Author: Dan Wood

Myself, Carl, Marty, Chris, Ean and Giles flew off Slui Curn last night…..Jamie had been there earlier and was able to stay up but all we manged was extended top to bots. All good practice for the trainees though…there coming on. Eventually the clag came down and stopped a couple of pilots getting there 2nd or 3rd flights done.

Busy weekend.

The air show forced us to relocate on Saturday down to Cronk Ny Arrry Laa. A spectacular site, rarely flown.  Although it seemed too strong in Douglas by the time we got up the top it was very light, rarely touching ten.  Took off and stayed up, just.  Top landed, had another go, slope landed, playing in the surprisingly strong thermals that occasionally came through.  Bill then had a go….and went down. Keith and Si then turned up and watched martin plummet…Keith then had a go and did well, top landing to let Si have a go.  Si did very well so things looked like they were improving.  The sky over South barrule looked very good so we decided to head there after some scratching about………seemed a shame to leave a soarable ridge, but the sky looked very promising.

Continue reading Paragliding Weekend

Found myself on Snaifell at around four with no wind and very deep cloud cover- totally dead.
Jamie and Tony then hiked up and a huge blue hole suddenly appeared and the wind got up to 14-16mph,  great.  Straight up and off into easy lift with  lumpy small thermals that only took us to 30m ato.  After about 15 minutes it all suddenly died so I top landed with the others slope landing further down. Within 10 minutes there was again no breeze!?

Si and Keith then turned up.  We all prepared for a sled ride to the bottom. I took off with a very fast alpine and got terrible sink all the way down. Just as Jamie took off some clouds formed over the gully ,  he found some lift and was able to extend his flight.  Keith then took off and after working through strong sink found a very good climb over the gully under a large stationary cloud that took him up 150m , 80m ato.  After playing with this he then headed off down wind to Mullagh Ouir?,  where he decked it on top.

Continue reading Snaefell 01-08-05

After a wet and windy Saturday (only Martin flew off Slui Lewaige)  it was good to get out on the Sunday and get a bit done on the ‘fly-in’.

After a cloudy start the sun quickly appeared and along with it the thermals. Swalesey gave it a go at Ballaugh but it was too far off to the west and he went down.

Next off to Slui Curn. Slack winds led to a glide task towards the Total garage. This left myself , Gold and Giles driving retrieve, pacing around in the goal field like expectant fathers. First off Bill……slope landed after a vain attempt to soar. Then Watty went for glide but landed a little short after finding little lift on the way down. Swalesey and Si then took off together and found some lift, easily getting to the garage with Si probably arriving with the most height. They were then followed by Keith who landed a field short.

Continue reading Fly-in

Myself , Karl, Ean and Tony flew off Snaifell yesterday late afternoon after getting a £4.60 trm ride up!! Meanwhile Jamie and UK pilot Adrian flew off Slui Curn. It was again very light and we all went down. Karl seemed to find the best lift and stayed up for ages…great top to bottom considering its only his 3rd time off there. After we regrouped we hiked back up to the top of Snaifell and were joined by Si, Keith and Watty, quite a group. We all went down again with Keith finding the best lift this time gaining 50 odd metres before succuming to the feild.

Nice evening.

Slack winds last night. Swalesey gave it a go at Ballaugh but ended up going down. He, Tony, Karl, Ian and Giles then gave it a go at Snaifell. It was very light and landings were fast with all the new pilots quite well spread out. Swalesey then gave an excellent display of the constant aspect landing approach, hitting the spot. Nice flying Phil. Lovely evening.

Looking good for tonight.

Fly-in this weekend. I have not seen a forecast but will try and send a mail on Friday with suggestions. We may have trouble with the rally………..

Well the course finished on Friday with everyone doing really well. should be some new faces on the hill now. Saturday dawned light and bright and the old hands decided to give it a go on Ballaugh. The Swales brothers were first off, with Phil getting a very nice climb which took him back to the sheep pens. It made me drive a bit faster to the hill as I watched him from Snaefell……without a vario too, very nice.

Keith, Si , Jamie and Phillip also had a go and bombed it.

After we regrouped we headed to Slui Curn where the Swales brothers were again first off. Phil and Mike seemed to find good lift and headed towards

Freogane eventually landing out front. The others then had a go. It was

buoyant but too far off to the south really and eventually everyone ended up going down. Nice flying though.

The ever keen Swales brothers then headed off to Sartfell where they flew the westerly and southerly faces.

Forecast for the week looking grim……maybe later.

Checked out the new students at Slui Curn last night. They are all now nearly soaring, quite an achievement in five days. Took off myself and went straight down……well I have not flown in a few days!

Quick reminder that its Judy’s big talk/video show about flying with Condors tonight. 7pm at the Manx flyers club, Derbyhaven. Pass this around as its only 3 quid and that’s going to charity. (kids free)

See you there.

As most of us landed back from France on Sunday it was nice to get out on the Manx hills again and watch how the new EPC course was going.  Amazingly 8 of the new guys were jumping off Snaifell for a 1000 foot top to bottom, on only the 3rd day of their course!  I do not think have heard as many cheers and Yahoo’s down in the landing field…amazing stuff.  Everyone was having a great time enjoying this great  weather.

Dave Oldfield and Noel flew with the motors both last night and night before.

20km out and return last night from St Judes to Ballaugh. Very nice! – Good to see more flying going on over the Island.

Forecast to increase today……NW force 2-3 so should be soarable somewhere.

Judy’s talk is now advertised in the paper and looks like it could  be very good.  Thursday night 7pm at the Manx flyers, Derbyhaven.  Its only 3 quid and kids are free,  with all proceeds going to charity…so make the effort and spread the word.

See you tonight on the hill or see you there.

Myself, Jami and Si flew off a very sinky North Barrule on the Sat..   Si had the best of it-  soaring the northern end.  I had the worst,  sinking straight down.  There was a blue hole over us with cloud over Snaifell,  so we went there next.  It was very Northerly to NE.  Managed to climb to about 50m above take off,  but then lost it….we all went down.  Should have been here an hour earlier.  Lesson learned-  follow the clouds.

Sunday saw a very fickle wind,we were looking everywhere to fly till we settled on Ballaugh.  Although quite westerly it was relatively easy to stay up in quite relieable therm als.  Noel and Bill joined us along with Watty.
Noel gave a very impressive thermaling display.  Easily out climbing everyone and then heading out to the village and back.  A few thought he had his motor on at one point!!  Ballaugh eventually died down so a few went off to Slui Curn where it was light.  Myself , Watty , Noel and Phillip went to Snaifell where it was strong,  up to 25mph but averaging 18mph.   Noel bravely tried it and found it was easy to fly in with great thermals.  With that we were all off thermaling to about 400 foot ato.  The lift seemed
everywhere,  especially over the landing field.

Good day.

Looks good for the next few days for anyone wanting practice before we go to France.