The Malvern Hang Gliding Club Nov
2002
http://malvern-hang.org.uk
November Meeting
The meeting on Wednesday 13th November
will be in the Plume of Feathers as normal and there will be a website
demonstration by the webmaster Chris Smith (which may include a demo of the
bulletin board if he’s clever and tooled up).
CLUB TRIP – Barmouth, North Wales 16/17th
November
Organiser
Nick Collins 01989 567008
BARMOUTH
MAIN BAND B- SUNRAY 01341
280985 TELL THEM YOU ARE WITH MALVERN. SINGLES £22.50
Sunray is right in the
harbour, short distance to the pub that does those very good steaks.
Other bandb Min-y-mor
01341 280262 but will probably cost you more.
Fairbourne-excellent wnw
to nnw fly onto 3000ft Cader Idris Malvern negociated new sites SW and a
southerly
Westerlys too and other
directions within an hours drive.
arrive friday night and
meet in the pub in town opposite the railway bridge on the main road-the one
where we've eaten before. 
The new Malvern Hang
Gliding Club sweatshirt
can now be ordered. The
lovely
sweatshirts (£15) are in grey (last year's black) and base ball caps (£8)
are also available. Please send your request with size (S,M,L) to John &
Diane Bevan email[janddb@globalnet.co.uk] or by post Sumac House 1
Highclere
Drive, Bewdley, DY12 2EZ. Please note the prices are approximate.
Copy of Club
Letter to Angus Pinkerton BHPA Safety Officer
Dear Angus
I write to you in my capacity as
Safety Officer of the Malvern Hang Gliding Club.
We recently had a “Reserve
Repack” evening. I am pleased to report that ALL the reserves opened without any problem.
One potential problem did come to
our notice. It was concerning the size
of the reserves that some members had been sold. Some seemed to be on the small
side, which would result in above optimal descent rates.
We discussed this problem at our
most recent committee meeting. As a result of this, we have a couple of
questions / suggestions to make:
(1) Is there any “Code of Conduct” / “obligation” on the dealer
selling the reserve, to make it clear to the purchaser (a) what the recommended
descent rate as suggested by BHPA (5.5 m/s) is, and (b) tell the purchaser what
descent rate, the reserve that they are buying, will give at full up flying
weight?
We realise that it is not in the
interest of the dealer to sell a “duff reserve”: Bad for reputation. Also the
larger the reserve, the more it costs and perhaps the greater the profit
margin?
We know that most of the reserves
that we thought might be on the small side were sold 3+ years ago and maybe
this is now not a problem.
(2) We discussed why this situation might have occurred and ways to
stop it happening in the future. We thought that ultimately it was down to
making the relevant knowledge available to the purchaser, so that they could
make an informed choice.
When pilots finish training, they
have a bit of knowledge about canopies and harnesses. They have used them and
talked about them. Not so reserves. The reserve is often bought early on in
one’s flying career, “because you need one” and you are very much in the hands
of the dealer to advise and sell you one.
The Pilot Handbook has an
excellent article all about reserves. Unfortunately this is often not purchased
as soon as you pass your Club Pilot (or equivalent HG) rating. We though that
it would be sensible to include some information in the Training Wings magazine
about reserves, so that pilots have ready access to the relevant information before they buy their reserve.
My 1994 copy of Training Wings
has information about buying canopies and hang gliders, but nothing about
reserves. The latest version of Training Wings may be different. If not, would
it be sensible to include some information about reserves in Training Wings?
If you have any comments, more
up-to-date information, I would be grateful if you could let me know.
Yours sincerely,
Robert W Davis
Spot On!
On
5th and 6th October I attended the first UK national hill
based accuracy competition. This was
not because I have any real desire to enter competitions but rather because it
sounded like something different and it was just down the road, which was great
as I’m lazy!
Perhaps
some background… The competition was hosted by Brett Janaway. I believe he was made redundant earlier this
year and took the opportunity to set-up a campsite and B&B (www.hollytreepark.co.uk) in the
heart of SE Wales. The idea is also to
make this a base for flying visitors and so he has held a number of weekends
with an open invitation for UK flyers.
Having a background in ‘accuracy’ it was inevitable that he’d host a
competition. Accuracy competitions have
traditionally been done using square (parascending) canopies. I think the UK did quite well at this
internationally, probably because everyone else had given it up and started
using performance paragliders as this is what everyone is now flying. We have just started to catch-up and so
there is now a drive within the UK to get a team up to scratch to be able to
compete internationally.
Everyone
met at Brett’s campsite on the Friday evening to register. Briefing at 8 on Saturday morning, the
forecast was for the Blorenge on both days with a strong NW veering to light
SE. The target was set in the
‘emergency’ bottom landing field so no problems reaching that. Saturday was blown-out so it was abandoned
for an evening meal complete with fireworks.
