After this latest flight, I felt like I’d just won a bronze at the Olympics. Chuffed to have gotten something out of the day, but a tad disappointed not to have pushed a bit further.
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The Czech Republic might not the first place that you’d associate with the term “paragliding mecca”. But the facts are: 275 Km flown this May, 309Km over in Poland and some world-class manufacturers. And the interest extends beyond paragliding: Czech has produced writers like Kundera and Kafka, and Leo’s 3 year old Czech “girlfriend” from the UK was also on holiday there. We’d never been before, so we just had to take a look.
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I saw Roger Federer on the TV the other day, explaining what it felt like to win his first Grand Slam. “Overwhelming relief. It doesn’t matter what else you do in your life, you’ve won a Slam”. Those words echoed my sentiments after I achieved my first 100 Km flight on a paraglider in the UK. Granted that 100K on a paraglider is a piddling feat compared to a tennis Grand Slam, but it’s all relative. Just as many tennis players never win a Slam, so many pilots never fly 100K.
After nearly 20 years of trying, I finally got to the right hill on the right day at the right time and in the right frame of mind. On Friday 4th July 2008, I took off from Eyam Edge in Derbyshire shortly after 1pm and flew a distance of 108.5 Km via a turnpoint to land 4 1/2 hours later near Ripon, North Yorkshire, 98.8 Km away from take-off (OK, 1.2K short of an “old-fashioned” ton, but I’m no pedant).
Crossing the M1
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I decided to be adventurous and try a site I’d not previously flown, so off I went to Hawkswick in the Yorkshire Dales.
I arrived at 1-ish and met a fun character called Chris (aka “Foghorn”), whose policy is “never pay for a paraglider” (!). He manages this by flying old competition wings that no-one wants—the skygods want only this season’s latest gear and the lesser mortals aren’t good enough (or mad enough) to fly such wings.
Chris had already had a morning XC to Leyburn, along with Jake Herbert, who got to Catterick Garrison. He decided to walk up for another flight, and we took off just as the last of the morning crew were landing.
I got a good thermal straight off launch, but there was a rain shower in front and nothing much behind, so I stayed on the ridge instead of bombing off on a downwind dash. The rain shower came over and I landed in feisty air, just in time to get my glider in the bag before the rain spotted down.
After the shower, the sun came out and I flew for another 2½ hours, enjoying the changing conditions as the wind and thermals gradually mellowed. A few more pilots trickled out from work. There were a few buzzards about to show us how to fly properly, and it was fun to watch rabbits running all over. The abundance of Nature reminded me that although paragliding can be a competitive sport, it can also be a pastime—a way of just chilling out in nature with a bunch of mates after a day’s work.
Finally, the first afternoon this season that you could term “nice”—proper cumulus clouds to over 5 grand.
My day started at 2AM. Work and then family, followed by a mad dash to Bradwell. White knuckle ride straight up to a 5.5K ‘base. I felt like I was on holiday somewhere out of XC Mag. Sunny, warm(-ish) and no hailstones! When I’d passed 4 grand, and I figured no-one on take-off would hear me, I let out a WHAAAAAHHH-WHOOOOOOO!!!!!
The ecstasy didn’t last long. When my cloud seemed to die, it was a choice between a downwind dash into the blue towards Sheffield, or a cross-wind glide towards the nearest cloud. I went for the cloud, but it vanished as I reached it. Then sink, sink, sink all the way. Pummelled to the deck near Owler’s bar.
My tracklog on Leonardo
Flights of the day were Helen Gant, Dave Broxholme and Mike Johnson, and there were one or two good flights nationally. There’s some discussion of the day on the DSC forum.
Today was too cold for Yoo A and Leo, so I left them at home and enjoyed a guilt-free 3 hours in smooth 2-3 m/s thermals. The thermals maxed-out at about 2500ft—so we couldn’t go far—but it was very pleasant nonetheless. Roll on Spring!
Tracklog
Photos of the day on the DSC forum
“Had enough?” I’d just landed next to family and friends after a good couple of hours soaring, kiting and ground-skimming in the light lift. Enough? This was my first flight since last November! How can I possibly have had enough?
But their faces told me it was time to go. After all, it’s not fair watching someone else having so much fun. “OK”, I said through gritted teeth, “I’ll just fly down to the car”. At this point, Leo burst into tears at the thought of me vanishing back into the sky for an unreasonably long period of time. Sorry guys, but it just had to be done.
The British Gliding Association maintains a list of waypoints for use in cross-country navigation and task setting.
I wanted a version for paragliding from the sites I fly from, so here’s my own informal list:
This is the Google Earth version, for your browsing pleasure.
This is the version in SeeYou format for upload to your flight instrument. If you don’t have SeeYou, you can open the file in GPS Dump.
This is a printable version of the complete list, to pore over in conjunction with an aeronautical chart.
Last revison: 4/1/08
Notes
The list consists of 283 waypoints for cross-country flights from sites in the North of England. The best coverage is of the Peak District, with both local points and points for downwind distances in a NNE or NW wind direction.
The waypoints are sourced from the BGA waypoints, from tracklogs available online on the National XC league and Leonardo, and from my own and other pilots’ experience.
At present, there is minimal coverage of the Lake District, Wales and the Long Mynd.
The usual disclaimers apply–use your common sense and don’t blame me for screw-ups. Always check your route for controlled airspace on a current airmap. And before flying unfamiliar sites, check with the local club.
Comments and contributions from other pilots most welcome! Any feedback will be used to improve the list.
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Posted 04 January 2008
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The Peak District is an area of hills in central England. Flying XC from the Peaks is a usually a downwind run towards flatlands in the East and South. Typical British conditions are weak thermals, low cloudbases, and moderate winds.
To make long flights in these conditions, the crux is to arrive in the flatlands outside the Peaks with enough height to find a thermal to get you back up to cloudbase. Once in the flatlands, staying up is easier. The challenge becomes navigating the airspace.
On November 18, the Derbyshire Soaring Club held an XC workshop aimed at helping pilots make that critical transition beyond the first 20-30km. This post summarizes the main points.
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Posted 21 November 2007
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2007: back in the air after a virtual break of 5 years (even longer since I flew in the UK). So many new experiences: glider, sites, family, friends old and new.
Total number of days flown = 23
Every flyable weekend and the odd flight after work.
Total hours flown = 25
I thought more, but I did actually keep a logbook this year, and 25 hours is all I can muster.
Number of XC flights = 4, total distance = 110 km
3 weekends and 1 after work, all from the Peaks.
Longest XC = 35 km
From Bradwell on 15 April. All I did was follow a guy on a hang-glider as he looked like he had a better idea where he was going than I did.
Best height gain = 4086 ft
In convergence at Souther Fell in the Lakes on 14 April. Fantastic views over Skiddaw. This was the second time I’ve flown at Souther, and the same thing happened the time before.
Flights outside the UK = 1
One short flight from Little Gap, Pennsylvania while visiting in-laws in New Jersey. By the time we’d driven and hiked 5 hours to find the place, it was 5 PM and had switched off. Disappointed not to have flown more in the USA. Conditions were good on a few of my days there, but there just weren’t enough accessible sites and the timing of other commitments didn’t work out.
Number of new sites flown = 7
Most impressive: Moel Berfedd in Snowdonia for the scenery, and Great Whernside in the Dales for working on a day when it didn’t seem possible.
Most memorable moment
The monster thermal I hit off Mam Tor (NW) at 4:30 PM after a long day at work.
