Flyblog

March 2011
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Mar   Apr


 Lunedì, 6 novembre 2006

Last weekend saw the first flight - for me - of the year. And life was good: over 2hrs, nice big thermals, quite strong (>+3) but good and abundant. I went to Colonna, didn't get to high so didn't chase the pack that had headed to Tamaro, instead back over to Nudo, headed out towards Sangiano, got to 1800m there, cruised over to home, across to Besozzo, then Bogno... totally cool because there was no way I was going down. Then headed back in to Nudo, staying high and getting in 100m or so above the take off. I tried to spot Wim (waiting to take off) then went over to Colonna again, nearly to San Martino, back round to Sasso. Needed 20mins to get down because so many gliders came in under me. A mega start to the season. Maybe 25 hang gliders in the LZ, too.

The only downside was Hans took off and grabbed his drogue chute instead of harness zip... but landed OK.


8:09:37 PM    

This year was the slowest since starting again in 1999: only 15 flights, 24hrs airtime. Boy.

I didn't really get going until July: and then the whole year only over 2000m once (the day I went round Annecy lake). Didn't go once to Sette Termine. Only once over to Campo dei Fiori.

On the good side: every landing good, looks like I put the bar down just once. Did my longest flight ever (3hrs 7mins). Average flight 1h36 - pretty OK. On 8 flights I did over 20km trig or XC.


9:05:22 PM    

A nice afternoon out yesterday for a top to bottom with some scratching. Nice landing, felt good reminded myself that I still know how to fly.

A weekend of contrasts. Gino - our favourite pizza guy - died at 46 of a heart attack. And I met Hans, the 74 year old Swiss pilot, saw him land his Relax using a Metamorfosi drag chute and a good pair of wheels. I hope a) I get 30 years more, and that b) when I get there, I'm still flying.


8:59:15 PM    

 Domenica, 16 luglio 2006
Not me fortunately. Peter, going for the first time off the ramp, (or an y ramp, for that matter), did the classic wings not quite level and pushing out (to get in the harness, perhaps?). And spun in...

After helping him drag the glider out of the brambles, I did a short 50min flight that ended with me hanging over the LZ waiting for the wind to shift south. After six 360's, it still hadn't and I landed NE.
10:29:11 PM    

 Martedì, 11 luglio 2006

Sunday actually worked out well, for once. Saturday became a bit thundery, and DIY beckoned. Turned up a bit late at the LZ because it looked like Sunday would overdevelop too, only to find Mauro dragging his harness to the car? Flying, I ask? Already landed, he replied... didn't look good.

In the end, I launched under some high crap that was coming over, but the thermals were there anyway. After getting away from Sasso and the grockels waiting for us to crash, a nice straight climb up over Brusciatta to 1750 and CB put me more in the mood. Over to Colonna, the lift was all under the clouds out in front. Up to CB again and then completed the milk-run to San Martino. Turned and headed back, thankful my new zip worked (glides well up from the 1:6 I was getting with it open...). High again over Nudo TO, round the back on Pizzoni and then back to Sasso TO. Flavio did a great recovery underneath from what looked like approach in the LZ - but didn't quite manage to get through me on the new glider he was test flying (I presume). Hmmm... interesting.

Headed off to Picutz, skimmed low and then into land, a bit short and some steps but nevertheless glider back on the shoulders nicely. Finally start to get more in the swing this year. (kmz here)


8:38:34 PM    

 Lunedì, 21 novembre 2005

At this time of the year. 26 mins was all it was but there were a couple of climbs and it was fun. Had my new Competino strapped on, couldn't see it too good (neeeds to move to the base bar) but of course as a vario it's fine.

I did a nice take off this time, long steps, smoothly into the air, and a great landing - as is usually the case in the winter, dense air cushioning the ground effect and no turbulence so it's a gentle round out and then nice flare with the A frame coming back onto my shoulders.

Erik flew for three hours of course...


7:27:39 PM    

 Martedì, 8 novembre 2005
Decided to upload my QuickTime movie that I made earlier this year (click link above). This is cut nr 2: I added in a landing made later in the summer, completes it a bit better, I think. Nothing special but winter is coming on...
9:59:36 PM    

 Lunedì, 31 ottobre 2005

I flew for the first time with a helmet bungee yesterday. Slightly weird as probably I was rotating a bit with my head when flying - and you get a restriction on such a movement, which is not a bad thing. It meant my control in the first few seconds wasn't too great... but overall not very noticeable.

helmet bungee
11:25:26 AM    

Went out for a short fight yesterday, autumn kind of weather, inverted just above take off. I got one good climb over the Brusciatta, round below Nudo summit but nothing good there. Got back to the Brusciatta to low to get up after that, so I was round to Sasso - even lower - and then scratched around before coming in to land. Lousy take off, like I had forgotten how to run, wind was almost nil, but perfect landing in nil wind.
11:18:29 AM    

 Sabato, 10 settembre 2005
A couple of hours out today, even though at first some high cirrus came across and looked like it would shut everything down. Over to Nudo, never got up to the summit but in the end a climb out from 650m to 1150m in front of Sasso got me up to cloudbase - low... Then over to Gemonio, couldn't get to Cardana and then round Sangiano, up again, tried some cloud streets out over Gemonio again, then over Sangiano, before finally giving in and coming in to land.
9:11:24 PM