Flying Forecast 30th/31st July

Hi guys

I always think Thursday can be a little early to be accurately predicting the weekends weather but, I shall update this post tomorrow should the need arise.

Saturday is looking like being a bright day with a light westerly breeze of about 9 mph. Your options are Mickey's West at the Bwlch, Eglwysilan Common near Pontypridd, Meio Common or Rhossili at the Gower. I shall probably head up to Meio for around noon for some slermaling action.

Sunday is forecast as another bright day with a westerly increasing up to 14 mph. If this is the case, then I shall be heading over to Rhossili to meet up with my good friend Paul Hampshire of Slope Soaring Sussex who is holidaying in the area.

Rhossili is the only one of the three premier coastal sites I haven't flown, so I will be interested to see how it compares with the Orme and St Agnes Head, which is still currently my favourite coastal slope.

So hopefully I will see some of you out and about this weekend. Let me know if you fancy coming along to Rhossili on Sunday, either by email, SMS (if you're lucky enough to have my mobile number), or via the Facebook Slope Soaring in Wales group page or, Facebook messenger.

Until next time.

Happy flying

Steve

Featured Posts

Hi all

I'd just like to tell you about a new feature which has been added to Blogger. This is the Featured Post, which you will find to the left of the page, just underneath the Home tab.

My intention is to use this to feature older videos I have posted relating to the month that we are currently in. So for instance, the story and video I am currently featuring was originally posted in August 2015, but next month it could be September 2013.

So please come back regularly to see which story and video is being featured.

Happy flying
Steve

Flying Forecast 23rd/24th July

Hi guys.

Let me first start by wishing Big Phil a very happy 49th birthday today. Live long and prosper mate.

And so onto the forecast for the weekend, and Saturday is looking like the best day weather wise with sunshine all day but a light westerly of up to 9 mph.

Your slope options would be Mickey's West at the Bwlch, Eglwysilan Common (near Pontypridd), Rhossili, or Meio Common, although you would be right on the point or flying with the wind a little off face. Having said that, there have been many occasions where the wind has been forecast as westerly but it has been square on the slope at Meio.

Sunday is looking like a 7 mph south westerly, so again your options are Mickey's or Meio Common, but showers or heavier rain are forecast.

I have a commitment on Saturday afternoon but I may just head up to Meio for a couple of hours in the morning with a couple of light models and see if I can catch a few thermals, and I may chance the showers/rain on Sunday and head to Meio again, but I'll see how wet it is when I look out of my window first.

So whatever and wherever you decide to fly, enjoy.

Happy flying
Steve

Weekend flying 16th/17th July

Hi guys

Well Saturday is looking a little showery, but if you're happy with dodging a shower or two then a 15 mph westerly is forecast, so your options are Mickey's West at the Bwlch, Eglwysilan Mountain, (near Pontypridd) or Rhossili.

Sunday is looking like the sunnier day with a similar westerly forecast.

Unfortunately I won't be flying at all this weekend as I badly sprained my ankle whilst running last Saturday morning, and my ankle is still painful and my foot swollen, so I wouldn't manage the walk to any of these slopes.

So I have things I can be doing model wise. I'm currently replacing the motor in my 2m Climaxx Compact E as the old motor is knackered. The replacement motor I bought isn't an identical replacement and so I'm having to modify the mounting to make it fit. I also have the PSS A4 Skyhawk to crack on with.

So please do not text or put any Facebook posts saying how much fun you're all having on the slopes as I will take my revenge in due course. LOL.

Happy flying
Steve

Ballistic Lift on Mickey's

So my holiday in Cornwall didn't go to plan. I spent the first two days staying with my son, then I headed to St Agnes where I'd booked a camp site.

Ten minutes drive away from my sons home and driving past Cornwall Services on the A30, the rain started. So when I arrived by the coastguard hut at St Agnes Head, the rain was driving in with the 30 mph wind, which by the way was too southerly to be able to fly anyway.

I looked at the forecast and the next day, Wednesday was also rain, Thursday was being shown as showery, with Friday being the only day forecast to be dry, but I was going to head home on Friday anyway. So I made the decision to abandon this trip and drive home.

As Friday was looking pretty flyable, I met up with Mark for a session on Mickeys at the Bwlch, and after the walk up to the slope, the wind strength was better than we had expected and I was getting readings with maximum gusts up to 36 mph, but as the session progressed, so the wind became stronger, eventually getting readings of 44 mph. Stonking!

Mark began by flying his Pitbull, but it landed with a bit of a thud and one flap servo seemed to lock in the down position, which he couldn't shift. Fortunately he'd also brought along the Schwing, which was absolutely loving the big air conditions.

I flew my FVK Signal, which also loved the conditions at first when we had 35 mph plus winds, but by the time it was in the mid 40's, it was too much for it. Fortunately I'd brought along the EPP 60 Polecat, which was flying very nicely thank you.

And just to prove it, here is the video.

Weekend Flying 9th & 10th July

Hi guys

Just a quick note about what's on flying wise this weekend.

I understand there is a F3F competition happening at the Bwlch on Sunday, so you can bet your life they will be up there practicing on Saturday as well.

The forecast for the weekend is looking dry with a good south westerly breeze on both days, so with Mickeys unavailable our alternative option is Meio. Not a bad alternative to have though eh.

I shall be there from about midday tomorrow until mid afternoon, but I can't fly on Sunday as my alcohol levels will probably be still to high after a party on Saturday night. Hic.

I hope to see you tomorrow, if not, happy flying wherever you are.

Steve