Stevie G's Log Book 2010

[Stevie G]

3/8/10...BrynCaws...SE 15mph...20c...Paratech P81...it was flyable allday...Norris and Gerry had allready flown early by the time I got there...it was a little strong to start but still doable, with some nice height... it just got better as the day went on... by the afternoon there must of been around 15 pilots... but about 5pm was best as restitution kicked in for almost an hr getting us all between 1000-2000ft ato and just pushing out all over...then wen it was over, some gentle soaring for the low airtimers till late... a good social and fly day for all who turned up...2hrs for me, maybe more? I don't really log anymore...

[Stevie G]

2/8/10...BrynCaws...SE 15mph...16c...Paratech P81... BrynCaws seem to work most of the day for most levels... a little bumpy first thing then smoothing off by lunch time and then gentle for students late afternoon/early eve... it was an enjoyable day sociably and with pleasant flights  over the forest, out over the valley and decent heights... 2hrs for me.. : )

[Stevie G]

30/8/10...Fan G...N-NW 12-15mph...16c...Paratech P81...arrived at top gate of Fan G with BarryJ and Gerry just before 10am to see Steve W allready half way up the ridge... we radio and soon catch him up... Steve's allready rigged up... with it being slightly NE Steve takes of and is soon at the corner of the bowl and gaining height.... we soon follow behind apart from Gerry who forgot his karrabiners... but Barry and me are in the bowl with Steve getting an easy 500ft ato and pushing out and exploring... Barry at one time gets too low and has to be radio controlled by Gerry to get back up to land... a good effort... Gerry borrows Karribiners and is in the air too... after a good hr of flying we decide to land as it seems to be too weak... then Nasher & co, Jon M, Rob and Tina turn up... but its too week to fly... Jon M walks up to top of bowl.. riggs and takes off... he catches some good lift and is soon at the inversion layer around 4000ft amsl...I soon join him and what a great feeling to be back up at cloud base...I would of like to off left the hill... I should off... after almost an hr it just switches off to zero.. land back up top for a social... then we decide its game over and we all attempt to land back at our cars and then off to the Ancient Britton for a beer... it was worth the early start...: )

[Stevie G]

15/8/10...Preseli...NE-N 17mph...21c... Parateck Tandem... got Preseli early morning and joined up with Pembrokeshire Paragliding...we trek up to the NE t/o.... it was on and strong but doable... we both launch our tandems and boat around for a good 40mins... we get 400ft ato... the breeze starts to veer towards the N and ease... so we land and head to the N t/o... it starts to pics up gently and is soon strong enough to fly... it seems to cycle thru up and down all afternoon but was useable... I put in over an hrs worth of tandems... some of the solo pilots like Tom G get some great lift and go exploring the nearby hills and back... by the late afternoon it does all ease off so we decide to have one last flight over the gap to the main road... everyone makes it... a great days flying for all... then gallons of the local beer and social afters...

[Stevie G]

11/8/10...Fochrew...NW 16mph...18c... U-Turn Thriller... Meet up with Cookie and Leon about 8.30am... the guys are off, me quickly behind... its lifty and wavey, warm then cool... the new tip mounds in front have changed the characteristics of Fochrew... don't quite understand it yet... the flight was very varied, sometimes smooth then rocky... we could push out and still get good height... after an hr I have to leave... the guys carry on flying, others arrive... worth the trip...

10/8/10...Rhossili...W 15-18mph...19c... U-Turn Thriller...the day started dark and drizzly.. by 3pm it stopped and the blue hole appeared... with a light westerly I head straight to Rhossili.. joined Gerry/Mark Helm/Rob Mansley and a visitor... it gets stronger quickly but still flyable... 1200ft asl its good visibility clear and blue but the breeze is getting stronger so we all decide to land after an hr of flight, great but time to stop...   