It was crowded with some 40 participants and various family members
packed into the local pub. ‘And so to
bed’ in our snug tent, disturbed only by a loud owl and a fox snuffling round
in the early morning: The joys of the
great outdoors! Sunday started a bit
wet but looked good for later so we were off.
A minibus and Landrover ferried the pilots up to the top of the hill and
we managed four official rounds to validate the competition. Everyone made the landing field with plenty
of height so it was interesting to see the tactics and final approaches made by
the various pilots. I think one pilot
then missed the field and there was one canopy in the hedge by the end of the
day but most made it easily with the majority within 10m of the target.
The
target itself is a plastic mat with sensors to automatically give cm readings
from the 3cm dead centre, up to a 3m radius.
Outside this and up to a 10m radius scoring is done by a hoard of judges
that run at you pointing at the ground to mark the spot as you touch down. Quite frightening! Landing anywhere else (or failing to make it at all!) scores
10m. To help prevent people attempting
dangerous landing by ‘piling-in’ or stalling from large heights there are
various rules, the most important is that after the first part of the pilot has
touched the ground nothing else is allowed to touch until the wing is on the
ground otherwise a maximum 10m fault is scored. This means that after the pilot’s feet have touched hands, knees,
speedbars, harnesses, etc. have to be kept off the ground. The most common faults are due to pilots
falling over or speedbars touching. I
fly with a large airbag, which scored me a fault on what was otherwise my best
landing L
Brett
managed the best score with a total of 1.81m.
I managed to get 4.68m, 4.01m, 10m and one fault giving a total of
28.69m. That made be 20th,
very average!
My
thoughts: This was a national comp with both serious contenders and amateurs
like me. This meant that some of the
organisation and judging was very serious and took away some of the fun. It’s also a new discipline which generates a
certain amount of chaos, so the organisers were learning as they went. However the idea is a good one and lots of
fun. It helps in general flying,
building confidence in spot landing skills that can be vital on those
cross-country landings. There is a
contradiction here too: The paraglider
designers spend a lot of effort obtaining better glide angles (up to 10:1 now)
and lower descent rates, all the exact opposite required for accuracy. Indeed Brett won using what must be the most
porous and saggy wing I have ever seen!
It will be interesting to see how the sport progresses.
There
are a number of training weekends for potential squad members and at the moment
these are open to all, so if you fancy giving accuracy a go this is probably
the best place to start. If not just
try out your spot landing on your next bottom landing by landing near the
windsock/plastic bag/burnt-out-car, depending on your location! Have fun.
(chris@envoid.co.uk)
This
month’s problem: Where does the phrase ‘Spot On’ come from? Answers on a post card please, first
correct/most plausible answer gets a pint next club evening!
Piedrahita
Rob Davis
What?
An
excellent thermic flying site, situated above the small town.
Where?
In
the centre of Spain, about 150 km. northwest of Madrid, on the north side of
the Sierra de Gredos.
When?
The
best time, so they say, for big distances, is the last week in July. The first
two weeks in September are meant to be a bit more docile that July and August.
I was there during the first week, this year, and was told that it was as bumpy
as it ever gets! Bryan has had an excellent week in June. So, I guess it really
is potluck.
Why?
1)
Spain is nearer to the “Azores high” during the summer, so
the weather tends to be more settled than in the UK.
2)
North of Piedrahita is the plain going to Salamanca. To the south
of the Gredos mountains is the Madrid plain. During the summer months in the
day, the airmasses on the plains heat up. They flow up the sides of the Gredos
mountains and meet giving a line of convergence. This triggers good thermals
and produces a line of lift.
3)
The airmass is very dry. Piedrahita is a long way from both
the Atlantic and the Mediterranean coasts. Makes for good thermals.
4)
You have the chance to fly both in the mountains and also in
the plains. The area around Piedrahita is a crop growing area. They harvest
early and leave the large, open fields, which go wonderfully brown. They act as
huge thermal generators. They are also very “landing friendly” and the road
infrastructure is good.
Who?
Steve
Ham and his wife Puri, run a flying centre from their home. They pick you up
from Madrid and put you up in the house. The rooms are very adequate. Opposite
is a Bar. Good for icy lager and the food is not bad. It can be quite noisy and
the Spaniards are not known for early nights. If you are a light sleeper, take
earplugs. Steve and Puri provide breakfast and 4 evening meals during the week
– delicious and plentiful. Transport up the mountain is laid on and all
retrieves – very efficient, wherever you land. Steve, and often Puri, fly with
you and offer advice over the radios. Steve pitches it a just the right level.
He is an excellent pilot, knows the area like the back of his hand and is very
un-assuming. I thought that he was very safety conscious.
How?
