Tuesday, March 31, 2009


I do have this harnass the AVA X-alps in the house, complete, and brandnew. This harnass which has never never been used , for sale at a bargain price 400 euros all in.
And there is more, all AVA harnasses :
- Samurai with carabines : 595 euros
- Sprinter : 450 euros
- Active : 400 euros
- Cygnus : 450 euros
For tandem pilots next offer :
- sup'air harnass bifidus
- sup'air harnass passenge minimax
- protection bumpair 17 cm
- 4 carabines sup'air aluminium
Total price : 800 euros

Monday, March 30, 2009

Early morning sunny,but already very active air. No flying today, from afternoon grey, and here and there loud thunber.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

You guys must have had all the good weather today. Because down here it was pouring down with rain all day.
Its not abnormal, we had such a great weather for almost the whole month of March, so at one point the sky needed to be crying.

No flying for Frank, see foto below.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Morning flight, at Cabo, but soon too south to be good. Off inland, but a very angry sky, and cloudbase sinking sinking. Only the always present daily flyers like Pepe and Ismael were already in the air, and cruising above El Cid.
Nobody of our group fancied flying in this rough stuff with no cloudbase, and a dark cloud looking from behind.
Back at the cliffs we had the best soaring you can imagine. Smooth climb all over. It doesn't always have to be bumpy.
And above all a great end of a splendid week for Jan, who flew 7 out of 7 days this week. With special sites like Caudete, Fortuna, Carrasquete, and usual sites like Palomaret and cliffs of Santa Pola.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Strong at first, at twelve o'clock that was. 4 to 5 m/s thermals and cloudbase only 300 m above take off. Inversion, the ceiling was blocking all the thermals to punch through. No cloudbase.
Later it got a bit gusty, but died off sooner than we hoped for.

Local pilots came late, we were the only ones who got on the hill in time to get the pure thermals in.
Later on, one by one although even tricky at take off were bumming out. Cycles, good times, bad times, wasn't easy to fly it properly.

I didn't fly a lot, just preferred to have a late flight and scratch a bit. But did a whole lot of talking to several pilots. And it was so obvious again, chatting with good top pilots who are so humble about their achievements, and lesser pilots nose up, talking big stuff. Weird, it is a sport where lots of personalities have no scrupules to exagerate or to express themselves as if they know it all.
It is actually quite insulting, thinking that the other is convinced you believe him, hence thinking you are thick. But, it is never gonna change, it is a sport for ego's.

As long as everybody keeps it safe and flies within his limits. And that's actually the message Toni, our clubs' president, was briefing us through the forum lately. March and april, statistically the months where shit happens, be careful out there.

Also the time of the famous spanish fiestas start, every week something is going on. Here is a foto of the Caballos de Vino, held in Caravaca de la Cruz. Beginning of may,don't miss it.





Thursday, March 26, 2009



As we said yesterday we were gonna fly Fortuna. Sierra del Corque, only the name attracts me actually. But the site is abandoned, nobody ever flies here, which is a pity. Local pilots do prefer more and more, to fly on their known site, where they can park their car, where all conditions day after day are the same. A shame actually, because the "flowers of the day" have been given out too many times already. No adventure in it for me. But I don't care, I just do it my way, and guide my visiting pilots all over, as much as I can.
We flew at midday, together with Pepe and Ismael. Strong thermals up to 4.5 m/s. Cloudbase not the highest, but still Pepe, Ovind and Ismael took off at the lower take off, only 80 m high up and thermalled up to 1100 m. Untill it got too strong, too 'spring'time.
We had a break near highest take off, enjoying the views over the back Sierra de Pyla and Sierra del Carche.
Later on, after a nap in the sun, hey its' gotto be done, we took off again, and thermalled till it was almost dark.
In the end the lift was so smooth, I recommend to fly it without vario, without the annoying beep beep. So much more chill, relax, so much more just fingertips on the commands, so much more really feeling what flying and floating is about after a long day.
Was it good ? It was excellent.
Down below a link to something I really loved. Watch it, pull up the volume and use a full screen.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Morning soaring at the cliffs and afternoon thermals inland. Jan topped up another 4 hours today.

Maybe we should try another site tomorrow, I'd love to go to Fortuna.

Still two days flyable weather predicted, and weekend mostly windy. Doesn't matter, we have been filling our boots lately, sufficiently flying for no being worried to do something else.


