Welcome to Lleweni Parc airfield. We do hope you will have a very enjoyable time here. Some points to bear in mind:
Our Flying order book is here- Denbigh Gliding Club Flying order book-LAPTOP-KV5P4BCM
Our Post Accident guide is here- post-accident-guide-denbigh gliding
We try to operate in an atmosphere of minimum regulation, but have two over riding guidelines:
1. Don’t crash or damage your glider.
2. Provided you don’t risk infringing guideline 1, please keep off the grass.
We are obliged to be quite firm about use of the grass. Our runway is surrounded by 180 acres of prime farmland. This is rented out to a local farmer, and his rent subsidises our flying. We are keen to continue our good relations with him. There is plenty of room to operate from only the tarmac runway and peri track, but this does involve a little bit of self discipline and planning. In particular, a landing glider needs to leave room for the next aircraft to come in behind. Having landed on the runway, this requires you to roll to a controlled, braked, stop at the far end.
In general, the demands of operating from the runway require a degree of pilot experience. Our standard Minimum experience requirement is Silver ‘C’ , if you do not have this, get in touch with the CFI who will give you the instruction needed to fly safely here.
During expeditions, a briefing will be held in the clubroom each morning at 0930 to allow all pilots to compare notes and agree procedures for the day. This will also be the opportunity for the expedition leader/responsible pilot to advise if any wave boxes have been opened.
To fly at Lleweni you should be a member of a BGA club.
Before flying it is your responsibility to ensure you are aware of where the controlled airspace boundaries are located. (Fast Jets train in this area). To be certain of avoidance of controlled airspace it is strongly recommended that you fly with a moving map loaded with the latest airspace files. We strongly advise pilots to make sure you fly with the transponders switched on, as this is the only Electronic Conspicuity that is helpful to minimise risk with the military aircraft.
Clubhouse
Self catering is available in the clubhouse. Lleweni has no catering or cleaning staff so we must ask you to clean up behind yourself and dispose of your own rubbish.
DOMESTIC
- Essentially the field is valuable grassland, tended by a farmer for his nearby farm. Our operations take place only from the hardstandings and the Runway. Therefore please take special care to KEEP OFF THE GRASS !
- There are various possibilities for camping and caravanning on site. Please ask for the current locations.
- Gliders and trailers may be parked at the east end trailer park. Please take the trailers as far forward as possible. This leaves room for rigging behind the trailers, with still sufficient room for gliders to manoeuvre behind on to the three “marshalling tracks” at right angles to runway 27. When operating from runway 09 please park and marshal your glider on the five hardstandings provided at the west end of the runway. Please Park Cars at the clubhouse and hangar and elsewhere such that a glider wingspan may always pass behind you without impedance. For 27 Ops, there is a car park to the side of the East Hangar.
- We may be able to offer a slot in a hangar for short term hangar use.
FLYING OPERATIONS:
Pilots at Lleweni Parc are under the control of Chris Gill, our Chief Flying Instructor. We suggest an experience level of Silver ‘C’ as a minimum for visiting pilots, but this is all under the CFI’s discretion. We can offer instruction to bring you up to the desired ability threshold.
- Briefings are usually held at 09:30, please ensure you are there if you want to fly on that day
- Make sure you fill in the relevant paperwork to cover insurance and understanding of the site brief/ops before you fly
- Please keep your speed down on the perimeter tracks (25mph), and park your trailer in line as close to the woods as you can. This will give you space to rig whilst allowing other gliders to pass behind you, to and from the launch point.
- The crown in the airfield means that we cannot see the beacon on the winch from the launch point. Please treat cables with even more caution than usual.
- When you are ready to fly please position your glider on one of the “marshalling tracks”. These are used for final preparation, so that you can be positioned on the runway and immediately launched with minimum obstruction to the runway (All operations take place from the hard runway (09/27). Please KEEP OFF THE GRASS! This is a valuable resource for the farmer with whom we have good relations. Bear in mind that depending on recent weather conditions, it may not always be a safe surface.
