Flight

Flight details
Title: Wonderful Firle
Site:Firle
Pilot:David Nickels
Date of flight:8th February 2013
Wing type:Paraglider
Flight details: 
Firle produced some great flying for the time of year.
With plenty of sun on the cold brown fields it became nice and thermic.
A few of us went to the other side of the wood to find more space.
It was great thermaling with Richard CN and Vincent, Richard pushed well out front in the cloud streets as far as the A27 and with no instruments too, Vincent was in his element.
I went over the back to seven Sisters.
Thanks for the retrieve Richard.
As I didn't think I would be going anywhere I set my GPS at 0 feet on takeoff so my track reading are 500ft out.
Cross-country league entry
Flight type:Open Distance XC
Takeoff:50.841,0.0885
Finish at:50.7555,0.177833
Landing place:Seven Sisters
Witness:gps
Distance11.41 km
Score11.41 km
GPS evidence from:XC.011366.igc
Comments
Vincent Talleu8th Feb 11:38: It was AMAZING!!! I felt like a bird, flying up in the sky better than the seagulls :D I made a video I'll upload it soon :p I wish I followed you but you disappeared out of a sudden!!
Miles Hockliffe11th Feb 12:16: Nice flight Dave, was that convergence you got, or did you hang around at launch till you got a climb to 2-5 then go on a death glide to 7 sisters? its hard to tell from the height / time plot ?
David Newns11th Feb 01:09:  Nice climb Dave. Looks like you had a better day at firle than the paragliders had at the Dyke but you are playing with fire landing on cliff tops in a lot of wind on such a day. Any sort of collapse and the next thing you know you are looking at chalk and sea. There were good clouds off shore that day. the beach/cliff would of been cooking in the sun. The day was very gusty at the dyke. Ask stuart Swanton about landing on the coast in a strong offshore wind. It could of easily ripped through at 20mph+. Take care on such days. Cheers Ghandi
David Nickels11th Feb 11:43: Hi Dave Being blown over that cliff was something that was upper most in my mind don't worry about that.I was constantly turning into wind to find my forward ground speed. Also I was not as close to the cliff edge as it may look on my track log. This reply is not to say that I don't appreciate advice to help stay alive though. Dave
Vincent Talleu12th Feb 01:09: Ahah good thing I didn't follow you then! I'd have ended up in the sea!!
Carlo Borsattino4th Mar 04:41: Absolutely brilliant Dave, very well done indeed! It brought quite a smile to my face, watching you drifting off into the distance. Of course I'd have been even happier if I'd been up there with you. Our students had an excellent day's training instead, which was also great! :) Every XC is a wonderful adventure, full of surprises, and with a joyously uncertain outcome... Each time I leave the known comfort of the hill behind I rediscover why I started free-flying in the first place. Carlo PS. And Vincent, you are flying amazingly well for such a new pilot - big congratulations!