sunny 2011

Big Al enjoys the big blue, the thermals are out there...

we don't call him 'Big Al' for nothing...

see, absolutely no camera trickery

Trev's been chomping the Christmas balloons again

and turfs out a deflated specimen from trap two

'right, let's get some flying in'

Trev's on test pilot duty

a couple of Rutan Vari-thingies do a fly over

narrowly avoiding the Photoshop 'sharpen' filter

76 and still got a decent launch arm on him!

Mick dusts off his Lipo sack

he's planning to spend all of next week on the hill...

'is it just me or can you smell/hear/feel something burning?'

new year gloom

They tell us the days are getting longer, but the first working day of the New Year sees many of the usual slacking suspects shrouded in dim cold clag on the brow of the Downs.

this morning's solar eclipse lasted until about 3.30pm at Thurnham

It's a day for floaters that can take a large moisture deposit on their wings and still keep scratching along. By the time we're all chilled to the core, the sun puts in a brief appearance that does little to warm our cockles, but at least it brings along a sprightlier breeze.

silhouette theme today

The patch is flat and fluid, and Deryck makes the most of the skid pan for long landing slides, model to temple impact concussion doing little to quell his fervour.

There is some thermal activity though, or is it just the dog turd bonfire behind the pub stirring things up?

I'll show you mine if you show me yours...

and then BOOM! the sun came out

Holly today

It's hard south at Holly today, lots of snow on the ground but the roads are clear. It's punishingly cold on the fingers, but even so we're all fairly sure the localised bubbles of lift are winter thermals.

the patch is staked as close to the cars as possible

serious stuff...

Simon gives the E-Luna an airing

Beltinge again

Sunday 12th and we congregate in the mid winter gloom of the Kentish coast.

midwinter midday

lots of foam

Alan lands out

F3F posse rip up the cliffs

longman on the 11th

Two weeks before Christmas and there's a weekend grouping at Longman to celebrate Paul's birthday. The wind is light and a fair way west, but after lunch the breeze picks up slightly and teases with us with the odd 'on slope' flirt.

Barry sports vertical stripes

while Jim goes for the streamlined approach

Deryck settles into his new Ellipse well and is soon in haircut mode

the cheese is eased up to room temperature

we won't mention why Jason has such a sweat on

the vegetarian's Achilles heel





Amigo gets airborne


it may not be enough to generate a thermal

but the BBQ makes a fine slope side heater

remember the summer?

a couple of weeks ago

We all went down to Beltinge a couple of weeks back. It was freakin' cold, but we all had a good time. Plenty of combat and a cross country along to the towers cut short by a mid-air

guess the hooter

you guessed right!

the big 'm' again

It's another month until the shortest day. But even so, Sundays dark chill on the Kentish coast has a misery to it that can only be lifted by a well insulated slope soaring session. There's a hearty turnout and the combat continues well beyond dusk. You'd better get used to it chaps, this week holds the promise of deepening arctic conditions still to come.

heavenly holly

We get a lovely little slot on Tuesday afternoon. It's a calm morning but all the forecasts show sun and an increasing breeze for the afternoon. Holly is at her best with thermals and mild slope lift. The air abounds with floaters and electric assist for some laid back, early winter soaring.

it could almost be spring time

good weather and good company

not enough swearing going on here, where's Ray when you need him?

Colin tries to decide if his motor is knackered after the castle incident







Ray finally arrives and gives us all a lesson in model rigging, we got it down on video and Paul Naton has shown interest in using it for his 'Soaring Master Class' series

don't worry viewers, winter really is here...once the sun goes in it's chuffing cold and we even get some rain.....hoooraah!

a wet big 'm'

The forecast doesn't come up to scratch on Sunday, at least not at Minster. There's a street of rain clouds marching across the estuary with clear sunny weather either side. So the day is spent with quick forays into the sky, then scrambled landings and back to cover in the cars.

80% of the afternoon looked like this

boarder line too windy for the Wildies

An elegant solution from Dave....apologies to John, he tried to hold off. When do we get to see yours?

clearer weather breaks through, and the winds ease

so we carry on past sunset

Jason's found something in the bushes...it's Colin!





and look! there's a model in there too




success!




beyond the call of duty



wouldn't be a decent session with an 'incident'

we missed you Steve......until next time