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About this blog

My personal observations

Entries in this blog

19/06/2016 Blackheath

Still not a full summer’s day but the grass had been cut (again) so we were snag free. It was actually getting close to a traditional Blackheath Summer’s day in that there was a cycle of thermal activity which meant that every 10 or 15 minutes the wind peaked and then dropped away. We had a complete mix of sails, from full to full vented with a couple of mid vents in the middle with mostly race spars. Rowan joined us today after his self-inflicted exile for his final year at university. Next

Felix

Felix

12/06/2016 Not Blackheath

So we got in the car and went all the way to Blackheath with the rainfall gradually increasing all the way. A brief stop at the usual location and then we set off for home… I do not see much point in flying in the rain especially when there is a possibility of thundery conditions as was forecast today. I took delivery of a line equalizer on Friday as well as 150ft line sets for our Rev1/Zen project. Just need the extra long handles now to complete the line-up and I am wondering about profili

Felix

Felix

05/06/2016 Blackheath

Proper Summer like day today but with a light NE breeze occasionally above Diamond territory. Race uprights is a quick and very satisfactory fix in borderline conditions. After a trip out into the countryside yesterday it was good to see that the Blackheath verges are doing their best again. I didn’t spot the litter collecting feature until later as in the attached image. Specifics of team moves were under discussion today. A wing tip turn is ‘as stated’, a 180 pairs switch, kite ‘place’ to

Felix

Felix

29/05/2016 Blackheath

Another early(ish) start but the weather was not summer like at all. Vented 1.5 with race rods were occasionally overpowered in the chilly Northerly breeze under low cloud cover. We discussed handle holding today. I find that a horizontal grip helps with avoiding inadvertent input in long power pulls. This comes from ‘light’ wind situations but it is quite often useful even on days like today in the middle of some turns. It is also especially good for ground launches. http://www.vliegertak

Felix

Felix

22/05/2016 Blackheath

Better start time today. C10:30 on Blackheath. Diamonds in 1.5s mostly. I set up the Reflex for some comparison flying. The muscle memory that we have for flying the 1.5 sails is quite deeply ingrained so it is difficult to assess a sail with different characteristics. The larger sail does provide more ‘feedback’ down the lines without a doubt but the extension of the wind window requires some further learning. The kite feels ‘heavy’ but travels further, probably just as fast? We’ll have

Felix

Felix

15/05/2016 Blackheath

A bit of a late start today, almost made it to Blackheath by 11:30am but thwarted by heavy traffic on Cassland Road in Hackney. Not quite Diamond conditions today so full 1.5 sails with race rods. Some called moments and an occasional appreciative audience. This is the late spring/early summer week when everything is perfect except, maybe, the ambient temperature. We must firm up plans for Beverly and confirm arrangements for Portsmouth. Dieppe is all set apart from travel arrangements an

Felix

Felix

08/05/2016 Blackheath

Summer has arrived since we were last at Blackheath. A month makes an extraordinary difference! We were set to de-sand the kites after Cervia but there was little more than dust to shake away. We set aside some of the vented JMH sails that need attention to the mesh edges. C10mph from the east so we were on our own vented kites on race rods today. I set up a couple of line sets, one on the Reflex handles. Wind speed was a bit high for the kite but I did park it at the top of the window at

Felix

Felix

02/05/2016 After Cervia

The advanced party attended the event from the beginning. Those less fortunate mostly arrived on Wednesday 27th April ready for the final four days of the event. We were on the beach early every day and thoroughly enjoyed our flying and using the full selection of team kites. It was great to see the eight 1999 JMH sails together in the air again! Possibly a highlight were the two routines with six fliers using the Xtra Vents after which the comment was that we should make sure that we have e

Felix

Felix

24/04/2016 Olympic Park/QE Park

London Marathon Sunday so we used the alternative venue which is good for the Northerly breezes. The occasional sunny intervals were very welcome in the chilly breeze. Checking 100ft lines was really the agenda for today ahead of Cervia. By chance we ended up with an odd mix of 1.5 sails. I was on full vented with race, others on full sails with some diamond rods but green race verticals. I had about 1½ inches difference on the top lines so it was time well spent. The ‘late’ team will most

Felix

Felix

17/04/2016 After Berck

We arrived late on Wednesday evening. Thursday provided a light wind opportunity so I flew the Revolution Reflex along with other interested fliers. I was impressed by the very positive feel down the lines even when the kite was lifting almost vertically. I am familiar with hooking onto rising air with no real feedback. Others thought that the kite felt ‘heavy’ but I was impressed with its actual speed. I am looking forwards to racing the glide on a firm surface, as opposed to soft sand! W

Felix

Felix

10/04/2016 Blackheath

Soon after 10:30 again today for a final casual fly prior to the Berck/Cervia launch of our event season. Some final shuffling of kit was completed and the flight box is now prepared for Cervia as well. SE breeze again but colder and stronger than last week. Vented sails with race rods today. The circus has almost completely packed up so we were back on our usual field, just a bit muddy underfoot because of the car park. Discussion today was about very basic routines and our dependence on r

Felix

Felix

03/04/2016 Blackheath

10:30 start near enough and we were still on the East side of road because of the circus. The light SE breeze was coming ‘up the hill’ from the pond so mostly steady. Full sails and diamond rods for most of us. We were six up today having been joined by Tom Greenfield and Damon Meheux. Damon flew with the team from 1995 to 1997. Tom flew with the team from 1998 to 2008. They were both very comfortable on the line today. As conditions were reasonably dry we did do a pre-Berck/Cervia kit ch

