About A470 Soaring


This is the blog for a few guys who spend their time flying radio controlled gliders, or slope soarer's, from the many and varied slopes around SE Wales.

This usually begins at the northern end of Cardiff, driving north up the A470 up to the Heads of the Valley's and the southern fringe of the Brecon Beacons. But the A470 road continues its windy way all the way to N Wales.

There are many slopes available for most wind directions, the most famous being the area between Nant-y-Moel and Treorchi known as The Bwlch, which has some of the best slopes and flying in Europe with many F3F competitions being held there each year and visited by many fliers from Europe and around the world. At 1500 feet (450m) above sea level, there is usually more wind than not, and certainly more than at sea level.

If you require any further information, are new to slope soaring or are visiting the area, please contact Steve at steve.houghton59@gmail.com . I look forward to hearing from you.

Take a look at Page 2 (look below and to the left here) for Google maps of our most popular Flying Sites.


Wednesday, 18 June 2014

DLG Addiction

I think I'm addicted to discus launched gliding! I've been out at every opportunity with the Libelle, chucking it up, and gliding it down but, I must have thrown it up hundreds of times and have only hit one decent thermal, and that was on the top of Meio Common. I've managed to circle at low altitude and just maintain height three or four times for a few seconds but that's about it. I just don't think that the Libelle can achieve enough height on the launch to be able to get into that rising column of air.

So what is the answer? Well, I think it's about putting my hand in my pocket and buying a glass and carbon ship, something that can get me up to around 30 - 40 metres on a launch. So I'm going to keep an eye open for something second hand, maybe a Longshot, Topsky or Blaster. So if anyone reading this has something suitable for sale, please contact me, either via the Shout Box, email, or phone if you have my number.
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3 comments:

  1. slopesoaringsussex19 June 2014 at 07:28

    Hi Steve. I have found with the Libelle i'ts the timing. I used to wait till the calm of the evening to go out and hope to pick up a low level thermal in the gentle evening sunlight when in fact I needed to get out in the heat of the day when there is a lot more radiation from the sun heating up the ground a producing low level thermals. I've managed to get away of the flat using my Libelle on a few occasions now but only during early afternoon. I'm coming up I a few weeks time for a few days 27/28 & 29th June. So if the weather plays ball and I can get away from the family I might be able to meet up if your around.

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  2. Phil20 June 2014 at 10:55

    Just took delivery of my Libby :-) from T9.
    I had to laugh when my wife took a look in the box and said '£120 for that'

    They don't understand, Hope to get s chance this Weekend to put it together.

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  3. slopesoaringsussex25 June 2014 at 19:50

    Hi Steve
    Could you please put a link to our new Dream Flight Libelle blog?
    http://dreamflightlibelledlg.blogspot.co.uk
    Cheers
    Paul

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