Harting Wednesday 21st April

Wind on hill NNW 10-12 mph   Steve Gale and I turned up a little later than wanted and could see James Roy already ridge soaring. He bottom landed whilst we rigged. Tim and Wayne were rigging their Atos rigids too.   I declared an out and return to Devils Dyke, some 94.5 km was the gps reading. Steve and Tim decided to try it too and punched in the co-ords I supplied.   The wind was off to the West so not ideal for Harting. I took off at 12.50 and instantly cored a thermal. I was shortly followed by Steve and Tim, not sure what happened to Wayne but I know James had another try later.   At 2500 ASL I set off towards a wispy cu and got a 3 up climb. Had a couple of other small climbs before heading out in front of the hill before Cocking to take me to about 4000ft. It was soon apparent this was not as good as yesterday and I radioed saying I think I've over set the task.   Anyway pushing on I headed across the Cocking gap to another wispy cu and got a 5 up. Heading the other way was Steve Cook on his Phantom rigid who had come from Devils Dyke. He joined me in the thermal at the same height, we waved at each other, topped up what we needed and went different ways. Steve Cook continued towards Harting.   Climbs were regular but nothing spectacular all the way until I got to South of Parham. But after Parham no good formed Cu's but the odd wispy bits here and there. It got quite difficult and I nearly paid the price for pushing on too fast by ignoring weak and broken 2 up climbs.   Down to 1600ft ASL when just West of Steyning I spotted a wispy cu forming out in the flats and could see a field sheltered by a small forest. It's got to be coming off that field and going straight up in this light wind, so I glided a couple of km to it and arrived at 900ft when my luck turned good. I took a broken climb that turned into a 4 up and took me to around 4500.   Decisions, decisions were my thoughts, shall I head back as it really looks tough carrying on? I'll just try this wispy and if it works I'll do the last 10 km to the Dyke. Fortunately it worked and even more luck a decent cu was now forming 5 km from the Dyke so I took that one too.   Then a beautiful cu behind the Dyke was tempting but I ignored it to head back to Harting. Soon I was to rue that decision as the next 10 km I had nothing but sink and some very big 7 down stuff too. At 1100ft ASL next to Steyning a broken half up was found and looking up I saw Steve Gale pass overhead. He turned back in hope of getting a thermal he thought I was in but found out to his horror it was rubbish.   Soon Steve and I were at approx 1300ft, he'd lost a 1000ft looking for my thermal! We scraped around together for a while though never actually ridge soaring before a 3 up helped us. When at 2300ft I opted to try a wispy cu in the flats and it worked, which proved to be very significant. Steve stayed with the weak climb unaware I had left.   Climbing under the wispy cu I think I topped another 700ft before spotting another wispy forming nearer the ridge, that topped me up more and I proceeded after another wispy before spotting a better wispy forming just SW of Parham gliding club. This was 'the one' and it took me to 5500ft, I reluctantly left it whilst still climbing as I FL55 was right above me  but it was enough. Just before setting off I could see Steve Gale still stuck at Steyning where I left him.    Gliding cross the Arundal gap was mainly good air and it wasn't until reaching near Duncton I hit big sink. Just South of Graffham I hit a good one, no pointers of a cu for me it was just pot luck and I made good use of my fortune topping up to about 4500.   Next climb was just past the Cocking gap, I probably didn't need it but thought I'm not racing into goal in a comp and it would be a crying shame to fall short at this stage so topped up for a 9-1 glide in. Arriving at 2500ft over Harting took me a while to find sink!   I even pondered about carrying on a few km to try break the British record but thought that's being greedy as there was a lot of cirrus shutting out the sun now.   To sum it up, it was not easy but the saving grace was that the drift at flying heights was 15 kph, otherwise I could never have afforded the 2 up climbs.    Tony

Fw: WHITEWOOL

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Don Shipton

To: Skysurfers Flying diary

Sent: Friday, April 23, 2010 8:06 AM

Subject: WHITEWOOL

Hi , Whitewool looked beautiful  I  had hoped for some really good flying but it didn't happen as it was very much up and down and more down that up. On the plus side James lane went over the back, not far but at 1000ft  ato had hoped for a longer XC .Simon Vacher also left the hill at the same time and managed to fly to Corhampton and had a quick retrieve.

