Todays forecast was for thunder storms again. They sent us up Aspes and tried to get us off as quick as they could. It's a bit of a drive and not easy to send 120 pilots off on a task. They called a short 89km triangle landing back at the base of the take off. It's an open launch when we fly at Aspes as the set up area is massive so when your ready to go you step into the launch line and go. With pilots getting stuck on launch yesterday every one seemed keen to get off right away. I find it amusing that these are the very same pilots who complain about having to fly around for 1.5hr waiting for the start. I just sat and visited with Jamie and some of the ground crew watching every one pile off trying to climb out while not running into the other twenty pilots that just launched. It's bad enough 1000' over never mind 20'. It's not the marginal launch conditions of yesterday it's blowing straight in, just walk off when ever your ready. You still need to wait for the first start in over an hour. So I finally go back get suited up and bring my glider down to the front. By now most of the field is waiting at cloud base as it gets darker and darker. I throw my self off with only about ten people left on the hill. I climb up to base with 25min left to spare. I won't have to wait this long as the clouds get bigger and darker I see pilots heading out towards the valley. The task has been canceled. Back to the campground to avoid having to do retrieve. When I get over the campground I count forty gliders on the ground and another forty in the air with me. I watch glider after glider land hoping I will have some space with the half dozen gliders I'm going to have to land with. No traffic control and no motor to stay up and wait until it's clear. When it's your time your gonna land. I did a standard aircraft approach into the Field and wondered what the guy beside me was doing. I took another look at the wind sock and the wind had turned 90 degrees. Oh shit new plan. Turn into the field and put out the air brakes so I don't run out of field. An early flare and drop down behind the guy who landed just before me. It was a fun flight and I think its good to get every one flying even if we don't get a task to keep everyone from getting too stressed.
The author of the Irish blog getting jiggy with one of the locals.
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