2026 Central Districts Gliding Championships - the event is scheduled to be held from Waipukurau from Saturday 14th February 2026 (practice day) - Saturday 21st February 2026 inclusive. Entries will open on the GNZ website in due course at
https://hawkesbay.gliding.net.nz/events/central-districts-gliding-championships-feb-2025 (sic)
13 July 2025
It was another cloudy day but dry with fickle winds. The conditions allowed training flights.
06 July 2025
Morning low and cloud drizzle improved slightly in the afternoon but with the weather remaining marginal with a gusty southerly wind, flying was cancelled for the day.
29 June 2025
Low and cloud drizzle deterred any flying for the day.
22 June 2025
It was again a largely clear blue day with calm conditions which were ideal for training and trial flights.
15 June 2025
It was a largely clear blue day with calm conditions and some temporary bits of lift reported. This was ideal for training and trial flights.
08 June 2025
A bitterly cold morning resulted in a fine and sunny day which was ideal for training for trial flights. The weather forecast predicted some weak local wave later in the day and this turned out to be correct with Jason Kelly and Liam Kirk flying the ASH25M to 9,500ft between Napier and south of Lake Poukawa. An attempt at the club's local 33km triangle was thwarted by air traffic control restrictions but the flight only ended due to impending darkness with the airbrakes required to speed up the descent.
01 June 2025
With westerly winds forecast, there was some hope for wave. However, with the wind turning southerly and weakening, there was only early morning brief broken wave lift found with some weak and messy later thermals. The conditions were ideal for training and trial flights though not good enough for decent soaring.
25 May 2025
The day was ideal for training and trial flights as it was a pristine Hawkes Bay Autumn day with a morning frost followed by a fine, sunny and mostly calm afternoon.
18 May 2025
With 10 to 15 knot northerly winds, it was not the best day for flying with conditions a bit bumpy lower down. As such, flying was cancelled for the day.
11 May 2025
It was a typical Autumn day with a cool morning and fine and calm day. This was ideal for training and trial flights.
04 May 2025
A strong southerly morning wind with low cloud an intermittent drizzle saw no one wanting to fly so flying was cancelled for the day.
27 April 2025
With thin high cloud, mild temperatures and light winds, the day was ideal for training with a flat sky.
20 April 2025
Easter Sunday saw no flying.
13 April 2025
No flying took place.
06 April 2025
Flying was cancelled for the day.
30 March 2025
After a chilly and foggy early morning, the day warmed with a clear blue sky and calm conditions locally which were ideal for training and trial flights. Further afield there were thermals and convergences which allowed soaring around a large area with climbs up to 6,500ft reported. The conditions saw four club pilots take advantage of the Autumnal soaring conditions.
23 March 2025
The day was fine, warm and calm which was again ideal for training and trial flights. Later in the afternoon, some soaring was possible with blue thermals to 4,000ft south of the airfield.
16 March 2025
It was a typical Hawkes Bay cloudless Autumn day with sunshine and warmth. This meant conditions were ideal for training and trial flights with largely smooth flying conditions and the odd small climb possible.
09 March 2025
A strong southerly that swung easterly later in the day caused some boisterous conditions but training and trial flights were completed with rain showers largely missing the airfield. Strong broken lift and sink of up to 6kts was reported.
02 March 2025
While it was officially an Autumn day, it was fine and hot with clear skies and little wind. The high temperatures and calm air affected takeover performance negatively. Conditions aloft were mostly flat with some blue thermals allowing limited soaring. Overall, it was day suited to training and trial flights.
23 February 2025
It was another good soaring day with thermals and convergence lift available all day. Student pilot Bella Coombe flew with instructor James Foreman in HB at up to 4,200ft before having to return to the airfield to allow members and trial flighters to fly. Graham White flew south of Dannevirke in his LS8 XS but then found conditions weaker than he liked so landed at Waipukurau for a trailer retrieve. Jason Kelly flew in the ASH25M with Bella Coombe and they climbed to around 6,000ft and flew south of Waipukurau before returning to land at Bridge Pa to complete a great day of flying.
16 February 2025
Flying was cancelled for the day with low cloud, drizzle and rain the features of the day.
09 February 2025
Members had a good day at the gliding club with the weather conditions suitable for training, trial flights and soaring. With light ground winds, thermals and convergence lift available, flights covered up to several hours and from the coast to the mountains and in between. A visiting German pilot flew for over an hour at heights of over 4,500ft and only returned as the glider was called back to the airfield for others to use.
02 February 2025
It was not a classic summer day but flying was possible with a strong southerly wind and a boisterous low level sky. The last flight of the day saw a 1,000ft climb to cloud base of 2,500ft.
26 January 2025
With blue sky way up in the north west but low cloud with drizzle showers to the south, including Bridge Pa, reluctantly flying was cancelled for the day.
19 January 2025
The forecast was not fantastic but it was a soaring day with thermals to over 4,000ft which enabled pilots to fly all afternoon. Conditions were also ideal for training and trial flights.
12 January 2025
A morning 10 knot southerly at the airfield, which is usually rough and not that good for training, meant there was not much to be gained for students so flying was cancelled for the day.
05 January 2025
With morning rain at Bridge Pa and with the forecast for on and off rain all day, flying was cancelled for the day with the hope for better conditions next week.
29 December 2024
Early morning cloud was down on the hills by Mount Erin but conditions improved to allow training. It was not a soaring day with northerlies.
22 December 2024
Forecast showers and hail did not apply locally with the day ideal for training and local flying with some local soaring possible.
15 December 2024
Local conditions were hot and relatively calm which were ideal for training and trial flights. A number of members also used the available thermals and convergences to fly west into the ranges and south to Blackhead Beach at heights of over 6,000ft.
08 December 2024
It was another day that was suitable for training and trial flights with initial calm conditions and a flat sky. Later in the afternoon the air became boisterous with some broken wave and thermal lift which allowed some brief soaring.
01 December 2024
The weather was suitable for training with a number of flights completed. Some early local thermals vanished as the day progressed with the apparent lift moving some distance away from the airfield. Graham White launched south in his LS8 but landed out just north of Otane while James Foreman motored in his DG-400 to above the clouds before soaring back to the airfield.
24 November 2024
The morning saw rain then drizzle up to around midday. The afternoon weather was better and suitable for training with a number of flights completed.
17 November 2024
The afternoon saw six ATC flights with 3 enjoying local thermals for around 30 minutes. They could have stayed aloft for a while but the queue of cadets prevented such.
10 November 2024
While the weather was not ideal, the newly refurbished towplane flew a number of times under a flat grey sky which was ideal for training.
03 November 2024
It was a cloudy day with a strong cold southerly wind. No flying was again possible due to continued planned towplane maintenance. The wings are painted and re-fitted.
27 October 2024
No flying was again possible due to continued planned towplane maintenance. Good progress is being made with completion getting closer by the day.
20 October 2024
The club towplane maintenance continued with good progress being made. With self launching gliders, Jason Shields in his Ventus 3M, James Foreman in his DG-400 and Jason Kelly with his brother Patrick in the ASH25M, flew in Spring thermals. While locally the cloud base was initially only 2,500ft with broken climbs, Jason Shields ventured south west of Dannevirke and around before returning while the others flew locally at up to 3,500ft.
The day was concluded with the AGM with no changes to the club executive.
13 October 2024
No flying was possible due to planned towplane maintenance. The required parts are to hand and progress is being made.
06 October 2024
No flying was possible due to planned towplane maintenance.
29 September 2024
No flying was possible due to planned towplane maintenance.
22 September 2024
No flying was possible due to planned towplane maintenance.
15 September 2024
No flying was possible due to planned towplane maintenance.
08 September 2024
No flying was possible due to planned towplane maintenance.
01 September 2024
A westerly forecast most of the day, which could be rough, saw flying cancelled without opening the hangar doors.
25 August 2024
It was another day that was ideal for training with light winds and calm conditions aloft. Further members of the 11 ATC Squadron had flights to 2,000ft. The wind did vary during the day so launches were from 01, 19 and 29 with some weak, broken wave forming late in the day which allowed flights to be extended.
18 August 2024
With the wind starting to pick up early morning and predicted to get worse, flying was cancelled for the day. The aeroclub weather station recorded gusts of up to 38kts during the day.
11 August 2024
A foggy morning start slowly cleared with a 1,000ft cloud base for the first flights. This lifted during the day which allowed members of the 11 ATC Squadron to take flights up to 3,000ft. Conditions remained flat and calm which were ideal for this.
04 August 2024
Due to a delay in the start of the scheduled towplane maintenance, flying was possible and a number of students used another calm and flat day to progress their gliding skills.
28 July 2024
It was another calm day that was ideal for training.
21 July 2024
With afternoon showers forecast and some members away combined with the club glider undergoing its annual inspection, no gliding took place.
14 July 2024
Showers and cold weather saw little enthusiasm to brave the elements so flying was cancelled for the day before it started.
07 July 2024
A typical Hawkes Bay Winter's day of fine and calm weather after a solid morning frost was yet again another ideal day for training and trial flights.
30 June 2024
It was another ideal day for training and trial flights with no wind, clear skies and a dead flat sky. A dozen flights were completed for the day including James Foreman taking the opportunity to make his first self launch in his DG-400 glider.
23 June 2024
The good run of flyable Sunday's was ended with morning rain and the forecast for not much better all day seeing flying cancelled before it started.
16 June 2024
The only flight of the day reported strong winds aloft and rough skies at lower levels. As such, flying was abandoned for the day. A gusty and variable W / NW ground wind built up and persisted until late afternoon with some wave visible at times.
09 June 2024
Conditions started off ideal for trial flights and training with little wind and a flat sky. A boisterous wind developed later in the day but then largely died off again. There were some reported snippets of broken wave but no soaring was undertaken.
03 June 2024 (Monday)
James Foreman in his DG-400 took the opportunity to aerotow launch and practice his engine handling in mostly flat conditions with the odd bit of lift around while George Lane took his first flight in the LS3a GMF.
02 June 2024
Of what can be called the first day of Winter, flying conditions were ideal for training with a flat sky and little wind. Cloud cover increased during the day but training flights were completed well before this became an issue. The club also bade farewell to student pilot Xavier Amand who is returning overseas.
26 May 2024
There was messy wave which allowed soaring in addition to training. Jason Kelly and Wayne Golding flew the ASH25M GRJ at heights of up to 9,500ft and travelled south to about Otane and then north to abeam almost Wairoa. The weather conditions then changed so they headed back and landed at Napier Airport and were then aero towed back to Bridge Pa on dusk. James Foreman took his DG-400 ZK-GOM for a good run in the wave as he tested his new glider. Students also enjoyed some local soaring so it was another busy day with the hangar doors only closed just on dark.
19 May 2024
It was a cloudy day but calm which was ideal for training. Unfortunately the flying day was cut short with the closure of the airfield.
12 May 2024
After a bone chilling morning, the day was yet again another classic Hawkes Bay Autumn day with blue skies, light winds and flat flying conditions. This was again ideal for trial flights and training with another full day of flying completed.
05 May 2024
It was another classic Hawkes Bay Autumn day that was ideal for training and trial flights with a cloudless sky, calm air and light winds. This saw the instructor and towplane busy all day with a queue of students.
28 April 2024
After a freezing start to the day, it was a classic Hawkes Bay Autumn day that was ideal for training and trial flights with light winds and sunshine with stunning views aloft. Flying conditions started fairly stable but improved with thermals and a convergence later in the day. Jason Kelly and Jasper Betty flew the ASH25M to south of Waipukurau and back at heights of up to 4,500ft before returning to the airfield after over two hours of flight.
21 April 2024
Low cloud and drizzle prevented all flying for the day.
14 April 2024
The club flew in calm conditions under grey skies with drizzle threatening. The day was ideal for training but finished early as the cloud thickened and drizzle approached.
07 April 2024
It was another great Hawkes Bay Autumn day that was ideal for training and trial flights with light winds and sunshine. Conditions aloft started fairly flat but improved with a convergence later in the day. Jason Kelly took a trial flight in the ASH25M and they soared to over 5,000ft out west towards the ranges before returning to the airfield after an almost two and a half hour flight.
31 March 2024
While it was a cool southerly of 10 knots mid morning, it was flyable but due to a lack of punters and the greater lure of the Easter Bunny, the day was officially cancelled. The local newspaper, the HB Today published the photo below on Thursday 28th March 2024.
https://hawkesbay.gliding.net.nz/events/central-districts-gliding-championships-feb-2025 (sic)
13 July 2025
It was another cloudy day but dry with fickle winds. The conditions allowed training flights.
06 July 2025
Morning low and cloud drizzle improved slightly in the afternoon but with the weather remaining marginal with a gusty southerly wind, flying was cancelled for the day.
29 June 2025
Low and cloud drizzle deterred any flying for the day.
22 June 2025
It was again a largely clear blue day with calm conditions which were ideal for training and trial flights.
15 June 2025
It was a largely clear blue day with calm conditions and some temporary bits of lift reported. This was ideal for training and trial flights.
08 June 2025
A bitterly cold morning resulted in a fine and sunny day which was ideal for training for trial flights. The weather forecast predicted some weak local wave later in the day and this turned out to be correct with Jason Kelly and Liam Kirk flying the ASH25M to 9,500ft between Napier and south of Lake Poukawa. An attempt at the club's local 33km triangle was thwarted by air traffic control restrictions but the flight only ended due to impending darkness with the airbrakes required to speed up the descent.
01 June 2025
With westerly winds forecast, there was some hope for wave. However, with the wind turning southerly and weakening, there was only early morning brief broken wave lift found with some weak and messy later thermals. The conditions were ideal for training and trial flights though not good enough for decent soaring.
25 May 2025
The day was ideal for training and trial flights as it was a pristine Hawkes Bay Autumn day with a morning frost followed by a fine, sunny and mostly calm afternoon.
18 May 2025
With 10 to 15 knot northerly winds, it was not the best day for flying with conditions a bit bumpy lower down. As such, flying was cancelled for the day.
11 May 2025
It was a typical Autumn day with a cool morning and fine and calm day. This was ideal for training and trial flights.
04 May 2025
A strong southerly morning wind with low cloud an intermittent drizzle saw no one wanting to fly so flying was cancelled for the day.
27 April 2025
With thin high cloud, mild temperatures and light winds, the day was ideal for training with a flat sky.
20 April 2025
Easter Sunday saw no flying.
13 April 2025
No flying took place.
06 April 2025
Flying was cancelled for the day.
30 March 2025
After a chilly and foggy early morning, the day warmed with a clear blue sky and calm conditions locally which were ideal for training and trial flights. Further afield there were thermals and convergences which allowed soaring around a large area with climbs up to 6,500ft reported. The conditions saw four club pilots take advantage of the Autumnal soaring conditions.
23 March 2025
The day was fine, warm and calm which was again ideal for training and trial flights. Later in the afternoon, some soaring was possible with blue thermals to 4,000ft south of the airfield.
16 March 2025
It was a typical Hawkes Bay cloudless Autumn day with sunshine and warmth. This meant conditions were ideal for training and trial flights with largely smooth flying conditions and the odd small climb possible.
09 March 2025
A strong southerly that swung easterly later in the day caused some boisterous conditions but training and trial flights were completed with rain showers largely missing the airfield. Strong broken lift and sink of up to 6kts was reported.
02 March 2025
While it was officially an Autumn day, it was fine and hot with clear skies and little wind. The high temperatures and calm air affected takeover performance negatively. Conditions aloft were mostly flat with some blue thermals allowing limited soaring. Overall, it was day suited to training and trial flights.
23 February 2025
It was another good soaring day with thermals and convergence lift available all day. Student pilot Bella Coombe flew with instructor James Foreman in HB at up to 4,200ft before having to return to the airfield to allow members and trial flighters to fly. Graham White flew south of Dannevirke in his LS8 XS but then found conditions weaker than he liked so landed at Waipukurau for a trailer retrieve. Jason Kelly flew in the ASH25M with Bella Coombe and they climbed to around 6,000ft and flew south of Waipukurau before returning to land at Bridge Pa to complete a great day of flying.
16 February 2025
Flying was cancelled for the day with low cloud, drizzle and rain the features of the day.
09 February 2025
Members had a good day at the gliding club with the weather conditions suitable for training, trial flights and soaring. With light ground winds, thermals and convergence lift available, flights covered up to several hours and from the coast to the mountains and in between. A visiting German pilot flew for over an hour at heights of over 4,500ft and only returned as the glider was called back to the airfield for others to use.
02 February 2025
It was not a classic summer day but flying was possible with a strong southerly wind and a boisterous low level sky. The last flight of the day saw a 1,000ft climb to cloud base of 2,500ft.
26 January 2025
With blue sky way up in the north west but low cloud with drizzle showers to the south, including Bridge Pa, reluctantly flying was cancelled for the day.
19 January 2025
The forecast was not fantastic but it was a soaring day with thermals to over 4,000ft which enabled pilots to fly all afternoon. Conditions were also ideal for training and trial flights.
12 January 2025
A morning 10 knot southerly at the airfield, which is usually rough and not that good for training, meant there was not much to be gained for students so flying was cancelled for the day.
05 January 2025
With morning rain at Bridge Pa and with the forecast for on and off rain all day, flying was cancelled for the day with the hope for better conditions next week.
29 December 2024
Early morning cloud was down on the hills by Mount Erin but conditions improved to allow training. It was not a soaring day with northerlies.
22 December 2024
Forecast showers and hail did not apply locally with the day ideal for training and local flying with some local soaring possible.
15 December 2024
Local conditions were hot and relatively calm which were ideal for training and trial flights. A number of members also used the available thermals and convergences to fly west into the ranges and south to Blackhead Beach at heights of over 6,000ft.
08 December 2024
It was another day that was suitable for training and trial flights with initial calm conditions and a flat sky. Later in the afternoon the air became boisterous with some broken wave and thermal lift which allowed some brief soaring.
01 December 2024
The weather was suitable for training with a number of flights completed. Some early local thermals vanished as the day progressed with the apparent lift moving some distance away from the airfield. Graham White launched south in his LS8 but landed out just north of Otane while James Foreman motored in his DG-400 to above the clouds before soaring back to the airfield.
24 November 2024
The morning saw rain then drizzle up to around midday. The afternoon weather was better and suitable for training with a number of flights completed.
17 November 2024
The afternoon saw six ATC flights with 3 enjoying local thermals for around 30 minutes. They could have stayed aloft for a while but the queue of cadets prevented such.
10 November 2024
While the weather was not ideal, the newly refurbished towplane flew a number of times under a flat grey sky which was ideal for training.
03 November 2024
It was a cloudy day with a strong cold southerly wind. No flying was again possible due to continued planned towplane maintenance. The wings are painted and re-fitted.
27 October 2024
No flying was again possible due to continued planned towplane maintenance. Good progress is being made with completion getting closer by the day.
20 October 2024
The club towplane maintenance continued with good progress being made. With self launching gliders, Jason Shields in his Ventus 3M, James Foreman in his DG-400 and Jason Kelly with his brother Patrick in the ASH25M, flew in Spring thermals. While locally the cloud base was initially only 2,500ft with broken climbs, Jason Shields ventured south west of Dannevirke and around before returning while the others flew locally at up to 3,500ft.
The day was concluded with the AGM with no changes to the club executive.
13 October 2024
No flying was possible due to planned towplane maintenance. The required parts are to hand and progress is being made.
06 October 2024
No flying was possible due to planned towplane maintenance.
29 September 2024
No flying was possible due to planned towplane maintenance.
22 September 2024
No flying was possible due to planned towplane maintenance.
15 September 2024
No flying was possible due to planned towplane maintenance.
08 September 2024
No flying was possible due to planned towplane maintenance.
01 September 2024
A westerly forecast most of the day, which could be rough, saw flying cancelled without opening the hangar doors.
25 August 2024
It was another day that was ideal for training with light winds and calm conditions aloft. Further members of the 11 ATC Squadron had flights to 2,000ft. The wind did vary during the day so launches were from 01, 19 and 29 with some weak, broken wave forming late in the day which allowed flights to be extended.
18 August 2024
With the wind starting to pick up early morning and predicted to get worse, flying was cancelled for the day. The aeroclub weather station recorded gusts of up to 38kts during the day.
11 August 2024
A foggy morning start slowly cleared with a 1,000ft cloud base for the first flights. This lifted during the day which allowed members of the 11 ATC Squadron to take flights up to 3,000ft. Conditions remained flat and calm which were ideal for this.
04 August 2024
Due to a delay in the start of the scheduled towplane maintenance, flying was possible and a number of students used another calm and flat day to progress their gliding skills.
28 July 2024
It was another calm day that was ideal for training.
21 July 2024
With afternoon showers forecast and some members away combined with the club glider undergoing its annual inspection, no gliding took place.
14 July 2024
Showers and cold weather saw little enthusiasm to brave the elements so flying was cancelled for the day before it started.
07 July 2024
A typical Hawkes Bay Winter's day of fine and calm weather after a solid morning frost was yet again another ideal day for training and trial flights.
30 June 2024
It was another ideal day for training and trial flights with no wind, clear skies and a dead flat sky. A dozen flights were completed for the day including James Foreman taking the opportunity to make his first self launch in his DG-400 glider.
23 June 2024
The good run of flyable Sunday's was ended with morning rain and the forecast for not much better all day seeing flying cancelled before it started.
16 June 2024
The only flight of the day reported strong winds aloft and rough skies at lower levels. As such, flying was abandoned for the day. A gusty and variable W / NW ground wind built up and persisted until late afternoon with some wave visible at times.
09 June 2024
Conditions started off ideal for trial flights and training with little wind and a flat sky. A boisterous wind developed later in the day but then largely died off again. There were some reported snippets of broken wave but no soaring was undertaken.
03 June 2024 (Monday)
James Foreman in his DG-400 took the opportunity to aerotow launch and practice his engine handling in mostly flat conditions with the odd bit of lift around while George Lane took his first flight in the LS3a GMF.
02 June 2024
Of what can be called the first day of Winter, flying conditions were ideal for training with a flat sky and little wind. Cloud cover increased during the day but training flights were completed well before this became an issue. The club also bade farewell to student pilot Xavier Amand who is returning overseas.
26 May 2024
There was messy wave which allowed soaring in addition to training. Jason Kelly and Wayne Golding flew the ASH25M GRJ at heights of up to 9,500ft and travelled south to about Otane and then north to abeam almost Wairoa. The weather conditions then changed so they headed back and landed at Napier Airport and were then aero towed back to Bridge Pa on dusk. James Foreman took his DG-400 ZK-GOM for a good run in the wave as he tested his new glider. Students also enjoyed some local soaring so it was another busy day with the hangar doors only closed just on dark.
19 May 2024
It was a cloudy day but calm which was ideal for training. Unfortunately the flying day was cut short with the closure of the airfield.
12 May 2024
After a bone chilling morning, the day was yet again another classic Hawkes Bay Autumn day with blue skies, light winds and flat flying conditions. This was again ideal for trial flights and training with another full day of flying completed.
05 May 2024
It was another classic Hawkes Bay Autumn day that was ideal for training and trial flights with a cloudless sky, calm air and light winds. This saw the instructor and towplane busy all day with a queue of students.
28 April 2024
After a freezing start to the day, it was a classic Hawkes Bay Autumn day that was ideal for training and trial flights with light winds and sunshine with stunning views aloft. Flying conditions started fairly stable but improved with thermals and a convergence later in the day. Jason Kelly and Jasper Betty flew the ASH25M to south of Waipukurau and back at heights of up to 4,500ft before returning to the airfield after over two hours of flight.
21 April 2024
Low cloud and drizzle prevented all flying for the day.
14 April 2024
The club flew in calm conditions under grey skies with drizzle threatening. The day was ideal for training but finished early as the cloud thickened and drizzle approached.
07 April 2024
It was another great Hawkes Bay Autumn day that was ideal for training and trial flights with light winds and sunshine. Conditions aloft started fairly flat but improved with a convergence later in the day. Jason Kelly took a trial flight in the ASH25M and they soared to over 5,000ft out west towards the ranges before returning to the airfield after an almost two and a half hour flight.
31 March 2024
While it was a cool southerly of 10 knots mid morning, it was flyable but due to a lack of punters and the greater lure of the Easter Bunny, the day was officially cancelled. The local newspaper, the HB Today published the photo below on Thursday 28th March 2024.
The Easter Rabbit cloud.
24 March 2024
It was again an ideal day for training and trial flights with light winds and calm conditions. The afternoon also saw soaring possible with thermals to over 4,000ft. Graham White in his LS8 ventured west to Mangleton and the Wakarara range while Jason and Brian Kelly in their ASH25M started off east, flying past Te Mata Peak, the Tuki Valley and Poukawa before heading west after encountering a paraglider and a vision of the Easter Rabbit as in the photo above.
17 March 2024
A clear Autumnal morning with freezing morning temperatures warmed to another fine and sunny day that was ideal for training and trial flights. This again resulted in a busy day for the club with a good number of flights and some afternoon soaring possible. Jason Kelly took new student Xavier Amand for a soaring flight in the ASH25M and they went west of Maraekakaho before heading south of Waipukurau to abeam Norsewood before returning to Bridge Pa, reaching over 6,000ft in places using the available thermals.
16 March 2024 (Saturday)
Jason Shields in his Ventus 3M and Graham White in his LS8 traversed the Hawkes Bay skies using the available thermal and convergence lift. After a tricky start, Graham flew south and reached a maximum altitude of about 6,000ft while Jason headed north with both enjoying a great afternoon of soaring.
10 March 2024
Cool early morning Autumnal temperatures gave way to a fine, mild and calm day with some thin high cloud. There was some weak blue broken lift which allowed some local soaring. The conditions were ideal for training and trial flights which saw a busy day of flying with the last flight landing after 5pm and the potential to gain three new members from the day.
03 March 2024
Mid-morning saw wind gusts of over 20kts recorded which resulted in flying being cancelled for the day. There was later drizzle which cleared by about 4pm to fine and sunny conditions.
01 March 2024 (Friday)
The first day of Autumn provided some thermals and convergence which resulted in Jason Kelly in the ASH25M soaring south east of Lake Poukawa and west to Maraekakaho during the late afternoon.
25 February 2024
It was one of those days. A strong morning easterly changed to weather clearing from the south. Conditions were not ideal in the morning and only slightly improved so no flying was completed. It gave members a day off after eight days of the Central Districts Gliding competition.
18 February 2024
Flying was from Waipukurau Airfield and was ideal for trial flights with gentle thermal and convergence lift available to soar in.
16 February 2024 (Friday)
Thermals and convergence were used by Graham White in his LS8 to fly to Waipukurau in preparation for the Central Districts Gliding Contest. James Foreman in his LS3 had landout practice while Jason Price in his DG-200 and the club glider GHB, piloted by Steve Gillum and John McConville, re-located to Waipukurau with the aid of the towplane.
13 February 2024 (Tuesday)
Graham White in his LS8 and James Foreman in his LS3 utilised the available lift for an afternoon of soaring as far west as Tikokino and south to abeam Dannevirke, reaching altitudes of over 5,000ft.
11 February 2024
With a 15 knot southerly wind at the airfield and low cloud with showers forecast for most of day, it did not look good so there was no flying.
04 February 2024
A fine, sunny, calm and mild day was ideal for trial flights and training. Despite the complete lack of clouds, there was some soaring to be had with Jason Shields in his Ventus 3M flying to the ranges and back while Jason Kelly and Jason Price in the ASH25M found blue thermals and a blue convergence which enabled them to climb to over 5,000ft and reach the Kereru and Gwavas areas west of Hastings.
01 February 2024 (Thursday)
Graham White in his LS8 and James Foreman in his LS3 launched at the right time to make the most of the afternoon thermals and convergence. Initial conditions were a little soft but they improved to allow a good afternoon of soaring.
28 January 2024
A clear blue early morning sky rapidly filled with high cloud and the forecast rain arrived early afternoon. Prior to the rain, the calm sky was ideal for training with a number of flights completed.
21 January 2024
Early in the day it was a hard one to call with forecast heavy showers but as the actual weather was not bad, gliding was planned. It ended up being a great day for the club with local soaring as far as Waipawa at heights of around 3,000ft possible. The recently returned to air PW5 GYP was well used with Antonio Milewski flying it for over 90 minutes while Jasper Betty completed his first single seat glider flight. Tow pilot Neil Faulknor celebrated his 3,000th recorded glider tow.
14 January 2024
It was a scorching Hawkes Bay Summer day with the temperature exceeding 33°C mid-afternoon. It was fine, sunny and relatively calm with ideal conditions for training and trial flights. There was thermal lift all day with some late afternoon clouds marking a strong sea breeze convergence.
07 January 2024
Flying in the new year started slowly with just four flights recorded with a BFR, check flight, solo and 40 minute soaring flight in the blue with all flying finished by 14:00.
31 December 2023
The year ended with no flying due to winds gusting at 23 knots by 8:30am and forecast to get stronger during the day.
24 December 2023
Areas of 4kt lift and 4kt sink were reported from the only flight of the day. With a messy sky and it being Christmas Eve, no one else took the opportunity to fly with time spent on preparing and packing gliders for a trip to Omarama instead.
It was again an ideal day for training and trial flights with light winds and calm conditions. The afternoon also saw soaring possible with thermals to over 4,000ft. Graham White in his LS8 ventured west to Mangleton and the Wakarara range while Jason and Brian Kelly in their ASH25M started off east, flying past Te Mata Peak, the Tuki Valley and Poukawa before heading west after encountering a paraglider and a vision of the Easter Rabbit as in the photo above.
17 March 2024
A clear Autumnal morning with freezing morning temperatures warmed to another fine and sunny day that was ideal for training and trial flights. This again resulted in a busy day for the club with a good number of flights and some afternoon soaring possible. Jason Kelly took new student Xavier Amand for a soaring flight in the ASH25M and they went west of Maraekakaho before heading south of Waipukurau to abeam Norsewood before returning to Bridge Pa, reaching over 6,000ft in places using the available thermals.
16 March 2024 (Saturday)
Jason Shields in his Ventus 3M and Graham White in his LS8 traversed the Hawkes Bay skies using the available thermal and convergence lift. After a tricky start, Graham flew south and reached a maximum altitude of about 6,000ft while Jason headed north with both enjoying a great afternoon of soaring.
10 March 2024
Cool early morning Autumnal temperatures gave way to a fine, mild and calm day with some thin high cloud. There was some weak blue broken lift which allowed some local soaring. The conditions were ideal for training and trial flights which saw a busy day of flying with the last flight landing after 5pm and the potential to gain three new members from the day.
03 March 2024
Mid-morning saw wind gusts of over 20kts recorded which resulted in flying being cancelled for the day. There was later drizzle which cleared by about 4pm to fine and sunny conditions.
01 March 2024 (Friday)
The first day of Autumn provided some thermals and convergence which resulted in Jason Kelly in the ASH25M soaring south east of Lake Poukawa and west to Maraekakaho during the late afternoon.
25 February 2024
It was one of those days. A strong morning easterly changed to weather clearing from the south. Conditions were not ideal in the morning and only slightly improved so no flying was completed. It gave members a day off after eight days of the Central Districts Gliding competition.
18 February 2024
Flying was from Waipukurau Airfield and was ideal for trial flights with gentle thermal and convergence lift available to soar in.
16 February 2024 (Friday)
Thermals and convergence were used by Graham White in his LS8 to fly to Waipukurau in preparation for the Central Districts Gliding Contest. James Foreman in his LS3 had landout practice while Jason Price in his DG-200 and the club glider GHB, piloted by Steve Gillum and John McConville, re-located to Waipukurau with the aid of the towplane.
13 February 2024 (Tuesday)
Graham White in his LS8 and James Foreman in his LS3 utilised the available lift for an afternoon of soaring as far west as Tikokino and south to abeam Dannevirke, reaching altitudes of over 5,000ft.
11 February 2024
With a 15 knot southerly wind at the airfield and low cloud with showers forecast for most of day, it did not look good so there was no flying.
04 February 2024
A fine, sunny, calm and mild day was ideal for trial flights and training. Despite the complete lack of clouds, there was some soaring to be had with Jason Shields in his Ventus 3M flying to the ranges and back while Jason Kelly and Jason Price in the ASH25M found blue thermals and a blue convergence which enabled them to climb to over 5,000ft and reach the Kereru and Gwavas areas west of Hastings.
01 February 2024 (Thursday)
Graham White in his LS8 and James Foreman in his LS3 launched at the right time to make the most of the afternoon thermals and convergence. Initial conditions were a little soft but they improved to allow a good afternoon of soaring.
28 January 2024
A clear blue early morning sky rapidly filled with high cloud and the forecast rain arrived early afternoon. Prior to the rain, the calm sky was ideal for training with a number of flights completed.
21 January 2024
Early in the day it was a hard one to call with forecast heavy showers but as the actual weather was not bad, gliding was planned. It ended up being a great day for the club with local soaring as far as Waipawa at heights of around 3,000ft possible. The recently returned to air PW5 GYP was well used with Antonio Milewski flying it for over 90 minutes while Jasper Betty completed his first single seat glider flight. Tow pilot Neil Faulknor celebrated his 3,000th recorded glider tow.
14 January 2024
It was a scorching Hawkes Bay Summer day with the temperature exceeding 33°C mid-afternoon. It was fine, sunny and relatively calm with ideal conditions for training and trial flights. There was thermal lift all day with some late afternoon clouds marking a strong sea breeze convergence.
07 January 2024
Flying in the new year started slowly with just four flights recorded with a BFR, check flight, solo and 40 minute soaring flight in the blue with all flying finished by 14:00.
31 December 2023
The year ended with no flying due to winds gusting at 23 knots by 8:30am and forecast to get stronger during the day.
24 December 2023
Areas of 4kt lift and 4kt sink were reported from the only flight of the day. With a messy sky and it being Christmas Eve, no one else took the opportunity to fly with time spent on preparing and packing gliders for a trip to Omarama instead.
Looking west towards the ranges on 20 December 2023
20 December 2023 (Wednesday)
It was another hot day but also soarable. Jason Shields in his Ventus 3M used the convergence to fly south to the coast at Porangahau and then thermals around the area. Graham White followed a similar track in his LS8 while Jason and Patrick Kelly in an ASH25M headed west, reaching the ranges at an altitude of over 6,000ft. Good flying was had by all with it more fun than being on the ground.
18 December 2023 (Monday)
Jason Shields in his Ventus 3M and Graham White in his LS8 used the available lift to soar to as far south as almost abeam Dannevirke and west towards the ranges, reaching altitudes of over 6,000ft at times.
17 December 2023
It was fine and hot with little cloud and wind. This was ideal for training and trial flights. There was some broken thermal, wave and convergence type lift during the day which enabled a little local soaring. Instructor Jason Kelly recorded his 600th instructional glider flight.
14 December 2023 (Thursday)
The conclusion was that the weather was not as advertised which had suggested a large convergence running to the south with some blue thermals about. Jason Shields in his Ventus 3M and Graham White and Brian Kelly in an ASH25M flew and managed to fly over the Tukituki Valley to the east, south to around Waipawa and west to Maraekakaho despite the less than stellar soaring conditions.
10 December 2023
Cloud and wind with the odd early drop of rain deterred all gliding for the day.
09 December 2023 (Saturday)
David Hirst from Gliding New Zealand visited the club for the annual audit. There was some flying with Jason Shields in his Ventus 3M utilising thermals and convergence to travel to Porangahau on the coast and inland for a total flight time of over three hours. George Lane re-soloed in a glider after about a fifteen year break.
03 December 2023
The weather and forecasts seemed to have missed the memo that it was the first Sunday of Summer. Drizzle showers and low cloud dominated the day so there was no gliding. The day was not entirely wasted with some minor grounds maintenance undertaken.
26 November 2023
With conditions less than ideal for flying with low morning cloud and the forecast showing strong southerly winds into the afternoon, flying was cancelled for the day.
19 November 2023
Due to showers and the forecast for more rain in the afternoon, flying was cancelled for the day.
12 November 2023
A typical Hawkes Bay Spring day with a cool morning but fine and sunny weather was another ideal day for trial flights and training. With no viable local lift, a number of members used the day to update their BFRs and currency for the better soaring weather to come.
11 November 2023 (Saturday)
The RASP predicted another good thermal day so Jason Shields in his Ventus 3M and Graham White in his LS8 launched. Conditions proved to be challenging but soarable with them both flying west to the mountains and around the local area.
05 November 2023
It was an ideal day for trial flights and training with sunshine and little wind. A messy sky provided broken thermal lift and also a convergence which allowed one flight out over the Tukituki Valley at over 3,800ft while others soared more locally.
04 November 2023 (Saturday)
The 11 Squadron ATC returned to complete their gliding experience flights. A fine, sunny and calm day was ideal for this with flat morning conditions leading to thermals later in the day which enabled some local soaring above the release height of 2,000ft.
29 October 2023
The club did not fly.
28 October 2023 (Saturday)
With the RASP forecast indicating good thermals, Graham White in his LS8 XS, James Foreman in his LS3 MF and Jason Shields in his Ventus 3M JA lined up alongside the tail draggers for launches. The sky was working and they soared for over three hours at up to almost 6,000ft and as far south as Oringi.
22 October 2023
Morning rain at the airfield had clear sky to the east but as it looked like it would continue to overdevelop and continue showery, flying was cancelled for the day.
14 & 15 October 2023 (Saturday & Sunday)
11 Squadron ATC came gliding. With a disturbed westerly weather system, conditions varied rapidly with the ground wind changing direction and strength. This saw a number of runway changes on Saturday before the wind became too strong early afternoon, with gusts of up to 39kts recorded, and flying was abandoned for the day. The wind was more consistent in direction on Sunday but again became too strong early afternoon so flying was ceased. In the sky, both days had shattered wave with broken lift and sink around. This allowed some cadets the chance to climb from the launch height of 2,000ft to almost 2,500ft while others faced constant sink while getting the opportunity to take the controls.
