Eye in the Sky Nov 2006
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Mon 27 Nov 2006
Report by Sean Staines
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I didn't take my glider but my Zen levitiation is working quite well now.
I just need to learn to concentrate a little harder.
Sun 12 Nov 2006
Report by Kaye Escott
Paul and me decided to head to Butser mainly as we couldn't be bothered
to drive to Bell. Good decision. Flyable for just about all day with a
record number of pilots there (according to Shippo the most for years).
Saying that everyone including several red ribbons had a go, with good
humour all round in turn taking.
Report by Alastair Florence
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Shamus was first up followed by the rest of us. After a short while Neil and I were sort of over the bowl when a gusty bit of lift patted us both up to 200ft odd, the wind picked up instantly and Neil was soon pinned and heading for the back field which he made ok. I was a little further out and with a good portion of speed bar kept out in front of the hill for a while longer. The flight had gone from fairly pleasant to not that pleasant really within moments. I soon got bored gale hanging and flicked back for a top land in the back field whilst I still could.
Even our fearless veteran of flight Derek S wasn't tempted into the air after this, and after his RC glider got blown back he decided to go mountain biking instead.
A wing was spotted airborne over Telegraph after we had given up but it soon disapeared (probably thought better of it or maybe just got blown back somewhere) Rating 3 (given consideration for the time of year).
9 Nov 2006
Report by Mike Adkins
Arrived 1300ish at Monksdown to find a solitary Colin D on the slope. He had apparently had some flying earlier, but by now the air was very light with weak thermic cycles. Nonetheless, we managed several more short but enjoyable flights in brilliant sunshine, until Brian M and Martin H turned up, whereupon the cycles seemed to become weaker and weaker until they petered out. We did better than the pilots on Bell, though, I learned, who got from precious little to nothing!
Tue 07 Nov 2006
Report by Luigi Degli Esposti
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. . . So it goes. . .
Hey mister from abroad ! Me ? Si,Si ,have you gotta ippi on you ? Don't
be so rude ,young man ! I mean ,the card. . .
. . And what would that be my friend ?;I am just a forein instructor with
students who want to go XC on tandem flights and have never read Skywing.
Well ,buona giornata then.
Who cares,why don't You check them. . ,I am going flying. . what ar you
talking about . . ,and. . who is going to do it and why? That's an idea
of answers that I got when I asked around.
And by the way,this was Before this law ,made by overpaid incompetents
,was declared void because they made a mess of it.
Weather is sunny and mild.
I had to take a polish scool to Valdobbiadone for few days,(ask Martin
Foley who just took off from the south take off and landed there),thirty
km. east,to fly because the grappa was too busy with pilots from all over
.
And by the way,Vadobbiadone is The place where Prosecco comes from.
So Wessex Posse,just prepare yourself for some serious prosecco drinking,after
we fly there !
Luigi
Editor: For those of you who don't know Luigi, and haven't guessed it already, he is Italian. Luigi has fled sunny Dorset to his home near the flying site in Bassanno
Sun 05 Nov 2006
Report by Paul Escott
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Paul Escott
Sun 05 Nov 2006
Report by Gary Mullins
Arrived just before 11 to find the conditions similar to saturday but
with the wind a little bit stronger, which we took to be a good sign.
After a fair bit of testing the conditions by the "fit" few, (at about
12. 30), the wind picked up slightly and it became scratchily soarable.
Improving all the time til at one point there were about 15 gliders in
the air milling about in gentle thermals wafting up the ridge. Very pleasant.
(Sorry no pics. No camera. But we all know what paragliders look like
in the air. ) The fun lasted til after 3. 30 when conditions dropped off
and the last glider landed back at take-off. Not surprising, the last
one down was Senior Coach Sean Staines. Who, incidentally was the first
one in the air! Big smiles on the faces of the lucky ones who chose Bell
today.
Editor: Not one sitephone report for all of Sunday, come on guys, how difficult can it be?
Report by Dave Winn
Sun 5th Nov Report by Dave Winn As Russell Whyte's pictures show, we
enjoyed a couple of hours flying at Portland West. A bit of a difficult
take off ( a flat forward launch in nil wind ) for some but well worth
the effort. Landing at the bottom is always convenient for a pint at the
pub. Much better than the scratch yesterday at bell hill getting a couple
of hundred feet above t/o.
Pictures by RW
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Saturday 4th Nov 2006
Report by Sean Staines
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2Hrs later we arrived after seeing some spectacular scenery with views to Southamption water one way and Salisbury Catherdral spire the other. Flying along the Test Valley was a highlight.
Thu 02 Nov 2006
Report by Alastair Florence
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I need to burn a few days leave before the year end so took a part day
today, and used it productivly at Westbury Bratton Camp. No wind at all
when I arrived but after bimbling around for an hour or so it picked up
to give a rather peachy afternoon. Non stop flying, weak, smooth thermals,
an hour or so at peak of 300 -500ft then just nice up to 200ft. Got busy
at times but generally a great session ( did notice tho that one two people
had a strange habit of turn toward you and seemingly flying at you, a
bit un nerving at times !) Rating 7
Report by Jeremy Mortimer
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Brian's site phone message tempted me to Monksdown. Monk's had been working
from 10 and when I arrived at 13:00 there were several in the air. Conditions
were smoothish with some thermals allowing height gains of 900' for an
hour or so. The lift then dropped for a while before recovering to allow
a further hour of flying at 200-300'. Good to get back in the air after
eight weeks off. Very pleasant if a little cool. Those on the hill on
the hill included Marcus W, Brian M, Martin H, Chairman Pete, NZ Dan and
a couple of others whom I can't put a name to.
Report by RW
A crisp & cold day with plenty of sunshine at the mystic Maiden Castle. Thermals from the ploughed field in front and flying for most of the day. Occasional "scratchiness" according to Henry the "Buff". Henry dashing up & down the length of the ridge chased by Simba, Gary P & myself avoiding a rather noisy and too close for comfort, military chopper. Gaz M gaining some height over the field so we all followed to get some warmth. Feet off the ground and all that.
Wed 01 Nov 2006
Report by Neil Mccain
Thought I'd give Monksdown a try as Metcheck and xcweather looked reasonable.
I arrived at 10. 20 to find it smack on, but strong. Eric arrived shortly
after with an anenometer, and we persuaded ourselves that it was do-able.
In the time it took us to sort our gear out, I felt it had eased slightly,
and took off without complication. There was lots of lift, and I climbed
up easily to 500ft ATO, but the wind made it difficult to push forwards.
A couple of other pilots joined us, including Dan from New Zealand, who
made a host of acro manoeuvres look disconcertingly simple. The crisp
cold air meant visabiltiy was spectacularly good. In fields upwind of
us, we could see and hear a shoot going on - beaters and dogs and so on,
I'm sure I even saw a muzzle flash, and I for a moment my thoughts drifted
to the likely effect of lead shot on me and my wing! After about 40 minutes,
I landed on the spur to get a second pair of gloves - that north wind
was bitingly cold. As my hands recovered, I watched as those in the air
were obviously pinned, but the forecast was for conditions to ease as
the day passed, so I thought I had time. . . But it wasn't to be - the
guns below were making their way towards us. The land-owner, spotting
a hang-glider making its way to take-off, was embarrassed to have to tell
us that the hill was closed for the day because of a shoot. I understand
this hasn't happened before, but he promised to notify the club of the
other dates that willaffect the site. It was a shame - especially for
the later arrivals who'd not had the chance to get airborne. But for me,
first time at this site, and first flight for over a month, it didn't
spoil the day.
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