What we did today
Photos on :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doyouwanna-paragliding/
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thursday 31 march 2005
Big day at Palo. About 20 pilots in the air. Know what, danish missing yesterday remember. No wonder, one went of XC for 48.5 km. Ok, today now, started off bit strong at take off for lots of us. 20 to 25 km at take off. gusty themals. Got in the air, and immediately felt hey this is springtime now. Hammerthermals, strong winds etc... . All right, a long wait for most of us. But in the end, happy to very happy faces. It was very hot, twenties and more degrees celsius. Cirrus clouds, maybe luckily curtaining the sun, so thermals were still "survivable". Up to 4/5 m/sec, cloudbase at 1400 meters ASL.
wednesday 30 march 2005
Hey guys, how are you doing ?! You know already when I start my "today" like this, that I have a smile on my face. Well indeed. Went to Murcia, all flying high. Fat thermals, a bit hammery at bits. Some danish pilots, still lost in space somewhere.
Cu Klaus, Martin, Christian, till next time !
tuesday 29 march 2005
Murcia was the place. When strong in alicante, mostly it is still flyable near Murcia. Not the best thermalling day, but we all had a flight, and came down when we wanted too. Verywarm again, after the sun burned through around 1 pm.
monday 28 march 2005
My good old friend Harry Dike arrived ! One of my first guests six years ago. Still enjoying the sunny weather and the laidbackness of Spain. And tomorrow we surely will fly together, this week looks promising again. All relaxing today, on the beach, on a terrace, taking a huge siesta, ... . Too much westwind anyway. Dutch, danish (yes still, can't get rid of them, they love flying), brits, belgians, oh and some lonely spanish are meeting tomorrow morning at ciosco SUSY to head for most probably, Palomaret. Rawhide !
sunday 27 march 2005
Dia de mierda. A lot of western wind. Supposed to die off in the afternoon near the coast and veer to southwesterners. So went off four our splendid location near Calpe. Waited for a while, because still too west. The beautiful views over the Med were worth watching for a while, but we wanted to see it from above. So took off, but surprise, surprise, it was too goddamn west still. I had a hard time, keeping the glider flying right above my head where I want it all the time. It came gusting through, from the right, so slope landed on the Spanish grass. Spanish grass on this site, meaning huge rocks, cactusses, and wiiiiiild animals. Shitty day, but sunburned, so some came in blue and after a day of sun are white already. Hope at the end of their stay, they have lots of airtime and turned brownie.
saturday 26 march 2005
Last day for our friends the vikings from Denmark. They showed many locals how to fly well, locals who live near the mountains and in our fly-friendly climate.
I can only appreciate their effort, their drive to go XC, their flying skill. They live in Denmark, where no mountain is to be noticed. Didn't matter this week.
Today was not a flying day. Too much west and by afternoon too strong. I called it a non flying day early morning, after consulting some friends in valleys, on hills etc.. . I couldn't consider it safe today.
But to be honest, I heard tonight that some locals up north had a flight. It is hard to believe, if it was safe and good to fly.
friday 25 march
Flew at Hondon, for a couple of hours. Easy site. And so nice to see that pilots after a week of consecutive flying have so much more confidence especially at take off. Loud Chris arrived, always a laugh. Two dutch pilots who arrived were struggling a abit, but they sure are rusty after such a long and cold winter up there. But all had a superb light over the mountain ridge near Hondon. No eagles, no vultures, probably a bit too cloudy and cold for them. Everybody happy, Danish dancing and singing, hugging and kissing one another. Happy times.
thursday 24 march 2005
Sunny, very sunny. Warm, very warm. Left early morning at 10 am for a northern, north-western site. I choose for one of my favourite sites Peña rubia (remember Stig Kampersveen ??).
Took off and immediately felt the thermals buzzing around. They were not all over yet, only the more experienced got airtime. Others bummed out. But no worries it could only get better. After an hour, still very take off-able at our not so user-friendly take off ! All in the air.
Some managed a hop to the next village Biar, trying to get further along the mountain. But you had to be at cloudbase not to be bothered by the western wind, which channels through further along. So all landed out a few km's further. Onwe Danish pilot, I think it was Piper, got a 17 km XC in. Definetely noticed the drive to go XC. All others flew for more than an hour all over near the hill, in the valley, in thermals up to 4 m/s. .Cloudbase reached at 1700 m ASL.
When cloudbase was at its highest Bombero, Suby and Jose Luis took their chances and flew a bit further, but not very exciting. A 32 km XC though.
