Monday, November 28, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Grounded again!
Gales forecast for Saturday so loaded up the X-sail and headed to the 7 mile long beach at Benone, Magilligan. Met up with the Southern Irish sandyachting bunch with their mix of large sandyachts, Blokarts, Pottys and a few kite buggies. Strong offshore wind was turning back the tops of the incoming waves in spectacular plumes of spray. My old flying buddy Martin arrived with his X-sail but before I could get mine rigged it started to rain.
And so it continued, with intermittent light rain and strong wind as we huddled in the car and watched the braver souls ploughing on through the wind and rain. Another old flying buddy who lives nearby - Davy - turned up, but there being no sign of the rain easing, everybody packed up and we headed home.
More strong winds forecast for the next week or so - grrr...
And so it continued, with intermittent light rain and strong wind as we huddled in the car and watched the braver souls ploughing on through the wind and rain. Another old flying buddy who lives nearby - Davy - turned up, but there being no sign of the rain easing, everybody packed up and we headed home.
More strong winds forecast for the next week or so - grrr...
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Rare Flying Day Sat 12 November 2011
Out at Big Collin mountain with thoughts of some tandem flying if conditions ok. No such luck. Wind fluctuating as if often does on this site. One of my students was on his way to the hill so until he arrived I thought I would attempt some aviation. So I took my solo wing and climbed halfway up where I reckoned there was enough wind for a soaring flight. Inflated the wing, turned to start my takeoff run; then a sudden gust tucked the front of the wing; wing dropped back in the lull; then suddenly reflated, jerking me off my feet and taking me for a slide along the soggy hillside for 20 yds or so before I killed the beast!
Returning to takeoff and having checked again that all was in order, including the security of the reserve parachute deployment handle - vital check if you have fallen over - I got airborne without incident this time. Lift was intermittent and patchy. I found myself halfway to the bottom of the hill skimming the grass but by turning in any little bit of lift that came through I eventually managed to get to 150ft above takeoff - and above other paragliders that were trying to follow!!
My student having arrived, I landed back where I had taken off from and spent the next couple of hours with him revising ground handling, daily inspection, pre-flight checks etc and getting him three good flights to the bottom of the hill. Contrary to the Met Office low level forecast (15kts at 1,00ft!), the wind had dropped to around 5mph by this time and since my paraglider was still up on the hill I went up to fly it down to the bottom landing.
Much to my surprise I was able to get 5 minutes working what little lift there was drifting up the slope before landing beside the car. A good and welcome day after the bad weather.
Returning to takeoff and having checked again that all was in order, including the security of the reserve parachute deployment handle - vital check if you have fallen over - I got airborne without incident this time. Lift was intermittent and patchy. I found myself halfway to the bottom of the hill skimming the grass but by turning in any little bit of lift that came through I eventually managed to get to 150ft above takeoff - and above other paragliders that were trying to follow!!
My student having arrived, I landed back where I had taken off from and spent the next couple of hours with him revising ground handling, daily inspection, pre-flight checks etc and getting him three good flights to the bottom of the hill. Contrary to the Met Office low level forecast (15kts at 1,00ft!), the wind had dropped to around 5mph by this time and since my paraglider was still up on the hill I went up to fly it down to the bottom landing.
Much to my surprise I was able to get 5 minutes working what little lift there was drifting up the slope before landing beside the car. A good and welcome day after the bad weather.
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