Thermaled into the ground.

Today they called a 224km down wind task. I took the first tow again today. I had a better result today. I tug dropped me off in the best thermal around. I climbed easily and got high. I watched the rest of the field struggle below me before several pilots climbed up to me. We climbed as high as 2300m and headed to the edge of the start circle. I got a week climb just outside of the start circle and was drifting further away. I left the lift as I didn’t want to drift to far away before the start. I found another week climb just inside the start and waited for another 3 minutes before the first start. I was at 1900m when the clock ticked over and decided to go. Two other pilots went with me and we soon stopped in another week climb. I was concerned with the high circus cloud that it would be hard to find lift. I spent a lot of time turning in 0’s just drifting with the wind. I tried to stay as high as possible. Every time I pushed forward I got lower. I got down to 300 feet and had to break open my zipper which had jammed. I managed to find some lift and was able to climb out. I never got high but just kept turning and drifting down wind. I saw the lead gaggle 1km behind me and high. They were too far behind me for me to fight up wind to get to there thermal so I just kept turning. I finally landed 54 km out after 2 ½ hours. There were 26 in goal and any one I talked to said it was light for the first 80km before they got out from under the high cloud. I was at least glad to be flying instead of towing all day.

Tow practice

We meet out at the airfield about noon today. The first task was 125km down wind to the west. Launch opened at 1:40 and the first start was at 2:40. I was stagged in slot 46 and was the first to launch. I towed up to 800m when the weak link broke on the tug end. The tow lines are expensive so if possible they like you to try and drop the line in the tow field. After dropping the line I landed. Not many pilots were keen to go yet so I got back into line. I towed up and was waved off at 700m above another pilot turning. The thermal was died and the pilot headed off as soon as I released. I tried to work what was left and wasn't able to hang on. I dropped like a stone and landed with 4 other pilots just in front of me. We had a lot of relights today. My next tow I towed through a dust devil at 100' and broke a weak link again. I got back in line again(not really a line every one was gone) and retied my weak link. Try number four. Weak link broke as soon as I come off the cart. I took the hint and just packed up. About half the field made goal. I think Attila won the day.

Short flight, long retrieve.

Today was registration and official practice day. The rest of the pilots from around the world showed up today to get in some practice and do some final tweaking on their gliders.

Joergy from Germany and one winged Armand.

Vicki Cain meet organizer during registration.

Tugs lined up ready to tow pilots up.

I took my time getting out to the air field after registaring for the meet. I got to the airport about 12:00 and slowly set up my glider. After watching a few people tow I got ready to go and got in line. I climbed out with a few other pilots to 1700m and headed west alone. I was trying to stay high. I wanted to get as much air time as I could and not to worried about going very far. I don't think any one else even headed cross country. After getting a little low and taking a very slow climb back to 1400m I was getting low again. I saw a tractor working a field so I turned 90 degrees and headed towards it. I hit some strong lift on the way there and made a couple turns. I was getting tossed around pretty good so I left to continue on to the tractor. I hit huge sink on the way and got drilled most of the way. I arrived at 600m and found nothing when I got there. I landed after 1.5 hours and 21km away from the airport. I sent Armand a text with my coordanates and packed up. One of the Australian pilots was kind enough to come and get me but didn't have his GPS set to the same datum as I did. He was using dd.dddd (degrees decimal degrees) We use dd.mm.mmm (degrees minutes decimal minutes). So after driving around the country side for two hours we got on the same page and they found me. I've learned this leason in the past but some times it take's more than once.

Tour of Forbes

I drove this bus to Forbes for one of the tug pilots that flew one of the planes out. I'm getting used to driving on the other side of the road. Now I just have to make sure I don't get run over walking across the street looking the wrong way.