12 October 2023 (Thursday)
The RASP soaring forecast predicted some strong local thermals. These took a while to develop but tow pilot Neil Faulknor reported some of the strongest thermal lift he has encountered in Hawkes Bay while towing Graham White, Jason Shields and James Foreman into the air. With a cloud base of around 6,000ft, they were able to fly from Cape Kidnappers to Tikokino and around the area. Jason and Brian Kelly also flew in their ASH25M.
08 October 2023
Morning drizzle with rain and showers forecast for the day saw flying cancelled.
01 October 2023
It was a sub-zero early morning but a hawk circling over the airfield before midday was a good omen. The forecast was not great but the day was readily soarable with youth students Antonio Milewski and Jasper Betty both completing flights of over one hour each with instructor Jason Kelly. Antonio had to work hard to make the most of broken local thermals while Jasper had a brief taste of wave and climbed to over 8,500ft and flew north of Napier before the system collapsed and the sky filled with cloud curtailing flying for the day.
24 September 2023
With a very low cloud base and random drizzle showers, there was no flying.
17 September 2023
The aerodrome weather station showed strong wind gusts around 7:30am but then showed it moderating before strengthening again. Jason Shields made most of the lull to make the maiden New Zealand flight of his recently imported Ventus 3M. He towed to 2,500ft, found some wave and climbed to 6,500ft before returning to the airfield after over an hour and giving everything a run. With the ground wind recording gusts of almost 50 knots in the afternoon, no other flights took place.
10 September 2023
A fine and sunny start to the day with a flat sky was again ideal for trial flights and training. With no lift and the wind recording 20 knot gusts in the afternoon, flying ceased early for the day.
03 September 2023
Spring started with a fine and sunny with soarable thermals. Jason Kelly and Steve Lewin climbed to cloud base of 3,500ft and flew around the local area in the club two seater while Graham White ventured to Gwavas and back in his LS8. It was an ideal day for training and trial flights.
27 August 2023
A crisp morning with light winds and sun shining started the day. The unstable sky had a relatively low cloud base with some local lift. However, as forecast, cloud and showers developed early in the afternoon which curtailed flying for the day.
20 August 2023
Morning low cloud and drizzle, combined with the weather station saying the barometer was falling slowly, meaning it wouldn't clear any time soon, saw flying cancelled for the day.
13 August 2023
A solid overnight frost warmed to a fine, sunny and calm day. This was again ideal for training and trial flights.
06 August 2023
It was another classic Hawkes Bay winter's day with a morning frost followed by a fine and sunny day. It was an ideal day for trial flights and training with great views of the local area. Winds were light all day with a calm sky with high cloud only moving in late in the day which saw flying finish for the day just after 4pm.
01 August 2023 (Tuesday)
With the predicted wave forming up in the afternoon, Jason and Brian Kelly launched in their ASH25M, GRJ, to make the most of the day. The wave was smooth and up to 10kts but a very moist air mass resulted in plenty of cloud which limited their track to just south of Waipukurau and just north of Napier. They flew over 263km OLC in a little over two hours before landing due to impending darkness.
30 July 2023
It was a classic Hawkes Bay winter's day with a morning frost followed by a fine and sunny day. Winds were light all day and with a calm sky, it was an ideal day for trial flights and training with great views of the local area. The club was busy all day with the last flight landing after 5pm.
23 July 2023
Further heavy rain during the week lead the aeroclub to advise the airfield was too wet for gliding so flying was cancelled for the day. It looked like a flat sky that was ideal for training and trial flights after early morning cloud cleared.
16 July 2023
Club members went soaring! After five consecutive weekends of being unable to fly due to the weather and or airfield conditions, a wave day beckoned. With the airfield still soft and closed in parts, aircraft availability was limited. Jason Kelly and Ross Kent launched first in the club’s Grob 103C III SL (GHB). After release from tow, they quickly climbed using the natural wave lift to 9,500ft while tracking south to past Waipukurau. They flew for over four hours and with strong winds aloft, they recorded a maximum ground speed of almost 300km/h while covering a total distance of over 500km in the flight. They ended the day with a 14m 51s race around the local 33km triangle at an average speed of 134.5km/h. Graham White also flew in his LS8 GXS.
Ross managed to get a photo he took featured on the TV1 news as below.
It was another hot day but also soarable. Jason Shields in his Ventus 3M used the convergence to fly south to the coast at Porangahau and then thermals around the area. Graham White followed a similar track in his LS8 while Jason and Patrick Kelly in an ASH25M headed west, reaching the ranges at an altitude of over 6,000ft. Good flying was had by all with it more fun than being on the ground.
18 December 2023 (Monday)
Jason Shields in his Ventus 3M and Graham White in his LS8 used the available lift to soar to as far south as almost abeam Dannevirke and west towards the ranges, reaching altitudes of over 6,000ft at times.
17 December 2023
It was fine and hot with little cloud and wind. This was ideal for training and trial flights. There was some broken thermal, wave and convergence type lift during the day which enabled a little local soaring. Instructor Jason Kelly recorded his 600th instructional glider flight.
14 December 2023 (Thursday)
The conclusion was that the weather was not as advertised which had suggested a large convergence running to the south with some blue thermals about. Jason Shields in his Ventus 3M and Graham White and Brian Kelly in an ASH25M flew and managed to fly over the Tukituki Valley to the east, south to around Waipawa and west to Maraekakaho despite the less than stellar soaring conditions.
10 December 2023
Cloud and wind with the odd early drop of rain deterred all gliding for the day.
09 December 2023 (Saturday)
David Hirst from Gliding New Zealand visited the club for the annual audit. There was some flying with Jason Shields in his Ventus 3M utilising thermals and convergence to travel to Porangahau on the coast and inland for a total flight time of over three hours. George Lane re-soloed in a glider after about a fifteen year break.
03 December 2023
The weather and forecasts seemed to have missed the memo that it was the first Sunday of Summer. Drizzle showers and low cloud dominated the day so there was no gliding. The day was not entirely wasted with some minor grounds maintenance undertaken.
26 November 2023
With conditions less than ideal for flying with low morning cloud and the forecast showing strong southerly winds into the afternoon, flying was cancelled for the day.
19 November 2023
Due to showers and the forecast for more rain in the afternoon, flying was cancelled for the day.
12 November 2023
A typical Hawkes Bay Spring day with a cool morning but fine and sunny weather was another ideal day for trial flights and training. With no viable local lift, a number of members used the day to update their BFRs and currency for the better soaring weather to come.
11 November 2023 (Saturday)
The RASP predicted another good thermal day so Jason Shields in his Ventus 3M and Graham White in his LS8 launched. Conditions proved to be challenging but soarable with them both flying west to the mountains and around the local area.
05 November 2023
It was an ideal day for trial flights and training with sunshine and little wind. A messy sky provided broken thermal lift and also a convergence which allowed one flight out over the Tukituki Valley at over 3,800ft while others soared more locally.
04 November 2023 (Saturday)
The 11 Squadron ATC returned to complete their gliding experience flights. A fine, sunny and calm day was ideal for this with flat morning conditions leading to thermals later in the day which enabled some local soaring above the release height of 2,000ft.
29 October 2023
The club did not fly.
28 October 2023 (Saturday)
With the RASP forecast indicating good thermals, Graham White in his LS8 XS, James Foreman in his LS3 MF and Jason Shields in his Ventus 3M JA lined up alongside the tail draggers for launches. The sky was working and they soared for over three hours at up to almost 6,000ft and as far south as Oringi.
22 October 2023
Morning rain at the airfield had clear sky to the east but as it looked like it would continue to overdevelop and continue showery, flying was cancelled for the day.
14 & 15 October 2023 (Saturday & Sunday)
11 Squadron ATC came gliding. With a disturbed westerly weather system, conditions varied rapidly with the ground wind changing direction and strength. This saw a number of runway changes on Saturday before the wind became too strong early afternoon, with gusts of up to 39kts recorded, and flying was abandoned for the day. The wind was more consistent in direction on Sunday but again became too strong early afternoon so flying was ceased. In the sky, both days had shattered wave with broken lift and sink around. This allowed some cadets the chance to climb from the launch height of 2,000ft to almost 2,500ft while others faced constant sink while getting the opportunity to take the controls.
12 October 2023 (Thursday)
The RASP soaring forecast predicted some strong local thermals. These took a while to develop but tow pilot Neil Faulknor reported some of the strongest thermal lift he has encountered in Hawkes Bay while towing Graham White, Jason Shields and James Foreman into the air. With a cloud base of around 6,000ft, they were able to fly from Cape Kidnappers to Tikokino and around the area. Jason and Brian Kelly also flew in their ASH25M.
08 October 2023
Morning drizzle with rain and showers forecast for the day saw flying cancelled.
01 October 2023
It was a sub-zero early morning but a hawk circling over the airfield before midday was a good omen. The forecast was not great but the day was readily soarable with youth students Antonio Milewski and Jasper Betty both completing flights of over one hour each with instructor Jason Kelly. Antonio had to work hard to make the most of broken local thermals while Jasper had a brief taste of wave and climbed to over 8,500ft and flew north of Napier before the system collapsed and the sky filled with cloud curtailing flying for the day.
24 September 2023
With a very low cloud base and random drizzle showers, there was no flying.
17 September 2023
The aerodrome weather station showed strong wind gusts around 7:30am but then showed it moderating before strengthening again. Jason Shields made most of the lull to make the maiden New Zealand flight of his recently imported Ventus 3M. He towed to 2,500ft, found some wave and climbed to 6,500ft before returning to the airfield after over an hour and giving everything a run. With the ground wind recording gusts of almost 50 knots in the afternoon, no other flights took place.
10 September 2023
A fine and sunny start to the day with a flat sky was again ideal for trial flights and training. With no lift and the wind recording 20 knot gusts in the afternoon, flying ceased early for the day.
03 September 2023
Spring started with a fine and sunny with soarable thermals. Jason Kelly and Steve Lewin climbed to cloud base of 3,500ft and flew around the local area in the club two seater while Graham White ventured to Gwavas and back in his LS8. It was an ideal day for training and trial flights.
27 August 2023
A crisp morning with light winds and sun shining started the day. The unstable sky had a relatively low cloud base with some local lift. However, as forecast, cloud and showers developed early in the afternoon which curtailed flying for the day.
20 August 2023
Morning low cloud and drizzle, combined with the weather station saying the barometer was falling slowly, meaning it wouldn't clear any time soon, saw flying cancelled for the day.
13 August 2023
A solid overnight frost warmed to a fine, sunny and calm day. This was again ideal for training and trial flights.
06 August 2023
It was another classic Hawkes Bay winter's day with a morning frost followed by a fine and sunny day. It was an ideal day for trial flights and training with great views of the local area. Winds were light all day with a calm sky with high cloud only moving in late in the day which saw flying finish for the day just after 4pm.
01 August 2023 (Tuesday)
With the predicted wave forming up in the afternoon, Jason and Brian Kelly launched in their ASH25M, GRJ, to make the most of the day. The wave was smooth and up to 10kts but a very moist air mass resulted in plenty of cloud which limited their track to just south of Waipukurau and just north of Napier. They flew over 263km OLC in a little over two hours before landing due to impending darkness.
30 July 2023
It was a classic Hawkes Bay winter's day with a morning frost followed by a fine and sunny day. Winds were light all day and with a calm sky, it was an ideal day for trial flights and training with great views of the local area. The club was busy all day with the last flight landing after 5pm.
23 July 2023
Further heavy rain during the week lead the aeroclub to advise the airfield was too wet for gliding so flying was cancelled for the day. It looked like a flat sky that was ideal for training and trial flights after early morning cloud cleared.
16 July 2023
Club members went soaring! After five consecutive weekends of being unable to fly due to the weather and or airfield conditions, a wave day beckoned. With the airfield still soft and closed in parts, aircraft availability was limited. Jason Kelly and Ross Kent launched first in the club’s Grob 103C III SL (GHB). After release from tow, they quickly climbed using the natural wave lift to 9,500ft while tracking south to past Waipukurau. They flew for over four hours and with strong winds aloft, they recorded a maximum ground speed of almost 300km/h while covering a total distance of over 500km in the flight. They ended the day with a 14m 51s race around the local 33km triangle at an average speed of 134.5km/h. Graham White also flew in his LS8 GXS.
Ross managed to get a photo he took featured on the TV1 news as below.
09 July 2023
With rain falling all day, it was no surprise that flying was cancelled for the day.
02 July 2023
Heavy rain the previous week saw the grass runways closed to excessive softness with surface water visible in places. As such, no gliding was possible. With Murphy's Law in action, there was classic morning wave visible.
25 June 2023
The financial year ended with another non-flying day due to strong wind gusts and showers.
18 June 2023
Showers, with heavy rain at times, lasted all day which saw flying cancelled for the day without members leaving home.
11 June 2023
It was a dour day but the morning was dry and flyable at the airfield. However, drizzle and rain around the area kept most members at home and with a cold southerly wind, deterred members from flying.
04 June 2023
Winter is upon us with the day starting with a frosty morning. Thick high cloud formed which prevented the temperature from rising much which meant the warmest place on the airfield was in the glider cockpit. Calm conditions were ideal for training and trial flights.
28 May 2023
It was a classic Autumn day with a cold morning but fine and clear day. This was ideal for training and trial flights.
21 May 2023
With a westerly wind gusting at over 20 knots, conditions were not suitable for instructing or trial flights so the day as cancelled. As forecast, some gentle wave was evident later in the afternoon.
14 May 2023
Heavy morning fog lifted to leave a pristine Hawkes Bay Autumn day of sunshine with little wind. Unfortunately no flying was possible due to the unavailability of tow pilots.
07 May 2023
The day was mild with a light NE and mostly cloudy. This proved ideal for training with 16 year old youth pilot Jasper Betty completing his first solo flight. Well done Jasper. Some weak local lift was also reported.
30 April 2023
Low cloud and drizzle showers prevented any flying for the day.
23 April 2023
An initial cloud base of around 2,000ft did not increase much during the day but the clouds parted and cleared from the north. Calm conditions with weak lift were ideal for training and trial flights.
16 April 2023
The clouds parted and weak thermals formed. This enabled the first flight to release at 1,000ft and then climb to over 2,000ft before returning to land. The calm conditions with weak lift were ideal for training.
09 April 2023
Easter Sunday had a low cloud base all day which was suitable for training. Members, however, had other commitments so no flying was done and some chose to eat Easter eggs instead.
The Hawkes Bay Today newspaper published the photos and text below on Saturday 08th April 2023:
Gliding Hawkes Bay and Waipukurau members Jason Kelly and James Foreman flew a glider on Sunday and soared between the mountains and the sea for over two hours using thermal and convergence lift to climb to over 5,400ft in height and cover around 200km of distance. The effects of Cyclone Gabrielle were evident throughout the flight with surface water and slips visible.
With rain falling all day, it was no surprise that flying was cancelled for the day.
02 July 2023
Heavy rain the previous week saw the grass runways closed to excessive softness with surface water visible in places. As such, no gliding was possible. With Murphy's Law in action, there was classic morning wave visible.
25 June 2023
The financial year ended with another non-flying day due to strong wind gusts and showers.
18 June 2023
Showers, with heavy rain at times, lasted all day which saw flying cancelled for the day without members leaving home.
11 June 2023
It was a dour day but the morning was dry and flyable at the airfield. However, drizzle and rain around the area kept most members at home and with a cold southerly wind, deterred members from flying.
04 June 2023
Winter is upon us with the day starting with a frosty morning. Thick high cloud formed which prevented the temperature from rising much which meant the warmest place on the airfield was in the glider cockpit. Calm conditions were ideal for training and trial flights.
28 May 2023
It was a classic Autumn day with a cold morning but fine and clear day. This was ideal for training and trial flights.
21 May 2023
With a westerly wind gusting at over 20 knots, conditions were not suitable for instructing or trial flights so the day as cancelled. As forecast, some gentle wave was evident later in the afternoon.
14 May 2023
Heavy morning fog lifted to leave a pristine Hawkes Bay Autumn day of sunshine with little wind. Unfortunately no flying was possible due to the unavailability of tow pilots.
07 May 2023
The day was mild with a light NE and mostly cloudy. This proved ideal for training with 16 year old youth pilot Jasper Betty completing his first solo flight. Well done Jasper. Some weak local lift was also reported.
30 April 2023
Low cloud and drizzle showers prevented any flying for the day.
23 April 2023
An initial cloud base of around 2,000ft did not increase much during the day but the clouds parted and cleared from the north. Calm conditions with weak lift were ideal for training and trial flights.
16 April 2023
The clouds parted and weak thermals formed. This enabled the first flight to release at 1,000ft and then climb to over 2,000ft before returning to land. The calm conditions with weak lift were ideal for training.
09 April 2023
Easter Sunday had a low cloud base all day which was suitable for training. Members, however, had other commitments so no flying was done and some chose to eat Easter eggs instead.
The Hawkes Bay Today newspaper published the photos and text below on Saturday 08th April 2023:
Gliding Hawkes Bay and Waipukurau members Jason Kelly and James Foreman flew a glider on Sunday and soared between the mountains and the sea for over two hours using thermal and convergence lift to climb to over 5,400ft in height and cover around 200km of distance. The effects of Cyclone Gabrielle were evident throughout the flight with surface water and slips visible.
02 April 2023
Thick early morning cloud cleared to a fine and sunny day with little wind. A number of Young Eagles took their first glider flight and experienced the thrill of silent flight and the ability to soar like an eagle. With soaring conditions improving, Jason Kelly and James Foreman launched in GRJ, an ASH25M glider, and soared between the mountains and the sea for over two hours using thermal and convergence lift to climb to over 5,400ft in height and cover around 200km of distance.
26 March 2023
While the forecast was less than ideal, conditions were ideal for training and trial flights with calm air and little ground wind.
19 March 2023
The airfield had finally dried out enough to allow gliding operations. Under a variable sky with cloud base around 2,000ft most of the day, there were weak but workable thermals most of the day. These allowed flights to be prolonged for the students who made the most of the day with the last flight not landing until after 5:30pm.
12 March 2023
With the airfield still extremely wet in front of the hangers and soft on the runway, it was not workable to fly.
05 March 2023
A soggy airfield combined with soggy weather and continuing civil defence helicopter operations prevented all chances of any gliding for the day.
26 February 2023
With the airfield remaining under Civil Defence use with restricted airspace, there was no gliding.
19 February 2023
In the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, the airfield was soft and awash with Civil Defence activity. With airspace closed to aid this, there was no gliding. With Murphy’s Law in full force, it looked like a good soaring day.
12 February 2023
The weekly club flying day dawned with Cyclone Gabrielle approaching which resulted in a grey sky and gusty winds. With the forecast for conditions to get worse during the day, flying was cancelled before it started.
11 February 2023 (Saturday)
Again the forecast was not great but Jason and Brian Kelly flew their ASH25M at heights of up to 4,000ft around the local area in thermals and convergence. The flight was only limited by time.
10 February 2023 (Friday)
The RASP forecast was unusual in showing a large unsoarable area to the west of the airfield. Launching around 3pm, Graham White in his LS8 and James Foreman in his LS3, utilised the available soaring conditions to fly south with the predicted unsoarable west area coming true about 5pm.
09 February 2023 (Thursday)
Some mid-week flying at last! Using the ASH25M GRJ, Graham White and Jason Kelly used thermals and convergence to lift to 6,500ft to fly about 50km south of Hastings and return ahead of an approaching cold front.
05 February 2023
It was a summer's day with temperatures hitting around 30°C. Clear skies and light winds, with some minor low level turbulence, meant the day was suitable for trial flights and training. The last flight of the day with student Steve Gillum and instructor Jason Kelly found wave type smooth lift which enabled them to quickly climb from the 1,200ft release height at 6-8kts to 2,500ft before descending and repeating. They only landed back due to the time of day and scheduled committee meeting.
29 January 2023
The weather again dominated the day with just two training flights completed in reportedly rough conditions before drizzle stopped flying.
22 January 2023
After weeks of poor weather, flying was achieved so finally an income earning day for the club. There was a 2,200ft cloud base then an inversion but some good training flights were completed.
15 January 2023
The forecast was for showers. A low initial cloud base turned into a decent looking sky later on. Unfortunately just the instructor and tow pilot turned up so no flying was achieved.
08 January 2023
With 30mm of rain at Sherenden since 07:00am with Bridge Pa expected to be close to that and continuing, flying was cancelled for the day and fingers crossed for next week.
01 January 2023
With the wind having strong gusts and it looking like it could rain at any time, flying was cancelled for the day. Is 2023 going to be like 2022?
25 December 2022
The only thing flying was Santa's sleigh.
18 December 2022
A low cloud base combined with heavy showers and drizzle prevented all flying for the day.
11 December 2022
A wet and muggy day saw no flying.
04 December 2022
This saw 2 ATC flights, 1 trial flight and 9 student training flights with some weak, narrow thermals that extended flights by five minutes or so.
03 December 2022 (Saturday)
There were 14 ATC flights with a 2,000ft release. All got thermals to 2,500ft and then had to find sink to shorten the flight. It was a decent soaring day but only to 3,500ft locally.
27 November 2022
The day started cool but warmed to a pleasant fine day. With a light NW on the ground, there was some broken and messy lift which allowed some soaring. This allowed students to practice their flying skills with more than just circuits.
20 November 2022
A strong morning northerly followed by afternoon thunderstorms and rain showers deterred all gliding for the day. The weather did allow for work on the club areas of the airfield to be tidied up so the day was not all to no avail.
13 November 2022
It was another day with an unstable sky with some strong, short lived, lift and even stronger sink reported under a relatively low cloud base. There was drizzle about with some reaching the airfield. However, conditions were suitable for trial flights and training with the last flight landing after 5pm.
06 November 2022
Some early drizzle cleared leaving an unstable sky with some strong lift and even stronger sink reported under a relatively low cloud base. Conditions were suitable for trial flights and training with a number of "Young Eagles" from the aeroclub getting to experience gliding.
30 October 2022
Low cloud and showers deterred members from flying for the day.
23 October 2022
There was not a single cloud in the sky on a day that was an ideal one for trial flights and training. Mild temperatures and a light sea breeze made for nice ground conditions but the sky was largely dead flat which meant no soaring was possible.
16 October 2022
It was fine and dry day that was ideal for training. With a light southerly wind, there was some messy thermal lift at times which allowed students to practice their thermalling technique. The day ended with the monthly committee meeting followed by the AGM. There were no changes to the club executive.
09 October 2022
It was a fine and sunny day which was ideal for trial flights and training. Jason Shields again had the flight of the day utilising thermals, convergence and wave lift to fly south of the Dannevirke area and climb to over 8,000ft. James Foreman flew out to the coast and back while others enjoyed some local flying.
02 October 2022
With the forecast for Sunday of rain, easing later and easterlies easing, flying was cancelled for the day before the weekend. The weather on the day was unflyable with very low cloud, drizzle and rain.
25 September 2022
The morning weather was not conducive to flying with low cloud and drizzle so the day was cancelled.
18 September 2022
A fine, sunny, mild and calm day with thermals and convergence lift was ideal for training, trial flights and soaring. Trial flighters experienced great views of the area and the ability to climb without an engine. Jason Shields made the most of the day by utilising the conditions to fly as far south as Akitio on the coast before returning after almost three and a half hours of flying.
11 September 2022
Early morning drizzle gave way to clearing clouds and the sun breaking through by 10am. This should have given a decent day for flying but after waiting for the tail dragger competitions to finish, it turned out the sky was rough and cloud base was only around 1,300ft so just one flight was completed before flying was abandoned for the day.
04 September 2022
There was a Spring in the step of members with wave visible in the sky. While there were strong ground winds, they were mostly straight down the 029 cross runway so not a problem. Ultimately, only instructor Jason Kelly and student Antoni Milewski launched in the club’s Twin Astir GMX. They released in wave and climbed to 9,500ft, with lift of over 10kts (1,000ft per minute) recorded while heading south of Takapau. With winds aloft recorded at over 44 knots in places, this made progress slow across the ground heading south before returning to Bridge Pa with a tail wind which saw ground speeds peak at 315km/h. The sky had become completely blue with the wave still working but impossible to see. As such, it was decided to complete the clubs local 33km triangle of Bridge Pa - Maraekakaho - Paki Paki - Bridge Pa before landing. The triangle task was completed in 16m 00s at an average speed of 124.6km/h. The total flight time was just over two and half hours and covered around 225km over Hawkes Bay.
28 August 2022
The wind was strong then dropped off and the cloud was going past fast and on the top of Mount Erin. Combining this with intermittent showers and the aeroclub Frogley Cup competition with a lot of plane movements, no gliding was undertaken.
21 August 2022
With morning winds at the airfield gusting to 25 knots and forecast to get stronger, flying was cancelled for the day. The ground winds were affected by the visible wave. By early afternoon, a passing cold front saw cloud build up and the winds and visible wave die away.
14 August 2022
After three weeks of no flying, the stars aligned with a full moon and frosty clear morning. This morphed into a mild, clear and calm day which was ideal for trial flights and training. A number of members also took the opportunity to fly their private gliders ahead of the upcoming soaring season.
07 August 2022
Flying was cancelled for the day as we had no tow pilot and rain was due around midday. There was no rain but a gusty westerly early afternoon reached around 30 knots before dying away.
31 July 2022
The Winter of discontent continued with the wind gods angry with strong gusts forecast for most of the day so flying was cancelled. Gusts of up to almost 30kts were recorded. Low cloud and drizzle also featured during the day.
24 July 2022
A cold day with low cloud and drizzly showers saw flying cancelled for the day without the hangar doors being opened.
17 July 2022
Another solid morning frost thawed to a sunny and clear cool day. While the flying day was again flat and calm which was ideal for trial flights and training, with it being school holidays, students were largely conspicuous by their absence.
10 July 2022
After studying the weather forecasts for Bridge Pa which showed showers throughout the day and concluding flying would be iffy, flying was cancelled before it started. This proved to be the correct decision with low cloud and showers lingering all day.
03 July 2022
A solid morning frost thawed to a sunny and clear day. The flying day was again flat and calm which was ideal for trial flights and training.
26 June 2022
The flying day was flat and calm with not even a bump on tow. This was ideal for trial flights and training.
19 June 2022
It was a cold and damp Winter's day with low cloud and drizzle. This resulted in no flying. With the shortest day looming, flying conditions should start to improve as Summer approaches.
12 June 2022
With a bleak forecast of 80km/h winds for Dannevirke where the towplane DAL is based, flying was cancelled for the day on Saturday evening. The actual weather on the day saw showers, cloud, sunshine and wind gusts to over 20kts at Hastings Airfield.
05 June 2022
High cloud and a cool, light wind made conditions very wintery on the ground. Students made the most of the conditions to continue their training.
29 May 2022
A faulty glider radio delayed the start of flying on a calm and cool day that was ideal for training and trial flights with a dead flat sky.
22 May 2022
With the morning wind gusting 24 knots on the ground in Dannevirke and the forecast expecting this to strengthen during the day, the towplane was not available today so no flying occurred. Some wave was evident during the day.
15 May 2022
Due to the poor weather in Dannevirke and the forecast, no towplane was available for towing so there was no flying.
08 May 2022
No flying was undertaken due to a lack of tow plane and tow pilots. The sky looked very flat.
01 May 2022
It was a typical Hawkes Bay Autumn day with a cool morning followed by a clear and calm day. This was ideal for trial flights and training with great views around the local area.
24 April 2022
A frosty cold morning warmed to a mild and sunny afternoon with little wind. These conditions were ideal for trial flights and training. The soaring forecast looked poor but the afternoon sky suggested it was worth a try so Jason and Brian Kelly launched mid-afternoon in their ASH25M. They quickly found weak and messy wave which was supported in places by thermals and convergence lift. This saw them climb up to 9,500ft and fly north of Tutira and south of Lake Poukawa. Before returning to land due to impending darkness after almost three hours of flying, they completed the local club 33.3km triangle of Bridge Pa – Maraekakaho – Paki Paki – Bridge Pa in a little over 15 minutes at an average speed of approximately 132km/h.
17 April 2022
The weather was largely as forecast with variable cloud and showers about. There was no gliding undertaken.
16 April 2022 (Saturday)
With the Sunday forecast not promising and members available to fly, the typical Hawkes Bay Autumn day that was fine, sunny and mild was utilised for training.
10 April 2022
A typical Hawkes Bay Autumn day with a cool start but fine, sunny and mild day was perfect for trial flights and training. Conditions were largely flat with some local broken lift which Antoni Milewski used to fly for around 45 minutes for the longest flight of the day.
03 April 2022
It was a warm and pleasant day with interesting looking clouds. However, with cloud base down to around 1,000ft at times, the odd bit of lift present was of little use. A number of pilots launched with Jason Shields managing almost an hour of flying. The calm conditions were ideal though for trial flights and training.
27 March 2022
With the weather as forecast - cloudy with the odd light shower and southerlies which were fresh at times in the afternoon, there was no value in any possible gliding for the day so flying was cancelled without opening the hangar doors.
20 March 2022
A blustery north easterly caused some low level turbulence but the day was fine and suitable for training. There was some random, broken and hard to work lift which Steve Gillum and Jason Kelly managed to climb about 1,000ft in.
13 March 2022
With showers, low cloud and the wind forecast to increase during the day, the decision was made to cancel the days flying.
06 March 2022
Morning fog cleared to a typical fine, mild and calm Hawkes Bay Autumn day. This was ideal for training with mostly smooth conditions. There was some local broken lift which Jason Kelly and Steve Gillum managed to utilise for just over an hour in the ASH25M.
27 February 2022
There was no flying due to poor weather and the lack of a towplane.
20 February 2022
With the towplane in Papawai (Greytown) for the Central Districts Gliding Championships, no club flying was undertaken.
13 February 2022
Morning low cloud, drizzle and rain along with the forecast afternoon blustery SW wind saw flying cancelled for the day without the hangar doors being opened.
06 February 2022
Due to the dense low cloud and rain water falling out of it, there was no gliding.
30 January 2022
It was a hot, fine and blue day with little wind. This was ideal for training and trial flights. Mid-afternoon, a convergence formed which James Foreman and Antoni Milewski utilised to climb to over 6,000ft while flying west to Gwavas and east to Mount Erin.
23 January 2022
A fine, warm and calm day was ideal for trial flights with some local lift reported.
16 January 2022
Drizzle resulted in no flying for the day.
09 January 2022
Club flying started for the year with conditions suitable for trial flights and training.
02 January 2022
No flying was scheduled due to the holiday period.
31 December 2021 (Friday)
The year ended with local thermals to just over 4,200ft which Jason and Brian Kelly utilised using their ASH25M.
26 December 2021 (Boxing Day)
No flying was scheduled due to the holiday period.
19 December 2021
It was a warm, calm and sunny day. This was ideal for trial flights and training. There was some weak lift around locally which Jason Shields utilised to achieve some soaring.
12 December 2021
Rain, drizzle and low cloud ensured there was no flying for the day. Time was spent instead on glider maintenance.
05 December 2021
The first, and only, flight of the day reported rough conditions. With a strengthening blustery crosswind, flying was then abandoned for the day. The club had its Christmas BBQ in the aeroclub bar in the evening with thanks to Jason and MJ Price for another great meal.
28 November 2021
Thick high cloud most of the day prevented any soaring but the calm conditions were ideal for training. Youth student pilot Antonio Milewski completed his first solo flight. Congratulations Antonio on this step towards becoming a fully qualified glider pilot. Late afternoon drizzle curtailed operations early for the day.
21 November 2021
Morning thin high cloud cleared which allowed thermals to form. This made conditions ideal for trial flights, training and soaring. James Foreman flew his LS3a south to Patangata and east to Waimarama, climbing to over 5,000ft. Both club two seat gliders also utilised the conditions with local area flights.
14 November 2021
A calm and warm morning changed rapidly to a hot day of over 31°C and wind gusts of over 30 knots. As such, only one flight was completed in what were described as very rough conditions. Brian Sharpe from Gliding New Zealand (GNZ) briefed the club in the afternoon on the GNZ Strategic Plan and the “Introduction to Flight” program.
07 November 2021
With showers and low cloud, the day was not good for flying. As the forecast was for it to not start clearing until the evening, flying was cancelled for the day without members leaving home.
31 October 2021
It was a mixed day with a cold front passing through early. The front of this had some good lift which was followed by sink. Once this had cleared, wave set up as forecast in the afternoon with the ground conditions getting challenging with strong and gusty winds. Club training flying was abandoned due to the challenging conditions but both James Foreman in his LS3a and Jason Price in his DG-200 launched and flew in the wave at heights of up to 9,500ft and south towards Dannevirke for most of the afternoon.
24 October 2021
Conditions were largely as forecast with high cloud and variable winds. There was some local lift reported in earlier flights but it was a day for circuits and trial flights with the wind abating and the sky calming down to dead flat. It was a busy club day with flights continuing to just before 5pm.
17 October 2021
A blustery northerly wind caused some turbulence to challenge students. There was broken lift locally but with the wind strengthening and turning more westerly, flying was abandoned early afternoon.
10 October 2021
While the soaring forecast was not great, conditions turned out quite soarable with the first flight of the day utilising exactly the club rule of one hour use of club aircraft if other members are waiting. Broken, variable strength thermals were used to climb up to 2,500ft locally. As Murphy's Law would have it, stronger, steadier lift was found once the decision to land had been made. Jason Shields flew in his Discus south to Onga Onga and around at heights of up to 4,000ft. Josh Ferguson and John McConville finished club flying for the day with a mid afternoon flight of over an hour locally.
03 October 2021
A fine and sunny day with little ground wind was reflected in a relatively flat sky with only small bits of lift available. As such, the day was good for training but no good for soaring.
26 September 2021
Wave was clearly visible at 8am which was overcome by a passing cold front as the day progressed. However, this did not prevent some members from utilising the local wave conditions ahead of the rain. Late afternoon saw the Annual General Meeting with no changes to the club executive.
19 September 2021
After a frosty start to the day, a fine, sunny and calm day locally was ideal for training. This resulted in a full flying day with the last flight landing around 5pm. Further afield there was wave which Jason Shields used to fly south to the wind farms and back.
12 September 2021
With COVID19 Level 2 restrictions, club flying was possible. A fine, sunny day with a variable SW enabled students to experience cross wind take offs and landing. There was some broken local lift with apparent wave to the southwest.
05 September 2021
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 3 lockdown.
29 August 2021
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 4 lockdown.
22 August 2021
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 4 lockdown.
15 August 2021
The start of flying was delayed due to aeroclub competitions but the day was ideal for training and trial flights with clear skies and little wind. Some weak thermals and convergence lift were reported. The last flight landed just before 5pm after a full afternoon of flying.
08 August 2021
A cool but calm morning changed as rain approached with a gusty NW causing rough air and flying to be abandoned for the day early afternoon.
01 August 2021
Morning fog cleared to a fine and sunny day. A light southerly wind with a basically flat sky was ideal for training and trial flights.
25 July 2021
The light morning northerly wind strengthened to a blustery north easterly by mid-afternoon which saw flying cease early for the day after a number of trial and training flights. The sky was largely flat with no viable lift.
18 July 2021
Wild ground winds combined with an angry looking sky deterred members from flying. The day was not wasted with some maintenance completed.
11 July 2021
A cool but fine day was perfect for the postponed blind circuit and spot landing competition. There was strong thermal lift at times with one flight releasing at 1,200ft, climbing quickly to 2,500ft before pulling the brakes to join and complete the circuit competition.
04 July 2021
Conditions were a typical Winter's day with a morning frost followed by a calm, clear and crisp day which was ideal for training, trial flights and the scheduled blind circuit and spot landing competition. Unfortunately there were no fireworks or flying with the day cancelled due to a flat tow plane battery.
27 June 2021
There was solid high cloud but the predicted wave was present early morning. Unfortunately it was a race against time to use it before the forecast cold front and rain arrived with the weather winning. There were a number of flights prior to the rain with some small, random remnants of wave present.
20 June 2021
Heavy rain most of the day saw flying cancelled and members staying home.
13 June 2021
It was another calm and flat day locally that was perfect for training flights. There was some higher westerly influence in the sky that went unexplored.
06 June 2021
While the weather was nothing to write home about, with little wind and high cloud, the dead calm sky gave ideal conditions for training. New student member Joe Wurts, a very experienced model aircraft flyer, was amongst those who took advantage of the day by completing his first instructional flight in a full sized glider.
30 May 2021
After a delayed start due to no tow pilot, flying commenced in ideal conditions for training and trial flights with calm and flat conditions.
23 May 2021
With the weather in a hurry to get to the west with a south easterly wind and dropping water on the way, there was no gliding for the day.
16 May 2021
After a freezing cold early morning, the day was fine and sunny with light winds. Some early local thermal activity was reported but the sky was dead flat and smooth most of the day. This was ideal for trial flights and training.
09 May 2021
Flying started with high cloud and a gentle north westerly wind but the westerly picked up to gust at over 25kts by 1pm so flying finished early for the day.
02 May 2021
A clear blue day with a largely flat sky and light ground winds was perfect for trial flights and training. There were fantastic views of the local area and beyond. Despite only random bits of lift being found at times, both club two seaters were kept busy all day.
25 April 2021
The first flight of the day, a 4,000ft trial flight, launched into a clear blue sky that was active with blue wave lift. In a constantly changing day, the second flight found much less lift while the next flight enjoyed wave affected thermals to almost 5,000ft in the local area. After a number of other flights on a busy day, the last flight of the day again found local wave lift to climb in but was limited by time and daylight.
18 April 2021
A frosty morning saw a fine, sunny and calm day. This was ideal for training and trial flights. While the sky did not look great, Jason and Brian Kelly launched in their ASH25M and found thermal and convergence lift which enabled them to climb to just under 6,000ft near the ranges before returning after almost two hours of flying.
11 April 2021
Warm tropical air resulted in a humid and hot day. With light ground winds, conditions were ideal for training and trial flights. There was some lift available in places with John McConville and Jason Kelly taking the club's Grob 103C III SL HB to cloud base at around 3,000ft in a short lived convergence south of the airfield.
