My Optimism Brain Cell Part 2

2pm today I find myself driving to Westbury in a real hoolie.

This side of Warminster I spot Steve Gale driving back towards Southampton.

But under control of the Optimism Brain Cell I carry on regardless arriving around 3.30.

Its windy but very nice. No hangers there, one comes and goes.

I wait, wait some more, get rigged, walk to launch around 5, as I get there it gets windy again.

I wait some more, eventually take off at 6pm, 20mph, sky to myself. Beautiful "no-brain" conditions, gentle evening thermals to 1500 ATO. Land at 7.30 relaxed and happy.

James Roy

Mercury tuesday 25th may.

In spite of the reasonable forecast the wind was a light NE-ENE & thermic. The thermals were small & broken.

The main ridge produced the most consistent lift, albeit very light. The NE bowl was an unpleasant place to be with large area's of sink which dropped me to the tree line fast. I attempted a very low save over the trees but a bottom landing beckoned.

I set up a good approach to land on the rise near the road in the south field but at 50ft agl hit very heavy sink whilst gliding down the slope. This was aggravated by a thermal in front of me which pulled the air towards it. I was now forced to attempt a down wind,down slope landing in crop whilst flying at 30mph!

The result was an Atos laying upside down in the crop. The damage was restricted to the weak link in an upright.

The crop had actually cushioned the glider as she went over.

 

Sometimes 'lady luck' gives you a little test!

 

safe flying

 

wayne 

 

 

Mercury - 22nd May

 
Mercury - 22nd May. Better than I expected. At 12pm it was quite light with small thermals toppoing out at 3000ft, but by 1:30-2pm it became more established and the thermals went to just over 4000ft, with 4-500ft/min, pretty much as RASp predicted. Light on the hill making it difficult to get up, but once up (and on a HG) you could jump the gaps between lift every 2-3 miles. I am constantly impressed by what is quite a small cramped hill - I bet we had better flying than those in the mountains in SE Wales. Nev.  

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Mercury Saturday 22 may

Well what an interesting day. Driving up to the hill there were several wings in the air at varying heights but be the time I got to the hill face most had landed and so the cycles came through as the day progressed. I made a couple of trips down the hill to check that the bottom of the hill was still there (which it was). I then took off into a bit of a gust and made my way along into  a very tight and punchy thermal which rocketed me skywards before spitting me out. After a bit of a SAT I top landed to find everyone out of there harnesses and not wanting to take off :) I cant think why ha ha. After waiting for it to die down I had a very pleasant flight just before the sea breeze kicked in and killed it. Still good day in good company.

Saturday 14th May - Westbury

 
Saturday 14th May - Westbury
 
A good 1/2 day. I had to be at my Son's school (10 miles east of Westbury) by 2:30, so was relieved that RASP said the good thermals would be from 11:00 till 1pm. By 1pm I was circling up to base, despite the 5mph wind at takeoff (westbury works so well). I then flew 8 miles NNE to Lyneham airspce, then west past Bath to between Frome/Midsommer Norton for an approx 25 mile square, landing back at Westbury at 1pm where it was OD'ing. Base rose from a modest 3500 to 5000 by 1pm. Thermals were predictable, generally around 4up but up to 9up underneath the big dark clouds.
 
As I was winding down Bruce & Grant were climbing out and setting off, Bruce getting to somewhere near Combe (where did Grant go?). Neil made it past Pewsey. One of my best 2 days out this year so far.
 
Nev 

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Mercury 9th May

Decided to go to the Hampshire Green Festival at the Sustainability Centre (behind Mercury). With a NE and a decent blow there was no way I was going without taking my glider.

So sent the family to the festival and I went to Mercury. On arrival I found Grant in the air, no one else there. It was blowing about 20mph at launch. Quickly rigged and had a flight, the bowl was working well in the NE and at times the whole ridge as well, Grant made it to base, as I recall around 1500. I found it a bit rough, the lift was very broken at times.

Landed for lunch, then another go. A PG pilot turned up and decided to have a go, I think it was still blowing pretty hard. Then walked down to the festival, Tony Blackburn came up the track with his HG, not sure if he flew.

On returning to the car at around 4.45 Steve Green and Bruce K (pictured above) were rigged. It was now a lot lighter, they were flying when we left.

James

My Optimism Brain Cell

Had been watching the forecast all weekend and Monday looked good for Harting but was probably going to be blown out.

Looking out the window this morning my rational self told me to do something else but body control suddenly came under the authority of the optimism brain cell.

Driving through the A3 cutting I could see a gaggle of sail planes thermalling above. It was raining at this point and very windy.

My finger went for the indicator to turn the car round but again the optimism brain cell took over and I continued to Harting.

Cleared up as I got there, loads of sail planes on the ridge. Walked up to launch and measured the wind speed. It looked OK, the occasional gust into the mid 20’s.

“See I told you it was flyable” said the optimism brain cell.

Walked back to the car and unloaded, hiked up to launch with glider. It was now gusting 30mph.

Safety brain cell said no thanks.

Optimism brain cell said wait until this evening.

Rational self said go home.

After a protracted fight I went home.

Bloody brain cells, bloody weather, bloody sport. To make matters worse they had an awesome day in Wales at the British Open Series as well but lazy brain cell had said it wasn't worth the drive....



James Roy

Whitewool XC 4th April

Had a pucker little XC from Whitewool, only 6k to Cor(e)hampton limited only by SOTN airspace!

Day was post cold front (I think), so dry Easterly air, very little meteo wind 5 mph but thermic cycles coming through to enhance that wind to about 8 mph at times, mixed in by some 5 up's when leaving the hill. No clouds.

Left from the middle, fenced area of Whitewool, testing the air, then over the road and back over Winchester hill, constantly lifting in a thermal to about 2,500 ft over Cor(e)hampton. Tried to make a return to Whitewool or at least towards New Arlesford but not enough forward speed in a light headwind, so landed out on a path next to a lovley green field! Potential to go much further, if that damn airspace wasn't so close!

Thanks Greg new member  for the pickup!

Simon Vacher | Hampshire, United Kingdom | +44 (0) 7765488101

Check out my adventure and flying blog at www.simonvacherfilm.com

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