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Mid-week Flying

Thought I would try the "good old mid-week flying" trick to get my first cross-country from Moirs.

It didn't work. Although things looked reasonably promising, it wasn't a classic day, far from it.

Once again lightish winds with a forecast Easterly swing later in the day.

On arrival at the carpark I could see one glider in the air, but barely above ridge height. At the launch I saw they had landed on the lower left hand spur. Not promising.

Setting up I waited for the pilot to climb back up the hill so I could get a report. After a while I gave up waiting and launched, there certainly appeared to be cycles coming up the hill.

Managed to ridge soar for a short time but there wasn't anything of note to take me higher. Eventually sinking out I pushed out over the LZ only to get a small lift of about 80m before once again sinking and then landing.

Interestingly while out the front over the LZ I observed thistle seeds flying by, first from a Westerly direction and then shortly after from an Easterly direction. This directional change flicked back and forth a couple of times, probably indicating the wind swinging to the forecast Easterly.

Also noted a time of launch, was that I took off into a SSW breeze yet the clouds above were moving from the East.

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