The joy of slope

[Tim Mackey]

Blimeys, we'll all be ready for leaving by then Ian - 9.30AM breakfast meeting and preflight briefings, ASDA cafe Llandudno.

[Steve Houghton 1]

Had a great time this morning experiencing my 1st combat session on the Orme with 1 hit on me and 1 hit against another. If I can laugh that much with just 4 of us flying, what will I be like tomorrow :D All by batteries are now charged and ready for tomorrows action. Did someone mention sticky buns? Ha ha. See ya all tomorrow guys.

[iawnski]

[Tim Mackey]

Should be a good un, lets all pray for better weather than we had for a lot of today.

[Tim Mackey]

Well the car is packed, the flask is full, and XC promises us spot on 20+ MPH westerlies. A few light showers predicted, so lets hope thats the worst we get .

Breakfast beckons at ASDA , and then after stocking up on mini yum-yums, its off to play we go.

Behave now ....... and have great day whatever you have planned.

[Devon Flyer]

We had a cracking 4 hour session yesterday at Woolacombe. 16mph WNW - smack on the slope.

Same forecast today...............so guess where I'm off to in a moment.........

Must be back in time for the F1 though.

[Ian Jones]

Posted by Tim Mackey on 28/08/2011 08:54:09:

Well the car is packed, the flask is full, and XC promises us spot on 20+ MPH westerlies. A few light showers predicted, so lets hope thats the worst we get .

Breakfast beckons at ASDA , and then after stocking up on mini yum-yums, its off to play we go.

Behave now ....... and have great day whatever you have planned.

Wish I could make the ASDA Briefing but it's not possible . Oh well I'll be there a soon as I can and just in time for the best of the weather .

 

I hope behaving includes not discussing the Belgian F1 GP

 

Finshed reading the post with breakfast (can't start the day without a ), so I'll be hitting the road shortly . It's chucking it down at the mo

Edited By Ian Jones on 28/08/2011 09:38:10

[Conwy Soarer]

Just about to head off to some southern softy slope site, weather good here winds 15 WNW, will be heading back up the 470 tomorrow, should be back on the Orme Tuesday if I am lucky. Have a good time today!

 

Jon

 

PS Just been amending the CAD drawings of the next Gelert prototype, its going to be the same size but this time with plug on wings - the question is now do I stick with the semi symmetrical or go fully symmetrical.

[Conwy Soarer]

Set off this morning to a little slope near a place called Five Roads, wind was variable 8 - 12 mph NW. The air was very thermic with big pockets of lift and also big holes of sink. First time I have sloped the diminutive Gelert, it coped well despite being chucked around quite a bit by the buoyant air - not a bit like the coastal air it had been flown in previously. Had some good fun with the FF WEVO and Gelert before heading back for a spot of Sunday roast at the inlaws. NOTE you might need to click on the picture to see it in correct proportions as it is portrait and seems to get distorted when you insert.

Then this evening the wind had swung back to a more W/SW direction, the car still had the toys in the boot so early evening I headed for the Gower for a bit of coastal soaring until sunset. All in all a good days flying - had the slopes to myself on both occasions.

 Hope everybody else had a good days fly.

 

Jon 

Edited By Conwy Soarer on 28/08/2011 23:04:38

[Ian Jones]

Posted by Tim Mackey on 26/08/2011 22:01:24:

Steve Houghton 1 made it up to Llandudno today, and is safely encamped about 15 minutes away from the big Rock.

We met up this afternoon and enjoyed some fine weather with fairly gentle 12 MPH NWesterlies.

We flew for a couple of hours, and then enjoyed some chips and pint - all very nice.

Probably a few more up there tomorrow and Sunday, so we should have some pictures up soon.

I made it for Sunday as planned and surprised Tim by actually arriving 30 minutes early instead of 30 minutes late .

 

I set about introducing myself to everybody present, everyone was so welcoming and it was great to meet faces and characters that I had only previously "met" via this forum.

 

Soon enough I was ready to fly and since I had changed the clevises on my fusion I asked Tim to launch it whilst I concentrate on flying a potentially out of trim model - good idea . Well yes but I didn't have to concentrate for long - another launch and land in reverse behind sort of flight quickly followed . Half a dozen clicks of down trim had that sorted on the next launch and that was me settled in for the rest of the afternoon.

 

So, some serious flying took place but we soon put a stop to that! I didn't actually get to count but at one time I think there were 8 or 9 aircraft involved in combat which was a great laugh.

 

My wife and son had joined me for the journey to Llandudno and I had left them down there but they walked up and found me in the end . Actually it was quite handy because it meant she could take some photo's and later I waved the camera around a bit too, so here's a few shots.

 

 

 

 Cont'd...

Edited By Ian Jones on 29/08/2011 19:51:29

[Ian Jones]

... cont'd

 

I can't wait 'til next time and just to prove there will be a next time, here's my slightly battle scarred Fusion safely home in my garage .

 

Thanks everyone for a fantastic day out, loads of fun and an extra thank you to Richard for re-uniting me with my wife .

Edited By Ian Jones on 29/08/2011 19:53:57

[Marty Ball]

Nice one Ian,

My Wildthing is just about to get stuck back together after having to fret out two new ply inside stiffners as the originals were reduced to machwood. Just mark it up to combat ........ The damage didn't stop the day though, I just wacked on a wodge of cross weave tape to keep me going! lol

That's the beauty of the Wildthing.