Later at 4 pm, we flew at Palomaret. Warned all of my guests, not to go to Maigmo and try to fly XC. Because at this hour no XC is possible, cloudbase low, and thermals die off, etc... .
Unfortunately for some pilots, ignoring my advice, they bummed out after a 4 km ridge run to Maigmo. Only Klaus had the skill to have an 'out and return'. Well done.
Today, we managed to get some faint smiles on the always very severe looking Danish faces. A little bit more sun, and we might hear them laugh out loud. Cheers, tomorrow we try harder !
wednesday 23 march 2005
After some parawaiting at ONIL, all vikings flew near the cliffs of Santa Pola for over an hour.
tuesday 22 march 2005
XC day it was. Started at Peña Rubia. Some of our vikings left for Biar. Then it gottoo strongat take off. Waited a bit, till Suby took off. Before he took off, he told us to be ready to pick him up near Ibi. Imre started singing : drea-eam on, dream dream dream , drea-eam on .... . We kept quiet.
Half hour later, on radio, Iam half way 1400 ASL, get the engine running. So Suby landed near Tibi, near the gas staion of Maigmo. XC Superstuff.
Breeze kicked in, so left for afternoon flights at Palo. All in the air. A bit later some confusing radio talk, who is where, where is he ... .
Again, emptying my gastank and picking up Klaus, Martin, Morten, en Piper way out near Tibi. XC well done.
Knackered I am, no not by flying, poor me, but by driving around picking up my friends, hallelujah.
monday 21 march 2005
Started off very cloudy. Waited till after noon to leave base. Got on the hill and all flew for a couple of hours. Smooth, almost too smooth thermals. Some toplandings, but most of us were working hard to stay up. Good for tomorrow's XC day ? We'l see.
sunday 20 march 2005
Muchos vikingos en el aire. Vikings in the air. And nice to see that they are not totally beginners. We all flew at Palomaret. cloudbase not too high, but smooth thermals all afternoon. took off, I think it was about 12 am, still some low windsheer due to the ever blowing westwind early morning. Got better minute by minute. Sun was working hard to give us all a good time, gracias Lorenzo. Beer at old man's bar Antoniet, it is a classic. Happy.
saturday 19 march 2005
Afternoon flying at Cabo. With tens of new vikings that arrived. Lets have a good week of flying, under the sun, 20 degrees, as a nice start of spring.
friday 18 march 2005
Excellent day at San antonio and later on some flying even at Carrasqueta. Dudo again XC, down to Onil. PIlots got to 1000 meter above take off, which is nice, and it is only still March.
monday 14th till thursday 17th march
Wasn't here. Asked around. Local pilots flew 3 out of 4 days.
sunday 13 march 2005
Last day for Paul and Simon, and what could they have expected more before going to the airport. Exactly, a whole day of flying. Soaring over the cliffs, toplanding whenever they wanted, having a chat, etc... etc... . Relax, no stress.
And no stress any more for Sasha's toplanding. She got one more week to go, first two went well, she made a lot of progress.
It looks like everyday flying this week. I won't be able to do this "today" for the next four days. I'm off, somebody else will guide the pilots way up high.
saturday 12 march 2005
After a good night in Alicante. Tapas uptown, jazz-bar "4gatos", a couple of mojitos in the red cave (missyaJoel), loud rock'n roll in bar Brujas, then watching some dirty dancing by astonishing lovely Alicantinas (missyaJoel), having a go at it ourselves in bar Captain Haddock. Groovy, thanks for the company, Sasha and Paul. So a late start today.
Rafa, Moncho and Antolino in the air, up high under clouds at Sierra Bernia. We arrived just a bit too late to take off. The narrow window didn't permit us to take off safely. Happens.
friday 11 march 2005
Benidorm, from above. Overlooking the bay, peacock Island. So south east. But it got overcasted this afternoon later on, so we had to call it a day. A couple of us managed toplandings, and Sash did well again, although she is a bit nerveus when you need to fly close to the ridges. And that's good for a lowairtimer. Belgians have left now, unfortunately, always in for a laugh and a drink, cheers !
How about an hour soaring at the cliffs and later in the afternoon some mountain flying at the amazing site of Onil.
All were up for it, happy faces.
Blue sky, nice and warm, can't wait to go snorkeling with my son in the blue Mediterranean Sea soon.
Spring is near, everywhere you see gardeners cutting the dry leaves of the palmtrees. Swimming pools are getting cleaned up, last bits of paint on the terraces.
wednesday 9 march
Again promising. Went off early to get there when the first thermals kick off. Arrived at 11 am. The deal was trying to get to Maigmo, with the whole group. 6 brits, 4 belgians.
