noon

A heat low forming over the SE of Spain with the usual depression over the UK and Irealand. More instability at altitude which may give us some cloud build up but Cbs unlikely. Slightly stronger winds from W than yesterday. Valley trigger temperature 24ºC and inversion around 2600m (blue thermals), but climbs likley later to 3100m with formation of Cu (deep in some areas). Convergence likely in Avila Valley.

15.00

Segovia time and conditions

What happened?
Good unstable conditions and Rob p,Rob V , Marshall, Fred, Fergal and me across Pass.
Rob V and me to Avila, and Fergal a little short

noon

Similar pattern to yesterday with slightly lower max temp. Thermal quality poorer with conditions inverted around 2600m-2800m which will reinforce by end of day. Winds in the West. OK for flight to Avila, but with thermal quality and probably late start, muchg more would be unlikely.

Skew T 1500

Segovia/conditions/time

What happened?

Better than expected conditions with even a 7m/S thermal at the Pass to 2900m.

Fergul, Bill, Marshall, Fred, Rob (P), myself and Anton over the Pass. The day won by Anton with his new PB of 57.9km.

Tracks

Anton

noon

A weak cold front having passed with a low to the East of us.  Conditions not disimilar to yesterday with regards to thermal conditions, though we should have less wind in the Ambles Valley. Blue thermals to around 2800m and invresion reinforcing at that level later in the afternoon. The more northerly aspect may impede flights  beyond Avila.  Once again strong winds above and near the top of the convection layer which will make things a little uncomfortable in some areas.   Conditions shown below at bottome to Segovia.  Skew Ts in Piedrahita Valley.  Light wind on the hill (NW) at 9am.

15.00

skew t

Section to Segovia/time/condition

What Happened?

Quite rough and difficult climbs in the early stable conditions.  After around 2 hours most were down, bit marshall, who had been clocking tps along the ridge made his move for the Pass and crossed successfully landing near Sotalvo.

Marshalls´ heroic solo crossing

Sone nice evening conditions for the rest including Pedro our driver.

Anton evening take off

More of a chance than yesterday, but still with moderate winds, though more likely to be on at PN.  A deep depression over the UK gives us a very similar scenario to much of June and July.  An active cold front approaching may bring the winds more to he NW and drop the temperatures and increase thermal quality.

We will go up the hill around 11am (PN)

00.00

15.00

Section/time/conditions to Segovia

What Happened?

Light winds in our valley early on enabling us to do an early flight.  The Xc flight took Marshall and I over the Pass, the rest landing between Villafranca and the Cemetery. Rob was also high at the Pass, as was Julian, but both returned to land. Bit windy on the other side so we landed soon after crossing.  Julian called some of the key decisions today, so a mention in dispatches for him.

Nice evening flying with restitution.  I test flew the Apco Vista.

Marshall

Julian

If we believe the Data from NOA then it is unlikely that we can safely fly today.  Winds in the SW with climbs to 3200 but with excessive wind speeds.  I we do fly then it will be early from Lastra and with a track to the NE as shown on the diagram and conditions/time/X section.

00.00

probable track

15.00

X section/time/conditions

We have now published our calendar for next season and our end of season and pre season trips to the South of Spain.

Due to austerity measures in Spain there has been an across the board rise in taxes and costs and, so we too have increased our prices.

For 2013 in Piedrahita our weekly rate is now:

Low season – 520€.

High season – 550€ (Last week of June to the end of September)

Second, consecutive week 30€ discount

The change in exchange rates from 2011 to 2012 mean that the price British pilots are likely to pay will not be that different to this year.

480€ = £428 ( £1=1.12€ when calendar published in 2011)

550€ = £433 ( £1=1.27€ July 2012)

This price includes:

Live Tracking

Accommodation including basic breakfast and 3 evening meals

Airport transfer

Safety and daily briefings

Air to air guidance

Transport to sites and retrieve

For Southern Spain trips the price is 330€

This Price includes:

Live Tracking

Airport transfer

Safety and daily briefings

Ground to air guidance

Transport to sites and retrieve

To book for Piedrahita weeks we require a deposit of 200€ to our Spanish account or sterling equivalent to our UK account. The balance must be paid one month before your trip. If you have to cancel within that monthly period then we will return the balance if the week is not fully booked. If the week has been fully booked then we will only return the balance if we can fill the slot. In the case that we fill your slot on a fully booked week we will return your balance and deposit less bank charges.

