Flight

Hi all

I thought that I'd write a piece to go with this flight to try and inspire/inform any newer pilots amongst us, to reinvigorate any of you questioning why you fly and to give belief to anyone that is doubting that they can achieve their flying dreams. The former was one of the key aims of the Flight Diary when Dave Nickels and I spawned the idea a few years ago and hopefully that still holds true today. This is my first posting for some time so if you're not used to reading my entries please forgive my long-winded style.

Firstly, a little bit about me as a pilot for those that don't know me. I started paragliding proper in late 2005 and I immersed myself in the sport from the outset (or rather IT took hold of me and refused to let ME go). Phrases like 'talented newcomer' were bandied about within my first year and I have been lucky enough to be awarded most of the 'newcomer/novice' Pg trophies since then. But... the picture painted here is not all that it seems. I am a fairly slow learner and all of the 'rewards' that were earned were gained through a 'blunt instrument' approach. As I live in Lewes and because circumstances allowed, I flew just about every day possible in my first 2 years. Thus I built (relatively) quickly on my skills, a luxury that very few pilots are afforded. Most, if not all of you, would have exceeded my achievements given the same circumstances so pay no heed to any hype. Just believe that YOU too really can achieve your goals IF you want it enough and IF you put in the time (the difficult bit). With those prerequisites fulfilled the 'luck' that you need for that first epic flight (and subsequent ones) will come your way in time.

And so to the flight:

Wind on the hill is a favourite of mine! No really. Wind gives me the time and opportunity ('blunt instrument' approach) to fly around and look for the thermal that will take me up and away. Away from busy airspace and imminent landings, to a place where dreams are fulfilled and landings are a distant consideration. I've let my fitness go somewhat recently and walks back up are generally not favoured so Bo-peep on Tuesday was not looking like my cup of tea, thermic cycles and calm in between. Typically this scenario keeps most pilots on the hill until the cycle is established (ie it feels windy enough to launch and ridge soar). This gives the observant and confident/braver pilot the chance to get airborne and high before the ensuing traffic jam or worse than that, the sink cycle that inevitably follows! Do beware though. If you are going to try and jump the queue and join said pilots make sure that you are fully conversant with local rules, thermalling rules & etiquette. You will be given extra space and consideration whilst ridge soaring as a red-ribbon or as a (visibly obvious) low airtime pilot but in the tighter confines of a low thermal you may seriously spoil somebody's day if you don't stick to the game plan. Don't let that put you off completely though, just do your homework, observe and practice before diving into a cycle with a group of determined XC hounds. You'll be one... one day soon!

Today (as with every day in 'the season') as I donned my flying suit and start to overheat, I reminded myself of the well worn phrase “dress for cloudbase” as I've done for years. I've mostly gone home soaked in sweat but on the occasions that I've got up high I'm reminded of how I'd never forgive myself for having to land just because I was too cold! So there I was suited and booted, halfway into my juicy Clementine when a good looking cycle approaches (wind picking up from nothing and a few gliders starting to go up). I'm almost already ready to go so it's gloves on, instruments on, wing up and run like mad at the fence. A bit of brake and a foot on the top strand sees me over it (not to be recommended) and I'm into the lift with others already climbing. It's wide enough for us all to turn where we feel we need too safely (which is often in different places) and then, having had an XC very recently, my brain allows me to ignore the Vario and where the other  gliders are climbing and quickly tune in and feel the lift. In my first 6 months or so of paragliding I flew without any instruments at all and indeed, made my first climb out alone, from this site on 'feel' alone. This reflects the advice that I give to any newcomer willing to listen. Forget the gadgets, you won't need them for quite a while. Just learn to fly and feel the glider, you'll know soon enough when you're missing out on something.  I still fly without the 'add-ons' occasionally, especially on the cliffs as its much more relaxing but just try thermalling without them from time to time and you'll feel like you're truly flying! Today however, the Vario was going to be essential.

So you're in the climb, you've centred it, Mother Earth is shrinking and it feels a bit scary but exhilarating. What next? Well just keep on going. Height is our friend and assuming that you know you're in safe airspace and that (on most days) you don't mind a walk back from somewhere (1km or 10km?) behind the hill, it'll all be fine. Approx 1500'ato and 2 fields behind was my very first climb out before I bottled it but today was feeling good, very good! The climb continued, the clouds looked good (not too big, too small nor too few) and unusually there was very little drift. At 2200'asl I was still above take-off and at base (approx 3500'asl) almost 15mins from launch I was only just behind the hill, a rare treat indeed! Others that had also climbed out were heading off in various directions as they topped out. Beautiful!

I didn't 'expect' to be here today and that has been another key pointer to my more recent enjoyment of the sport and my visits to cloudbase. The Mad Farmer (he with the rather talented paragliding sons) once advised me that if I was to enjoy my flying again and do well at XC then I should come to the hill fully prepared but with no expectation of flight whatsoever. “With that mindset”, he said “you will  enjoy any flight that you get and if you get an XC you will likely outfly those that have come looking only for the XC!”. I have rarely done the latter but my enjoyment of flights is now almost always assured.

