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
Not many isobars on the map and the projected 4mph did not materialise in a consistent direction for more than a few minutes during the time we were on Blackheath today.
Mostly it was a shifting 1mph perceptible only as a directional cooling effect in the warming sunshine.
It was occasionally possible to get the Zen/CR1 to the top of the window and hang on the rising air but the cumulus effect only became fully evident later in the day.
I am looking forward to hearing reports from Spain next
The Olympic restrictions are over so it was off to Blackheath in the car with the full kit today; not that we used it all of course, just the opportunity to get spars and kites in the right places in the bags!
Full sails 1.5 with 3wrap/green race worked today with the occasional gusts highlighting the need for a little bit more sail tension on the vertical spars. The difference this makes is just so dramatic. <grins>
Free flying today was good with only the occasional touch. At some poin
Another light and variable wind day. No good for Berck training but we did put ATM 'in the middle' for some 3 kite repetitions. There is no point in giving a beginner the easy option.
Jade and I had earlier flown some 'treacle' moves in line and in parallel. I think that once fliers have grasped the concept, as Jade obviously has, there will be scope for interesting developments in team and mega-team flying.
At the end of play ATM had the misfortune to catch the leading edge of the staked k
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
I did not plan to venture out today as the forecast was quite clear that there would be no let-up in the rain all day. That proved to be the case.
My plan was to spend time on team matters for the 2017 events. Arrangements for Berck, Cervia, Saint-Honoré and Swift Current needed to be finalized, fliers and transport schedules arranged, communicated and booked.
As always this is a ‘stop – go’ process relying on everyone responding in a timely manner. The one good thing is that I,
Back to the home site today after four weekends away. The Olympic preparations are well under way here on Blackheath but no sign of those 'pointy' things today.
A typical early summer breeze accompanied by swifts today. Standard 1.5 sails with race rods were only slightly stressed as the thermal gusts blew through. There were a few moments when the breeze dropped away completely before or after 90 degree, or more, shifts in direction.
We did not quite match those moments to getting the team ki
The train from Lewisham to Blackheath was not due for another 25 minutes so we walked up the hill to the heath from Lewisham accompanied by unexpected light rainfall from high clouds.
Arriving on the heath we found from other fliers that what had been a good breeze for standard 1.5 sails (race rods) had faded some time before we arrived. A mix of CR1s and Zens were put up under the increasingly unusual cloud formations. It was not long before it was evident that the next approaching cloud would
The forecast weather duly arrived and so we were able to fly white kites in respect of the event in Japan on the 11th March last year. During my last long visit to Japan we travelled to Sendai in NE Japan and on to Matsushima and saw the islands that are the inspiration for the placed stones in the raked gravel gardens.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Sendai,+Miyagi+Prefecture,+Japan&hl=en&ll=38.365988,141.070998&spn=0.011222,0.015535&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=17.361197,3
The temporary footbridge over Shooters Hill Road (the A2) now spans onto the north edge of our usual field.
After heavy overnight rain conditions were blustery on the heath this morning. The 1.5 Xtra vents proved to be just right for some informal flying.
I set up the CR Rev1 again this week with additional brake settings and was very interested to find how viable it was in the relatively extreme conditions. Not something to set a novice loose on but an interesting pointer to situations where
Very wet underfoot this morning under a low almost featureless cloud ceiling except for a slight brightening to the south early on. 3mph Easterly breeze so full 1.5 sails with diamond rods were mostly smooth and precise even with a bit of movement required on the ground.
The wet lines did occasionally ‘lock up’ but that was mostly transitional and there were only a couple of accidental landings.
No calls today but a lot of close interactive flying. As ever the potential ‘figures’ were quite
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
I left the laptop at home for both events...
Cervia was great in the special way of that event. I certainly hope that we will be able to get back next year. The c160ft circular arena with a hard barrier perimeter was interesting and occasionally challenging.
Weymouth was very good as well, not least because of onshore breezes on Saturday and some of Sunday. On Monday we had the usual prevailing winds over Nothe Gardens and the town but the rain on Monday morning cleared by 11am followed by a g
Arrived on the heath today at 10:00am not having appreciated the likely effect of the tall ships event down at Greenwich. Our early arrival was in the hope of catching the lighter breezes not competing for the limited parking spaces.
