Forecast sounded fairly reasonable but, as is so often the case, the forecast bore little in common with reality and the morning brought calm conditions with low cloud and then some very light drizzle. Hoping it would clear as I had four students anxious to get going, I went out to Big Collin around lunchtime when conditions were drier. Low cloud was hugging the top of the hill and there was a moderate breeze from the SSW - not S as forecast!
Ken McConnell was already on site with a student who then got one top to bottom flight and came up for a second. By then the wind had gone more westerly in direction and increased to 18mph at times. Then the cloud descended, putting an end to any more thoughts of flying. Yet another parawaiting afternoon!
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Monday, October 24, 2016
Taster day
With an NE light wind forecast for the afternoon (it was calm in the morning) I met up with keen potential pilots Karina Golab and Wojciech Bak for a paragliding taster. Both are originally from Poland but have been living in Newry for a number of years where they run a business. We met up at Corr's Corner at lunchtime and from there headed to Skeagh. The wind on arrival was ENE and 14-16mph.
I was glad I had brought the Firebird Trainer wing as this allowed them to practice reverse launch on the lower slope near the gate without the risk of inadvertently becoming airborne. Gradually the wind eased to 5-10mph and we switched to forward launch which both found a bit easier.
I think we should have Karina out on the hill more often as she brought sandwiches, Coke and even a box of chocolates that we shared!
With a bit of practice both Karina and Wojciech managed a number of low flights on Firebird F1rst wings with good takeoffs and landings and we called a halt when the wind dropped to less than 5mph and both were getting a bit tired.
I was glad I had brought the Firebird Trainer wing as this allowed them to practice reverse launch on the lower slope near the gate without the risk of inadvertently becoming airborne. Gradually the wind eased to 5-10mph and we switched to forward launch which both found a bit easier.
I think we should have Karina out on the hill more often as she brought sandwiches, Coke and even a box of chocolates that we shared!
With a bit of practice both Karina and Wojciech managed a number of low flights on Firebird F1rst wings with good takeoffs and landings and we called a halt when the wind dropped to less than 5mph and both were getting a bit tired.
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Mayobridge (Carmeen)
With a WNW forecast and CPN student Gerry Johnston available, I decided on a trip to Mayobridge where I haven't graced its slopes in a long time.
Arriving in bright sunshine with cumulous clouds drifting overhead it looked promising. Gerry arrived and we made our way to takeoff where we found a brisk 14mph increasing at times to 18mph and slightly off to the North.
I took off to check out conditions and found reasonable lift which at that stage was best at the eastern end of the ridge. Occasional light thermals were drifting on to the hill but the sky was becoming fairly well overdeveloped. I top landed and spent a while with Gerry discussing the site as he had not flown there before. We were soon joined by Tony Davis and then by Geoff Dawson.
We watched as Tony and Geoff took off and got good height at times then scratching along the hill. Geoff managed to squeeze in on top but Tony had a walk up from a field at the bottom close to the hill. They soon got airborne again and Gerry took off on a familiarisation flight and joined them. Being unused to the site and with two others in the air it was understandable that he gradually lost the lift and landed in a field close to the hill.
Whilst Gerry was packing and getting himself back up the hill I took off for another flight. Geoff and I floated about in varying lift that extended well out from the hill but was a bit choppy at times. I came in for a top landing that took a long time as the wind had picked up. At times I was going slowly backwards; at times I was almost on the ground then twenty feet in the air - but eventually I landed safely on the spot from which I had staarted my takeoff run. Tony had left by this stage and Geoff managed to get down near me. We decided that it was too strong for Gerry to carry out any useful CPN exercises and gale hanging did not appeal to Geoff and me, so we packed up.
A lone figure who had been standing by the stone wall at the top watching our landing antics came over for a chat. Turned out his name is Matt; he's an Irish News photographer who lives in Castlewellan and spotted us as he was driving past on the main road. He said that this was the first time he had ever been up on that hill and was gobsmacked by the view!
Arriving in bright sunshine with cumulous clouds drifting overhead it looked promising. Gerry arrived and we made our way to takeoff where we found a brisk 14mph increasing at times to 18mph and slightly off to the North.