04 April 2021
A brisk morning that was fine and sunny warmed up to a hot day as the westerly wind strengthened. Early conditions were ideal for training and trial flights but the ground wind became too much of a cross wind so flying was ceased for the day. Some blue wave lift was reported.
28 March 2021
The day was ideal for trial flights and training with fine and calm conditions. High cloud was present much of the day but the temperature rose when this cleared. Later in the afternoon there were some brief bursts of wave type lift in places.
23 March 2021 (Tuesday)
A fine, sunny, mild and calm day greeted the specially arranged trial flighters. There was some thermal lift around but with time constraints this was only briefly utilised. There were great views around Hawkes Bay for all to enjoy.
21 March 2021
With the hills just peeping out from under their white blanket of clouds and the clouds going past fast in the wind, flying was cancelled for the day.
14 March 2021
It was a pristine Hawkes Bay Autumn day with mild temperatures, little wind, sunshine and a virtually dead flat sky which made conditions perfect for both trial flights and training. Views of the local area were supplemented with vistas of the Central Plateau mountains. Both two seat gliders were kept busy most of the day until late in the afternoon when low level turbulence saw flying end for the day.
07 March 2021
Strong and gusty morning ground winds saw student flying cancelled for the day. However, conditions abated early afternoon which saw Jason Shields and Pat Driessen launch into a rough and messy sky. There was broken, wave affected lift around which saw them soar south to Waipawa and around the area for the balance of the afternoon.
28 February 2021
With the Central Districts gliding contest having finished, club flying was again from Waipukurau Airfield. As the temperature rose, so did the cloud base and thermals formed. This allowed climbs to over 4,000ft. A number of pilots took the opportunity to fly gliders back to Bridge Pa with the club aircraft returning at the end of the day.
21 February 2021
Waipukurau Airfield was overflowing with over 40 gliders present for the Central Districts Gliding competition. It was a challenging blue thermal day which saw a number of landouts. With all members present helping with the contest, no club flying occurred.
14 February 2021
Club operations moved to Waipukurau Airfield for the next few weeks and were rewarded with good local thermals to over 5,000ft. The conditions were enjoyed by both trial flights and students.
07 February 2021
While not as good as last week, the weather was again as forecast with mild temperatures, little wind and early thermals deteriorating in the afternoon. This resulted in a number of trial and instructional flights with heights of 3,500ft and flight times of over an hour achieved.
31 January 2021
The weather was as forecast with mild temperatures, little wind, clearing morning cloud and thermals improving in the afternoon. This saw the instructor busy all day with the last flight of the day launching after 5pm with the thermals still working. During the day, weak to strong conditions were experienced with Jason Price having the flight of the day in his DG-200 GLZ, soaring to 5,000ft and as far south as Otane while flying for just under three hours.
24 January 2021
Forecast strong westerly winds saw flying cancelled without the hangar doors being opened.
17 January 2021
It was a fine, sunny and hot day with plenty of flying from students and trial flights. Conditions varied from wave lift to thermals with some roughness reported at times.
10 January 2021
No flying occurred. Mid morning, the cloud was 8/8 at 1,000ft. This lifted later but a lack of people saw flying cancelled for the day.
03 January 2021
The weather forecast was not good but flying was started. Just one flight was completed before conditions deteriorated and flying was cancelled for the day.
27 December 2020
An unpleasant day was forecast with cold strong southerlies and showers/rain so there was no flying.
20 December 2020
It was a typically warm Hawkes Bay summer’s day with a sea breeze later in the day. As forecast, conditions were ideal for training with some early weak to moderate broken thermals. This enabled flights of up to an hour with student Steve Gillum getting the longest flight of the day. While climbs were only possible to 2,500ft around the local area, this allowed students to practice their flying skills with a full days flying taking place.
13 December 2020
With the weather decaying to 8/8 cloud and all the tow pilots ho hoing and other stuff so none were able to tow, flying was a no go for the day. However, club engineer Graham White continued work on various glider annuals due with the aid of members.
06 December 2020
It was an unusual day with large areas of local heavy sink, possibly caused by a westerly wave effect. There was strong lift in places with thermals and convergences allowing pilots to climb to over 5,000ft. Jason Shields traversed down the east coast in his Discus for about 45km before turning when the convergence ran out while Brian Kelly and Brian Plummer flew the ASH25M south and Jason Kelly utilised a convergence just north of Lake Poukawa in the LS4. By mid afternoon, high cirrus cloud came in and killed all thermal lift and the convergences died out. The day was also ideal for trial flights and training with calm ground conditions.
29 November 2020
The actual weather and forecast were not great but flying and soaring were possible. The second flight of the day saw Jason Kelly and John McConville launch in the club’s Grob 103C Twin III SL (HB) for an engine test flight at the ideal time to find the sky was alive with energy. This enabled them to soar to over 3,500ft around the local area using the available lift and they only returned to land as others were waiting.
22 November 2020
The forecast was poor but the day dawned flyable. However, conditions deteriorated by midday with strong, gusty winds and showers so no flying was achieved.
15 November 2020
A fine, warm and sunny day with light winds greeted members at the airfield. The RASP (gliding forecast) indicated there would be blue thermals and convergence lift which was correct. Jason Shields in his Discus (HW) flew south to about Waipawa and around the local area, Jason Kelly & Dickie Waterer flew the club's Grob 103 C III SL (HB) for over an hour and a half at heights exceeding 5,000ft. Brian Kelly & Hazel Hatcher launched later in the afternoon in the ASH25M (RJ) and also flew for over an hour. The conditions were again ideal for trial flights and training with a number of students making the most of the day as they continue on their journey towards their first solo.
08 November 2020
While the forecast was not great, student Juriaan Jansen and instructor Jason Kelly launched in GMX (Twin Astir) before midday into an energetic sky. While lift was initially broken and hard to work, a strong convergence formed which enabled a rapid climb to over 5,000ft and the ability to fly east over the Tuki Tuki valley before returning to land after over an hour of flying as others were waiting for the glider. The wind had changed on the airfield to a southerly which broke up the remaining lift even more ahead of the cold front and rain which curtailed flying early for the day.
01 November 2020
The morning started a bit windy at Bridge Pa but the forecast was for the wind to abate late morning. However, the forecast then changed to strong westerly winds until evening so flying was cancelled for the day.
25 October 2020
It was like Christmas had come early for pilots with thermals and convergences allowing soaring around Hawkes Bay at heights of over 6,000ft. Jason Shields in his Discus (HW) flew for almost 4 hours, Graham White (LS8, XS) and Jason Kelly (LS4, NJ) both flew for over 3 hours while John McConville (Grob 103 C III SL, HB) flew for well over an hour. The conditions were also ideal for training with a number of students making the most of the day as they progress their soaring skills.
18 October 2020
After a brisk early morning, the day was fine and mild which was ideal for training and trial flights with great views around the local area.
11 October 2020
Strong winds gusting to over 30kts saw flying cancelled for the day without members leaving home.
04 October 2020
A fine, warm and calm day with thin high cloud was ideal for training and trial flights. There was some energy in the sky at times but nothing that was soarable.
27 September 2020
The weather reminded members it was not yet Summer with morning rain followed by a fine but blustery afternoon with wind gusts of over 40kts. As such, no flying took place.
20 September 2020
It was another typical Hawkes Bay Spring day with a freezing cold morning that turned into a fine and warm day. Conditions were suitable for the first thermal day of the season although cloud base was only around 3,000ft with workable lift areas limited to east of the airfield. This did not deter Graham White, Jason Price, Jason Kelly and James Foreman from launching in single seat gliders while John McConville and Richard Keir took the club's Grob 103C III SL for its first flight since the COVID19 lockdowns. Conditions were ideal for trial flights and training. A full days flying was followed by the monthly committee meeting and then the AGM. There were no changes to committee positions.
13 September 2020
A freezing cold morning heralded a fine and mild Spring day with light winds. This resulted in mostly flat flying conditions with some small and random bits of lift which enabled some climbing. Trial flighters and new members Juriaan Jansen and Stephen Gillum took advantage of the conditions to get a taste of gliding. Youth pilot Ryan Maney utilised the conditions for his first flights in the club's single seat PW5 glider. Evening lenticulars were visible which lead to some spectacular sunset vistas.
Thick early morning cloud cleared to a fine and sunny day with little wind. A number of Young Eagles took their first glider flight and experienced the thrill of silent flight and the ability to soar like an eagle. With soaring conditions improving, Jason Kelly and James Foreman launched in GRJ, an ASH25M glider, and soared between the mountains and the sea for over two hours using thermal and convergence lift to climb to over 5,400ft in height and cover around 200km of distance.
26 March 2023
While the forecast was less than ideal, conditions were ideal for training and trial flights with calm air and little ground wind.
19 March 2023
The airfield had finally dried out enough to allow gliding operations. Under a variable sky with cloud base around 2,000ft most of the day, there were weak but workable thermals most of the day. These allowed flights to be prolonged for the students who made the most of the day with the last flight not landing until after 5:30pm.
12 March 2023
With the airfield still extremely wet in front of the hangers and soft on the runway, it was not workable to fly.
05 March 2023
A soggy airfield combined with soggy weather and continuing civil defence helicopter operations prevented all chances of any gliding for the day.
26 February 2023
With the airfield remaining under Civil Defence use with restricted airspace, there was no gliding.
19 February 2023
In the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, the airfield was soft and awash with Civil Defence activity. With airspace closed to aid this, there was no gliding. With Murphy’s Law in full force, it looked like a good soaring day.
12 February 2023
The weekly club flying day dawned with Cyclone Gabrielle approaching which resulted in a grey sky and gusty winds. With the forecast for conditions to get worse during the day, flying was cancelled before it started.
11 February 2023 (Saturday)
Again the forecast was not great but Jason and Brian Kelly flew their ASH25M at heights of up to 4,000ft around the local area in thermals and convergence. The flight was only limited by time.
10 February 2023 (Friday)
The RASP forecast was unusual in showing a large unsoarable area to the west of the airfield. Launching around 3pm, Graham White in his LS8 and James Foreman in his LS3, utilised the available soaring conditions to fly south with the predicted unsoarable west area coming true about 5pm.
09 February 2023 (Thursday)
Some mid-week flying at last! Using the ASH25M GRJ, Graham White and Jason Kelly used thermals and convergence to lift to 6,500ft to fly about 50km south of Hastings and return ahead of an approaching cold front.
05 February 2023
It was a summer's day with temperatures hitting around 30°C. Clear skies and light winds, with some minor low level turbulence, meant the day was suitable for trial flights and training. The last flight of the day with student Steve Gillum and instructor Jason Kelly found wave type smooth lift which enabled them to quickly climb from the 1,200ft release height at 6-8kts to 2,500ft before descending and repeating. They only landed back due to the time of day and scheduled committee meeting.
29 January 2023
The weather again dominated the day with just two training flights completed in reportedly rough conditions before drizzle stopped flying.
22 January 2023
After weeks of poor weather, flying was achieved so finally an income earning day for the club. There was a 2,200ft cloud base then an inversion but some good training flights were completed.
15 January 2023
The forecast was for showers. A low initial cloud base turned into a decent looking sky later on. Unfortunately just the instructor and tow pilot turned up so no flying was achieved.
08 January 2023
With 30mm of rain at Sherenden since 07:00am with Bridge Pa expected to be close to that and continuing, flying was cancelled for the day and fingers crossed for next week.
01 January 2023
With the wind having strong gusts and it looking like it could rain at any time, flying was cancelled for the day. Is 2023 going to be like 2022?
25 December 2022
The only thing flying was Santa's sleigh.
18 December 2022
A low cloud base combined with heavy showers and drizzle prevented all flying for the day.
11 December 2022
A wet and muggy day saw no flying.
04 December 2022
This saw 2 ATC flights, 1 trial flight and 9 student training flights with some weak, narrow thermals that extended flights by five minutes or so.
03 December 2022 (Saturday)
There were 14 ATC flights with a 2,000ft release. All got thermals to 2,500ft and then had to find sink to shorten the flight. It was a decent soaring day but only to 3,500ft locally.
27 November 2022
The day started cool but warmed to a pleasant fine day. With a light NW on the ground, there was some broken and messy lift which allowed some soaring. This allowed students to practice their flying skills with more than just circuits.
20 November 2022
A strong morning northerly followed by afternoon thunderstorms and rain showers deterred all gliding for the day. The weather did allow for work on the club areas of the airfield to be tidied up so the day was not all to no avail.
13 November 2022
It was another day with an unstable sky with some strong, short lived, lift and even stronger sink reported under a relatively low cloud base. There was drizzle about with some reaching the airfield. However, conditions were suitable for trial flights and training with the last flight landing after 5pm.
06 November 2022
Some early drizzle cleared leaving an unstable sky with some strong lift and even stronger sink reported under a relatively low cloud base. Conditions were suitable for trial flights and training with a number of "Young Eagles" from the aeroclub getting to experience gliding.
30 October 2022
Low cloud and showers deterred members from flying for the day.
23 October 2022
There was not a single cloud in the sky on a day that was an ideal one for trial flights and training. Mild temperatures and a light sea breeze made for nice ground conditions but the sky was largely dead flat which meant no soaring was possible.
16 October 2022
It was fine and dry day that was ideal for training. With a light southerly wind, there was some messy thermal lift at times which allowed students to practice their thermalling technique. The day ended with the monthly committee meeting followed by the AGM. There were no changes to the club executive.
09 October 2022
It was a fine and sunny day which was ideal for trial flights and training. Jason Shields again had the flight of the day utilising thermals, convergence and wave lift to fly south of the Dannevirke area and climb to over 8,000ft. James Foreman flew out to the coast and back while others enjoyed some local flying.
02 October 2022
With the forecast for Sunday of rain, easing later and easterlies easing, flying was cancelled for the day before the weekend. The weather on the day was unflyable with very low cloud, drizzle and rain.
25 September 2022
The morning weather was not conducive to flying with low cloud and drizzle so the day was cancelled.
18 September 2022
A fine, sunny, mild and calm day with thermals and convergence lift was ideal for training, trial flights and soaring. Trial flighters experienced great views of the area and the ability to climb without an engine. Jason Shields made the most of the day by utilising the conditions to fly as far south as Akitio on the coast before returning after almost three and a half hours of flying.
11 September 2022
Early morning drizzle gave way to clearing clouds and the sun breaking through by 10am. This should have given a decent day for flying but after waiting for the tail dragger competitions to finish, it turned out the sky was rough and cloud base was only around 1,300ft so just one flight was completed before flying was abandoned for the day.
04 September 2022
There was a Spring in the step of members with wave visible in the sky. While there were strong ground winds, they were mostly straight down the 029 cross runway so not a problem. Ultimately, only instructor Jason Kelly and student Antoni Milewski launched in the club’s Twin Astir GMX. They released in wave and climbed to 9,500ft, with lift of over 10kts (1,000ft per minute) recorded while heading south of Takapau. With winds aloft recorded at over 44 knots in places, this made progress slow across the ground heading south before returning to Bridge Pa with a tail wind which saw ground speeds peak at 315km/h. The sky had become completely blue with the wave still working but impossible to see. As such, it was decided to complete the clubs local 33km triangle of Bridge Pa - Maraekakaho - Paki Paki - Bridge Pa before landing. The triangle task was completed in 16m 00s at an average speed of 124.6km/h. The total flight time was just over two and half hours and covered around 225km over Hawkes Bay.
28 August 2022
The wind was strong then dropped off and the cloud was going past fast and on the top of Mount Erin. Combining this with intermittent showers and the aeroclub Frogley Cup competition with a lot of plane movements, no gliding was undertaken.
21 August 2022
With morning winds at the airfield gusting to 25 knots and forecast to get stronger, flying was cancelled for the day. The ground winds were affected by the visible wave. By early afternoon, a passing cold front saw cloud build up and the winds and visible wave die away.
14 August 2022
After three weeks of no flying, the stars aligned with a full moon and frosty clear morning. This morphed into a mild, clear and calm day which was ideal for trial flights and training. A number of members also took the opportunity to fly their private gliders ahead of the upcoming soaring season.
07 August 2022
Flying was cancelled for the day as we had no tow pilot and rain was due around midday. There was no rain but a gusty westerly early afternoon reached around 30 knots before dying away.
31 July 2022
The Winter of discontent continued with the wind gods angry with strong gusts forecast for most of the day so flying was cancelled. Gusts of up to almost 30kts were recorded. Low cloud and drizzle also featured during the day.
24 July 2022
A cold day with low cloud and drizzly showers saw flying cancelled for the day without the hangar doors being opened.
17 July 2022
Another solid morning frost thawed to a sunny and clear cool day. While the flying day was again flat and calm which was ideal for trial flights and training, with it being school holidays, students were largely conspicuous by their absence.
10 July 2022
After studying the weather forecasts for Bridge Pa which showed showers throughout the day and concluding flying would be iffy, flying was cancelled before it started. This proved to be the correct decision with low cloud and showers lingering all day.
03 July 2022
A solid morning frost thawed to a sunny and clear day. The flying day was again flat and calm which was ideal for trial flights and training.
26 June 2022
The flying day was flat and calm with not even a bump on tow. This was ideal for trial flights and training.
19 June 2022
It was a cold and damp Winter's day with low cloud and drizzle. This resulted in no flying. With the shortest day looming, flying conditions should start to improve as Summer approaches.
12 June 2022
With a bleak forecast of 80km/h winds for Dannevirke where the towplane DAL is based, flying was cancelled for the day on Saturday evening. The actual weather on the day saw showers, cloud, sunshine and wind gusts to over 20kts at Hastings Airfield.
05 June 2022
High cloud and a cool, light wind made conditions very wintery on the ground. Students made the most of the conditions to continue their training.
29 May 2022
A faulty glider radio delayed the start of flying on a calm and cool day that was ideal for training and trial flights with a dead flat sky.
22 May 2022
With the morning wind gusting 24 knots on the ground in Dannevirke and the forecast expecting this to strengthen during the day, the towplane was not available today so no flying occurred. Some wave was evident during the day.
15 May 2022
Due to the poor weather in Dannevirke and the forecast, no towplane was available for towing so there was no flying.
08 May 2022
No flying was undertaken due to a lack of tow plane and tow pilots. The sky looked very flat.
01 May 2022
It was a typical Hawkes Bay Autumn day with a cool morning followed by a clear and calm day. This was ideal for trial flights and training with great views around the local area.
24 April 2022
A frosty cold morning warmed to a mild and sunny afternoon with little wind. These conditions were ideal for trial flights and training. The soaring forecast looked poor but the afternoon sky suggested it was worth a try so Jason and Brian Kelly launched mid-afternoon in their ASH25M. They quickly found weak and messy wave which was supported in places by thermals and convergence lift. This saw them climb up to 9,500ft and fly north of Tutira and south of Lake Poukawa. Before returning to land due to impending darkness after almost three hours of flying, they completed the local club 33.3km triangle of Bridge Pa – Maraekakaho – Paki Paki – Bridge Pa in a little over 15 minutes at an average speed of approximately 132km/h.
17 April 2022
The weather was largely as forecast with variable cloud and showers about. There was no gliding undertaken.
16 April 2022 (Saturday)
With the Sunday forecast not promising and members available to fly, the typical Hawkes Bay Autumn day that was fine, sunny and mild was utilised for training.
10 April 2022
A typical Hawkes Bay Autumn day with a cool start but fine, sunny and mild day was perfect for trial flights and training. Conditions were largely flat with some local broken lift which Antoni Milewski used to fly for around 45 minutes for the longest flight of the day.
03 April 2022
It was a warm and pleasant day with interesting looking clouds. However, with cloud base down to around 1,000ft at times, the odd bit of lift present was of little use. A number of pilots launched with Jason Shields managing almost an hour of flying. The calm conditions were ideal though for trial flights and training.
27 March 2022
With the weather as forecast - cloudy with the odd light shower and southerlies which were fresh at times in the afternoon, there was no value in any possible gliding for the day so flying was cancelled without opening the hangar doors.
20 March 2022
A blustery north easterly caused some low level turbulence but the day was fine and suitable for training. There was some random, broken and hard to work lift which Steve Gillum and Jason Kelly managed to climb about 1,000ft in.
13 March 2022
With showers, low cloud and the wind forecast to increase during the day, the decision was made to cancel the days flying.
06 March 2022
Morning fog cleared to a typical fine, mild and calm Hawkes Bay Autumn day. This was ideal for training with mostly smooth conditions. There was some local broken lift which Jason Kelly and Steve Gillum managed to utilise for just over an hour in the ASH25M.
27 February 2022
There was no flying due to poor weather and the lack of a towplane.
20 February 2022
With the towplane in Papawai (Greytown) for the Central Districts Gliding Championships, no club flying was undertaken.
13 February 2022
Morning low cloud, drizzle and rain along with the forecast afternoon blustery SW wind saw flying cancelled for the day without the hangar doors being opened.
06 February 2022
Due to the dense low cloud and rain water falling out of it, there was no gliding.
30 January 2022
It was a hot, fine and blue day with little wind. This was ideal for training and trial flights. Mid-afternoon, a convergence formed which James Foreman and Antoni Milewski utilised to climb to over 6,000ft while flying west to Gwavas and east to Mount Erin.
23 January 2022
A fine, warm and calm day was ideal for trial flights with some local lift reported.
16 January 2022
Drizzle resulted in no flying for the day.
09 January 2022
Club flying started for the year with conditions suitable for trial flights and training.
02 January 2022
No flying was scheduled due to the holiday period.
31 December 2021 (Friday)
The year ended with local thermals to just over 4,200ft which Jason and Brian Kelly utilised using their ASH25M.
26 December 2021 (Boxing Day)
No flying was scheduled due to the holiday period.
19 December 2021
It was a warm, calm and sunny day. This was ideal for trial flights and training. There was some weak lift around locally which Jason Shields utilised to achieve some soaring.
12 December 2021
Rain, drizzle and low cloud ensured there was no flying for the day. Time was spent instead on glider maintenance.
05 December 2021
The first, and only, flight of the day reported rough conditions. With a strengthening blustery crosswind, flying was then abandoned for the day. The club had its Christmas BBQ in the aeroclub bar in the evening with thanks to Jason and MJ Price for another great meal.
28 November 2021
Thick high cloud most of the day prevented any soaring but the calm conditions were ideal for training. Youth student pilot Antonio Milewski completed his first solo flight. Congratulations Antonio on this step towards becoming a fully qualified glider pilot. Late afternoon drizzle curtailed operations early for the day.
21 November 2021
Morning thin high cloud cleared which allowed thermals to form. This made conditions ideal for trial flights, training and soaring. James Foreman flew his LS3a south to Patangata and east to Waimarama, climbing to over 5,000ft. Both club two seat gliders also utilised the conditions with local area flights.
14 November 2021
A calm and warm morning changed rapidly to a hot day of over 31°C and wind gusts of over 30 knots. As such, only one flight was completed in what were described as very rough conditions. Brian Sharpe from Gliding New Zealand (GNZ) briefed the club in the afternoon on the GNZ Strategic Plan and the “Introduction to Flight” program.
07 November 2021
With showers and low cloud, the day was not good for flying. As the forecast was for it to not start clearing until the evening, flying was cancelled for the day without members leaving home.
31 October 2021
It was a mixed day with a cold front passing through early. The front of this had some good lift which was followed by sink. Once this had cleared, wave set up as forecast in the afternoon with the ground conditions getting challenging with strong and gusty winds. Club training flying was abandoned due to the challenging conditions but both James Foreman in his LS3a and Jason Price in his DG-200 launched and flew in the wave at heights of up to 9,500ft and south towards Dannevirke for most of the afternoon.
24 October 2021
Conditions were largely as forecast with high cloud and variable winds. There was some local lift reported in earlier flights but it was a day for circuits and trial flights with the wind abating and the sky calming down to dead flat. It was a busy club day with flights continuing to just before 5pm.
17 October 2021
A blustery northerly wind caused some turbulence to challenge students. There was broken lift locally but with the wind strengthening and turning more westerly, flying was abandoned early afternoon.
10 October 2021
While the soaring forecast was not great, conditions turned out quite soarable with the first flight of the day utilising exactly the club rule of one hour use of club aircraft if other members are waiting. Broken, variable strength thermals were used to climb up to 2,500ft locally. As Murphy's Law would have it, stronger, steadier lift was found once the decision to land had been made. Jason Shields flew in his Discus south to Onga Onga and around at heights of up to 4,000ft. Josh Ferguson and John McConville finished club flying for the day with a mid afternoon flight of over an hour locally.
03 October 2021
A fine and sunny day with little ground wind was reflected in a relatively flat sky with only small bits of lift available. As such, the day was good for training but no good for soaring.
26 September 2021
Wave was clearly visible at 8am which was overcome by a passing cold front as the day progressed. However, this did not prevent some members from utilising the local wave conditions ahead of the rain. Late afternoon saw the Annual General Meeting with no changes to the club executive.
19 September 2021
After a frosty start to the day, a fine, sunny and calm day locally was ideal for training. This resulted in a full flying day with the last flight landing around 5pm. Further afield there was wave which Jason Shields used to fly south to the wind farms and back.
12 September 2021
With COVID19 Level 2 restrictions, club flying was possible. A fine, sunny day with a variable SW enabled students to experience cross wind take offs and landing. There was some broken local lift with apparent wave to the southwest.
05 September 2021
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 3 lockdown.
29 August 2021
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 4 lockdown.
22 August 2021
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 4 lockdown.
15 August 2021
The start of flying was delayed due to aeroclub competitions but the day was ideal for training and trial flights with clear skies and little wind. Some weak thermals and convergence lift were reported. The last flight landed just before 5pm after a full afternoon of flying.
08 August 2021
A cool but calm morning changed as rain approached with a gusty NW causing rough air and flying to be abandoned for the day early afternoon.
01 August 2021
Morning fog cleared to a fine and sunny day. A light southerly wind with a basically flat sky was ideal for training and trial flights.
25 July 2021
The light morning northerly wind strengthened to a blustery north easterly by mid-afternoon which saw flying cease early for the day after a number of trial and training flights. The sky was largely flat with no viable lift.
18 July 2021
Wild ground winds combined with an angry looking sky deterred members from flying. The day was not wasted with some maintenance completed.
11 July 2021
A cool but fine day was perfect for the postponed blind circuit and spot landing competition. There was strong thermal lift at times with one flight releasing at 1,200ft, climbing quickly to 2,500ft before pulling the brakes to join and complete the circuit competition.
04 July 2021
Conditions were a typical Winter's day with a morning frost followed by a calm, clear and crisp day which was ideal for training, trial flights and the scheduled blind circuit and spot landing competition. Unfortunately there were no fireworks or flying with the day cancelled due to a flat tow plane battery.
27 June 2021
There was solid high cloud but the predicted wave was present early morning. Unfortunately it was a race against time to use it before the forecast cold front and rain arrived with the weather winning. There were a number of flights prior to the rain with some small, random remnants of wave present.
20 June 2021
Heavy rain most of the day saw flying cancelled and members staying home.
13 June 2021
It was another calm and flat day locally that was perfect for training flights. There was some higher westerly influence in the sky that went unexplored.
06 June 2021
While the weather was nothing to write home about, with little wind and high cloud, the dead calm sky gave ideal conditions for training. New student member Joe Wurts, a very experienced model aircraft flyer, was amongst those who took advantage of the day by completing his first instructional flight in a full sized glider.
30 May 2021
After a delayed start due to no tow pilot, flying commenced in ideal conditions for training and trial flights with calm and flat conditions.
23 May 2021
With the weather in a hurry to get to the west with a south easterly wind and dropping water on the way, there was no gliding for the day.
16 May 2021
After a freezing cold early morning, the day was fine and sunny with light winds. Some early local thermal activity was reported but the sky was dead flat and smooth most of the day. This was ideal for trial flights and training.
09 May 2021
Flying started with high cloud and a gentle north westerly wind but the westerly picked up to gust at over 25kts by 1pm so flying finished early for the day.
02 May 2021
A clear blue day with a largely flat sky and light ground winds was perfect for trial flights and training. There were fantastic views of the local area and beyond. Despite only random bits of lift being found at times, both club two seaters were kept busy all day.
25 April 2021
The first flight of the day, a 4,000ft trial flight, launched into a clear blue sky that was active with blue wave lift. In a constantly changing day, the second flight found much less lift while the next flight enjoyed wave affected thermals to almost 5,000ft in the local area. After a number of other flights on a busy day, the last flight of the day again found local wave lift to climb in but was limited by time and daylight.
18 April 2021
A frosty morning saw a fine, sunny and calm day. This was ideal for training and trial flights. While the sky did not look great, Jason and Brian Kelly launched in their ASH25M and found thermal and convergence lift which enabled them to climb to just under 6,000ft near the ranges before returning after almost two hours of flying.
11 April 2021
Warm tropical air resulted in a humid and hot day. With light ground winds, conditions were ideal for training and trial flights. There was some lift available in places with John McConville and Jason Kelly taking the club's Grob 103C III SL HB to cloud base at around 3,000ft in a short lived convergence south of the airfield.
04 April 2021
A brisk morning that was fine and sunny warmed up to a hot day as the westerly wind strengthened. Early conditions were ideal for training and trial flights but the ground wind became too much of a cross wind so flying was ceased for the day. Some blue wave lift was reported.
28 March 2021
The day was ideal for trial flights and training with fine and calm conditions. High cloud was present much of the day but the temperature rose when this cleared. Later in the afternoon there were some brief bursts of wave type lift in places.
23 March 2021 (Tuesday)
A fine, sunny, mild and calm day greeted the specially arranged trial flighters. There was some thermal lift around but with time constraints this was only briefly utilised. There were great views around Hawkes Bay for all to enjoy.
21 March 2021
With the hills just peeping out from under their white blanket of clouds and the clouds going past fast in the wind, flying was cancelled for the day.
14 March 2021
It was a pristine Hawkes Bay Autumn day with mild temperatures, little wind, sunshine and a virtually dead flat sky which made conditions perfect for both trial flights and training. Views of the local area were supplemented with vistas of the Central Plateau mountains. Both two seat gliders were kept busy most of the day until late in the afternoon when low level turbulence saw flying end for the day.
07 March 2021
Strong and gusty morning ground winds saw student flying cancelled for the day. However, conditions abated early afternoon which saw Jason Shields and Pat Driessen launch into a rough and messy sky. There was broken, wave affected lift around which saw them soar south to Waipawa and around the area for the balance of the afternoon.
28 February 2021
With the Central Districts gliding contest having finished, club flying was again from Waipukurau Airfield. As the temperature rose, so did the cloud base and thermals formed. This allowed climbs to over 4,000ft. A number of pilots took the opportunity to fly gliders back to Bridge Pa with the club aircraft returning at the end of the day.
21 February 2021
Waipukurau Airfield was overflowing with over 40 gliders present for the Central Districts Gliding competition. It was a challenging blue thermal day which saw a number of landouts. With all members present helping with the contest, no club flying occurred.
14 February 2021
Club operations moved to Waipukurau Airfield for the next few weeks and were rewarded with good local thermals to over 5,000ft. The conditions were enjoyed by both trial flights and students.
07 February 2021
While not as good as last week, the weather was again as forecast with mild temperatures, little wind and early thermals deteriorating in the afternoon. This resulted in a number of trial and instructional flights with heights of 3,500ft and flight times of over an hour achieved.
31 January 2021
The weather was as forecast with mild temperatures, little wind, clearing morning cloud and thermals improving in the afternoon. This saw the instructor busy all day with the last flight of the day launching after 5pm with the thermals still working. During the day, weak to strong conditions were experienced with Jason Price having the flight of the day in his DG-200 GLZ, soaring to 5,000ft and as far south as Otane while flying for just under three hours.
24 January 2021
Forecast strong westerly winds saw flying cancelled without the hangar doors being opened.
17 January 2021
It was a fine, sunny and hot day with plenty of flying from students and trial flights. Conditions varied from wave lift to thermals with some roughness reported at times.
10 January 2021
No flying occurred. Mid morning, the cloud was 8/8 at 1,000ft. This lifted later but a lack of people saw flying cancelled for the day.
03 January 2021
The weather forecast was not good but flying was started. Just one flight was completed before conditions deteriorated and flying was cancelled for the day.
27 December 2020
An unpleasant day was forecast with cold strong southerlies and showers/rain so there was no flying.
20 December 2020
It was a typically warm Hawkes Bay summer’s day with a sea breeze later in the day. As forecast, conditions were ideal for training with some early weak to moderate broken thermals. This enabled flights of up to an hour with student Steve Gillum getting the longest flight of the day. While climbs were only possible to 2,500ft around the local area, this allowed students to practice their flying skills with a full days flying taking place.
13 December 2020
With the weather decaying to 8/8 cloud and all the tow pilots ho hoing and other stuff so none were able to tow, flying was a no go for the day. However, club engineer Graham White continued work on various glider annuals due with the aid of members.
06 December 2020
It was an unusual day with large areas of local heavy sink, possibly caused by a westerly wave effect. There was strong lift in places with thermals and convergences allowing pilots to climb to over 5,000ft. Jason Shields traversed down the east coast in his Discus for about 45km before turning when the convergence ran out while Brian Kelly and Brian Plummer flew the ASH25M south and Jason Kelly utilised a convergence just north of Lake Poukawa in the LS4. By mid afternoon, high cirrus cloud came in and killed all thermal lift and the convergences died out. The day was also ideal for trial flights and training with calm ground conditions.
29 November 2020
The actual weather and forecast were not great but flying and soaring were possible. The second flight of the day saw Jason Kelly and John McConville launch in the club’s Grob 103C Twin III SL (HB) for an engine test flight at the ideal time to find the sky was alive with energy. This enabled them to soar to over 3,500ft around the local area using the available lift and they only returned to land as others were waiting.
22 November 2020
The forecast was poor but the day dawned flyable. However, conditions deteriorated by midday with strong, gusty winds and showers so no flying was achieved.
15 November 2020
A fine, warm and sunny day with light winds greeted members at the airfield. The RASP (gliding forecast) indicated there would be blue thermals and convergence lift which was correct. Jason Shields in his Discus (HW) flew south to about Waipawa and around the local area, Jason Kelly & Dickie Waterer flew the club's Grob 103 C III SL (HB) for over an hour and a half at heights exceeding 5,000ft. Brian Kelly & Hazel Hatcher launched later in the afternoon in the ASH25M (RJ) and also flew for over an hour. The conditions were again ideal for trial flights and training with a number of students making the most of the day as they continue on their journey towards their first solo.
08 November 2020
While the forecast was not great, student Juriaan Jansen and instructor Jason Kelly launched in GMX (Twin Astir) before midday into an energetic sky. While lift was initially broken and hard to work, a strong convergence formed which enabled a rapid climb to over 5,000ft and the ability to fly east over the Tuki Tuki valley before returning to land after over an hour of flying as others were waiting for the glider. The wind had changed on the airfield to a southerly which broke up the remaining lift even more ahead of the cold front and rain which curtailed flying early for the day.
01 November 2020
The morning started a bit windy at Bridge Pa but the forecast was for the wind to abate late morning. However, the forecast then changed to strong westerly winds until evening so flying was cancelled for the day.
25 October 2020
It was like Christmas had come early for pilots with thermals and convergences allowing soaring around Hawkes Bay at heights of over 6,000ft. Jason Shields in his Discus (HW) flew for almost 4 hours, Graham White (LS8, XS) and Jason Kelly (LS4, NJ) both flew for over 3 hours while John McConville (Grob 103 C III SL, HB) flew for well over an hour. The conditions were also ideal for training with a number of students making the most of the day as they progress their soaring skills.
18 October 2020
After a brisk early morning, the day was fine and mild which was ideal for training and trial flights with great views around the local area.
11 October 2020
Strong winds gusting to over 30kts saw flying cancelled for the day without members leaving home.
04 October 2020
A fine, warm and calm day with thin high cloud was ideal for training and trial flights. There was some energy in the sky at times but nothing that was soarable.
27 September 2020
The weather reminded members it was not yet Summer with morning rain followed by a fine but blustery afternoon with wind gusts of over 40kts. As such, no flying took place.
20 September 2020
It was another typical Hawkes Bay Spring day with a freezing cold morning that turned into a fine and warm day. Conditions were suitable for the first thermal day of the season although cloud base was only around 3,000ft with workable lift areas limited to east of the airfield. This did not deter Graham White, Jason Price, Jason Kelly and James Foreman from launching in single seat gliders while John McConville and Richard Keir took the club's Grob 103C III SL for its first flight since the COVID19 lockdowns. Conditions were ideal for trial flights and training. A full days flying was followed by the monthly committee meeting and then the AGM. There were no changes to committee positions.
13 September 2020
A freezing cold morning heralded a fine and mild Spring day with light winds. This resulted in mostly flat flying conditions with some small and random bits of lift which enabled some climbing. Trial flighters and new members Juriaan Jansen and Stephen Gillum took advantage of the conditions to get a taste of gliding. Youth pilot Ryan Maney utilised the conditions for his first flights in the club's single seat PW5 glider. Evening lenticulars were visible which lead to some spectacular sunset vistas.
Sunday evening sky taken by Richard Waterer when he got home from the aerodrome.
06 September 2020
Mild temperatures with high cloud, visible wave and a light SW greeted members at the airfield. First off were Jason Kelly and Dickie Waterer in the club's Twin Astir MX. The local wave was weak and broken but as they climbed and headed south it improved and they climbed to 9,500ft almost abeam with Dannevirke. They then turned around and flew home at ground speeds of over 225km/h. The sky started to collapse and no further flights were able to get established in the wave.
30 August 2020
Forecast strong ground winds never eventuated with only light winds all day. It was a warm and sunny day with some early energy in the sky that reduced as the day progressed. Conditions were suitable for training and also some weak local soaring with Jason Kelly staying aloft for almost an hour in the LS4.
23 August 2020
Pre-dawn rain cleared to a fine morning with a clear blue sky. This was suitable for training. By mid-afternoon, the sky clouded over as forecast.
