westbury 29.09.09

Arrived very late at Westbury after pondering over several current weather reports. Eventually rang local pilot Tony Moore who looked out his house window to tell me it was worth a drive.   Arrived to find no one flying, light/variable but mainly from WNW to NW wind. 20 minutes before I was ready a couple of PG's got up and were away heading up wind. Local pilots Kevin winters and Dave Tyler bombed out just before I was ready.   With a model glider and 2 PG's going up I launched and climbed up to cloud base in a 6 mph drift. Headed towards Trowbridge under a cloud street and soon passed up the first PG that took off just North of Westbury town.   Generally had weak climbs with the odd 4 up against a head wind of 10-18 kph. A really enjoyable flight. Unfortunately spread out occurred and my progress halted upwind and had to go into survivor mode to just stay aloft.   Arrived back at Westbury under a nice forming cu to make CB again which was always never above 3150ft asl. Headed 4km WSW and glided back to take-off and landed to finish a very enjoyable flight. Approx 27km flat triangle.   Tim King had a great flight too achieving a pre declared triangle, can't remember the distance though.   Tony

Westbury 29/9/09

Another fine day at Westbury Forecast from Lasham was for thermals after 1pm but they were alittle late with very light winds onto the hill but a few paras scraped around from 12.30 and a couple of HG's were sacrificed to the bottom landing and the conditions gradually improved until about 2 when everything started to lift . a big cloud street set up and off we all went with HG's and PGs spread between the white horse to westbury and towards bath with Tony S leading the way.  i had declared a local triangle round westbury bratton and forward from the hill which i did mainly at cloud base. Just starting to get a feel for the VR Tim King

Skysurfers PG meeting at Bell

Had a good day at Bell today. I stopped off at Monkesdown and Winklebury on the way down convinced it was going to be more northerly.  Monkesdown was still so I walked across to the Winklebury bowl but it was light and only seemed just about flyable so it was back to the car. Richard had said earlier that he was on his way down to Bell.  He sent a Tweet as I was sat there wondering what to do saying it was flyable there and two were in the air. I only sorted the Twitter thing out this morning so result, I was off. As I got near I could see seven in the air, even better.  Simon V was there as well as Richard. One of the Wessex guys gave me a site brief, I haven't flown there for at least ten years. He had just got back from a short XC leaving the hill at just 500m ato. It was really smooth about 12mph NW and the lift went well out over the fields much better than I had expected. I landed later for some lunch but ended up having to change a tyre on my car. I had managed to get a puncture on the track up, welcome to Bell! It was totally flat the top parking is not the ideal place to jack your car up I can tell you. The afternoon was great fun scratching at times on the ridge but always flyable. Simon just used the lulls as an opportunity to show off his Wagga moves or try stacking on the top of Richards canopy as he ground handled. We finally gave up at around 5pm as it died off. A few of the Wessex guys thought that tomorrow was looking good so hopefully back in the morning.
Peter

Sunday Monks Down

Duvets in abundance,

Very pleasant afternoon at Monks. I arrived at about 1pm just as things livened up  a group of XC hounds got away about 2:30 I missed that thermal but hit into one good style about 3:30 took me to 850ft and over the back of the hill, realising that a long walk wasn't in my intinery for the day i got back to the hill after reaching the half way point of the back field... big smiles. boated about the front of the hill for a while then realising nature was making a call had to try to get though the lifty stuff to land, big ears sorted that one out and a perfect landing made for a great ending. To top it off Sunday saw the back of my red ribbon so watch out sky gods here i come :-)

 

Nigel Beaven

Sunday at Westbury

Rigid wings and HG  lovely autumn day at Westbury light winds to start but the sun was out so Nev and Grant (on a bog rog advanced)   showed me the way to go so i thought it rude not to make an effort. Cloud base and a cruise around Westbury and Bratton made for a good day out in September . Where was everyone???  Pg's out in force bobbing about Tim King

Thursday September 24-09

Hi , Arrived at Butser West to join Mike and Simon V who had landed in the bowl to the South. Quite usual in light winds. Unfortunately he had sprained his ankle and was uncomfortable. I told him to climb the fence as he couldn't fly/walk down.

