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Post by Vanders on Jun 6, 2008 20:59:41 GMT 10
Hers a few of the local spots I've been doing a bit of flying. The 'Wedgie' hill. This is a spot for Westerlies, looking up towards the slope, an old open cut mine below. Landing zones a little on the rough side. Looking from the top towards the WNW. Anyone want to bring their mouldie?
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Post by Pij on Jun 6, 2008 22:12:04 GMT 10
These look great! Where are they?
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Post by Vanders on Jun 7, 2008 8:43:31 GMT 10
Around the Ipswich area.
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Post by Pij on Jun 8, 2008 12:32:54 GMT 10
I went flying this morning (Sunday). Weather online showed the winds were still a bit too far to the south at Bundy, but when we got to Elliott Heads it was pretty good, and got better. Windy, sunny, SE'erly. A lot of people using the path today, stayed to look or ask q'ns. In times without spectators, I tried more adventurous flying. I tried some different ballast positions, eventually was happy with it. Loops were not going well, but when I later got good wind and good height, the loops were also good. Got some bumps and scrapes trying I did my first ever inverted flying today! Just twice, with heart pounding. The first time, I rolled inverted facing the ocean, then after 5 seconds or so half-looped out, towards me. Had enough room to turn back towards the sea. Youngest son liked that and wanted me to try again. This time, I started fairly well out, over the incoming tide. Rolled inverted, kept inverted while gently bank-turning back towards myself, then half-looped out away from me. That was more comfortable, as I was not looping back toward the little cliff. BUT it was all done over salt water, which was NOT comfortable. Very scary, in fact. I needed full (low-rates) down-elevator to begin the inverted, and was able to back off a little on the elevator once I was in position. That's more elevator than I'm supposed to need (a/c to the Duck instructions), so I think my CG was further forward than recommended, right? But it was the position I was most happy with overall. We're back home to watch the V8 racing on TV, might go back out later. I'm assuming everybody else is out flying today? Too good to waste! Edit: Bugrit! We misread the motor-racing times.
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Post by thevon on Jun 8, 2008 14:10:52 GMT 10
Pij, sounds great - you did well - most of my early attempts at inverted on coastal cliffs ended up with the plane impaled on a cactus or crashing into fences or roads. Took me darn ages to get more controlled.
I went to the thermal competition at Harrisville yesterday. It was a huge day. I hardly slept the night before (stupid brain). Jirvin, Skyboyken and Shane who’s a Maleny clubber and I all travelled in my van. At the field we met up with Ezza and Vanders and Gedaso from our Windsock fraternity. As a very quick summary, it was a very steep learning curve. I’ve never done a winch launch before and after the first one or 2, they’re not too scary, but there’s plenty of scope for improving on it to get more height. The Fazer was really stable and well behaved. Overall, some things were harder than I thought (finding and circling in lift!) - and at some things I was better than I expected (landing on time and in the right spot). There were highs and lows. The high was when I nearly had to land then hooked a thermal just near the LZ and worked it well, then landed only 1sec off the 10 minute target time, and 2m from the mark!
The low was when I nearly smashed up the Fazer! By the 3rd flight in the morning I was beginning to get confident, but after lunch for some reason I felt really shaky. One of the other fliers was timing for me and I had lost height, and was coming over the trees, lining up to land and he commented that it was worth turning back to hook into a bubble of lift. I've no doubt he could have done it but I should have been conservative and recognized my skill level. it was much too low and close. But I went back, lost height, slowed the plane trying to stay above the trees, then banked hard to avoid a tree which caused a tip stall, from which it pulled out flopped and skidded onto the shadecloth roof of the lunch shelter, slid off it and nose dived 7 ft to the ground!!! The good Lord was looking after me!!! Man, scary stuff - it was only a few metres from a steel shipping container and right next to the cars! But negligible damage fortunately, and I flew in the next round. Ezza had one landing where he came in too fast and hit his leg really hard and broke his LE on the Stratos! But he taped it and kept going. One poor guy had some major drama and pretty much totalled his Pike in a very loud crash. You'd be shocked at how these guys land their planes. Very, very hard and rough, trying to land them close to the dot to get the extra points. I thought sloping was rough, but this was crazy! If I landed on the slope like most of these guys did, I’d be really worried!
Anyway, a big day and a very big experience that will definitely go in my CV!
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Post by thevon on Jun 8, 2008 14:49:10 GMT 10
Here are a few photos of yesterday: Unpacking and setting up winches etc: from left, Jirvin, Ezza, Shane A launch: From left, Skyboyken, Jirvin, Shane and Vanders. When I said "everyone smile for the photo", Vanders was the only one who did, for some reason. The others just ignored me. Rude. Showing the planes and the fliers. There were 3 flying groups each of 4 or 5 guys who flew together while the other guys helped out with launching, timing, spotting, winch retrieval etc. Then when the 3 groups had each had their flights, the fliers were mixed up into 3 new flight groups for the next round. and it all started again. I think we had 6 flights for the day. It was a really great atmosphere out there. Very peaceful, friendly and laid back. Great club and a great activity.
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Post by Vanders on Jun 8, 2008 17:06:52 GMT 10
Hope you dont mind Andrew, here's a little vid of your mishap yesterday. I still think you did well not to have come out worse! www.vimeo.com/1136072
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Post by Pij on Jun 8, 2008 17:43:02 GMT 10
I'm having trouble viewing that clip: "This video has been protected This is a private clip. " This isn't some sort of anti-humiliation device, is it?
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Post by Vanders on Jun 8, 2008 18:29:52 GMT 10
sorry about that, should be fixed now.
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Post by thevon on Jun 8, 2008 18:55:01 GMT 10
Very embarrassing! Yes, it was a miracle. I have to try to save face and say that was one of 6 landings and the others were all good! Mark why didn't you video one of THOSE ones??? Dang!!! Great video but interestingly it makes the plane look higher than it was, I think? It was about level with the tops of the trees for a while before the stall.
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Post by Pij on Jun 8, 2008 19:09:02 GMT 10
Video works fine now Thanks. That was interesting to watch, and also to listen to the conversations going on nearby at the time. Didn't look so embarrassing at all, really! Andrew, how would you rate the adrenalin factor, of thermal Vs slope?
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Post by thevon on Jun 8, 2008 20:10:37 GMT 10
Good question Pij! I think the adrenaline factor is related to the degree of unknown, and how much you have invested in the activity (emotional and time and $$) and also nerves in front of more experienced guys. There were plenty of each of those things yesterday! Although thermal is in some ways more sedate, there was heaps of adrenaline factor for me, in fact it was pretty well maxed out at times! I couldn't sleep the night before which doesn't help you do any better. I've had times on the slope, shaking like a leaf, about to chuck out a new model, and at times yesterday shaking so much I could hardly hold the radio! So I think both can be a big buzz. Like most of this stuff, you're always pushing yourself to a new level, whether you're novice or experienced, and that's always exciting.
Now ask me how it compares to DS ... that's a different question!
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Post by ezza on Jun 8, 2008 20:13:17 GMT 10
Andrew, how would you rate the adrenalin factor, of thermal Vs slope? I reckon Andrews adrenaline levels, right after that video was shot, would have been as high as anything on the slope has produced. That was quite scary to watch. So glad the Fazer is allright. Vanders those are some good looking slopes!! Which direction is the one with the towers facing? Eric
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Post by ding on Jun 8, 2008 20:39:08 GMT 10
Great report Andrew!
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Post by Vanders on Jun 8, 2008 22:04:25 GMT 10
Ezza,
The side your talking about faces SSE, just have to watch out for the locals with tallons!!!!!
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