We
flew every day – some were better than others and over the week did about 10
hours. We managed 2 out and returns (46km and 34km) and 2 other XC’s (40km and
38km). I thermalled up 18,000 metres in the week! I know that Bryan has had 20
hours flying in one of his weeks.
The
flying really is a pleasure. Fantastic scenery; lots of vultures; big themals;
reliable thermals (you would be unlucky not to find one); high cloudbase
(10,000ft in Sept – apparently 4,000m + in the summer); no worries about
landing out; reliable retrieves. It is not like Alpine Flying. The mountains
are not that steep and the thermals often trigger at the base, or out in the
plains over a small rise. Add convergence and it gives a different flying
experience. Overall thoroughly recommended for PG pilots with moderate (or
more) experience – take a look at the web site to get more information www.flypiedrahita.com
Piedrahita or bosoms.
Rob
Davies has come up with a brilliant idea, for paragliding pilots (Sounds a bit sectarian, Ed), of having a club trip to Piedrahita. As I go every year and
think it's fantastic, I'm all for more people from the club getting to fly one
of the premier flying sites in the world.
Pena Negra,
which is the main take-off, is a very much like flying the Malvern's, except
that it has a flat top. It is 3000 feet top to bottom, and the bottom landing
field is four kilometres away. It has grassy slopes with spurs running down to
the valley floor. Beyond are the flat lands, with epic cross-country potential.
Just the place to develop your thermalling skills.
Steve
Ham and his partner Puri run paragliding holidays, and cater for all your
needs. You stay with them in their house, which has room for 10 flyers. They
provide bed-and-breakfast and four evening meals with wine. You are collected
from and returned to the airport on a Saturday. When there, you are transporte
to take-off, advised on conditions, and guided during a flight. You are retrieved,and
taken back to take-off, two, sometimes three, times a day. Even after doing
these guided tours for six to seven years, Steve has not lost any of his
enthusiasm, and is always eager to impart his vast knowledge of flying and
weather conditions. All you need to do is ask.(Steve holds the British
cross-countryrecord). And don't underestimate Puri, as she is one of Spain's
top pilots.
If it's
not flyable, ( heaven forbid!!) Steve and Puri have lots of alternative
activities for you. Kiting with buggies.
Kite
surfing (on a nearby lake).
Canoeing
and rafting (if there is enough water).
Horse-riding
(extra charge).
Sightseeing
to places like Salamanca.
You're
never left to kick your heels in the dust, they've always got something for you
to do.
In order not to make it an organisational nightmare, we
have decided to name the week we intend to go, then it is up to you to book
your flights and place with Steve and Puri. To ensure that you can go on the
week intended, you really need to place your bookings by early January. However
in order to reduce costs, and that we all end up on the same flight, I (Bryan)
am prepared to co-ordinate. The week we intend to go is Saturday 30th August to
6th September 2003.
Estimation
of costs.
One week
with Stephen Puri £ 275.
Flights
from £
60.
To and
from English airport approx £ 15.
Plus
spending money, I usually have a lot of change from £100.
Want to
know any more details?
Web
page flypiedrahita.com
Steve/Puri
Ph +3420360550
Bryan
Ph 01684572723
|
Malvern Hang Gliding Club “Go-for-it”
League
|
|
Position
|
Name
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
Total
|
|
1
|
Bryan Hindle
|
55.3
|
35.4
|
30.8
|
20.6
|
15.0
|
|
|
|
157.1
|
|
2
|
Rob Davis
|
49.6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
49.6
|
|
3
|
John Bevan
|
10.3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10.3
|
|
4
|
Nick Collins
|
4.0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.0
|
Sites
Nortoft
Report on Leckhampton HIll is out - it is available on the FOLK website
www.leckhamptonhill.org.uk Worth a look.
MAD MAJOR GRATIFIES
HIS LUST FOR POWER?
Having been lured by Paul Haxby’s illustrated articles in
Skywings about the joys of powered paragliding, I decided to take the plunge in
September and go for conversion. A week
later, with a second hand RAD XL for less than a grand I headed off to Oxford
for my training day.
During the morning Paul took another trainee and I through
the theory while John Radford kindly gave my second hand RAD the once over.
After lunch we headed out to the training field just off the Oxford ring road.
The early afternoon was spent ground handling and practising
alpine launches initially without and later with motors on our backs. My hill
launch experience proved a slight disadvantage here as I was told that leaning
forward on launch was going to counter the lift from the wing. With high
hangpoints too I found I was pulling too much brake! The answer I found was to
make like Basil Fawlty doing his goose step!
After overcoming these inappropriate habits it was time for
the first solo. In nil wind the first attempt came to little, I couldn’t seem
to reach take off speed. The second attempt found me doing a wheels-up landing
into the long grass, not enough throttle this time! At the third attempt I gave
it some welly, a tug at the brakes at the right point and I was away.