16 August 2020
It was another day with high cloud, light winds and cool winter temperatures which were again ideal conditions for training with smooth air.
09 August 2020
With no launch options available, flying was cancelled for the day.
02 August 2020
High cloud with light winds and mild winter temperatures were ideal conditions for training.
26 July 2020
A typical winter's day with a morning frost followed by a clear, calm, fine and sunny day was ideal for trial flights and training.
19 July 2020
Low cloud and random showers prevented all flying for the day.
12 July 2020
It was another frosty morning start but it soon warmed to a nice day. Calm initial ground conditions were ideal for trial flights and training. As forecast, wave formed later in the day and this allowed members to climb to 9,500ft and fly south of Flemington and around the local area to enjoy spectacular views as in the photos below.
Mild temperatures with high cloud, visible wave and a light SW greeted members at the airfield. First off were Jason Kelly and Dickie Waterer in the club's Twin Astir MX. The local wave was weak and broken but as they climbed and headed south it improved and they climbed to 9,500ft almost abeam with Dannevirke. They then turned around and flew home at ground speeds of over 225km/h. The sky started to collapse and no further flights were able to get established in the wave.
30 August 2020
Forecast strong ground winds never eventuated with only light winds all day. It was a warm and sunny day with some early energy in the sky that reduced as the day progressed. Conditions were suitable for training and also some weak local soaring with Jason Kelly staying aloft for almost an hour in the LS4.
23 August 2020
Pre-dawn rain cleared to a fine morning with a clear blue sky. This was suitable for training. By mid-afternoon, the sky clouded over as forecast.
16 August 2020
It was another day with high cloud, light winds and cool winter temperatures which were again ideal conditions for training with smooth air.
09 August 2020
With no launch options available, flying was cancelled for the day.
02 August 2020
High cloud with light winds and mild winter temperatures were ideal conditions for training.
26 July 2020
A typical winter's day with a morning frost followed by a clear, calm, fine and sunny day was ideal for trial flights and training.
19 July 2020
Low cloud and random showers prevented all flying for the day.
12 July 2020
It was another frosty morning start but it soon warmed to a nice day. Calm initial ground conditions were ideal for trial flights and training. As forecast, wave formed later in the day and this allowed members to climb to 9,500ft and fly south of Flemington and around the local area to enjoy spectacular views as in the photos below.
Wave clouds in Hawkes Bay
Hastings and Napier in the distance
Lake Hatuma and Waipukurau Airfield
Hawkes Bay wave 12th July 2020
05 July 2020
The airport weather station reported it felt like -4.6°C at 7am and by 11am it was barely above zero. However, it was a fine and calm day suitable for trial flights and training but the cold deterred most from flying with only a few flights completed in the largely smooth air.
28 June 2020
Despite a fine, sunny and mild day, the club's financial year ended with a whimper with no flying taking place due to lack of interest.
21 June 2020
Drizzle and rain were the theme of the day which prevented all flying.
14 June 2020
It was a typical winter's day with a sub-zero start followed by a fine, clear, calm and flat day which was perfect for trial flights and training.
07 June 2020
The first Sunday of meteorological winter dawned fine, clear and cold. A light SW eventuated which resulted in ideal conditions for training. As such, members took to the skies for the first time since prior to the COVID19 lockdown and were rewarded with spectacular views. With some weak, broken local wave forming, Jason and Brian Kelly took their ASH25M west and used the mostly blue wave to climb to 9,500ft while travelling along the ranges and only returned to land due to impending darkness.
31 May 2020
Yet another unsuitable day meant the hangar doors remained closed and no flying occurred.
24 May 2020
Another unsuitable day meant the hangar doors remained closed and no flying occurred.
17 May 2020
With the COVID19 status reduced to Level 2, member flying was possible in theory. However frequent showers and a generally unsuitable day meant the hangar doors remained closed.
10 May 2020
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 3 lockdown.
03 May 2020
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 3 lockdown.
26 April 2020
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 4 lockdown.
19 April 2020
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 4 lockdown.
The airport weather station reported it felt like -4.6°C at 7am and by 11am it was barely above zero. However, it was a fine and calm day suitable for trial flights and training but the cold deterred most from flying with only a few flights completed in the largely smooth air.
28 June 2020
Despite a fine, sunny and mild day, the club's financial year ended with a whimper with no flying taking place due to lack of interest.
21 June 2020
Drizzle and rain were the theme of the day which prevented all flying.
14 June 2020
It was a typical winter's day with a sub-zero start followed by a fine, clear, calm and flat day which was perfect for trial flights and training.
07 June 2020
The first Sunday of meteorological winter dawned fine, clear and cold. A light SW eventuated which resulted in ideal conditions for training. As such, members took to the skies for the first time since prior to the COVID19 lockdown and were rewarded with spectacular views. With some weak, broken local wave forming, Jason and Brian Kelly took their ASH25M west and used the mostly blue wave to climb to 9,500ft while travelling along the ranges and only returned to land due to impending darkness.
31 May 2020
Yet another unsuitable day meant the hangar doors remained closed and no flying occurred.
24 May 2020
Another unsuitable day meant the hangar doors remained closed and no flying occurred.
17 May 2020
With the COVID19 status reduced to Level 2, member flying was possible in theory. However frequent showers and a generally unsuitable day meant the hangar doors remained closed.
10 May 2020
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 3 lockdown.
03 May 2020
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 3 lockdown.
26 April 2020
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 4 lockdown.
19 April 2020
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 4 lockdown.
North Island wave 7am Saturday 18th April 2020
12 April 2020
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 4 lockdown.
05 April 2020
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 4 lockdown.
29 March 2020
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 4 lockdown.
22 March 2020
Flying was cancelled for the day.
15 March 2020
A calm, fine and mild day resulted in some local afternoon thermals. The Skylux was utilised to return the club's Twin Astir MX to Hastings from Waipukurau. Conditions were ideal for training and trial flights.
08 March 2020
With the weather unsoarable from Waipukurau, flying was cancelled for the day due to a lack of interest.
01 March 2020
The club was again flying from Waipukurau with a blind circuit and spot landing competition scheduled. The weather was ideal for this and by mid-afternoon, thermals were going. This saw Jason Kelly in the LS4 and Richard Keir in his PW5 enjoy local soaring to over 4,500ft with moderate strength thermals. A number of members completed the landing competition before flying was curtailed for the day.
29 February 2020 (Saturday)
Contest flying on the last day of the 2020 Central Districts Gliding contest was cancelled due to forecast rain. However, the predicted midday wave worked as advertised - it was easy to get onto, silky smooth and moderate strength. Brian and Jason Kelly utilised the wave in their ASH25M to climb to over 9,000ft, cover over 200km OLC and complete the 33km local Bridge Pa - Maraekakaho - Paki Paki - Bridge Pa triangle in 10m 55s at an average ground speed of 183.0km/h while returning the glider to Bridge Pa. James Foreman in his LS3a and another contest pilot also enjoyed the local conditions. A photo taken from the ASH25M is below.
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 4 lockdown.
05 April 2020
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 4 lockdown.
29 March 2020
No flying was possible due to the COVID19 Level 4 lockdown.
22 March 2020
Flying was cancelled for the day.
15 March 2020
A calm, fine and mild day resulted in some local afternoon thermals. The Skylux was utilised to return the club's Twin Astir MX to Hastings from Waipukurau. Conditions were ideal for training and trial flights.
08 March 2020
With the weather unsoarable from Waipukurau, flying was cancelled for the day due to a lack of interest.
01 March 2020
The club was again flying from Waipukurau with a blind circuit and spot landing competition scheduled. The weather was ideal for this and by mid-afternoon, thermals were going. This saw Jason Kelly in the LS4 and Richard Keir in his PW5 enjoy local soaring to over 4,500ft with moderate strength thermals. A number of members completed the landing competition before flying was curtailed for the day.
29 February 2020 (Saturday)
Contest flying on the last day of the 2020 Central Districts Gliding contest was cancelled due to forecast rain. However, the predicted midday wave worked as advertised - it was easy to get onto, silky smooth and moderate strength. Brian and Jason Kelly utilised the wave in their ASH25M to climb to over 9,000ft, cover over 200km OLC and complete the 33km local Bridge Pa - Maraekakaho - Paki Paki - Bridge Pa triangle in 10m 55s at an average ground speed of 183.0km/h while returning the glider to Bridge Pa. James Foreman in his LS3a and another contest pilot also enjoyed the local conditions. A photo taken from the ASH25M is below.
23 February 2020
With the club based at Waipukurau for the first day of the 2020 Central Districts Gliding contest, a strong, cold southerly with low cloud and occasional drizzle prevented all flying for the day.
16 February 2020
The fine, warm day had an easterly wind increasing in strength during the day. Conditions started off suitable for trial flights and training with some strong short bursts of lift and sink. However, by mid-afternoon the conditions had deteriorated which saw flying finish early for the day.
09 February 2020
A fine, cool, clear morning turned into a good soaring day with thermal and convergence lift about. This enabled pilots to climb to over 7,500ft and fly east to Cape Kidnappers, south of Waipukurau and west out to the mountains before returning to the aerodrome. The conditions were also ideal for training and trial flights.
02 February 2020
The predicted scorching 36°C day was felt with intense heat on the airfield. A light sea breeze tempered conditions a little. Australian bush fire smoke caused a light haze all day. The result was calm and largely flat conditions that were suitable for trial flights and training but no good for soaring.
26 January 2020
It was a fine, hot and calm day with largely clear blue skies and a sea breeze. This made local conditions perfect for trial flights and training with smooth air and great visibility. Out towards the mountains, a convergence to over 9,500ft formed and this was well utilised by Graham White in his LS8 and Jason Shields in his Discus.
24 January 2020 (Friday)
Low morning cloud started to break up and weak thermals formed as specially arranged trial flights were completed. It was a hot day but good views of the local area were had.
19 January 2020
Morning drizzle and low cloud slowly cleared but this deterred members from flying for the day.
12 January 2020
Flying conditions were flat and calm which was ideal for trial flights with five completed.
05 January 2020
High and increasing ground winds saw flying stopped for the day after two trial flights.
29 December 2019
The sky tried to form wave with Jason Price flying for an hour and Grant with Ryan a little less, returning as it was rough as guts. Everything was put away and all went home by 15:00.
22 December 2019
The day started cool but fine with weak and broken thermals and convergence evident by 11am. The first flight of the day utilised the hard to work lift to climb to over four thousand feet and soar around the local area, only landing to allow others to fly. Visibility was superb which allowed trial flighters magnificent views of the mountains and beyond. The lift became more challenging as the day progressed but conditions remained ideal for training which saw flying continue until the early evening.
15 December 2019
Forecast flying conditions were not great with broken, hard to work lift predicted to 6,500ft. The only instructional flight of the day found some 10kt sink close to the airfield which was also encountered by Brian and Jason Kelly as they launched in the ASH25M. Conditions were largely as predicted but soaring was possible with thermal activity affected by wave activity. This allowed climbs to over 6,500ft and also completion of the local triangle with the flight only terminated due to the scheduled Christmas BBQ. This was held at the aeroclub bar with a good attendance of members with Jason Price again starring as the chef.
08 December 2019
The summer of discontent continued with no available tow pilots and strong winds meaning no flying today.
01 December 2019
Conditions were not conducive for flying with strong and gusty northerly winds so the day was cancelled.
24 November 2019
Australian bush fire smoke dominated the day which made conditions very hazy from relatively low levels. It was a fine, warm, calm day though which was suitable for training.
17 November 2019
It was a day of frustration for flying which started with the club towplane out of the air for routine maintenance. Grounds maintenance was started but then the Skylux was called into service and a launch was made into an energetic sky. Soon after getting established in broken, messy wave, the glider battery failed which meant the flight had to terminate. The sky was changing rapidly and later launches could not get established. However, the day was not wasted with the area around the glider trailers cleared, work on the annuals of a number of club gliders and the monthly committee meeting completed.
10 November 2019
With the wind strong by 9am and predicted to get worse along with showers, flying was flagged for the today before it started.
03 November 2019
It was a sample of early summer with the temperature peaking at 30°C. First flights of the day were for the balance of the members of the No 13 (City of Napier) Squadron of the Air Training Corps. Flat, calm and clear conditions prevailed which were ideal for these and later training and trial flights.
02 November 2019 (Saturday)
The morning was clear with a brisk cool south westerly wind. Starting from 9am, members of the No 13 (City of Napier) Squadron of the Air Training Corps were treated to a gliding experience. Conditions varied from calm to a few bumps with strong lift and sink evident at times and in places. The clear conditions gave fantastic views of the area while the lift available allowed some cadets to see how gliders can use the energy in the sky to climb and stay aloft. Conditions did deteriorate which saw flying finish early for the day.
27 October 2019
It was a cool, clear, calm early morning that quickly warmed up to peak at around 27°C. Some wave like lift was reported in places in the clear blue sky. The calm, clear conditions were again ideal for training and trial flights with great views of the local area and beyond.
20 October 2019
A soaring day at last! Thermal and convergence lift on a typically fine Hawkes Bay Spring day allowed members to soar east and south of Hastings in conditions that cycled. The weather was also ideal for trial flights and training with the tow pilot and instructor kept busy all day with a total of 19 flights recorded. The day was rounded out with the AGM, which saw no changes, and the monthly committee meeting.
13 October 2019
Early morning rain cleared to leave a heavily overcast sky with the sun breaking through later in the day. This lead to calm conditions which were ideal for training. Some weak snippets of lift were evident at times but were insufficient for sustained soaring. The evening had a club BBQ to celebrate Bryan Malcolm's over 40 years of involvement in gliding.
06 October 2019
The forecast of low cloud with random drizzle proved to be correct. This deterred all gliding for the day though the tow pilot took the opportunity to do a few circuits.
29 September 2019
A cloudy morning cleared to a fine and sunny day. With a westerly wind higher up, there was wave attempting to form in places as well as the predicted local thermals and convergence. The result was random lift and sink that was broken, messy and hard to work. As such, it was another day that was more suited for training and trial flights rather than pure soaring.
22 September 2019
Heavy morning cloud cleared to a pristine fine, sunny and calm day. As predicted, there were some local low level thermals. It was another day that was ideal for training and trial flights.
15 September 2019
With wind gusting to over 30kts and veering over 45°, no flying was undertaken. Time was spent working on the gliders and the monthly committee meeting instead.
08 September 2019
With the forecast rain setting in early, flying was cancelled for the day.
01 September 2019
The first day of Spring was fine, sunny, calm and mild with great visibility which was ideal for training and trial flights. This saw both club two seaters busy most of the day.
25 August 2019
It was a fine, sunny and mild day with a variable westerly wind. This was ideal for trial flights. As predicted, wave formed later in the day but flying was forced to cease due to a plane with a blown tyre blocking the runway which left the wave largely untouched.
18 August 2019
A random mixture of sunshine and showers saw flying cancelled for the day before it started.
11 August 2019
A less than promising forecast proved to be correct with flying limited to just one flight before the rain arrived and curtailed flying activities for the day.
04 August 2019
7am saw classic Hawkes Bay wave present. By 8:30am, a cold front and rain had arrived which saw flying cancelled for the day. This quickly cleared to leave a fine, sunny but cold and blustery afternoon which members' enjoyed at home.
28 July 2019
After another crisp early morning and clearing of early morning fog, the fine, clear and calm day was again ideal for training and trial flights.
21 July 2019
After a crisp early morning, the fine, clear, calm day was ideal for training and trial flights.
14 July 2019
Gusty morning winds were followed by the forecast early afternoon heavy rain. As such, flying was cancelled for the day without opening the hangar doors.
07 July 2019
Morning cloud ensured the temperature stayed above zero overnight. The cloud cleared to leave a calm, fine and mild day which was ideal for training and trial flights with magnificent views of the local area. A wind change later in the afternoon caused some broken and weak convergence to form before flying was ceased for the day due to unstable wind conditions which caused some turbulence.
30 June 2019
After a sub-zero early morning, it was a pristine typical Hawkes Bay winter's day with calm conditions and sunshine. This was idea for trial flights and training. With the Citabria out of the air for routine maintenance, the Skylux was put to use for the day.
23 June 2019
The forecast of low cloud with showers was unfortunately correct which prevented all flying for the day.
16 June 2019
A light south westerly wind saw weak wave form later in the afternoon. Cloud and the short daylight hours prevented any cross country progress.
09 June 2019
It was a flat, calm day that was ideal for trial flights and training.
02 June 2019
The first "official" day of winter saw the airfield weather station at 10am showing wind gusts up to 27kts and an apparent temperature of 3.3°C. As the forecast was for little change and correct, flying was cancelled for the day.
26 May 2019
A long run of morning frosts continued with another sub zero dawn with a clear blue sky and no wind. The temperature rose for a pleasant afternoon that had a flat sky which was ideal for training and trial flights.
19 May 2019
The day dawned with good looking local wave. However, as forecast, the ground wind increased with some good gusts and the wave disappeared. This resulted in no flying for the day.
12 May 2019
Mothers' Day started off cloudy and cool. With rain around, conditions were constantly changing with the sky showing signs of wave lift then nothing then wave again. Some use was made of the flyable conditions with a trial flight getting the best of the day before flying ceased for the day in the early afternoon.
05 May 2019
A freezing cold morning in places heralded a fine and calm day with flat flying conditions. This was ideal for training and trial flights. Youth member Cameron Steed took advantage of the ideal training conditions to progress to the PW5.
28 April 2019
Changeable Autumn weather saw a couple of training flights in a heavily overcast sky before flying for the day was curtailed early by passing showers.
21 April 2019
Easter Sunday turned out to be an ideal day for trial flights and training. Calm, mild conditions with little wind resulted in a very flat sky. This enabled students to progress through various items on the training syllabus while trial flighters enjoyed great views of the autumn colours in a smooth sky.
14 April 2019
The morning dawned clear and very cold. The temperature slowly warmed up but with a strong cold south westerly wind and high cloud moving in, flying was cancelled for the day.
07 April 2019
A drizzly cool morning improved to a dry but mostly overcast chilly afternoon. This deterred all members from flying for the day.
31 March 2019
Early morning fog cleared to leave a fine and sunny day. Flying conditions started off calm and ideal for trial flights and training but some low turbulence occurred later in the day to give students some challenges. It was another busy day for the club although no sustained soaring was possible.
24 March 2019
It was a busy day for the club with five trial flights along with a number of instructional flights and some soaring. Conditions were fine and calm with the sea breeze rushing in from early afternoon. This pushed the thermals and convergence away from the airfield but there was some good lift available which allowed soaring up to 4,000ft.
17 March 2019
The weather again dominated the day with heavy cloud and the threat of showers deterring most members from attending the airfield which resulted in flying being cancelled.
10 March 2019
Heavy cloud and the threat of showers deterred most members from attending the airfield but flying was undertaken with weak, broken lift around up to cloud base of just over 2,500ft. The 10 year anniversary of the passing of Peter Lyons was marked with a small function in the evening at the aeroclub bar.
03 March 2019
After a trial flight and an instructional flight, conditions were deemed unsuitable for flying so flying was cancelled for the rest of the day.
24 February 2019
Poor weather with strong wind and rain was forecast so flying was cancelled for the day. The day did not turn out as forecast and there was a short window when soaring could have been achieved as the cold front moved north.
17 February 2019
Flying again from Waipukurau Airfield, soaring conditions were difficult with weak and broken thermals to low levels. Bryan Malcolm was up to the challenge in the PW5 and flew for over an hour. From Hastings Airfield, Jason Kelly flew the club's self launching Grob 103C III SL and found some small pieces of silky smooth blue wave like lift to 3,500ft south east of the airfield.
13 February 2019 (Wednesday)
With a number of BFRs (Biennial Flight Reviews) due, an afternoon was organised to complete them. The first flight found great lift but the sea breeze soon rushed in cutting off all local lift. Long tows were required to get further south and Graham White did this in his LS8 for a good flight out to the mountains and back.
10 February 2019
A poor forecast turned out to be wrong again. After some delays in starting, the club once again operated from Waipukurau Airfield. For the 2nd week in a row, good local thermals saw Josh Ferguson in the PW5 having to be called back to land so operations could cease for the day and aircraft return to Bridge Pa.
03 February 2019
The club operated from Waipukurau Airfield with local thermals to 4,500ft. The conditions allowed for training and trial flights with a good day's soaring being experienced.
01 February 2019 (Friday)
Reasonable conditions saw the club's self launching Grob 103C III SL flown around the local area in messy lift up to 4,500ft.
27 January 2019
A scorching Hawkes Bay summer's day with the temperature exceeding 30°C had fine and clear conditions. The sky started off flat but a good local convergence formed which allowed flights to over 5,000ft and out to the Bay and back. Visibility was great for trial flights and ideal for training. The last flight did not land until after 6pm which made it a long but rewarding day for the instructor, duty pilot and students.
20 January 2019
Strong and gusty morning westerly winds abated but flying was cancelled for the day. Power pilots who flew reported unpleasant turbulent conditions.
13 January 2019
With no soaring possible, flying was limited to training and trial flights.
06 January 2019
The first club flying day of the year was again suitable for training and trial flights.
30 December 2018
The final club flying day of the year was suitable for training and trial flights.
23 December 2018
A poor looking weather forecast was proven wrong with another day of good soaring eventuating. While cloud base was only around 3,500ft with showers in places, good strong lift was around which allowed flights of well over an hour in the local area. Members made the most of the conditions by flying until late in the afternoon.
16 December 2018
The best local soaring day of the season resulted after early morning cloud cleared. Thermals started early and continued all day which saw just four instructional flights with all climbing to cloud base and enjoying great views of the local area. Graham White ventured further afield in his LS8 while John McConville and Craig Hunter utilised HB to make it a great members' day.
09 December 2018
A fine and sunny day with a moderate sea breeze was ideal for trial flights and training with great views of the area and surrounds. There was no workable local lift so no soaring occurred.
03 December 2018 (Monday)
A weather window was utilised in the morning to complete a number of trial flights. Cloud base increased during the morning with some brief thermal lift forming before the sea breeze rushed in.
02 December 2018
Low early morning cloud with occasional showers slowly improved during the day but strong ground winds and low cloud saw no flying for the day.
25 November 2018
Heavy overcast turned to heavy drizzle and later rain which saw flying cancelled for the day.
18 November 2018
A fine and sunny calm start to the day changed to partly cloudy with variable westerly winds. After two flights, the sky was deemed too rough for training so flying was cancelled for the day. This allowed work to start on the annual inspection of the club's training glider GMX.
11 November 2018
Morning drizzle cleared to a fine day with signs of weak thermals, a relatively low cloud base, and an approaching sea breeze. As there was little enthusiasm from members, no flying took place.
04 November 2018 (Sunday)
The forecast of gale force winds and messy wave proved to be correct. As such, flying was cancelled for the day without opening the hangar doors.
03 November 2018 (Saturday)
Morning drizzle did not deter flying as the calm conditions were ideal for the annual ATC flying experience. The weather cleared after lunch and a total of 22 flights were completed for the day.
28 October 2018
The forecast of heavy rain and strong winds was far from the mark with the day dawning fine and calm. Light ground winds with an energetic looking sky were the midday reality. However, pilots reported the sky was not working as hoped and only relatively short local flights were completed. The monthly committee meeting and then the AGM followed flying. Richard Keir stepped down as vice President and was replaced by Jason Price. Youth member Josh Ferguson was appointed as assistant club captain. All other positions remained unchanged.
21 October 2018
Labour Weekend Sunday was a fine and sunny day with thermals developing and then being pushed inland by the sea breeze. The clear and calm conditions were ideal for trial flights and training while soaring was also possible with flights out towards the coast and inland to Whanawhana completed.
14 October 2018
A morning frost saw a cold and clear start to the morning. However, a southerly change with cold blustery winds, cloud and the odd shower arrived by midday. The result was no flying for the day.
07 October 2018
While the weather was more wintery than Spring like with cool and overcast conditions, trial flights and training were completed. Some brief drizzle did not deter flying and as the cloud started breaking up, some lift formed for the last flight of the day.
30 September 2018
The first day of daylight saving started cold but fine. The temperature rose as the day progressed with some afternoon convection and convergence allowing members to soar to 5,000ft around the local area for over an hour. Conditions were also ideal for training and trial flights.
23 September 2018
Spring thermals started early with the first flight taking off before midday. The mostly local thermals saw flights of over an hour and climbs to over 3,000ft enjoyed by students and experienced pilots alike. The late afternoon sea breeze killed the convection but the smooth air was ideal for training.
16 September 2018
A fine sunny day with a northerly wind was suitable for trial flights and training.
09 September 2018
After a very wet week, it was fine and sunny but a cold and blustery SW wind kept all members on the ground.
02 September 2018
A Spring Day with some morning drizzle clearing to a gusty westerly early afternoon deterred all flying for the day.
26 August 2018
It was another classic Hawkes Bay winter's day with a sharp morning frost followed by a glorious fine and sunny day. With calm conditions, this was again ideal for training and trial flights with flying continuing to near dark. Josh Ferguson flew the PW5 for over half an hour in blue and weak conditions before a wind change killed all lift.
19 August 2018
It was a classic Hawkes Bay winter's day with a sharp morning frost followed by a glorious fine and sunny day. With calm conditions, this was again ideal for training and trial flights with flying continuing to near dark.
12 August 2018
A frosty morning lead to a fine, sunny but cool and calm day. This was ideal for training and trial flights. Some early afternoon weak and broken blue thermals allowed soaring flights of over an hour. The result was the tow pilot and instructor were busy flying until after 5pm.
05 August 2018
Rain and drizzle with a strengthening gusty north easterly prevented any flying for the day.
22 July 2018
The day had had promise but a strengthening westerly wind on the ground and a towplane issue restricted flying to just one short flight.
15 July 2018
The weather was against us so there was no flying.
08 July 2018
Unsuitable conditions prevented any flying for the day.
01 July 2018
Another solid morning frost thawed to a day with thickening high cloud. This kept it cool all day on the ground. However, the calm conditions and mostly flat sky were ideal for training and trial flights. This saw the tow pilot and instructor busy all day until darkness stopped flying.
24 June 2018
A morning frost was followed by a fine day with increasing high cloud. A fickle ground wind saw a number of runway changes. Aloft, the sky tried to form wave but didn't quite manage it locally. This left calm conditions which were ideal for training.
17 June 2018
A fine and sunny day greeted pilots with wave visible in the sky. While the RASP was not great and the sky decayed before launch, this did not stop both club two seaters enjoying good wave flights. James Foreman and newly solo pilot Cameron Steed flew the Twin Astir MX to over 12,000ft and south to Dannevirke where it was 8/8 cloud. Meanwhile, Jason and Brian Kelly flew the Grob 103 C III SL HB to 9,500ft and also travelled to Dannevirke and return, reaching ground speeds of over 250km/h. Their flight can be viewed on the OLC at https://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-3.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=6539369
10 June 2018
A very cold day with high cloud was ideal for training and trial flights with virtually no wind and a flat sky. As part of the club's youth contingent, thirteen year old Cameron Steed completed his first solo flight. Congratulations Cameron.
03 June 2018
The forecast of rain and showers was correct so flying was cancelled for the day without members leaving home.
27 May 2018
Rain and showers again saw flying cancelled for the day.
20 May 2018
A flying day at last! While the forecast was not great, gentle wave formed which allowed flights to 10,000ft and as far south as Dannevirke and return. Trial flighters and members enjoyed the conditions with some junior members experiencing wave for the first time.
13 May 2018
Persistent morning rain saw flying cancelled for the day.
06 May 2018
Early morning cloud and drizzle cleared but a strengthening unstable westerly flow saw flying cancelled for the day.
29 April 2018
Low cloud, drizzle and rain saw flying cancelled for the day.
22 April 2018
Early drizzle and rain cleared quickly to a fine and sunny day. This left relatively calm conditions with local convection which allowed flights of over an hour to be had.
15 April 2018
Inclement weather with morning low cloud and drizzle saw flying cancelled for the day.
08 April 2018
It was another calm, fine and sunny that was ideal for training and trial flights. The air was very stable which meant there was virtually no lift but silky smooth air.
01 April 2018
A fine and sunny early morning saw thermals forming before midday. The sea breeze rushed in to kill all local lift but Graham White in his LS8 managed to get away for a good soaring flight. Local conditions were ideal for training and trial flights.
25 March 2018
The forecast all week was not promising but the rain moved through early to leave a fine day. Some weak and broken thermals eventuated which allowed trial flights great extended views of the local area. The calm and clear conditions were also ideal for student pilots.
18 March 2018
Morning drizzle that lingered deterred members from flying all day even though the late afternoon was fine and flyable.
11 March 2018
The club flew from Waipukurau Airfield under partly cloudy skies with the tow plane CPD and Twin Astir MX returning to Hastings at the end of the day.
04 March 2018
A fine, sunny day with blustery north easterlies saw members stay on the ground all day.
25 February 2018
With the Central Districts Contest completed, members had the airfield to themselves. Initial blue, broken and hard to work thermals improved with some broken wave type lift which allowed members to soar around the local area. In ferrying the club's Grob 103C III SL GHB back to Hastings, some strong sink along with a good thermal climb and blue convergence just east of Hastings were encountered.
18 February 2018
Flying from Waipukurau Airfield during the Central Districts Contest allowed members to soar in thermals in flights of almost two hours and to 5,000ft around the local area.
11 February 2018
With very low cloud, drizzle and rain all day, no flying was possible.
04 February 2018
The weather forecast most of the week was depressing but the morning dawned cool and clear. This quickly warmed up with thermals forming and the sea breeze rushing in. While the soaring day was not as forecast by the RASP with local thermals being cut up and hard to work, Graham White in his LS8 climbed to around 6,000ft and as far south as Takapau while James Foreman in his LS3 and Jason Kelly in the LS4 flew south to Lake Poukawa and around the area at heights up to 4,000ft. Locally conditions were ideal for training and trial flights with light winds and clear skies.
28 January 2018
Early morning clear skies quickly filled with low cloud. However, as forecast, as the day warmed up the cloud began to break up and thermals were present. While the local area cloud base only reached 2,500ft, further south and west climbs to over 5,000ft at up to 4-5kts were reported with pilots flying past Gwavas and return. Calm local conditions were also ideal for trial flights and training.
21 January 2018
It was a blisteringly hot Hawkes Bay day with the ground temperature exceeding 30°C. The first flight of the day was a planned 1,200ft circuit but strong thermals allowed climbs to over 4,000ft and the pilots only returned to the airfield to let others use the aircraft. As the sea breeze came in, this pushed the thermals back but also created a convergence. Graham White flew his LS8 for over 325km OLC, including into the ranges, while Mads Slivsgaard put the club's PW5 through its paces while exploring the local sky.
14 January 2018
A faulty towplane starter motor limited flying to trial flights using the club's self launching glider. While the sky looked promising, local conditions were largely flat.
07 January 2018
With a number of members away at Omarama, students utilised the day to continue their training.
31 December 2017
New Year's Eve was a day for a number of trial flights with a good convergence line evident.
24 December 2017
Christmas Eve saw a fine day which was ideal for trial flights and training. Some broken local thermals enabled members to soar to just under 3,000ft and for over two hours.
17 December 2017
Morning cloud cleared and the sea breeze poured in as the day heated up. This left blue conditions which were ideal for training and trial flights. Some strong but broken sea breeze thermals allowed some brief soaring.
10 December 2017
After the ATC completed their annual gliding experience flights, conditions were suitable for training and some local soaring.
09 December 2017 (Saturday)
The local ATC started their annual gliding experience flights with strong thermals reported.
03 December 2017
A fine, hot and sunny day saw thermals and convergence lift form which was ideal for soaring flights around the area with pilots reaching from Blackhead Beach to the ranges. Conditions were also ideal for trial flights and training.
26 November 2017
Low cloud prevented an early start but flying occurred under cloudy skies with some cloud breaks and broken thermal lift.
19 November 2017
The seven day weather cycle saw another cold south easterly weather system with gusty winds and showers which resulted in no flying.
12 November 2017
A cold south easterly weather system with gusty winds and showers saw no flying.
05 November 2017
The forecast of a north westerly and overcast in the morning turning to southwest then west in the afternoon with the average wind speeds not too strong turned out to be correct. This enabled students and members to fly with thermal and wave lift in a constantly changing sky. Jason and Brian Kelly in the ASH25M flew south to Dannevirke and to 10,000ft while completing 215km OLC in a 2hr 32m flight. They also completed the local Bridge Pa – Maraekakaho – Pakipaki – Bridge Pa 33.3km triangle in 11m 14s at an average ground speed of 177.9km/h.
01 November 2017 (Wednesday)
Graham White launched late afternoon in his LS8 with the tow pilot reporting lift of 1,000ft per minute while on tow. However, the lift was too difficult to work as it was broken up by the wind so was only any good going down wind under a street. As this was only possible at 3,000ft, Graham decided to come back and land at the airfield.
29 October 2017
North easterly conditions saw mostly cloudy conditions with rain in the ranges and the odd late drizzle shower reaching the airfield. The sky was fairly calm which was ideal for training and trial flights.
25 October 2017 (Wednesday)
Some mid week soaring at last! The sky was full of energy but was hard to work early on. James Foreman flew his LS3 for over two hours south and east of the airfield while Brian Kelly and Graham White completed over 235km OLC in the ASH25M. They flew south almost to Dannevirke after contacting wave later in their 2hr 40m flight.
22 October 2017
The day was fine and mild with a light southerly on the ground but a strong westerly above 550ft. Pilots found the sky to 2,000ft a little bumpy, but with no usable lift, while higher up was reported to be very rough so trial flights were cancelled for the rest of the day. One student took a tow but no soaring was possible.
15 October 2017
A fine and sunny day was marred by a quickly passing cold front that saw winds gusting to over 20kts which saw flying cancelled for the day. This allowed work to start on MX's annual inspection.
08 October 2017
The forecast rain and drizzle was present as predicted and prevented all flying for the day.
07 October 2017 (Saturday)
The Waipukurau Construction Social club enjoyed trial flights to 3,000ft in the morning. While conditions were less than ideal with cloud and drizzle, the calm conditions gave extremely smooth flights which were an ideal introduction to the sport of gliding.
01 October 2017
A dry morning deteriorated to low cloud with afternoon drizzle and rain. Neil Faulknor completed his Skylux rating but this was the only flying of the day. The afternoon saw the committee meeting and AGM held with no changes to the club executive officers.
24 September 2017
Fine and flyable weather saw 16 launches for the day with training, trial and attempted soaring flights undertaken. The club utilised the Skylux towplane for the day. The weather did not quite play ball for soaring with the longest flight being less than an hour and Allie Thompson landing the Libelle in a paddock. The day changed constantly with weak, broken and scrappy lift improving for a brief period mid afternoon. This saw many members take to the sky. Hopefully the day was a sign of better soaring days to come.
17 September 2017
A cool morning with thick high cloud cleared after midday to leave a partly cloudy sky with an increasing westerly. A number of instructional flights were completed with the sky ending up flat.
10 September 2017
Cool and cloudy weather with a variable westerly wind combined with forecast afternoon rain made flying a 50/50 call for the day. As it turned out, no flying was undertaken.
03 September 2017
Morning cloud, drizzle and rain weren’t forecast to clear until early/mid-afternoon so operations for the day were cancelled.
27 August 2017
Another cool morning saw a fine and sunny day with increasing high cloud. A moderate northerly wind gave a few low level bumps which left the day flyable but not soarable. A number of members took the opportunity to fly and keep current ahead of what must be better weather to come.
20 August 2017
An overcast but dry morning quickly deteriorated as the forecast southerly arrived with passing rain. As such, flying was cancelled before it started.
13 August 2017
A cool morning saw a fine and sunny day with increasing high cloud. A variable wind combined with aeroclub reports of severe turbulence from 200ft saw no flying for the day. Some minor hangar repairs were undertaken instead.
06 August 2017
Another freezing dawn heralded a fine and sunny morning. Increasing high cloud and a northerly wind saw limited flying in what was reported to be a bumpy sky.
30 July 2017
A sub-zero dawn saw the start of a fine and sunny day. With the aeroclub having a morning fly in, air traffic was busy until early afternoon which curtailed any gliding operations. The forecast southerly wind died down which left virtually calm conditions with weak and broken lift which allowed some brief local soaring for those who flew.
23 July 2017
Another morning with low cloud and damp conditions with no improvement forecast saw flying cancelled for the day.
16 July 2017
It was a typical Hawkes Bay winter's day with a cool start followed by sunshine, light winds and calm conditions. This was ideal for training and trial flights with great vistas for those who flew.
09 July 2017
With low cloud, damp conditions and a weather forecast of rain all day, operations were cancelled without attending the airfield.
02 July 2017
A cool and damp day with low cloud and strong forecast northerly winds saw no flying for the day.
25 June 2017
High cloud and cool temperatures left a flat sky and calm ground conditions which were ideal for training.
As can be seen in the link below, the soaring weather for the last 12 months has been very poor which has seen reduced flying. A mere 9 soaring days in total on Sundays were recorded which is around half the average of the previous three years.
With the club based at Waipukurau for the first day of the 2020 Central Districts Gliding contest, a strong, cold southerly with low cloud and occasional drizzle prevented all flying for the day.
16 February 2020
The fine, warm day had an easterly wind increasing in strength during the day. Conditions started off suitable for trial flights and training with some strong short bursts of lift and sink. However, by mid-afternoon the conditions had deteriorated which saw flying finish early for the day.
09 February 2020
A fine, cool, clear morning turned into a good soaring day with thermal and convergence lift about. This enabled pilots to climb to over 7,500ft and fly east to Cape Kidnappers, south of Waipukurau and west out to the mountains before returning to the aerodrome. The conditions were also ideal for training and trial flights.
02 February 2020
The predicted scorching 36°C day was felt with intense heat on the airfield. A light sea breeze tempered conditions a little. Australian bush fire smoke caused a light haze all day. The result was calm and largely flat conditions that were suitable for trial flights and training but no good for soaring.
