has been coming on bit a little crossed and turbulent.
At the moment most of the week is showing record breaking conditions for this area. This is a fantastic opportunity for you all to fly your PBs and 200km+ is a definite possibility. These are classic central Spain record breaking conditions, however, with southerly winds sometimes the wind can be a little fierce at take off and that means the balance is between a 200km plus day or driving down in the van as the conditions may be too much for you.
Please bear in mind that the drivers, who will be with us from 10,30 am may not finish until the early hours of the morning. They often have to be attentive to us for over 12 hours or more. Also if you bomb out at more than about 20km then you will be sharing the ride as the others are collected. There are not enough hours in the day to ferry each pilot individually back to Piedrahita without the drivers having to do go beyond their endurance.
If you have not got a phone card in you phone you owe it to your self and the others in the group to get one NOW. If you are landed without the ability to contact the retrieve in the event that the tracker misfunctions then the whole van load of pilots will need to wait around trying to contact you. This is extraordinarily tedious at 10pm at night after a long day in the air or in the van.
With S winds evening flying is not always guaranteed as the retrieves are much more arduous than with other directions and the wind will not necessarily come onto Peña Negra for an evening easy flight. If the whole or majority of the group lands early, then we can try to fly on the S side in the evening if the vans are available.
1pm
12noon
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track
conditions along track over time
airspace avoidance
Very high climbs, south wind and potential for well over 200km. Meet at 10am for early trip to La Lastra.
I will update this in the morning, but looking at the skew T now we should be getting very excited about this coming day!
A very hot day with lighter winds than yesterday and a little more around the west rather SW. This should give us safer and easier conditions at PN.
At 12am the trigger temp is around 27 ºC, which is hot, and there inversion around 2600. this inversion rises to around 3200m by 2pm. It needs to get really hot on the ground today for thermals to rise. They will. However, come the evening then the thermal activity will drop off quite abruptly giving quite flat evening conditions like yesterday.
This should be a good day for getting to Avila, and with enough stamina, to Segovia.
What Happened.
Epic day with Jim and I overflying Segovia and deciding to land, Ulric back at 95km, and Bart at Avila and Ethan around 102km. Epic conditions.
Sunday, was great for Ulric to with a fight to Avila.
1pm
skew 1500
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winds at top of lift and track
conditions along track over time
Excellent conditions yesterday which Bernt fully utilised by doing the 100km out and return to near Avila. Jim and I who were ahead tried pushing beyond Avila but fatigue and age kicked in and we landed at Avila for a snack.
Really excellent evening conditions with climbs above 3000m even after 8pm.
Bernts Track log. Heroic stuff!