Take off felt like a fully flared landing except that for some strange reason I
was going up not down. Soon I was off over the hedge heading towards the high
tension pylons, plenty of right brake to counter the torque and round she came.
Using the foot strap it was into the harness and time to settle into the climb.
At about 500ft I relaxed on the throttle and did some gentle circuits,
practising left and right turns and using the throttle to climb and descend. 15
minutes later it was time to land. Lining up downwind of the field I cut the
engine. I could sense the higher wing loading and slightly higher speed but
otherwise, with a good flare, I only had to run a few paces more than normal on
touchdown.
Dead stick approach
after first powered solo
After some coffee it was time for a cross-country flight,
the objective a TV mast, about 4 miles to the north. Paul allowed me to take-off first. This time I applied plenty of throttle
from the outset and I was away over the hedge and climbing fast.
Outbound to the mast
via that nice dark brown bit!
Heading straight off for the TV mast I took advantage of
light thermals to gain a bit of extra height,
Paul soon catching up on his Arcus / RAD MXL combination.
Throttling back I found a good rate of climb and from here it was just a case
of relaxing and taking in the view. After circling near the mast it was
downwind to the landing field, by this time well out of sight.
Since then I’ve had two really enjoyable evening flights in
the Tewkesbury area, one from a field half a mile from my back door, the other
from Bredon Hill.
So has it matched up to expectation?
On the down side power is a bit noisy but not half as bad as
I had expected even without ear defenders, ooops! Forward take off under power is a bit fraught compared to hill
launching but nothing that good preparation or practice can’t sort out. Landing
is no problem with a good strong flare, you can always go around again!
Between take off and landing I found the flying pretty
straightforward after getting used to the natural inclination of the wing to
turn left. Under power the wing itself feels very stable, my all up weight with
the motor is at max all up weight for the Atlas at 110kg
With three hours with the RAD in my log book I have to say
I’m really glad I’ve taken the plunge. The biggest advantages in my view are
the opportunity to fly in a wider range of light conditions, the ability
to take off on flat ground in any wind direction and finally, not having to
travel long distances to flying sites. Just like it said on the tin!
I have always enjoyed the seat of the pants experience you
get in a helicopter at low level and this is about as close as I can afford to
get. I’m not sure that it beats soaring in that glassy evening lift at Rhosilli
but then again what does? Don’t answer that!
Thanks to Paul Haxby for the training (£85) and the photos.
Anyone interested in
paramotoring over Victoria Falls in Zambia next Feb? Contact
gordon@gallison.co.uk
STOP PRESS
FROM RICHARD BROWN
Airtopia news letter is enclosed which should have gone into
the club news letter if I had been on the ball enough to send it to our editor
before clearing off to Spain....basically it is details of a trip to South
Africa next February...for those interested please just open the enclosed word
file...
I have just read
Rob's letter to Angus regarding reserves...and feel a need to ad a few
comments...unfortunately I was not there and there fore unable to comment on
exactly which reserve model/size and all up pilot weight that caused concern.
Certainly it is true that reserves have become both slightly bigger and more
efficient in recent years and most dealers have become more aware of
sizing...however......the BHPA pilot hand book has a chart inside that is not
based on any testing what so ever...it is a made up chart based on a
mathematical formula...the recommended size of reserve for a pilot of 100kg all
up is at least 45meters square...hardly any manufacturers of reserve would be
supplying such a surface area...most common makes such as edel SR111 or
Firebird or Apco etc etc would be about 35-38 sq meters to achieve a decent
rate of 4.5 meters per second...even the method of determining the surface area
of a reserve in the book is incorrect and doesn't work..ask Mark Dale...he
wrote it! hopefully this has been corrected in later editions...this is not a
lets knock the bhpa for trying to do something useful on the problem of
reserves...but in my humble opinion it was not thought out, did not ask any experts
on the subject at all...only people who had previously been in the parachute
industry and one manufacturer who does not make reserves for paragliders! lets
be clear the folk in the know are those who regularly use a reserve for
real...virtually all comp pilots...Jockey Sanderson's SIV outfit ...even I have
seen x4 real reserve deployments in the last two years...all successful, all
recorded on their varios the rate of decent..the last one in Spain was last
week..it recorded 4.2 m/sec decent on a 32 sq m reserve ..all up weight 89kilo.
The mis
information that is directed at repack events does have a commercial interest
in selling a larger reserve...the sky net seems to be a good reserve...I know
pilots who have used it and it saved their lives...It has never been certified
by the dhv or independantly tested...I also know lots of others work just as
well..designs have changed and many manufactures have brought out new designs
in the last two years....until their is a independent and workable system for
testing reserves I will be selling ones that have a proven track record.
Happy days
Robin@airtopa.com Click
here for Airtopa Newsletter
Robin
