Nice summer flight

I have some gardening to do, but the pilots on the ground and the fantastic flying conditions convince me the garden can wait...

We pile up in a car and drive to Très-Le-Mont, where we find more pilots at take off. This time, I do a clean take off straight away and manage to play for a short while and gain a bit of altitude before I move to the front ridge.



The thermals aren't powerful or big, and it's a perpetual battle to keep climbing.

After close to an hour, I give up and head for the landing, a big smile on my face. It's been worth it. To top it all, I get a ride on the back of Alex's bike to fetch the car.



Technical data: Flight duration 0:52, Take-off altitude: 1550m, Maximum altitude reached: 1850m, Total climb during flight: 1320m, Max rate of climb: +3.2m/s, Max descent rate: -3.8m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

Summer flight

At last the weather is favorable for a flying afternoon, and I have free time (well, the garden will just have to wait patiently). I meet Eric at the landing in Orcier and, together with another three accomplices, we drive to the take off in Très-Le-Mont. The weather beacon has been chiming Westerly since lunchtime, and there's a fairly steady air flow. I let Eric take off, at the last minute he swings widely to the side, counter-balances and narrowly avoids the pine trees on the other side. What a show!



I quickly layout my wing, and promptly miss my first attempt. On my second try I get cleanly airborne. It's good to be flying again. I do a couple of passes in front of the take-off, but the dynamic flow is not strong enough, and I go to the front to chase thermals. That results in a bumpish ride, as the thermal activity is quite small. There isn't any great thermal to exploit, and after fighting all over the place for half an hour, I land with a few other pilots that seem to feel the same.

Technical data: Flight duration 0:38, Take-off altitude: 1550m, Maximum altitude reached: 1650m, Total climb during flight: 480m, Max rate of climb: +3.6m/s, Max descent rate: -4.6m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

Le Grammont

This is an outing we have quite regularly, at least once in the year. The view is spectacular, from the sudden discovery of the lake during the ascent, where we arrive on an outcrop and overlook the lake from Le Bouveret to Lausanne, to the beautiful scenery at the top that shows us Le Mont-Blanc, Le Cervin, Le Grand Combin, amongst the lower peaks in the Alps and Prealps.



The climb is fairly steep at times, there's almost 1800m denivelation, and we leave the car just after six. Alex and Pauline are late, but they told us they'd catch up with us on the way up.
In the beginning, we lose our way a couple of times and I'm a bit worried that Alex might have passed us and might think we're very far ahead as he can't catch-up...

We reach the Lac de Tanay after just over two hours. We stop for ten minutes, to see if Alex and Pauline get here, but decide to resume our ascent. I suspect Alex might have decided not to come after all. The weather forecast predicts a degradation of the conditions from late morning.

It takes us close to two hours to reach the top, making the total ascent time four hours. We have a chat with a couple that know the area quite well, and then prepare to take off, as the wind has started picking up already.



I help Nicolas take off, and as I'm about to launch, I hear my name being called and Alex has arrived at the top. I put everything down to help him layout and get ready. The rule is that tandem gliders get seen off safely first. I'm often the last to take off, in any case...



It's not possible to get tired of the flight here, there is so much to see! In the fourty or so minutes that we took to get in the air, the wind has picked-up, the thermal activity is in full swing, and the flight is a bit turbulent at first. After ten minutes, I manage to let go of the control with one hand to switch my vario on, and snap a few pictures.

The rest of the flight is more laminar, I can leisurely observe Alex and Pauline gliding to the landing safely, and it's my turn too soon.

In the last ten meters of the landing, a thermal triggers litterally undeer my feet and I'm swept sideways, up the slope. Fortunately, it's not powerful enough to give me much ground speed and I touch ground just a little harder than usual.

It was a magnificent flight...

Technical data: Flight duration 0:41, Take-off altitude: 2171m, Maximum altitude reached: 2220m, Total climb during flight: 280m, Max rate of climb: +2.6m/s, Max descent rate: -2.4m/s, Landing altitude: 380m.

Long time no blog...

Well, flights have been few and far in-between this year, especially since my mother's accident in the middle of February. Then the weather has been awful for most of May and June, so it was with a bit of trepidation that I launched for what looked like a good summer flight.