26 January 2020
It was a fine, hot and calm day with largely clear blue skies and a sea breeze. This made local conditions perfect for trial flights and training with smooth air and great visibility. Out towards the mountains, a convergence to over 9,500ft formed and this was well utilised by Graham White in his LS8 and Jason Shields in his Discus.
24 January 2020 (Friday)
Low morning cloud started to break up and weak thermals formed as specially arranged trial flights were completed. It was a hot day but good views of the local area were had.
19 January 2020
Morning drizzle and low cloud slowly cleared but this deterred members from flying for the day.
12 January 2020
Flying conditions were flat and calm which was ideal for trial flights with five completed.
05 January 2020
High and increasing ground winds saw flying stopped for the day after two trial flights.
29 December 2019
The sky tried to form wave with Jason Price flying for an hour and Grant with Ryan a little less, returning as it was rough as guts. Everything was put away and all went home by 15:00.
22 December 2019
The day started cool but fine with weak and broken thermals and convergence evident by 11am. The first flight of the day utilised the hard to work lift to climb to over four thousand feet and soar around the local area, only landing to allow others to fly. Visibility was superb which allowed trial flighters magnificent views of the mountains and beyond. The lift became more challenging as the day progressed but conditions remained ideal for training which saw flying continue until the early evening.
15 December 2019
Forecast flying conditions were not great with broken, hard to work lift predicted to 6,500ft. The only instructional flight of the day found some 10kt sink close to the airfield which was also encountered by Brian and Jason Kelly as they launched in the ASH25M. Conditions were largely as predicted but soaring was possible with thermal activity affected by wave activity. This allowed climbs to over 6,500ft and also completion of the local triangle with the flight only terminated due to the scheduled Christmas BBQ. This was held at the aeroclub bar with a good attendance of members with Jason Price again starring as the chef.
08 December 2019
The summer of discontent continued with no available tow pilots and strong winds meaning no flying today.
01 December 2019
Conditions were not conducive for flying with strong and gusty northerly winds so the day was cancelled.
24 November 2019
Australian bush fire smoke dominated the day which made conditions very hazy from relatively low levels. It was a fine, warm, calm day though which was suitable for training.
17 November 2019
It was a day of frustration for flying which started with the club towplane out of the air for routine maintenance. Grounds maintenance was started but then the Skylux was called into service and a launch was made into an energetic sky. Soon after getting established in broken, messy wave, the glider battery failed which meant the flight had to terminate. The sky was changing rapidly and later launches could not get established. However, the day was not wasted with the area around the glider trailers cleared, work on the annuals of a number of club gliders and the monthly committee meeting completed.
10 November 2019
With the wind strong by 9am and predicted to get worse along with showers, flying was flagged for the today before it started.
03 November 2019
It was a sample of early summer with the temperature peaking at 30°C. First flights of the day were for the balance of the members of the No 13 (City of Napier) Squadron of the Air Training Corps. Flat, calm and clear conditions prevailed which were ideal for these and later training and trial flights.
02 November 2019 (Saturday)
The morning was clear with a brisk cool south westerly wind. Starting from 9am, members of the No 13 (City of Napier) Squadron of the Air Training Corps were treated to a gliding experience. Conditions varied from calm to a few bumps with strong lift and sink evident at times and in places. The clear conditions gave fantastic views of the area while the lift available allowed some cadets to see how gliders can use the energy in the sky to climb and stay aloft. Conditions did deteriorate which saw flying finish early for the day.
27 October 2019
It was a cool, clear, calm early morning that quickly warmed up to peak at around 27°C. Some wave like lift was reported in places in the clear blue sky. The calm, clear conditions were again ideal for training and trial flights with great views of the local area and beyond.
20 October 2019
A soaring day at last! Thermal and convergence lift on a typically fine Hawkes Bay Spring day allowed members to soar east and south of Hastings in conditions that cycled. The weather was also ideal for trial flights and training with the tow pilot and instructor kept busy all day with a total of 19 flights recorded. The day was rounded out with the AGM, which saw no changes, and the monthly committee meeting.
13 October 2019
Early morning rain cleared to leave a heavily overcast sky with the sun breaking through later in the day. This lead to calm conditions which were ideal for training. Some weak snippets of lift were evident at times but were insufficient for sustained soaring. The evening had a club BBQ to celebrate Bryan Malcolm's over 40 years of involvement in gliding.
06 October 2019
The forecast of low cloud with random drizzle proved to be correct. This deterred all gliding for the day though the tow pilot took the opportunity to do a few circuits.
29 September 2019
A cloudy morning cleared to a fine and sunny day. With a westerly wind higher up, there was wave attempting to form in places as well as the predicted local thermals and convergence. The result was random lift and sink that was broken, messy and hard to work. As such, it was another day that was more suited for training and trial flights rather than pure soaring.
22 September 2019
Heavy morning cloud cleared to a pristine fine, sunny and calm day. As predicted, there were some local low level thermals. It was another day that was ideal for training and trial flights.
15 September 2019
With wind gusting to over 30kts and veering over 45°, no flying was undertaken. Time was spent working on the gliders and the monthly committee meeting instead.
08 September 2019
With the forecast rain setting in early, flying was cancelled for the day.
01 September 2019
The first day of Spring was fine, sunny, calm and mild with great visibility which was ideal for training and trial flights. This saw both club two seaters busy most of the day.
25 August 2019
It was a fine, sunny and mild day with a variable westerly wind. This was ideal for trial flights. As predicted, wave formed later in the day but flying was forced to cease due to a plane with a blown tyre blocking the runway which left the wave largely untouched.
18 August 2019
A random mixture of sunshine and showers saw flying cancelled for the day before it started.
11 August 2019
A less than promising forecast proved to be correct with flying limited to just one flight before the rain arrived and curtailed flying activities for the day.
04 August 2019
7am saw classic Hawkes Bay wave present. By 8:30am, a cold front and rain had arrived which saw flying cancelled for the day. This quickly cleared to leave a fine, sunny but cold and blustery afternoon which members' enjoyed at home.
28 July 2019
After another crisp early morning and clearing of early morning fog, the fine, clear and calm day was again ideal for training and trial flights.
21 July 2019
After a crisp early morning, the fine, clear, calm day was ideal for training and trial flights.
14 July 2019
Gusty morning winds were followed by the forecast early afternoon heavy rain. As such, flying was cancelled for the day without opening the hangar doors.
07 July 2019
Morning cloud ensured the temperature stayed above zero overnight. The cloud cleared to leave a calm, fine and mild day which was ideal for training and trial flights with magnificent views of the local area. A wind change later in the afternoon caused some broken and weak convergence to form before flying was ceased for the day due to unstable wind conditions which caused some turbulence.
30 June 2019
After a sub-zero early morning, it was a pristine typical Hawkes Bay winter's day with calm conditions and sunshine. This was idea for trial flights and training. With the Citabria out of the air for routine maintenance, the Skylux was put to use for the day.
23 June 2019
The forecast of low cloud with showers was unfortunately correct which prevented all flying for the day.
16 June 2019
A light south westerly wind saw weak wave form later in the afternoon. Cloud and the short daylight hours prevented any cross country progress.
09 June 2019
It was a flat, calm day that was ideal for trial flights and training.
02 June 2019
The first "official" day of winter saw the airfield weather station at 10am showing wind gusts up to 27kts and an apparent temperature of 3.3°C. As the forecast was for little change and correct, flying was cancelled for the day.
26 May 2019
A long run of morning frosts continued with another sub zero dawn with a clear blue sky and no wind. The temperature rose for a pleasant afternoon that had a flat sky which was ideal for training and trial flights.
19 May 2019
The day dawned with good looking local wave. However, as forecast, the ground wind increased with some good gusts and the wave disappeared. This resulted in no flying for the day.
12 May 2019
Mothers' Day started off cloudy and cool. With rain around, conditions were constantly changing with the sky showing signs of wave lift then nothing then wave again. Some use was made of the flyable conditions with a trial flight getting the best of the day before flying ceased for the day in the early afternoon.
05 May 2019
A freezing cold morning in places heralded a fine and calm day with flat flying conditions. This was ideal for training and trial flights. Youth member Cameron Steed took advantage of the ideal training conditions to progress to the PW5.
28 April 2019
Changeable Autumn weather saw a couple of training flights in a heavily overcast sky before flying for the day was curtailed early by passing showers.
21 April 2019
Easter Sunday turned out to be an ideal day for trial flights and training. Calm, mild conditions with little wind resulted in a very flat sky. This enabled students to progress through various items on the training syllabus while trial flighters enjoyed great views of the autumn colours in a smooth sky.
14 April 2019
The morning dawned clear and very cold. The temperature slowly warmed up but with a strong cold south westerly wind and high cloud moving in, flying was cancelled for the day.
07 April 2019
A drizzly cool morning improved to a dry but mostly overcast chilly afternoon. This deterred all members from flying for the day.
31 March 2019
Early morning fog cleared to leave a fine and sunny day. Flying conditions started off calm and ideal for trial flights and training but some low turbulence occurred later in the day to give students some challenges. It was another busy day for the club although no sustained soaring was possible.
24 March 2019
It was a busy day for the club with five trial flights along with a number of instructional flights and some soaring. Conditions were fine and calm with the sea breeze rushing in from early afternoon. This pushed the thermals and convergence away from the airfield but there was some good lift available which allowed soaring up to 4,000ft.
17 March 2019
The weather again dominated the day with heavy cloud and the threat of showers deterring most members from attending the airfield which resulted in flying being cancelled.
10 March 2019
Heavy cloud and the threat of showers deterred most members from attending the airfield but flying was undertaken with weak, broken lift around up to cloud base of just over 2,500ft. The 10 year anniversary of the passing of Peter Lyons was marked with a small function in the evening at the aeroclub bar.
03 March 2019
After a trial flight and an instructional flight, conditions were deemed unsuitable for flying so flying was cancelled for the rest of the day.
24 February 2019
Poor weather with strong wind and rain was forecast so flying was cancelled for the day. The day did not turn out as forecast and there was a short window when soaring could have been achieved as the cold front moved north.
17 February 2019
Flying again from Waipukurau Airfield, soaring conditions were difficult with weak and broken thermals to low levels. Bryan Malcolm was up to the challenge in the PW5 and flew for over an hour. From Hastings Airfield, Jason Kelly flew the club's self launching Grob 103C III SL and found some small pieces of silky smooth blue wave like lift to 3,500ft south east of the airfield.
13 February 2019 (Wednesday)
With a number of BFRs (Biennial Flight Reviews) due, an afternoon was organised to complete them. The first flight found great lift but the sea breeze soon rushed in cutting off all local lift. Long tows were required to get further south and Graham White did this in his LS8 for a good flight out to the mountains and back.
10 February 2019
A poor forecast turned out to be wrong again. After some delays in starting, the club once again operated from Waipukurau Airfield. For the 2nd week in a row, good local thermals saw Josh Ferguson in the PW5 having to be called back to land so operations could cease for the day and aircraft return to Bridge Pa.
03 February 2019
The club operated from Waipukurau Airfield with local thermals to 4,500ft. The conditions allowed for training and trial flights with a good day's soaring being experienced.
01 February 2019 (Friday)
Reasonable conditions saw the club's self launching Grob 103C III SL flown around the local area in messy lift up to 4,500ft.
27 January 2019
A scorching Hawkes Bay summer's day with the temperature exceeding 30°C had fine and clear conditions. The sky started off flat but a good local convergence formed which allowed flights to over 5,000ft and out to the Bay and back. Visibility was great for trial flights and ideal for training. The last flight did not land until after 6pm which made it a long but rewarding day for the instructor, duty pilot and students.
20 January 2019
Strong and gusty morning westerly winds abated but flying was cancelled for the day. Power pilots who flew reported unpleasant turbulent conditions.
13 January 2019
With no soaring possible, flying was limited to training and trial flights.
06 January 2019
The first club flying day of the year was again suitable for training and trial flights.
30 December 2018
The final club flying day of the year was suitable for training and trial flights.
23 December 2018
A poor looking weather forecast was proven wrong with another day of good soaring eventuating. While cloud base was only around 3,500ft with showers in places, good strong lift was around which allowed flights of well over an hour in the local area. Members made the most of the conditions by flying until late in the afternoon.
16 December 2018
The best local soaring day of the season resulted after early morning cloud cleared. Thermals started early and continued all day which saw just four instructional flights with all climbing to cloud base and enjoying great views of the local area. Graham White ventured further afield in his LS8 while John McConville and Craig Hunter utilised HB to make it a great members' day.
09 December 2018
A fine and sunny day with a moderate sea breeze was ideal for trial flights and training with great views of the area and surrounds. There was no workable local lift so no soaring occurred.
03 December 2018 (Monday)
A weather window was utilised in the morning to complete a number of trial flights. Cloud base increased during the morning with some brief thermal lift forming before the sea breeze rushed in.
02 December 2018
Low early morning cloud with occasional showers slowly improved during the day but strong ground winds and low cloud saw no flying for the day.
25 November 2018
Heavy overcast turned to heavy drizzle and later rain which saw flying cancelled for the day.
18 November 2018
A fine and sunny calm start to the day changed to partly cloudy with variable westerly winds. After two flights, the sky was deemed too rough for training so flying was cancelled for the day. This allowed work to start on the annual inspection of the club's training glider GMX.
11 November 2018
Morning drizzle cleared to a fine day with signs of weak thermals, a relatively low cloud base, and an approaching sea breeze. As there was little enthusiasm from members, no flying took place.
04 November 2018 (Sunday)
The forecast of gale force winds and messy wave proved to be correct. As such, flying was cancelled for the day without opening the hangar doors.
03 November 2018 (Saturday)
Morning drizzle did not deter flying as the calm conditions were ideal for the annual ATC flying experience. The weather cleared after lunch and a total of 22 flights were completed for the day.
28 October 2018
The forecast of heavy rain and strong winds was far from the mark with the day dawning fine and calm. Light ground winds with an energetic looking sky were the midday reality. However, pilots reported the sky was not working as hoped and only relatively short local flights were completed. The monthly committee meeting and then the AGM followed flying. Richard Keir stepped down as vice President and was replaced by Jason Price. Youth member Josh Ferguson was appointed as assistant club captain. All other positions remained unchanged.
21 October 2018
Labour Weekend Sunday was a fine and sunny day with thermals developing and then being pushed inland by the sea breeze. The clear and calm conditions were ideal for trial flights and training while soaring was also possible with flights out towards the coast and inland to Whanawhana completed.
14 October 2018
A morning frost saw a cold and clear start to the morning. However, a southerly change with cold blustery winds, cloud and the odd shower arrived by midday. The result was no flying for the day.
07 October 2018
While the weather was more wintery than Spring like with cool and overcast conditions, trial flights and training were completed. Some brief drizzle did not deter flying and as the cloud started breaking up, some lift formed for the last flight of the day.
30 September 2018
The first day of daylight saving started cold but fine. The temperature rose as the day progressed with some afternoon convection and convergence allowing members to soar to 5,000ft around the local area for over an hour. Conditions were also ideal for training and trial flights.
23 September 2018
Spring thermals started early with the first flight taking off before midday. The mostly local thermals saw flights of over an hour and climbs to over 3,000ft enjoyed by students and experienced pilots alike. The late afternoon sea breeze killed the convection but the smooth air was ideal for training.
16 September 2018
A fine sunny day with a northerly wind was suitable for trial flights and training.
09 September 2018
After a very wet week, it was fine and sunny but a cold and blustery SW wind kept all members on the ground.
02 September 2018
A Spring Day with some morning drizzle clearing to a gusty westerly early afternoon deterred all flying for the day.
26 August 2018
It was another classic Hawkes Bay winter's day with a sharp morning frost followed by a glorious fine and sunny day. With calm conditions, this was again ideal for training and trial flights with flying continuing to near dark. Josh Ferguson flew the PW5 for over half an hour in blue and weak conditions before a wind change killed all lift.
19 August 2018
It was a classic Hawkes Bay winter's day with a sharp morning frost followed by a glorious fine and sunny day. With calm conditions, this was again ideal for training and trial flights with flying continuing to near dark.
12 August 2018
A frosty morning lead to a fine, sunny but cool and calm day. This was ideal for training and trial flights. Some early afternoon weak and broken blue thermals allowed soaring flights of over an hour. The result was the tow pilot and instructor were busy flying until after 5pm.
05 August 2018
Rain and drizzle with a strengthening gusty north easterly prevented any flying for the day.
22 July 2018
The day had had promise but a strengthening westerly wind on the ground and a towplane issue restricted flying to just one short flight.
15 July 2018
The weather was against us so there was no flying.
08 July 2018
Unsuitable conditions prevented any flying for the day.
01 July 2018
Another solid morning frost thawed to a day with thickening high cloud. This kept it cool all day on the ground. However, the calm conditions and mostly flat sky were ideal for training and trial flights. This saw the tow pilot and instructor busy all day until darkness stopped flying.
24 June 2018
A morning frost was followed by a fine day with increasing high cloud. A fickle ground wind saw a number of runway changes. Aloft, the sky tried to form wave but didn't quite manage it locally. This left calm conditions which were ideal for training.
17 June 2018
A fine and sunny day greeted pilots with wave visible in the sky. While the RASP was not great and the sky decayed before launch, this did not stop both club two seaters enjoying good wave flights. James Foreman and newly solo pilot Cameron Steed flew the Twin Astir MX to over 12,000ft and south to Dannevirke where it was 8/8 cloud. Meanwhile, Jason and Brian Kelly flew the Grob 103 C III SL HB to 9,500ft and also travelled to Dannevirke and return, reaching ground speeds of over 250km/h. Their flight can be viewed on the OLC at https://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-3.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=6539369
10 June 2018
A very cold day with high cloud was ideal for training and trial flights with virtually no wind and a flat sky. As part of the club's youth contingent, thirteen year old Cameron Steed completed his first solo flight. Congratulations Cameron.
03 June 2018
The forecast of rain and showers was correct so flying was cancelled for the day without members leaving home.
27 May 2018
Rain and showers again saw flying cancelled for the day.
20 May 2018
A flying day at last! While the forecast was not great, gentle wave formed which allowed flights to 10,000ft and as far south as Dannevirke and return. Trial flighters and members enjoyed the conditions with some junior members experiencing wave for the first time.
13 May 2018
Persistent morning rain saw flying cancelled for the day.
06 May 2018
Early morning cloud and drizzle cleared but a strengthening unstable westerly flow saw flying cancelled for the day.
29 April 2018
Low cloud, drizzle and rain saw flying cancelled for the day.
22 April 2018
Early drizzle and rain cleared quickly to a fine and sunny day. This left relatively calm conditions with local convection which allowed flights of over an hour to be had.
15 April 2018
Inclement weather with morning low cloud and drizzle saw flying cancelled for the day.
08 April 2018
It was another calm, fine and sunny that was ideal for training and trial flights. The air was very stable which meant there was virtually no lift but silky smooth air.
01 April 2018
A fine and sunny early morning saw thermals forming before midday. The sea breeze rushed in to kill all local lift but Graham White in his LS8 managed to get away for a good soaring flight. Local conditions were ideal for training and trial flights.
25 March 2018
The forecast all week was not promising but the rain moved through early to leave a fine day. Some weak and broken thermals eventuated which allowed trial flights great extended views of the local area. The calm and clear conditions were also ideal for student pilots.
18 March 2018
Morning drizzle that lingered deterred members from flying all day even though the late afternoon was fine and flyable.
11 March 2018
The club flew from Waipukurau Airfield under partly cloudy skies with the tow plane CPD and Twin Astir MX returning to Hastings at the end of the day.
04 March 2018
A fine, sunny day with blustery north easterlies saw members stay on the ground all day.
25 February 2018
With the Central Districts Contest completed, members had the airfield to themselves. Initial blue, broken and hard to work thermals improved with some broken wave type lift which allowed members to soar around the local area. In ferrying the club's Grob 103C III SL GHB back to Hastings, some strong sink along with a good thermal climb and blue convergence just east of Hastings were encountered.
18 February 2018
Flying from Waipukurau Airfield during the Central Districts Contest allowed members to soar in thermals in flights of almost two hours and to 5,000ft around the local area.
11 February 2018
With very low cloud, drizzle and rain all day, no flying was possible.
04 February 2018
The weather forecast most of the week was depressing but the morning dawned cool and clear. This quickly warmed up with thermals forming and the sea breeze rushing in. While the soaring day was not as forecast by the RASP with local thermals being cut up and hard to work, Graham White in his LS8 climbed to around 6,000ft and as far south as Takapau while James Foreman in his LS3 and Jason Kelly in the LS4 flew south to Lake Poukawa and around the area at heights up to 4,000ft. Locally conditions were ideal for training and trial flights with light winds and clear skies.
28 January 2018
Early morning clear skies quickly filled with low cloud. However, as forecast, as the day warmed up the cloud began to break up and thermals were present. While the local area cloud base only reached 2,500ft, further south and west climbs to over 5,000ft at up to 4-5kts were reported with pilots flying past Gwavas and return. Calm local conditions were also ideal for trial flights and training.
21 January 2018
It was a blisteringly hot Hawkes Bay day with the ground temperature exceeding 30°C. The first flight of the day was a planned 1,200ft circuit but strong thermals allowed climbs to over 4,000ft and the pilots only returned to the airfield to let others use the aircraft. As the sea breeze came in, this pushed the thermals back but also created a convergence. Graham White flew his LS8 for over 325km OLC, including into the ranges, while Mads Slivsgaard put the club's PW5 through its paces while exploring the local sky.
14 January 2018
A faulty towplane starter motor limited flying to trial flights using the club's self launching glider. While the sky looked promising, local conditions were largely flat.
07 January 2018
With a number of members away at Omarama, students utilised the day to continue their training.
31 December 2017
New Year's Eve was a day for a number of trial flights with a good convergence line evident.
24 December 2017
Christmas Eve saw a fine day which was ideal for trial flights and training. Some broken local thermals enabled members to soar to just under 3,000ft and for over two hours.
17 December 2017
Morning cloud cleared and the sea breeze poured in as the day heated up. This left blue conditions which were ideal for training and trial flights. Some strong but broken sea breeze thermals allowed some brief soaring.
10 December 2017
After the ATC completed their annual gliding experience flights, conditions were suitable for training and some local soaring.
09 December 2017 (Saturday)
The local ATC started their annual gliding experience flights with strong thermals reported.
03 December 2017
A fine, hot and sunny day saw thermals and convergence lift form which was ideal for soaring flights around the area with pilots reaching from Blackhead Beach to the ranges. Conditions were also ideal for trial flights and training.
26 November 2017
Low cloud prevented an early start but flying occurred under cloudy skies with some cloud breaks and broken thermal lift.
19 November 2017
The seven day weather cycle saw another cold south easterly weather system with gusty winds and showers which resulted in no flying.
12 November 2017
A cold south easterly weather system with gusty winds and showers saw no flying.
05 November 2017
The forecast of a north westerly and overcast in the morning turning to southwest then west in the afternoon with the average wind speeds not too strong turned out to be correct. This enabled students and members to fly with thermal and wave lift in a constantly changing sky. Jason and Brian Kelly in the ASH25M flew south to Dannevirke and to 10,000ft while completing 215km OLC in a 2hr 32m flight. They also completed the local Bridge Pa – Maraekakaho – Pakipaki – Bridge Pa 33.3km triangle in 11m 14s at an average ground speed of 177.9km/h.
01 November 2017 (Wednesday)
Graham White launched late afternoon in his LS8 with the tow pilot reporting lift of 1,000ft per minute while on tow. However, the lift was too difficult to work as it was broken up by the wind so was only any good going down wind under a street. As this was only possible at 3,000ft, Graham decided to come back and land at the airfield.
29 October 2017
North easterly conditions saw mostly cloudy conditions with rain in the ranges and the odd late drizzle shower reaching the airfield. The sky was fairly calm which was ideal for training and trial flights.
25 October 2017 (Wednesday)
Some mid week soaring at last! The sky was full of energy but was hard to work early on. James Foreman flew his LS3 for over two hours south and east of the airfield while Brian Kelly and Graham White completed over 235km OLC in the ASH25M. They flew south almost to Dannevirke after contacting wave later in their 2hr 40m flight.
22 October 2017
The day was fine and mild with a light southerly on the ground but a strong westerly above 550ft. Pilots found the sky to 2,000ft a little bumpy, but with no usable lift, while higher up was reported to be very rough so trial flights were cancelled for the rest of the day. One student took a tow but no soaring was possible.
15 October 2017
A fine and sunny day was marred by a quickly passing cold front that saw winds gusting to over 20kts which saw flying cancelled for the day. This allowed work to start on MX's annual inspection.
08 October 2017
The forecast rain and drizzle was present as predicted and prevented all flying for the day.
07 October 2017 (Saturday)
The Waipukurau Construction Social club enjoyed trial flights to 3,000ft in the morning. While conditions were less than ideal with cloud and drizzle, the calm conditions gave extremely smooth flights which were an ideal introduction to the sport of gliding.
01 October 2017
A dry morning deteriorated to low cloud with afternoon drizzle and rain. Neil Faulknor completed his Skylux rating but this was the only flying of the day. The afternoon saw the committee meeting and AGM held with no changes to the club executive officers.
24 September 2017
Fine and flyable weather saw 16 launches for the day with training, trial and attempted soaring flights undertaken. The club utilised the Skylux towplane for the day. The weather did not quite play ball for soaring with the longest flight being less than an hour and Allie Thompson landing the Libelle in a paddock. The day changed constantly with weak, broken and scrappy lift improving for a brief period mid afternoon. This saw many members take to the sky. Hopefully the day was a sign of better soaring days to come.
17 September 2017
A cool morning with thick high cloud cleared after midday to leave a partly cloudy sky with an increasing westerly. A number of instructional flights were completed with the sky ending up flat.
10 September 2017
Cool and cloudy weather with a variable westerly wind combined with forecast afternoon rain made flying a 50/50 call for the day. As it turned out, no flying was undertaken.
03 September 2017
Morning cloud, drizzle and rain weren’t forecast to clear until early/mid-afternoon so operations for the day were cancelled.
27 August 2017
Another cool morning saw a fine and sunny day with increasing high cloud. A moderate northerly wind gave a few low level bumps which left the day flyable but not soarable. A number of members took the opportunity to fly and keep current ahead of what must be better weather to come.
20 August 2017
An overcast but dry morning quickly deteriorated as the forecast southerly arrived with passing rain. As such, flying was cancelled before it started.
13 August 2017
A cool morning saw a fine and sunny day with increasing high cloud. A variable wind combined with aeroclub reports of severe turbulence from 200ft saw no flying for the day. Some minor hangar repairs were undertaken instead.
06 August 2017
Another freezing dawn heralded a fine and sunny morning. Increasing high cloud and a northerly wind saw limited flying in what was reported to be a bumpy sky.
30 July 2017
A sub-zero dawn saw the start of a fine and sunny day. With the aeroclub having a morning fly in, air traffic was busy until early afternoon which curtailed any gliding operations. The forecast southerly wind died down which left virtually calm conditions with weak and broken lift which allowed some brief local soaring for those who flew.
23 July 2017
Another morning with low cloud and damp conditions with no improvement forecast saw flying cancelled for the day.
16 July 2017
It was a typical Hawkes Bay winter's day with a cool start followed by sunshine, light winds and calm conditions. This was ideal for training and trial flights with great vistas for those who flew.
09 July 2017
With low cloud, damp conditions and a weather forecast of rain all day, operations were cancelled without attending the airfield.
02 July 2017
A cool and damp day with low cloud and strong forecast northerly winds saw no flying for the day.
25 June 2017
High cloud and cool temperatures left a flat sky and calm ground conditions which were ideal for training.
As can be seen in the link below, the soaring weather for the last 12 months has been very poor which has seen reduced flying. A mere 9 soaring days in total on Sundays were recorded which is around half the average of the previous three years.
18 June 2017
Low morning cloud and fog cleared to leave a pristine Hawkes Bay autumn day with a clear blue sky and little wind. Flying conditions were calm which were ideal for training and the blind circuit and spot landing competition. Brian Kelly retained the spot landing trophy with Jason Price securing the blind circuit cup. The club’s 60th Anniversary BBQ was held at the aeroclub in the evening with the presentation of the club trophies for the 2016 year. Kirstin Thompson and team organised a great BBQ and anniversary cake which was cut by Doug McIntyre, one of the founding members.
13 June 2017 (Tuesday)
Some mid week flying at last! The RASP suggested an early morning start was required and was spot on as the wave worked well to allow Jason and Nicholas Kelly to climb to 9,500ft in the club's Grob 103C III SL and fly past Waipawa and back in less than an hour. With the air starting to get rougher as the wave was impacted by weather moving up the country, the flight was relatively short as can be seen at http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html;jsessionid=901E6E4CD0E30632837C491EE245FA80?dsId=5836838 but still covered over 100km OLC. A photo of the view towards Hastings is below.
Low morning cloud and fog cleared to leave a pristine Hawkes Bay autumn day with a clear blue sky and little wind. Flying conditions were calm which were ideal for training and the blind circuit and spot landing competition. Brian Kelly retained the spot landing trophy with Jason Price securing the blind circuit cup. The club’s 60th Anniversary BBQ was held at the aeroclub in the evening with the presentation of the club trophies for the 2016 year. Kirstin Thompson and team organised a great BBQ and anniversary cake which was cut by Doug McIntyre, one of the founding members.
13 June 2017 (Tuesday)
Some mid week flying at last! The RASP suggested an early morning start was required and was spot on as the wave worked well to allow Jason and Nicholas Kelly to climb to 9,500ft in the club's Grob 103C III SL and fly past Waipawa and back in less than an hour. With the air starting to get rougher as the wave was impacted by weather moving up the country, the flight was relatively short as can be seen at http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html;jsessionid=901E6E4CD0E30632837C491EE245FA80?dsId=5836838 but still covered over 100km OLC. A photo of the view towards Hastings is below.
Morning sunshine looking towards Hastings and Hawkes Bay. Photo was published in the HB Today.
11 June 2017
It was a pristine Hawkes Bay winter's day with clear blue skies, a cool temperature and a light southerly wind on the ground. This was ideal for training and early solo students with the odd small piece of lift thrown in.
04 June 2017
A cool, flat day with a light southerly breeze was ideal for training and trial flights. The Skylux was in use as Gavin Grimmer completed a number of glider flights towards a tow rating.
28 May 2017
The poor run of weather continued but at least it was decisive – early rain abated to drizzly showers and low cloud which persisted all day with the result being no flying.
21 May 2017
Strong, gusty and freezing cold southerly winds saw flying cancelled for the day.
14 May 2017
It was a typical Hawkes Bay autumn day with a cool start followed by sunshine, light winds and generally calm conditions with some weak convection in the afternoon. This was ideal for training and trial flights with great vistas for those who flew. Sixteen year old Josh Ferguson completed his first solo flight to be the third junior member to achieve this. Congratulations Josh.
07 May 2017
It was a cool start for another autumn day that was perfect for training and trial flights with sunshine and largely calm conditions the order of the day. The afternoon saw some weak convection and also convergence which allowed Jason Kelly and Graham White to complete 122km OLC in just over 1.5 hours in the ASH25M.
30 April 2017
Actual and forecast poor weather saw the day’s operations cancelled without the hangar doors being opened.
23 April 2017
Another crisp, clear, fine, sunny and flat autumn day that was perfect for training and trial flights. With the instructor busy, only one pilot completed a blind circuit and spot landing as part of the planned annual competition.
16 April 2017
While the sky showed some promise of lift at times, it proved to be flat which was ideal for training and trial flights. With the long Easter weekend, a large number of people took advantage of the conditions to get a taste of gliding with trial flights.
09 April 2017
It was a soaring day of sorts with rapidly cycling thermal lift. Convection was also affected by high cloud which moved in, disappeared and then reappeared to stay for the day. This saw Graham White land his LS8 at Kereru while other members and trial flights enjoyed local flights of up to an hour. Students enjoyed the calm conditions as they continued to progress towards their aviation goals.
02 April 2017
It was a scorching day with the official temperature hitting 30°C under a largely clear local sky with some promising clouds further afield. However, the run of poor soaring weather continued with only weak and broken lift found with flights all less than one hour. On the bright side, the calm, clear conditions were ideal for the first day of the Student Gliding School and for trial flights.
26 March 2017
Morning rain and low cloud lingered with flying cancelled for the day due to the forecast of more of the same for most of the day.
19 March 2017
Low morning cloud cleared with some good looking cumulus clouds visible briefly before the day largely blued out. This left conditions ideal not only for training but also local soaring with convection around which allowed pilots to climb to over 3,000ft and fly most of the afternoon. At one stage five gliders were in the air. After a poor soaring summer, it was a fun day to fly and be able to practice at least some soaring skills while staying aloft.
12 March 2017
Morning mist and drizzle cleared briefly but flying was cancelled for the day due to forecast increasing wind and low, fast moving cloud.
05 March 2017
Weather conditions were fine, warm and calm which meant there was no convection. The decision on the day was to stay based at Bridge Pa as the conditions were ideal for training and trial flights with great vistas of the local area. A number of members took the opportunity to complete their BFRs while Graham White spied a convergence late afternoon which turned out to be weak and unusable so he did not get very far.
26 February 2017
While the forecast was correct in that flying from Waipukurau was not a viable option, the overcast sky with some late drizzle gave ideal calm conditions for training with some weak convection evident in smooth conditions. Making the most of the day, flying continued until almost 5pm and was followed by the monthly committee meeting.
19 February 2017
The dire forecast of continued rain proved inaccurate with drizzle stopping by 8am and the sky largely clearing as the day progressed. While cloud base only reached about 2,000ft, the calm conditions with weak, broken thermals were ideal for training. The club had a busy day with many students continuing their training towards solo with flying for the day finishing just before 6pm.
12 February 2017
With rough air conditions reported and high ground winds, no flying took place.
05 February 2017
As the club's towplane CPD was at the Central Districts Gliding Championships in Papawai near Greytown, flying was limited to circuit trials with the Skylux.
29 January 2017
It was a scorching Hawkes Bay summer's day with blue skies and sunshine. Early conditions were rough which lead to the cancellation of trial flights. Later in the afternoon conditions calmed down with local broken wave well used by Mads Slivsgaard in the PW5 (YP) and Neil Faulknor and Josh Ferguson in the club’s Twin Astir MX.
28 January 2017 (Saturday)
Initial Skylux towing trials with Graham White's LS8 were undertaken with a time of 5m 17s from wheels up to wheels down for a 2,500ft tow recorded. From the 2nd launch, Graham flew to Greytown in preparation for the Central Districts Gliding Championships.
22 January 2017
Morning cloud, drizzle, rain and blustery north easterly winds were replaced by fine weather with westerly winds gusting to over 40kts at times. Hence, flying was cancelled for the day before it started.
15 January 2017
The day saw one trial flight then operations were shut down due to high ground winds.
08 January 2017
After a trial flight, the club stopped flying due to turbulent flying conditions. Later in the day, the ASH25M flew in wave that took a while to get into and was not well formed. However, as usual, when the wave was finally found, good lines and a good climb rate took them easily to around 8,000ft and they had to fly away from the strong lift to try and keep below the cleared 8,000ft. No rough air was found during the flight but some strong sink and a gusty westerly wind on landing made it a challenging landing.
01 January 2017
No flying was scheduled and a sky with high cloud and a passing morning cold front did not encourage any.
31 December 2016 (Saturday)
Stable conditions with a light sea breeze were ideal for circuit training as Nicholas Kelly continued his training towards solo.
30 December 2016 (Friday)
A fine sunny day saw the sea breeze rush in and kill all local convection. Jason and Brian Kelly in the ASH25M managed to find one good climb on an hour plus flight around the local area.
25 December 2016
Christmas Day with the only flying reported being a man in a red suit.
18 December 2016
The day was hot with buoyant air. Lucy Hallett and instructor James Foreman on a quick circuit bash climbed from 1,000ft to 5,500ft using thermal and broken wave lift while Jason Price did more instructor training.
11 December 2016
Morning wave disappeared with James Foreman and Jason Price doing the only flying as it was a bit bumpy. James was being the student for Jason as they completed some training exercises as part of Jason’s instructors training. Only one student turned up with a number of members away at the Omarama Youth Camp.
04 December 2016 (Sunday)
Another fine, calm day which saw some good thermals and convergence lift develop. This was ideal for trial flights, training and some small cross country flights. The ASH25M flew south to Otane and return while Graham White landed his LS8 at Waipukurau and was retrieved by aerotow. Heights of around 5,000ft and climbs of 4-6kts were reported.
03 December 2016 (Saturday)
It was a fine, calm, sunny and mild day for the local ATC squadron annual gliding day. This saw the club complete 28 flights in conditions that were ideal for introductory lessons. Some convection of up to 6kts was reported which gave some cadets a brief introduction to soaring.
27 November 2016
Strong and gusty winds prevented all flying for the day.
20 November 2016
It was a challenging day but soaring was possible from mid-morning. Wave affected lift and sink was all round with bursts of over 10kts and climbs averaging to 5kts and 5,000ft recorded. Graham White managed to fly south to Waipukurau and return with others flying locally. Late in the afternoon the wind shifted and rough conditions were encountered.
13 November 2016
The weather was variable with sunshine and showers but the conditions were suitable for training, trial flights and some limited local soaring. This saw Jason Kelly in the LS4 and Graham White in the Libelle flying these gliders for the first time for a while. Allie Thompson was rated in and flew the Libelle.
06 November 2016
A warm day with a highly unstable sky and variable westerly ground wind made for interesting conditions. The rapidly changing sky had plenty of lift at times but also plenty of heavy sink. The ASH25M with Jason and Brian Kelly reached over 4,500ft locally in broken 2-4kt lift before the sky overdeveloped and the lift collapsed.
30 October 2016
A cold southerly with cloud and showers allowed flying between the rain. New member Stu White started his training while Josh Ferguson and Jason Kelly flew around the local area from central Hastings to Maraekakaho, over Roys Hill and then back to the airfield after almost an hour of smooth conditions utilising the abundant energy in the atmosphere.
