Wow, I mean Wow!

[Parapunter]

Went out for a day's schlepping round the sky on my glider yesterday. A nice warmish day (for February), with nice blue skies & a few cu's knocking around. So far, so good, then about four-ish I guess, I suddenly found that in a straight line for about a good 3/4 of a mile, I was just going up & up & up. It seemed as though the whole valley was lifting off, almost like restitution lift that you experience in the Alps as the land gives up it's heat at the end of the day. First of all, it was a little bumpy, then it smoothed out & was like what I can only describe as being on an elevator - glassy smooth lift in any direction. As I passed 4,500 ASL I suddenly noticed the unmistakeable shape of lenticular clouds - WAVE! we were flying in wave, presumably it had set up off the North Downs in the prevailing North Westerly.

I've never but never in eleven years of gliding been in wave - usually, wave in the mountains is the biggest no go of all, but in the relative flatlands of Southern England, it gave me one of the most magical flying experiences I've ever enjoyed. On the buggeration front though, the day looked very average in the morning, so I opted not to lash on my camera. Twit!:{ However, the view into London to the North & the Isle of Wight to the South West & the weald to the west is something I'll file away in my mind for when the grand kids are bouncing on my old knees:ok:

[RJM]

Lucky you - attaining the pure joy of flying. It reminds me of my dad's WWII story (he was in North Africa) about a local Spitfire pilot who would take off at dusk some evenings and just do huge swooping loops etc for a while then land. Probably testing the machine! :rolleyes:

[Krystal n chips]

Para,
Check your PM's :E ;) :D

[jabberwok]

Funny how flying can do that. Every now and again, just as you begin to think it is getting a bit humdrum, something magical comes along and kicks you in the pants..

[18greens]

Where was the wave?

I saw wave cloud over Tunbridge on Saturday and was quite surprised. I doubted it could have been wave so far from mountains but you've verified it.

[Parapunter]

Lentics were forming over Hassocks & Henfield mid afternoon yesterday, they were quite short lived, but the effect was pronounced & low level too. We hooked a ride at 1000 ato - Devils Dyke by the way. One factor, wave only set up mid afternoon, as the wind shifted to NNW - previously, We'd had a NW light flow all day.:ok:

[TURIN]

Nice to hear someone just enjoying the experience instead of banging on about how great a pilot they are!

You're a bit unlucky not to have encountered wave before though.

Winter flying in the Peak District it is almost a given that you will catch wave, I've done it and I'm probably the worst Hangie to have ever 'slipped these earthly bonds....'

Keep up the reports, I always enjoy reading a fellow free flyers tales.:ok:

[Blinkz]

Wave in the mountains no go?? are you mad?? Obviously care is needed but the expereince is well worth it. I've got some amazing photos from a trip up to 13,000ft over Fife in glorious Scottish wave. Amazing stuff!! Like you say there is just nothing better then the vario squealing in delights as it goes over the scale and you ever so smoothly just rocket skywards. Getting down can be a little tricky.......Vra with the airbrakes open trying to land before last light was interesting.....:)

[David Roberts]

Have a look at
http://www.btinternet.com/~wokingham.weather/etc06/ob06-1647-c-ir.html

for excellent wave today to the west and over Ireland.

Yesterday's wave in Scotland, and the detectible wave over the south is just visible on the previous days' page.

[engineless john]

Used to fly at Parham, in W. Sussex, and there was useable wave several times a year. Usually it was in a SE to S wind, and it never got very high, best I ever got was an hour creeping around at min sink at around 3500' just outside the Gatwick TMA. Even saw stacked plate lenticulars over Petersfield once, although I was on the ground at the time.... :(
Cheers
John