New EP student George joined me at lunchtime for a trip to Skeagh to start training. A few miles down the road I remembered that I had forgotten to put the large Firebird F1rst wing in the car! Doh! A quick nip back home to collect and we were on our way again. Arriving at Skeagh we found Dermot Lagan and Martin Bates had beaten us to it. They had hoped to fly Robin Young's Hill but the wind was too far off to the north.
Wind was gusting 12-16mph which was too strong for first day ground handling of a large wing. So the small Firebird Trainer was pressed into service. After the usual initial overcontrol, George eventually mastered the beast in less than ideal conditions.
See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGdi0C3dcr4.
Meanwhile, Martin wrestled with the Niviuk Skin which, being single surface and so light, turned out to be a bit of a handful but eventually tamed. Dermot, whose ground handling is excellent, flew from the top when a lull in the gusts allowed for a neat takeoff.
We called it quits around 5pm as the wind showed no sign of easing and all that ground handling was tiring.
Friday, April 22, 2016
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Quick evening flights
With little or no wind all day I got caught up on some chores at home. Then Tom Carson rang - he was at a course in Belfast and just happened to have his paraglider with him and was thinking of a flight after 5pm. Needing a breath of fresh air, I headed to Big Collin with no great expectation, having texted Dermot Lagan who had been enquiring earlier.
Arriving at the hill I found the wind straight on but very light. A climb to the top did not reveal any increase in the wind which varied between 3 and 8mph. I amused myself ground handling and practicing the Cobra launch technique. I was soon joined by Dermot and then by Tom. The wind did occasionally gust briefly to 10-12mph. I managed two semi soaring flights, trying to work small blobs of lift drifting up the hill but as there was nothing big enough to get a complete turn in, I ended up landing by the car at the bottom.
Being in need of some exercise I popped the wing and harness into a stuffsack and climbed to the top again where Tom was doing a bit of ground handling. I showed him how I did the Cobra launch and of course he put my earlier failures to shame by completing a Cobra inflation spot on the first time he tried it!
We all flew down with no more success at staying up but able to prolong the descent a fair bit by chasing light blobs of lift. All landed safely near the cars and we packed up and left around 7pm.
Arriving at the hill I found the wind straight on but very light. A climb to the top did not reveal any increase in the wind which varied between 3 and 8mph. I amused myself ground handling and practicing the Cobra launch technique. I was soon joined by Dermot and then by Tom. The wind did occasionally gust briefly to 10-12mph. I managed two semi soaring flights, trying to work small blobs of lift drifting up the hill but as there was nothing big enough to get a complete turn in, I ended up landing by the car at the bottom.
Being in need of some exercise I popped the wing and harness into a stuffsack and climbed to the top again where Tom was doing a bit of ground handling. I showed him how I did the Cobra launch and of course he put my earlier failures to shame by completing a Cobra inflation spot on the first time he tried it!
We all flew down with no more success at staying up but able to prolong the descent a fair bit by chasing light blobs of lift. All landed safely near the cars and we packed up and left around 7pm.
Saturday, April 16, 2016
Another windy day
Grasping at straws - headed out to Skeagh with Steve McCabe for his first day. Although it did look a bit windy when leaving home, the hope was that we could at least get some ground handling done with the small Firebird Trainer. However on arrival at the parking place the wind was NNW 20mph and gusting!- too strong and gusty even for the Trainer. We hung around for a little while but gave up in the end as there was no sign of conditions improving.
Saturday, April 09, 2016
UHPC Annual Dinner Fri 8 April 2016
A good time was had by all at the Templeton Hotel, Templepatrick last night. The whole thing was very well organised by Eveleen McMaster and the food and service were excellent. Old hands and new joined in the craic and banter but some regulars we meet on the hills were missed - maybe next time.
Colin Lown did MC for the prize giving. Maurice McBride again won the shield for coming top in the XC League but there were no entries from the diminishing hang gliding side. Eveleen had also organised a draw for prizes which were won by Ian Fraser, Jennifer Bates and Tom Carson.
The last stragglers were leaving close to midnight - all well fed and watered!
Today (Saturday) I took a trip out to Big Collin. Sites Officer Alastair McMaster had done a great job filling in the potholes at the gate and along the lane. The wind was initially SW with sun and scattered Cu. Then a massive bank of black cloud with what looked like rain slowly started approaching from the East whilst the wind on the hill was SW! Eventually the black cloud arrived and the wind swung SE - but no chance of a flight as a blizzard came on and the hill turned white in a short time! Another typical flying day. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_MecUgbv1w.
Colin Lown did MC for the prize giving. Maurice McBride again won the shield for coming top in the XC League but there were no entries from the diminishing hang gliding side. Eveleen had also organised a draw for prizes which were won by Ian Fraser, Jennifer Bates and Tom Carson.
The last stragglers were leaving close to midnight - all well fed and watered!
Today (Saturday) I took a trip out to Big Collin. Sites Officer Alastair McMaster had done a great job filling in the potholes at the gate and along the lane. The wind was initially SW with sun and scattered Cu. Then a massive bank of black cloud with what looked like rain slowly started approaching from the East whilst the wind on the hill was SW! Eventually the black cloud arrived and the wind swung SE - but no chance of a flight as a blizzard came on and the hill turned white in a short time! Another typical flying day. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_MecUgbv1w.
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