- RADIO frequency is 129.060: Call “Denbigh traffic” or “Denbigh Base” as appropriate. The winch is controlled on this frequency, and all other Denbigh aircraft will be on frequency when in the immediate area. We must eliminate conflicts on our only runway and all aircraft/vehicles must be equipped with a working radio prior to entering the runway. It is essential that you monitor the frequency and broadcast your intentions
- Prior to entering the runway (taxi, towout, launch, recovery, etc.)
- Before rejoining circuit (5 minute call)
- Before landing (downwind call)
- To keep this frequency clear for circuit traffic, please pass all soaring messages on 130.105 or one of the other cross country frequencies.
- Winch launch procedure: Check weak link. Check with wing man all clear above and behind then you command the winchman thus: “Denbigh winch, DDT, Duo Discus, two up, Take up slack” (there is no need to specify which cable as we are always obliged to use the north cable first). Think carefully about your proficiency and currency at winch launching. In particular consider the actions you will take in case of winch failure: Call “More Speed” or “SLOWER” or wave off. Lleweni is not as large as some generously proportioned sites, but there is a safe landing option from any height, or situation, of failed launch. Although we are operating only from the runway, an emergency can dictate that the grass is used. Please tread back down any ruts that you may create – to be fair to the farmer.
- You will of course be flying with an up to date map and electronic aids showing controlled airspace. Be particularly aware of the way that PEPZE airway “encroaches” into the vale south of the site: Its western boundary is not parallel to the ridge! This is important when you are traversing up and down the wave, which typically is aligned with the valley. You will have made yourself aware of all relevant NOTAMS.
- You must roll to the far end of the runway. This is obviously to permit all those behind you to have space to do the same.
- If you are unfortunate enough to land out please be aware of our good relationships with the local farmers and do all you can to strengthen them. In particular you will, no doubt, not forget the customary bottle of thanks to the farmer.
- Please put any rock wheel chocks etc. you have used for your trailer at the side of the car park against the woods.
Several local agreements allow us to optimise our use of the local airspace. Prior to flying each day, the “responsible pilot” needs to decide which of these need to be implemented and ensure that all pilots are made aware of the day’s arrangements at briefing.
1. Transponder Exempt Zone
The Welsh Non SSR Area permits flight by gliders above FL100 without a transponder. The Welsh area covers all areas likely to be accessed from Lleweni and is available as a pda airspace file from here. No special actions are required to take advantage of this exemption.
2. The AMPIT Triangle (under negotiation with CAA)
The fillet of airspace overhead Lleweni shown as class A above FL145 is know as the AMPIT triangle. A phone call to Prestwick can have this base raised to FL185 to allow wave soaring over the vale.
Call the Duty Contrpoller on 01294 655300 and tell them that you are calling from Denbigh Gliding. Request that the AMPIT Triangle is made available for gliding from ??:?? hours zulu until ??:?? hours zulu (or dusk) from FL145 to FL185. They may need to call you back to confirm the clearance. The full LoA can be found here.
3. Welsh TRA(G)s (Under negotiation with CAA)
The Welsh TRA(G)s (aka Wave Boxes) allow access to airspace above FL195 at weekends only. They can be opened by phoning Swanwick mil west.
Call the Swanwick Mil West superviser on 01489 612417 and tell him that you want to open some of the TRA(G)s. Normally you will require Welsh Lower Area ‘B’ and ‘C’ and maybe Area ‘A’. These extend from FL195 to FL240 and once opened are available for unrestricted operation provided the pilot monitors 130.1MHz.
Access above FL240 requires the Upper Area(s) to be opened. These areas require radio communication with a military controller which requires specialist oxygen/radio equipment and are unlikely to be used without considerable advance planning.
The full LoA can be found in two parts here and here.
OUR RIDGE-
Please see this video to see the full length of the ridge from a Winch Launch- Soaring Denbighs Ridge – YouTube
Please see this video on how to soar our complex ridge safely- Staying safe on Denbigh’s Ridge – YouTube
Please see this guidance from the BGA on ridge and mountain soaring- https://members.gliding.co.uk/bga-safety-management/managing-flying-risk-index/managing-flying-risk-hill-ridge-and-mountain-soaring/