Chris Dusgate 2008 flying diary

[Chris Dusgate]

Friday 15th Aug.

Got to Nant y Moel for 10.00am, quite breezy, however seemed to ease slightly and took off @ 11am with Ivor and Gareth. Base only 1200ft ato (we got there all together), lower than I expected and stifled any Xc ambitions. Landed 12.45 for lunch/warm up as colder than I expected, didn't take off after that as the wind gradually increased, nice boat around tho, and the air was fairly benign despite the wind strength.

[Chris Dusgate]

Friday 8th Aug.

Nice a couple of hours flying with Ivor at Seven Sisters. I agree with Ivor about warming to the site and I'll hopefully be back to fly this site soon. From where we parked (outside the gates) it took us no more than 20 mins to walk up the track to T/O. The wind was off to the West but we still managed to get to a grand ato. The Xc potential is restricted slightly by the Cardiff airspace but that's only an issue after 25k !!! and it is vulnerable to the sea breeze, having said that it is a big site and in a NWly it's got to be the one of our best sites for a small to moderate length Xc (via the Rhigos) or general boat about.

To round of a good day I got back home in time to go to a BBQ on the beach at Hillend and took the glider and managed 30mins after launching from the beach as the sun went down., nice.

[Chris Dusgate]

Merthyr again. Interesting day with the sky re-cycling a couple of times. There was lots of strong lift to be had on the hill at times but in a couple of trips over the back I struggled to find lift, often facing a raplidly changing sky, landing near to Ebbw Vale both times. A couple of Avon pilots did 33k & 40k latching on to convergence , I won't say it was luck because they're both v good pilots. Base on hill = 3,700 at 12.30 and up to 4,200 on second trip. I was not alone however and  many of those who went XC struggled to get a good 2nd thermal. Nice day however, better than forecast. Scores for club xc league = 15.4k and 11k

[Chris Dusgate]

Went to Merthyr with SJ & AH. Sky looked nice but we had a bit of a blue hole above us until 1sih, we started to get some height then and Andy and I got away, sadly no 2nd thermal for me although Andy managed one and we both landed at Abertysgg for 8.9 km , Andy's first Xc ! congrats. We returned to the hill helped by Rob, thanks for the lift Rob. The sky was now very OD looking however we spied Steve up high patienty working  weak convergence which had set up. I relaunched at 4pm and thanks to Andy got a climb to 4500 feet asl, right above take-off, there being very little drift. It was a weakish climb and it took me 18 mins to get to the top!! I considered some type of closed circuit flight but the sky to both the N & S didn't look great so I headed of down the convergence line which gave  me quite a lifty glide to start with, however any thoughts of an out and return were dashed when it became sinky. I did manage to get another themal and eventually landed 3km south of Ebbw Vale, one valley short of Steve's. With the turnpoints it was 16k Steve please enter, Ta. Despite no long distances it was a nice days flying.

[Chris Dusgate]

Saturday 14 June

Went to Llandewi Brefi as worried about showers/OD in Beacons. Was a good call, superb day. Did 30.7k with the turnpoints, downed by Sennybridge danger zone as drift was straight towards it. Cloudbase was 5100 ft asl for second climb. Got a taxi back to the hill with Messrs Parsons and Birch then enjoyed a very lifty boat around with 7 others up to 3700 ft between 4.30 and 6pm in front of the hill. Lurvely !!!

[Chris Dusgate]

8Sunday, 8 June, Fan G

Loads of other pilots out, great to see such a good club turnout. Flew in the bowl for a while, just like the old days !, gorgeous views. After relaxed lunch (this is the way) walked up to the nose to keep Ifor company, who immediately flew out and eventually down. Launched straight into a 4m/s thermal, strong drift meant that once I got to 3700 feet asl and I lost it/it petered out and I tried to find it again, I was too far back. rather than head downwind into the boonies I headed cross wind towards Craig-nos and got a low save there which only gave me an additional 500 feet but after working it I'd drifited towards Onllwyn and I landed close to the main road between Abercrave and Glynneath. Sadly Sunday not a good hitching day and I ended up walking down to Abercrave where I eventually got a lift back to the layby from a surfer and his girlfriend who gave me a free CD of music he mixes which I listened to on the journey home, a great day out.

[Chris Dusgate]

3 april, 20 minute flight at Rhosilli. Not quite sure what was going on with the air. Quite thermic at first for 15 mins then very sinky as if I was in the lee and very rough. Had 4m/s down at one point and on the beach it was easterly !!!!, strange. At the time I thought it may have been a particularly strong thermal kicking off nearby which caused the sink, however subsequent flights 2 hrs later by Nick and Ian suggest same conditions then. Frustrating that I can't work out what the air was doing, probably something to do with sea breeze from the south (perhaps!!) The worst air I've ever encountered at Rhossili in 12 years of flying.

[Chris Dusgate]

1 hr flight at Rhossili, launched just before noon. wind up high WSW and 15mph, gradually increasing and backing. 7 others out, were you one Miss P?