FOOTLAUNCHOCTOBER
Vvvv…ooom! Was that September?
Apologies for
the lack of footlaunch last month. I was waiting for someone (no one in
particular – I’m not fussy) to send some fantastic flying stories and then it
got to the middle of the month and my inbox was still empty! Doreen went away
for a bit too so I decided to give it a miss – I wasn’t about to start writing
her column for her as well. Thanks to Chris, Tim and Doreen for the input.
Safe flying, Richard.
Next club meeting; on Wed 12th October at the Plume of Feathers, Castlemorton.
Rumours of a video show.
SAFETY MATTERS and other stuff
An
American HG pilot died recently after forgetting to clip in. Always hang Check!
Details
here: http://ozreport.com/9.201#6
It’s the BHPA AGM on 26th and 27th November. Gordon Allison has kindly issued an invite to any club members that may be going (or even not going but who fancy a social evening!) to drop in at his place for a bit of a ‘do’.
All welcome to
MHGC Beer & Bonfire after NEC Annual Show 5pm onwards, 26th November in the
bar at:
The Brook
Dingle End
Inkberrow
Worcs
WR7 4EY
Just south of Redditch, 20 miles from NEC. Cheers, Gordon gordon.allison@homecall.co.uk
Dear Doreen,
Got a flying
problem?
Ask Doreen Campervan!
Dear
Doreen,
When
I was young and had a stiffie I could stay up for hours. Now I’m older with a
floppy I rarely last as long as I want and have to stop for a rest. Why only
the other day at Leckhampton I hauled my bulging sack out of the car and across
the hill, keen to get up but with in seconds it was over. Even worse, I was
flat on my back unable to move, pinned down under a large unfriendly bush! I
had to enlist the help of a passer-by to extricate myself from that
embarrassing situation. Luckily the bush has now been well trimmed so if I go
down now won’t get so tangled. Anyway can you help me get the staying power I
used to enjoy when I was younger?
Anonymous
(Safety Officer)
My dear Anonymous, upon first reading your letter I felt a certain
amount of sympathy, coming across as you do, as one of the club’s more
dilapidated members. But then I reread it and came to the shocking conclusion
that you are being a very forward and cheeky boy! Do I detect more than a hint
of doublentendre in your missive? I am surprised that you should want to take
advantage of a delicate and clean-living lady such as myself for a few cheap
laughs! I’m not sure I fully understand the detail of the naughty references
but my woman’s intuition is telling me to be discrete with my advice to you
young man. And thereby hangs my answer – I can offer no advice – only
commiserations; your salad days are over. From now on it’s jam roly-poly!
Doreen
------------------------------------------------
In these days of email and electronic wizardry and its associated lack
of human contact it is refreshing to receive something in the postbox – as I
did the other morning when the postman came round. Anyhow, this letter was
hand-written in wax crayon:
Dr Dr33n
I am fd up
with all ths txtng tht p3ple s33m so intnt on doin. Whn I go flyng evron is
stndng arnd on the hll wth ther MOBILES txtng ther m8s nd sayin how gr8 the
wever is… n dat. (mstly PG plts I mite ad!).
So Dr33n,
wy dnt U strt a revolt angst ths srt uv 9sense. U mst av lots uv clout wiv locl
NEWSPAPERS n dat. U cud strt a rbelyun 2 make evry1 strt usin ANSWERPHONE msgs
nd U cud instig8 a SPECIAL PHONE POLICE 2 smsh up phns uv p3ple wat txt all d
time!
Respect!
N6 (minus the esses)
Well, N6 (minus the esses), I must say that
I find your ideas very progressive and rather multifaceted! Your writing really
is very good and I think that you may well do better in your quest by writing a
lovely hand-written note to your local MP (Bit of advice - don’t use the red
crayon if s/he is a Conservative).
Doreen.
Finally, thank you to John Bevan for the
French candle. It came in very handy.
