On Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 5:45:06 AM UTC-7, Dave Walsh wrote:
You'd have to live in a very flat area to consider Enstone a
"hill top site": it's enormous and flat.

At 06:17 10 February 2018, wrote:
On Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 5:49:33 AM UTC, Mike
the Strike wrote:
On Friday, February 9, 2018 at 12:41:53 PM UTC-7,
Frank Whiteley wrote:
Hill top sites are not uncommon in the UK. Winds can
create what I
cal=
l 'curl' over such sites. My first glider was lost when a
partner got
caug=
ht in the downside of such curl on his downwind and
despite abbreviating
th=
e circuit failed to make the airfield and crashed in the
valley. This was
=
in East Anglia. I once took a winch launch and upon
turning final chased
t=
he ASI to the ground and a very abrupt stop 50 yards short
of the runway
in=
standing barley. This was at Enstone, another hill top site.
There is
ne=
arly a 400ft difference in elevation between the river
bottom west of
Exete=
r and the Dartmoor site, which would result in pretty
squirrelly
conditions=
.. Having learned soaring in the UK, I'm a bit surprised
about some
aspects=
of the event.
=20
Matt's videos are wonderful and I'd just watched
Chasing Diamonds a
few=
days prior to hearing of his accident. As I'd flown from
Lleweni Parc a
f=
ew times, including out over the Irish Sea, I really enjoyed
this video.
=20
Frank Whiteley
=20
"The Clutching Hand"!
=20
Mike


Read the account closely regarding airspeeds, attitudes and
known control
i=
nputs in the seconds after the cable break. I am surprised
about what is
no=
t included in this report.


I'll give you that, but there are 200+/- foot rolling variations in the area which may result in turbulent air when it's windy. It's been many years, but I've flown some of the ridge at Challock and it's generally around 300ft, less in spots, as I recall. Near the ground doesn't take much. Looked pretty flat also.

Frank Whiteley