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Post by thevon on Jan 20, 2009 8:44:55 GMT 10
Great report Pij, thanks!
I've been up that Gunalda repeater place - great view, but I wasn't flying then. Do you think it has potential? I've seen hangliders up there, when I was parked at that Gemstone place.
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Post by Pij on Jan 20, 2009 10:03:18 GMT 10
I would have rated it as "Possible", but if the hang-glider people can fly it, then we surely could. There were a couple of places with enough launch space, and a road strip to land on. Lots of other spots were ruined by trees. Though we drove on a very narrow spur, there's a surprisingly wide plateau on top, so with permission from the landholders, a choice of spots and directions seems more than likely.
The one thing I should point out, is that the wind on the top seemed to be going in the wrong direction. Our experience on the lowlands matched the direction the clouds were going, but up the range, we felt the air moving sometimes opposite, sometimes sideways. I can only assume the lift, away from the side of the mountain, would have matched the lowland/cloud wind direction, but that the wind was swirling over the beginning of the plateau and back again against the ground of the mountain-top.
Yes, separation layer, bigtime. Not just dead air, but reversed!
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Post by DarkVisor on Jan 20, 2009 17:29:02 GMT 10
About most of the photos...........
BJ is a realy good shot isn't he Dad. ;D
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Post by Pij on Jan 20, 2009 17:38:14 GMT 10
He sure is, though he needs to keep the horizon straight, as I had to trim off some good bits while straightening the pictures.
I just remembered, DV, that I forgot to mention - That 2nd day flying at St Helena, just before the big glider went over... I had sent you over the road to get the second transmitter and the buddy cord. You took a long time, then you came back without the cord, and I remembered... BJ had been using it to connect the speaker to the stereo we picked up, so it was back at base instead of in the flying box!
Then you had a pretty good, but too short, session flying the Monkey in the rough conditions, with me standing behind you to take over when you got too close to ground/trees/road etc.
It's a pity that you didn't get more airtime over the whole trip. But thanks for loaning me your Monkey every day! I know I brought it back as a better glider than when we left, despite some precarious landings. (That's code for "full-speed into bushes".) Oh yeah, also, hit Nigel's legs with it, nearly hit Aston's head down below the drop at Skennar's while he was retrieving his glider, ummm... what else did I hit?
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Post by DarkVisor on Jan 20, 2009 17:50:23 GMT 10
Very funny. Laugh out loud.
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Post by DarkVisor on Jan 20, 2009 20:13:11 GMT 10
your very welcome for using my glider.
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Post by ezza on Jan 20, 2009 20:50:35 GMT 10
your very welcome for using my glider. Wow, very nice report PIJ!! Glad you scored down our way and sorry I didn't get time to fly/meet you. On my own slope tour at the moment. Down in Victoria, on the road, to the Camperdown slope soaring fest. I flew/dsed the whole ridge up at Mt Hotham yesterday. Largest slope I have flown 600m+. Spectacular doesn't even come close to describing the shear size and beauty of this spot. Wind was between 7-20 knots. I am totally sunburnt, and will be arriving at Camperdown in the morning. I will try and post some pics/report when I get back. Eric
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Post by Pij on Jan 21, 2009 2:50:48 GMT 10
Love to see the pics Eric. My sister's in-laws are down Mt Hotham way.
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Post by thevon on Jan 21, 2009 9:29:06 GMT 10
Ezza you extreme slope madman! Not fair!!!!!
Great stuff, wish I was there! Andrew
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Post by nick on Jan 29, 2009 9:57:26 GMT 10
excellent photos, well done
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