29 July, from the crew dude

Hi all!

Quite a few people de-rigged last night, including us.  So at 0300 I just happened to be awake, waiting for anything interesting to happen, and... nothing.

That changed at 0800.  Dark sky to the south-west (I still have to get my bearings here!) and shortly afterwards it started raining.  More thunder too, and at 0900 (now) it's still going.  Good idea to stick the glider in the box.

One flash just 3 k's away, and the rain radar seems to indicate it'll continue for a while yet.  Maybe a clear patch will come over but the forecast for tonight is more thinderstorms.

Briefing's been deferred an hour, it's at 1100 now so I guess we'll find out what's happening today then.

Clearing up to the west now.

Update at 1545:

Tasks are set, for standard 170 km or so to the south-east and south-west, in an area nominally devoid of ominous clouds.  Finish gridding by 1245, first launch 1315.

1315 comes and goes.  The sniffer goes up at 1330, which is now the revised launch time.  Which means first launch will be somewhat later.

Not sure what the sniffer finds, but it's in Polish and I'm guessing very average conditions.  And not climbing high either.  Launch time goes out to 1400.

Then 1415.  And drop to task "B".

Then launch time is 1430.

Shortly afterwards, club class is cancelled and launch time for standard is 1500.

Then standard is cancelled, and the airfield gets another 4000 litres dropped on it!

Back to de-rig the 28 assuming the forecast thunderstorms tonight roll in.  Right now the sky's looking good, but it's 1 1/2 hours between organising the start and finally opening the gate, and then a further 1 1/2 hours on task.  Which means that everyone will get back around 1800 and I don't know what the weather will be doing then.

Meantime I got some pics of the grid waiting to be launched so will post those when I slurp them off the camera.

Just checked the forecast - rain tonight and into tomorrow morning.

Cheers