Holiday TalesAs no one has sent me any copy I’m going to have to bore you with my own holiday experiences. Flying in Normandy Nobody thinks of going to Normandy for a flying holiday. I suppose because it’s too much like the UK with its small hills and rolling countryside. As we were going there on a family holiday I thought I’d may as well pack the PG and check out sites on the web. I was surprised to find more than a dozen, all situated on or close to the Cotentin peninsula (the bit that sticks out with Cherbourg at its northernmost tip), which is where we planned to stay. I found two inland sites on the Internet but never got to visit them due to the family’s preference for beaches! The coastal sites vary from small hills to substantial cliffs (about the same size as the cliffs at Rhossili).I flew 4 of the sites but was dogged by lack of wind, never getting more than 50’ ato, so I didn’t really have much success. Below is a list of the places I visited, should you be in a position of having to spend some time there (It’s a great place for a holiday – it just ain’t the Alps!) Dielet This is a small Nwly hill near Cherboug. The best thing about it is the beach, which is really quiet and great for kids. You can leave the family on the beach and walk up to the take off areas in ten minutes. It seems quite popular as there were quite a few fliers turned up on both occasions I flew but I only saw 2 others fly due to a lack of wind. You get a good look at Dielet harbour when flying. Rozel Small NNWly, just south of Dielet, tacked on to the southern end of a nice beach. The beach has 50’ dunes which I’m sure would be soarable in a westerly. I did a ttb due to lack of wind. CarteretQuite a big hill south of Rozel that takes southerly and wnw. At the top are a lighthouse and some sort of military establishment so you can drive to takeoff. I couldn’t actually determine where the takeoff spot was so I asked one of the military blokes. “Jay cherchay lu decolarge” I said in my best Franglais. He said something I didn’t understand but I heard the word Gauche so I wandered over in the general direction and turned left. It looked to be the right place apart from there being a 5’ stone wall between the cliff edge and me. Taking off in front of the wall was just about possible if you were suicidal so I decided to go from the shallow slope behind the wall, figuring that the wing would be well above any turbulence and I could just float over the wall. Trouble is there wasn’t really much wind so once my wing was up I found myself running towards a stone wall with bugger all chance of flying over it. It must have been a semi-conscious decision I made earlier to rely on a chance of flying through a gap in the wall where the footpath was, which was just to the right of my takeoff run. This I did by crabbing a little, stumbling through the gap, followed by a kind of moonwalk over deep bramble bushes to loud cheers from the assembled throng. A bloody silly thing to do for ten minutes scratching (or even a day’s soaring) but I got away with it! ViervilleThis is near Bayeux overlooking Omaha Beach. Steep cliffs about 150’ high facing NE. I took a walk up without the glider, as it looked too windy. I followed my GPS to the spot given on the website. I ended up at the top of the cliffs on the edge of a wheat field the wrong side of a 5’ wire fence with no indication of a takeoff spot so I gave up on that one (I checked my figures when I got home and they were what I was given). Looks a good site if you can find the take off. The web addresses I got all the info from are http://www.ffvl.fr/sites/sites.php3?dep=50 and http://www.ridard.net/parapente/Normandie/ The Frogs are really helpful by providing this sort of info. Why does France do aviation better than the UK?Richard Sheppard Historical Pictures (one day)pic
somewhere over Weymouth this summer. Richard Pearce
Dielet in Normandy. Richard Sheppard
Flying Diary COMPETITIONS & MEETS
Go4it 2005
Rules
1.
UK flights only.
2. No infringement of airspace.
3. Must have Pilot rating or be under instruction from one on
the day.
4. Flights between 01/12/04 to 30/11/05.
5. Co-ordinates for T/O and landing required plus distance
from point to point in Kms as a check. Flights will be scored to nearest 100m.
6. Defined flights (BHPA rules) Coordinates for turn points
in addition. Double distance awarded provided 60% of flight outside ridge lift.
7. Stone's throw award for smallest flight submitted (or
known about) provided distance 5km or greater (previously 3 miles).
|
NAME |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
|
Bryan Hindle |
40.4 |
42.6 |
85.4 |
6.7 |
17.6 |
34.9 |
62.4 |
26.7 |
49.1 |
54.5 |
420.3 |
|
Tim Crow |
29.8 |
15.8 |
22.3 |
31.6 |
63.4 |
26.4 |
18.6 |
|
|
|
207.9 |
|
Chris Smith |
15.5 |
22.6 |
10.1 |
50.1 |
13.4 |
31.4 |
|
|
|
|
143.1 |
|
Nigel Dewdney |
27.0 |
19.6 |
15.5 |
46.0 |
18.9 |
|
|
|
|
|
127.0 |
|
Dave JH |
60.8 |
53.8 |
10.6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
125.2 |
|
Rob Davies |
20.4 |
8.7 |
83.1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
112.2 |
|
Dennis Ferneyhough |
40.4 |
15.9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
56.3 |
|
Rich Sheppard |
24.3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24.3 |
|
Carolyn Dewdney |
13.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
13.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Flight
Types
Open Distance (score = distance)
Open
Distance flights do not have any turnpoints. Open distance flights will score
the straight-line distance from the start point to the end point.
Dog-Leg (DL) score = distance
Dog-Leg
flights are open distance flights with a single turnpoint. The turnpoint does
not need to be declared beforehand. The turnpoint is permitted when pilots are
forced to make a substantial change in direction.
Out and Return (OR) score = distance x 2 when the majority
of the flight is out of ridge lift.
Out and
Return flights commence at a start point, go round a single turnpoint, and
return to the original start point. The coordinates of the start point and
finish point are therefore identical. The start/finish point may be different
to the actual launch/landing points but the flight distance is only measured
from the start, to the turnpoint and back.
FAI Triangle (T) score = distance x 3 when the majority of
the flight is out of ridge lift.
An FAI
Triangle is one which satisfies the FAI's 28% Rule (shortest side must be
greater than, or equal to, 28% of the distance flown). To fly a triangle you
must round three turnpoints, and return to the original start point. The
coordinates of the start point and goal are therefore identical and for
declared triangles and local records, must be one of the turnpoints. The
start/goal point may be different to the actual launch/landing points.