 

Full house with eight pilots ,four of these low airtime who were very pleased to have their longest flights lasting all of 5/10 minutes .Now they are really hooked! Another low airtime pilot PG but high airtime airline pilot! Brian did well and enjoyed his flying having a few good flights. I asked the usual 'tongue in cheek' question. "Which do you enjoy flying the most, your passenger jet or your wind paraglider?"

The answer is always the same .No contest, which just shows how addicted our sport can be. 

 

More good news. I have met with the landowners at Whitewool to try improving communications to avoid losing flying days and have been successful.

No visit by a warden but a visit to a website. This will indicate "Closed days" some are already posted for clay shoots. (The site remains controlled as per the rules except for this change.)

All pilots will have access to this website but it is still top priority that a warden be present for all flying.

 

These changes will come into effect very soon and will be posted ASAP.so for the time being continue as normal.

 

Mercury ,looking across ,didn't do any better than Whitewool and only a few pilots were there.

We remain optimistic.  

 

Hope you are making a good recovery Jason. (and getting a good tan looking up to the sky!)                  Shippo

Devils Dyke 20th April

Wind on hill. NNW 10-18 MPH   The forecast was for an excellent day and it did not disappoint. I headed for Devils Dyke with an out and return in mind. I needed to be ready to fly the following day as that was forecast as epic too so I had to try an out and return.   My flight was declared as Dyke to Cocking and back, some 78 kms in total. In radio contact with Ron Richardson as he fancied trying the same task too. It turned out we never did fly together.   I took off just before 12 and was soon on track. Several strong climbs encountered as I approached Parham gliding club, some even 8 ups! Steve Cook joined me on his Phantom by catching me up and passing me.   Conditions were more difficult on approaching the Arundal gap, the wind had now become a 30 kph head wind. I was getting readings varying from 330-270 degrees. Two attempts were needed to make the jump, though I never dropped below 2000ft. I also saw a PG bomb out near Arundal. Joining Cooky and a sailplane thermalling in the middle of the gap proved fruitless and it was here Steve Cook said he headed back to the Dyke. He couldn't stand the cold in his hands anymore!   Getting across on my second attempt I made good height and needed it as the strong headwind made it tough and exhausting. After three good climbs coming off the ridge I finally had enough height to making the Cocking turn point after setting off 3 hours earlier.   Looking down there was another PG on an xc. We shared a thermal briefly though it was at least a 1000ft below me. Now with a tailwind the flying became so much easier and I just bimbled along relaxing and despite this the 39 km to the Dyke took just 46 minutes.   On the ground I caught up with Steve Cook and we both had plans to try out and returns the next day. Steve aimed to head up towards Harting from the Dyke and I said I intended to do it the other way round. We parted saying "may well see each other tomorrow on route".   What a cracking day, a new PB out and return distance of 78 km.

Harting 22nd April

I have always regarded Harting as my 'spiritual home' of hang gliding. It is where after school I cut my teeth and really learnt to fly. However it can be a sod of a place and despite being of a fair size just doesn't seem to work that well as a ridge soaring site (and its a horrid ridge to scratch on). I have lost count of the number of top to bottoms Ive had here. The other side of the coin is that when its good it can be really good. I have a handful of memories of some cracking days here but, for me, they are few and far between.
So today I kind of knew what to expect with a lightish wind and a red RASP; if you could get up and away from launch it would be great, if not it was probably going to be a day with the sheep in the bottom landing field.
I arrived early around 9.30am and was ready to launch by 10.30. I considered waiting but gave it a go at 11. By that time Tim and Wayne had arrived. As I lunched I suddenly realised that I had the words 'wind dummy' written on my forehead but as my feet had already left the ground it was to late. After a short flight I bottomed out as expected.
Getting back up for another go Tony and Steve Gale had also arrived. Tony took off first and found a climb off to the east of launch, then was gone. Steve Gale looked like he was heading for lunch with the sheep but found the bottom of Tony's climb and after working the weak climb was also away. Tim ditto.
Wayne got up so I went for it again finding weak and broken lift to the east of launch. I got up (a bit) but there were also pockets of massive sink and after about 10 mins I was back with my woolly friends, shortly followed by Wayne.
So not quite the epic day I had hoped for but given it was Harting I kind of knew it was coming.
James Roy

Liddington 20th April

A good day if a little windy, would have been great for Hangies I'm
sure. Quite rough on the hill and hard to penertrate forward, I was
10k from the hill before getting to cloudbase. Quite often the climbs
were broken and there was lots of big sink around but loads of
sailplanes marking the lift. Looks like more good weather this
week.....