First in the air, and loving it. It wasn't turbulent, you had to work in or in the valley, or when wind was on, closer to the mountain. Nice game.
When it took you up, it didn't take you high (cloudbase 1400 meter), but it got you in a strong grip. Holding your glider tight and core it, weightshifting in it, not loosing it.
But Maigmo wasn't on today. Easy reachable but way too much western wind, so getting back was the problem. We tried different things, like flying in teams, together in the thermals. It was fun Marcel !
Great stuff. I hope my guests progressed in their thermalling skill.
All did well, it was a taster of how it flies almost daily nearer to summer. No records were broken, just lovely thermalling conditions, and we all could do with the exercise. Salud !
tuesday 8 march
Southern winds. Everybody in the air. Thermals all over. Sunny blue sky. At first we had hammering thermals up to 6 m/sec, so only locals in the air. Jose Luis flew XC to IBI 8first above Jijona etc.. 36 km XC), I flew 1200 meters above the village Agost and even from that high the village doesn't look very pretty, so flew back to the western side of Los Ventos. Then saw all my guests waiting near the village, to get their afternoon coffee. Had to work to get down, it was superb.
Later in the afternoon (4 pm) green light for all pilots, still beautiful conditions. Take offs wer a lot better controlled. Maybe less stress, more confident after yesterdays flying. Bingo.
7 march 2005
Being wished a happy birthday while touching cloudbase at 1950 meters ASL. Being chosen as sky-god of the day, having climbed out 1150 meters above take off as a low airtime pilot. Nothing can go wrong any more. Well done Johan. But we shouldn't forget to mention Shasha, who showed us how a good take off is done. She, as well, high up in the sky. And maybe interesting, both on a DHV 1/2.
Started off flying at San Antonio with our british and belgian guests. It was allright, good to get the rust off.
Waiting for a call that the breeze was kicking in on our southern sites.
Arrived at Palomaret 3 pm. After numerous uncontrolled, bad, failed take offs, at last all were in the air.
One thing, I do love you guys, but flying on our mountains, means so much more than being able to take off on a grassy slope at 30 km per hour wind. One needs technique to get the right amount of energy in the glider, to take off safely on our (thermic-dynamic) sites.
You know who took off well today ? Those pilots who, yesterday when it was blown out, were groundhandling at the bottom landing field.
Our preferred (and only) technique is both A-risers in one hand, forget the technique with one A-riser in each hand. You need to be in control of your pitch and roll all the time, at take off as well so. This is only an advice to prevent bad uncontrolled take offs, resulting in an injury of some kind.
I hope one day, schools will introduce "groundhandling" courses. Yes, even for club pilots, who have been flying for years. This is the only way to feel confident and safe at foreign take offs, resulting in better flying. I have been thinking about it a long time. Am I wrong ?
6 march 2005
Nothing hapening today. Too unstable weather. From tomorrwo onwards a very good week of flying ahead. and tempeatures back to normal, 20 degrees, but not in the shade.
5 march 2005
What a day. Some of my pilots didn't want to come today. No Nick, don't feel like driving around, it is too windy. Haven't you seen the weather forecast ? I saw back home (Germany) that it was gonna be so windy today, told you yesterday.
Allright, allright. Those who came along are having a beer on a flight near Benidorm, and a superb flight over Altea Hills in the afternoon. Overlooking the blue mediterranean, the village of Altea, and landing on the beach after more than an hour. Huh.
4 march 2005
Hello all of you. Norhtern wind, and rainy. Just Rafa had a little flight on Cabo today. For us it was too off, and when we were actually ready it started raining. Tomorrow at least we will have our sun back, blue skies, and maybe morning flights at Villena.
3 march 2005
Didn't have such a good flying day. Sasha, Bernard and of course Rafa flew at Orito. It was nice in the beginning, even a bit weak. But it got very strong, 50 km hour wind at take off, when Rafa was still in the iar. Then we went to explore some caves on our way back. Sunny and warm.
2 march 2005
Sunny on our southern mountains, direction Murcia. The only valleys where it would by flyable were near Carche or this one Chinorlet. Decision was easy made. A low hill, easy take off and huge landing. But wind too off when we arrived. Although all over west, we had south-southwest on the hill. I took off from an improvised take-off on the side, but it wasn't "clean" enough for visiting "low-airtime" pilot Sasha. I think Carche would have been a little too much as well, it could have been too strong in the air, see what tomorrow brings.
1 March 2005
Just a couple of top to bottoms at the cliffs. East winds, in the afternoon. No big stuff.
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