I slept in today and then we headed into town for breakfast. Being it is New Years day the only thing open was Mcdonalds. After breakfast we headed to the hotel where we can get wireless internet for free. You can’t find any free wireless in Australia. The hotel gives us the pass word. Every one was hanging around the hotel for a long time, not too worried about flying. I finally headed out to the airport about 1:00. I set up right away and towed up. I climbed up over the air field with half a dozen pilots. We all headed east towards Forbes together. The climbs were still week and we got to about 1400m over the airport and I was never able to get that high again. I ended up by myself over town and spent a lot of time turning trying to get high. I wanted to stay in the air more than I wanted to go very far. I flew across town and then back to the airport. I wasn’t able to get back over 900m but it was easy to stay off the ground. When I got back to the airport there was a dozen gliders on the ground. I had a two hour flight and did a short 25km triangle. It was good practice and I was happy to be flying

Flying in Gulgong.

The town of Gulgong from a couple thousand feet.

Geoff doing his seminar.

We got up early the next morning and headed out to Gulgong. The rest of the group had tried to fly there the day before with Geoff being the only one who made it.

I set up my glider when we arrived at the glider club in Gulgong. Moyes is doing a coaching clinic along with a tour to different sites around NSW. After Geoff did a talk on aero towing we started to get ready to go. They were having a hard time trying to decide on a task so every one just kind of did there own thing. The lift was light with a 20km wind out of the east. When I topped out in the lift I was with two other pilots. Two of us set out down wind. Rob the Dutch pilot and myself. We went on a long glide and found no lift. I didn’t want to land by myself because I had no radio or cell phone. So I stuck close to Rob which didn’t help much trying to find the lift on a weak day. We spotted some cattle stampeding in a field off to our left and made a ninety degree turn in a last hope to try and find some lift. They were starting to kicking off some thermals but we were unable to stay up long enough for the lift to come together. Rob picked a field and landed just before me. I had an hour flight and a short 5km xc flight.

A Couple more photo's

Micky Frozen pickles, Bill Moyes, Armond Achione, and tug pilot Leory.
Bill is one of the first every hang glider pilots. Also one of the nicest and helpful people you will every meet.

Learning to drive on the other side of the road?!

Dave Seib came to pick me up. Dave is one of the best pilots in the world so I felt pretty lucky to have him pick me up. I waited for about twenty minutes before he picked me up. He just ploughed through the crowd and took my glider out to his car in the parking lot. He got a call on his cell when we got to his car, so I threw the glider on his car by myself and tied it down. Dave walks around to the right hand side of the car and gets in. I stand at the back of the car looking at him thinking I don’t even know this guy and he wants me drive his car? I don’t know where were going! This is weird! So I go around to the left hand side and get in. Oh! Steering wheel is on the other side here. Man its strange riding on the other side of the car and driving on the other side of the road.
We headed to the Moyes factory about five minutes from the airport where I got to meet a few people and have a shower. After a couple hours getting things packed up into Dave’s car we head off to Rylstone for the Forbes Rally. It was a three hour drive to a small grass air strip. In the car we had Rob, a Dutch pilot, Mickey from Austria, Cantina from Germany, Dave from Australia and me. I always find it so cool at events like this when you get together with people from around the world.

When we get to Rylstone I find out Armond had crashed earlier and dislocated his shoulder. He was taken to hospital and wanted me to drive his car for him. It was still early and the guys decided to set up and go for a flight. I pulled my glider off the car and started to put it back together after being short packed for the trip. It took me a couple hours to get it all set up and I was running for my harness to go for a flight. I got myself all ready to go and a Brazilian pilot that was there acted as my ground crew. He signalled the tug to go and I was off. The air was silky smooth as we climbed out over the airport. They have had a lot of rain here over the last few weeks after seven years of drought. The whole country side was green and lush. The Aussies here are amazed how green every thing is. The tug pilot finds the last thermal of the day and waves me off in light lift. As I circle in very light lift I mostly just maintain my height but do manage to gain a few hundred feet. As I soak in the beauty of the country side I reflect on the day I have had and how lucky I am to be here. After an awesome half hour flight I come in and stuck my landing.
Putting my glider back together after flying with it half way around the world.


This is the car Armond bought. Seems to be a lot of white station wagons here. Works well for what we need.