Big Collin again!

Dull and misty all morning. I went out to Big Collin where there was a 10-12mph SSE wind on the hill but with a low cloudbase. Being a bit optimistic I rang Aldergrove ATC for clearance in case by some miracle I got high enough to get into Class D airspace. The official number (9448 4282) was answered but I was quickly told they were too busy and they gave me another number to ring. That other number (9448 4281) was answered by a pleasant young lady who kept me on hold for a while then put me through to Simon Savage - I gather he is Operations Manager. Simon apologised, saying that this was the first time he had to deal with our LOA arrangements. Of course I told him it was my first LOA call too.

I explained that it was unlikely that we would infringe Class D because of the light wind and low cloudbase but was letting them know just in case and to check if ok. There was no problem and we were cleared to 3,000ft ASL until 6pm local time (which is when I said we would be finished).

Martin Bates amused himself practicing ground handling and low flights on his ancient Airwave Voodoo wing. I took the large Firebird Raven half way up the hill and took off. Lift was a bit intermittent - mostly little more than ground skimming - but I eventually managed to get enough height for a landing on the top. I walked down to where Martin was playing and we were joined by Ian Fraser and his brother who was on a visit from Iceland (the country - not the frozen food store in Glengormley!).

Ian managed a couple of low soaring flights before packing up to go and collect children from school. I took off into a surge of lift  which continued out to the farm and approaching cloudbase, followed by sink but managed to scrape back to another top landing. I then flew down to try to land by the cars in the second layby but there was lift everywhere. I eventually landed in the usual bottom landing area nearer the gate.

I packed up the Raven and had another flight on the Skyman Heartbeat. After five minutes or so the wind eased and I landed by the cars around 4pm and 'phoned Aldergrove ATC to tell them we were leaving the site. About five minutes later while I was packing up, I could hear an aircraft hidden in the low cloud overhead on course towards Aldergrove!

Earlier in the day I had 'phoned Dermot Lagan who had bottom landed at Cregagh Hill but said that Tom Carson, Dave Tweedie, Maurice McBride and Colin Dowey were flying there.