I took off to check out conditions and found reasonable lift which at that stage was best at the eastern end of the ridge. Occasional light thermals were drifting on to the hill but the sky was becoming fairly well overdeveloped. I top landed and spent a while with Gerry discussing the site as he had not flown there before. We were soon joined by Tony Davis and then by Geoff Dawson.
We watched as Tony and Geoff took off and got good height at times then scratching along the hill. Geoff managed to squeeze in on top but Tony had a walk up from a field at the bottom close to the hill. They soon got airborne again and Gerry took off on a familiarisation flight and joined them. Being unused to the site and with two others in the air it was understandable that he gradually lost the lift and landed in a field close to the hill.
Whilst Gerry was packing and getting himself back up the hill I took off for another flight. Geoff and I floated about in varying lift that extended well out from the hill but was a bit choppy at times. I came in for a top landing that took a long time as the wind had picked up. At times I was going slowly backwards; at times I was almost on the ground then twenty feet in the air - but eventually I landed safely on the spot from which I had staarted my takeoff run. Tony had left by this stage and Geoff managed to get down near me. We decided that it was too strong for Gerry to carry out any useful CPN exercises and gale hanging did not appeal to Geoff and me, so we packed up.
A lone figure who had been standing by the stone wall at the top watching our landing antics came over for a chat. Turned out his name is Matt; he's an Irish News photographer who lives in Castlewellan and spotted us as he was driving past on the main road. He said that this was the first time he had ever been up on that hill and was gobsmacked by the view!
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
More action.
Been without my PC for a few days but now catching up with a new hard disk installed.
Sunday 9 October 2016
Good day training at Big Collin. Ken McConnell was working with a student when I arrived on site. I was soon joined by my student Declan McGill and later Gerry Johnston. Wind was slightly off to ESE but generally straight on at the top and varying from 12-14mph. Declan made eight semi-soaring flights and completed all his tasks for EP.
Gerry had three semi-soaring flights and perfected his forward launch when the wind eased. I had a couple of short flights myself - one on the Firebird F1rst S and one to check out a Firebird Raven S that Keith McGeown was interested in. Keith later turned up and had a great semi-soaring flight and landing on the Raven. Seems he liked it! Dermot Lagan also turned up and flew.
As the wind had dropped towards evening, Alastair McMaster and Ken fired up their paramotors and both headed off into the distance in different directions for some sight seeing. On their return we all packed up and headed home.
Monday 10 October 2016
With a nice easterly wind, Agnew's Hill was the place to be. A surprising number of people seem to be able to avoid work on a Monday as the hill played host to eight paragliders and two hang gliders - yes! hang gliders!! ably piloted by Keith ? and Steve ?
The climb up the hill does not get any easier with age and was very wet and slippery underfoot. I took off on the NE face above the cars and flew round to the E face where there was the best lift, helped by passing thermals. Tom Carson having cleared things with ATC Aldergrove for ascent into the Class D airspace overhead, for the next hour I had a ball, playing with the ridge lift and thermals to 880ft above the top of the hill. I was joined by Geoff Dawson and Colin Lown.
After an hour my fingers were too cold - I only had the light summer gloves - so I top landed clost to Donal Hamilton's laid out paraglider. Donal was doing nose man for Keith and Steve launching their hang gliders and I had a brief chat with him before he headed skywards just after Geoff top landed. Hands warmed I was soon up to join them, with Dermot Lagan now airborne. Tom Carson and Dave Tweedie had been flying earlier but had now bottom landed and soon departed.
I flew to Shane's Hill and back, getting fairly low in the dip and thus putting me downwind of a couple of active wind turbines. There was no turbulence experienced at all which is interesting in the light of the proposed new windfarms to be built across the Star Bog Road in front of the main ridge. After another hour there was just Donal and myself in the air and we both noticed a significant increase in windspeed within one beat of the cliffs. My groundspeed was down to 1.4mph at one stage without speedbar. At that stage cold fingers had made themselves known again so I flew down and landed by the windsock near the cars, followed by Donal.
Ken McConnell had arrived and got a short soaring flight as the rest of us packed up. I rang ATC Aldergrove to let them know we had finished and after the usual post-flying waffle, we headed home.
