Dales Lads at the Mynd
Mixed fortunes for John, Jake, Chris, Jim & Pete at the Mynd yesterday on what was forcast as the best day of the year so far……….
We got there after some messing about worrying about what Wendy was reading with lots of familiar faces setting up and the wind plainly too strong.
Also there was Trev Birkbeck with the UK Nationals HG round. Nice to see a friendly face.
We set a goal to Droitwitch for me, Jim and Chris. Whilst John and Jake were more ambitious with Banbury. We waited for a lull and took off. About ten or so paras took off in all leaving the rest on the ground for pretty much the rest of the day. John, Marra, Neil Roberts and Leavsley took a climb out whilst Jim wanted us to get some turnpoints up and down the ridge. Lots of inching along the ridge facing mainly outwards. Chris & I took a climb to 1700′ above and were still wanting to wait on the Mynd until things improved, which they never did.
We all landed going backwards when it started to get really strong. My new Cayenne’s top banana on the bar though. A lot less lurchy than the Sport and very pressurised.
That was the last we heard of John until we regrouped and had a pint in the pub. When we got hold of him he was jumping for joy in the landing field. A 120km declared goal is the current UK record and although it was difficult for him early on it got easier as the airmass changed. The sky on retrieve was fantastic but that was well over the back of the Mynd.
John probably held the UK goal flight record for about ten or fifteen minutes. Marra (Martin Sandwith) had been flying to Neil Robert’s goal nearby and just a few hundred metres further.
Goober lesson learnt for the rest of us that didn’t get away – if you’re 1700′ ATO and the good guys have already gone then *&$%£! well go!
Dales BCC Round
Another round of the BCC was held in the lakes last Sunday. The Dales club entered two teams and faired well in the task flown from Jenkin hill, our best resulted in a 38k XC! There is another round proposed for this weekend 28th & 29th july, which will possibly be held on a Dales club site. The Dales Club needs you! Contact Sean or kev to fly for the Dales this weekend.
Cumbria BCC Round
The Cumbria BCC round was held on Sunday at Cross Fell. With ten enthusiastic dales club piolts ready to compete in almost perfect conditions the task was set, race to goal about 12k away at Appleby. Everyone flew and had a enjoyable day. Hamish got tempted off early, following Andy Plimer on a Nova RA, but could not quite match the glide, he landed out at about 8km. Alex and myself worked the thermals down the ridges, never quite reaching cloudbase, we both needed one more climb in order to push out from the ridge towards Appelby but never found it. The headwind beat us and we landed just short of goal. Results will follow as we get them. All pilots please send me your landing grid ref. See here for pictures.
July Club Night
This coming Club Night I’m giving an illustrated talk on….
“Hang Gliding through the ages”
I can’t claim all the credit for this talk as it’s an amalgamation of 2 Power Point based talks that have been given by Nev Almond and Bruce Kavanagh, with a few extra bits thrown in by myself.
I think you’ll find it interesting as it goes through the origins from Otto Lillienthal, Francis Rogallo and then the following years right up to current competition flexwing Hang Gliders, with a bit of stuff on the latest Rigid Wings.
It would be nice to see a good turn out and if it goes down well, I may do repeat performances at other clubs.
See you there!
Cheers
Trevor Birkbeck
