FOOTLAUNCH

SAFETY MATTERS

Cross-bracing and certification. By Gavin Foster

Many UK pilots are obsessed with DHV ratings and the necessity to have a wing which conforms with the latest ideas. Yet safety lies with the pilot and not the wing or certification. Mow importantly, even if a pilot buys a DHV 1 or 1/2, if they fly with their harness chest strap setting outside that of the certification the DHV is valueless. The tested harness setting is written dearly on the certification sticker on most wings and on the DHV report.

Bob Drury's recent article in XC magazine about flying with his chest strap at 50cm may be fine for him, but would be a disaster for most other pilots unless they fly in very gentle conditions or on the coasts

I cannot emphasis enough the importance of respecting the standard setting as on the wing. As soon as you change the width setting the glider's behaviour during recovery from asymmetric deflations and spiral dives will change and may become more unstable. Yet modem gliders turn so well there's no need to use huge weight shift. What's the point in buying (or trading down to) a DHVl/2 if you fly the glider like a comp wing with an open harness setting?

The latest Parapente magazine has a great article on asymmetrics in which they state that the standard setting must be respected- It seems that the UK lags behind and the guys who fly at 50cms are the ones who are setting the pace. When pilots get a good thrashing out here in thermic conditions, with one side unloading and then the other, they slowly begin to think that perhaps they should change,

It is really about harmony, with the pilot and the wing moving in unison. The good pilots who can fly actively can of course overcome this through their skill and experience, but I believe that many pilots do not understand that if they change the standard setting on their nice shiny DHVl/2 they invalidate the tested flight characteristics. Often pilots actually have no idea what there harness's are set at! Is it time you checked?

Gavin Foster, Alpine Ascent, gavin@skiweek-end.com

Just to back up Gavin's letter it may be worth noting that in at least one or the fatalities last year the harness setting (which was about 8cm more that recommended) was a factor!

Attention all pilots flying the Beacon!

As a condition for flying the Beacon, all flights MUST be reported to Bryan Hindle, via email or by using the Blog, for Bryan to inform the Conservators.

A Few Items from the last Committee Meeting:

There’s a Wings and Wheels event at Upton on Severn in a couple of weeks for which we want reps to man a stall representing the club. If you can help get in touch with any committee member.

Bryan is renewing Affiliated Membership of SW Wales Club. We get a sites guide from them if anyone is thinking of flying there and wants to see it.

A First Aid course has been organised for October. Well worth attending for sure.

JB forwarded the following emails regarding flying holidays abroad.

Flying in Catalunya

Dear Flyers,

I live in London but I’m about to open a rustic B&B in Catalunya, Spain, together with my paragliding cousin from Poland, and I was wondering whether this location would be of interest to yourself and your flying fellows/fellowettes. The place will be simple, very cheap to stay in, remote enough to be relaxing, but with enough atmosphere to make it a fun retreat for the adventure sports fraternity. We’d also like to offer things like horse riding, mountain biking, scuba diving, parachute jumps, etc. No kids,  no creature comforts (well, we will have a pool;), no bull***, just beautiful landscapes and pure focus on nature. We aim to make the place as eco-friendly and sustainable as possible, but without any of the usual preachy austerity. There will be meat on the menu, there will be frozen vodka and chilled beer in the bar, there will be all night barbies by the pool – good news after a whole day’s adrenaline hunting, I’m sure you’ll agree. 

With the low cost of flying to Spain and the ridiculously low prices we are hoping to offer for room and board, I hope this kind of location will be of interest to yourselves.

Oh, and I’m told the Pyrenees and Catalunya as a whole is god’s own flying country.

Let me know if you’d like to hear from us again once we’re up and running.

Best Regards

Marek Kazmierski

HYPERLINK "mailto:kazik73@aol.com

Email naszahiszpania@yahoo.co.uk

New flying holiday area in Austria

Hi Diane

I usually fly out of Devil's Dyke down near Brighton. (but don't hold that against me). For the last 5 years or so I have been going to Ray and Josie's place in Lanzarote and enjoying a great flying holiday amongst friendly people. This spring I decided to setup a similar holiday destination with an Austrian Instructor friend Near Klagenfurt, Austria.

Please have a look at our web page and if you want some great flying and drinking amongst friends, then give us a call.

HYPERLINK: http://www.flycarinthia.com

The price is 350 Euros pp/pw inclusive (see web page). For groups of 5 and more or If you want to rent your own transport (go to area on the web page and check the budget rental link) We will discount it down to 300 Euros (around 200 pounds)

hope to hear from you...

All the best

Al Gaivoto
(flycarinthia)

NEW GPS PRODUCTS

This summer, Thales introduces the all-new Magellan® eXplorist™ series: three new Magellan® handheld GPS navigation devices that re-write the rulebook by proving you can spend less and get more. The eXplorist 100, eXplorist 200 and eXplorist 300 deliver more advanced features, more powerful performance and more value.

