Eye in the Sky - December 2014

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Wed 31 Dec 2014

Report by Paul Hawkins

   

Hey surely these photos prove that New Years Eve was the last fly of the year!

Tue 30 Dec 2014

Report by Jon Harvey

 

Eype - Well we made it into the air, for the last flight of 2014. Myself, John Wreford, and Richard Gorst walked out together from the car park, to find a very gentle breeze, straight on flat calm sea. A micro-light buzzed past a couple of times, as well as CC helo. Tony Farthing, Harry Dyke and P?? (Exeter area) arrived, and eventually the wind lines approached, so made ready for a flight. Clear blue sky, sun bright as hell, warm, so was it really 30th Dec, and not midsummer? The  wind sock indicated direct on, SSW, but once up around 100 ft+ found it was well west.

Eventually crossed Eypes Mouth, but unable to cross the big bowl as one flies up to the beacon, just big sink, and ground speed down to 5mph max. Some good sea thermals all along the coast, eventually landing after some 45 mins, just as it commenced to be blown out.

Several happy pilots enjoyed the last fly of the 2014.
Mon 29 Dec 2014

Report by Grant Oseland

  

After looking at the forecast this morning, I decided that Bell Hill looked like it could be a little on the light side so decided that Portland might be the better bet. Turns out that it was. A very gentle breeze greeted RW and myself on take off, light enough to doubt that it would work very well. On taking off the air was buoyant and smooth with lots of gentle sea thermals coming through, at times giving lift up to just over 1000ft. Gradually the lift got less until eventually it was difficult to stay up in, this did not deter Gordon mind, who was keen to get his Portland wings and claimed a 60 second top to bottom as a valid flight. It was nice to get out and about.

Sun 28 Dec 2014

Report by Charles Campion-Smith

Maiden Castle.

A short bike ride out with the Nevada in the trailer in the sunshine. A light northeasterly in the car park but stronger (and colder) up on the ridge, some gusts but flyable The lower slope was in shadow so no sun dazzle on launch. Reasonable lift and largely smooth air allowed me to soar to the second ridge and fly level with the top of the fort. Dorset looked beautiful in the sunshine. Plenty of walkers and dogs but no other pilots - perhaps Monks Down had come good.

Lift persisted to the northwest end of the ridge so some Ss needed before landing in the car park field, mercifully clear of any dog poo.

A great antidote to post Christmas torpor and let's hope a good omen for the year ahead.

Fri 26 Dec 2014

Report by Brian Metcalfe

  

Boxing day, I got nearly an hour at Barton today before the rain and stronger wind came in, 11.30 - 12.30ish. Crossed to Highcliffe, wafted about near the castle until the wind increased and went a bit more westerly and then headed back. Light rain started as I got to Barton so landed quick and packed up.

Sat 13 Dec 2014

Report by Shamus Pitts

  

With the forecast to be quite strong today I was quite surprised to find no wind at Swallowcliffe this morning.  Dave A and I arrived about 10:30 to find Andy F already there.  His wind sock made it look like there was a nice breeze so we were quite excited when we saw it but alas, the wind was only blowing about 5mph.  While we waited, Paco and Darren G arrived and we continued to wait until we eventually felt a slight breeze coming up the hill.  This breeze gradually got a bit stronger until we were encouraged to unpack.  Dave A took to the air first and sort of stayed up a little bit so the rest of us followed suit.  It still wasn't quite there but it was improving so we headed along the ridge and soon conditions were good enough to stay airborne!  The air was buoyant but you had to work hard to work the lift as the wind was still quite light.  2 red kites came and joined us and we all enjoyed about an hour in the air.  By about 2:30 the wind had dropped again and we decided that was it for the day, although as we walked back to the car it felt like the wind was picking up again!  I stopped at Winklebury on the way home but there was no wind at all there so I carried on home for a cup of tea and a mince pie!

Mon 01 Dec 2014

Report by Shamus Pitts

   
A cold, damp, grey, miserable day at Monks today, but fun!  I thought it would be blown out but I thought that yesterday too and I was wrong then as well!  The wind was a little off to the east this time and blowing about 15mph when I took off.  There was plenty of lift over the trees on the western end of the ridge so I decided to push round towards Wyn Green Hill - big mistake!  There wasn't much lift at all and I ended up landing near the power lines for a muddy walk back to takeoff!   The wind seemed to have picked up a little bit but the air was buoyant and penetration wasn't a problem.  It was a bit gusty every now and then but that just added to the fun!  It wasn't long before Pete C, Marcus W, Paul M, Gary P and a couple of others turned up to enjoy the cold and damp air but my hands were getting cold so I decided to pack up and head home - a surprisingly good weekend considering how bad the forecast was!

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2001 and before