23 October 2016
It was another cloudy morning but conditions were suitable for training with some lift available later in the day between the showers.
16 October 2016
A fine, sunny, mild and calm day was ideal for trial flights and training with some weak convection allowing soaring flights of over an hour.
09 October 2016
Saturday evening saw some great looking wave but Sunday morning had early rain which cleared. This allowed club flying with some weak and broken lift available to sustain height. As a result, members present spent most of their time working on glider annuals in preparation for better flying weather.
02 October 2016
Morning rain saw club flying cancelled for the day.
25 September 2016
Damp, grey and overcast conditions prevented all flying for the day. However the planned evening BBQ with the aeroclub went ahead and was well attended.
18 September 2016
A calm, mild but highly unstable morning saw flying curtailed early afternoon by thundery showers.
11 September 2016
Morning cloud cleared to leave a fine, sunny and calm day which generated some broken local lift which allowed local soaring. The day was again ideal for training and trial flights.
04 September 2016
An overcast cool and calm day was ideal for training and trial flights.
28 August 2016
A fine and sunny day with some weak and broken lift forming had gliding operations curtailed by various aeroclub competitions. However, this enabled HB to be rigged and work started on its annual inspection.
21 August 2016
A crisp start saw a fine and sunny but cool day. First task for the day was to rig MX after last week's paddock landing practice. Once this was completed, students took advantage of the ideal calm training conditions with the odd burst of weak lift.
14 August 2016
A flying day at last. Despite a cool morning, the day warmed up under largely blue skies with light winds. This made conditions ideal for training and trial flights. Early afternoon there was some weak and broken lift which enabled Bryan Malcolm in the PW5 to climb to 2,500ft and float around locally. The last flight of the day was a planned paddock landing for Allie Thompson as part of the QGP training syllabus. This was completed under the watchful eye of Graham White and the glider de-rigged at dusk and returned to the airfield.
07 August 2016
A winter's day of showers, cold temperatures and a brisk freezing southerly wind kept members indoors.
31 July 2016
Morning rain squalls and gusty winds yet again saw flying cancelled without opening the hangar doors.
24 July 2016
It was 18°C at 10am but with wind gusts of over 20kts at Bridge Pa and rainbows to the south, it was again decided to cancel the day’s operations without opening the hangar doors.
17 July 2016
With wind gusts of 20kts at Bridge Pa and rain forecast, it was decided to cancel the day’s operations without opening the hangar doors.
10 July 2016
Flying was cancelled due to inclement weather of a cool south easterly with passing showers.
03 July 2016
A typical Hawkes Bay winter's day which dawned with a solid frost but blue skies and calm conditions. The day warmed up and was ideal for training and trial flights with some weak lift found which allowed some brief soaring.
26 June 2016
Passing cold fronts saw a day of early morning sunshine followed by mid morning cloud with rain in places and variable direction and strength afternoon winds. This resulted in no flying occurring despite various signs of wave during the day.
19 June 2016
With yet another morning frost, the day slowly warmed up despite increasing high cloud. This left a relatively calm day with a flat sky which was ideal for training.
12 June 2016
Another sub-zero morning start did not deter Jason and Nicholas Kelly from launching just after 11am to surf the local wave in the club's Grob 103C III SL GHB. Despite few initial wave markers, they fairly quickly jumped into the primary wave and reached 9,500ft to soar south past Dannevirke and return. Details of the flight on the OLC are at http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=5124956 They ended the flight with a 18m 36s traverse around the local triangle at an average ground speed of 107.2km/h. The towplane had some minor maintenance issues which saw just two other launches with John McConville and Allie Thompson reaching 6,500ft locally late in the afternoon before having to return due to impending darkness.
05 June 2016
A numbing morning frost lead to a fine, calm day which was ideal for trial flights and training.
29 May 2016
A fine and mild day saw all flying thwarted by strong westerly ground winds.
22 May 2016
Despite a dire forecast for most of the week, it started off a fine and sunny day with the possible suggestion of local wave. However, this quickly vanished to leave a calm and flat day that was ideal for training. Later in the afternoon a westerly on the ground did pick up with a brief shower.
15 May 2016
It was another fine and mild Hawkes Bay autumn day with a variable ground wind that swung from a westerly early afternoon to a light northerly early evening. This made conditions on the ground and in the circuit a little challenging but did provide some extremely gentle wave. Launching to just over 3,000ft in the ASH25M GRJ, Brian and Jason Kelly contacted weak wave of generally 2-4kts. This did peak briefly at 10kts in places. However, the sky was largely full of 8/8 cloud which prevented them travelling any great distance. They did reach 9,500ft easily and completed the 33.3km club triangle of Bridge Pa - Maraekakaho - Paki Paki in 9m 52s which gave them an average ground speed of 202.5km/h. Full flight details can be seen at http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=5033600 John McConville and Richard Keir in the club's self launching Grob 103 C III SL GHB and Mads Slivsgaard in the PW5 YP both towed to Maraekakaho but did not manage to catch the wave which was messy and not well marked.
08 May 2016
Some early signs of convection quickly dissipated as a layer of high cloud came in. However, this left a perfectly flat and calm day which was ideal for training.
01 May 2016
Unfortunately a flat towplane battery prevented any aerotows for the day. However, the fine, mild day with some patchy decaying wave was enjoyed by a trial flight and some club members utilising the club's self launching Grob 103 C III SL.
24 April 2016
Morning showers cleared but low cloud remained with a cool temperature. Despite the calm conditions, which were ideal for training, no members ventured to fly which made it a short day for the tow pilot and instructor.
17 April 2016
A dry day with thickening high cloud but calm conditions was ideal for training but no soaring was possible.
10 April 2016
The forecast inclement weather of low cloud and drizzle duly prevailed preventing flying for the day.
03 April 2016
Morning high cloud cleared and with calm conditions this was ideal for training. As the day progressed, thermals started to occur with wave starting to form. This allowed pilots to have some good local flying as well as cross country flying with Graham White achieving the longest flight by flying to Dannevirke and return at up to 9,500ft after getting into wave around Onga Onga. Mads Slivsgaard achieved a personal best of over an hour in the PW5 and reached 5,000ft in the process while others flew around the local area.
28 March 2016 - Easter Monday
After a cool start, the day warmed up and some convection started to occur which allowed trial flights and students to get a taste of soaring. The flight of the day was completed by Graham White and John McConville in the club's Grob 103C III SL GHB. Graham reports that they launched to 2,000ft near Tumu Timbers then thermalled up to 2,500ft before flying to the north end of Mount Erin where there was a good cloud and a parapont underneath. They reached the cloud at about 2,000ft with Euchre Flats as a backup for landing if they needed it. There was good lift there which took them to a little over 4,000ft. They then decided to have a look at the convergence towards Waimarama and found it a bit scrappy and weak so flew back towards Kahuranaki and climbed in strong lift to nearly 5,000ft. It looked good towards the west so they headed that way and eventually ended up west of Kereru. The lift out at Kereru took them to 6,000ft and they looked for a little bit of wave as they could see some to the south. At this point in the flight the GPS told of a wind change from westerly to southerly and as they had been up over two hours they headed back to Hastings. As they approached the airfield it was obvious the convergence in the east had re-established with some vigour and they could have played in that for another half hour if they had felt inclined. It still looked quite good after they put the glider away but by the time they were on their way home it was decaying. Most of the climbs were 2-4kts but there were a couple of thermals of a good 5kt average. A total flight of 2hrs 26mins and good fun.
27 March 2016 - Easter Sunday
A fine and calm day proved ideal for trial flights and training. Unfortunately the sky was extremely flat so no soaring was possible.
20 March 2016
It was another typical Hawkes Bay autumn day with clear skies locally and mild temperatures. The forecast suggested it would be ideal only for training and trial flights with soaring unlikely and this is largely what transpired. Some interesting clouds out west were at around 3,000ft but were found to be mostly show and no go to the pilots who ventured out to test them. However, there was weak, broken lift to 2,500ft, especially over the hills just south west of the airfield, which enabled gliders to stay aloft with hard work. The longest flight was 1hr 40m and only ended due to the monthly committee meeting. This saw Josh Ferguson and Nicholas Kelly confirmed as new youth members and Scott Woods from Nelson as an associate member.
13 March 2016
A cold morning gave way to a fine, mild, clear blue day. The RASP predicted blue thermals which would be pushed back by the sea breeze and this is what happened. Allie Thompson flew the PW5 for over an hour mid-afternoon while Jason Kelly and Graham White did not launch in the AH25M until around 3:15pm and motored to 2,000ft south west of the airfield before finding a reasonable climb in the blue. From there it was upwards and westward, reaching over 6,300ft over the ranges before returning to the airfield to land after 5pm in a flat local sky. Students and trial flighters enjoyed the calm conditions with Josh Ferguson joining as a youth member.
06 March 2016
Flying from both Waipukurau and Hastings Airfields, members enjoyed thermal and convergence lift to over 6,000ft while flying around the local area, out to the mountain ranges and between sites.
28 February 2016
Flying from Waipukurau Airfield, ideal morning trial flight conditions with clear skies soon gave way to some good convection which peaked early afternoon. With some upper level westerly winds giving some wave effect, climbs of 3-4kts were found which enabled trial flighters to be treated to good views of the local area at heights of up to over 5,000ft from which Hastings and Napier could be spotted in the distance. Club members flew the PW5 locally while private owners also enjoyed the conditions with Graham White flying his Libelle back to Hastings while James Foreman launched from Hastings towards Waipukurau before soaring back to land at Hastings.
21 February 2016
Morning high cloud burnt off over Waipukurau Airfield which saw some good convection occur. While it was mostly hard to work, trial flighters were treated to good views of the area at heights of up to almost 6,000ft. Club members flew both the PW5 and Twin Astir to practice their thermalling and also some convergence flying. Graham White in his LS8 and James Foreman in his LS3 flew back to Hastings. Overall it was a good soaring day for those who flew.
14 February 2016
Operating from Waipukurau Airfield during the Central Districts Contest, members saw early morning cloud burn off to leave a sky ripe for convection. Thermals duly formed which allowed both the PW5 and Twin Astir to have good soaring flights around the area.
07 February 2016
The forecast was not spectacular but this did not prevent some great local thermal flights with 4-5kt thermals reported. Despite a cloud base of around 2,800ft, Allie Thompson climbed to 2,500ft in the PW5 and could have gone higher but limited her altitude to local airspace while flying for almost an hour and three quarters over two flights while Ryan Maney enjoyed himself in the Twin Astir. Graham White also dusted off his Libelle for a float around the sky.
03 February 2016 (Wednesday)
With the usual "blue hole" around the airfield, the nearest clouds where around Mount Erin when the ASH RJ flown by Brian Kelly with a trial flight and the club's Grob 103C III SL HB flown by Graham White with Jason Kelly in the back seat launched mid-afternoon. They found reasonable thermals and convergence lift which allowed them to climb to around 5,000ft and reach the Norsewood area in the south. With the sea breeze pushing in, HB was around 1,000ft short of height to safely return to Bridge Pa so needed a little motor assistance to complete the flight.
31 January 2016
Low cloud and drizzle saw flying cancelled for the day.
24 January 2016
A scorching day on the ground with a maximum of over 32°C combined with an unprecedented demand for trial flights on the day along with the usual student workload saw the rostered club instructor Grant Jarden putting in a supreme effort for the club. With assistance from John McConville both club two seaters were well utilised in largely flat local conditions with a sea breeze coming in. Further from the airfield, some good thermals and convergences formed which saw Graham White in his LS8 run up and down the ranges at over 8,000ft while Brian and Jason Kelly in their ASH25M flew west to Kereru then south of Waipukurau covering over 200km OLC at a leisurely pace.
17 January 2016
Fine, hot and sunny weather was the order of the day. This saw the sea breeze rush in early killing local lift but leaving conditions ideal for trial flights and training which allowed Allie Thompson to progress to the PW5. Taking a longer tow to the lift, Graham White in his LS8, flew south to Norsewood and along the ranges with some good thermals to over 5,000ft before returning to the airfield.
10 January 2016
Ground wind gusts exceeding 40kts with them predicted to strengthen saw club flying cancelled for the day.
03 January 2016
The predicted day of rain had abated to bright sunshine with passing showers by midday. The air was warm, humid and calm which was ideal for students and trial flights. Wayne Golding and Ryan Maney both completed a further two solo flights to fulfil the A certificate requirements.
27 December 2015
Morning cloud slowly cleared to reveal a day ideal for training which enabled Wayne Golding to complete his first gliding solo. Congratulations Wayne. The afternoon saw some thermals up to around 5,000ft and 6kts average with later convergence lift. This saw members fly from Mount Erin in the east to Gwavas and Kereru in the west, north of Hastings and south to the Takapau Plains. Graham White landed his LS8 at Kereru.
20 December 2015
A flat, calm morning that was ideal for students deteriorated into rough air conditions unsuitable for training. As such, club flying was suspended for the day after only three flights.
13 December 2015
The predicted early morning rain cleared by 10am to reveal another clear blue Hawkes Bay day. Unfortunately the weather forecast was also correct in predicting strong and gusty westerly winds which promptly arrived. The sky did not looking enticing with no visible wave and with wind gusts of over 35kts and getting stronger, flying was abandoned for the day before it began.
06 December 2015
Despite a poor weather forecast, the morning dawned with signs of wave and light ground winds. As the day progressed, the southerly weather system moved in killing all the wave but giving some convergence lift. Students managed to get in some flights before late afternoon drizzle saw flying ending for the day.
29 November 2015
Another fine and warm Hawkes Bay day started off blue but by early afternoon presented a good looking thermal sky. However, it was mostly for looks with pilots finding lift broken and hard to work as predicted by the RASP. This did not stop some good flights with Graham White getting into a convergence and flying south to Waipukurau, across to the ranges and back to the airfield before the sky stopped providing lift. Others flew locally and climbed up to almost 5,000ft while the instructor and tow pilot had another full day as the weather locally was ideal for instruction and trial flights. GHB was de-rigged after flying as it is being taken to the Omarama Youth Camp next weekend. The evening saw a very well attended BBQ in conjunction with the aeroclub and presentation of the club trophies (see http://www.glidinghbw.co.nz/club-trophies.html).
22 November 2015
The RASP predicted reasonable wave and the sky produced a most challenging day. With wind conditions on the ground varying, only Jason Kelly managed to launch in the LS4 before flying was cancelled for the day. He quickly found strong lift to 15,000ft just west of the airfield before finding even stronger sink. Large areas of over 25kt sink were evident and this, combined with a largely blue sky (see photo below), and the wave randomly rolling forward, made staying aloft a challenge at times. This resulted in more of a spider web track with only one good wave run being achieved from Waipukurau to Hastings in less than 10 minutes climbing much of the way. However, a total flight time of 5hrs 34m was achieved as well as a race around the club's 33km local speed triangle at 157.1km/h. The flight has been uploaded to the OLC at http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=4791834
It was a pristine Hawkes Bay winter's day with clear blue skies, a cool temperature and a light southerly wind on the ground. This was ideal for training and early solo students with the odd small piece of lift thrown in.
04 June 2017
A cool, flat day with a light southerly breeze was ideal for training and trial flights. The Skylux was in use as Gavin Grimmer completed a number of glider flights towards a tow rating.
28 May 2017
The poor run of weather continued but at least it was decisive – early rain abated to drizzly showers and low cloud which persisted all day with the result being no flying.
21 May 2017
Strong, gusty and freezing cold southerly winds saw flying cancelled for the day.
14 May 2017
It was a typical Hawkes Bay autumn day with a cool start followed by sunshine, light winds and generally calm conditions with some weak convection in the afternoon. This was ideal for training and trial flights with great vistas for those who flew. Sixteen year old Josh Ferguson completed his first solo flight to be the third junior member to achieve this. Congratulations Josh.
07 May 2017
It was a cool start for another autumn day that was perfect for training and trial flights with sunshine and largely calm conditions the order of the day. The afternoon saw some weak convection and also convergence which allowed Jason Kelly and Graham White to complete 122km OLC in just over 1.5 hours in the ASH25M.
30 April 2017
Actual and forecast poor weather saw the day’s operations cancelled without the hangar doors being opened.
23 April 2017
Another crisp, clear, fine, sunny and flat autumn day that was perfect for training and trial flights. With the instructor busy, only one pilot completed a blind circuit and spot landing as part of the planned annual competition.
16 April 2017
While the sky showed some promise of lift at times, it proved to be flat which was ideal for training and trial flights. With the long Easter weekend, a large number of people took advantage of the conditions to get a taste of gliding with trial flights.
09 April 2017
It was a soaring day of sorts with rapidly cycling thermal lift. Convection was also affected by high cloud which moved in, disappeared and then reappeared to stay for the day. This saw Graham White land his LS8 at Kereru while other members and trial flights enjoyed local flights of up to an hour. Students enjoyed the calm conditions as they continued to progress towards their aviation goals.
02 April 2017
It was a scorching day with the official temperature hitting 30°C under a largely clear local sky with some promising clouds further afield. However, the run of poor soaring weather continued with only weak and broken lift found with flights all less than one hour. On the bright side, the calm, clear conditions were ideal for the first day of the Student Gliding School and for trial flights.
26 March 2017
Morning rain and low cloud lingered with flying cancelled for the day due to the forecast of more of the same for most of the day.
19 March 2017
Low morning cloud cleared with some good looking cumulus clouds visible briefly before the day largely blued out. This left conditions ideal not only for training but also local soaring with convection around which allowed pilots to climb to over 3,000ft and fly most of the afternoon. At one stage five gliders were in the air. After a poor soaring summer, it was a fun day to fly and be able to practice at least some soaring skills while staying aloft.
12 March 2017
Morning mist and drizzle cleared briefly but flying was cancelled for the day due to forecast increasing wind and low, fast moving cloud.
05 March 2017
Weather conditions were fine, warm and calm which meant there was no convection. The decision on the day was to stay based at Bridge Pa as the conditions were ideal for training and trial flights with great vistas of the local area. A number of members took the opportunity to complete their BFRs while Graham White spied a convergence late afternoon which turned out to be weak and unusable so he did not get very far.
26 February 2017
While the forecast was correct in that flying from Waipukurau was not a viable option, the overcast sky with some late drizzle gave ideal calm conditions for training with some weak convection evident in smooth conditions. Making the most of the day, flying continued until almost 5pm and was followed by the monthly committee meeting.
19 February 2017
The dire forecast of continued rain proved inaccurate with drizzle stopping by 8am and the sky largely clearing as the day progressed. While cloud base only reached about 2,000ft, the calm conditions with weak, broken thermals were ideal for training. The club had a busy day with many students continuing their training towards solo with flying for the day finishing just before 6pm.
12 February 2017
With rough air conditions reported and high ground winds, no flying took place.
05 February 2017
As the club's towplane CPD was at the Central Districts Gliding Championships in Papawai near Greytown, flying was limited to circuit trials with the Skylux.
29 January 2017
It was a scorching Hawkes Bay summer's day with blue skies and sunshine. Early conditions were rough which lead to the cancellation of trial flights. Later in the afternoon conditions calmed down with local broken wave well used by Mads Slivsgaard in the PW5 (YP) and Neil Faulknor and Josh Ferguson in the club’s Twin Astir MX.
28 January 2017 (Saturday)
Initial Skylux towing trials with Graham White's LS8 were undertaken with a time of 5m 17s from wheels up to wheels down for a 2,500ft tow recorded. From the 2nd launch, Graham flew to Greytown in preparation for the Central Districts Gliding Championships.
22 January 2017
Morning cloud, drizzle, rain and blustery north easterly winds were replaced by fine weather with westerly winds gusting to over 40kts at times. Hence, flying was cancelled for the day before it started.
15 January 2017
The day saw one trial flight then operations were shut down due to high ground winds.
08 January 2017
After a trial flight, the club stopped flying due to turbulent flying conditions. Later in the day, the ASH25M flew in wave that took a while to get into and was not well formed. However, as usual, when the wave was finally found, good lines and a good climb rate took them easily to around 8,000ft and they had to fly away from the strong lift to try and keep below the cleared 8,000ft. No rough air was found during the flight but some strong sink and a gusty westerly wind on landing made it a challenging landing.
01 January 2017
No flying was scheduled and a sky with high cloud and a passing morning cold front did not encourage any.
31 December 2016 (Saturday)
Stable conditions with a light sea breeze were ideal for circuit training as Nicholas Kelly continued his training towards solo.
30 December 2016 (Friday)
A fine sunny day saw the sea breeze rush in and kill all local convection. Jason and Brian Kelly in the ASH25M managed to find one good climb on an hour plus flight around the local area.
25 December 2016
Christmas Day with the only flying reported being a man in a red suit.
18 December 2016
The day was hot with buoyant air. Lucy Hallett and instructor James Foreman on a quick circuit bash climbed from 1,000ft to 5,500ft using thermal and broken wave lift while Jason Price did more instructor training.
11 December 2016
Morning wave disappeared with James Foreman and Jason Price doing the only flying as it was a bit bumpy. James was being the student for Jason as they completed some training exercises as part of Jason’s instructors training. Only one student turned up with a number of members away at the Omarama Youth Camp.
04 December 2016 (Sunday)
Another fine, calm day which saw some good thermals and convergence lift develop. This was ideal for trial flights, training and some small cross country flights. The ASH25M flew south to Otane and return while Graham White landed his LS8 at Waipukurau and was retrieved by aerotow. Heights of around 5,000ft and climbs of 4-6kts were reported.
03 December 2016 (Saturday)
It was a fine, calm, sunny and mild day for the local ATC squadron annual gliding day. This saw the club complete 28 flights in conditions that were ideal for introductory lessons. Some convection of up to 6kts was reported which gave some cadets a brief introduction to soaring.
27 November 2016
Strong and gusty winds prevented all flying for the day.
20 November 2016
It was a challenging day but soaring was possible from mid-morning. Wave affected lift and sink was all round with bursts of over 10kts and climbs averaging to 5kts and 5,000ft recorded. Graham White managed to fly south to Waipukurau and return with others flying locally. Late in the afternoon the wind shifted and rough conditions were encountered.
13 November 2016
The weather was variable with sunshine and showers but the conditions were suitable for training, trial flights and some limited local soaring. This saw Jason Kelly in the LS4 and Graham White in the Libelle flying these gliders for the first time for a while. Allie Thompson was rated in and flew the Libelle.
06 November 2016
A warm day with a highly unstable sky and variable westerly ground wind made for interesting conditions. The rapidly changing sky had plenty of lift at times but also plenty of heavy sink. The ASH25M with Jason and Brian Kelly reached over 4,500ft locally in broken 2-4kt lift before the sky overdeveloped and the lift collapsed.
30 October 2016
A cold southerly with cloud and showers allowed flying between the rain. New member Stu White started his training while Josh Ferguson and Jason Kelly flew around the local area from central Hastings to Maraekakaho, over Roys Hill and then back to the airfield after almost an hour of smooth conditions utilising the abundant energy in the atmosphere.
23 October 2016
It was another cloudy morning but conditions were suitable for training with some lift available later in the day between the showers.
16 October 2016
A fine, sunny, mild and calm day was ideal for trial flights and training with some weak convection allowing soaring flights of over an hour.
09 October 2016
Saturday evening saw some great looking wave but Sunday morning had early rain which cleared. This allowed club flying with some weak and broken lift available to sustain height. As a result, members present spent most of their time working on glider annuals in preparation for better flying weather.
02 October 2016
Morning rain saw club flying cancelled for the day.
25 September 2016
Damp, grey and overcast conditions prevented all flying for the day. However the planned evening BBQ with the aeroclub went ahead and was well attended.
18 September 2016
A calm, mild but highly unstable morning saw flying curtailed early afternoon by thundery showers.
11 September 2016
Morning cloud cleared to leave a fine, sunny and calm day which generated some broken local lift which allowed local soaring. The day was again ideal for training and trial flights.
04 September 2016
An overcast cool and calm day was ideal for training and trial flights.
28 August 2016
A fine and sunny day with some weak and broken lift forming had gliding operations curtailed by various aeroclub competitions. However, this enabled HB to be rigged and work started on its annual inspection.
21 August 2016
A crisp start saw a fine and sunny but cool day. First task for the day was to rig MX after last week's paddock landing practice. Once this was completed, students took advantage of the ideal calm training conditions with the odd burst of weak lift.
14 August 2016
A flying day at last. Despite a cool morning, the day warmed up under largely blue skies with light winds. This made conditions ideal for training and trial flights. Early afternoon there was some weak and broken lift which enabled Bryan Malcolm in the PW5 to climb to 2,500ft and float around locally. The last flight of the day was a planned paddock landing for Allie Thompson as part of the QGP training syllabus. This was completed under the watchful eye of Graham White and the glider de-rigged at dusk and returned to the airfield.
07 August 2016
A winter's day of showers, cold temperatures and a brisk freezing southerly wind kept members indoors.
31 July 2016
Morning rain squalls and gusty winds yet again saw flying cancelled without opening the hangar doors.
24 July 2016
It was 18°C at 10am but with wind gusts of over 20kts at Bridge Pa and rainbows to the south, it was again decided to cancel the day’s operations without opening the hangar doors.
17 July 2016
With wind gusts of 20kts at Bridge Pa and rain forecast, it was decided to cancel the day’s operations without opening the hangar doors.
10 July 2016
Flying was cancelled due to inclement weather of a cool south easterly with passing showers.
03 July 2016
A typical Hawkes Bay winter's day which dawned with a solid frost but blue skies and calm conditions. The day warmed up and was ideal for training and trial flights with some weak lift found which allowed some brief soaring.
26 June 2016
Passing cold fronts saw a day of early morning sunshine followed by mid morning cloud with rain in places and variable direction and strength afternoon winds. This resulted in no flying occurring despite various signs of wave during the day.
19 June 2016
With yet another morning frost, the day slowly warmed up despite increasing high cloud. This left a relatively calm day with a flat sky which was ideal for training.
12 June 2016
Another sub-zero morning start did not deter Jason and Nicholas Kelly from launching just after 11am to surf the local wave in the club's Grob 103C III SL GHB. Despite few initial wave markers, they fairly quickly jumped into the primary wave and reached 9,500ft to soar south past Dannevirke and return. Details of the flight on the OLC are at http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=5124956 They ended the flight with a 18m 36s traverse around the local triangle at an average ground speed of 107.2km/h. The towplane had some minor maintenance issues which saw just two other launches with John McConville and Allie Thompson reaching 6,500ft locally late in the afternoon before having to return due to impending darkness.
05 June 2016
A numbing morning frost lead to a fine, calm day which was ideal for trial flights and training.
29 May 2016
A fine and mild day saw all flying thwarted by strong westerly ground winds.
22 May 2016
Despite a dire forecast for most of the week, it started off a fine and sunny day with the possible suggestion of local wave. However, this quickly vanished to leave a calm and flat day that was ideal for training. Later in the afternoon a westerly on the ground did pick up with a brief shower.
15 May 2016
It was another fine and mild Hawkes Bay autumn day with a variable ground wind that swung from a westerly early afternoon to a light northerly early evening. This made conditions on the ground and in the circuit a little challenging but did provide some extremely gentle wave. Launching to just over 3,000ft in the ASH25M GRJ, Brian and Jason Kelly contacted weak wave of generally 2-4kts. This did peak briefly at 10kts in places. However, the sky was largely full of 8/8 cloud which prevented them travelling any great distance. They did reach 9,500ft easily and completed the 33.3km club triangle of Bridge Pa - Maraekakaho - Paki Paki in 9m 52s which gave them an average ground speed of 202.5km/h. Full flight details can be seen at http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=5033600 John McConville and Richard Keir in the club's self launching Grob 103 C III SL GHB and Mads Slivsgaard in the PW5 YP both towed to Maraekakaho but did not manage to catch the wave which was messy and not well marked.
08 May 2016
Some early signs of convection quickly dissipated as a layer of high cloud came in. However, this left a perfectly flat and calm day which was ideal for training.
01 May 2016
Unfortunately a flat towplane battery prevented any aerotows for the day. However, the fine, mild day with some patchy decaying wave was enjoyed by a trial flight and some club members utilising the club's self launching Grob 103 C III SL.
24 April 2016
Morning showers cleared but low cloud remained with a cool temperature. Despite the calm conditions, which were ideal for training, no members ventured to fly which made it a short day for the tow pilot and instructor.
17 April 2016
A dry day with thickening high cloud but calm conditions was ideal for training but no soaring was possible.
10 April 2016
The forecast inclement weather of low cloud and drizzle duly prevailed preventing flying for the day.
03 April 2016
Morning high cloud cleared and with calm conditions this was ideal for training. As the day progressed, thermals started to occur with wave starting to form. This allowed pilots to have some good local flying as well as cross country flying with Graham White achieving the longest flight by flying to Dannevirke and return at up to 9,500ft after getting into wave around Onga Onga. Mads Slivsgaard achieved a personal best of over an hour in the PW5 and reached 5,000ft in the process while others flew around the local area.
28 March 2016 - Easter Monday
After a cool start, the day warmed up and some convection started to occur which allowed trial flights and students to get a taste of soaring. The flight of the day was completed by Graham White and John McConville in the club's Grob 103C III SL GHB. Graham reports that they launched to 2,000ft near Tumu Timbers then thermalled up to 2,500ft before flying to the north end of Mount Erin where there was a good cloud and a parapont underneath. They reached the cloud at about 2,000ft with Euchre Flats as a backup for landing if they needed it. There was good lift there which took them to a little over 4,000ft. They then decided to have a look at the convergence towards Waimarama and found it a bit scrappy and weak so flew back towards Kahuranaki and climbed in strong lift to nearly 5,000ft. It looked good towards the west so they headed that way and eventually ended up west of Kereru. The lift out at Kereru took them to 6,000ft and they looked for a little bit of wave as they could see some to the south. At this point in the flight the GPS told of a wind change from westerly to southerly and as they had been up over two hours they headed back to Hastings. As they approached the airfield it was obvious the convergence in the east had re-established with some vigour and they could have played in that for another half hour if they had felt inclined. It still looked quite good after they put the glider away but by the time they were on their way home it was decaying. Most of the climbs were 2-4kts but there were a couple of thermals of a good 5kt average. A total flight of 2hrs 26mins and good fun.
27 March 2016 - Easter Sunday
A fine and calm day proved ideal for trial flights and training. Unfortunately the sky was extremely flat so no soaring was possible.
20 March 2016
It was another typical Hawkes Bay autumn day with clear skies locally and mild temperatures. The forecast suggested it would be ideal only for training and trial flights with soaring unlikely and this is largely what transpired. Some interesting clouds out west were at around 3,000ft but were found to be mostly show and no go to the pilots who ventured out to test them. However, there was weak, broken lift to 2,500ft, especially over the hills just south west of the airfield, which enabled gliders to stay aloft with hard work. The longest flight was 1hr 40m and only ended due to the monthly committee meeting. This saw Josh Ferguson and Nicholas Kelly confirmed as new youth members and Scott Woods from Nelson as an associate member.
13 March 2016
A cold morning gave way to a fine, mild, clear blue day. The RASP predicted blue thermals which would be pushed back by the sea breeze and this is what happened. Allie Thompson flew the PW5 for over an hour mid-afternoon while Jason Kelly and Graham White did not launch in the AH25M until around 3:15pm and motored to 2,000ft south west of the airfield before finding a reasonable climb in the blue. From there it was upwards and westward, reaching over 6,300ft over the ranges before returning to the airfield to land after 5pm in a flat local sky. Students and trial flighters enjoyed the calm conditions with Josh Ferguson joining as a youth member.
06 March 2016
Flying from both Waipukurau and Hastings Airfields, members enjoyed thermal and convergence lift to over 6,000ft while flying around the local area, out to the mountain ranges and between sites.
28 February 2016
Flying from Waipukurau Airfield, ideal morning trial flight conditions with clear skies soon gave way to some good convection which peaked early afternoon. With some upper level westerly winds giving some wave effect, climbs of 3-4kts were found which enabled trial flighters to be treated to good views of the local area at heights of up to over 5,000ft from which Hastings and Napier could be spotted in the distance. Club members flew the PW5 locally while private owners also enjoyed the conditions with Graham White flying his Libelle back to Hastings while James Foreman launched from Hastings towards Waipukurau before soaring back to land at Hastings.
21 February 2016
Morning high cloud burnt off over Waipukurau Airfield which saw some good convection occur. While it was mostly hard to work, trial flighters were treated to good views of the area at heights of up to almost 6,000ft. Club members flew both the PW5 and Twin Astir to practice their thermalling and also some convergence flying. Graham White in his LS8 and James Foreman in his LS3 flew back to Hastings. Overall it was a good soaring day for those who flew.
14 February 2016
Operating from Waipukurau Airfield during the Central Districts Contest, members saw early morning cloud burn off to leave a sky ripe for convection. Thermals duly formed which allowed both the PW5 and Twin Astir to have good soaring flights around the area.
07 February 2016
The forecast was not spectacular but this did not prevent some great local thermal flights with 4-5kt thermals reported. Despite a cloud base of around 2,800ft, Allie Thompson climbed to 2,500ft in the PW5 and could have gone higher but limited her altitude to local airspace while flying for almost an hour and three quarters over two flights while Ryan Maney enjoyed himself in the Twin Astir. Graham White also dusted off his Libelle for a float around the sky.
03 February 2016 (Wednesday)
With the usual "blue hole" around the airfield, the nearest clouds where around Mount Erin when the ASH RJ flown by Brian Kelly with a trial flight and the club's Grob 103C III SL HB flown by Graham White with Jason Kelly in the back seat launched mid-afternoon. They found reasonable thermals and convergence lift which allowed them to climb to around 5,000ft and reach the Norsewood area in the south. With the sea breeze pushing in, HB was around 1,000ft short of height to safely return to Bridge Pa so needed a little motor assistance to complete the flight.
31 January 2016
Low cloud and drizzle saw flying cancelled for the day.
24 January 2016
A scorching day on the ground with a maximum of over 32°C combined with an unprecedented demand for trial flights on the day along with the usual student workload saw the rostered club instructor Grant Jarden putting in a supreme effort for the club. With assistance from John McConville both club two seaters were well utilised in largely flat local conditions with a sea breeze coming in. Further from the airfield, some good thermals and convergences formed which saw Graham White in his LS8 run up and down the ranges at over 8,000ft while Brian and Jason Kelly in their ASH25M flew west to Kereru then south of Waipukurau covering over 200km OLC at a leisurely pace.
17 January 2016
Fine, hot and sunny weather was the order of the day. This saw the sea breeze rush in early killing local lift but leaving conditions ideal for trial flights and training which allowed Allie Thompson to progress to the PW5. Taking a longer tow to the lift, Graham White in his LS8, flew south to Norsewood and along the ranges with some good thermals to over 5,000ft before returning to the airfield.
10 January 2016
Ground wind gusts exceeding 40kts with them predicted to strengthen saw club flying cancelled for the day.
03 January 2016
The predicted day of rain had abated to bright sunshine with passing showers by midday. The air was warm, humid and calm which was ideal for students and trial flights. Wayne Golding and Ryan Maney both completed a further two solo flights to fulfil the A certificate requirements.
27 December 2015
Morning cloud slowly cleared to reveal a day ideal for training which enabled Wayne Golding to complete his first gliding solo. Congratulations Wayne. The afternoon saw some thermals up to around 5,000ft and 6kts average with later convergence lift. This saw members fly from Mount Erin in the east to Gwavas and Kereru in the west, north of Hastings and south to the Takapau Plains. Graham White landed his LS8 at Kereru.
20 December 2015
A flat, calm morning that was ideal for students deteriorated into rough air conditions unsuitable for training. As such, club flying was suspended for the day after only three flights.
13 December 2015
The predicted early morning rain cleared by 10am to reveal another clear blue Hawkes Bay day. Unfortunately the weather forecast was also correct in predicting strong and gusty westerly winds which promptly arrived. The sky did not looking enticing with no visible wave and with wind gusts of over 35kts and getting stronger, flying was abandoned for the day before it began.
06 December 2015
Despite a poor weather forecast, the morning dawned with signs of wave and light ground winds. As the day progressed, the southerly weather system moved in killing all the wave but giving some convergence lift. Students managed to get in some flights before late afternoon drizzle saw flying ending for the day.
29 November 2015
Another fine and warm Hawkes Bay day started off blue but by early afternoon presented a good looking thermal sky. However, it was mostly for looks with pilots finding lift broken and hard to work as predicted by the RASP. This did not stop some good flights with Graham White getting into a convergence and flying south to Waipukurau, across to the ranges and back to the airfield before the sky stopped providing lift. Others flew locally and climbed up to almost 5,000ft while the instructor and tow pilot had another full day as the weather locally was ideal for instruction and trial flights. GHB was de-rigged after flying as it is being taken to the Omarama Youth Camp next weekend. The evening saw a very well attended BBQ in conjunction with the aeroclub and presentation of the club trophies (see http://www.glidinghbw.co.nz/club-trophies.html).
22 November 2015
The RASP predicted reasonable wave and the sky produced a most challenging day. With wind conditions on the ground varying, only Jason Kelly managed to launch in the LS4 before flying was cancelled for the day. He quickly found strong lift to 15,000ft just west of the airfield before finding even stronger sink. Large areas of over 25kt sink were evident and this, combined with a largely blue sky (see photo below), and the wave randomly rolling forward, made staying aloft a challenge at times. This resulted in more of a spider web track with only one good wave run being achieved from Waipukurau to Hastings in less than 10 minutes climbing much of the way. However, a total flight time of 5hrs 34m was achieved as well as a race around the club's 33km local speed triangle at 157.1km/h. The flight has been uploaded to the OLC at http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=4791834
Blue skies above Hawkes Bay on 22 November 2015 - can you see the wave lift and sink?
15 November 2015
The forecast rain arrived early afternoon which prevented further flying. Conditions prior to the rain were suitable for students and trial flights.
