Jon's Powered Flying

[Jon Moore]

The recent good weather (for powered HG at least!) between 29/10 and 09/11 has given me 4 flights totalling 10.5 hours airtime and covering 389 kilometres. During 2 of these flights I found useful thermals to extend the flight without the use of fuel. Not bad for November! Looking back through my records I find that between the 4th and 15th of April 2006 I also managed 4 flights; these totalled 10.75 hours and covered 361 kilometres.

I thought that we had a good summer but my flying logbook doesn't confirm that!!

Jon
 

[Jon Moore]

02/11/2006

Planned a 100k trapezoidal flight from Dale with turn points at Hayscastle Cross (NNW of Haverforwest), Frenni Fawr (near Crymmych), Llanfalteg West (near Whitland), and returning to Dale. I encountered some strong lift over the Preseli Hills which I couldn't really explain as there was definitely a lack of wind for dynamic or wave lift. Perhaps, after all that rain, the mountain tops had finally dried out sufficiently for the very weak solar energy to do its thing. Nice free height gain though! A very enjoyable 3 hour flight around the north of Pembrokeshire.

Jon

[Jon Moore]

October flying?

A very similar October to 2005; only 2 day's out and 3 flights!

03/10/2006

Just two short 'local' excursions from the field at Hodgeston. The first aborted due to poor engine response at mid range throttle and the second terminated with the approach of rather heavy showers!

29/10/2006

Attempted to use my field at Lamphey for the forecast wind direction but the recent heavy rain had made the field entrance far too soft for the car to negotiate. Long drive to the disused airfield at Dale from where I managed to get a 2hr 30 min tour of St Brides Bay and the North Pembrokeshire coastline as far as Fisguard. Although the viz wasn't brilliant the views were superb!

The next few days look interesting with fine weather and easterly winds, getting lighter towards the weekend.

Jon

[Jon Moore]

26/09/2006

What a lovely day!

Completed a triangle flight of 105k in 3 hours using power (just a few litres of fuel!) and thermals. Cloud base here in West Wales was initially 1700' but by 1200 hrs it was 3000' above the Preselli Hills. Take off and landing was at Hodgeston with turn points at Newgale and Frenni Fawr (Crymmych). In most thermals met up with the local experts - the buzzards!

Jon

[Jon Moore]

Hi Nick,

Yes, I was flying at Bache on the Saturday when the wind was stronger and some of the paragliders were landing. I didn't get very far out from the hill - nice thermals though!

Jon

[Nick Roberts]

Hi Jon

Re - Homegrown Festival  Were you one of those brave hanglider pilots flying amongst the 80 paragliders at Bache Hill? One hanglider in particular proved to be a very useful marker for us paragliders, showing us some usable lift  well out in front of the hill.

The festival proved to be a great success(thanks to the weather ofcourse!).  Let's hope it becomes an established event on the calendar.

[Jon Moore]

15/09/2006

Hoping for the northerly wind to remain light I set out from Hodgeston on a large triangular course with turn points at Crymmych and Newgale. Made reasonable progress to Narberth but then found the wind speed at low level far too high to allow me to make my fuel consumption target for the remainder of the flight. This has occurred several times before in a notherly and seems to indicate a wave effect from Mynydd Preseli. Aborted the planned flight and had a very enjoyable time in broken thermals below cloud base and then circling above the small, shallow and scattered cumulus clouds. The wind speed on landing back at Hodgeston made solo ground handling quite a struggle.

Looks like poor weather for next week?

Jon     

[Jon Moore]

9 & 10/09/06

Enjoyed a pleasant weekend at the Homegrown Festival, soaring at Bache Hill on Saturday where at times there were 80+ paragliders in the air. Sunday with lighter winds allowed powered flying from Llandegley.

[Jon Moore]

The weather has not cooperated too well recently to create flying opportunities!

28/07/2006

Flying from Corston ( on the Angle peninsula), two flights totalling 1.7 hrs in stronger wind than usual so stayed at 'low' (legal) level!

18/08/2006

A short window of 'good' weather to make a 1 hr flight from Hodgeston covering about 35 k to take in Jeffreyston, Cresselly, Garron Pill, Lawrenny, Cosheston, Pembroke and Pembroke Dock. Threat of Cu Nm all around but far enough off to be safe.