As cloudbase arrived I quickly decided that I didn't want to be on launch, any time soon, looking for another cycle so I set my goal to stay up, enjoy the experience and to learn as much as possible whilst in this alien environmen. First lesson, stay out of cloud! Big ears and speed bar did the trick (I only ever use the 2 together anyway) but I was already heading for the edge of the cloud as I arrived at base so it was a precaution rather that a necessity. Now it was time to explore and that is the key to improving your chances of getting up when you're starting to think 'vertically' (once you're comfortable with the 'horizontal' aspects of flight that is). Near the ground/hill you need to start looking further afield for lift when conditions allow, searching out your own lift and thermals. The pleasure that you will derive from achieving this goal is immeasurable. I remember one of my first 'discoveries' at Firle which took me up to Ghandi who had joined in above me. Ghandi joined MY thermal! Oh how I grinned. Do make sure though that you are comfortable with arriving back at the hill lower than normal and competent at slope landing or scratching back up, as this is what will happen 9 times out of 10 in your early forays. Scratching back up is another useful skill to practice and Bo-peep bowl or Mt Caburn are particularly good locations to do it.

I'm now looking for another good cloud (something just forming or still going strong) to glide to but wary of finding the usual long period of sink. I'm buoyed by seeing gliders climbing in various locations and so head off with one eye on my old 'good' cloud. Over the next hour or so I learn where the lift is in relation to the cloud (only a little upwind today and directly under the darkest patches) and that I can go pretty much anywhere and get back to the hill. And so I wander, mostly up high and so always looking at the clouds for signs of lift and only looking down to enjoy the view and to see if anyone else is near to me. If I go downward for too long I quickly head back to the nearest lift and try tight and loose 360's in either direction back up to base. Being a 'local' and being able to get out often I've flown exclusively on SHGC sites and so as to abide by the club rule, “Circle only to the right below 1500ft amsl...” I'm well practised and competent at right-hand 360's. It soon became clear that my body wasn't going to tolerate this pattern for very long though so left-handers became a new trick to perfect. Don't worry yourselves too much about left-handers whilst flying SHGC sites and you will make (thermalling) friends quickly. You will get the chance to practice them once up higher and/or on your own (although occasionally you may have to follow the lead of a brave/stupid/highly skilled left-hander low down)!

Into the 2nd hour and I decided to venture out the front of the hill toward climbing gulls. Now I had to put in practice the 'never leave lift' and 'search around for the best lift' adages. I got low(ish) and imagined I'd be down soon but found broken lift off of Alciston (I see from the Google Earth view of the flight). At first I was thinking 'down?' but I slowly remembered to think 'up', forced myself to forget the ground and just feel for the lift. There were no other gliders around so I could focus on that alone and after bubbling about for what seemed like ages (but was in fact only a couple of minutes) I found the core and went back up to base,  now at about 4500'asl, LSG on board.

Eventually I found myself alone (although there may have been others more distant or lower down but I rarely look that hard) and then the Sea-Breeze Front revealed itself. With all the recent forum talk about it I thought it would be rude not to see what it had to say for itself and so I ventured forth. My personal Flying Diary (which is an excellent way to be honest about your flying with yourself) was soon to be assured to include the word 'epic' in the day's entry. Into smooth and steady  lift as I approached the misty curtain cloud but being wary of falling through into the sea air I circled back out and spent time learning about the manner of the 'beast' (although more 'pussy cat' at this time of the year I'm told). Around the cloud, through the cloud and eventually in the cloud I went (as it was thin enough to see through), noting that it often seemed to lull me into a false sense of security (as most who know of it will tell you) and sneak ahead of me. It was focussed flying but the most enjoyable flying that I've ever had. Taming the Moggy!

All of a sudden the convergence cloud was disappearing and the hill seemed further away than I expected. A bit of bar though and following cloud lines saw me back to the hill (another first for me from that far back) and I started wondering “downward then?”. I tried to follow sunny patches on the ground as I headed back along the ridge back toward launch and it finally paid off. Another climb almost back to base. I'm tiring now thought and hungry so I have to relax more, turn with less effort and eat (without loosing the contents of my 'cockpit'). Time to stop thinking too much and enjoy the remainder of the flight I decided. I continued to boat about at a moderate height for a while then decided to head back to launch but not before trying one last climb out front. Pretty tired by now my mind wasn't focused on my instruments enough and I lost crucial height in 3 turns without realising. Heading back to the hill I was now into a light headwind and it was marginal whether I'd make it in on top. Plan B was a field I'd  landed in many a time and that plan kicked in when I decided that I didn't want to spoil a good flight with a marginal take-off AND a stupid landing! Do make sure that you have alternatives when lining up to land out. I've diverted more than once to plan B, most notably when I realised the precisely spaced boards with numbers on were an active golf driving range! A last check of the trees to confirm little wind at all and I lined up to touch down mid-field. Several flyers congratulated me as I walked back up the road, mostly along the lines of “what did you do wrong Richard” and “We were impressed until you didn't get in on top” etc etc but I knew what they meant :o)

I hope that somebody can benefit from this rather long entry your comments are, as always, most welcome.