The Schizo is also repaired after my abrupt arrival sprang a glue joint on the wing root.

It was a good day and we were lucky it stayed mainly dry and the company was exellent.

[Marty Ball]

Posted by Ian Jones on 29/08/2011 19:45:08:

 

Thanks everyone for a fantastic day out, loads of fun and an extra thank you to Richard for re-uniting me with my wife .

Edited By Ian Jones on 29/08/2011 19:53:57

I'da jumped on his plane had he re-united me with my wife! THAT's why I go flying! pmsl

[Marty Ball]

All in days fun!

 

I dunno why but I ALWAYS seem to hit a big grey bit when I get shot down! Ho Hum

Edited By Martyn Ball on 29/08/2011 21:04:11

[Marty Ball]

Maybe I should have started a new thread "rebuilding a Wildthing" .....

Some more pics ..... it's not as bad as it looks. I've removed the ply or what was left of it,

 

These bits in the next pic are the (were the) ply stiffeners, the black foam that is still stuck to the bits are held with hot glue from a previous repair, just shows how well it holds, I had to surgically remove the foam around the hot glue.

Thats all for tonight folks, might just toddle off an have a pint.

Edited By Martyn Ball on 29/08/2011 22:00:28

Edited By Martyn Ball on 29/08/2011 22:01:48

[stephen wenban]

Looks like a great session was had by all.

Ian your going from strength to strength now for some one who only just dripped his toes into the sloping water so to speak ,good onya

[stephen wenban]

Martyn ,

thats merely a flesh wound

[Marty Ball]

Posted by stephen wenban on 29/08/2011 22:02:00:

Martyn ,

thats merely a flesh wound

Agreed but the flat fielders would be wringing their hands and shaking their heads ..... bless em lol

ps, for those that know me it's Marty, only my elder sister and my Ex wife call me Martyn! lol

Edited By Martyn Ball on 29/08/2011 22:08:06

[Ian Jones]

Posted by Martyn Ball on 29/08/2011 20:01:44:

Posted by Ian Jones on 29/08/2011 19:45:08:

 

Thanks everyone for a fantastic day out, loads of fun and an extra thank you to Richard for re-uniting me with my wife .

Edited By Ian Jones on 29/08/2011 19:53:57

I'da jumped on his plane had he re-united me with my wife! THAT's why I go flying! pmsl

Hah, yes but mine had gone off to get something to eat and taken my car with her . It could have a been a very long walk home .

 

Oh yes the nose on your WT was a bit wobbly wasn't it. Doesn't look like sorting out is going to give a man like you too much trouble. A little more oil and you'll soon have it done . Good work in progress eh?

Edited By Ian Jones on 29/08/2011 22:12:49

Edited By Ian Jones on 29/08/2011 22:19:46

[Tim Mackey]

Nice to see you guys up the big rock - pity we had to use the less than great NW slope, but I think its fair to say we still had fun...and thats the "Joy Of Slope"

Roll on the next one

[Ian Jones]

Posted by stephen wenban on 29/08/2011 22:01:15:

Looks like a great session was had by all.

Ian your going from strength to strength now for some one who only just dripped his toes into the sloping water so to speak ,good onya

 

OOh yes thanks Stephen. I hadn't really given the time frame much thought but actually in just two months I've gone from thinking that perhaps I should have a go at sloping to now being quite comfortable with it. I'm really enjoying it - guess who was last to pack up yesterday .

 

Having had my initiation I think I can now go on and develop the skills I need, watch and learn from the others and then move on to something more scale(ish). Hah, I've already got a few possibilities lined up

[Conwy Soarer]

Had another good session today albeit on my own. I flew a small ridge to the NW of the Swansea Valley overlooking Ammanford. The winds were light - between 5 - 8 mph on the gauge. Had a load of fun with the FF, I am still getting impressed with this models light wind performance. I had been having a play with snap flaps and have so far been unimpressed - I need to tinker with the settings and maybe up the movement of the flapperons. Anyway today in light conditions the snap flaps as set were great, had great fun doing top hats and square loops starting 20 or 30 feet above the ridge. As the wind started to drop I got the Weasel out for a bit of fun (will post video later) at one point I thought someone else was flying further along the ridge then as it came near I realised it was a Red Kite - the colours of its wings in the low sunlight looked almost unnatural against the looming grey clouds - wish I had my key fob camera on board as it followed the WEVO for a few minutes.

 

Here is a picture of the site:

Jon

[Conwy Soarer]

 

 

Jon 

Edited By Conwy Soarer on 29/08/2011 23:53:32

[Steve Houghton 1]

Love the video Jon

[Steve Houghton 1]

Hey everyone, I'm back from a fabulous weekend flying up the Orme with Tim and the guys, and before I say anything else let me thank Tim for his hospitality and for showing me the ropes up there, and to Ian, Marty, Iawnski, Paul, Richard and all the others who made me feel so welcome.

 

I certainly won't forget my introduction to combat, what a scream that was. There is no quarter given with these guys, even when I was crouching in front, trying to video them, they were diving their WT's at me. I really have to show these south Waleans what fun flying is all about. And what amazed me was that my WT came home relatively unscathed. I'll try to make a start on the video later today.

 

Today I'm taking Big Phil up to the Bwlch for a few hours flying. XC is showing south westerley about 2mph, but that's at RAF St Athan, so hopefully on Mickey's it'll be a bit more than that.