My First 300km By: Michael Rubin Posted: September 30 2003
Saturday, August 30, 2003 was the day a cold plume of air came down from the arctic and threatened showery conditions across the UK in a cool northerly breeze. However, I had an inkling it might not be as showery as forecast and cloudbase was forecast to be high (for this country). So I declared the 300km task set at the briefing with trepidation as one of the turning points was on the Isle of Wight. This would mean crossing the sea for several miles to get from Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight, and then back again. Fortunately a cold unstable northerly can provide the right conditions for this, preventing the dead sea air from penetrating inland like it would do normally.
First we got sent upwind to the north to Turweston near Silverstone. After launching just before midday it took a while to get away but the further north I went the better, blasting into wind quickly, culminating in a cracking 8kt average to 5200ft QNH over Turweston. Then I had a fast run downwind to the coast. And this is where the real fun began. It took me a while to get the bottle to do it, but after a good climb to 5600ft QNH over the southern tip of Portsmouth I went for it. I left the south coast of mainland UK and crossed the Solent cautiously.
After what seemed like an age I made it the coast of the Isle of Wight, and then to Bembridge with well over 4600ft to spare. Then just off the coast I soared to 5400ft Bembridge, and again in 2.5kts to 5100ft in the middle of the Solent on the way back, while a P&O ferry and various yachts and other boats sailed by.
That was the most surreal thermal I have ever soared in! After that it was a leisuredly cruise home to complete my first ever 300km flight with no real dramas at about 70km/h.
The view from beyond the south coast was easily the best scenery I have witnessed from a glider so far. It was gorgeous up there. Arguably my best flight of the year! A note though that as I approached Lasham I noticed that upwind it was 8/8 spreadout. I had been fortunate in getting north and back again before the spreadout started. I am glad I set off early, or else I might have got caught in the spreadout. Fortunately by the time I reached the bad air I was on final glide, so did not care one bit. My first thought was to safely land, and then to get hold of an Official Observer (asap).
So not only did I achieve a long term aim of finally getting that elusive first 300, but I also made it to the Isle of Wight and back in the same flight - another highly rated activity that isn't possible very often. So this is one flight I will never forget.
I took some great aerial photos of the coastal scenery while playing around the Isle of Wight. I placed them on my gliding piccies page at http://www.flybywire.dsl.pipex.com/piccies/Gliding/index.html - look for the section dated for 30th August 2003.