Foto take off Fortuna

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=CA4G28fM_eI&feature=email

John Sylvester

Hot in Murcia, 25 degrees and up. Suffocating dry air. Drove up to Carrascoy where is bound to be the wind dummy. Looked all strange, felt weird. Gusts from the west, down in the valley still smooth norhtern winds.

Tried it out, but no good. Not so turbulent, but when landing, just 20 meter high, strong gust from the back, the south.

Had to run my legs off not to land on my face.

Local pilots decided as well to move on to Alhama de Murcia, but down there, southern winds never reached the hill. And the sky became angrier and angrier.

Murcia Carrascoy, where we fly over the valley of oranges.

Kath
Paco and me
Jan Bernaerts


Ismael and me




Christopher, prince








Posted by Picasa Yeah, Frans took all these foto's. Thanks sending them Frans.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Drove around a bit. Southwest strong, dreaming about flying at Toix, landing at Calpe and having lunch in the sun on the beach. I know where they serve the best seafood, meters away from the washing sea.
Well, winds were too strong, so no fresh clams, shellfish, no fish freshly out of see, and cooked in a fingerlicking sauce, accompanied with a slightly sprankling white wine from Galicia. No, none of that. We were here to fly.
Left the beaches, passing Benidorm, the smell of Paella fading away, as we were approaching Jijona, where the best rabbit stew I ever had in my life is served in Venta Teresa.
Venta Teresa just down the landing field of Col de Carrasqueta. Have his deep red Rioja wine, a classic.
And after your meal the owner is always proud to offer you a home made herb-liquer, made of all the herbs you can find on his hill.
We went up to take off, and had to spend some time in the back of the open truck, sunbathing untill strong gusts died off.
At 5 we were airborne, and enjoyed the valley, full of almond trees. After all the nearest village Jijona is the main village, actually the only village which makes the heavenly tastefull TURRON.
Turron is the spanish version of marsepan, or nougat for the french, and for that you need deliciously roasted fresh almonds.
A good day of flying, again.



Posted by Picasa

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Take off Caudete


Caudete, cloudbase at 2000 m, which is a 1000 m climb. Caudete just at the border between Alicante and Castilla La Mancha.

We were there with Ismael and about 8 other pilots from all over Europe lets say.

At first, Ann was showing us the way, and was carving the sky with her Ozone Geo.

Later on we lost sight of Toni, who flew his Ozone Addict, and made a out and return to the village Villena and back.

Later on Ismael 1900 m and left upwind, trying to find XC possibities, following an easy retrieval along the highway, Alicante/Valencia.

O/vind, with his brandnew Sigma7, Kath HOOK, Frans HOOK, Jan Sport2, and Urs who left for Germany today under his Mistral4. There are no bad wings any more, all and under every other wing were having a superb day. At times smooth, at times sharp edges around the thermals.


More towards Murcia, same thing, a group of local pilots had their personal bests as well, and Dudo who is a bit of a Palo-addicto (Palo-junkie) did it again at his favourite site Palomaret and landed near Banyeres. At the cliffs of Santa Pola, others were having it more relaxed and flew too.


Who else was happy ?


Oh, bottom foto Ann, Jan, and Frans from the FREE PARAGLIDERS club from Belgium. Frans, Ann thanks visiting Alicante once again. You can only tell your fellow members what they were missing. Great flying, chill and fun.


Saturday, March 21, 2009


New HOOK, tandems, please don't sit before you run, and a bit of a confusing foto down below.
Jan, Ann and Frans, on their favourite site Cabo de Santa Pola. Last day for Steve, Dazz and Chinny. Chinny who topped up his airtime this week with 12 hours. Tony Blacker, british national team accuracy down here, Urs german pilot who can't believe his luck to have flown so many hours on his dreamsite.
Euh, who else, damn almost forgot myself. I had a jolly good time, making others happy, doing tandems.
O/vynd came in from Norway this afternoon for a week, and had his first flight just after arriving already.
Toni, Alex, thanks helping me out with tandems, when winds were strong. I owe you both a good bottle of Rioja Crianza, I keep my promise as I always do. Salud.




Friday, March 20, 2009


Remembe this view don't you. Flying over the lighthouse, island of Tabarca in the front, salt lakes with the flamongo's in the back ?
Well that's where it happened again today.
For some of us a good practice to get small thermals in. Winds were off a bit, but made it all more more challenging. If its' too easy, there is no value in it, ain't it ?
Good one, again, almost forgot to tell the temperatures was in its twenties, with this present high pressure.
Jan, Michael, two brothers, two danish kinda speaking russian as far as I could understand, left today for sunny Denmark. I do know a lot of danish pilots already, lets add these two as friends and we have a pack of danish wishing them all the best for the upcoming flying season.
Ville bedst, skäl !!