Some weeks are defined as ‘subject to demand’, shown in yellow on the booking calendar. These weeks will only be opened up when at least 4 pilots have confirmed their booking.

With these weeks you should only pay your deposit after 4 pilots have confirmed their interest.

For these subject to demand weeks we may be able to alter arrival and departure dates for group bookings (not necessarily Sunday to Sunday).

The high pressure over the Atlantic to our West continues to stabilise conditions.  A heat low beginning to form to South over the Peninsula.  Good quality themals with around 15km/hr at take off level, perhaps 30km/hr at top of convectgion layer.  Mainly blue thermals with likely blue convergence.  A good day for flgihts beyond Avila as thermal tops are not excessively over 3000m (airspace limit)

Likely take-off time similar to yesterday.  Briefing around 10.45am at the house.

Noon

Skew T 1500

Time/Conditions to Segovia

What Happened?

Well, the wind never came into PN so around 4pm we ended up at Lastra which was amazingly not blow out.  Myself and Marshall first off and quickly to 3000m+.  We headed N to the Salamanca road but it was difficult to get up on the slopes to the N of the Piedrahita Valley.  Marshall found a field and soon 4 others were with him.  I managed to climb away, but with everone on the ground tried, and failed to get back up wind to them and landed in Bonilla near Julian.  Bill pushed over the hills to land in a tighter field, but near a village who plied him with beers.

Julian

Marshall

Bill

tracks

The risk of storms have passed.  Todays SW winds around 20km at take off level with climbs of 3200m if temperature reaches 27ºC (which is should).

I will do the airport run, retruning from Madrid at 5pm, so can be in Avila area around 6pm.

Fly with trackers and I can retrieve you if you are over Pass.  If Piedrahita side ring Puri.

noon

1500

What happened.

Bill got over the Pass for the first time after a low save and soaring on the tree lined hill.  Well done Bill!

Bill and his celebratory Mead with new group

The trough seems to have moved somewhat to the east.   High pressure begins to move in from the west which should fully stabalise things from Sunday onwards.  However, untill then we continue with the risk of large cloud build ups.  The cold front arriving should only affect adversley the northern part of Spain as is often the case at this time of year.

The lighter winds should allow us to get some flying from Peña Negra.  Flying XC depends upon the speed of build up.

0000

1500

From the Skew T of today we can see that the CAPE (shaded area in blue – Convective potential energy) is significantly smaller than previous days.  I we look at tomorrows skew T the temps would have to reach around 40ºC for cloud development (yellow lines).

Sunday 1500

What might we do

I have made a route forecast to the NW to avoid the Avila valley(often site of CB development due to convergence).  This means getting across the valley, and is not as easy as the route to the Pass in the initial stages, but once clear of the Piedrahita Valley to the N, it is a nice route with roads and generally good conditions.

The wind is on the hill (PN) at 9.15am.  We should go up for 11am an bre ready for an early flight in case conditions deteriorate.

Route to NW for conditions/X section

conditions/time/x section

What happened

Quite easy to stay up at around 11.30.  We flew for around an hour then the clouds became a litttle large later on.

50km or Bust

Nigel Page who is on his second week has so far logged 35 hours and 480km flown since he arrived.  It could have been nearly 100km more but he landed early on the 106km day at the beggining of last week.  Nigel is something of a veteran of Piedrahita and has been comming  to see us for 2 week visits since long way back.  He is well known to all Derbyshire pilots and is a great asset to that club as one of their coaches.  He is perhaps more widely known as the author of the excellent 50km or Bust aimed at budding Uk cross country pilots.

His site web page is //www.50k-or-bust.com/index.html where you can buy his book or browse his flying articles.