Great group at Bills yesterday. Some fabulous flights by many pilots paragliders/hang gliders. Stellar weather. Launch site much improved due to the efforts of many clippers, weed wackers, chain saws....etc.
Many thanks to Matthew and Sparky for observing.
Jim Hodges[/u]
Bills Hill Gala
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
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Jim Hodges
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2005 8:44 pm
- Location: Neersville (Purcellville, Hillsboro) VA
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pink_albatross
- Posts: 599
- Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2005 12:20 pm
- Location: Ellis from Arlington
Thanks so much to everybody who showed up and helped clear the launch. Unfortunately I could not be there due to knee surgery and bed rest. Wish I could have hacked some stuff instead of being laid up. I hope all of you who hacked and slashed away at the slot were rewarded with some awesome flights!
-- ellis
-- ellis
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hepcat1989
- Posts: 684
- Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 11:15 pm
Bills Hill recap
Due to family committments, I couldn't get to the hill before 3pm. By the time I arrived, the slot-cleaning work had been completed and a line was forming at launch. Winds became lighter and the line moved slowly.
After observing Shawn Ray and Rich Bloomfield and assisting student PG pilot Andy Harrah with his first mountain launch, I laid out my wing and waited next to MarkC through several light cycles and aborted inflation attempts.
Shortly after Mark prepared to launch, I decided to kite my paraglider and prepare to launch behind him ... bad decision ... The wind boosted a bit and I was picked up off my feet and launched involuntarily, spooking both me, Mark and his crew. Since I was climbing, I continued to work the lift in front of the slot, gradually climbing high enough to try my first top landing.
I kited the wing forward towards the edge, relaunching for a brief extended flight, landed below and caught a ride back up with Joe and Dan. Joe showed us the new route around the N end of the ridge. This route has much less gravel road.
When we returned to the top, conditions had improved considerably and PG pilots Juan and Tom were easily maintaining 500' over. I helped Andy on his second luanch, then quickly worked to join Juan and Tom. I was able to get almost as high, flying for about 20 minutes until I began to lose altitude. I top-landed and was soon joined by Tom and Juan.
Andy returned to the top and made his third mountain launch.
I waited for awhile and observed Jim, Shawn and Rich on their second flights, then inflated my wing and made my fourth and final flight into the now smooth and bouyant, but-not-quite-soarable, evening air.
All in all, it was a good day for the twos, and great conditions for the PG crowd. It was cool to watch the various top-landing techniques, including Juan's downwind landing in the slot just below launch. I don't think I will ever try that one
Congratulations to Andy Harrah (prospective new P2) and Chris on their first mountain flights.
Major apologies to Mark Cavenaugh for 'bogarting' his launch window.
'Spark
After observing Shawn Ray and Rich Bloomfield and assisting student PG pilot Andy Harrah with his first mountain launch, I laid out my wing and waited next to MarkC through several light cycles and aborted inflation attempts.
Shortly after Mark prepared to launch, I decided to kite my paraglider and prepare to launch behind him ... bad decision ... The wind boosted a bit and I was picked up off my feet and launched involuntarily, spooking both me, Mark and his crew. Since I was climbing, I continued to work the lift in front of the slot, gradually climbing high enough to try my first top landing.
I kited the wing forward towards the edge, relaunching for a brief extended flight, landed below and caught a ride back up with Joe and Dan. Joe showed us the new route around the N end of the ridge. This route has much less gravel road.
When we returned to the top, conditions had improved considerably and PG pilots Juan and Tom were easily maintaining 500' over. I helped Andy on his second luanch, then quickly worked to join Juan and Tom. I was able to get almost as high, flying for about 20 minutes until I began to lose altitude. I top-landed and was soon joined by Tom and Juan.
Andy returned to the top and made his third mountain launch.
I waited for awhile and observed Jim, Shawn and Rich on their second flights, then inflated my wing and made my fourth and final flight into the now smooth and bouyant, but-not-quite-soarable, evening air.
All in all, it was a good day for the twos, and great conditions for the PG crowd. It was cool to watch the various top-landing techniques, including Juan's downwind landing in the slot just below launch. I don't think I will ever try that one
Congratulations to Andy Harrah (prospective new P2) and Chris on their first mountain flights.
Major apologies to Mark Cavenaugh for 'bogarting' his launch window.
'Spark
'Spark