TVHGC Flying Diary: August 2008

30 / 08 / 2008 :: Mere

Name	::	Reech
Email	::	rstiling _at_ blueyonder.co.uk
Date	::	30 / 08 / 2008
Direction	::	South East
Comments	::	Bonkers strong all day SE. Flew my kite. Lessened everyone flew in lifty sinky stuff some prefered to fly in the smoother stuff. I stayed in the uppy/downy mostly on my own. Stayed too late when it went S and got sunk out. Clambered back up had a float about in the classic evening Mere smooth and silky bowl doings. Almost like summer................
Weather	::	06:00 12:00 18:00
Pictures	::	http://www.tvhgc.co.uk/photo_gallery/
XC League	::	TVHGC :: National

30 / 08 / 2008 :: tan hill

Name	::	jamie glendinning
Email	::	jamie _ glendinning _at_ work 2 fly .co . uk
Date	::	30 / 08 / 2008
Direction	::	South East
Comments	::	forcast looked good but wind was strong and off to the east so didn't head out for an early start. got a text about 15;00 that people were flying. got there around 16:00 - bungee was in the air but no one else was. things improved. a knee was twisted (hopefuly ian is ok) and then a mass bottom landing.
Weather	::	06:00 12:00 18:00
Pictures	::	http://www.tvhgc.co.uk/photo_gallery/
XC League	::	TVHGC :: National

23 / 08 / 2008 :: Rybury

Name	::	Bob Johnston
Email	::	_at_
Date	::	23 / 08 / 2008
Direction	::	South West
Comments	::	A very busy day at Rybury, got there at about 11 just as the top cover rolled in and made it a tricky day to get away or even fly consistently, if this hadn't happened then I think the site would have thinned out very quickly. Watched a mate get blown slightly back in the saddle part of the ridge, he landed fine but collapsed the glider right on top of th Bull who was laid down facing the other way when his world went glider coloured! Could have been very bad but fortunatly the guy had presence of mind to unclip very quickly, only damage was one line and a small rip, Bull was fine and took it very well considering:-) I had a test fly on Rob Gingers Golden 2 which has a very nice sink rate, so much so that I couldn't turn down one of the few thermals that came though late in the day so disappeared over the back on his glider. Once he picked me up we headed over to Suger for a evening fly, little lumpy and breezy at times but a nice end to the day.
Weather	::	06:00 12:00 18:00
Pictures	::	http://www.tvhgc.co.uk/photo_gallery/
XC League	::	TVHGC :: National

24 / 08 / 2008 :: Shining Tor

Name	::	Tom Clowes
Email	::	name _at_ hotmail.com
Date	::	24 / 08 / 2008
Direction	::	West
Comments	::	Some lovely evening soaring on this beautiful site in the Peaks. Lovely scenery, freash air as the sun was setting - only 4 others in the air after quite a windy day...
Weather	::	06:00 12:00 18:00
Pictures	::
XC League	::	TVHGC :: National

23 / 08 / 2008 :: Milk

Name	::	Jon Eades
Email	::	jon.eades _at_ virgin.net
Date	::	23 / 08 / 2008
Direction	::	South West
Comments	::	Had a nice walk up the track then spent a very nice afternoon sitting about on Milk talking to the various folk who were doing the same whilst waiting for the howling gale to die down, which it never did. Had a nice walk back down the track again. I'm pleased that I too could contribute towards the farmers new cow!
Weather	::	06:00 12:00 18:00
Pictures	::	http://www.tvhgc.co.uk/photo_gallery/
XC League	::	TVHGC :: National

23 / 08 / 2008 :: Rybury

Name	::	Punter Ian
Email	::	i.hobbis _at_ btinternet.com
Date	::	23 / 08 / 2008
Direction	::	South West
Comments	::	The sky was crowded and the flying was difficult, let's hope the farmer made enough money to buy a new cow.
Weather	::	06:00 12:00 18:00
Pictures	::	http://www.tvhgc.co.uk/photo_gallery/
XC League	::	TVHGC :: National

23 / 08 / 2008 :: Rybury

Name	::	Fi Burgess
Email	::	_at_
Date	::	23 / 08 / 2008
Direction	::	West
Comments	::	Very early arrival on the hill to meet Lee & Paul plus some visiting Poles - watched the sky develop until first thermals started and we were rewarded with nice flying for nearly an hour before hoardes and hoardes of hounds arrived. Sounds like it carried on being a surprisingly good day after I left late morning despite a 50/50 forecast.
Weather	::	06:00 12:00 18:00
Pictures	::
XC League	::	TVHGC :: National

