From: "Abraham Meyer" To: Cc: Sent: Monday, February 09, 2004 1:09 PM Subject: [capeflight] Weekend Flying > Cycling into a 30km + wind at just after 6am on Saturday morning and then > getting 3 punctures, was not the way to start ones weekend - then making a > decision to go to Porterville or try and phone 5 or more pilots to see if > they think we might fly of the Head... > > Then just one call to a friend, and the discussion was to go and try for > some big distance as we have been doing some nice tasks the last couple of > flights... > > A late' is launch at 12:30, just when it seemed things started to kick in, > then same patients in the gully and 3-4ms to over 1000masl. But both my > flying partners where down and low, Bernie and Wendy, so i hang around in > some light stuff while watching Bernie get up and Wendy run down the ridge > and later just saw a couple of red gliders on the ridge and not sure where > she got to (send me you distance plse). > > With some nice "team work", Bernie gets higher than me and i go find the > lift.... > > A slow start with some long glides and then finding some broken lift, every > time until just before Eendekuil where things started to work with the most > dusty's i have seen from the air in a long time. Then it was two thermals to > Rhenosterhoek, getting higher and finding stronger climbs from about > 1100masl on up. > > Here Bernie made sure he would not get the same trashy air as we did last > weekend when crossing into the back of the Rhenoster, so he climbed to > 2154masl and said i looked like a spec, thanks to Rob M who stuffed a map > and radio into a visiting pilot's hands and said go here and find these two > (thanks Gary). > > On the other side just before Paleis-Heuwel was dusty turning at speed and > with the dust at about 500m above ground, that is where i want to go and > then.... couple turns later and some dust in the face was looking down at > Bernie from 2100masl then it was jam the bar look dust rising but only when > i was getting closer to 1000masl before that i reached 82kmh to the NW at > altitude (who said the SE was a low level wind) so that made the next 40km > go past real fast. > > Then i got low for about 10km or more just drifting in the now strong sea > breeze, just before GraafWater, Bernie cut the cake and flew from out the > sun from high so high i could not see him until the last couple of turns > then just, as he got to me i lost the thermal we both looked for it just > past town (tip when helping each other look for thermals this low, try and > stay with in glide i.e.. not to far down wind) > > Then 4.5ms and two turns later i was climbing again and Bernie got the bad > air and landed (Thanks Bud) normally i would land for a number of reasons > but i radioed him and told him i am so close to 100km i have to try, the > last couple of km's where flying cross wind trying to stay out the foot > hills and the 30kmh + sea breeze he warned me about, i landed a couple of > km's out side of town on a dirt road to no-where.. > > Some stats, top speed 82kmh, aver. 40.2kmh (calculated for total km's flown > by the gps, 129km) climbs 2-5.5ms and 21..maslmax altitude, (Bernie had much > stronger climbs as he cut the cake and followed the little rocky hills and > thus higher ground speed and altitude, think he got 6-7ms, 85kmh and almost > 2200masl and did 95km - well done and i'll be watching the comps the next > couple of months) and i did 103km.