Chris Jones   PG

Mercury, Friday 16th April

Arrived early afternoon - only Brian C. there!  A bit strong and gusty at times but forecast to drop through the day so rigged the hangie in anticipation. Three more arrived, including Tony S. and Steve G.  As ever, Tony was keen so the rest of us let him "wind dummy".  Not terrific height for the windspeed, but eminently soarable.  Best lift tended to be in the bowl as the wind was off to the north.  I joined Tony and we shared the bumps.  Steve soon followed.  Tony top landed and wrote off an upright and bottom bar.  (He got gusted up then dumped heavily on the A-frame.)  Later I was joined by an ATOS which thrived in the stronger conditions.  Some strong cores at time, but bumpy. 

 

Clocked up nearly an hour's airtime - most welcome.  Later, the para-waiters had the slope to themselves as the wind dropped sufficiently for them to have a turn.  The lift seemed disappointing, though.

 

Left just after 6pm - a lovely clear, sunny evening.

 

Brian.

Harting April 13th

Wind NNE-ENE 15-25 MPH   Tim, Alan, Jamie and I the only souls there. Too Windy and gusty for Alan so he never flew to my knowledge.   We all took off together around 13.15. Tim raced off down the ridge on his Atos leaving Jamie and I behind.   All 3 of us joined up at the Cocking gap. We headed across together but Jamie and I in radio contact decided to try and connect with an approaching cloud street half way across. We aimed towards the street and eventually got sucked up towards it. Tim raced off along the ridge.   Jamie and I enjoyed the next two hours between 3500 and 5500 ft jumping from street to street. We both flew over the Arundal gap to the other side before deciding to head back as clouds were thinning and looking fewer.   We both had frozen hands which put a bit of a shine off what was a great fun flight. Jamie and I landed around 16.30.   Jamie did around about 49 km out and return and I around 54 km out and return.   Tim landed just behind Harting.   If we could have had 5mph less wind would have been perfect conditions.   Tony

Mercury, Saturday 10th

 
>>Where did you get to Neville?  (I heard you took a trip to Cosham and back!)
 
I flew ENE to just beyond Petersfield (north of Harting), where I lost my map during a refold so resorted to flying where I knew the airspace...south past Harting towards Corsham, then back to downs, Westwards towards Fareham, then back to the hill for a great 2 1/4 hour flight. Base at just over 5000ft, thermals only 300-400ft/min north of the downs, but further south in the convergence reached 900ft/min on the averager. Well worth the patient 25min wait to find upgoing air in the near near wind. 

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Mercury, Saturday 10th April

Arrived around midday.  Wind still very light but with occasional lift patches cycling through.  OK if you could mix with the hoards and climb away - as Neville did on his ATOS. (Not to be seen again until late afternoon).  Where did you get to Neville?  (I heard you took a trip to Cosham and back!)

 

Had a couple of short flights weaving between the paragliders before the wind picked up and provided more consistent lift.  Some nice climbs in small, punchy lift.  Grant did the Grand Tour of NE Hampshire and West Sussex, managing to get back before the sea breeze kicked in.  I was airborne when conditions suddenly switched - but soon ended up on the deck, joined later by Wayne on his ATOS.  A leisurely de-rig and saunter home.

 

A pleasant, warm day on Mercury.  Surprisingly few modellers about.  Good communication between the groups ensured no "issues" arose.  However, site etiquette suffered a little in the enthusiasm to fly, e.g. popping canopies up in front of launch, below the fenceline.  There was also a tendency to sprawl canopies across the hill, blocking the top landing area and approach.  Gentle reminders seemed to sink in.  

 

Looks a little blowy for Sunday.  The Spring easterlies appear to have set in!

Brian.

Nepal

Not sure why the photos didn't work in my post. The photos can be found here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardchambers/sets/72157623692283630/

I also have a short video on youtube and vimeo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ6fBSbdbnw
http://vimeo.com/10691556

If you are thinking of going to Nepal I definately would recommend Hotel Garden Nepal.

Cheers
Richard

Perranporth, cornwall

Lovely day flying at the beach. 1 hr flying followed by 2hrs of trying to land on the postage size, sloping, top landing. If you've ever flown a hang glider here you will know what I mean.

James Roy



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