A few of us met at the landing site in Orcier to pile-up in a car and drove to Très-Le-Mont. The Westerly wind reported by our weather beacon was there, and take off is easy. A few seconds after my feet leave the groung, I climb steadily above take off, although there are quite a few uncomfortable gusts.

I stay in front of the take-off area a few minutes, but it's too uncomfortable and I move to the front of the ridge. The air is a bit smoother and there are a few small thermals to get more altitude.



I play around for a while, but it takes a lot of concentration, and the thermal bubbles are actually quite small. I keep losing them, hence not making much altitude.

After over half an hour, I head for the landing and touch down. It's been a fair flight, with a bit of battling and much scenery all around...

Technical data: Flight duration 0:35, Take-off altitude: 1350m, Maximum altitude reached: 1580m, Total climb during flight: 860m, Max rate of climb: +2.8m/s, Max descent rate: -4.4m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

Spring flight, 23/05/2008...

Technical data: Flight duration 0:17, Take-off altitude: 1330m, Maximum altitude reached: 1330m, Total climb during flight: 183m, Max rate of climb: +2.2m/s, Max descent rate: -3.4m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

Vario entry, 02/05/2008...

Technical data: Flight duration 0:40, Take-off altitude: 1330m, Maximum altitude reached: 1330m, Total climb during flight: 1058m, Max rate of climb: +3.2m/s, Max descent rate: -3.4m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

Spring flight, 05/04/2008...

Technical data: Flight duration 0:52, Take-off altitude: 1330m, Maximum altitude reached: 1330m, Total climb during flight: 1053m, Max rate of climb: +3.4m/s, Max descent rate: -4.4m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

Fateful flight, 14/02/2008...

Flight at La Chapelle des Hermones. It's a beautiful day, the snow shines in the sun, the air is crisp...



My mother breaks her leg on the way down. I told her walking was not a safe way to go back to the car...

Technical data: Flight duration 0:15, Take-off altitude: 1550m, Maximum altitude reached: 1550m, Total climb during flight: 153m, Max rate of climb: +1.8m/s, Max descent rate: -3m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

Winter flight, 13/02/2008...

Shortly after take off from Très-le-Mont...

Look at all that smog! The biggest contribution to that polution is from motor vehicles...

Technical data: Flight duration 0:13, Take-off altitude: 1330m, Maximum altitude reached: 1330m, Total climb during flight: 567m, Max rate of climb: +1.4m/s, Max descent rate: -4m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

Vario entry, 10/02/2008...

In the morning, we go for a walk in the mountains. On the way home, the weather is so beautiful that I get Gisèle to drop me at Le Col du Feu and I walk up to Très-Le-Mont for a quick flight.

It's good to be in the air again...




Technical data: Flight duration 0:15, Take-off altitude: 1330m, Maximum altitude reached: 1330m, Total climb during flight: 80m, Max rate of climb: +1.2m/s, Max descent rate: -3.4m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

Winter flight, 09/02/2008...

Technical data: Flight duration 0:13, Take-off altitude: 1330m, Maximum altitude reached: 1330m, Total climb during flight: 118m, Max rate of climb: +2m/s, Max descent rate: -5.4m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

Friday's Fablous Flight, 08/02/2008...

The weather is wonderful. I leave home for a long walk that ends with a beautiful laminar flight in the still air. Pitty I have to go back down in the poluted soup that fills the valley.



Technical data: Flight duration 0:10, Take-off altitude: 1330m, Maximum altitude reached: 1330m, Total climb during flight: 48m, Max rate of climb: +1m/s, Max descent rate: -3.8m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

Vario entry, 29/01/2008...

Technical data: Flight duration 0:12, Take-off altitude: 1330m, Maximum altitude reached: 1330m, Total climb during flight: 45m, Max rate of climb: +0.8m/s, Max descent rate: -4.2m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

Winter flight, 03/01/2008...

First flight of the year. From La Chapelle des Hermones.



Technical data: Flight duration 0:39, Take-off altitude: 1550m, Maximum altitude reached: 1550m, Total climb during flight: 567m, Max rate of climb: +0.2m/s, Max descent rate: -3.8m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

Autumn colours, 07/11/2007...