Special Rule to encourage pilots to attempt triangle flights
Note that
for non-declared triangles, using GPS verification, you can fly a loop and you
will be scored the best triangle which can be fitted inside it. Your track log
points must cross to complete the loop. This means you don’t have to start and
finish at a turnpoint but may start midway along a leg. This is to encourage
pilots to try triangle flights.
Flat Triangle (FT) score = distance x 2
A Flat
Triangle is a triangular flight as above, except that it does not conform to
the FAI 28% rule. Completed Flat Triangle flights score the distance multiplied
by 2 when the majority of the flight is out of ridge lift.
Failed Triangle
(score = distance)
A Failed Triangle is an attempt at a triangular
flight in which the pilot fails to make it back to the start point. Failed
Triangles score the total distance from the start, around up to two turnpoints
and back towards the finish point.
A quick BCC update…
Well, we made it into the top six teams to
get into the final and managed to come... 6th!
We didn't manage to get a task on Sat as it was too strong and only really a
gale-hang for the brave/desperate. The HGs had a good day but only
managed a max of 33k which surprised me. Three or four PGs got away (Dave
from Kernow, Ken Wilkinson from Avon and a Wessex chap) but only made about 5k
each.
Sun was much better with many people making the declared goal of Castle Meadows
from Builth Wells (43.6k), including our Bryan who did a stunning run to come
in 3rd. For me it was all too much and I never managed to leave the hill.
Final scores were:
Saturday HGs:
1
Derbyshire
1000
2 Skysurfers and MATX
(combined) 176
3 Joint
Services 156
4
Kernow 107
Sunday PGs:
1 Thames
Valley
2529
2
Kernow 2352
3 Joint
Services
1823
4
Avon 1735
5
Wessex 1643
6
Malverns 925
We all had a good weekend and to be honest a good comp throughout the
season. Will we be back next year...?
Chris
Humour section
Tim
Crow is a constant source of amusement. And working in the public sector, he is
always first to receive any jokes doing the rounds on the Internet…
Donald Rumsfeld is giving President Bush his
daily briefing. He concludes by saying: "Yesterday, 3 Brazilian soldiers
were killed in an accident."
"OH NO!" the President
exclaims. "That's terrible!!"
His staff sits stunned at this display
of emotion, nervously watching as the president sits, head in hands.
Finally, the President looks up and asks
... "How many is a Brazillion??!"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following is a telephone exchange between a hotel guest and
room-service, at a hotel in Asia, which was recorded and published in the Far
East Economic Review:
Room Service (RS):
"Morrin. Roon sirbees."
Guest (G): "Sorry, I thought I dialed room-service."
RS: "Rye..Roon sirbees..morrin! Jewish to oddor
sunteen??"
G: "Uh..yes..I'd like some bacon and eggs."
RS: "Ow July den?"
G: "What??"
RS: "Ow July den?...pryed, boyud, poochd?"
G : "Oh, the eggs! How do I like them? Sorry, scrambled
please."
RS: "Ow July dee baykem? Crease?"
G: "Crisp will be fine."
RS : "Hokay. An Sahn toes?"
G: "What?"
RS:"An toes. July Sahn toes?"
G: "I don't think so."
RS: "No? Judo wan sahn toes??"
G: "I feel really bad about this, but I don't know what 'judo wan
sahn toes' means."
RS: "Toes! toes!...Why jew don juan toes? Ow bow Anglish
moppin we bodder?"
G: "English muffin!! I've got it! You were saying
'Toast.' Fine. Yes, an English muffin will be fine."
RS: "We bodder?"
G: "No...just put the bodder on the side."
RS: "Wad?"
G: "I mean butter...just put it on the side."
RS: "Copy?"
G: "Excuse me?"
RS: "Copy...tea...meel?"
G: "Yes. Coffee, please, and that's all."
RS: "One Minnie. Scramah egg, crease baykem, Anglish moppin
we bodder on sigh and copy....rye??"
G: "Whatever you say."
RS: "Tenjewberrymuds."
G : "You're very welcome."
ADVERTS
Flying Planet Spirit (Medium) Class leading performance DHV1/2. 35 hours, good condition. £800. Contact Dean 07977 918691 – Bristol
For Sale
Airwave Magic
4 155FR, good condition & stored in the dry. Pink LE, Grey US, not flown
since 1999, but has been recently rigged. Has round uprights with aerofoils uk
conversion kit & also has 2 spare aerofoils that can be fitted. £250 o.n.o.
Tel 01322 412684/01905 764157 or jmdparsons@yahoo.co.uk
For Sale
Airwave
Magic 4 155. Excellent condition. Rarely flown over the last ten years. Spare
set of Airwave aerofoil uprights. Yellow and white. Flies very nicely. £250 Tel Rich 01684 892415 rich@mooncoin.fslife.co.uk
|
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