10 November 2015 (Tuesday)
A number of Havelock North High School students were introduced to the joy of soaring. Early morning low cloud slowly burnt off to reveal lines of cloud with silky smooth 2-4kt lift. Students had great views of the local area and clouds while climbing up and above the clouds. A video made by the students can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6YemtPAMRk
The forecast rain arrived early afternoon which prevented further flying. Conditions prior to the rain were suitable for students and trial flights.
10 November 2015 (Tuesday)
A number of Havelock North High School students were introduced to the joy of soaring. Early morning low cloud slowly burnt off to reveal lines of cloud with silky smooth 2-4kt lift. Students had great views of the local area and clouds while climbing up and above the clouds. A video made by the students can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6YemtPAMRk
Patrick Sherratt with Havelock North High School students after their trial flights.
07 & 08 November 2015
The club had its busiest weekend for quite some time with nearly 50 flights logged. Starting Saturday morning, ATC cadets were given trial flights in ideal calm and flat conditions. Sunday morning saw further ATC cadets experience gliding. These were followed with a number of trial flights and potential new members. Conditions were again calm and smooth which while no good for soaring, were perfect for training and an introduction to gliding. The afternoon saw 14 year Ryan Maney complete his first solo flight. Another great achievement. Congratulations Ryan. Allie Thompson followed up her first solo of last week with two more solos and completed her A certificate by passing the oral exam. Well done Allie.
01 November 2015
Another great Hawkes Bay day saw Allie Thompson celebrate her 13th birthday in style by completing her first solo flight. Congratulations Allie. The local paper reported this at http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503462&objectid=11539734
The day produced some generally weak and broken thermals but conditions were good enough to allow flights up to 4,000ft, over 2.5 hours and south to Argyll, north of Hastings and west towards the ranges.
The club had its busiest weekend for quite some time with nearly 50 flights logged. Starting Saturday morning, ATC cadets were given trial flights in ideal calm and flat conditions. Sunday morning saw further ATC cadets experience gliding. These were followed with a number of trial flights and potential new members. Conditions were again calm and smooth which while no good for soaring, were perfect for training and an introduction to gliding. The afternoon saw 14 year Ryan Maney complete his first solo flight. Another great achievement. Congratulations Ryan. Allie Thompson followed up her first solo of last week with two more solos and completed her A certificate by passing the oral exam. Well done Allie.
01 November 2015
Another great Hawkes Bay day saw Allie Thompson celebrate her 13th birthday in style by completing her first solo flight. Congratulations Allie. The local paper reported this at http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503462&objectid=11539734
The day produced some generally weak and broken thermals but conditions were good enough to allow flights up to 4,000ft, over 2.5 hours and south to Argyll, north of Hastings and west towards the ranges.
26 October 2015 (Monday)
Labour Day started off fine and dry with calm conditions which allowed students to continue their training and others get their BFRs up to date. Heavy rain arrived mid afternoon to curtail operations early for the day.
25 October 2015
A fine day with a cool start soon warmed up with some weak, local broken thermals. Conditions were ideal for training and trial flights. By mid-afternoon, a convergence had formed which members utilised to climb to over 5,000ft and fly west towards the ranges. Details of a flight in the LS4 GNJ can be seen at http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?flightId=-1606449611
18 October 2015
Early morning low cloud and mist cleared to reveal wave forming as the day progressed. Aloft, strong lift was found in places with rough air reported around 5,000ft. Strong ground winds came up mid-afternoon which saw flying cease for the day. The monthly committee meeting and AGM were held after flying with no changes to the club committee.
11 October 2015
Another fine sunny day had ideal conditions for training and trial flights with light winds and a flat sky.
04 October 2015
A fine sunny day had a variable wind which saw ends change a number of times before flying ended for the day as a strong ground westerly came up. Conditions aloft were bumpy with areas of strong sink and lift. Students took the chance to continue their progress towards solo.
27 September 2015
Again the weather forecast was correct with the predicted drizzle hanging around and then clearing to a low cloud base later in the afternoon. Consequently, flying for the day was cancelled without the hangar doors being opened.
20 September 2015
The forecast rain arrived with vengeance and stayed all day with a gusty south easterly. Consequently, there was no flying but the monthly committee meeting was held later in the afternoon which gave members the opportunity to meet.
13 September 2015
A typical Hawkes Bay spring day with fine weather and mild mid day temperatures. There was thermal lift, convergence and ridge lift available which allowed some good local soaring along with training and trial flights.
06 September 2015
A fine day saw a freezing cold south westerly wind abate as the day progressed. There was rapidly cycling lift and sink reported of up to 8kts which allowed some brief soaring.
30 August 2015
The forecast day of rain turned out to be fine and warm with some early afternoon signs of lift. However, with no towplane available and maintenance to be done on the club's training glider MX, no flying was undertaken.
23 August 2015
With no towplane available, flying was limited to the club's self launching Grob 103C III SL GHB. Some random drizzle delayed, but did not deter, pilots from enjoying flights in smooth and calm conditions with the odd piece of random lift.
16 August 2015
Another cool and damp day with random showers and a south easterly wind meant no flying occurred.
09 August 2015
A freezing cold and damp day saw pilots wisely stay at home next to their fires.
02 August 2015
No flying was possible due to the unavailability of aircraft.
26 July 2015
A fine, mild day saw the club start its blind circuit and spot landing competitions. Unfortunately a gusty wind appeared early afternoon with flying cancelled after the towplane suffered a prop strike.
19 July 2015
Morning cloud cleared to a brilliantly clear blue day but with a freezing cold strong southerly wind with a maximum temperature of around 9°C. Hence, pilots stayed indoors with some afternoon hangar repairs followed by the monthly committee meeting and no flying.
Labour Day started off fine and dry with calm conditions which allowed students to continue their training and others get their BFRs up to date. Heavy rain arrived mid afternoon to curtail operations early for the day.
25 October 2015
A fine day with a cool start soon warmed up with some weak, local broken thermals. Conditions were ideal for training and trial flights. By mid-afternoon, a convergence had formed which members utilised to climb to over 5,000ft and fly west towards the ranges. Details of a flight in the LS4 GNJ can be seen at http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?flightId=-1606449611
18 October 2015
Early morning low cloud and mist cleared to reveal wave forming as the day progressed. Aloft, strong lift was found in places with rough air reported around 5,000ft. Strong ground winds came up mid-afternoon which saw flying cease for the day. The monthly committee meeting and AGM were held after flying with no changes to the club committee.
11 October 2015
Another fine sunny day had ideal conditions for training and trial flights with light winds and a flat sky.
04 October 2015
A fine sunny day had a variable wind which saw ends change a number of times before flying ended for the day as a strong ground westerly came up. Conditions aloft were bumpy with areas of strong sink and lift. Students took the chance to continue their progress towards solo.
27 September 2015
Again the weather forecast was correct with the predicted drizzle hanging around and then clearing to a low cloud base later in the afternoon. Consequently, flying for the day was cancelled without the hangar doors being opened.
20 September 2015
The forecast rain arrived with vengeance and stayed all day with a gusty south easterly. Consequently, there was no flying but the monthly committee meeting was held later in the afternoon which gave members the opportunity to meet.
13 September 2015
A typical Hawkes Bay spring day with fine weather and mild mid day temperatures. There was thermal lift, convergence and ridge lift available which allowed some good local soaring along with training and trial flights.
06 September 2015
A fine day saw a freezing cold south westerly wind abate as the day progressed. There was rapidly cycling lift and sink reported of up to 8kts which allowed some brief soaring.
30 August 2015
The forecast day of rain turned out to be fine and warm with some early afternoon signs of lift. However, with no towplane available and maintenance to be done on the club's training glider MX, no flying was undertaken.
23 August 2015
With no towplane available, flying was limited to the club's self launching Grob 103C III SL GHB. Some random drizzle delayed, but did not deter, pilots from enjoying flights in smooth and calm conditions with the odd piece of random lift.
16 August 2015
Another cool and damp day with random showers and a south easterly wind meant no flying occurred.
09 August 2015
A freezing cold and damp day saw pilots wisely stay at home next to their fires.
02 August 2015
No flying was possible due to the unavailability of aircraft.
26 July 2015
A fine, mild day saw the club start its blind circuit and spot landing competitions. Unfortunately a gusty wind appeared early afternoon with flying cancelled after the towplane suffered a prop strike.
19 July 2015
Morning cloud cleared to a brilliantly clear blue day but with a freezing cold strong southerly wind with a maximum temperature of around 9°C. Hence, pilots stayed indoors with some afternoon hangar repairs followed by the monthly committee meeting and no flying.
12 July 2015
Early low cloud cleared to leave a perfect day for training at all levels. A number of students took advantage of the conditions to progress towards solo and their further aviation goals.
05 July 2015
Sunshine and calm conditions were the order of the day. A light southerly wind was part of the benign conditions which were perfect for instructional and trial flights.
01 July 2015 (Wednesday)
No flying but our Youth featured in the local newspaper as below (opens in Adobe as a pdf).
Early low cloud cleared to leave a perfect day for training at all levels. A number of students took advantage of the conditions to progress towards solo and their further aviation goals.
05 July 2015
Sunshine and calm conditions were the order of the day. A light southerly wind was part of the benign conditions which were perfect for instructional and trial flights.
01 July 2015 (Wednesday)
No flying but our Youth featured in the local newspaper as below (opens in Adobe as a pdf).
28 June 2015
After a minus two degree dawn, yet another fine sunny day greeted pilots. A light westerly on the ground varied during the afternoon with cap cloud visible on the mountain ranges to the west. Conditions were ideal locally for training and trial flights.
21 June 2015
Another fine sunny westerly day but with no clearly defined local lift. Some trial flighters did get a small taste of wave lift from a 2,000ft launch. The conditions were ideal for students to experience and practice high wind circuits with some good areas of sink in the circuit area.
19 June 2015 (Friday)
Specially arranged trial flights to 3,000ft saw local wave starting to develop after the first two flights. This resulted in club members Jason Kelly and John McConville taking the club's Grob 103C Twin III SL GHB on an afternoon jaunt in messy and fast changing wave. Once established, they flew south past Flemington while climbing to 10,000ft before returning to land after 1hr 42m with 179km OLC recorded. The return journey saw virtually constant 10kt sink in the last 20km of flight with a variable westerly wind greeting them on the ground.
14 June 2015
Westerly winds on the ground were no deterrent as members launched to catch the local wave. This was not classic Hawkes Bay wave but was working well enough once established to see gliders soar all over the local area from Tikokino in the south, to north of Napier and east to Havelock North at altitudes of over 10,000ft. Too much cloud and pending darkness were the main inhibitors preventing pilots soaring further distances. For some of the club's newer members, this was their first taste of wave and an experience to remember.
07 June 2015
Fine, stable conditions, typical of a Hawkes Bay winter's day, prevailed after a frosty start. With the club currently having six students, the instructor and tow pilot were kept busy all day as the conditions were ideal for training.
30 and 31 May 2015
Queen’s Birthday weekend saw the club operate from Waipukurau Airfield on Saturday and Sunday with the New Zealand Association of Women in Aviation (NZAWA) 2015 rally. After a -3°C start on Saturday morning, conditions were ideal with little wind and a calm sky. Women pilots competed for the Morrell Gliding Trophy in a blind circuit competition and the NZ Airwomen’s Gliding Cup competition for advanced pilots which involved more complex flying manoeuvres. Late afternoon saw trial flights and some weak lift. Trial flights were the order of the day on Sunday under a clear blue sky with calm conditions.
24 May 2015
The heavy rain of the previous day cleared to leave a cool day with a variable southerly ground wind. After an initially flat sky, some broken local wave formed briefly as forecast but those flying were students and trial flights so no attempts were made to utilise this lift.
17 May 2015
A cool day with random showers in places saw flying limited to training flights. A number of new members took the opportunity to take their first steps towards solo.
10 May 2015
Another crisp start saw a typical autumn day with sunshine and good conditions for training and trial flights. A number of prospective members took the opportunity to try gliding and enjoy great vistas of the area.
03 May 2015
A crisp start with high cloud gave way to clear blue skies, mild temperatures and local thermals. Climbs to 4,000ft with smooth, unbroken thermals of up to 4kts average were found to the east of the airfield which allowed magnificent views of Mount Erin, Te Mata Peak, the Tuki Valley, Cape Kidnappers, Waimarama and Bare Island, Hastings and Havelock North. The thermals were no flash in the pan with the last glider landing around 4:30pm after having flown for just under 2hrs 30m.
26 April 2015
Another typical autumn day with sunshine and good conditions for training and trial flights. A number of prospective members took the opportunity to try gliding and enjoy great vistas of the area. Unfortunately there was virtually no lift which meant no soaring was possible.
19 April 2015
A pristine Hawkes Bay autumn day with brilliant sunshine and little wind. Unfortunately no towplane was available and no one went flying. The evening saw a club BBQ and the inaugural presentation of the Peter Lyons Memorial Trophy to club president Graham White for the most meritorious member for, among other things, the huge amount of work he has done for the club in maintenance, work on the Central Districts Gliding Championships and helping new pilots. Judy Lyons was on hand to present the trophy and many fond memories of Peter were recounted by various members.
12 April 2015
Unfortunately gusty and variable ground winds made conditions unsuitable for flying which was frustrating as wave was visible as forecast.
03 - 06 April 2015 (Easter Weekend)
Good Friday saw the best flying conditions of the weekend with flights around Hawkes Bay from Cape Kidnappers to Elsthorpe to Maraekakaho and surrounds with thermal and convergence lift to over 6,000ft. Saturday was a good day for training with some lift later in the day. Sunday was a no fly day due to marginal weather while Monday was also a good day for training with mostly calm conditions.
29 March 2015
Rain and showers made it a less than ideal day but Craig Hunter flew the club's Twin Astir MX from Waipukurau back to Hastings.
22 March 2015
Another non-flown day due to the unavailability of a towplane and the weekend closure of the Hastings Airfield grass runways for levelling and re-sowing.
15 March 2015
No flying today due to unsuitable weather and the unavailability of a towplane.
08 March 2015
Unfortunately gusty and variable ground winds made conditions unsuitable for flying today. Some morning wave was visible but this disappeared as the day progressed.
01 March 2015
Flying from Waipukurau airfield, a moderate southerly saw good strong thermals with plenty of heavy sink with some rough air which was unsuitable for trial flights and training. Jason Kelly took the LS4 to over 6,500ft later in the afternoon utilising thermals and convergence lift.
22 February 2015
With the final day of the Central Districts Gliding championships at Waipukurau yesterday concluding seven consecutive days of possible flying, the day dawned fine and clear with the promise of thermals. These developed as forecast which saw club members take the opportunity to enjoy some strong local convection with associated heavy sink.
15 February 2015
The first day of the Central Districts Gliding championships at Waipukurau saw flyable weather interspersed with rain showers. Some pilots took the opportunity for some local flying while the club's Twin Astir MX was ferried from Hastings to Waipukurau.
08 February 2015
A clear blue hot summer's day and lack of a towplane saw no one flying today.
05 February 2015 (Thursday afternoon)
Following on from a morning wave flight, the afternoon saw Jason Kelly launch in the LS4 and climb to over 19,500ft in pursuit of an FAI Diamond badge height gain of 5,000m. He did not quite manage this but claimed the Gold height gain of 3,000m and also the Silver 50km distance while flying to almost Woodville, north of Kereru and around for a total distance of over 365km.
After a minus two degree dawn, yet another fine sunny day greeted pilots. A light westerly on the ground varied during the afternoon with cap cloud visible on the mountain ranges to the west. Conditions were ideal locally for training and trial flights.
21 June 2015
Another fine sunny westerly day but with no clearly defined local lift. Some trial flighters did get a small taste of wave lift from a 2,000ft launch. The conditions were ideal for students to experience and practice high wind circuits with some good areas of sink in the circuit area.
19 June 2015 (Friday)
Specially arranged trial flights to 3,000ft saw local wave starting to develop after the first two flights. This resulted in club members Jason Kelly and John McConville taking the club's Grob 103C Twin III SL GHB on an afternoon jaunt in messy and fast changing wave. Once established, they flew south past Flemington while climbing to 10,000ft before returning to land after 1hr 42m with 179km OLC recorded. The return journey saw virtually constant 10kt sink in the last 20km of flight with a variable westerly wind greeting them on the ground.
14 June 2015
Westerly winds on the ground were no deterrent as members launched to catch the local wave. This was not classic Hawkes Bay wave but was working well enough once established to see gliders soar all over the local area from Tikokino in the south, to north of Napier and east to Havelock North at altitudes of over 10,000ft. Too much cloud and pending darkness were the main inhibitors preventing pilots soaring further distances. For some of the club's newer members, this was their first taste of wave and an experience to remember.
07 June 2015
Fine, stable conditions, typical of a Hawkes Bay winter's day, prevailed after a frosty start. With the club currently having six students, the instructor and tow pilot were kept busy all day as the conditions were ideal for training.
30 and 31 May 2015
Queen’s Birthday weekend saw the club operate from Waipukurau Airfield on Saturday and Sunday with the New Zealand Association of Women in Aviation (NZAWA) 2015 rally. After a -3°C start on Saturday morning, conditions were ideal with little wind and a calm sky. Women pilots competed for the Morrell Gliding Trophy in a blind circuit competition and the NZ Airwomen’s Gliding Cup competition for advanced pilots which involved more complex flying manoeuvres. Late afternoon saw trial flights and some weak lift. Trial flights were the order of the day on Sunday under a clear blue sky with calm conditions.
24 May 2015
The heavy rain of the previous day cleared to leave a cool day with a variable southerly ground wind. After an initially flat sky, some broken local wave formed briefly as forecast but those flying were students and trial flights so no attempts were made to utilise this lift.
17 May 2015
A cool day with random showers in places saw flying limited to training flights. A number of new members took the opportunity to take their first steps towards solo.
10 May 2015
Another crisp start saw a typical autumn day with sunshine and good conditions for training and trial flights. A number of prospective members took the opportunity to try gliding and enjoy great vistas of the area.
03 May 2015
A crisp start with high cloud gave way to clear blue skies, mild temperatures and local thermals. Climbs to 4,000ft with smooth, unbroken thermals of up to 4kts average were found to the east of the airfield which allowed magnificent views of Mount Erin, Te Mata Peak, the Tuki Valley, Cape Kidnappers, Waimarama and Bare Island, Hastings and Havelock North. The thermals were no flash in the pan with the last glider landing around 4:30pm after having flown for just under 2hrs 30m.
26 April 2015
Another typical autumn day with sunshine and good conditions for training and trial flights. A number of prospective members took the opportunity to try gliding and enjoy great vistas of the area. Unfortunately there was virtually no lift which meant no soaring was possible.
19 April 2015
A pristine Hawkes Bay autumn day with brilliant sunshine and little wind. Unfortunately no towplane was available and no one went flying. The evening saw a club BBQ and the inaugural presentation of the Peter Lyons Memorial Trophy to club president Graham White for the most meritorious member for, among other things, the huge amount of work he has done for the club in maintenance, work on the Central Districts Gliding Championships and helping new pilots. Judy Lyons was on hand to present the trophy and many fond memories of Peter were recounted by various members.
12 April 2015
Unfortunately gusty and variable ground winds made conditions unsuitable for flying which was frustrating as wave was visible as forecast.
03 - 06 April 2015 (Easter Weekend)
Good Friday saw the best flying conditions of the weekend with flights around Hawkes Bay from Cape Kidnappers to Elsthorpe to Maraekakaho and surrounds with thermal and convergence lift to over 6,000ft. Saturday was a good day for training with some lift later in the day. Sunday was a no fly day due to marginal weather while Monday was also a good day for training with mostly calm conditions.
29 March 2015
Rain and showers made it a less than ideal day but Craig Hunter flew the club's Twin Astir MX from Waipukurau back to Hastings.
22 March 2015
Another non-flown day due to the unavailability of a towplane and the weekend closure of the Hastings Airfield grass runways for levelling and re-sowing.
15 March 2015
No flying today due to unsuitable weather and the unavailability of a towplane.
08 March 2015
Unfortunately gusty and variable ground winds made conditions unsuitable for flying today. Some morning wave was visible but this disappeared as the day progressed.
01 March 2015
Flying from Waipukurau airfield, a moderate southerly saw good strong thermals with plenty of heavy sink with some rough air which was unsuitable for trial flights and training. Jason Kelly took the LS4 to over 6,500ft later in the afternoon utilising thermals and convergence lift.
22 February 2015
With the final day of the Central Districts Gliding championships at Waipukurau yesterday concluding seven consecutive days of possible flying, the day dawned fine and clear with the promise of thermals. These developed as forecast which saw club members take the opportunity to enjoy some strong local convection with associated heavy sink.
15 February 2015
The first day of the Central Districts Gliding championships at Waipukurau saw flyable weather interspersed with rain showers. Some pilots took the opportunity for some local flying while the club's Twin Astir MX was ferried from Hastings to Waipukurau.
08 February 2015
A clear blue hot summer's day and lack of a towplane saw no one flying today.
05 February 2015 (Thursday afternoon)
Following on from a morning wave flight, the afternoon saw Jason Kelly launch in the LS4 and climb to over 19,500ft in pursuit of an FAI Diamond badge height gain of 5,000m. He did not quite manage this but claimed the Gold height gain of 3,000m and also the Silver 50km distance while flying to almost Woodville, north of Kereru and around for a total distance of over 365km.
05 February 2015 (Thursday morning)
Another great Hawkes Bay wave day. The morning saw the club's Grob 103 C III SL piloted by John McConville and Jason Kelly fly south to almost Woodville before returning to Hastings while flying over 250km in total.
Another great Hawkes Bay wave day. The morning saw the club's Grob 103 C III SL piloted by John McConville and Jason Kelly fly south to almost Woodville before returning to Hastings while flying over 250km in total.
03 February 2015 (Tuesday)
A classic Hawkes Bay wave day with the club's Grob 103C III SL piloted by Jason Kelly traversing over 600km up and down Hawkes Bay. Unfortunately a Cambridge GPS fault meant it did not record an FAI approved trace of this flight. However, a trace is available as below and using the OLC (Online Competition) optimisation tool and other details, this shows:
Flight time: 5 hours 05 minutes
Total distance covered: 775km
Cross Country (OLC) distance: 641.7km
Three turnpoint triangle: 492.3km
Maximum height: 15,019ft
Some photos are below.
Not a bad flight for a club machine!
A classic Hawkes Bay wave day with the club's Grob 103C III SL piloted by Jason Kelly traversing over 600km up and down Hawkes Bay. Unfortunately a Cambridge GPS fault meant it did not record an FAI approved trace of this flight. However, a trace is available as below and using the OLC (Online Competition) optimisation tool and other details, this shows:
Flight time: 5 hours 05 minutes
Total distance covered: 775km
Cross Country (OLC) distance: 641.7km
Three turnpoint triangle: 492.3km
Maximum height: 15,019ft
Some photos are below.
Not a bad flight for a club machine!
North of Napier in wave
Classic wave clouds
1 February 2015
An overcast and humid day did not prevent members flying. While there was basically no lift, calm conditions were ideal for training. The club also saw two new members join: Shelley Keogh and Alexandra Thompson.
25 January 2015
A morning with some clouds cleared to a virtually blue sky afternoon. There were thermals that were hard to work as forecast. This did not prevent some soaring with Graham White reaching 4,500ft and as far south as Waipawa in his LS8. Craig Hunter (Open Cirrus), Jason Kelly (LS4), Brian Kelly and Richard Keir (ASH25M) also took the opportunity to practice in difficult thermals and achieving flight times of over one and a half hours plus each.
18 January 2015
A scorching Hawkes Bay summer's day was ideal for trial flights and training. A convergence formed later in the afternoon and club member Craig Hunter who flew his open Cirrus GG reported:
After one 18 minute attempt, I re-launched releasing above the Pekapeka swamp at 3,000ft just south of Hastings. I then continued on a southward track noting turbulence and wisps forming over Lake Poukawa. Soon after I struck lift of 4 to 6kts and climbed to 7,000ft. I then proceeded using a line of convergence to the SW passing Te Aute, Argyll and then eventually Kereru, then NE across the Ngaruroro river to the Taihape Rd then directly tracking back to Hastings. Best altitude 8,000ft . Really enjoyed the blue conditions and the fantastic views. Photos below.
An overcast and humid day did not prevent members flying. While there was basically no lift, calm conditions were ideal for training. The club also saw two new members join: Shelley Keogh and Alexandra Thompson.
25 January 2015
A morning with some clouds cleared to a virtually blue sky afternoon. There were thermals that were hard to work as forecast. This did not prevent some soaring with Graham White reaching 4,500ft and as far south as Waipawa in his LS8. Craig Hunter (Open Cirrus), Jason Kelly (LS4), Brian Kelly and Richard Keir (ASH25M) also took the opportunity to practice in difficult thermals and achieving flight times of over one and a half hours plus each.
18 January 2015
A scorching Hawkes Bay summer's day was ideal for trial flights and training. A convergence formed later in the afternoon and club member Craig Hunter who flew his open Cirrus GG reported:
After one 18 minute attempt, I re-launched releasing above the Pekapeka swamp at 3,000ft just south of Hastings. I then continued on a southward track noting turbulence and wisps forming over Lake Poukawa. Soon after I struck lift of 4 to 6kts and climbed to 7,000ft. I then proceeded using a line of convergence to the SW passing Te Aute, Argyll and then eventually Kereru, then NE across the Ngaruroro river to the Taihape Rd then directly tracking back to Hastings. Best altitude 8,000ft . Really enjoyed the blue conditions and the fantastic views. Photos below.
11 January 2015
Another typical Hawkes Bay summer's day ideal for trial flights and training. A number of ATC cadets took the opportunity to get a taste of gliding. In Omarama at the National Gliding Championships, Graham White and Jason Kelly achieved 2nd place in a wave task completing over 477km at an average speed of 104.8km today. Some photos are below. Earlier in the week, they completed an epic seven hour flight of over 520km using thermals and convergence lift.
Another typical Hawkes Bay summer's day ideal for trial flights and training. A number of ATC cadets took the opportunity to get a taste of gliding. In Omarama at the National Gliding Championships, Graham White and Jason Kelly achieved 2nd place in a wave task completing over 477km at an average speed of 104.8km today. Some photos are below. Earlier in the week, they completed an epic seven hour flight of over 520km using thermals and convergence lift.
04 January 2015
A typical Hawkes Bay summer's day - fine with clear blue sky and warm temperatures. However, the air was very calm both on the ground and in the air making the stable conditions ideal for trial flights and training. A number of people took trial flights with superb views of Hawkes Bay and the surrounding vista. Graham White and Jason Kelly have travelled to Omarama with the ASH25M GRJ for the 2015 National Gliding Championships.
28 December 2014
The RASP predicted good thermals but morning high cloud left some early doubts in pilots minds. However, once launched, plenty of thermals along with good convergence lift saw pilots climb to over 7,500ft while traversing to Onga Onga in the south and Ngamatea in the north west. The OLC maximum triangle achieved was 231km by the ASH25M GRJ. Flight details can be seen from the pdf files attached below.
A typical Hawkes Bay summer's day - fine with clear blue sky and warm temperatures. However, the air was very calm both on the ground and in the air making the stable conditions ideal for trial flights and training. A number of people took trial flights with superb views of Hawkes Bay and the surrounding vista. Graham White and Jason Kelly have travelled to Omarama with the ASH25M GRJ for the 2015 National Gliding Championships.
28 December 2014
The RASP predicted good thermals but morning high cloud left some early doubts in pilots minds. However, once launched, plenty of thermals along with good convergence lift saw pilots climb to over 7,500ft while traversing to Onga Onga in the south and Ngamatea in the north west. The OLC maximum triangle achieved was 231km by the ASH25M GRJ. Flight details can be seen from the pdf files attached below.
21 December 2014
Despite the forecast for much of the week predicting rain, a good looking sky saw pilots enjoy some Hawkes Bay thermals and convergences with lift of over 6kts on the averager in places and climbs to over 5,000ft. A fast changing sky did not prevent flights to Waimarama to the east, Otane to the south and Maraekakaho in the west.
14 December 2014
A cool, overcast day with persistent rain, drizzle and easterly winds prevented all flying.
06 & 07 December 2014
The local ATC squadron enjoyed ideal first flight conditions on Saturday with a calm sky, light ground wind and some thermal activity, especially in the morning prior to the arrival of the sea breeze. Sunday morning conditions were rough so cadet flying was postponed. Conditions improved in the afternoon and a number of members took advantage of weak local lift to fly for up to an hour and a half and to around 3,500ft.
30 November 2014
Strong and gusty winds prevented all flying today which was frustrating as good wave was evident.
23 November 2014
The forecast great soaring did not eventuate with high cloud thickening. This left a flat day which was ideal for trial flights and instructor training.
16 November 2014
A great looking sky saw pilots launch to just over 1,000ft to be hit by 8 knot thermals and promptly climbing to over 7,000ft. While it looked like wave to the west, only weak climbs were found so pilots returned east where they could cruise around in 7/8 knot thermals up to around 8,000ft. It was reported that pilots just could not get low. This allowed high speed runs under the clouds. 5 knot average climbs over to the Tuki were also present. Heading back to the airfield at around 3,000ft, HB ran into a thermal that tried to tear the wings off. The pilots reported no idea of the thermal strength as the varios were locked solid at the stops and was one of the strongest thermals experienced. After a few turns they were back at cloud base. Full airbrakes were required to get down and land. Wow, what a day. The best thermals for many a year.
09 November 2014
Early morning cloud and fog cleared to reveal a pristine clear, fine and calm Hawkes Bay spring day. This was perfect for trial flights and training but stable air and an early sea breeze prevented any convection and soaring.
02 November 2014
A cool morning quickly warmed up with the temperature peaking at around 27 degrees. A light NW on the ground was replaced by a sea breeze around 2pm which killed all local convection. Those who launched early were able to fly for around an hour or so in the less than ideal soaring conditions. However, the day was ideal for trial flights with a number of potential members taking to the sky to enjoy the sport.
26 October 2014
After a near overnight frost, the forecast and largely blue sky did not look great. But, those that launched were richly rewarded with wave assisted thermals of up to 8kts. While these were situated locally to the airfield, flights of up to 5,000ft, out to Waimarama Beach and south of Lake Poukawa were recorded. The lift became better marked later in the afternoon and the main challenge faced by Jason Kelly and Graham White in the ASH25M was descending with lift to be found in most places around the airfield. Airbrakes proved to be the most effective solution as they landed just after 5pm with strong lift still evident.
19 October 2014
The farmers were smiling but others were frustrated as persistent rain prevented all flying.
12 October 2014
Not a pretty day but plenty of thermals which were largely broken and difficult to work. Morning cumulus cloud largely cleared to a blue afternoon but the lift persisted to after 5pm. This allowed members to fly all day locally with climbs to over 3,000ft and complete flights in excess of two hours.
05 October 2014
With no rain forecast, the RASP predicted difficult to work thermals with a strengthening westerly wind on the ground. The ground wind did not occur but the sky delivered and more. Thermals to 3kts up to around 4,500ft with some wave available in a short afternoon window saw pilots fly for up to three hours to over 10,000ft high, south to Waipukurau and north of Puketapu. Finally a day to go flying despite the forecast!
28 September 2014
Another Sunday, another day of rain. The persistent forecast rain was present all day in varying intensities. As such, the club did not fly.
27 September 2014 (Saturday)
Some flying at last! Brian and Jason Kelly launched in the ASH25M GRJ into weak and broken looking wave. The sky delivered as indicated with small pieces of lift up to 2kt. Returning to Hastings airfield, they found weak local thermals which enabled height to be comfortably maintained.
21 September 2014
A fine morning soon changed to random showers and a strengthening southerly. As such, no flying was undertaken.
14 September 2014
The weather forecast offered drizzle, showers, cloud and a strengthening southerly. Early morning actual weather gave blue sky with little wind which suggested flying would be possible. Unfortunately, a bitingly cold southerly strengthened to over 25kt gusts with random showers and drizzle by 10am. Accordingly, flying was abandoned yet again before it started.
07 September 2014
The persistent eastern weather again saw morning drizzle and showers which did cease around 11am to leave a cool and partly cloudy day which was not ideal for flying. A well swept hangar and no flying was the result.
31 August 2014
The last official day of winter saw more rain, drizzle and cloud. While flying between the drizzle and showers was possible, time was spent instead on working on the gliders in preparation for Spring.
24 August 2014
The late winter of discontent continued with scattered morning drizzle. The afternoon had sunny breaks with a light southerly with conditions most suitable for lectures for the new instructors in training. No flying was undertaken.
17 August 2014
Whilst the morning cloud at times looked like it would burn off to reveal a clear sky and let the temperature rise to possibly cause some convection, it just never happened. This left a grey sky with a light southerly which saw little flying. Conditions were suitable for trial flights and training.
10 August 2014
A harsh morning frost gave way to a fine, cool, calm day. While the maximum temperature was only 14°C, there was some weak convection with a steady two knot climb to 2,800ft reported along with other weak and broken climbs. Later in the day, as predicted by the RASP, in perfect blue conditions, there was a small convergence which gave a smooth and steady climb with flying only ceasing due to impending darkness.
03 August 2014
Rain, showers and more rain encouraged members to stay home in front of the fire.
27 July 2014
A cold day with increasing cloud and a blustery southerly deterred everyone from flying today.
20 July 2014
Rain was the feature of the day with heavy morning rain turning to heavy overcast and showers later in the afternoon. Consequently, there was no flying.
13 July 2014
A spring like day saw temperatures reach 18 degrees celsius under a clear blue sky. With light winds on the ground, it was another ideal day for trial flights and training. Jason Price rigged and flew his recently purchased DG-200 GLZ.
06 July 2014
The RASP suggested some weak afternoon convection and the weather delivered. A sunny but cool morning saw afternoon blue conditions with weak, broken and hard to work lift up to 2,500ft locally. The conditions allowed pilots to fly for over an hour with climbs of up to 2-3 knots in places.
29 June 2014
Another pristine fine, calm, sunny and mild Hawkes Bay winter day after a cold frosty morning. The local aeroclub were invited as part of their club day to try gliding and the sky was flat and calm which was ideal for this experience along with training and trial flights. The evening was rounded out with a BBQ at the aeroclub.
22 June 2014
A cool, wet morning slowly warmed up and cleared. This deterred members from taking to the sky.
15 June 2014
After a freezing cold morning start, the day slowly warmed up with the temperature varying as the high cloud varied in thickness. The sky was extremely flat and calm all day with no wind on the ground which was ideal for training and trial flights.
08 June 2014
The day was fine and warmed to a mild afternoon after a morning frost. However, the sky was flat and calm which was ideal for training and trial flights.
01 June 2014
The forecast low cloud and drizzly showers persisted all day which prevented flying.
25 May 2014
While some parts of the country were battered by high winds and bad weather, members took advantage of wave conditions to explore both locally and the lower North Island with Graham White completing just under 500km as he flew south to Lake Ferry and return at heights of up to 15,000ft. Wind speeds of 80kts+ were recorded in the process. Blue wave close to Hastings Airfield saw Craig Hunter in his Open Cirrus and Jason Kelly and Richard Keir in the club's self launching Grob 103 C III SL easily reach 10,000ft while flying around the local area. A number of potential new members also enjoyed trial flights in fine and sunny conditions.
18 May 2014
Yes, deja vu - another typical Hawkes Bay autumn day with fine weather and little wind which was an ideal day for trial flights and training. A number of members took the opportunity to practice blind circuits for the upcoming competition.
11 May 2014
Yet another typical Hawkes Bay autumn day with fine weather and little wind which was an ideal day for trial flights and training. A number of members took the opportunity to practice blind circuits for the upcoming competition.
04 May 2014
Another typical Hawkes Bay autumn day with fine weather and little wind which was an ideal day for trial flights and training. The club's self launching Grob 103 C III SL returned to self launching status after some recent engine maintenance.
27 April 2014
A typical Hawkes Bay autumn day with fine weather and little wind. A relatively stable sky had some small pieces of random lift. It was an ideal day for trial flights and training.
20 April 2014
A club flying day at last. Fine weather with a variable strength and direction wind saw an unstable sky which was constantly changing. Bits of random lift appeared and disappeared constantly which made soaring extremely challenging. A number of trial flights managed a small taste of gliding with some small climbs achieved.
13 April 2014
The "big wet" continued with heavy overcast and occasional drizzle. As such, flying was cancelled for the day.
06 April 2014
Morning drizzle and rain persisted intermittently all day which did not allow any soaring.
30 March 2014
A clear and flat looking sky was deceiving as there was some thermal activity to sustain flight with Craig Hunter staying aloft for almost two hours with climbs of 2-4kts and a maximum altitude of around 2,700ft. It was an ideal idea for training and trial flights.
23 March 2014
Morning drizzle cleared to an overcast but flyable afternoon. With the club towplane (CPD) back in the air, the club's PW5 YP was first to be towed off followed by the Twin Astir MX. There was some thermal activity later in the day to sustain flight.
16 March 2014
The tail end of Cyclone Lusi saw fine weather with strong and gusty winds so there was no flying today.
14 March 2014 (Friday)
A number of students from William Colenso College in Napier were introduced to gliding with trial flights today. Weather conditions were ideal with little wind and a flat sky that did start to bubble with thermal activity later in the day. These introductory flights were sponsored with a grant from the Eastern and Central Community Trust.
09 March 2014
The club trialled a Foxbat microlight as a towplane today. In calm conditions, it had no problems as it worked its way through a PW5, Twin Astir one up then two up and then an Open Cirrus.
The sky cleared from morning murk to reveal the best thermal day of the year with big, strong, lazy thermals to be found. Climbs of 6-8kts up to cloud base at around 5,600ft were utilised by both Craig Hunter in his Open Cirrus and Brian and Jason Kelly in their ASH25M. A convergence later in the day also provided some good lift.
