Its got to be worth a go........

Chucked the M60 in the back of the car and went off to find a place to fly on the cliffs.

Arrived at Mewslade Bay (just along from Rhosilli) and climbed up the cliff path to find a place to fly.

This first site didn't work very well. Launched the M60 which didn't stay up long and just made it across the small cove and landed on top. Carry on round a little further.

Here we are at Falls Bay. Very steep sided cliff edge (nearly vertical). 

Well the wind is blowing up the cliff, so let's give it a go!

Part 2 -an interesting landing........

Moved around to the main slope at the centre of the bay. Wind in my face and this launch wasn't so good. No lift!!!! Ended up on the side of the cliff in deep gorse. It bloody hurt getting to the model and took ages picking my way through the cutting and piercing gorse.

Evening Cliff Soaring at Worms Head Cliffs, Rhosilli

The perfect evening to tackle the big sea cliffs that run out to the Worms Head at Rhosilli. NNW wind and super smooth lift. Took the ballast out to give me a chance if anything went wrong which was the wrong decision as the lift was just mega and smooth. Launched near the car park and flew about a mile to the end looking out over the Worm. There was a large area of heather behind the cliff by the Coast Guard station. Easy landing with mild rotor into a bed of heather. Another memorable flight down here in the Gower.

Magical Mystery Tour

The M4 was a car park, so pulled off and went wandering through narrow lanes and up and down some dramatic and beautful hills. Found a lay by next to a nice slope with the wind blowing gently up it. Flew the Dreamflight Weasel for a bit and enjoyed two lovely Buzzards. Tight landing next to the car.

Banging Wind At Rhosilli

Here is a video filmed by Steve (A470 Soaring) during our phenomenal slope soaring session last Saturday at Rhosilli. If you haven't flown here before - Go and try it!

New small sport electric model

New electric model working through trimming. 2.2m built up wing and back end on one of my carbon fuselages.

Steve's Polecat at Rhosilli

Smoking!!!!!!!

Big Air Day at Rhosilli

What an amazing afternoon at Rhosilli today with Steve from A470 Soaring. The wind was gusting 50 mph at the slope edge. Booming lift and fantastic views of the Welsh coastline and Worms Head. The Merlow was fully ballasted and was ballistic in the phenomenal 'big air'! 

I'm off on my hols.......

Just a quick post to tell you all that I am off on my hols from Saturday for two weeks in South Wales.
So unfortunately, you will not have the pleasure of my dry wit and sarcasm for at least 3 weekends.
I am however taking a few models to South Wales and will if at all possible take pictures and upload them to our blog and bore the pants off you all!
Hope you all get some flying in (including you Scott as you love to join the party when I'm not there but nothing personal).
Going flying at Rhossili with my buddy Steve on Saturday PM and hoping to pick up my new model on the way home from our hols, that's if I don't drown in a very large lake doing my PADI open water dives over the weekend of the 2 & 3rd Sept.
See you all soon guys.

Change of Banner Picture

Hi guys.
As I hope you have seen I try and change the title banner for our blog every now and then. If you have a picture you would like to share with the world and you are happy for us to use it as a blog banner picture then please email it to me.
Unfortunately, The picture is rather narrow but wide (1251 wide x 304 high) and you can supply a reasonable high res image then feel free to email it to me - paul.hampshire@shelf-space.co.uk
You don't have to be a club member to contribute !!!

The new banner image is of Ian's Nan Shadow landing at the top on Devils Dyke yesterday (13th August).

What a good weekends worth of flying

Saturday

Met up with Rob and Ian for afew hours of soaring up at Itford Hill. I got to the top of the hill and realised I had left the wing spar for the only model I had lugged up the hill back at home - DOH!!!!
Ian had his Jart and his M60 and Rob had his Mini Vec and his Moth.
Both guys very kindly let me fly there gliders and we all enjoyed cruising around and chatting with the many people who were dragging there models up to the top of Itford.
Here is a few Pics from Saturdays flying.

There is some video available that was posted up on my Facebook account.

