Sunday 30 March 2014

Sunday 30th March 2014 - Comps, Cordiale, Cover

5 weeks and counting...

The Competition season is upon us. 

British Open Series 2014
The British Hang Gliding Open Series starts on Saturday 3rd May in South East Wales. If you haven't already made a note in your diary, here are the dates and locations for 2014:

Round 1 and British Open - S E Wales
Saturday 3rd - Wednesday 7th May 2014
Round 2 - Mid Wales
Saturday 7th - Wednesday 11th June 2014
Round 3 - Dales
Thursday 28th August - Monday 1st Sept 2014

Get signed up here.


The late Pete Coad - legendary Meethead

It will be a bitter sweet start to the year with the absence of Pete Coad being sorely felt. In the true spirit of his passion for life and all things flying, I expect there will be pilots wearing Hawaiian shirts with pride. It could be a glorious sight, especially for Angela who will be coming to visit the competition in SE Wales.





The Joint British and French Nationals
Chabre Open
Sunday 10th to Saturday 16th August 2014, Laragne, France.


BHGC 
FFVL Comite National du Delta





Entente Cordiale!



After weeks of discussions and organising, it is now official that the British Nationals 2014 will be held alongside the French Nationals. As part of a joint venture, each country will be holding their own competition to identify their National champions, while also participating in the Chabre Open. It has taken some time to get the ball rolling - not surprising really given that the organisation of any of these events is done on a purely voluntary basis, with most members of the competition panel holding down full time jobs and having family commitments.  


Members of the  French Comp Panel at the Pre-Worlds
I for one am really looking forward to this competition. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience spending two weeks with, and getting to know, the French organisers and pilots during the Class 5 Pre Worlds in Annecy last year. A nicer, friendlier, more cooperative bunch you could not hope to meet. 


The French Comp Chairman
Fabien Zadora






They have a willingness to create well run competitions in an efficient yet friendly manner. I have to admit that the French do seem to have a certain "joie de vivre", something that, in my opinion, does seem to be lacking sometimes in the UK hang gliding community. Maybe we take it all a bit too seriously... Ok, shoot me down, but that's how I see it :) The only thing that I hope they improve on is the entertainment - the pseudo glam-rock band really did kill the party.
The Rocky Horror Show - yes, it really was horrific!




Anyway, I minor deviation from what was a brilliant comp. The packed lunches made up for any other short comings. A veritable feast, which, if we are lucky, will be replicated during the joint competition.


The Comp HQ will be located in the Laragne Town Hall, with camp-sites being eyed up to the North side of the town. It will be a shame not to have one central "tent and caravan village" next to the traditional goal field, but the problems experienced at Camping Monteglin left no option but to relocate (the landing field is held municipally so is likely to be used some of the time). The French will be including Class 1, Class 2, Class 5 and Sports Class, while I anticipate that there might not be a Brit Class 2 - however the Chabre Open is also there for the taking if we get a lone Brit Class 2. 

The BHGC will be holding a Sports Class, as opposed to a Club Class. That means that pilots for the Sports Class will be restricted to flying a king posted glider as per the FAI criteria. 

Registration is now open. 
French and Foreign pilots can register on the French website...
http://delta.ffvl.fr/open_comps_registration_form/17/list
and British pilots can register here...
http://bhgc.wikidot.com/nats:registration

Currently there is a limit of 85 pilots, so if you want to guarantee your place, register as soon as possible. Chabre can of course take more, so I am sure that the number will be reviewed. Entry fee before 15th May is €120 on the French site, and £95 on the UK site (then goes up to €150 or £120) - currency fluctuations allowing there is near parity (I can hear the protesting taps on keyboards now!)

Insurance 
One thing worth mentioning here is that a question mark hangs over appropriate insurance. Traditionally the BHGC has been aligned with AIB (Airsports Insurance Bureau) who provided insurance specifically for the HG and PG competition scene. Now under new management, it seems that the policies have changed, and that essential cover such as Search and Rescue and Competition Flying are not covered as standard - you have to ask specifically for the cover as an additional option. It might be worth shopping around and making sure you have the right cover. If any pilot has discovered a good insurance policy, please do email me (free.flyer@goskyrocketnow.com) and I will do my best to disseminate the information amongst the community and, with my Vice Chair hat on, bring it to the attention of the BHGC Competition Panel.

