PSSA Fly for Fun Meeting

We had wind! Yep, really, good eh!

The Saturday began with the Bwlch covered in clag and with regular rain showers but, the forecast was for this band of weather to clear by about 10AM, and sure enough, by 10:15 I felt confident enough to open the forestry gate which leads to the south westerly slope called Mickeys, and the vehicle procession headed on up the rough gravel track.

There was a good wind blowing and before long, the local guys were showing the way by launching first but, it wasn't long before the others had rigged up their models and were flying also.

At about 12:30, rain stopped play for about 30 minutes, giving everyone a chance to partake in some refreshment, but play resumed soon enough and the wind increased to about 30 mph in the compression zone.

There were some new models, and a lot of familiar models, and also a mid air collision between Mike Grey's Avro Vulcan and John Trebles Avro 707, with quite a bit of foam raining down to earth.

By about 6pm, most of us had had enough fun and felt the need to leave the slope in order to have a wash and brush up before dinner that evening.

Sunday saw a completely different day, with a light south easterly blowing, so that saw us on Back of Wrecker, a slope which we haven't flown on before at a PSSA event.

The first day saw about 20 participants, however, this had dwindled to about half of that figure for the Sunday, due to the local guys having had their fill on the Saturday.

Back of Wrecker can be a funny slope! It can be smooth or turbulent. On this day it began smooth but as the wind picked up to about 22 mph, the air became a bit thermic and lumpy, so not the best of conditions. But the guys made the most of the conditions we had, and I think most had an enjoyable day.

Phil Cook flew his FMS micro Alpha Jet, and I was amazed that something so small and light would fair so well in a 20 mph wind.

And this was Andy Meade's Vulcan bomber complete with Blue Steel missile

For your info, both videos were shot on my iPhone 6 and edited on the slope using the GoPro Quik app.

Bwlchfest 2017

Hi all

Well Bwlchfest is almost upon us, and I am just hoping that I have thought about everything that I need to, to make it all run smoothly. Although this is a Fly For Fun event, not a competition, so it is basically a, turn up, fly, chat with like minded people, and have fun kind of day.

I know Robin has the T shirts and caps that were ordered, and he is due to arrive in Gods playground on Saturday with his Austrian friends. I am hoping to meet up with them either on Monday evening after work or, on Wednesday after work at the Bwlch.

On Thursday the 8th I will be glued to the weather forecast and posting on here which of the seven slopes we are likely to be flying, so please keep coming back to check for updates.

I am hoping to have the forestry gate key for access to Mickey's, (the south west and westerly slopes) but that isn't guaranteed at the moment. Fingers crossed eh. However, the problem with having the key is that the gate MUST be locked at all times, and so that means that if you arrive after we have proceeded to Mickey's, or need to leave early, then you will have to take the 15 ish minute walk up there. Do you know I've never actually timed how long it takes to walk up there.

So if you are unsure of which each of the slopes is, and what wind direction they are, then please look at the Flying Sites page on this blog, that way, you will know where we are on the day.

When I was at the Bwlch last weekend, I was chatting to the guy who runs the snack van up there, grabbing a bacon butty and a cuppa whilst waiting for the weather to clear, and he said to me, "oh, you're one of these guys that flies the model gliders eh"? " Do you know there's a big do on here next month, Bwlchfest I think it's called"? Word gets around eh.

So if you are unsure where to go, ask the guy in the snack van and I'll leave details with him, I'm sure if you buy a butty and a coffee he will tell you all you need to know.

More PSS meeting stuff

Just to allow a little competitiveness to this weekends event, there will be prizes for;

• best flown prop model
• best flown jet model
• model of the event

The prizes will be given on Sunday but pilots votes can consider models flown either/both days.

We will probably hold a bomb dropping competition also, which could be held on both days but we will make a decision at the time based upon safety due to the close proximity of the F3F competitors. And no, you are not allowed to drop your bombs on them.

The forecast at the moment is showing a SW wind on Saturday, which is perfect for us and having Mickeys all to ourselves.

On Sunday the wind changes to a southerly, so a move to Back of Wrecker is on the cards and we will car park in the Wrecker lay-by. The F3F guys will take the lower section of the slope to the left whilst we have the higher section to the right, and they will park at the side of the road which divides Back of Wrecker and the VR98. There will be plenty of room between the two groups so there is no need to worry, but please be vigilant to be on the safe side.

This will work well for us, however, the lower left hand section can suffer from rotor, so some F3F competitors may walk up to our position to land on the brow of the hill, so just keep your eyes open when planning your landings.

One last thing, one F3F competitor is flying on ch72 35Mhz, so please keep channels 71, 72 & 73 clear, just to be on the safe side.

Wrecker car parking

PSSA Fly for Fun Weekend 20th - 21st May

I'm collecting the Mickeys gate key tomorrow evening, so I will probably be at the Bwlch on Friday at around 5:30 ish for anyone who wants to fly and doesn't want to walk up the hill, and I will be there for maybe a couple of hours.

On Saturday morning I will unlock the gate at 10 AM to let the procession of vehicles through, but then I have to lock the gate behind us, so I'm afraid that anyone arriving after this time, or needs to leave early, before the masses do, will need to walk.

On Sunday we do have to slope share with a F3F comp, however this could yet be cancelled, I will know more on Friday evening. This is not ideal I know.

The current forecast for Sunday is for a SSW wind, which makes it "off face" on the main Mickeys slope, however I need to check but I do seem to remember flying the same ridge at a spot before the cattle grid and dew pond, which I think would put us square onto the wind, and far enough away from the F3F boys so that there would be no interference.

If this is not the case, then I have made arrangements to use the Eglwsilan Model Flying Club field for car parking, (thanks to Andy Watts for this), and we can fly the SW slope of Meio Common, which is only about a 10 minute drive from Pontypridd. It's only a short walk from the field to the slope, and the slope generates good lift, little turbulence usually, and a good LZ. All the locals love this slope.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Happy flying

Steve

SWSA Meeting

This is just to say that a successful meeting was held on Friday 12th May and that a new committee was formed to kick start life back into the old South Wales Soaring Association.

The club is already BMFA affiliated but I shall be contacting the BMFA in due course to update our details, and we shall also be using the BMFA to host our new web site.

There are exciting times ahead.

Steve

Weekend Flying Forecast 13th/14th May

Hi guys

Event wise I don't think there's anything happening this weekend, except for the SWSA meeting this evening, and I hope to see a lot of you there.

Next weekend, 20th/21st sees the PSSA Fly for Fun meet at the Bwlch, so please come along, even if you don't have a PSS model to fly, and pray for some good weather eh.

So here we go with the forecast.

Saturday - A bright day with a SSW - SW wind of 10 - 12 mph.

Sunday - Sunny intervals with possible rain showers and a SW wind of 12 - 14 mph.

Your slope choices will be Mickeys or Meio. I will be flying on Saturday, and most likely fly on Mickeys as there will be more wind up there than on Meio.

Have a great weekend all. Happy flying.

Steve.

SWSA Reminder

Hey guys, just a reminder that this Friday evening we have a meeting of the SWSA at the Rose & Crown, Eglwysilan, beginning promptly at 8 pm, so please arrive a little earlier to grab a drink and take your place in the conservatory at the back of the pub.

I look forward to seeing many of you there.

Steve