Sunday

A lovely sunny day with very light wind if any. Met up with Ian around 9.30am at Devils Dyke. Met there by hundreds (well lots anyway) of paragliders but the buggers where all on the ground!!
My first flight into virtually no air was with the X-Pro (the big green thermalling machine) and lasted about 30 seconds with no lift. I rigged the Maxa (4 metre with an electric motor) out into gentle lift and was enjoying myself until I noticed the whole tale section (rudder & elevator) had rotated around 90 degree's. The elevator was now in the position as the rudder but the bottom half of the elevator was hanging down like a big keel. Opps, that's not right! Full landing flap and the model came in under control and I managed a really slow landing and didn't really do any damage - Wow that was lucky .........
Ian was up with his Shadow and I was back on the trusty green machine. From then on the soaring was sometimes soft but intermingled with reasonable thermals. With the X-Pro topping out around 175 metres.
After two hours of thermalling in very nice conditions with Ian and Mill Hill Mike it was time to go.
Still lots and lots of paragliders just sitting on the ground as we played - RESULT!!

 

Tomorrow (Saturday 12th)

Speaking with Ian and looking at the weekend weather we have decided it looks the better day tomorrow with a Westerly wind around 15mph possible gusting 25mph.

So we plan to meet at Itford Hill at 9.00am for a few hours sloping on our favourite slope.

TWO SLOPE SOARING KITS FOR SALE

DAW FOCKE WULF 190

48" PSS foam combat model

£80.00

DREAM CATCHER HOBBY STRYKER

50" span slope soarer
Fibreglass fuselage with foam wings.
Twin vertical tail
So rare i can't it anywhere on the web

£80.00

OR

Both for £140.00

Contact Tim on t.hampshire@tiscali.co.uk

FOR SALE

Before i put on the BMFA

Wildthing - Now Sold
Little use, newly covered, BNF with Spektrum rx. £60.00

Rivington Hawk
Airframe with servos, battery 70.00 or with Spektrum rx. £90.00

Weasel - Now Sold
Never flown , BNF with Spektrum rx. £90.00

Zulu
Never flown, BNF with Spektrum rx. £90.00

Komet
48" foamie, BNF with Spektrum rx. £100.00

E-flite Whipit
DLG new in box £50.00

For any info or photos contact me on

t.hampshire@tiscali.co.uk

This coming weekend

Hello all

Just a quick post about this coming weekend (5th & 6th August).

Saturday AM - Hopefully if the forecast stays the same I hope to enjoy some great sloping up at Itford Hill. The wind is forecast to be Westerly around 15mph.  2 or 3 hours of soaring and banter. Meet up at the layby for around 9.00am and finish around midday.

We might have a visitor joining us on Saturday morning. Here is a map Vince if you can get down to join us on Saturday AM - Map - Itford Hill any problems feel free to call me on 07834 859018

Saturday PM - Our club EGM at The Ardingly Inn (Ardingly) 6.00pm start and then enjoy some food afterwards. This is an opportunity for all you club members to have your say. We have some specific questions that need discussing and hopefully we will leave the meeting with these answered. If you don't attend then you won't have you say or your opinion heard.

Sunday - At present I don't have anything planned but if you are going flying on Sunday then let us all know.

So, charge up your models and come flying on Saturday morning then go home and have a sleep ready for our club meeting at 6.00pm.

Omega ~ Progress Report #4

After numerous distractions and setbacks I've completed the manufacture of the main components and can finally see C. Chapman's classic 1970's design taking shape.

Mr Chapman clearly set out to create the most elegant soarer of its time and if form follows function  I can to look forward to a spritely performance. Little metal-geared servos sit snugly in the wings, other than that I've tried to maintain as many of the original design features as possible including the brass elevator horn in the fin and hinged canopy hatch.
I'm not convinced about the efficacy of mid-fuselage mounted wings when (not if, but when) a hard landing occurs. I know that something will have to give, so I've added strategic ply reinforcement around the wing joiner and am currently glassing over any potential weak spots in the fuselage.
My family and I enjoyed a happy morning of flying and picnicking up at Ashdown Forest on Monday and provided the Omega turns out light it should fly well off those gentle slopes and the lush heather and bracken will mollify any untidy touchdowns I hope.
Happy landings
Russell H