Until next time, safe Spring time flying...

PS Parachute repacked? Side Wires replaced? You know it makes sense!











Sunday 23rd March 2014 - A Promising Spring Forecast

Sunday 23rd March 2014

A Promising Spring Forecast.

Earlier in the week:
"Tim, the weekend is looking like it could be good for a few XC miles"
"Are you getting over excited again, Ben?"
"No, really, RASP and XC Weather are looking quite promising"
"Yep, but that's still a few days away".
How many times have I had that conversation with Tim King, Class 5 Brit Champ (when he is not broken that is)? Such is the joy of living on this fair isle, that making any kind of reasonable prediction for free flying aviation, even just a few days ahead, is as reliable as an investment on the AIM market. It's a gamble. A complete lottery.


Unstable, but potential to deliver a few XC miles...

With the UK drying out after the wettest (and darkest?) Winter on record, the warmth of the Spring sunshine over the last week had been giving hope to lots of hibernating Hang Glider pilots that we would get to fly again. Me included. How many other pilots were checking over their kit over the last few days? I don't think I was alone. Even though I had been lucky enough to get a few hours over the last couple of weeks, I was keen to start my XC campaign for 2014.


Sunday 16th March at Westbury

And then the weekend arrived. With two kids in tow, I have to pick my times carefully to make sure I have quality time with them, while also having some "me" (ie hang gliding) time. Saturday: football, cricket, walks, cycling, curry night and films. Sunday: you guessed it - flying.

Sunday.Wake up. Check XC Weather. Still looking NW. RASP? Showing a 4500' cloud base and good lift. MetOffice: Hmm, not quite so positive with what looks like some kind of front moving through. Emails, texts and phone calls between the usual suspects including Tim, Grant Crossingham and Malcolm Beard. I had been eyeing up Frocester in the Cotswolds as it gives good downwind XC potential, but there was concern that it would be too turbulent at TO in a strong NW. With reports of storms at Westbury, it was  off to Combe Gibbet in Berkshire, a beautiful drive in glorious Spring sunshine.


Hmm, not the most welcoming sky...
Grant, Luisa and the boys. A true flying family!
Driving up to launch, the instability of the day was all too clear. I was met with 50mph gusts and driving rain. Undeterred, and with the Crossingham family joining me and Malcolm at the West launch, we sat it out to let the localised rain pass through. Sure enough, half an hour later we were rigging gliders, with looming clouds on the horizon...
Rigged and ready to go with Cbs as a backdrop.

Malcolm Beard getting ready


Grant about to launch
















Grant was soon in the air, quickly disappearing below ridge height, chasing Red Kites who were starting to soar the ridge. Fighting to maintain, the birds flew to the West side of launch and started climbing with Grant in amongst them. Not surprisingly they were going up. The threatening clouds were accelerating toward us and a dark grey mass was building rapidly above him.  (Malcolm has a pic that I will try and drop in here). Meanwhile, as the gust front approached I attempted to keep the glider safe on the ground by dipping the nose behind a slight ridge and raising the keel on a small support. (I am not a fan of partially rigged flappy gliders in sudden strong winds - rather having it fully rigged, flat and structurally strong, or wings completely wrapped up).


Nose down, tail up in the gust front.
Copyright 2014 High Viz Photography
www.highvizphotography.co.uk
Grant made a great landing down the East side of the ridge and soon had the glider parked behind a hedge. I waited for the storm to pass through, and then, looking at the next wave of rain coming towards us, decided that enough was enough. I put the glider up on the a-frame to dry off before de-rigging but was caught out by the speed with which the next gust front approached. Battling ridiculous wind speeds I could not turn the glider back in to wind to lie flat, so had to go in to speedy derig mode, something which cost me a broken No8 batten. Ah well. Could have been worse.

It wont be long. Spring has sprung, and the XC hounds are getting hungry...!