Sat 21 April 2018
Mark Piggott was out early and got a flight but later reported that he had to use speedbar to stop getting blown over the back. There was a good turnout of pilots including Richard Stewart, Mickey Fleming, Uel Glendinning, Ken McConnell, Dermot Lagan, Martin Bates, Tony Conway, Alastair McMaster and, as most were leaving, Ronald Chudziak. Wind was far too strong and gusty for safe paragliding.
Ronald decided to free-fly his paramotor wing as it had more speed. He had a couple of successful soaring flights although suffering minor tip deflations a couple of times.
Having shoved my BGD Wasp into the stuffsack after flying at Dungiven yesterday, I repacked the Wasp properly at the bottom of the hill. Ronald had bottom landing by then and was packing up as I left.
Sunday, April 22, 2018
Saturday, April 21, 2018
Friday 20 April 2018
Strong wind in the morning but, joining up with Al McMaster we went to Dungiven in the late afternoon. Wind was strong and gusty - 15 - 22mph. After a while it eased a bit and we soon had pilots airborne, including Phil Barron, Al McMaster, Sean Glass, Billy Reed and Dermot Lagan. Graeme Moseley went for a drag when he lost his footing but I eventually brought things to a halt by grabbing a wingtip of his paraglider. No harm done, but he packed up and left the site soon after.
I had a very pleasant flight in patchy lift conditions - turn in lift and you climbed; then sink after. I eventually came in for a slope landing when the wind eased just as Dermot decided to take off across my approach line. But again no harm done as I flared hard and landed short of his takeoff path. Alastair had to turn out to stay clear of Dermot's takeoff and as a result landed at the bottom. Both Al and I spoke to Dermot afterwards to remind him of the need to do a complete pre-flight check including making sure that his takeoff would be clear of other paragliders.
When all had landed, either on the slope, on the top or at the bottom, the wind quite quickly died to less than soarable speed so, after Alastair had a paramotor flight out around the Dungiven area, we packed up and headed home. I was travelling with Al and was treated to some excellent barbecue food back at his place later.
I had a very pleasant flight in patchy lift conditions - turn in lift and you climbed; then sink after. I eventually came in for a slope landing when the wind eased just as Dermot decided to take off across my approach line. But again no harm done as I flared hard and landed short of his takeoff path. Alastair had to turn out to stay clear of Dermot's takeoff and as a result landed at the bottom. Both Al and I spoke to Dermot afterwards to remind him of the need to do a complete pre-flight check including making sure that his takeoff would be clear of other paragliders.
When all had landed, either on the slope, on the top or at the bottom, the wind quite quickly died to less than soarable speed so, after Alastair had a paramotor flight out around the Dungiven area, we packed up and headed home. I was travelling with Al and was treated to some excellent barbecue food back at his place later.
Thursday, April 05, 2018
Sunday 1 April 2018
Forecast looked reasonable for a taster day. I met Alan Dew and Ryan Trainor at Ballynure and from there we went to Skeagh. The wind was 10-12mph NNE so, after the usual preliminary paperwork and introductory information we got the kit out and headed part way up the hill. The wind was picking up now and again so the small Firebird Trainer was brought into use as ground handling can be practiced without the risk of the student becoming airborne. After the usual initial instinctive wrong actions were overcome, both students were able to do reverse inflation and keep the wing overhead. By 3:30pm the wind had increased to over 20mph so we stopped for the day.
Back at the cars we were having a chat when a Lycra-clad figure came into view running on the road from the Carnalbana direction. Turned out it was Ken McConnell who had flown from a site just north of Ballycoos to The Sheddings on the Ballymena to Carnlough road and was running back to Robin Young's car park to collect his car. He stopped for a chat and then went on his way before getting too cold.
Thursday 5 April 2018
Out at Big Collin. Whilst waiting for two students to arrive I went for two short soaring flights. It was quite thermic and both flights ended with slope landings. By the time my two students, Paul Cunningham and Gerry Johnston arrived the wind was picking up. Ken McConnell and Ian Cross were getting good height but Martin Bates decided to abandon attempts at aviation in the strengthening wind. Paul made a few excellent ground handling attempts but even in the landing area he was becoming airborne in the gusts. Gerry also abandoned any idea of flight. I had a long discussion with Paul on some theory before heading up the hill to retrieve my wind - BGD Wasp M.
Just as I was about to leave I got a message from a former club member and hang glider pilot, Dr Garth Logan, who was on his way to the hill for a chat. It was good to see him again after many years and we had a good catch-up session. After over 20 years here as a GP, it seems that he wanted a life and he's now a medic in the RAF and I confess to being a bit envious of his stories of flying in a variety of fast jets and tours of duty in the Falklands and other places. Garth is based in England but makes regular trips home and intends to be back flying with us again.
Back at the cars we were having a chat when a Lycra-clad figure came into view running on the road from the Carnalbana direction. Turned out it was Ken McConnell who had flown from a site just north of Ballycoos to The Sheddings on the Ballymena to Carnlough road and was running back to Robin Young's car park to collect his car. He stopped for a chat and then went on his way before getting too cold.
Thursday 5 April 2018
Out at Big Collin. Whilst waiting for two students to arrive I went for two short soaring flights. It was quite thermic and both flights ended with slope landings. By the time my two students, Paul Cunningham and Gerry Johnston arrived the wind was picking up. Ken McConnell and Ian Cross were getting good height but Martin Bates decided to abandon attempts at aviation in the strengthening wind. Paul made a few excellent ground handling attempts but even in the landing area he was becoming airborne in the gusts. Gerry also abandoned any idea of flight. I had a long discussion with Paul on some theory before heading up the hill to retrieve my wind - BGD Wasp M.
Just as I was about to leave I got a message from a former club member and hang glider pilot, Dr Garth Logan, who was on his way to the hill for a chat. It was good to see him again after many years and we had a good catch-up session. After over 20 years here as a GP, it seems that he wanted a life and he's now a medic in the RAF and I confess to being a bit envious of his stories of flying in a variety of fast jets and tours of duty in the Falklands and other places. Garth is based in England but makes regular trips home and intends to be back flying with us again.
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