Sunday 9 October 2016
Good day training at Big Collin. Ken McConnell was working with a student when I arrived on site. I was soon joined by my student Declan McGill and later Gerry Johnston. Wind was slightly off to ESE but generally straight on at the top and varying from 12-14mph. Declan made eight semi-soaring flights and completed all his tasks for EP.
Gerry had three semi-soaring flights and perfected his forward launch when the wind eased. I had a couple of short flights myself - one on the Firebird F1rst S and one to check out a Firebird Raven S that Keith McGeown was interested in. Keith later turned up and had a great semi-soaring flight and landing on the Raven. Seems he liked it! Dermot Lagan also turned up and flew.
As the wind had dropped towards evening, Alastair McMaster and Ken fired up their paramotors and both headed off into the distance in different directions for some sight seeing. On their return we all packed up and headed home.
Monday 10 October 2016
With a nice easterly wind, Agnew's Hill was the place to be. A surprising number of people seem to be able to avoid work on a Monday as the hill played host to eight paragliders and two hang gliders - yes! hang gliders!! ably piloted by Keith ? and Steve ?
The climb up the hill does not get any easier with age and was very wet and slippery underfoot. I took off on the NE face above the cars and flew round to the E face where there was the best lift, helped by passing thermals. Tom Carson having cleared things with ATC Aldergrove for ascent into the Class D airspace overhead, for the next hour I had a ball, playing with the ridge lift and thermals to 880ft above the top of the hill. I was joined by Geoff Dawson and Colin Lown.
After an hour my fingers were too cold - I only had the light summer gloves - so I top landed clost to Donal Hamilton's laid out paraglider. Donal was doing nose man for Keith and Steve launching their hang gliders and I had a brief chat with him before he headed skywards just after Geoff top landed. Hands warmed I was soon up to join them, with Dermot Lagan now airborne. Tom Carson and Dave Tweedie had been flying earlier but had now bottom landed and soon departed.
I flew to Shane's Hill and back, getting fairly low in the dip and thus putting me downwind of a couple of active wind turbines. There was no turbulence experienced at all which is interesting in the light of the proposed new windfarms to be built across the Star Bog Road in front of the main ridge. After another hour there was just Donal and myself in the air and we both noticed a significant increase in windspeed within one beat of the cliffs. My groundspeed was down to 1.4mph at one stage without speedbar. At that stage cold fingers had made themselves known again so I flew down and landed by the windsock near the cars, followed by Donal.
Ken McConnell had arrived and got a short soaring flight as the rest of us packed up. I rang ATC Aldergrove to let them know we had finished and after the usual post-flying waffle, we headed home.
Monday, October 03, 2016
Update
Nothing happening for me on the flying front for a wee while. Spent nine days as an 'extra' on a film shoot (for film called 'ZOO') on various locations around Belfast and further out. Then last weekend I spent at Tollymore National Outdoor Centre on the edge of the Mournes on a course to renew my REC Emergency Care first aid certification that I need as a BHPA Senior Instructor. This has to be renewed every three years.
The craic at Tollymore was good and the course has a high practical content so you are outdoors a lot dealing with simulated casualty situations. Others on the course included Game of Thrones tour guides who had not been on a course before and outdoor leaders of various sorts. Accommodation and excellent food are provided and coffee, tea etc is on tap whenever you want. It's a little bit mentally tiring but you certainly get your first aid skills sharpened up and the latest developments and techniques explained, demonstrated and practiced.
One of the other people on the course was James Linford. I taught his brother Charles to fly a hang glider many years ago (1970s) but we had lost touch. It was good to have an unexpected 'catch up' and to know that Charles if fit and well and living in England, although not hang gliding any more.
The craic at Tollymore was good and the course has a high practical content so you are outdoors a lot dealing with simulated casualty situations. Others on the course included Game of Thrones tour guides who had not been on a course before and outdoor leaders of various sorts. Accommodation and excellent food are provided and coffee, tea etc is on tap whenever you want. It's a little bit mentally tiring but you certainly get your first aid skills sharpened up and the latest developments and techniques explained, demonstrated and practiced.
One of the other people on the course was James Linford. I taught his brother Charles to fly a hang glider many years ago (1970s) but we had lost touch. It was good to have an unexpected 'catch up' and to know that Charles if fit and well and living in England, although not hang gliding any more.
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