The A competition task for Friday was to take off from Blease Fell and then try to get the maximum score. From a designated take off pilots were to make their own decision of flight type to achieve maximum score with multipliers as per XC league applying. These are stated below.

a) open distance via 3 turn points
b) out and return with < 35k x 1.5; > 35k x 2
c) flat triangle with < 35k x 1.5; >35k x 2
d) FAI triangle with < 25k x 2.2; >25k x 2.8

The A competition task for Saturday was to take off from Jenkin Hill. Then to fly via 3 waypoints to gain the maximum number of kilometers and then to land within a set landing area in the fields at the foot of Latrigg.

The B competition started on Jenkin Hill where conditions were lively to say the least. The task was to fly to Little Man in front of Skiddaw, then over the Jenkin Hill landing area, then to Ullock Pike (W of Skiddaw), then to the landing area at Bewaldeth.

The task for the B competition on Saturday was take off at Jenkin Hill, west to the hamlet Millbeck (TP1), over the end of Latrigg (TP2) and then spot landing scored at Fitz Park (Goal). Spot landing results at the bottom

Spot Landing results

The following got into the field but were too far away from the spot to be measured

Keith Eastwood
Edward Cunliffe
Paul Hargreaves
Will Bradley

LCC Coaching 4th and 5th June 2010

After a general briefing for all pilots at around 09.30 hours on Friday, our fully subscribed coaching group gathered outside for a short briefing and met update.

It was decided in view of the southerly forecast to head for Jenkin Hill, with the option of some ground training, which a number of pilots had asked for, in the landing field if conditions were too strong. We walked the landing field, assessed the conditions and a unanimous decision was taken to head up the hill. I would have rather had a site away from the main B comp pilots, but with Bewaldeth still sadly closed, and travel all the way to South Lakes seeming a bit daft it was the best option. I tested the air when we arrived at a suitable take off well below the top, and then spent the next 30 minutes fighting my way back down through the thermals to the coaching group on the hill. Conditions were quite strong, but not dangerous, and later in the day mellowed considerably. I was a little concerned some of the group might be fazed by the strong lift immediately at take off, but all pilots flew. It would have been nice to see some fly for longer, although short flights with top or slope lands were not really practicable for low airtime pilots in the prevailing conditions. Everyone seemed to enjoy the day at their own level; one of the group flew to Red Hills near Penrith. An excellent effort, well done John, and I enjoyed a bimble around at cloud base over Ullock Pike and Bassenthwaite Lake.

We retired to the Nichol End café for a lake side coffee, debrief and to cover some of the theory requested by the group. On the way back to Buttermere we stopped off to check the wind at the Moss. Most of the group opted to risk the walk up just in case it was ok. We then rounded a great day off with a flight down to the LCC field.

Saturday was a rather lighter wind forecast, with a SW becoming W later. We opted to stay in the valley, to give people a chance to experience Buttermere flying, with the possibility of the SW face of Grassmoore, Whiteside or Kirk Fell. We ended up walking up Whiteside in a very light southerly valley wind, which remained light until the sun hit the hill and turned on the thermal switch. Which probably meant we could have taken off much lower down! The SW bowl of Whiteside worked superbly, with good thermals streaming up it and easy soaring. Again all pilots flew, some for longer than others. Unfortunately the wind never really went W, so easy crossings to Grassmoore and Swinside were not possible. Rob Grout however managed to climb up the front of Grasmoor in a very, very crossed wind and rough thermals to pop out above the top. Very annoying when a later attempt from greater height put me on the deck! A good weekend for all, and many thanks for the very positive feed back to Ed Cleasby, the comp director. I hope you all progress well and safely in your flying careers.

And finally a few thoughts.

• Fly regularly. Very regularly would be better.
• Get in touch with, and fly with your club coaches.
• Always set a simple and safe task for each flight.
• If it’s not possible to fly then ground handle regularly. Very regularly would be better.
• Set some tasks to achieve when ground handling. If it’s not possible to ground handle or fly, then practice flying tasks in your head!

John Hamlett took some excellent pictures of the weekend - they can be found here

Malcolm Grout LCC Coach, assisted by Rob Grout.