Steve Watkins 2010 logbook

[Steve Watkins]

30th Aug 2010 - Fan G

Arrived just before Stevie G & Barry on lower TO in the bowl. Wind coming on nicely around 15mph. Cold northerly!

Enjoyed a few flghts with the guys gaining around 700ato max. - Alan Wilson, Nasher, Gerry, Jon Munro, Rob & Tina and another pilot turned up a little later. (Sorry didn't get chance to speak)

Good to see Alan Wilson & Barry enjoying some good flying in the bowl.

Later conditions became a lot lighter, the reservoir looked still but perked up now and again.
Decided to try out Gerrys DHV 2 Paratech wing - bloody awesome feedback on it but unfortunately I mis-timed my top landing and hit sink and bottom landed

After a loooong walk back up to the of the bowl, conditions were very light and we all enjoyed a fly back down to our cars.

Total flying time around 90 mins.

Total airtime 2010 - 24hr 25mins     

Steve Watkins paragliding @ Fan Gyhirych 30/8/2010

[Steve Watkins]

1st Aug 2010 - Rhossili

Arrived at 7am at lower pimple after seeing Stevie G's shout, to make the most of the day!!    Was rewarded with 13mph wind, little bit northerly but ok. Held back until about 7:30 for Stevie G & also Scott & passenger with a tandem.

Helped get Scott off and launched and enjoyed lovely flying conditions all day - wind picked up in the afternoon. It went light a few times whilst it was shifting back Westerly.

Good to see lots of pilots out from our club and other clubs.

I managed to get about 500ato in the afternoon although it was hard going but used this to experiment with Spirals and wing overs - I am quite confident with this wing (Advance Alpha 3 - DHV1) now and after using it for 5 years I'm ready for change

After flying about 5 1/2 hours I was very tired and landed on the beach nearly wiping out two ladies on deckchairs although they found it amusing and took a lot of interest in what was going on. The paragliding community does seem to cause a big attraction in Rhossili!

Flying time - 5hr 30 mins
Total airtime 2010 - 22hr 55mins                       

[Steve Watkins]

3rd Jul-10th Jul 2010 - Slovenia Trip

See : http://www.swwsc.co.uk/index.php/topic,783.0.html

Flying time - Approx 8 Hrs
Total airtime 2010 - 17hr 25mins

[Steve Watkins]

23rd June 2010 - Nant Y Moel

Arrived about 5:45pm, on the way towards couldn't see an wings in the air but was rewarded when I was driving up last hill to see a few pop above the ridge.

Enjoyed  a 30 min flight with a top landing followed by another hour flying into sunset when a weak front pushed through and it got quite overcast in front, conditions got quite scratcy and I spent about 10 minutes trying to land safely on top 

Good to see lots out, met Pete Cook for the first time - also Nick & Viv were flying - a few more familiar faces

Hopefully I'm getting lots of practice in for Slovenia, just need to brush up on my alpine launches. 

No video footage today, need to sort out some stronger velcro which I have today - Dual Lock 3m marvellous!!

Flying time - 1 hr 30 mins
Total airtime 2010 - 9hr 25mins

[Steve Watkins]

21st June 2010 - Hay Bluff

After agonising in work watching 2 paragliders enjoying themselves @ the Bluff (1 crossed the gap), decided after work to give it a go and wandered up.

On arrival was greeted by a gentle breeze 12mph little to westerly but it was on the hill. Soon realised that this was all thermic but constant (well so it felt!)

After a few attempts at launching in bubbles of warm air, launched and soared the ridge for about 20 minutes in very thermic conditions that were as sinky as lifty. I decided to land after 20 mins as I felt the risk of scratching was too high today

Landed a bit fast below with what seemed a NE breeze behind me!!??

Flying time - 20 mins
Total airtime 2010 - 7hr 55mins

[Steve Watkins]

17th June 2010 - Heol Senni

Driving up after work I couldn't see anyone airborne and thought crikey another wasted journey. However on arrival plenty of vehicles about but nobody flying until walking half way up and one launched

Strong enough to launch at lower take off - good to meet Guy for the first time, also Rhun, Rob & Tina and later Stevie G & Nick Roberts, Viv & others

Nice evening flight with a top landing and bottom landing after about 90 mins

Gutted as mid flight taking loads of photos and putting camera aside it fell off unoticed from it's tether and I've lost my digital camera
I did search for it later after checking with my baby sitter (eldest daughter) and walked right up past the quarry but no sign. I doubt it survived anyway from the height it would have dropped.

Took a few photos using my phone camera on the way back, beautiful sunset walking down the track. Lovely to hear the birds of prey in the quarry area.

Conditions smoothed out towards the end and everyone landed and I was alone for a little while before deciding to land.

Flying time - 90 mins
Total airtime 2010 - 7hr 35mins

[Steve Watkins]

15th June 2010 - Heol Senni

Looked a tad strong setting out from the house but thought bugger it, maybe a parawait.
Nobody else at the hill on arrival, climbed to the top and measured a constant 14-16mph smack on the hill.

Anyway after a very comical launch, which launched me about 40 feet into the air within seconds after managing to gain control of the wing lol, conditions felt stronger than the wind meter was indicating, so penetration was tricky but managed to pentrate without speed bar due to my fat butt.

Loads of prevailing wind, plenty of lift to about 500ato, but conditions didn't feel right.
Something was telling me it was not very nice!

Saw someone walking up (later discovered it may be guy?) and after about 20 mins decided to land out as a top landing was a no no ( I could have warned the other pilot) and unfortunately my radio has been sent off for widebanding.