Thursday, March 19, 2009
















Tomorrow is the day ... Spring is supposed ... The 20th of march is known as the day spring ...
Well, you know what I mean, its 25 degrees, the sun is shining, the sky is deep blue. All I want to say is that it has been spring already for a while, despite the calendar.
We flew at Palomaret and it wasn't as nice as the weather. Winds were off to the southwest, so this is my least favourable wind direction to fly the site. It rolls over El cid, lets you fly in a rollercoaster mode. But anyway, as you see part of the groups' faces, we do have a jolly good paragliding time. Can't complain, we did fly again.
Urs, German pilot arrived with his Swing Mistral4 as well. He's the cutest of the bunch, try to point him out on the foto's.
I have to hurry. It is fathers' day in Spain, so was just given AC/DC and Grace Jones newest. Now quickly off to the Italian in Elche, where they only serve the best. Kiss, kiss.



Wednesday, March 18, 2009


How about this brandnew HOOK ?
The original, flown by Carmen.
Lets fly together soon.


Monte Caber, near Alcoy. 1700 m cloudbase, 3 to 4 m/s climb. This must be the best day so far in March, amongst so many many flying days we had in March this year.
I left the decision in the group. Or soaring at the coast, or going for thermals inland. Unanimously, inland Nick !
So off we went, to one of my favourites Monte Cabrer. An older site, which hardly anybody visits anymore. Too bad, but on the other hand most of the time we have the whole sky for ourselves, and that's nice and comfy.
It is a lovely thermalling site, right above the wide valley of Cocentaina. At first forward launches as a must, no wind at take off, fighting to get the thermals right. But later at around 3 pm, it always becomes more easy. The colder eastern air, coming in from the sea, crawls under the warm valley air. In minutes thermals kick off and higher up our cloudbase.
Late in the afternoon, the restitution makes is difficult to get down. It is like a free bonus for everybody after 2 hours of flying.













And especially for the free paragliders movement in Belgium, one of their female members, Ann. Don't worry, she is having a blast.
The group this week, Danish, Irish, Belgian and English pilots, always international. Two Danish brothers wishing their pretty girls were here.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Whole lotta wind today. From the sea, cold eastern wind as a matter of fact. Well nice and warm out of the wind, but no flying, not even last minute. Just having a break, tomorrow we're off inland, probably Monte Cabrer.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Flying above the old cuartel de Guardia Civil at the cliffs. In front you see the rocks, and vegetation in the sea. A lovely place to go snorkeling in the morning. Bright blue fish, yellow and red, small fish.
So that's where we flew all day again.
Steve, Dazz, Chinny, Jens, Michael, Pearsy, and Ann who just arrived today. Couldn't be better timed.
Inland winds were mainly cross on our sites, and cloudbase too low to play nicely. That's why we stayed at the coast.
At the end of the day, a little incident. Winds picked up all of a sudden, but we were warned by the weather forecast. Still a local pilot made a mistake. When he hardly had any forward speed any more, he did the most foolish thing. He made big ears, slowing down his glider so. We all saw him flying backwards, over the houses. He had not radio contact, nothing. We could only hope he landed safely behind the houses. A complete wrong decision to make those big ears, resulted in a scare, nothing else. Lucky for him.
If winds pick up like that, and you are too late, or better, you were too stubborn to get down with the others, you better get as high as you can, turn around 180 degrees, fly downwind and land in the fields behind. As far as you can, to be safe from any eventual rotor.

Lets be honest, again it was a signal that the schooling is not adequate enough, to let students fly on their own after just been qualified. It is never gonna change.






Sunday, March 15, 2009

Flying at the cabo, lazy sunday afternoon. Winds were cross, almost 90 degrees. Not so easy to stay in the air. But relaxing and a lot of practise today. Tomorrow looks like inland flying, hopefully another excellent thermalling day.
Northern cold winds predicted, and I can tell ya, the sun is already at its best during the day. Valleys heating up to 25 degrees, beach weather actually.




Saturday, March 14, 2009

Flying tandem today, smooth thermals, actually a bit too smooth to be good. High pressure still, low cloudbase, but pilots that arrived today, were very well pleased for their first day of many.

Down below, my 'moment suprême', you choose.
Having a drink with Steve or having a foto taken with a charming lovely lady from Rumania, Isabelle, who loved the tandem flying.