Report by John Alder

Bell Hill. Arrived mid afternoon to find two Condors, Guy and Bob, having just landed and reporting that it was a bit strong for their liking. I decided to rig anyway and, for once, was lucky in that the wind dropped of to about 16mph by the time I was ready. Didn't get much height (+/- 500ft), but enough to be looking down on a RAF Hercules that happened by! A pleasant flight truncated by the need to see what I was doing when packing up!

Report by Martin Butcher

A great days flying was had by many pilots. I arrived about 10:30 to find a no one flying but the local school was there and had been flying and said it was OK. A quick rig and I was off into about 15mph.

At this time of day it was still quite cold still with not that much lift about but a bit gusty. After about an hour's flying people started turning up and the wind dropped slightly but thermals started developing and I was able to get up to about 500 feet. Gradually throughout the afternoon thermals increased, wind dropped and number of pilots increased. This lead to things getting a little interesting at times but I had 3 ½ hours of wonderfully flying, just wish I had the camera.

Report by Jon Harvey

Report by Mark Fisher

Can't remember a day like this for a couple of years, flyable from 12. 30 for pg`s, hg`s already in the air when we got there.

Flights made to Sidmouth and back throughout the afternoon. Around 25 pilots flying on and off from Beer and Branscombe. Much nicer than the day before at Sandy Bay. We left at 4. 30 and pilots were still turning up. Wessex members present Derek S,Paul E, Jon W.

Report by Neville Almond

My best day ever at Ballard Down (in 28 years!). Arrived to see it would be nicely soarable, and after an hour or so of fun took a thermal and toyed with it for a few hundred feet, and it simply kept going to 2500ft, to the outskirts of Pool Harbour. Travelling around in the light wind, then on return to the hill some 20 minutes later hit the same again, this time sharing the thermal with Ali F. Worked back up wind (with Ali flying well just below), and a few climbs/glides later found myself 2400ft over Swanage Town centre! From here, an easy glide to Durlston Head, then back to Ballard (it was the wrong day to risk landing out). What a corking winter day, see attached photos: #22 €“ Over Studland Heath, looking South towards Ballard (from 2500ft you can just make out a parked HG on the hill!) #25 €“ Over Studland Heath, looking North over Poole Harbour #31 €“ Over Swanage, looking North towards Ballard #32 €“ Durltson head, South of Swanage

Report by Alastair Florence

Today was one of those days with unsually good conditions that stick in your memory for a long time. Shame the lense broke off my camera though.

Started light and scratchy soon got pretty strong then settled back to strongish but ok then slowly eased off to nothing. What made it special ? the cliff and ridge being flyable together and plenty of big soft thermals coming up off Swanage allowing up to 1000ft ato in the morning and a comfy 500-600ft ato afternoon, lift right out over new Swanage, i've never had so much height out in front here before. Pretty much SSE to almost South so lower cliffs didn't work but the eventual beach land was easy. Nev A boating out in front out back and all over plus many others having a great Autumn day.

Report by Shamus Pitts

Report by Paul Hawkins

Sandy Bay EITS report (paul hawkins) Shamus emailed me on Friday to see if I fancied a trip down to Devon for some cliff flying. I thought why not it looks to be south east and I've not had too much luck at Ballard Down although the forward launches and beach landings last Sunday where fun! The drive down was worth the effort we had a good hour and half with stacks of height and Shamus doing spirals. At one point (when the wind was at its strongest) the Wessex members out numbered the local Condor pilots 3 to 1 with me Shamus and Derek Saddler in the air with Tom the local.

Report by Shamus Pitts

Report by John Alder

The best inland flying conditions for hang gliding I've encountered all year; beautifully smooth and with some nice thermals drifting fairly quickly downwind - where were you lads? Having a second flight, this time on the floppy one 'was icing on the cake' - it was a bit strong for that and a perceived message from our men in the bottom landing field induced the big ears that brought me down to join them and a welcome lift back up, thanks Gary - thanks also to Keith Wright for his helpful sitephone message - I was otherwise planning to go to Westbury White Horse!

Report by James Roy

Devils Dyke (NNW, 15-20 mph) Didn't think there would have been enough west in the wind for Bell (seems I was wrong) so headed down to Devils Dyke. A lovely days flying. A bit windy at first but then became thermic with climbs to between 1500 and 2000 ATO. Went smooth like glass later in the day.