 

I too had landed in the bowl which is a right mess as I have mentioned before. It is covered with thistles and hawthorn and needs a good purge. I can't do this on my own so I am asking for volunteers. I would need to obtain Mike Atkinson's permission and it is likely he would ok this also chainsaws and maybe a burn. So subject to numbers stepping forward I will organise a party.

I managed to launch from the bowl and flew back to take-off  and continued to fly with Mike for short thermic flights. Nigel Bevan joined us at this time . He launched and had a nice flight and nailed a top landing. Nigel from Guildford, a red ribbon pilot went home very pleased with himself. Well done.

An hot air ballon appeared and this  was a sign to us that all was over.

 

                                                                   Shippo                                                          

Butser afternoon

Interesting late afternoon at butser with Don, Mike and another pilot was name i didn't get. I didn't arrive till about 3:30 but got in one good flight and my first butser top landing. I know just couldn't get past the tree's before..  Some thermals coming through with some nice lift until about 4:30 when it switched more northerly and the fun ended still roll on tomorrow and the weekend

 

Nigel Beaven

Classic Devils Dyke day

Classic day at the dyke, more thermals than anyone could want. Mostly
blue but smooth thermals and little drift so really easy to climb to
3k then push many kilometers out in front along blue streets. Hill
didn't work too well but it didn't matter because everything seemed to
be lifting out in front. Some big triangles done today and others 60k
to Bexhill on Sea. Some scrappy Cu later over the back at about
3700asl but top cover late in the day (3 or 4 pm) spoilt things. By
this time most had been in the air for 4 or 5 hours and explored a lot
of sussex from up high so nobody complained. Amazing for late
september, in fact better than any day I can remember in July or
August this year. There's still some life left in 2009 - hoping for
more of the same tomorrow!

Chris Jones

Harting

Hi, I was further along the 'Downs' and watched a hang glider fly towards Cocking, guess it was Grant?

Considering the conditions the Hg's were doing well am .  Never saw or heard the aircraft mentioned.

A few buzzards were trying it on though.

 

Were there any air restrictions that day as plenty of activity near Goodwood?

Did anyone make that call to find out? There MUST be someone that does!!

 

Driving past the bottom landing field I watched a top to bottom and a nice landing too.

That must have been Sean H.        Shippo

 

Harting - Sunday 20th September

Very light winds and off to the east.  Nice and sunny to begin with but a blanket of cloud moved in during the afternoon and killed what little breeze (and lift) there was.

 

Grant C. was there early - family outing.  Some impressive low-level scraping was eventually rewarded with weak lift around the Beacon and a gentle climb to around 1,500ft.  He was able to wander around the sky with minimal drift, but after an hour the lift died as the sun disappeared.  The rest of the afternoon was spent perched on the edge waiting for something to happen.  It never did.  Some canopies seemed to enjoy themselves for a time further along the ridge.  Alan W. and Malcom B. (TVHGC) had extended down flights.  Sean H. tried out his Target late in the afternoon and had a pleasant extended downer.

 

A couple of treats through the afternoon.  A Spitfire flew north over the top of us and the Vulcan XH558 bomber made a trip south and back again.  Goodwood airshow?  A Mossie motored from Butser overhead towards Treyford and beyond - anyone we know? 

 

I rigged, perched, de-rigged and carried back.  Nonetheless a pleasant day chatting to passers-by.  (NOTE: Cattle now grazing the top area - so beware cow-pats.)

Brian.

Notice of AGM 16th October

Dear Sky Surfing Club

This a note to say that the club will be hosting its AGM on the 16th of October at 7.30 for 8pm start at the Square Brewery pub in Petersfield. Food will be served at 9pm!

