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New Glider

I have been very lucky and acquired an "as new" Airborne Shark. C/w a pair of spare uprights that hope I  will never need!
If any one is going out please give me a call. I am keen to get my first flight in at Harting or Mercury or possibly Swanborough[NE private site HG only with nice TL and BL] near Newhaven.
If anyone is thinking of a new glider the guy I bought this from has a laminar topless also in immaculate condition.
 
Ian P

Ringstead 21st October, windy sunset flight.

I got to Ringstead about 3.30pm and watched the hangies fly about for a few hours waiting for the wind to drop enough for paragliding. By 5.30pm it seemed to have dropped a bit (maybe my imagination or wishful thinking!) and gone south so I set my kit up on the hill. Sods law, it seemed to pick up as soon as I clipped in and I spent 5 minutes holding on for dear life as the wing thrashed about. I took my chance in a short dip in the wind to get up and away. Penetration was ok, sometimes no ground speed at trim speed, guessing wind was 18-24mph. After getting great height on the ridge I pushed forward on half bar towards the cliffs, easily making it with loads of height. I'm very impressed with the Gin Sprint as it penetrated the wind very well, as it can be difficult to get to the cliffs on a paraglider in a southerly. On the cliffs the lift band was huge and it was very easy to get very high considering the wind was off the cliffs. If only I had launched earlier I could have made it to Lulworth and back easily. As it was I had a bimble about for a while and then landed in the back field just before sunset. Peachy in the end and I had the site to myself!

I also have some photos from St Aldhelms Head last Sunday, beautiful Skysurfers outing with myself, Darren Griffin, Neil Withers and Simon Vacher. We had a couple of hours there before moving to Kimmeridge for another couple of hours there. Have to be greedy with airtime this time of year, as good conditions are few and far between.

Photos here

Richard

Ringstead - Friday 21st October

Cracker of a day.Overcast until mid-afternoon, then the sun made an appearance. Solid and consistent 18-20mph SW backing slightly by teatime. Ian P. and I arrived around 11am, rigged and flying by noon. Even the hill was working to 400ft with gentle lift wafting up from the farm. Best height on the cliffs 900ft. Ian enjoyed 3 flights and top landings – another new site. I accrued over 2.5hours airtime. We were joined later by a couple of Wessex pilots, but otherwise had the place to ourselves. Perfect day to relive during the coming winter months!

Brian.

Bell Hill - Monday 29th August

More breeze and more sunshine than forecast. Arrived just after 11am with Ian P., (new site). Parking space was at a premium. As expected, packed with PG but good to see several HG as well.

Breeze picked up not long after we arrived and PG were grounded for most of the day. The hangies enjoyed themselves with good height gains, (I got 2,200ft ATO on my 40min flight.) Lots of usable lift. Good to see Tony B. having a couple of long soaring flights.

Top field still in high crop which put me off. After watching a number of tricky landings I elected to land at the bottom and join Ian who totalled 3 flights. A very pleasant day.

(Other SSC pilots went to Westbury – what was it like there, chaps?)

Brian.

Blorenge Fly In

Headed to the Blorenge for the SE Wales fly-in. I was the only SSC Hangie, in fact there were only about 5 in the whole event. Forecast was not great and turned out to be pretty windy, Saturday blown out so on Sunday headed for the coast. Had a corking day at Rhossilli, never flown here before and what a lovely site. Unexpectedly, for a coastal site, I hooked into something that took me all the way to base at 3k.

Thanks to the SSC PG crown for entertaining me, we had a good BBQ on Saturday night.

Had to return home for parenting duties on Monday which looked far better.

James

P.S am I the only person reading or using this blog?

My Favourite Site, 8th August

My favourite site.....at the beach in Cornwall. No phones, email, computers, deadlines, clients, haven't shaved in over 2 weeks, no TV, no bills to pay, no traffic jams, no junk mail.......just a smooth and steady onshore breeze acres of pristine sand and the smell of salt in the air.

Thanks to Brian P for the donation of my new beach glider...she will be happy in retirement down here!

James