Calm at home all morning but I decided to take a run out to Big Collin on the strength of a southerly forecast. From a distance I could see vehicles parked on the lane and a couple of paraglider wings laid out alongside. When I got there, I found Al McMaster and Walter Hoy chatting to another person I didn't know. Walter had already flown his paramotor but Al wanted to wait for some wind for a reverse launch. As what little wind there was, was Southerly I drove round to nearer the windfarm and parked. A walk up to the top of the hill failed to find any more wind - max 2 or 3mph.
I joined Al and Walter by their cars - the other person (apparently a paramotor pilot who had got into an argument at Dungiven a short time ago) had left. We chatted for a while; they both went up again for a couple of flights and as the wind seemed to be starting to stir a bit I drove further round the lane and parked in the layby at the speed limit sign.
Climbing the hill again the wind had picked up to around 10mph so I gave Brian Dawson a call. He is returning to the sport after a long break. When Brian arrived we went up to the top. Al and Walter had landed and gone home and we were joined by Ken McConnell who had flown his paramotor from the Agnew's Hill area. When Ken left, Brian had two good flights with 180 degree turns and bottom landings. After walking up the hill for a third flight he decided he had had enough and with the freshening wind it was getting cold, so I went up on the training wing (Firebird F1rst M), managing some soaring beats before landing by the car.
Sunday, November 19, 2017
Thursday, November 16, 2017
Big Collin Wed 15 November 2017
Calm at home all morning with a windy hills forecast. Colin Dowey had emailed earlier that he was heading for Big Collin so a quick call to Colin confirmed that there was some wind on the SSW end of the hill. I arrived to find Colin ground handling up the hill a bit.
A quick call to Paul Cunningham, one of my CP students set him on the road. In the meantime I climbed the hill and had a short soaring flight on my trusty Firebird Raven M as Paul arrived. Colin also had a soaring flight. After top landing, Paul and I got organised, resulting in him having six good top to bottom flights, including his first slope landing - all carried out well with standup landings.
Meantime Martin Bates had arrived and was perfecting his ground handling using his Little Cloud wing to sharpen up his reflexes. Colin also had a couple of flights on the Little Cloud.
After Paul's last flight, I decided to fly my own wing down. In true Big Collin form, the flight was a rollercoaster as the wind had shifted more southerly and I was in the mix downwind of the low hill in front. I eventually landed in sink by the cars. It was good to get a day when flying was possible!
A quick call to Paul Cunningham, one of my CP students set him on the road. In the meantime I climbed the hill and had a short soaring flight on my trusty Firebird Raven M as Paul arrived. Colin also had a soaring flight. After top landing, Paul and I got organised, resulting in him having six good top to bottom flights, including his first slope landing - all carried out well with standup landings.
Meantime Martin Bates had arrived and was perfecting his ground handling using his Little Cloud wing to sharpen up his reflexes. Colin also had a couple of flights on the Little Cloud.
After Paul's last flight, I decided to fly my own wing down. In true Big Collin form, the flight was a rollercoaster as the wind had shifted more southerly and I was in the mix downwind of the low hill in front. I eventually landed in sink by the cars. It was good to get a day when flying was possible!
Saturday, November 11, 2017
Back again at Skeagh
Collected taster student Diane Masson at Ballynure, hoping for a good day. Arrived at Skeagh to find Martin bates just parking - he wanted to get airborne again after a long layoff following a wrist injury (not flying related). So - after the preliminary BHPA-insistent paperwork, up the hill we go but find the wind off a bit to the NW and 8-10mph. Fine for ground handling so that was the story.
Like all beginners, Diane found the small Firebird F1rst wing a bit of a handful but quickly mastered reverse launch practice. A couple of forward launch attempts were made but were less successful, with the wing falling off to the side before getting overhead. Unfortunately there was no opportunity to get a low flight as the wind went west, blowing on the slope crossed by power lines. All that effort was tiring and the temperature was dropping so we quit.
Meantime Martin shook the cobwebs out of his Tequila 4 wing on top of the hill. He faffed about for a while ground handling, ending in a good takeoff and surprisingly floaty flight to the bottom with a gentle standup landing.
Gerry Johnston turned up for some practice after a long layoff and had one successful flight from the top with a standup landing before the wind went west which meant no takeoff facing the power lines!
Like all beginners, Diane found the small Firebird F1rst wing a bit of a handful but quickly mastered reverse launch practice. A couple of forward launch attempts were made but were less successful, with the wing falling off to the side before getting overhead. Unfortunately there was no opportunity to get a low flight as the wind went west, blowing on the slope crossed by power lines. All that effort was tiring and the temperature was dropping so we quit.
Meantime Martin shook the cobwebs out of his Tequila 4 wing on top of the hill. He faffed about for a while ground handling, ending in a good takeoff and surprisingly floaty flight to the bottom with a gentle standup landing.
Gerry Johnston turned up for some practice after a long layoff and had one successful flight from the top with a standup landing before the wind went west which meant no takeoff facing the power lines!
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