towering cumulus

Towering cumulus over the sea.

Coastal soaring - 30 degrees celsius

Although all weather gods told us to sleep in, and have a drink instead. We woke up early and got our gear all rigged up. Flew again at 11 am, only again a 10 min fo take off, but once in the air just like yesterday, flying till you got pinned. Then down, cold drink, lunch, siesta, some visit, and making ourselves beautiful to have a paella tonight. Viva España !

Towering cumulus clouds inland.

Willem, see you again my friend.

Prototype at Cabo

Howling winds this afternoon, and heading for 2 more windy days.

But time there was to have a quicky this morning. A 10 min window to get in the air and enjoy.

Also for this prototype with a closed leading edge... future .... ?? soon on forums, magazines etc.... hush ..... ?¿?¿?¿

Cabo and a little bit of Fortuna

Only Peter flew at Fortuna with his Sigma8. Winds were a bit strong, sun was a bit hot, siesta was a bit short. Unfortunately not more pilots enjoyed one of my favourites near Fortuna. We got there after flying at the coast around midday.

But in the morning the classic, Cabo de Santa Pola, so everybody with a huge smile at dinner table tonight.

100 Km XC for Pepe from Reconco

Pepe in the middle, amongst worlds' famous acro pilots. This foto was taken in Pakistan where they shot a movie flying 6000 m hills and climbed up to 7000 m.
Today he was our star at the hill in Reconco. He just called after his 100 km flight.
Below how the sky has to look like in Reconco. A hot summer valley with southern breeze, and a higher up northeasterly, best cocktail for flying this site the best.
Congratulations Pepe, you are a skygod.

Moet er nog zand zijn ...

"Moet er nog zand zien" is a dutch expression. Meaning, ain't it clear enough ? You got it yet ? A bit of an arrogant expression, bit like : hey buddy told you we were right, as always.

Lets be arrogant. Again and this for weeks already we choose the better site. 800 m climb late september at our precious Monte Cabrer site. We're simply the best in choosing the best site, simply the best. Lets be arrogant, just for once, just to know how it feels. It doesn't always have to be the other.

Caudete

Yesterday saturday some pilots took their chances near Murcia, Sierra del Buey. Outstanding flights made, from Sierra del Buey all the way to Cabo de Santa Pola with a strong to very strong soutwesterly.

Today was different, we flew at Caudete and had cloudbase up to 1800 m ASL. Several flights for all.

Some pilots took off again from Sierra del Buey bot only got 70 k further not as epic as day before. Still XC season not done yet.

Even with a horrible weather forecast

Even with a horrible weather forecast we managed to get more than decent flying in.

At first a little safety wait, as clouds were building up rapidly. But soon some fresher air was coming in, from sea.

Clouds got more grey-ish and less 'towering' cumulus around.

Bang, big boy Henrik in the air, soon followed by topshape boy Peter. Both leaving tonight on a midnight train to Sweden ... .

Hope to see you back soon you both, always a pleasure.

Villena La Solana - Palomaret

Morning flights at Solana near Villena, and then the usual near Palomaret.
Instability coming in from the west, Alamse and Caudete were seen with huge cumulus congestus forming when we left for more coastal site.
Hope this instability is not gonna get us tomorrow.

5.5 m sec thermals end september halelujah

As far as we can see no bad weather coming in yet. A long long long summer we have. Still hot, baking in the sun at the beaches, and cooler on the hills with its 28 degrees.

5.5 m sec thermals registered today.

We were in time, before the breeze kicked in to enjoy the rock'n roll and end up waltzing down at 6 pm.

Swedish, norwegians, english and belgians guests-friends, all there.

Monte Cabrer

I call it the goat mountain, because at first I thought Cabrer meant goat in Valencian. So we kept it calling the goat mountain.

A goat mountain with lots of potential in september to have those clean thermals and a high cloudbase.

Today 1700 ASL, 700 m climb above take off. Teto and Pepe as local pilots present, Oyvind, Henrik and Peter, norwegian and swedish pilots.
Quality flight.

Postcard

What to write on a postcard.

Mom, we flew this morning at Cabo, had lunch, a spanish siesta, and then flew till dark at Palomaret. How is daddy ?
Oh, and Nick said something about Monte Cabrer or Fortuna tomorrow. Can I go mom ? Pleeeeeaaaaaase ?

96º in the shade, real hot

Nightswimming to cool down, not too bad as alternative for not flying, winds too strong, hot very hot.

The gaggle

The gaggle. Comp at Palomaret, a more than friendly comp at our famous site. Not national, but always great to see the comradry amongst the pilots.

Task was not the most difficult this year, Maigmo Ventos, and land at the village of Agost.

Excellent task, almost all made it.

After the task, conditions were back to everybody's level, breeze kicked in, chill and fly. Awesome, but I use that word too much maybe.

This is Pepe's new machine. One of the latest Gradient Avax Machines.

My family

One of my friends, the ever friendly Teto.

More friends, who became fathers .... bit my bit were more and more adults ....

Thanks for the day you all.

Alicante at its' best

Fortuna has two sites, a lower take off El Bordillo and a more challenging one up in Sierra del Corque. Both flewn today. And check out the foto, cloudbase was not that low today in Fortuna. An absolutely top day.

Swedish pilots visiting, welcome once again !

Henrik launching at Bordillo, Fortuna, where we flew early afternoon.

Cactus flowers in september

View from landing near Sierra del Corque, Fortuna.

No reward

No reward today after waiting long hours for the winds to die off at the coast. Today was coastal choice, we were gonna wait till eastern winds died off to do some relaxed soaring before heading back inland again tomorrow.

Monte Cabrer

We have to enjoy the flying at Monte Cabrer, in a good month it'll be more difficult to fly this site. It is an easterly site, and this means a more cloudy hill from november on, due to the air coming in from the near sea.

Cloudbase was nice, 2000 m ASL, which means a 800 m climb. Enough height to go XC, but winds in the back would have blocked the distance.

Super day for our swedish friends around.