23 / 08 / 2008 :: Milk Hill

Name	::	Andy Edwards
Email	::	pirtek-ae@zoom.co.uk _at_
Date	::	23 / 08 / 2008
Direction	::	South West
Comments	::	Way too many at Rybury so Jon Eades and I headed to Milk Hill. I launched into very thermic air and climbed out almost immediately. A slow climb took me to 1800 feet ATO. I found another climb near Lockeridge but then chickened out when it came to flying over Marlborough so landed on the edge of the town. Not far, but the first time that I have gone XC from Milk. To top off the day, I got a lift from a lovely couple right back up the track to Milk Hill.
Weather	::	06:00 12:00 18:00
Pictures	::	http://www.tvhgc.co.uk/photo_gallery/
XC League	::	TVHGC :: National

15 / 08 / 2008 :: Rybury

Name	::	Lawrence
Email	::	lawrence _at_ verticaltd.com
Date	::	15 / 08 / 2008
Direction	::	South West
Comments	::	Just wanted to say a big thanks to Paul Hutton for the retrieve from Rybury. What a star! Thanks again mate.
Weather	::	06:00 12:00 18:00
Pictures	::	http://www.tvhgc.co.uk/photo_gallery/
XC League	::	TVHGC :: National

15 / 08 / 2008 :: Rybury

Name	::	Paul Hutton
Email	::	_at_
Date	::	15 / 08 / 2008
Direction	::	South West
Comments	::	I arrived about 10:00 to join a big gathering of 'XC seekers'. There were regular small bubbles with everybody 'diving in' to see if this would be it. Then the 'big train' left about 13:00 and they were away! Unfortunately without me - I was still setting up having tried too hard with the previous 'bubble' and ending up in the bottom landing. I got a few more bubbles after that and went for it a couple of times, but ended up dropping out just over the back. Still a great days flying :-)
Weather	::	06:00 12:00 18:00
Pictures	::	http://www.tvhgc.co.uk/photo_gallery/
XC League	::	TVHGC :: National

15 / 08 / 2008 :: Rybury/Sugar Hill

Name	::	mike Hibbit
Email	::	cloud9airsports@btopenworld.com _at_
Date	::	15 / 08 / 2008
Direction	::	South West
Comments	::	Arrived with Chris Jones( he'd just bought a new harness from me ) about 11am to find the site heaving with paragliders - at least 20 and most of them flying!Quite dangerous on such a small site. Got away in second gaggle with John Terry in 'off the clock' climb out. Must have been a great sight for the pilots on Milk with droves of wings flying XC. Loads of really LONG cross country fights. Mine was short, but arrived at Sugar along with Chris(said the harness was great!) and another guy. We soared in very gnarly conditions for ten minutes and landed. Arrived back at Rybury about mid afternoon to find it blown out along with Milk. Congratulations to Mark Jones, who I think won the Gold medal, with a flight to Milton Keynes. There's just no stopping that guy!
Weather	::	06:00 12:00 18:00
Pictures	::	http://www.tvhgc.co.uk/photo_gallery/
XC League	::	TVHGC :: National

15 / 08 / 2008 :: Rybury/Sugar Hill

Name	::	mike Hibbit
Email	::	cloud9airsports@btopenworld.com _at_
Date	::	15 / 08 / 2008
Direction	::	South West
Comments	::	Arrived with Chris Jones( he'd just bought a new harness from me ) about 11am to find the site heaving with paragliders - at least 20 and most of them flying!Quite dangerous on such a small site. Got away in second gaggle with John Terry in 'off the clock' climb out. Must have been a great sight for the pilots on Milk with droves of wings flying XC. Loads of really LONG cross country fights. Mine was short, but arrived at Sugar along with Chris(said the harness was great!) and another guy. We soared in very gnarly conditions for ten minutes and landed. Arrived back at Rybury about mid afternoon to find it blown out along with Milk. Congratulations to Mark Jones, who I think won the Gold medal, with a flight to Milton Keynes. There's just no stopping that guy!
Weather	::	06:00 12:00 18:00
Pictures	::	http://www.tvhgc.co.uk/photo_gallery/
XC League	::	TVHGC :: National

