father son and sunset
Alan arrives
working the western bowl
25 January 2009
21 January 2009
good relations again
Please continue to add your thoughts and comments here, thanks to everyone who has contributed so far.
may not be spring, but 'tis hapnin'
Hello slackers, there's been a jolly fine run of the beloved south westerlies of recent. The weekend has seen an almost permanent tangled fur ball of EPP from the Isle, and both Saturday and Sunday fail to disappoint us with anything less than 10mph straight from the stone of the maid!
meeting of the North Downs Navel Gazing SocietyThe Barton Point Boys were out in force again, I leave that one to your imagination....We also had a few visitors from Radio Control Model Forum off tinternet, and the full size chaps from Challock. Anyone else want to write an economic paper analysing the link between the recession and slope soaring popularity?
if you want to stand on your son's wing, that's fine by me...just
stay away from my planes!
Late Saturday afternoon brings a rather high attrition rate, but it all looks fixable from where I'm sitting...and what's that? the first burbling chirrup of a skylark in the air...I kid you not!!
phase 6- 3........Zagis- 0
By the same time Sunday we're all in agreement that the evenings are starting to draw out again, so at least that's one element of everyday life that's starting to look up!
nearest planet got in the way
a hole in your hill?, or are maybe just a modern art performance
piece entitled 'where the £ went'
I'm sure plenty of other stuff went down over the two days, but for the life of me I can't seem to drag it all up from the deep recesses of my grey matter, just watch the film down there...you'll get the idea!
saturday and sunday
Blog updates coming soon, in the mean time some footage from the weekend, plenty of rubber action courtesy of the Barton Point boys.
13 January 2009
good relations
After having a bit of a chat with the hanglider chaps on Sunday, Paul has been contacted by the club....
'Hi Paul, Colin has passed your details on to me as someone who flies within the local model flying community, and we are looking to build contacts in the model flying community to help with avoiding any problems where we fly.'
How do you all feel about one (or some) of us liaising with Dover and Folkestone club? Relations have been pretty good of late, and perhaps now would be a good time to build on this. There's been a suggestion that we could attend one of their club evenings for some kind of informal discussion which strikes me as a great idea.
Please take the time to post comments (both modelers and para/hanglider pilots) and suggestions by clicking on the blue 'comments' footer below, or email Paul directly... p_westrup at hotmail dot com (with the appropriate alterations to avoid spammers).
12 January 2009
busy sunday
Crikey it's a busy Sunday. They're all keen for a fix after a drought of suitable wind. We're joined by a hoard from Sheppy so there's a constant Zagi furball on the lip.
random point and shoot, and you're guaranteed a zagi in shot
Paul maidens his hotliner thingy
brotherly moral support
happy Jack
The lane is still icy, but we have Steve, Alan, Rod, Tom, Paul, Jack, Roger (and a few others that cannot be recognised through many layers of Thinsulate and Goretex) on the hill.
Hangliding men turn up, but think better of it...it's bloody busy on the ridge. The wind has a fair bit of south but comes on as the day moves on.
By about 2.30 the lightweights have had enough and head off home. We're joined by Sevenoaks man who gives the Pike a good seeing to again.
feeling better?
frosty folkestone
There's been no let up in the sub zero conditions since Christmas, but as the week draws to a close the weathermen are predicting the high pressure will be shifting and thus giving way to our beloved southwesterly winds.
Saturday starts the change, but the ice up the lane is deadly! Paul makes it half way up gets stuck...you can't even walk on this stuff!
The footwell mat provides the traction to get free, but after a walk to the top of the hill it's very southerly so he and Deryck decide Folkestone is a better bet.
The Warren
Firstly we hit The Warren. Deryck's no namby pamby and chucks his model off the 300ft plus sheer drop without hesitation, there's no chance of landing out below and Deryck feels this is as good a chance as any to properly dial his East Glider in.
memorial to a failed launch
no girliness hereThe south east wind shifts round further west, and after a successful BBQ these two chaps hit Crete Road. It's smooth and lifty for about half an hour, Mr Deryck practises hand catches, Paul tries his hand at landing on the end of his aerial.
Winds pulls round WNW so they try Crete Downs, but the wind's too far round. Oh well new territory has been explored, rotors tackled and sea air sniffed.
03 January 2009
we love Bopeep
First session of the year down south again, the day starts murky but brightens up and after a hefty cloud bank piles through the air is glassy smooth with medium lift
gorse windbreak
quality radioquality mode
quality flyer Dave
sky and plane
sky, sea and plane
sky, man, ground and planeLots of paragliders but it was still ruddy glorious, we'll be back!
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