Report by John Blessing

Report by Stephen Arnold

Report by Alastair Florence

Report by Jeremy Calderwood

With flying opportunities in short supply in desperation I checked out Barton this afternoon. By 3. 30 the very light SE breeze had just about crept up to 6 - 7 mph so I hung around in the hope that it might strengthen a little more. After a while I was joined by John and Linda (dunno if I got your name right - sorry if not) and Gary and his partner (didn't get her name). By 4. 15 the wind had picked up to about 8 mph and more or less straight onto the cliffs so I kited the wing a few times but. . . . still too light.

Gary then decided to try it but rather than kite his wing he just dived over the cliff! After about 100 yards of sinking slowly along the face of the cliff he landed on the beach. However he HAD flown! OK I'll give it a go, I thought as I popped the wing up. Just about enough for a scratch maybe and committed myself. At first I was neither sinking nor rising as I cruised eastward about 8' below the edge but by the time I reached the golf course I had gradually climbed to about 10' above. I reached the promontory and turned as tight as I dared at slow speed and despite ending up 10' below the edge again I managed to scratch some height back, again to about 10' above. At the café end it was a similar story but again I coaxed the wing back to the far end. Not particularly enjoyable, but certainly very challenging as I floated along often within 3 or 4 feet of the lip.

As I turned I just knew I was not going be lucky again. 10' below increased to 20' so I cut my losses and landed on the flat zone below the cliffs about 100 yards back from the end.

All told I managed about 6 minutes but it was 6 minutes more than I thought I would get! On my return John remarked that my flying was very 'Zen': I took it as a compliment! There were 3 sitephone messages from Ballard before I went out; whether or not any flying was achieved there I don't know - there was no EITS report at the time of writing.

At least I got the practice in - I don't want to get rusty. Grab any chance you can (within reason!) is my motto for winter flying. Without the height the sun has little strength to start up a sea breeze nor any meaningful thermals; we're totally reliant on the weather systems for coastal soaring winds during this season.

Report by Shamus Pitts

Report by Stephen Arnold

Report by Alastair Florence

Saturday evening the weather for Sunday was looking like a Portland East day and not much else, ENE and fresh to start going ESE and dying by mid PM.

So met two other intrepid (or maybe just desperate) pilots on the rock early morning, wind was very much NE but strength ok.

Plan 1 First attempts to launch were on the North launch, however despite many attempts and different methods the rotor was just to much to get going against.

Plan 2 South launch, direction was not good at 45' - 60' off the cliff but slightly more promising. Eventually launches were made and once round under the borstal it was reasonably flyable although very much off to the North. After much effort Dave W got off only to find in the failed attempts he had twisted a riser, so he track landed and skillfully managed to re climb the cliff still with his glider mushroomed over one shoulder.

Things got better although still off North allowing flights to the golf ball and back after nightmare launching small thermals giving gains of 400ft plus at times. Then early Pm the wind came round nearer ENE and soon died bringing things to an end. Conditions certainly not recommended for personal well-being but ok if you were there.

The inmates of the Borstal, the Verne and then followed by some bloke on a motor bike down the bottom were all in good voice although none of them have learned any new words, just **** *** **** and crash you ********* etc, still at least we have our freedom.

Report by Sean Staines

With a light Easterly forecast the conditions looked good for a trip to Pandy in SE Wales. Clearly others thought so too and I saw many familiar faces from Thames Valley, Condors, Avon, SE / SW Wales plus a few Wessex. There with probably 50 gliders in the air spread out along the 10km of soarable ridge. I flew for over 3Hrs with 950ft height gains in gentle lift. If you're interested in flying Pandy for the first time feel free to call me for a briefing.

Report by Alastair Florence

Report by Simon Herbert

Report by Mike Bretherton

Report by David Franklin

Report by Alastair Florence

Report by Paul Hawkins

Looked to be very light wind conditions today so was in two minds as to make the effort to drive to St Aldhelms head so sms'd Ali to see if he had a local weather report for me his reply was very light on Poole Quay. . . Not much help really, which is unusual for Ali! After while made up my mind and headed for St A's. On arrival found it to be light but uncomfortably flyable ( no safe bottom landing there!) Ali turned up and the wind speed picked up. We had a pleasant fly nothing special had just over 300ft ato at best. Ali managed more height (as usual).

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