1.5 sails with diamond rods felt great in the c2-5mph breeze which was present for most of the time, only really failing when the sun finally broke through the previously dense high grey cloud base some time after midday.
Today I set more appropriate leaders on t
High cloud and a light SW breeze to start today. Mostly 1.5 sails with diamond and race rods but I put up the standard Reflex as a reminder for the ‘feel’ of a larger sail.
Just a small bit of called flying today with some musical background. We should be on site as usual on the next two weekends and hope to have a new kite to test fly at some point!
The fast approaching slightly lower clouds partly prompted our departure today. It didn’t look particularly threatening but as soon as
Managed a 'soon after 10:00am arrival' to find Martin flying his Zen. Set up in line but as the sun came out there was a distinct change in the wind speed so we switched to full 1.5 with Race Rods for some!
We flew four and looked at the ways that a four block could be formed and the possibilities that follow from a 'different' order of fliers that we might have arrived at habitually. My suspicion is that a fundamental switching of focus to 'mirrored pairs' rather than 'a following line' will m
Probably 8 mph gusting 15 mph today from the South with the temperature about 10C, so fairly benign for February in London…
Mostly full vented 1.5s with race rods and the RSS with standard reflex spars. I am interested in the line settings for the RSS as it seems more sensitive to precise adjustment or maladjustment as the case may be with my current set. Time to get the ‘equaliser’ out really!
Another flier put the RSS kite on their own lines and seemed perfectly happy with the over
It was bright today with a brisk southerly breeze. Mostly sunny but with little warming effect.
Full vented 1.5s again with green race were beginning to feel a bit over powered by the end of the session which may be because of flier fatigue, cold getting through or an actual slight increase in the wind speed.
Free flying to start and then a long series of called moves for the benefit, in part, of an enthusiastic photographer. Also the white van driver who made a point of stopping and coming
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
Another pre-11:00am start today. The wind was from the south but variable in the summer Blackheath way with thermal effect moving through, from very light to ‘quite strong’ and 90 degree direction shifts within a short, c2 minute, interval.
Mostly full sails with diamond LE and race uprights. One flier left diamond uprights in and lost one in a gust at the usual fail point…
Rowan opted for the mid vent and was able to use his rapidly expanding light wind skills and the extended handl
Clock change weekend so an early start seemed appropriate given the forecast for gradually reducing wind speed.
3-5 mph translated to nothing really so it was a bit of a waiting game. Fly when you can and expect to respond to 90 or 180 degree shifts was the order of the day.
Jacob arrived around midday and we eventually put 4 wrap Rev 1s up. Caught a thermal under a Cumulus cloud at one point simultaneously with both kites on vertical lines. You have to be careful not to pull the kite ove
Hazy and grey today with a variable light SE breeze. With the temperature hitting 20 degrees C it was almost T shirt weather.
It certainly was a treat to fly the 1.5 full sails with Diamond Rods again today. The ‘two turn’ pull to the top of the window and the long, long downwind walk are just great.
We dropped in and out of formal team flying as conditions dictated today and saw some fluent close form free flying albeit with the occasional snagged line or stalled sail. Sometimes it is poss
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
Some good smooth wind today for 1.5s at Blackheath. Jacob coached some great 4 person repetitions (not practice, just piano scales) with Jade, ATM and I. Both of them, Jade and ATM, are getting the individual control but still learning the challenges of the team environment. There is only one position, for a team flier in the sky, which is the correct one... They were introduced to a number of the regular Decs routine elements.
Other news is that, in addition to Romney Johnstone re-joining t
Back on our usual pitch today and a ‘bright’ NE airflow so 1.5 full vented with green race frames.
Most of the kites (NB Xtra Vent Grey?) were back from Dieppe so were relocated in the main team bags. A lost pair of Rev Handles also came back from Dieppe. We’ll keep them safe for the ‘lucky’ owner!
Mostly ‘lazy’ flying today with discussion about events next year, particularly Berck, Cervia and Weymouth. They all overlap so it is a difficult call…
Felix