Anyway, do you think I could land? Could I bugger. The wing just wanted to go up and to be honest I wasn't enjoying the flying.
After a lot of figure 8's came back into wind and the wing decided to do a big dive out of nowhere so I reacted and braked in time.

So eventually landed and found conditions at the bottom had picked up.

Packed up and after checking Guy hadn't launched met Wattsy driving up had a good chin wag with him and explained I thought it was too strong and the odd gust coming through.

Flying time - 25 mins
Total airtime 2010 - 6hr 5mins

[Steve Watkins]

5th June 2010 - Rhossili

Decided on the drive down to the coast with my daughter and her friend. Heading towards the coast it was apparent that the skies were different to inland and everything from a distance looked clagged in. On arrival, about 4 wings were scratching between the upper and lower pimples.

Walked up to find many pilots eagerly prepared for launch and some still packed. Good to see some faces to name a few Tina, Rob, Nasher, Norris, Gerry - Paul Williams and Steve Milson were also training. Eventually I found myself flying with at least another 20 gliders with about another 10 on launch.

Decided as conditions were light to walk to the top to see what it was like. On arrival was pleasantly rewarded with better conditions than below, the seabreeze was working

Good clean launch - enjoyed 1hr 3/4 of excellent soaring from the pimples all the way out to way past the end - the lift band was incredible and found myself away from the hill, tracking the sea/beach line gaining about 450ft ato. An inversion was clearly visible in the distance and I think I reached that as it was quite bumpy at height. Lots of people doing acro.

The breeze picked up and I felt myself gaining height without much work and it became obvious it was time to land out and find my daugter on the beach. After a few figure 8's and eventually came in for a good landing - my daughter and friend had since walked to the top and were waiting by the car!!

Steve Watkins @ Rhossili Bay paragliding 6th June 2010

Flying time - 105 mins

Total airtime 2010 - 5hr 40mins

[Steve Watkins]

31st May 2010 - Heol Senni

Arrived at top about 10am, after reading Nick Roberts tip off in the shoutbox. Arrived to find it coming through about 16mph constant. Spent a bit of time setting my instruments up and was joined by Ifor, and then Nick Roberts, Gerry & Viv. Andy joined later.

Everything dropped off for about 20 mins and then thermals kicked off again, so up we all went. Had a good fly around and then top landed. Launched again to find my speedbar line had caught around my instrument mount which eventually I managed to unhook in the air. Conditions were a but bumpy for my liking today. Hit a load of sink and didn't want to scratch so landed out at the bottom by Viv.

Thought bugger it, and was about to go home when Nick came on the radio that it had improved.

So trundled up (again  ) and just as I reached the top it dropped off and everyone landed. Gave us chance to catch up and my bloody radio is not working for some reason, won't transmit - where is Nasher?

Launched again and enjoyed a very thermic flight, watching Nick going over the back with Andy (who came back). Wing had 2 small collapses again on the right side, and it became noticeable that the wind had veered to the East somewhat, so with that in mind I penetrated out with Andy and Ifor and enjoyed a thermic climb into the valley until my vario told me I was sinking quick so I did a 180 and tracked towards Viv, coming into land was not easy with thermals triggering all over the place, but after a 360 the wing came in for a good landing.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V6d45WIsNw&amp;ap=%2526fmt%3D22" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V6d45WIsNw&amp;ap=%2526fmt%3D22</a>

Flying time - 90 mins

Total airtime 2010 - 3hrs 55 mins

[Steve Watkins]

22nd May 2010 - Ebbw Vale

Was a choice between Pandy and Ebbw Vale today with the forecasted Easterlies, I was put off Pandy with the problem with the parking ( I hope it's going to be sorted) so took my daughter up to find Ebbw Vale which I've never flown before. Found the place ok after taking a wrong turning in Cwm and was relieved to see someone in the air on arrival.

Sean from Suffolk was flying his Airwave Sport 4 but not really penetrating - I did a wind measurement and it was 15-16mph but feeling slightly gusty, I think it was very thermic (which turned out to be correct)

I launched and immediately hit a whopping thermal and climbed easily without much effort apart from controlling the pitch of the wing an awful lot and soon found myself about 1000' ATO

I was going back and fore and then suddenly my right side about a third collapsed and my wing veered off but I weight sihifted and by then it had corrected itself. Hmm, I thought, punchy thermals. After that I decided to top land to compose myself again and think whether the conditions were suitable.

After lunch I did about an hours worth of ground handling, the thermals coming through picking my weight up easily.

I then commited to another short flight in totally thermic conditions which I didn't really enjoy being bounced about quite low about 100-200' ATO and again top landed after about 10 minutes.

Have taken a video with my helmet cam and my daughter took loads of photos will upload later.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_7vv2SSxNU&amp;ap=%2526fmt%3D22" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_7vv2SSxNU&amp;ap=%2526fmt%3D22</a>

Flying time - 30 mins
Ground handling 1 hour

Total airtime 2010 - 2.25 hours

[Steve Watkins]

9th May 2010 - Heol Senni

Arrived to find Nick Roberts, Gerry & Viv at the bottom which was about 16mph.
Waited around about an hour and Nick walked up to see what conditions were like (thankyou Nick!) and came down to say it was flyable so we all trundled up.

Managed a 1hr 3/4 flight, first one since last year. Reached about 800ft ATO.
Conditions very good, but towards end wind coming more Easterly.
Good landing for me, next to my car and a big smile on my face!!

1 hr 3/4