[Stevie G]

8/8/10... Rhossili... WNW 13-18mph...21c... Patateck Pi5... on the pimple by midday, plenty of pilots there allready... the breeze was coming in nice and turning onto the hill... pilots allready flying... I counted over 30 pilots there...it did get somewhat busy but the breeze was strong enough to give all plenty of space...at least 5 Tandems were on site...the club flew its new Tandem and the guys a very please with it, performs well... looks good in the sky too.... by mid afternoon the breeze does get strong.. but we could still manage to fly... the gang of tandems were giving flights all day long non stop... with plenty of ground crew for take offs and landings...well good.... most of us got 5hrs of tandems in and around 1100ft asl... we were very tired by the end of the day...a great feeling at Rhossili... a great bunch in the Worms for a pint.. still watching others flying the hill till sunset...Fantastic... : )

[Stevie G]

1/8.10... Rhossili..WNW 12-17mph...21c... Paratech Pi5/U-Turn Thriller... got there early in the morning Steve W already on hill ready and waiting... Scot/his passenger and I join him and get a nice early hour before the day sets in....soon after... its flyable but not for all/without skills... you had to stick with it... loads turned up... Nash/Nick/Gron/Guy/PHyde/Viv/Rob & T/Scotty/Paraventure/Scumdogs?even Rob Mansley...more and lots of new visitors...nice... it came on the hill most of the day.. a little strong for some..but again you had to know your limits.... plenty of tandem rides going on... lots of solos... Rhossili did its usual and gave us plenty... a window of 12 hrs...2.30hrs for me...lazy.... and a great social in the Worms for afters.... fantastic...

A big Thank You to all the guys that helped me with my Tandems... Cheers Guys : )

26/7/10 always good... 1.20hrs

25/7/10 never boring allways nice to meet up with folks... 1.05hrs

[Stevie G]

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[Stevie G]

12/7/10...Organya...WSW 10mph... 38c... U-turn... it was flyable yesterday but Gerry and I decide to watch all the young dudes for a few hours instead...what a show... they are awesome... after spending time here I can see that the UK can never produce such pilots... these kids live, breath and sleep in their wings... it seems their pretty good at xc too...am so jealous ; /...today we just chill until late afternoon then time it right for a last good bye flight at the mountain... usual thing... over 3000ft above the valley floor within 10mins... do your stuff then back up again... after 40mins the wind veers from the west so its a little to difficult to stay up anymore... a good few land... Gerry and me happy, pack, shake hands goodbye with the guys and prepare for our journey back home : ? ... boo hoo...

[Stevie G]

10/7/10...Organya...SSW 9mph...37c ... Paratec/U-Turn... we did not expect to fly as the forecast was for rain and thunder but I guess the huge bowl surrounded by big mountains kept a blue hole for us to fly in from 1pm to 9.30pm... its the weekend and always gets busy in Spain for the flying, there were lots of pilots at take off maybe 50 in the air... 2 schools..more acro champs for training...busy... it staid consistant through the day, thermals rolling up the mountain 4-6mps... again 10mins and you were over 3000ft above the valley floor... everyone doing their thing... after nearly 3hrs of flying Gerry lands back up at t/o to collect our transport.... he's doing very well with his stalls and thermalling...Scotty too... we pack then go to socialise... another good day... all very tired... : )

[Stevie G]

8/7/10...Organya...SW 7mph... 37c... U-Turn... a late start today for all as quite a few of us were feeling a little delicate after a celebratory session with the pilots at Spain getting into the finals...especially Scot who doesn't even like football and didn't get to fly... the flying window started at 3pm and went on till 9pm... half the young acro boys just hung around t/o until late only getting in a couple of hrs training, they have been training there for around 3 weeks and have flown almost everyday... Gerry waits a while before getting in the air.. he only wants to boat around for a while today... there are still plenty in the air giving it all they have and some excellent performances going on in front of t/o as some are being filmed for the sponsors... i get only 40mins in the air and fly around timidly only to get in a few moves today... the air is very up and down today...we pack up early and get an early night..; l}   
 
