Glider Tasks from Ridgewell Airfield
This page suggests some possible routes for flying a glider
across country from Ridgewell Airfield for badge flights.
Devised by Ralph
Click on a link below to see details of each route.
General Comments about Flying Across Country
To fly across country, a pilot must be suitably trained in soaring, navigation and field landings techniques.
Successful and safe flying across country depends on:-
1) The weather
2) The skill of the pilot
3) The task selected
4) The performance of the glider
It is vital to get plenty of experience of soaring locally before trying a first flight across country.
First flights away should be made in good soaring conditions with a high cloud base, when there are plenty of fields available.
Mid summer most of the fields near Ridgewell have tall crops, making this a bad time for a first flight across country.
This time can be tricky even for an experienced pilot.
I tend to use a cautious technique.
I try to stay high 4000 ft + and in gliding range of other gliding clubs such as Rattlesden.
The gliding range very much depends on the weather conditions, wind, possibility of showers, cloud and sink streets.
Also crucially, the performance of the glider.
I usually point one GPS to 'GOTO' the nearest gliding club.
If soaring conditions fade, and height is being lost, there is an option to divert towards a nearby gliding club,
and try to soar nearby until conditions improve.
I use the compass or alternative GPS and visual navigation to make progress on the task.
Don't assume a compass reads correctly.
It can be checked against ground features near home airfield before setting off.
AERO-TOW RETRIEVES
Beware of aero-tow retrieves if you are tired and flying a glider with a belly hook.
Aero-tow retrieves are often flown fast and flat and need a lot of concentration, especially if towing through turbulence around thermals.
It may be safer to enjoy a cup of tea in the club house and await a road retrieve.
CAMBRIDGE AIRPORT
For tasks heading west or North west past Cambridge (Marshall's) Airport, there are ILS approaches marked on the latest 1/2 million maps. If going near these approaches, Cambridge would like to be called. Their frequency is 123.600 MHz as on the 2017 1/2 million map.
WATTISHAM MATZ and ATZ
For tasks heading East past Sudbury and Rattlesden beware of Wattisham airfield. If you are heading that way and losing height, best tune their frequency and give them a call with your position before entering the ATZ. See latest 1/2 million maps.
The NMT GRT, Newmarket Gt Ashfield triangle has been removed, because NMT TP was too close to the Cambridge ILS. A much better alternative task is a triangle via DIS and STD as below. This keep well clear of any airspace
For FAI Badge Claims, the glider must be flown into he appropriate sectors opposite the incoming and outgoing legs. This mean essentially the glider must be flown round the TP or at least to the opposite side of the Turn Point.
This also applies to the start point and end point. So for most of these task, 50km, 100 km, 300km etc, the glider must start SOUTH of Ridgewell, and finish SOUTH of Ridgewell. See an official observer or BGA web site for more info on FAI Badge tasks.
50km Silver Distance
Silver to Tibenham Gliding Club Ideal for South Westerly also South & West winds.
Silver Distance to Upwood Gliding Club Ideal for South Easterly winds.
100km and 200 km Tasks
100 km triangle - Diss, Stradishall This 100 km diploma triangle keeps clear of Cambridge ILS and MATZ
. Good for SW and NE winds. 109 km
300km Gold Distance and Diamond Goal flights
Mendlesham Mast, Husbands Bosworth 300km Triangle for Westerly WNW, WSW and light winds.
BLI Blidworth 300km Out and Return for North Westerly winds.
500km Diamond distance flights
Bungay, Broadway, Bury St Edmunds
Flat triangle, Ideal for Westerly and WSW winds - all the B's: Bun, Bro, BSE.
Husbands Bosworth, Rattlesden, Skeffington
Double out and return for WNW and NW winds: Hus Rat Ske.
The routes are selected for the following features.
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Easy Navigation using ground features such as railway lines and major towns.
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The use of easily recognised standard BGA turning points.
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Avoidance of controlled airspace, to allow the pilot to fly in any direction to find thermals.
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Tasks are designed to benefit from cloud streets aligned with the wind.
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Avoidance of Coastal effects detrimental to soaring.
The affect of the wind on your choice of task.
The choice of task can make all the difference between a successful flight and a frustrating field landing. The wind direction should be used to your advantage. In windy weather cross wind tasks are difficult because the glider flies through the sink between cloud streets. On closed-circuit tasks, it is better if the glider uses the cloud streets by flying directly into wind for half the task distance. This is best done in the middle of the afternoon when the thermals are stongest. The weaker thermals in the morning and late afternoon/evening are best used to make progress downwind. So a closed-circuit task should have a downwind leg first, followed by a longer into wind leg, followed by a downwind leg back to Ridgewell. Eg For a westerly wind 300k, start by going down wind East to Mendlesham mast in the morning with the low cloud base and weaker morning thermals, As the conditions improve, head West into wind along the cloud streets to Husbands Bosworth. At the end of the day, you again head East, down wind to fly back East to Ridgewell. You can't always follow this rule. If there is a North Easterly wind blowing you towards Stansted, then you have to accept going into wind to start the task. This gets you safely away from the controlled airspace.
Disclaimer
All information is provided for indicative purposes only. All navigation information should be checked by pilots before starting out. No liability is accepted for any errors or omissions. Nothing in these pages is intended to absolve pilots from taking responsibility for their own safety. Good airmanship should prevail at all times.
Links
British Gliding Association: www.gliding.co.uk useful for turnpoint information and all sorts of other gliding info.
Direct Link to BGA Gliding Waypoint TP as at 28 Feb 2024: Full turnpoint information.