Christmas Eve, eve

 Last Sunday in the bleak mid-winter....

 low on light, high over trees

working a rocky outcrop

Gary on finals

clearing the strip

post flight a-ok; time to de-rig and crack open the mulled wine!

 Let the festivities begin!

christmas eve, eve, eve, eve, eve, eve, eve!

Normally we wouldn't have bothered, but seeing as how Mark promised us

he'd maiden the DG, we turn out in force!

it's the time of year for a low sun and interesting orientation issues!

Mark discus launches his mini scalie, but drops the transmitter half way through the spin!

anyone got some debonder?

finally he runs out of excuses and apart from a rather sensitive elevator, all goes swimmingly!

meanwhile in Alpina land....

 Jason returns hot and sweaty from an epic walk of shame

show some respect godamit!!

half a church roof later....

...and we're in business. Though the local pikies were seen loitering in the

lower field hoping for another out landing.

Last Saturday.....

notice on the gate

Les's floater at the ready

The Essex boys are planning to stay for the duration...

meanwhile inside; something lies in wait

meanwhile outside; Mark's brand spanking new DG is poised for a maiden

suitably stealthy looking

fast arrival for someone

Sir Bob and the Mini Vec

Les waits for a gap in the paragliders

away she goes, the Fantasia owns the light conditions

Simon takes a break from his recent intense building sessions

DG awaits a more suitable day

twelvetytwelvetytwelve

cut to the core!

A day's worth of wing cutting at Simon's gaff. It's a bit parky so

fast work makes for warm hands....

bed head Paul pretends he knows what he's doing; someone

should inform him it ain't so cool to be no jive turkey this close to Christmas!

we're set up and cleared for cutting

templates for a 4 metre plus scalie

the ingenuity of an Englishman in his shed

let the cutting begin; in the subzero conditions it takes the hotwire

about 2 weeks to get up to temperature

 it's a serious business!

voila!

a wing is born!

let's celebrate with a little heat to the hands...

and a load more to the toilet area!

hiatus

whatever happened to those long ago times of regular south westerlies?