[Jon Moore]

Flying update since last post.

16/07/2006

Flew North from Hodgeston and followed the disused rail track from Llanfalteg to  Frenni Fawr - 1296' spot height on maps and air charts (near Crymych). The return route was via Maenclochog where another disused rail track heads back to Clarbeston Road and then across the Eastern Cleddau river and back to Hodgeston.

21/07/2006

Set out hoping for another long evening flight but frustrated by unstable engine response to throttle. Landed to change the spark plug but no better and so flew extended circuits of the landing field until I got bored after 15 minutes!

24/07/2006

Completely stripped, cleaned and adjusted the carb yesterday so it's testing time! Two hours and 10 minutes of touring the 'local' area (Angle, Barafundle Bay, Tenby and Carew) proved all OK again!

[Jon Moore]

14/07/2006



It's 2 weeks since I last flew due to work(?) and weather factors. So this evening I was determined to get away for an evening flight from Hodgeston to Laugharne (and return). The wind speed and direction was very variable with altitude; I took off in a very light SSE'ly; and at 2500' heading East above the stationary rotor blades of the wind farm at Pendine I only managed 13 kts over the ground (trim speed of about 23 kts). On landing back at Hodgeston the surface level wind was very light and from the WNW!



Jon

[Jon Moore]

23/06/2006



Flying from Hodgeston again at last (the grass has been cut for silage) and taking a leisurely tour of the Pembroke peninsula and overflying Barafundle Bay (recently voted UK's best beach) on the way back from Angle. All very scenic in the late evening.



30/06/2006



Hodgeston for an evening flight taking in Tenby, Templeton, LLawhaden, Canaston, Slebech, Lawrenny, West Williamston, Carew, Milton and then climbing to 3500' for a quiet (engine off) tour of the coast at Freshwater East before landing. The promised change in weather arrived soon after landing - orographic cloud forming along the coast that soon blocked out the setting sun. Another pleasant evening flight!

[Jon Moore]

8/06/2006 - 13/06/2006



Made a quick decision to set off for Woodbridge in Suffolk to marshal and free fly at the Foot Launch Power Nats (PPG & HG). Had several flights on the Doodlebug/Target around the local area NE of Ipswich - Orford Ness and the Rivers Ore and Alde are quite a sight from the air! The Nats site was on a turf farm; the cleanest, smoothest flying site ever and perfect for nil/light wind PG forward launches - also superb for powered HG take off and landings.



17/06/2006



Very pleasant 1 hour flight from Dale A/F in the late afternoon sunshine.

[Jon Moore]

31/05/2006



Having worked on the engine problems that caused me to land out at Llanteg, I needed some test flights before venturing too far afield! So a 'local' flight around the Angle peninsula to check out the engine's throttle response and general handling. Seems fine at full revs, low power and idle during a very pleasant 55 minute flight to 3500' in wonderful bright clear weather with blue thermals.



01/06/2006



Basically a repeat of yesterday but unfortunately no thermals today. I think I'm happy with the engine again for some more adventurous flights!



04/06/2006



Finally get to fly from the disused airfield at Dale and made a leisurely coastal flight to ex RAF Brawdy airfield (now a Signals Regiment base), returning to Dale via a more inland route.  A lovely 2 hour flight without any hint of engine problems!

[Jon Moore]

Sunday 28/05/2006



The weather turned out as forecast for 'Vol Libre' so I left the Doodlebug at home and took the Target hang glider to Rhossili for a lovely QUIET day soaring the site that the Malvern Club members call 'The Shrine' (to hang gliding).



In fact because of the wind speed there were more 'hangies' than 'danglies' in the air for most of the day. Although there were also paragliders launching off the beach onto the dunes!



Great to see two of the latest Atos gliders in the air far above and far out from the hill without any apparent thermal activity. I only managed  a meagre 1600' amsl in the ridge lift!



Met up with Tony (on the Rio) who I last saw at Airways whilst doing my power conversion and very pleased to meet Gron for a chat whilst loading the glider for the journey home.