This is an important event in the running of YOUR club. The main focus of the committees work is focused on managing our sites and relationships with the land owners.

Please come and give your support and make your views heard. It is also a good time to come and have a beer with other club members and chew the cud.

All committee posts are open for election;

Chairman
Secretary
Membership
Treasury
PG Comps
HG Comps
Social
Coaching
Sites & PR
Assistant Sites
Safety
Editor
Webmaster
Ordinary Member

If you would like to know any details of whats involved please ask – none of the posts are overly arduous.

If you have an item you would like on the agenda please send them to myself.

Regards
James Roy
SSC Sec

Local flying

Friday September  18 /09

 

Started off at Whitewool  about 09 30hrs. It was blowing too hard for me but Mike Shippam gave it a go as he does.

 

We took a look at Mercury, it was lighter there which is unusual but does happen occasionally.

A hang glider had a brief flight then flew down and walked back, this was Matt W. He called it a day. Wise man.

Two other HG pilots were also at Mercury ,Brian P and Tim King. Paragliders were flying of sorts but poor lift.

Meantime Brian had rigged and moved to the take-off area. At this point I decided to return to Whitewool so don't know how Brian fared. I assume not very well?

 

Whitewool was calming down a tad but it wasn't flyable until 4-30pm. then everyone wanted to be in the air which wasn't so good as the lift was marginal.. There was a full house (8 pilots) with a sprinkling of red ribbons.Most managed some flying. Jason Smith had the best flight managing to fly over the trees at the North end of the slope. I left at 5-30pm and some were still boating about milking the last half hour. Not a brilliant day but better than nothing.

 

Treats of the day

Just after I arrived at 09-30hrs  the Red Arrows flew over and a Chinook came over the back VERY low. It dropped out of sight into the bowl at Old Winchester Hill. I also flew very close to a kestrel. Nice one.    Shippo

 

Weekend flying

Went to wales at short notice stayed at fforest fields powys and flew both days.
Fantastic campsite lovely people small but perfectly formed hills.

Brian searle

12/9/09

Mercury and more  12 September 3 sites in one day may have been a bit excessive Mercury was working very well with lots of thermals coming thru regularly. took one to about 3200 and drifted over to whitewool. No warden about so pushed forward to Butser .Tony stephens was catching me up at this point so pulled in and he dissappeared. Over  to Butser with 2000 but the cloud street was evaporating so span round and back to mercury. Nice try out for the new toy .great day in the autumn sunshine

Mercury Saturday 12 September

Very nice day at Mercury today for us hangies. A bit lumpy at times but the sun was out and I cant remember the last time I flew a club site - even had the family up for a picnic and everyone went home happy. Tim King was there with his new Atos - he even flew Butser Hill!!! Whoever made that new money box (and sign).....top job.

James

Thursday 10th Sept - Harting

 
In the air by 11:30, didn't feel too bad on the ground, but was really lumpy......the lumpiness continued for an hour at which point I realised the wind was in the upper 20's mph and came back and landed. My comments semed to put Brian & Julian off flying!
 
Nev 

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Barton on Sea

Hi,  Took my own advice today and went to Barton on Sea.,

Wind on arrival was about 8 knots but looking good. Half hour later I launched and flew almost into Milford on Sea. Cliffs get lower at this end and becomes scratchy. I enjoyed four hours flying and could have flown longer but wifey on beach and sea mist moving in was the deciding factor for me to pack and go. I was informed that Ringstead was clagged in.

Shippo

Stubbington cliffs

Hi, this blog is for the paragliding discipline.

I hear the Stubbington cliffs mentioned frequently on the hill and there are those that have flown this non-club site and probably will have second thoughts of going there again. A few others will have flown and enjoyed an hour or two.

I have flown there for the past fifteen or so years, not on a regular basis though and make these observations.