Despite the forecast for much of the week predicting rain, a good looking sky saw pilots enjoy some Hawkes Bay thermals and convergences with lift of over 6kts on the averager in places and climbs to over 5,000ft. A fast changing sky did not prevent flights to Waimarama to the east, Otane to the south and Maraekakaho in the west.
14 December 2014
A cool, overcast day with persistent rain, drizzle and easterly winds prevented all flying.
06 & 07 December 2014
The local ATC squadron enjoyed ideal first flight conditions on Saturday with a calm sky, light ground wind and some thermal activity, especially in the morning prior to the arrival of the sea breeze. Sunday morning conditions were rough so cadet flying was postponed. Conditions improved in the afternoon and a number of members took advantage of weak local lift to fly for up to an hour and a half and to around 3,500ft.
30 November 2014
Strong and gusty winds prevented all flying today which was frustrating as good wave was evident.
23 November 2014
The forecast great soaring did not eventuate with high cloud thickening. This left a flat day which was ideal for trial flights and instructor training.
16 November 2014
A great looking sky saw pilots launch to just over 1,000ft to be hit by 8 knot thermals and promptly climbing to over 7,000ft. While it looked like wave to the west, only weak climbs were found so pilots returned east where they could cruise around in 7/8 knot thermals up to around 8,000ft. It was reported that pilots just could not get low. This allowed high speed runs under the clouds. 5 knot average climbs over to the Tuki were also present. Heading back to the airfield at around 3,000ft, HB ran into a thermal that tried to tear the wings off. The pilots reported no idea of the thermal strength as the varios were locked solid at the stops and was one of the strongest thermals experienced. After a few turns they were back at cloud base. Full airbrakes were required to get down and land. Wow, what a day. The best thermals for many a year.
09 November 2014
Early morning cloud and fog cleared to reveal a pristine clear, fine and calm Hawkes Bay spring day. This was perfect for trial flights and training but stable air and an early sea breeze prevented any convection and soaring.
02 November 2014
A cool morning quickly warmed up with the temperature peaking at around 27 degrees. A light NW on the ground was replaced by a sea breeze around 2pm which killed all local convection. Those who launched early were able to fly for around an hour or so in the less than ideal soaring conditions. However, the day was ideal for trial flights with a number of potential members taking to the sky to enjoy the sport.
26 October 2014
After a near overnight frost, the forecast and largely blue sky did not look great. But, those that launched were richly rewarded with wave assisted thermals of up to 8kts. While these were situated locally to the airfield, flights of up to 5,000ft, out to Waimarama Beach and south of Lake Poukawa were recorded. The lift became better marked later in the afternoon and the main challenge faced by Jason Kelly and Graham White in the ASH25M was descending with lift to be found in most places around the airfield. Airbrakes proved to be the most effective solution as they landed just after 5pm with strong lift still evident.
19 October 2014
The farmers were smiling but others were frustrated as persistent rain prevented all flying.
12 October 2014
Not a pretty day but plenty of thermals which were largely broken and difficult to work. Morning cumulus cloud largely cleared to a blue afternoon but the lift persisted to after 5pm. This allowed members to fly all day locally with climbs to over 3,000ft and complete flights in excess of two hours.
05 October 2014
With no rain forecast, the RASP predicted difficult to work thermals with a strengthening westerly wind on the ground. The ground wind did not occur but the sky delivered and more. Thermals to 3kts up to around 4,500ft with some wave available in a short afternoon window saw pilots fly for up to three hours to over 10,000ft high, south to Waipukurau and north of Puketapu. Finally a day to go flying despite the forecast!
28 September 2014
Another Sunday, another day of rain. The persistent forecast rain was present all day in varying intensities. As such, the club did not fly.
27 September 2014 (Saturday)
Some flying at last! Brian and Jason Kelly launched in the ASH25M GRJ into weak and broken looking wave. The sky delivered as indicated with small pieces of lift up to 2kt. Returning to Hastings airfield, they found weak local thermals which enabled height to be comfortably maintained.
21 September 2014
A fine morning soon changed to random showers and a strengthening southerly. As such, no flying was undertaken.
14 September 2014
The weather forecast offered drizzle, showers, cloud and a strengthening southerly. Early morning actual weather gave blue sky with little wind which suggested flying would be possible. Unfortunately, a bitingly cold southerly strengthened to over 25kt gusts with random showers and drizzle by 10am. Accordingly, flying was abandoned yet again before it started.
07 September 2014
The persistent eastern weather again saw morning drizzle and showers which did cease around 11am to leave a cool and partly cloudy day which was not ideal for flying. A well swept hangar and no flying was the result.
31 August 2014
The last official day of winter saw more rain, drizzle and cloud. While flying between the drizzle and showers was possible, time was spent instead on working on the gliders in preparation for Spring.
24 August 2014
The late winter of discontent continued with scattered morning drizzle. The afternoon had sunny breaks with a light southerly with conditions most suitable for lectures for the new instructors in training. No flying was undertaken.
17 August 2014
Whilst the morning cloud at times looked like it would burn off to reveal a clear sky and let the temperature rise to possibly cause some convection, it just never happened. This left a grey sky with a light southerly which saw little flying. Conditions were suitable for trial flights and training.
10 August 2014
A harsh morning frost gave way to a fine, cool, calm day. While the maximum temperature was only 14°C, there was some weak convection with a steady two knot climb to 2,800ft reported along with other weak and broken climbs. Later in the day, as predicted by the RASP, in perfect blue conditions, there was a small convergence which gave a smooth and steady climb with flying only ceasing due to impending darkness.
03 August 2014
Rain, showers and more rain encouraged members to stay home in front of the fire.
27 July 2014
A cold day with increasing cloud and a blustery southerly deterred everyone from flying today.
20 July 2014
Rain was the feature of the day with heavy morning rain turning to heavy overcast and showers later in the afternoon. Consequently, there was no flying.
13 July 2014
A spring like day saw temperatures reach 18 degrees celsius under a clear blue sky. With light winds on the ground, it was another ideal day for trial flights and training. Jason Price rigged and flew his recently purchased DG-200 GLZ.
06 July 2014
The RASP suggested some weak afternoon convection and the weather delivered. A sunny but cool morning saw afternoon blue conditions with weak, broken and hard to work lift up to 2,500ft locally. The conditions allowed pilots to fly for over an hour with climbs of up to 2-3 knots in places.
29 June 2014
Another pristine fine, calm, sunny and mild Hawkes Bay winter day after a cold frosty morning. The local aeroclub were invited as part of their club day to try gliding and the sky was flat and calm which was ideal for this experience along with training and trial flights. The evening was rounded out with a BBQ at the aeroclub.
22 June 2014
A cool, wet morning slowly warmed up and cleared. This deterred members from taking to the sky.
15 June 2014
After a freezing cold morning start, the day slowly warmed up with the temperature varying as the high cloud varied in thickness. The sky was extremely flat and calm all day with no wind on the ground which was ideal for training and trial flights.
08 June 2014
The day was fine and warmed to a mild afternoon after a morning frost. However, the sky was flat and calm which was ideal for training and trial flights.
01 June 2014
The forecast low cloud and drizzly showers persisted all day which prevented flying.
25 May 2014
While some parts of the country were battered by high winds and bad weather, members took advantage of wave conditions to explore both locally and the lower North Island with Graham White completing just under 500km as he flew south to Lake Ferry and return at heights of up to 15,000ft. Wind speeds of 80kts+ were recorded in the process. Blue wave close to Hastings Airfield saw Craig Hunter in his Open Cirrus and Jason Kelly and Richard Keir in the club's self launching Grob 103 C III SL easily reach 10,000ft while flying around the local area. A number of potential new members also enjoyed trial flights in fine and sunny conditions.
18 May 2014
Yes, deja vu - another typical Hawkes Bay autumn day with fine weather and little wind which was an ideal day for trial flights and training. A number of members took the opportunity to practice blind circuits for the upcoming competition.
11 May 2014
Yet another typical Hawkes Bay autumn day with fine weather and little wind which was an ideal day for trial flights and training. A number of members took the opportunity to practice blind circuits for the upcoming competition.
04 May 2014
Another typical Hawkes Bay autumn day with fine weather and little wind which was an ideal day for trial flights and training. The club's self launching Grob 103 C III SL returned to self launching status after some recent engine maintenance.
27 April 2014
A typical Hawkes Bay autumn day with fine weather and little wind. A relatively stable sky had some small pieces of random lift. It was an ideal day for trial flights and training.
20 April 2014
A club flying day at last. Fine weather with a variable strength and direction wind saw an unstable sky which was constantly changing. Bits of random lift appeared and disappeared constantly which made soaring extremely challenging. A number of trial flights managed a small taste of gliding with some small climbs achieved.
13 April 2014
The "big wet" continued with heavy overcast and occasional drizzle. As such, flying was cancelled for the day.
06 April 2014
Morning drizzle and rain persisted intermittently all day which did not allow any soaring.
30 March 2014
A clear and flat looking sky was deceiving as there was some thermal activity to sustain flight with Craig Hunter staying aloft for almost two hours with climbs of 2-4kts and a maximum altitude of around 2,700ft. It was an ideal idea for training and trial flights.
23 March 2014
Morning drizzle cleared to an overcast but flyable afternoon. With the club towplane (CPD) back in the air, the club's PW5 YP was first to be towed off followed by the Twin Astir MX. There was some thermal activity later in the day to sustain flight.
16 March 2014
The tail end of Cyclone Lusi saw fine weather with strong and gusty winds so there was no flying today.
14 March 2014 (Friday)
A number of students from William Colenso College in Napier were introduced to gliding with trial flights today. Weather conditions were ideal with little wind and a flat sky that did start to bubble with thermal activity later in the day. These introductory flights were sponsored with a grant from the Eastern and Central Community Trust.
09 March 2014
The club trialled a Foxbat microlight as a towplane today. In calm conditions, it had no problems as it worked its way through a PW5, Twin Astir one up then two up and then an Open Cirrus.
The sky cleared from morning murk to reveal the best thermal day of the year with big, strong, lazy thermals to be found. Climbs of 6-8kts up to cloud base at around 5,600ft were utilised by both Craig Hunter in his Open Cirrus and Brian and Jason Kelly in their ASH25M. A convergence later in the day also provided some good lift.
Foxbat microlight
Lake Poukawa from around 5,000ft in thermals
ASH25M GRJ in a convergence heading north
02 March 2014
No club flying due to the unavailability of a towplane. The ASH25M flew but found the lift broken and hard to work and could only manage a climb to 4,000ft 20km south of Hastings.
28 February 2014 (Friday)
The RASP predicted wave and blue wave there was which was up to 8kts of lift in places. The sky changed quickly with improving signs of wave as the afternoon progressed. Brian Kelly took a passenger in the ASH25M for a grand tour of Hawkes Bay reaching heights of just over 9,000ft.
No club flying due to the unavailability of a towplane. The ASH25M flew but found the lift broken and hard to work and could only manage a climb to 4,000ft 20km south of Hastings.
28 February 2014 (Friday)
The RASP predicted wave and blue wave there was which was up to 8kts of lift in places. The sky changed quickly with improving signs of wave as the afternoon progressed. Brian Kelly took a passenger in the ASH25M for a grand tour of Hawkes Bay reaching heights of just over 9,000ft.
23 February 2014
Another "spring" wave day! The weird weather of the summer continued with Jason Kelly launching in the LS4 just after midday to report shortly after release he was climbing at 17kts and that was on the averager! Unfortunately the ground wind increased which made further take offs unsafe so flying was cancelled for the day with the club gliders derigged into their trailers and returned to Hastings. Meanwhile, Jason Kelly attempted his Gold badge height gain but was thwarted by Ohakea Control until just about when the wave started to collapse. This did give him the desired low start point for his declared Silver 50km distance flight and he managed to use the rapidly decaying remaining wave to reach Hastings.
Another "spring" wave day! The weird weather of the summer continued with Jason Kelly launching in the LS4 just after midday to report shortly after release he was climbing at 17kts and that was on the averager! Unfortunately the ground wind increased which made further take offs unsafe so flying was cancelled for the day with the club gliders derigged into their trailers and returned to Hastings. Meanwhile, Jason Kelly attempted his Gold badge height gain but was thwarted by Ohakea Control until just about when the wave started to collapse. This did give him the desired low start point for his declared Silver 50km distance flight and he managed to use the rapidly decaying remaining wave to reach Hastings.
16 February 2014
A club flying day at last! The weather turned out much better than forecast with thermals to around 3,500ft. They looked good but generally were broken and hard to work. However, this did not stop Craig Hunter from flying to Hastings in his Open Cirrus.
A club flying day at last! The weather turned out much better than forecast with thermals to around 3,500ft. They looked good but generally were broken and hard to work. However, this did not stop Craig Hunter from flying to Hastings in his Open Cirrus.
Club gliders MX and YP at Waipukurau
DAL about to tow YP
15 February 2014 (Saturday)
The final day of the Central Districts Gliding competition and the best thermal day of the year. Club captain Mike Richardson set off just before midday in the club's PW5, YP, in pursuit of his five hour duration. He achieved this along with his Silver height gain (1,000m). Congratulations to Mike. Copies of his altitude and route are below. In the contest, Graham White took out the day and the contest. Jason Price completed the task, an excellent effort in challenging conditions, while James Foreman landed back at Waipukurau. Jason Kelly struggled so flew locally before trekking back to Hastings with the aid of a sea breeze front.
The final day of the Central Districts Gliding competition and the best thermal day of the year. Club captain Mike Richardson set off just before midday in the club's PW5, YP, in pursuit of his five hour duration. He achieved this along with his Silver height gain (1,000m). Congratulations to Mike. Copies of his altitude and route are below. In the contest, Graham White took out the day and the contest. Jason Price completed the task, an excellent effort in challenging conditions, while James Foreman landed back at Waipukurau. Jason Kelly struggled so flew locally before trekking back to Hastings with the aid of a sea breeze front.
09 February 2014
The summer of gliding discontent continued with rain and drizzle seeing flying cancelled yet again due to unsuitable flying conditions.
02 February 2014
Flying was again cancelled due to unsuitable flying conditions.
26 January 2014
Flying was cancelled due to unsuitable flying conditions.
19 January 2014
A typical Hawkes Bay summer's day - fine with clear blue sky and scorching temperatures reaching into the 30°C plus range. However, the air was very calm both on the ground and in the air making the stable conditions ideal for trial flights and training. A number of people took trial flights with superb views of Hawkes Bay and the surrounding vista. Unfortunately, no soaring was possible due to no thermal, wave or convergence lift being produced.
12 January 2014
A fine, clear blue day with the ground wind being a SW most of the afternoon. There was plenty of broken, hard to work thermal lift in the local area up to around 3,000ft with the occasional steadier climb up to around 2,500ft. The PW5 flown by Mike Richardson and the LS4 flown by Jason Kelly both achieved good flights in the challenging conditions.
10 January 2014 (Friday)
Good afternoon thermals up to 6,500ft south of Hastings and west to Gwavas Forest were utilised by club members as actual conditions later in the day exceeded those forecast.
05 January 2014
Spring like westerly gales saw flying cancelled due to unsuitable weather.
29 December 2013
Flying was again cancelled due to unsuitable weather.
22 December 2013
Flying was cancelled due to unsuitable weather.
14 & 15 December 2013
Saturday saw the ASH25M flown by Jason Kelly and Graham White traverse down Hawkes Bay utilising a convergence to reach just north of Weber before turning around and returning to Hastings between rain showers and thunder storms.
Club flying from Waipukurau on Sunday was abandoned after it was decided the grass growth caused by the warm and wet weather made airfield conditions unsuitable. The Twin Astir GMX returned to Hastings by aerotow while the PW5 GYP was trailered back.
The summer of gliding discontent continued with rain and drizzle seeing flying cancelled yet again due to unsuitable flying conditions.
02 February 2014
Flying was again cancelled due to unsuitable flying conditions.
26 January 2014
Flying was cancelled due to unsuitable flying conditions.
19 January 2014
A typical Hawkes Bay summer's day - fine with clear blue sky and scorching temperatures reaching into the 30°C plus range. However, the air was very calm both on the ground and in the air making the stable conditions ideal for trial flights and training. A number of people took trial flights with superb views of Hawkes Bay and the surrounding vista. Unfortunately, no soaring was possible due to no thermal, wave or convergence lift being produced.
12 January 2014
A fine, clear blue day with the ground wind being a SW most of the afternoon. There was plenty of broken, hard to work thermal lift in the local area up to around 3,000ft with the occasional steadier climb up to around 2,500ft. The PW5 flown by Mike Richardson and the LS4 flown by Jason Kelly both achieved good flights in the challenging conditions.
10 January 2014 (Friday)
Good afternoon thermals up to 6,500ft south of Hastings and west to Gwavas Forest were utilised by club members as actual conditions later in the day exceeded those forecast.
05 January 2014
Spring like westerly gales saw flying cancelled due to unsuitable weather.
29 December 2013
Flying was again cancelled due to unsuitable weather.
22 December 2013
Flying was cancelled due to unsuitable weather.
14 & 15 December 2013
Saturday saw the ASH25M flown by Jason Kelly and Graham White traverse down Hawkes Bay utilising a convergence to reach just north of Weber before turning around and returning to Hastings between rain showers and thunder storms.
Club flying from Waipukurau on Sunday was abandoned after it was decided the grass growth caused by the warm and wet weather made airfield conditions unsuitable. The Twin Astir GMX returned to Hastings by aerotow while the PW5 GYP was trailered back.
08 December 2013
Club members flew from both Bridge Pa and Waipukurau today. Graham White took his LS8 from Bridge Pa south of Waipukurau in dying wave along with thermals. Conditions from Waipukurau saw hard to work thermals but there was plenty of lift above 3,000ft to keep aloft. After being towed from Bridge Pa to Waipawa, Jason Kelly and Dion Sloan tested the Waipukurau triangle task in the club's Twin Astir GMX. After releasing from tow, they climbed in thermals before starting the task from Waipukurau. This flight was "hors concours", i.e. for fun, as they started above the allowed starting height of 3,000ft and they completed the task in 24 minutes 03 seconds at an average speed of 85.8km/h. Flying ended prematurely as the towplane was involved in an incident which saw it land safely in the paddock next to the airfield but suffering damage in the process.
Club members flew from both Bridge Pa and Waipukurau today. Graham White took his LS8 from Bridge Pa south of Waipukurau in dying wave along with thermals. Conditions from Waipukurau saw hard to work thermals but there was plenty of lift above 3,000ft to keep aloft. After being towed from Bridge Pa to Waipawa, Jason Kelly and Dion Sloan tested the Waipukurau triangle task in the club's Twin Astir GMX. After releasing from tow, they climbed in thermals before starting the task from Waipukurau. This flight was "hors concours", i.e. for fun, as they started above the allowed starting height of 3,000ft and they completed the task in 24 minutes 03 seconds at an average speed of 85.8km/h. Flying ended prematurely as the towplane was involved in an incident which saw it land safely in the paddock next to the airfield but suffering damage in the process.
01 December 2013
Flying from Waipukurau was not possible due to the condition of the airfield but with the wild westerlies of Saturday gone, conditions were ideal from Hastings Airfield for thermals and wave with a south westerly wind dominating the day. Club members launched to as low as 1,800ft before using the available thermals to get into wave and reach heights of just under 15,000ft. Gliders flew south of Dannevirke, west into the ranges and north of Hastings. With clearly defined gentle wave clouds spreading out across the countryside, it was possible to fly right out to the east coast and even over the sea while still being in lift. While the wave was not overly strong, it was very gentle and smooth. Lift was still evident just before 6pm as the last glider landed which required the use of airbrakes to lose height. Conditions were such that Brian and Jason Kelly tested the triangle competition task ex Bridge Pa in the ASH25M GRJ. Flying "hors concours", i.e. for fun as they started above the allowed starting height of 3,000ft, they completed the task in 11 minutes 07 seconds at an average speed of 179.7km/h.
Flying from Waipukurau was not possible due to the condition of the airfield but with the wild westerlies of Saturday gone, conditions were ideal from Hastings Airfield for thermals and wave with a south westerly wind dominating the day. Club members launched to as low as 1,800ft before using the available thermals to get into wave and reach heights of just under 15,000ft. Gliders flew south of Dannevirke, west into the ranges and north of Hastings. With clearly defined gentle wave clouds spreading out across the countryside, it was possible to fly right out to the east coast and even over the sea while still being in lift. While the wave was not overly strong, it was very gentle and smooth. Lift was still evident just before 6pm as the last glider landed which required the use of airbrakes to lose height. Conditions were such that Brian and Jason Kelly tested the triangle competition task ex Bridge Pa in the ASH25M GRJ. Flying "hors concours", i.e. for fun as they started above the allowed starting height of 3,000ft, they completed the task in 11 minutes 07 seconds at an average speed of 179.7km/h.
Using the brakes to descend to return to Hastings as the lift was still working just before 6pm.
24 November 2013
Early morning fog and cloud cleared to a clear blue day with a strong sea breeze present most of the day. The sky was ideal for trial flights and training.
16 & 17 November 2013
Local ATC Cadets had the chance to experience gliding in the club's two seat aircraft with an instructor. Thermals on Saturday were used by Mike Richardson in the PW5 while a relatively poor looking Sunday sky, with thick high cloud, contained some good lift with Graham White flying south of Waipukurau from Bridge Pa before deciding to land at Waipukurau. Other members also took the opportunity to fly locally.
10 November 2013
Morning cloud burnt off to reveal a pristine clear blue day. The sky was dead flat but ideal for trial flights and training.
03 November 2013
Thermals for all today with plenty of flying with not many flights required to keep the gliders airborne much of the day. Pilots reached 5,000ft flying locally and as far south as past Lake Poukawa. Personal milestones were achieved by Mike Richardson with a solo flight of over an hour in the club's PW5 followed by another good flight in the club's Twin Astir while Jason Kelly passed over 100 gliding hours for the calendar year to date. With pilots busy soaring, the planned landing competition was again delayed but thanks largely to Grant Jarden, members enjoyed the scheduled BBQ dinner anyway.
02 November 2013 (Saturday)
A fine and sunny day with specially arranged trial flights in the morning followed by strong in places but hard to work thermals in the afternoon. With Graham White taking HB to Taupo for the Central Plateau Championships, MX flew up to 4,600ft locally in the challenging conditions.
27 October 2013
More wave although not clear or well defined. However, this did not stop pilots climbing to 9,500ft and flying as far south as Flemington. With a mid afternoon cold front passing through, some strong wind gusts and wind direction changes kept pilots on their toes. All in all, another good fun flying day.
20 October 2013
A clear, fine and sunny warm spring day with no lift which was perfect for training, trial flights and starting a landing competition.
14 October 2013 (Monday)
Strong wave, registering up to +15kts / - 20kts on the averager in the club's Grob 103C Twin III, saw members flying between Napier and Takapau at heights of up to 12,000ft. Very strong upper winds were evident with the wave continually, and rapidly, rolling eastwards with clouds forming and vanishing constantly. The photo below was published in the local HB Today newspaper.
Early morning fog and cloud cleared to a clear blue day with a strong sea breeze present most of the day. The sky was ideal for trial flights and training.
16 & 17 November 2013
Local ATC Cadets had the chance to experience gliding in the club's two seat aircraft with an instructor. Thermals on Saturday were used by Mike Richardson in the PW5 while a relatively poor looking Sunday sky, with thick high cloud, contained some good lift with Graham White flying south of Waipukurau from Bridge Pa before deciding to land at Waipukurau. Other members also took the opportunity to fly locally.
10 November 2013
Morning cloud burnt off to reveal a pristine clear blue day. The sky was dead flat but ideal for trial flights and training.
03 November 2013
Thermals for all today with plenty of flying with not many flights required to keep the gliders airborne much of the day. Pilots reached 5,000ft flying locally and as far south as past Lake Poukawa. Personal milestones were achieved by Mike Richardson with a solo flight of over an hour in the club's PW5 followed by another good flight in the club's Twin Astir while Jason Kelly passed over 100 gliding hours for the calendar year to date. With pilots busy soaring, the planned landing competition was again delayed but thanks largely to Grant Jarden, members enjoyed the scheduled BBQ dinner anyway.
02 November 2013 (Saturday)
A fine and sunny day with specially arranged trial flights in the morning followed by strong in places but hard to work thermals in the afternoon. With Graham White taking HB to Taupo for the Central Plateau Championships, MX flew up to 4,600ft locally in the challenging conditions.
27 October 2013
More wave although not clear or well defined. However, this did not stop pilots climbing to 9,500ft and flying as far south as Flemington. With a mid afternoon cold front passing through, some strong wind gusts and wind direction changes kept pilots on their toes. All in all, another good fun flying day.
20 October 2013
A clear, fine and sunny warm spring day with no lift which was perfect for training, trial flights and starting a landing competition.
14 October 2013 (Monday)
Strong wave, registering up to +15kts / - 20kts on the averager in the club's Grob 103C Twin III, saw members flying between Napier and Takapau at heights of up to 12,000ft. Very strong upper winds were evident with the wave continually, and rapidly, rolling eastwards with clouds forming and vanishing constantly. The photo below was published in the local HB Today newspaper.
13 October 2013
Warm temperatures with a south westerly wind saw good thermals which lead to wave. While not classic Hawkes Bay wave, it was smooth and up to 10kts in places with pilots flying north of Tutira, south to Tikokino and deep into the ranges while struggling at times to keep below the 9,000ft airspace clearance given.
Warm temperatures with a south westerly wind saw good thermals which lead to wave. While not classic Hawkes Bay wave, it was smooth and up to 10kts in places with pilots flying north of Tutira, south to Tikokino and deep into the ranges while struggling at times to keep below the 9,000ft airspace clearance given.
06 October 2013
A fine and sunny warm spring day which was perfect for training and trial flights.
29 September 2013
Another wave day with just three gliders taking to the sky. Despite weak and messy lift, the maximum altitude reached was just under 10,500ft with flights ranging from Napier in the north to Dannevirke in the south.
A fine and sunny warm spring day which was perfect for training and trial flights.
29 September 2013
Another wave day with just three gliders taking to the sky. Despite weak and messy lift, the maximum altitude reached was just under 10,500ft with flights ranging from Napier in the north to Dannevirke in the south.
22 September 2013
Early morning high cloud, drizzle and rain gave way to a typically fine, warm and sunny Hawkes Bay day. This brought with it good early Spring local thermals with the club two seaters both achieving one hour plus flights with some good strong climbs achieved.
15 September 2013
Cool, overcast conditions with drizzle prevented any flying today. The day concluded with the monthly committee meeting followed by the AGM. The only change to the club executive was the appointment of Mike Richardson as Club Captain with Grant Jarden assistant club captain.
09 September 2013 (Monday)
A wave day but not as we know it in Hawkes Bay with scrappy lift under 6,000ft and no normal roll clouds. This was probably caused by the strong southerly component which registered a 54kt head wind at one stage while heading south. Despite this, flights north almost to Tutira and south to Takapau were achieved with climbs to 12,000ft.
Early morning high cloud, drizzle and rain gave way to a typically fine, warm and sunny Hawkes Bay day. This brought with it good early Spring local thermals with the club two seaters both achieving one hour plus flights with some good strong climbs achieved.
15 September 2013
Cool, overcast conditions with drizzle prevented any flying today. The day concluded with the monthly committee meeting followed by the AGM. The only change to the club executive was the appointment of Mike Richardson as Club Captain with Grant Jarden assistant club captain.
09 September 2013 (Monday)
A wave day but not as we know it in Hawkes Bay with scrappy lift under 6,000ft and no normal roll clouds. This was probably caused by the strong southerly component which registered a 54kt head wind at one stage while heading south. Despite this, flights north almost to Tutira and south to Takapau were achieved with climbs to 12,000ft.
08 September 2013
By the time members launched, early morning wave had largely dissipated due to a passing cold front which lead to rough and short flights and a short flying day.
01 September 2013
The first official day of Spring saw a typical Spring day of showers, sunshine and more showers.
25 August 2013
While the forecast during the week ranged from rain to sunshine, the only one that mattered was on the day. It turned out to be a great day for trial flights and training with mostly calm air and a light and variable wind all day under brilliant sunshine after a cool start.
18 August 2013
Another typical glider pilots week ....... spring like weather during the week with showers and rain on Sunday making no flying possible.
11 August 2013
After a week containing spring like weather, persistent drizzle and rain on Sunday made no flying possible.
04 August 2013
Persistent rain all day saw no flying and the planned landing competition postponed until a normal sunny Hawkes Bay day.
28 July 2013
Yet again another perfect day for trial flights and training with calm air and a very light and variable wind all day under brilliant sunshine after a crisp start. Suitable weather for good thermals is getting closer!
21 July 2013
Another perfect day for trial flights and training with calm air and a very light and variable wind all day under brilliant sunshine after a crisp start. Mike Richardson progressed to the PW5 and is looking forward to summer to further his gliding.
14 July 2013
Again the forecast rain set in for the day preventing all flying.
07 July 2013
A wave day with pilots enjoying up to 14kt average lift while flying between Bay View in the north to south of Takapau at heights of up to 11,000ft. The local air traffic controller called it "a wall of gliders" when advising traffic to passing AirNZ flights. Much of the day was blue with the few clouds changing rapidly. Thankfully the ground winds never reached the extremes predicted and peaked at around 15-20kts before changing to mostly southerly later in the day which destroyed all local wave lift.
30 June 2013
A perfect day for trial flights and training with calm air and a very light and variable wind all day under brilliant sunshine after a crisp start. Stunning views of Hawkes Bay from above were enjoyed by those who took to the air.
By the time members launched, early morning wave had largely dissipated due to a passing cold front which lead to rough and short flights and a short flying day.
01 September 2013
The first official day of Spring saw a typical Spring day of showers, sunshine and more showers.
25 August 2013
While the forecast during the week ranged from rain to sunshine, the only one that mattered was on the day. It turned out to be a great day for trial flights and training with mostly calm air and a light and variable wind all day under brilliant sunshine after a cool start.
18 August 2013
Another typical glider pilots week ....... spring like weather during the week with showers and rain on Sunday making no flying possible.
11 August 2013
After a week containing spring like weather, persistent drizzle and rain on Sunday made no flying possible.
04 August 2013
Persistent rain all day saw no flying and the planned landing competition postponed until a normal sunny Hawkes Bay day.
28 July 2013
Yet again another perfect day for trial flights and training with calm air and a very light and variable wind all day under brilliant sunshine after a crisp start. Suitable weather for good thermals is getting closer!
21 July 2013
Another perfect day for trial flights and training with calm air and a very light and variable wind all day under brilliant sunshine after a crisp start. Mike Richardson progressed to the PW5 and is looking forward to summer to further his gliding.
14 July 2013
Again the forecast rain set in for the day preventing all flying.
07 July 2013
A wave day with pilots enjoying up to 14kt average lift while flying between Bay View in the north to south of Takapau at heights of up to 11,000ft. The local air traffic controller called it "a wall of gliders" when advising traffic to passing AirNZ flights. Much of the day was blue with the few clouds changing rapidly. Thankfully the ground winds never reached the extremes predicted and peaked at around 15-20kts before changing to mostly southerly later in the day which destroyed all local wave lift.
30 June 2013
A perfect day for trial flights and training with calm air and a very light and variable wind all day under brilliant sunshine after a crisp start. Stunning views of Hawkes Bay from above were enjoyed by those who took to the air.
Clear skies above Hawkes Bay
Climbing under power in GHB, the club's Grob 103C III SL.
Soaring Magazine Club News June - July 2013
The last two months have been relatively quiet on the flying front punctuated with the occasional brilliant thermal day and some good convergences. Wave has been rare at the time of writing and mostly seen on weekdays with a number of members taking advantage to fly on ANZAC Day afternoon.
One of the founding members and early presidents of the club, Gerry van Asch (father of the current Club President Gerrit), passed away recently. Brian Kelly organised a fly past for the funeral service utilising the club’s towplane, Graham White’s LS8, the club’s Grob 103SL motorglider and Brian’s shared ASH25M. This was appreciated by the family.
The club website at www.glidinghbw.co.nz is now up and running. Further development of this site is planned as time progresses.
Club Captain Grant Jarden is organising a spot landing competition and club BBQ scheduled for May. The club is also applying for funds to try and run a youth scholarship to help bolster our flying ranks and maintain good flying levels during the winter months.
23 June 2013
A freezing cold southerly deterred members from taking to the sky today. It must be mid-winter.
16 June 2013
The forecast rain arrived early and settled in for the day so there was no flying.
09 June 2013
The forecast rain never eventuated but lead to most pilots not flying today in what turned out to be a good day for training.
02 June 2013
An interesting flying day with early northwest cross winds on the ground dying out. Strong westerlies higher up and heavy sink were evident in places but no local wave could be found. Smooth air and weak inconsistent lift saw climbs to over 4,300ft with the LS4 managing to stay aloft for over two hours until near dark.
The last two months have been relatively quiet on the flying front punctuated with the occasional brilliant thermal day and some good convergences. Wave has been rare at the time of writing and mostly seen on weekdays with a number of members taking advantage to fly on ANZAC Day afternoon.
One of the founding members and early presidents of the club, Gerry van Asch (father of the current Club President Gerrit), passed away recently. Brian Kelly organised a fly past for the funeral service utilising the club’s towplane, Graham White’s LS8, the club’s Grob 103SL motorglider and Brian’s shared ASH25M. This was appreciated by the family.
The club website at www.glidinghbw.co.nz is now up and running. Further development of this site is planned as time progresses.
Club Captain Grant Jarden is organising a spot landing competition and club BBQ scheduled for May. The club is also applying for funds to try and run a youth scholarship to help bolster our flying ranks and maintain good flying levels during the winter months.
23 June 2013
A freezing cold southerly deterred members from taking to the sky today. It must be mid-winter.
16 June 2013
The forecast rain arrived early and settled in for the day so there was no flying.
09 June 2013
The forecast rain never eventuated but lead to most pilots not flying today in what turned out to be a good day for training.
02 June 2013
An interesting flying day with early northwest cross winds on the ground dying out. Strong westerlies higher up and heavy sink were evident in places but no local wave could be found. Smooth air and weak inconsistent lift saw climbs to over 4,300ft with the LS4 managing to stay aloft for over two hours until near dark.
26 May 2013
Unfortunately no flying today due to the unavailability of a towplane.
19 May 2013
Congratulations to Mike Richardson on his first solo flight today.
25 April 2013
Good wave today with club members flying north to Tutira and south to Dannevirke.
Soaring Magazine Club News April - May 2013
With the return of “normal” summer weather, the club has seen considerably more flying than last year from both our Waipukurau and Hastings bases. While good flying has been had from both sites, it has been noted that on some days better soaring has occurred from Hastings. Hopefully the flyable weather continues well into autumn and we get the usual wave.
Our self launching Grob 103C Twin III SL (GHB) has been flying from both sites with members flying from Hastings to Waipukurau and back both with only thermals and the aid of power. We are planning to use this glider to help train pilots further in cross country flying. It can also be used in training pilots to obtain self launching ratings.
Our students John Pluymers and Richie van Overeem have both gone solo while Dick Ryan, Dion Sloan and Mike Richardson are working towards this goal. Craig Hunter has rejoined the club as an associate member and is planning to base his Open Cirrus at Hastings.
The Central Districts Championships were held from Waipukurau in mid-January with a disappointing number of entries. After a pilot’s meeting on the future of the event, a discussion document has been drawn up by this year’s contest director, David Davidson, and this has been distributed to all North Island clubs for their comments. It is also available on the web at http://cdchamps.blogspot.co.nz/ for any others who wish to comment. Congratulations to Graham White who not only was the weatherman, task setter and scorer but also won this year's competition.
The club executive has seen some mid-term changes with Rod Wellwood appointed Chief Tow Pilot replacing Steve Holder who is currently spending more time throwing people out of a perfectly serviceable airplane hoping that their rag will open and stop them bouncing and Jason Kelly as Club Secretary, replacing David Davidson.
David has been a stalwart of the club for many years having acted as President, Secretary, and Contest Director at different times. It is great to see new blood in the club and great to have the seasoned advice of people like David to assist in ensuring the club remains successful into the future.
Unfortunately no flying today due to the unavailability of a towplane.
19 May 2013
Congratulations to Mike Richardson on his first solo flight today.
25 April 2013
Good wave today with club members flying north to Tutira and south to Dannevirke.
Soaring Magazine Club News April - May 2013
With the return of “normal” summer weather, the club has seen considerably more flying than last year from both our Waipukurau and Hastings bases. While good flying has been had from both sites, it has been noted that on some days better soaring has occurred from Hastings. Hopefully the flyable weather continues well into autumn and we get the usual wave.
Our self launching Grob 103C Twin III SL (GHB) has been flying from both sites with members flying from Hastings to Waipukurau and back both with only thermals and the aid of power. We are planning to use this glider to help train pilots further in cross country flying. It can also be used in training pilots to obtain self launching ratings.
Our students John Pluymers and Richie van Overeem have both gone solo while Dick Ryan, Dion Sloan and Mike Richardson are working towards this goal. Craig Hunter has rejoined the club as an associate member and is planning to base his Open Cirrus at Hastings.
The Central Districts Championships were held from Waipukurau in mid-January with a disappointing number of entries. After a pilot’s meeting on the future of the event, a discussion document has been drawn up by this year’s contest director, David Davidson, and this has been distributed to all North Island clubs for their comments. It is also available on the web at http://cdchamps.blogspot.co.nz/ for any others who wish to comment. Congratulations to Graham White who not only was the weatherman, task setter and scorer but also won this year's competition.
The club executive has seen some mid-term changes with Rod Wellwood appointed Chief Tow Pilot replacing Steve Holder who is currently spending more time throwing people out of a perfectly serviceable airplane hoping that their rag will open and stop them bouncing and Jason Kelly as Club Secretary, replacing David Davidson.
David has been a stalwart of the club for many years having acted as President, Secretary, and Contest Director at different times. It is great to see new blood in the club and great to have the seasoned advice of people like David to assist in ensuring the club remains successful into the future.