There’s a lot to the small, cool eXplorist series’ beyond the vibrant blue, orange and yellow exteriors. Inside and out, eXplorists are built to provide real GPS for serious outdoor use — from their tough, impact-resistant, waterproof exterior, to the proven Magellan technology inside that packs powerful functionality into an easy-to-use operating system. Each eXplorist offers advanced capabilities, including all-new Magellan TrueFix™ technology, which incorporates a superior 14-parallel-channel, WAAS/EGNOS-enabled GPS receiver to provide precise position fixes within three meters and ensure advanced reliability and accuracy in satellite signal acquisition and tracking. Explorers will also appreciate Magellan one-button access, which quickly takes users directly to the functions that matter most: the menu, navigation screens, personal points-of-interest storage, ‘go to’ routing, and the backlight. In addition, each eXplorist model stores up to 500 waypoints, 20 routes and multiple track logs with up to 2,000 points each, providing ample storage space even for avid navigators.

Designed for compact, fit-in-your-pocket convenience, eXplorist receivers measure only 4.6” x 2.1” x 1.3” (11,7 cm x 5,4 cm x 3,3 cm) and weigh less than four ounces (115 g), yet they provide a large 2.3” (5,8 cm) diagonal, four-level grayscale LCD display. The zoom capability and amber backlighting ensure optimum viewing even at night. The rugged exterior is wrapped in a rubber-armored, impact-resistant casing that is waterproof to the rigid IPX-7 standard. Each eXplorist model is ready for adventure in all conditions and terrains, whether your game is hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, mountain biking, or finding your way around a new area.

eXplorist 100: The eXplorist 100 is the ideal all-around recreational navigation device. At an entry-level price, it offers the best value in a GPS/track plotter for the budget conscious, yet it’s powerful enough for the expert GPS user. Small, lightweight and easy-to-use, anyone can pick it up and get going without studying a manual. Among its many features, the orange eXplorist 100 offers three navigation screens with track plotting to help you find the fun — then find your way back. It also saves up to three track-log files with up to 2000 points each.

eXplorist 200: For those who need mapping, the eXplorist 200 adds to the features found in the eXplorist 100 a built-in North American or European background map and the ability to save up to five track-log files each with up to 2000 points. The background map offers convenient access to roads, parks, waterways, airports and more. With its bright yellow casing, the eXplorist 200 delivers all the functionality and features an adventurer needs at an affordable breakthrough price for mapping handhelds.

eXplorist 300: Rounding out the series, the eXplorist 300 adds a trio of advanced tools to the built-in nationwide background map for easier navigation: a barometer, an altimeter and an electronic compass, which eliminates the need to be in motion to get a direction to a destination. Like the eXplorist 200, the eXplorist 300 contains a background map with roads, parks, waterways, airports and more, plus three navigation screens and the ability to save five track-log files with up to 2000 points each. The ideal choice for outdoor adventures, the blue-cased eXplorist 300 is a robust GPS receiver delivering all of these major features, at a most-affordable price.

Go4it 2004

Not a fantastic month, apart from the two days when the British record was broken! Well done Nigel D. doing a PB from the Beacon on one of those days.

I’ve had complaints that putting DHV2 wings in a separate table from the rest is unfair – I must agree and I’ve rectified that this month, many apologies.

British Pilots’ Table

Nigel Dewdney 55 18.5 12 85.5km

Tim Crow 31.0 25.2 22.3 78.5km

Dave J-H 47.2 23.2 70.4km

Frank Trunks 35.7 35.7km

Chris Smith 33.9 33.9km

Graham Shand 26.0 6.2 32.2km

Carolyn Dewdney 9 9.0km

Brian Pilchar 7.0 7.0km

‘Johnny Foreigner’ Table

Bryan Hindle 77.8 62.9  43.2 15.1 14.1 11.9 9.1  8.3        219.2km

Rules

1.    UK flights only.
2.    No infringement of airspace.
3.    Must have Pilot rating or be under instruction from one on the day.
4.    Flights between 01/12/03 to 30/11/04.
5.    Co-ordinates for T/O and landing required plus distance from point to point in Kms as a

check. Flights will be scored to nearest 100m.
6.    Defined flights (BHPA rules) Coordinates for turn points in addition. Double distance
       awarded provided 60% of flight outside ridge lift.
7.    Stone's throw award for smallest flight submitted (or known about) provided
       distance 5km or greater (previously 3 miles).

8. The best newcomer to XC flying (as voted by the committee) will win a voucher worth

£120 for Airways Ltd.

9. The top pilot for the year will be known by the moniker “Skygod” for the next year – so remember, that’s Monica Skygod for the next year.

ADVERTS

Harley Sirocco (medium) 75-95kg. Very good condition, little used. ACPUL 12A rated. £150

At that price ideal for winter flying or for ground handling practice. 01452 500806

Flying Blog

Nigel’s PB - Friday, June 25, 2004

Worcester Beacon
25th June - Weatherjack gives a 5 and its a classic looking day. Typical Beacon conditions at launch though - up and down like a yo-yo and cycles pushing through. A short 10 min hop is followed by another attempt 1/2hr later. Carolyn bottom lands after 20mins of yo-yo-ing. After scratching at around 200' ATO I take a thermal over the back expecting to flunk out on the common. Slowly worked it up to 3K (ASL) over common before loosing it and glide to Welland. Same here. And even more so at Upton - but it finally comes good and I reached CB at 5300' ASL at Strensham Services. Another good climb after being drilled down to Bredon Hill and then drilled down the other side for a low save before climb up to Chipping Norton. Mostly scraps from there on but hung in till being drilled down to Brailes. 55Km - a new personal best. :o)