I am blogging to make the point that firstly it is and hopefully will remain a low key site. At best it will only take four wings in the air at a time maximum. The cliff run is split in two by a wide gully which you will not be able to jump. Hence four wings , two at one side of the gully and two at the other side.

This site is not for the faint hearted or low airtime pilots as take off can be very difficult at times due to severe rooter. The wind needs to be quite strong to soar as cliffs are low. Usually a take -off is made from the beach and this in itself is a technique that requires practice. Get it wrong and it will go badly wrong and could drag you up the cliff face and drag you into the rough areas at the top.

Launching from the cliff top usually requires a different take-off skill due to rotar, also with the high wind speed the chances of being blown back are greatly increased . Some of you have already experienced this.

Then there are the landings. It is possible to land at the cliff top but again beware of the wind factor. Beach landings are safer ,that is, if the tide is out. When the tide is in the area left on the beach to land is minimal and if you land on the narrow strip of beach your wing is likely to fall into the sea. If this happens even in very shallow water the cells will fill and pulling the wing out of the water is like a trawler hauling in a full catch. If you land further out be it only 6ft or so your life will be in danger.

It is a site that is unpredictable as there are occassions when it is possible to pop the wing up within minutes , lob off and fly. But it can be difficult at times to assess how it will go. You will only find out when you give it a go.

Now you have the facts you can make your own minds up about flying there. I would recommend travelling that bit further and head for Barton on Sea . Launching there has similar problems with rotar etc but is more user friendly and also there will be other pilots there usually to give a briefing.

Safe flying Shippo

IOW - Compton Reds & Whites - Sun 06th

Magnificent place, friendly people, and nice flying :)

18mph ssw then s.

Taking off on Reg cliffs and actually flying on white cliffs/ridge. Top landing on the golf course for a break few times. then land back on red cliffs takeoff.

Why we not wisit IOW more often? it is just 55min ferry from Southhampton (32f return if booked on internet) and another 30min drive to take off...

With best regards.
Oleg

Ringstead Sunday 6th Sept

 
Arrived at 11pm to find PG's starting to struggle in the 14 mph wind. Off to south (SSW), it was perfect for the Purbeck ridge run, enabling flying between Weymouth and Kimmeridge, a run of around 14-15 miles of stunning Jurassic coastline. Surprisingly it was only taken advantage of by myself and Neil Atkinson, who had around 3 hours of quality airtime.
 
Nev 

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BUTSER SATURDAY SEPT 6

Hello Bloggers, My first blog so here goes.

 

Went to Butser West site. Others there early and had flown. Wind soon picked up enough to ground us.

I spoke to several new pilots including two visiting pilots who were hang glider pilots. One from up North the other from Chamon---FRANCE ! I briefed them and conditions were ok for them.They informed me they were meeting Grant who soon arrived .Grant flew first followed by the Northern chap . They seemed to enjoy themselves.

 

Interestingly when I asked if they were on holiday here they told me they were on a conversion course. I thought they meant from winch to hill but no. They were converting from the average airliner to fly the Air bus!! Wow!! And yes, they preferred flying their hang gliders. Nice one.

 

New rule imposed today by Mike Atkinson.                                                                                                               

 

Fortunately James Lane had called for permission to use bottom fields and was informed that landing had to be in the fields with stubble, not in the usual fields.  This just shows how important that phone call is.

Mike S , Simon V and myself had some more flying but it was turning rough with a fair bit of South in it so off we went.

 

Shippo

British Open Series Hang Gliding Mid Wales

Got back yesterday from the final round of the British Open Series hang gliding championships. Over the five day comp we only had one days flying on the Long Mynd, a very nice day it was to if not a bit windy. On the other days it rained, was to windy or, surprise surprise, was both to windy and raining!

SkySurfer Grant Crossingham finished the comp second and in the overall series SkySurfer Tony Stephens came third, also three other SkySurfers in the top ten......well done guys.

James Roy