Newcastle South Leagues Club, Merewether.
Day 3 Task 2
Sun, 31/05/2009 - 18:03 — Dawson
The Alps have an amazing effect on the weather patterns. Here, at the foot of the Jura the wind was blowing like stink, but just 50 kilometers away to south east ( I think we went south east, not really sure ) at the Pre-Alps, where you can see the towering forms of the alps with sheer rock walls many thousands of feet tall looming down on all who dare to look up.
The Pre Alps are awe inspiring in themselves. First I should define the pre-alps. This is what the pilots here call any mountains next to the alps that aren't really the alps. Anyhow, the pre-alps that we went to were right in the shadow of the alps themselves. A range of mountains a few dozen kilometers long. The landing paddock is at about 2000' amsl, Launch is at about 5000' and the top of the range is at about 6000'. The mountains drop straight down to the valley floor below.
Launch is a very steep grassy slope. Steep enough that you would climb rather than walk up or down it, but not quite a cliff. At the top, it angles sharply to a large, flat area where you could easily set up a few hundred gliders. When we got there the wind was coming in nicely, though there were few cus popping around the place, and there was rain down the other end of the range.
Here we are, only 50 km away from a howling easterly wind in a nice steady northerly breeze. This is par for the course around here apparently.
As soon as the briefing was done, we wind dummies started launching. The rain had just started to come in, very light, so rather than risk packing up on top, I launched quickly. It was almost a nill wind launch, but with such a steep launch, this proved no problem at all. What did prove to be a problem however was finding any air that was going up.
Launch is above a high valley that exits the range through a gap a couple of grand above the landing paddock. I was advised that if I didn't find lift in the high valley, to go through the gap and search along the ridge to the right. If it's not going up there, it's not going up anywhere I was told. So, I guess it was not going up anywhere. Before too long I was setting up an aproach. Having had one landing on this glider already, I had a better idea of how far back to set up and came in well, testing the flare when about a second after the glider was returned to trim and my feet were skimming the grass, but I started to go up so I just held on for a second then pushed out hard. This saw me parachute down about a meter for a good landing on my feet then another good landing on my knees.
Briefing time... more later... and pics...
Meetings
Upcoming Events
- February 2012 Comp Round(Club Comp Round)(16 days)
- February Meeting(Event)(20 days)
- Clean Up Strezi Day(Event)(24 days)
- March 2012 Comp Round(Club Comp Round)(44 days)
Well, I suppose other than
Well, I suppose other than loading some pics, there's not really much more to add other than that half an hour after I landed, the day was called, and everyone went free flying. Most people did no better than thermalling in the high valley near launch, but a handful of pilots made it up above the high peaks, what a magnificent place it must be to fly.
I'll post some pics and videos of landings later on, I've got to get ready now to go flying in the Jura today.
Roman asked me to pass on his regards to all his friends there in Newcastle. From the conversations we've had, he clearly holds Newcastle very close to his heart.