Felix

Felix

27/03/2016 Blackheath

Late arrival as usual after the clock change and we sat out the approaching torrential shower. Once it had passed it looked like there was a half hour interval before the next one. We set up xtra vents with 4 wrap spars as the wind speed was about 18mph gusting upwards to 25mph or more. The following shower did not actually amount to much but the original system was obviously growing as it headed to the NE. We will be at Dieppe, five fliers so far, hoping for eight… Felix

Felix

Felix

20/03/2016 Blackheath

The Circus is now set to go… Winds from the NE again and similar speed to last week so we used the same configuration, full vented with race rods which were only occasionally underpowered. There was a curious moment when the cloud edge that we had seen approaching from the NE passed over and we were suddenly in full sunshine. It didn’t last long, the higher and lower clouds materialized and were soon only occasionally broken by a bright patch. Lots of free flying... We have an invitation

Felix

Felix

13/03/2016 Blackheath

A circus caravan had arrived on the main field before us this morning, hazard lights still flashing before the tractor unit disconnected. More vehicles arrived while we flew. NE c10mph or more so vented sails with race rods. Some called sequences today even if some of the fliers were not in their usual places in the line. I almost got around to running out a new set of lines but although there was some warmth in the sun the wind chill meant that flying rather than line maintenance was prefer

Felix

Felix

06/03/2016 Blackheath

The grass had been mown so the heath was striped. Just as well I didn’t drop a glove last Sunday, it would have been shredded… North Westerly 7-12mph so the mid vents got an airing. We’ve not got a team set but we usually fly personal kit at Blackheath so these sails with race rods were the right choice. Hoping to have news about Dieppe soon and we have a couple of small UK events to potentially add to the agenda. There was some real warmth in the sun today but we wrapped early as a sligh

Felix

Felix

28/02/2016 Blackheath

North Easterly today but mostly 10mph so standard vented with race rods/3 wrap just OK but occasionally overpowered in the c15mph gusts. A small shower was not sleet or snow soon after arriving. Glad to be in the right kit. The persistent high cloud cleared for a few minutes close to the end of our session and there was some warmth in the sun! No calls again but plenty of relaxed close flying. Some complex close routines are almost emerging through habit as with the drift of focus across th

Felix

Felix

21/02/2016 Blackheath

South Westerly today around 22mph and occasionally much more so Xtra Vents with 4 wrap. Overcast with occasional bright spots. Walking onto the field I picked up the glove that I dropped last Sunday as we were leaving. It was a bit wet! No calls today. I need to focus on Dieppe arrangements now and finalise the line-up for Exmouth. These events may seem a long way off but people need to know… Felix

Felix

Felix

14/02/2016 Blackheath

North Easterly today, mostly about 16mph so Xtra Vents with Race rods. There was occasional sunshine but with minimal warming effect. No calls today except towards the end of a spontaneous inverted pendulum which slightly spoiled the moment. Slow flying against the occasional bright sun looked good. Interested to see more about the new design from Revolution. We know a bit about slack line flying with the 1.5 and Diamond Rods… Flights are all booked for Cervia, eight fliers for the last f

Felix

Felix

07/02/2016 Blackheath

Brisk SW breeze mostly 18mph but often gusting considerably higher so Xtra Vents with 4 wrap frames today. Mostly cloudy with occasional breaks of sunshine which almost countered the considerable wind chill even though the temperature was almost in double figures centigrade… Some called moves today but also plenty of confident close free flying. Someone just has to write the figures but it might be better to try and describe the ‘rules of engagement’. It would be a bit like flying fighter ki

Felix

Felix

31/01/2016

A no fly day. The rain might have stopped at midday but at that point I had set about unscrambling a ‘password’ issue and could not let that go until I had resolved it. Ironically it was all about the number of characters allowed… We are almost set for Cervia and Berck is shaping up subject to the team confirming individually. I still do not have details of the new kite from Revolution. It will be interesting to see how the bridle works! Felix

Felix

Felix

24/01/2016 Blackheath

A later start today c11:30 and completely different temperature wise, well into double figures. Wind was from the South and mostly 10mph+ so vented sails with race rods again. Quite a lot of called flying today but only in a leisurely sense, no way ‘practice’; just for the simple enjoyment… We should be able to firm up on plans for Berck and Cervia in the next few days. Portsmouth and Exmouth are straightforward and Dieppe is a distinct possibility this time. Felix

Felix

Felix

17/01/2016 Blackheath

There was evidence of overnight snow in Hackney and on arrival on Blackheath there was a melting residue which had all but disappeared by Midday. High clouds thinned at times to let a bit of sun through; just enough to see shadows on the ground. Wind was from the SE and much lighter than forecast, c1-3 mph so diamonds in full 1.5 sails. Nothing called today but early on there was some close smooth following searching for the wind window. Always a treat in light winds… Felix

Felix

Felix

10/01/2016 Blackheath

There was an extensive potentially thundery cloud system looming to the south as I set off from Hackney this morning. Even in the time that it took to reach Blackheath it became clear that this system was tracking quite quickly to the SE even though the local wind direction was from the SW. 10-20mph so full vented with race rods felt very comfortable. Once the sun appeared from behind the high cloud there was almost a balance between wind chill and a slight warming effect, but definitely full

Felix

Felix

01/01/2016 Blackheath

The forecast looked better for today than Sunday 3rd so we made an appropriately late start under thickening high cloud. A flier was close to our usual pitch on the heath with some two line kites and also a couple of Revolution sails. It was Damon Meheux making an occasional visit. He was in the process of packing up so we exchanged seasonal greetings before setting up. The breeze was from the SE and initially we thought it was going to be a full sail day but even as we wound out the lines i

Felix

Felix

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