9/7/10...SWS... a very hot day...were up early hoping to get an early flight as it looks like the weather is changing for a few days... we wait at the campsite with the others for the signs to start... but all we could gues was that it was gonna be a late one... we decide to go off and explore Andora... when we arrived back late afternoon shortly after it starts to work... but its quite a bit off to the west... I hang back at the hotel for a snooze but Scot and Gerry go for a gentle flight for an hr... they come back pleased... : )

[Stevie G]

7/7/10...Organya...SW 5mph...35c... Paratec...the conditions today are what magic mountain is known for... it was flyable from 4pm till 10pm... you took off and within 10mins your 4000ft over the valley floor and it was like it all afternoon...and the late restitution got you high above the mountain range for some fantastic scenery as far as Andora... to Ager...the snow capped mountains of France... Montserrat near Barcelona.... .... Gerry and Scot spent an hr practicing their stalls... me too... also clicked with asymmetric spirals to loops and sat to spin/helico.... the P81 is a difficult muther... after 2hrs am tired so land for beers and watch the footy... happy... : )

[Stevie G]

6/7/10...Organya...Thermic...35c...U-Turn/Paratec... we meet some other pilots at the campsite over cool drinks and a swim, waiting for the signs like the trees singing before wandering off to t/o...at 2.30 it all gets good and all the pilots (around 20) scramble to get away... theres a gentle Northely from the back but that is OK as the thermals generally keep it at bay... we get the usual 3-6mps up and get the normal 3000ft above the valley floor... everyone allways pushing out to practice their routines... we have world champions with us now perfecting their manoeuvre's for the comp here...for me its very exciting to watch... after 40mins in the air lift on the ridge becomes not so lifty so all push out to find it even more lifty and rough as... the meteo wing is changing from N to S and is converging in the whole off the valley space... too rough for most while the air mixes we land and wait it to smooth out with a chilled drink... after 2hrs we are back in the air all and all practicing whatever we have set ourselves for the remaining hrs until it drops off almost completely... Gerry and Scot have much confidence now and are starting to push themselves harder... nice to see...

[Stevie G]

5/7/10...Organya. N 3mph... 33c ... U-Turn/Thriller... we were the first at t/o today and the thermal activity kicked in on the hill perfectly around 1pm...we all get ready and fly eagley (flap flap)... in about 15mins the thermals get up to 6mps  and were soon 3000ft above the valley floor... the visiting acro pilots spot us and quickly join us...what a fantactic display of skills we witnessed... these young pups did everything... new routines... outstanding manoeuvre's.... a new generation... they stayed in the air training for about 4hrs...we on the other hand after 2hrs were knackered with our feeble attempts....good tho : )... we have to land and have a break and beer ; )... we get back up late afternoon and its still going strong for an hr but then gets too week for the acro wings to stay up... only leaving Gerry and Scot the whole of magic mounting for themselves on their serial wings to explore the mountains hidden secrets... awesome day... much much more tomorrow apparently.... an equally good social afters and a very tired group : )... BTW Franc's attempts of the young pups acro was very entertaining ; /

[Stevie G]

4/7/10...Organya...SE... thermic... 33c... U-turn/Thriller... did not expect to fly today as it was constant lightning and thunder from 2.30am to 6am this morning... really full on... but by 8am skies cleared for a beautiful day... by the afternoon there came a window for an hr of flight... a small group of young budding acro pilots had been training their routines for the coming comps... these kids are still in school and fly/train every day after school... they can do ALL the manoeuvre's and do them very well... I will try and get them on the GoPro.... Francois and Gerry get some excellent height over the plane and Francois is doing SAT's very well, he's happy... Gerry is getting proficient at his B'lines and building up to deeper spirals... the sky over develops really quickly and the thunder is cracking off again, so everyone is down fast... have a quick beer and wait for the next window ; )... it comes but is only t2b's.... from tomorrow is looking good for the week... I can see 10 days is just not gonna be enough...