Mike's occasional flying activity

[MikeT]

Here's a collection of some of the different landings I made in Piedrahita spread over the week.

Piedrahita Landings

[MikeT]

Submitted a little late, as it was on July 6th,  but it took ages to upload the video.

Piedrahita2010

NE again but lighter so a valley task to Barco and maybe North to   Salamanca was planned. I took off but then bombed at the Chalets which I   really don't like doing. Still I picked a grassy field. Another chap   Hans bombed near by so we were able to get another go.
This time I did better and about 8km west of TO and after almost   landing on top met up with some of the guys coming back from Barco. I   hung around the Wooded Valley though as it was working well and was   rewarded with a climb to 2900m. There was lots of flying with vultures   to be had. Took my time with the return flight to Pena Negra and took   another climb to 2600 above the main launch which sits at 1908m. As   Steve was talking about flying to the pass I flew East and got low over   the big spine where I picked up a stonker to 3100m. I mulled around   under base for ages flying around the valley with little difficulty   staying above 3000m. I eventually landed after 3:45 and a FAI free   circuit of 36km. So my TN Completesoftware told me anyway. Another chap   on the week who didn't bomb at the start was in the air for 5 hours!
I didn't go for the evening flight as I was still in the air when   they drove up the mountain.
Mike

[MikeT]

Conditions haven't been epic, but I've still managed a 36K glide around the valley and a 32K across the pass yesterday. It's getting busy with the pre-worlds though. Check out this interesting thermal partner from yesterday.

Straw.avi

[MikeT]

Thanks for the kind feedback Norris, I just noticed the replies tonight as I was thinking of coming over to Wales to get some slightly less crowded flying in!

As for the camera it's a Contour HD as opposed to the GoPro. I bought it off a chap called Will last year who'd only used it for a couple of months but wanted to upgrade to the GoPro. They're on YouTube, but if you want a comparison between the two cameras the check out these two from the same site on the same day. This one (mine)

West Firle - South Downs

is using the Contour, whilst this one (Shot by Will)

Paragliding Firle Jan 2010

was with a new GoPro.

Happy flying tomorrow and I may even join you at Pandy.

Cheers,

Mike.

[Wattsy]

Mike,

Is that a Go-pro HD Camera you are using?

Nick W

[Norris]

What a lovely scenic site, and what a lovely video. Well done Mike. I noticed that when you were circling up in the thermal, you seemed to be motionless and everyone was going round you; this is a perception thing that has often confused me and I am really glad to have seen it on your video. The thing that clinched the mis perception for me was circling quite low one day, I was  apparently hanging motionless as usual, but my shadow was travelling at normal speed! Other people have said that my speed is the same as everyone elses' but to see it for yourself is much better. Cheers Mike!!

[MikeT]

I got my feet off the ground last Sat (17th), in between commitments and poor conditions. It's fun flying in the SE, but not a patch on the SWW sites.
This site is H&O, our Easterly and you can see it's rather small. Three or four got away just before I took off on the only ticket of the day and flew to Brighton some 20Km away.

Cheers,

Mike

HighAndOver.wmv