Tuesday 26th May 2015
Have you ever been woken by blood curdling screams? I'm surprised that the police werent called to the campsite after one of our pilots suffered a night terror...!
The previous days landings had claimed a few victims, but thank fully with the help of Cloud 9 Hang Gliding, dealer assistance was on hand to get pilots in the air again. The support given to the club pilots as they start their competition career is brilliant. Well done Phippsy, Mark Woodhams and the BHGC!
So up to Whether Fell. Conditions were looking promising so a task flying to the East near Hull and the coast via one turn point was called. I was one of the first off again, and even though it was lifty at times, it was a struggle to get high enough to feel confident to go over the back. Several pilots opted to fly forward to Dodds Fell to climb there and then use Wether Fell as a top up.
For some it worked, with Justin, Luke and Paul Harvey being the first to set off but it became quickly apparent that they were struggling just 20kms in to the task. I had decided not to rush the day - skies and local conditions can change quickly, so I opted to sit it out for a while, flying the ridge waiting to see if things improved.
But they didn't. Eventually I decided to flop over the back at 2500' in the best climb for some time, with Gordon and Darren a few hundred feet higher and slightly ahead. Dave Matthews was also in the wide spread gaggle. On a death glide to the valley behind I connected with a weak bit of lift that kept me up at 2000' while I drifted towards the shallow ridge behind where Gordon and Darren were climbing. I think Dave headed back to take off to find a better climb but was soon calling that he was landing. Radio communications can be a real bonus in these situations, as the three of us exchanged information on climb rates. They were obviously climbing faster so I tucked in a glided towards them. Yes. A stronger climb that was building. Called it. Darren and Gordon came in over the top. Phew. We were getting away.
Right, off to the next ridge, spreading out to find lift. Trying to stay with Gordon isnt easy when he is gliding. Very fast. Boom, up he goes. Get in underneath. Got it. Off on another glide. Boom up he goes again. But this time Darren and I slightly behind and don't connect with it. As i pushed back to the ridge I was being sunk out. Steep at the foot of the hill, but a very flat profile higher up, I had to try and find the lift band as well as the likely thermal trigger spot. Failed. Dareen "Its working back to your left. I'm climbing". Darting over low underneath, I connected and we worked the gnarly lift together to climb out, almost sharing the same parcel of lift!
Gordon was on the radio, much further right of track. The "wind farm" en route was clearly visible but there was a problem of an uninviting looking sky dividing us. Gently I worked lift until I knew I could glide clear of the moors (always thinking of a retrieve) then bit the bullet and glided on to the left of track, not as high as I would have liked, but towards sunshine and a better sky. The only problem being the imminent airspace near Ripon, but being aware of it meant we could avoid it.
Pushing on, I headed to likely clouds and sunny ground but didnt seem to be gaining much height. With no rising ground pushing the thermals up, I was checking out ploughed fields with trees on the downwind side of the field, hoping to catch a thermal there. Darren was now some 400' above me, a really advantageous position to be in as he could see my climbs and potentially join them when they had matured in to stronger cores. If only.
Teased by a few bubbles I created search patterns but never really connected again. By this time Ripon was looming. Not a problem in itself, in fact a bonus if it was kicking off warm air, but the airspace was right over the top of it. If we didnt get high now, then it would be game over. Frustratingly it just wasnt happening as the text books say. Ploughed field. Line of trees. Birds flying. Come on. Nope. Not happening.
"That's my old baracks" radio'ed Darren. Yep. There was no mistaking I was headed straight for Claro Army Barracks, working hard in broken lift very low down to try and stay up, hoping for a boomer to save the day. Trees were swaying, seagulls circling, the air was bubbling, but I was just too low and running out of options. The fields each side of the barracks had power lines, crops and trees so there was only one thing for it...
Sizing up the football field I wondered what my reception committee would be like. Putting on an unintentional rag doll show for the Sappers watching, I landed in a stiff lumpy breeze, It was no surprise that the security messages going around on camp was of a glider "crashing" at the barracks! It must have looked entertaining but in fact it was an "on point" landing, shame that the glider nearly ground looped as soon as I was down. With the help of my new, luckily unarmed, friends the glider was taken to the side of the pitch.
Unsurprisingly I was put "under guard" by the army while I de-rigged the glider and arranged for Rebekah to have vehicular access to the barracks. Shamelessly name dropping Major Jenny Buck (our Meethead) might have gone some way to help smooth the way. I was even brought a nice cuppa tea. Top job fellas!
