Derbyshire BCC round imminent (UPDATED)
For those who are taking part in the British Club Challenge this year, the Derbyshire round is being held this weekend (28th-29th).
Camping has been generously provided by the Gliding club near the flying site of Bradwell. If you wish to camp here, please let me (alexcolbeck@gmail.com) or Sean (sean@ogi.me.uk) know BY WEDNESDAY so we can let the organisers know numbers.
For the location of the gliding club: click here
Message from the Gliding Club:
Anyone intends arriving Friday please contact the club office before 1.00pm if sufficient numbers we WILL open the bar.
TENTS
If you wish to camp at The Gliding Club fee £2.00per night per tent (please let me know: alexcolbeck@gmail.com)
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Cockpit and Instruments lost on Wether
A pilot has left their black Sup’air cockpit on Wether Fell on Wed 18th. It contained a vario and gps. If anyone finds it or knows of its whereabouts, please ring Rob on: 07772283130
BCC News
Sunday`s BCC training day held on Dodd Fell was a great success. Everyone flew the full length of the ridge, and made the practice turn-point, small broken thermals meant that at times it required a degree of patience to maintain height but as the day developed conditions improved. Some pilots managed to climb out and fly across to Wether Fell and beyond. A great days flying for all! Thanks to Chief Coach Dean Crosby.
Details for the Derbishire Round will follow shortly
Barkin Fell Site Problems
After landing at Barkin Saturday last I was greeted by the farmer, Mr Middleton. He was very pleasant but upset by the conduct of some flyers that day. Things which had occured ( he was watching from the top of the hill) were:-
1) Low flying across sheep which had just been put on the fell and have not yet lambed ( we should all be aware that sheep are nervous at this time of year until settled in). This resulted in the sheep bolting from his land into adjoining farmers fields. Consequence – risk of loss of lambs & so income to the farmer, a days work to get the sheep back in to the right field, and a demolished wall belonging to another farmer (who already dislikes paragliders).
Paraglider dies after mid air crash
OK so I’m exaggerating, nobody died today, nobody got hurt but they could have.
Today was a really sociable day at the mighty Wether Fell only the conditions weren’t exactly booming and height was difficult to come by. Consequently all the gliders probably fifteen to twenty were within 100 m height of each other most of the time.
I flew from the north end of the ridge all the way to take off right behind another pilot and I mean right behind and he had absolutely no idea I was there. He never once looked left, right, above, below or behind. I was just watching wondering if he was to turn what would happen, I was trying to anticipate his move.
Ten minutes later I witnessed a mid air, the afore mentioned pilot and another pilot had a coming together in front of the ridge. I heard a shout (too late) and looked to see one pilot with weightshift and brake on trying to turn away from the other glider who’s leading edge his harness was bending quite considerably.
So anyway they both bounced off each other and were both fine if a little shook up, well I hope they were both shook up.
Flying close should be no problem, just keep looking. If you look and see someone else and they see you and see that you have seen them then there’s no drama. But flying along admiring the view and not looking and not looking before turning is just not on.
I always want to know where everyone is, where’s the yellow glider that was here a minute ago? I can’t see him, mmm, is he above me, behind me, landed? Oh there he is, relax. There should never be an occasion when someone sneaks up on you.
So a quick reminder of the collision avoidance rules.
Rule 1, don’t hit anyone!
There are those in the pilot handbook and which you learn at school which are all relevant but if you follow rule 1 you won’t go far wrong.
OK rant over, grand day out no? Good to see everyone getting some airtime early in the season and plenty of red ribbon types doing well.
See you on the hill, Jim.
BCC News
INFO FOR PILOTS ATTENDING THE HILL TRAINING DAY ONLY
Forecasts show S`west moving round to west during the day, this of course could change and we will be constantly reviewing. It is planned to meet at Windbank. We will meet at 10:00am, just over the cattle grid at the first parking area / landing field, just in case we need to go to a different site.
Grid Ref SD971692 see site guide page 64/65 Ring me if you have any questions 07767652233
The Season’s Open!
Friday and Saturday kicked off the Dales XC season with a fair few flights being put in. Kev McCloughlin opened with a 12km from Whernside west face whilst Cumbrian Ben Keayes and Derbyshire’s Maertin Beetham both went in a gaggle from Wether over to Patetely Bridge and Summerhouses respectively. Quite a few pilots actually stayed away thinking it might be too windy.
Saturday saw around thirty on the hill before lunch on what started off fairly light but after 1pm some reasonable thermals sparked off and the only trouble then was going to be lack of drift on the XC due to light meteo winds. Jim Goldsborough managed 22km to Witton and I went second with plenty of height but it all seemed to get used up without getting too far. I got a low save after Bolton Castle but had to leave the thermal as it was taking me over the danger area near Leyburn. I managed 29km which is my best in the UK so far.
Chris Fountain left but got caught in weakening lift to get to Caperby at 17km. Jake Herbert and John Ellison left later still and I saw them on their way to a declared goal at Masham as I was trying to hitch a lift back. Jake landed near Thirsk for about 60km and John was last seen flying overhead, eventually stretching it out to 81km landing near the Bilsdale Transmitter on the North York Moors.
Too windy today so some of the lads have gone down to the Mynd but Tuesday and Wednesday are looking good for the Dales – I’ll be out.
Pete Logan