Technical data: Flight duration 0:10, Take-off altitude: 1330m, Maximum altitude reached: 1330m, Total climb during flight: 47m, Max rate of climb: +1.2m/s, Max descent rate: -2.8m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

Autumn colours, 27/10/2007...

Technical data: Flight duration 0:16, Take-off altitude: 1330m, Maximum altitude reached: 1330m, Total climb during flight: 73m, Max rate of climb: +1.6m/s, Max descent rate: -2.8m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

Bumpy flight, 14/10/2007...

The flight was a bit tooo bumpy to take pictures...

Technical data: Flight duration 0:12, Take-off altitude: 1330m, Maximum altitude reached: 1330m, Total climb during flight: 47m, Max rate of climb: +0.8m/s, Max descent rate: -3.2m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

Vario entry, 08/10/2007...

Technical data: Flight duration 0:20, Take-off altitude: 1330m, Maximum altitude reached: 1330m, Total climb during flight: 111m, Max rate of climb: +1.2m/s, Max descent rate: -3.4m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

Flying in Corsica

This is the first day I'm on my own in the island. I get up early, as the day light starts lightening the darkness of the night on the edge of the horizon, and walk from Poggio di Venaco to Riventosa and then to Santu Pietru di Venaco, where the path starts to the Bergeries de Taratalla. I want to get to the limit of the trees to see the rising sun. The show is magnificent, with the sun rising red through the morning fog.



I resume the ascent and get to the intended take off point at seven thirty. I can feel some puffs of wind already, but nothing worrying, they're extremely gentle. After a quick bite to eat, I lay my wing carefully. I'm alone, nobody knowledgeable around, nobody knows exactly where I am, so there's no latitude for errors.


My take off must work the first time without hesitation.I follow each riser from the harness to the wing one at a time, making sure they're free of knots and tangles. There's no rush, I reckon I have an hour's window before the wind starts any significantly, so I really spend time on double checking everything. After a couple of panoramic photographs, I put the harness on, have a last look around and pull on the front risers. I can feel the wing rising evenly behind my shoulders. I step forward at a measure speed to give myself time to look up and do a quick check. All fine. Another two steps while accelarating and I'm airborne. I'm surprised to feel a tiny bit of turbulence. The sun has been up for less than an hour, less than half an hour at the bottom of the valley, and there's already measurable movement...The calculations I made on the back of an envelope show that I have enough height to reach Poggio, but I don't take any chance on this first flight and head straight for my destination.

The view is magnificent. I can still see the shining reflection of the sun on the sea, and the morning fog in the surrounding valleys. As I pass the crest on the left-hand side, Corte becomes visible. It's beautiful with the mountains profiled behind the town.



I look down and see cars circulating on the national road. Probably people going to work. There's little movement yet in the villages.



As I pass the top of the valley below Riventosa, I feel a slight turbulence. The sun activity triggers the air mass very early...I have quite a bit of spare height, as I wanted, and I do a couple of turns in front of Annette's house, but the people on the balcony haven't seen me and get back inside the house.I have enough time for another turn, and head for the other side of the village, where I spotted a field that I think suitable for my landing. I line up, but I'm still too high. I do a small turn to lose the extra height and come in just fine. At the last minute, I realise there's a slight wind from my right hand side, pushing me to the top of the field. I'm not worried, as I have a bit of spare distance there, but as soon as my feet touch the ground, my wing deflates and collapses on my left, on top of an olive tree and a spiky bush. Great! An hour and a half climb, ten minutes flight and twenty minutes to get my glider back...
Nevertheless, the scenery was awesome, and the feeling great!

Time to go for breakfast...

Technical data: Flight duration 0:33, Take-off altitude: 1344m, Maximum altitude reached: 1344m, Total climb during flight: 33m, Max rate of climb: +0.6m/s, Max descent rate: -2.8m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.

Vario entry, 02/09/2007...

Technical data: Flight duration 0:32, Take-off altitude: 1330m, Maximum altitude reached: 1330m, Total climb during flight: 580m, Max rate of climb: +3m/s, Max descent rate: -2.8m/s, Landing altitude: 640m.