For many the thought of glider flying conjures up an image of a sunny summer day, with sleek white aircraft circling under fluffy white clouds in an otherwise clear blue sky. And certainly, for many Darlton pilots, these may well be the weather conditions that produce their longest, most memorable flights.

But these are not the only days when we fly! In fact, at Darlton we'll be launching gliders all year round – winter, summer, autumn, & spring; when there's snow on the ground, April showers, a chill wind from the North, or a serious risk of sunburn!

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So what weather conditions might actually prevent flying?

Wind

Two common misconceptions are that gliders – because they lack an engine – either must fly in wind (like a kite), or else cannot be flown in wind. Neither is true. Of course the strength of the wind creates different conditions, and adapting to these is one of the glider pilot's skills. In fact, in hilly and mountainous regions the interaction of strong winds with the ground topology creates valuable "lift", keeping the glider aloft for flights that can cover over 1000 km!

At DGC only very strong and blustery winds (above 30 mph) stop us launching.

Mist, Fog, Low Cloud

Gliders will not be launched when visibility is restricted. Often, early morning mists will lift by mid-day, so that a delayed start may be possible.

Rain

We do not fly through rain! Continuous rain – often associated with low cloud – will cause the abandonment of flying. But, in showery weather, launch operations can simply be paused while a shower passes over the airfield, and gliders in the air may choose to fly around the shower.