Darren did in fact get a climb above me. As we approached Ripon. I rest my case. His flight was DSQ'ed! Shame really, as he would have won the day otherwise. Scores here. Not a bad day for me coming 3rd as I slowly climb the ladder.....
 |
| Phippsy fixing things |
The previous days landings had claimed a few victims, but thank fully with the help of Cloud 9 Hang Gliding, dealer assistance was on hand to get pilots in the air again. The support given to the club pilots as they start their competition career is brilliant. Well done Phippsy, Mark Woodhams and the BHGC!
So up to Whether Fell. Conditions were looking promising so a task flying to the East near Hull and the coast via one turn point was called. I was one of the first off again, and even though it was lifty at times, it was a struggle to get high enough to feel confident to go over the back. Several pilots opted to fly forward to Dodds Fell to climb there and then use Wether Fell as a top up.
But they didn't. Eventually I decided to flop over the back at 2500' in the best climb for some time, with Gordon and Darren a few hundred feet higher and slightly ahead. Dave Matthews was also in the wide spread gaggle. On a death glide to the valley behind I connected with a weak bit of lift that kept me up at 2000' while I drifted towards the shallow ridge behind where Gordon and Darren were climbing. I think Dave headed back to take off to find a better climb but was soon calling that he was landing. Radio communications can be a real bonus in these situations, as the three of us exchanged information on climb rates. They were obviously climbing faster so I tucked in a glided towards them. Yes. A stronger climb that was building. Called it. Darren and Gordon came in over the top. Phew. We were getting away.
Right, off to the next ridge, spreading out to find lift. Trying to stay with Gordon isnt easy when he is gliding. Very fast. Boom, up he goes. Get in underneath. Got it. Off on another glide. Boom up he goes again. But this time Darren and I slightly behind and don't connect with it. As i pushed back to the ridge I was being sunk out. Steep at the foot of the hill, but a very flat profile higher up, I had to try and find the lift band as well as the likely thermal trigger spot. Failed. Dareen "Its working back to your left. I'm climbing". Darting over low underneath, I connected and we worked the gnarly lift together to climb out, almost sharing the same parcel of lift!
Back up near to cloudbase. "Ok, shall we go? Lets fan out a bit". "Right with you" came Darren's reply. Got to love this team flying! And off we sped towards the dams and the edge of the moors. As I approached the reservoirs I had lost 2000' and needed to find lift to get over the moors. Looking over my shoulder to locate my partner in crime, I couldn't see Darren anywhere.
"Where are you?"
"I stopped to take a climb".
"Thought we were going together?"
"We were. I did call it..." Bugger. Must have missed that. Or did he whisper it... !
 |
| Where are you, Darren? |
Gordon was on the radio, much further right of track. The "wind farm" en route was clearly visible but there was a problem of an uninviting looking sky dividing us. Gently I worked lift until I knew I could glide clear of the moors (always thinking of a retrieve) then bit the bullet and glided on to the left of track, not as high as I would have liked, but towards sunshine and a better sky. The only problem being the imminent airspace near Ripon, but being aware of it meant we could avoid it. |
| Moors in shade. Not good. |
 |
| Getting across the moors checking flight path and airspace on the Kobo |
Teased by a few bubbles I created search patterns but never really connected again. By this time Ripon was looming. Not a problem in itself, in fact a bonus if it was kicking off warm air, but the airspace was right over the top of it. If we didnt get high now, then it would be game over. Frustratingly it just wasnt happening as the text books say. Ploughed field. Line of trees. Birds flying. Come on. Nope. Not happening.
"That's my old baracks" radio'ed Darren. Yep. There was no mistaking I was headed straight for Claro Army Barracks, working hard in broken lift very low down to try and stay up, hoping for a boomer to save the day. Trees were swaying, seagulls circling, the air was bubbling, but I was just too low and running out of options. The fields each side of the barracks had power lines, crops and trees so there was only one thing for it...
Sizing up the football field I wondered what my reception committee would be like. Putting on an unintentional rag doll show for the Sappers watching, I landed in a stiff lumpy breeze, It was no surprise that the security messages going around on camp was of a glider "crashing" at the barracks! It must have looked entertaining but in fact it was an "on point" landing, shame that the glider nearly ground looped as soon as I was down. With the help of my new, luckily unarmed, friends the glider was taken to the side of the pitch.  |
| Under guard. I am such a threat to National security. |
Unsurprisingly I was put "under guard" by the army while I de-rigged the glider and arranged for Rebekah to have vehicular access to the barracks. Shamelessly name dropping Major Jenny Buck (our Meethead) might have gone some way to help smooth the way. I was even brought a nice cuppa tea. Top job fellas!Darren did in fact get a climb above me. As we approached Ripon. I rest my case. His flight was DSQ'ed! Shame really, as he would have won the day otherwise. Scores here. Not a bad day for me coming 3rd as I slowly climb the ladder.....
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