15 / 08 / 2008 :: Rybury

Name	::	Ian Hobbis
Email	::	numpty _at_ puntersgap.com
Date	::	15 / 08 / 2008
Direction	::	South West
Comments	::	One minute there were 30+ pilots then there was 6... then I got sucked up to 5400' and blown 62k downwind before I was able to land. Can't believe there was anyone left on the hill... especially if a punter like me gets away on a golden 2!
Weather	::	06:00 12:00 18:00
Pictures	::	http://www.puntersgap.blogspot.com
XC League	::	TVHGC :: National

15 / 08 / 2008 :: Near Stokenchurch

Name	::	Bob Johnston
Email	::	_at_
Date	::	15 / 08 / 2008
Direction	::	South West
Comments	::	Rob and myself have found the upper wind limit for paramotoring from our local site, surface winds were only just enough for a running reverse take off but a lot of wind gradient! By the time I was at 300ft I had almost zero ground speed, full bar gave me at best 12kph, still I did get a substained 74kph downwind! not so bad for Rob on his faster reflex wing but unpleasant for me when meeting rotor aproching the back of ridges as my slow forward speed meant I was in it for a long time. still it was flying.
Weather	::	06:00 12:00 18:00
Pictures	::	http://www.tvhgc.co.uk/photo_gallery/
XC League	::	TVHGC :: National

08 / 08 / 2008 :: Combe

Name	::	David Hague
Email	::	davehague _at_ gmail.com
Date	::	08 / 08 / 2008
Direction	::	North
Comments	::	Wind was strong when I arrived at 10:30, but eased off at 11am for the 4 pilots on the hill to take off. Wind continued to drop a little and there were lots of small bubbles up to about 600' ATO - to go higher would have meant commiting to go off the back, which I didn't fancy in the srongish winds/overcast sky/low cloudbase. Quite a few more pilots started to arrive as light drizzle stopped play at about 1pm, after which the sun put his hat on and cumulus appeared, but surface wind dropped completely. A few brave (desperate) souls alpine launched looking for thermals on the short sled ride to the bottom landing. Far from classic, but nice to get off the ground.
Weather	::	06:00 12:00 18:00
Pictures	::	http://www.tvhgc.co.uk/photo_gallery/
XC League	::	TVHGC :: National

07 / 08 / 2008 :: Czarna Gora, Czech Republik

Name	::	Bob Johnston
Email	::	_at_
Date	::	07 / 08 / 2008
Direction	::	South
Comments	::	A switch in airmass to warm southerly air meant a drive over the mountains to the Czech side of the range to a ski resort at Czarna Gora, easy cable car ride to the top then a short 15 min walk along to take off. A smallish mountain (about same size as the Blorenge) but very nice views, a completely blue day very hot and stable with the normal inversion making it very rough and hard work to climb much above 300meters above take off. Even gritting my teeth and staying with a nasty climb to nearly 600 above wasn't though the inversion and so still unpleasant, I was beginning to think I was been a whimp but on top landing for some lunch found a lot of others found it rough as well, two pilots down in the trees on reserves sort of confirmed it too. The forecast increasing wind was starting to happen so decided to fly down but had a long wait for the rescue helicopter collecting the downed pilots, I don't believe either pilot was hurt! Some more wing over practice on the way down but had to give up when I got lower as the bottom landing has to be the most thermik one I have ever know, I am sure it was putting off better more consistent lift than the actual mountain! A big thank you to all the very helpful Polish pilots I met while here, weather doesn't look flyable again before we return to the UK so that's probably it for me.
Weather	::	06:00 12:00 18:00
Pictures	::	http://www.tvhgc.co.uk/photo_gallery/
XC League	::	TVHGC :: National

06 / 08 / 2008 :: Rudnik, SW Poland

Name	::	Bob Johnston
Email	::	_at_
Date	::	06 / 08 / 2008
Direction	::	North West
Comments	::	A interesting site, about the same shallow slope as Liddington if not a bit shallower but completly forrested and a lot bigger. About 700ft T to B but shallows out further halfway down. A hot stable day very little dynamic lift and even less thermik lift so I ended up scratching way too low and for the first time ever was 100% certain was I going into the trees, was even working out wether to go for a tree or gap between with the risk of hiting the ground hard, in the end some how bouyant air and some tree dodging let me justtttttttttt clear them. A couple more flights on the same site but each one was a short one thermal job then down you go. still nice views.
Weather	::	06:00 12:00 18:00
Pictures	::	http://www.tvhgc.co.uk/photo_gallery/
XC League	::	TVHGC :: National