A couple of flights

The weather is beautiful, not a cloud in the sky. One of my neighbours, Mathieu, meets me at home. He finished his training last year, and wants to start flying regularly at the club and asked to accompany me. We're going to meet Nicolas and Stéphane, who also completed their training with Laurent and Gwenaël.
It doesn't take very long to fill up the car and drive to Très-le-Mont. There are already a lot of pilots at take off, waiting for their turn. The spirit is high there is a lot of laughter and joking around. We walk on to the West take off strip.
Stéphane is among the firsts to get ready, under the slightly concerned look of his girlfriend and the attention of all the curious tourists.

His take off goes well, although it looks a little out of control from the ground...

He is shortly followed by Nicolas:
I am the last to get in the air, after everybody else is gone, and most of the tourist got bored at the lack of spectacular action.
The conditions are not bad, but it's a constant battle to gain altitude. I don't have the time to take pictures while in the air.

Technical data: Flight duration 0:45, Take-off altitude: 1350m, Maximum altitude reached: 1550m, Total climb during flight: 1520m, Max rate of climb: +2.2m/s, Max descent rate: -3.5m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

After landing and folding the wind, it's early enough to go for a second flight, my car is back thanks to Stéphane's girlfriend, and we decide to go for another flight.
This time, the conditions are much calmer, the flow more laminar.



I have the leisure to setup my camera and take a few pics, and eventually to unfold the monopod to take a self portrait...


Technical data: Flight duration 0:18, Take-off altitude: 1350m, Maximum altitude reached: 1350m, Total climb during flight: 1750m, Max rate of climb: +2.2m/s, Max descent rate: -3.2m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

Quick flight before leaving

This morning I went for a short mountaineering outing with my niece Elisabeth. The weather was excellent. As is usual when I don't take my wing, the conditions would have been perfect for a take off. What makes it very frustrating is that we were at Le Billiat, a summit that I've climbed quite a number of times, hoping to fly, but had to postpone because the weather conditions weren't good enough for my level of skills.

So this afternoon, it's sort of a last minute chance, before we fly off to the USA tomorrow.



Technical data: Flight duration 0:55, Take-off altitude: 1550m, Maximum altitude reached: 1402m, Total climb during flight: 1340m, Max rate of climb: +2.8m/s, Max descent rate: -3.8m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.