Slope landing at Dungiven.

I got a phone call from Bertie this afternoon asking "are you coming out?"

A few frantic phone calls to the missus and work to make sure I wasn't needed for a few hours and I was ready to go. We thought we would give Dungiven a try and see how it goes. While on the way there it looked like there was no wind at all. Another CP student rang Bertie en route to say he was heading down as well.

Waiting for the wind at Dungiven

Got to the site and there were other pilots about but no-one was flying due to lack of wind. Along with the usual horse play when there is no flying, a couple of pilots were gloating about being right out over the town earlier in the day

By the time I got set up, the other student had arrived and I had got my daily checks done the wind had picked up to just about soar-able levels almost directly onto the hill.
The other student went first and was bearly managing to soar and ended by just getting enough height for a slope landing.

I went up next, and the wind picked up a little for me, I managed to soar for a while, then the instructor got on the radio and got me to fly out from the hill to perform an asymmetric collapse. This is where you reach up and grab a A line on one side and pull it until the canopy collapses (or tucks). This is a bit scary because the glider begins turning towards the collapsed side as well as banking. When I performed this maneuver I didn’t need to wait until my instructor told me to let go of the line, I had automatically let go. The glider almost immediately recovered by re-inflating the collapsed part of the wing, and I quite impressively remembered that I am to keep my “hands up” (i.e. do not pull on the controls) and let the glider settle before pointing the paraglider where I want to go next, which was back at the hill for more soaring fun.

A bit more soaring later and Bertie asked me back to the hill for my first slope landing. Wow I can run fast if I have to. A slope landing is across wind and because of this the ground speed is much faster, however, I managed to land and collapse the canopy in an acceptable manner. Yes!!!

So now I can soar, top land, slope land (well I did it once, no reason to think I can’t do it again) and not soil my underwear when the canopy tucks and recovers..... next stop may well be the site I now want to fly the most.....Magilligan, back to where this all started.

Unfortunately the weather forecast isn’t looking good for the coming week (what is left of Hurricane Katia is on it’s way to Ireland, Scotland and Northern England.

On the way home Bertie pointed out that I got a mention in Skywings magazine (the BHPA member's monthly magazine) which was his doing:

More First Flights. Ian Fraser (that is me that is) recently gained his EP qualification in record time (for Northern Ireland) with First Flight Paragliding. Thanks are due to some co-operative weather, and encouragement from Ian's wife, reported to have said she has never seen him so enthusiastic about anything.

 So you heard it here first folks, an Englishman breaking Northern Ireland records. I do suspect that if this is really a record it wont be long before it is broken.

Another milestone, top landings

Took a trip to Dungiven today, there were already paragliders flying when we got there. I was intrigued to see a hang glider sat out on the hill. I am interested to see one flying to understand how they move and behave in the air, and to see just how much faster they are than paragliders. Also I am aware that I will likely have to share the sky with one at some point in the future. Unfortunately it sat unused on the hill until it was packed away.

We started out with some more ground handling. My instructor wanted me to try to get the wing to stay above my head for as long as possible without moving. I found this very difficult and I am not sure if it was because the wind was too weak or I wasn't able to process the feedback the wing gives me by pulling the harness. I would happily blame the lack of wind except my instructor had a go on the same kit I was using and was able to do it without a problem. Just when I started thinking I was getting the hang of it I would notice some head shaking and look up to see the wing over to one side or the other and not happily flying above my head where I thought it was .


After this the wind died down and most people packed up and went home, then it picked up a wee bit (pretty much perfect for me). We went through a flight plan that included trying for a top landing (landing on top of the hill you started from) and possibly slope landings if I got enough height. If I didn't get enough height then I would go for a trusty bottom landing in my thistle field. So off I set, wing above me and staying there ( it seems I can do it al-right if I am moving forward). Up I went and turned into wind, I got a 10 minute soaring flight with bags of height and with radio assistance top landed. Unfortunately lost control of the wing after touch down where I tripped and fell for the first time in ages but got back up quick before anyone noticed.


I gathered up the glider and walked 100 or so meters back to the take off aera. The next flight plan included Big Ears. This is where you reach up and grab the lines that attach to the outside front parts of the wing and pull down until you fold the wing tips in. It is used to reduce height (or to slow ascent in lift) it works because a smaller part of the wing is now flying and therefore generating less lift. We only planned to do this if I had plenty of height. So again up I went, got another flight of 15 minutes, successfully tried Big Ears, I tried for a slope landing, but aborted about 20 feet up as it looked to me like I was running out of field before a fence, headed out off the cliff again, and got a load of lift which put me back where I started. I landed with a perfect (well it felt like it) top landing and controlled canopy collapse.



Signed off on Big Ears task for CP rating, and put down two of my four required top landings.
Top landings are great because with any luck it means I will be doing less of the knackering hill climbing back up to take off you need to do on some sites so I grinned like a maniac all the way home.

When to not fly

We were out training at Big Collin Mountain again today. There were a few other (qualified) pilots there and it is always nice to see other people about when training. I have mentioned previously what a pleasant and approachable bunch they are. There is also plenty of friendly banter (or craic) and often encouragement.

I managed a flight from the top with an accurate landing next to the wind sock. Climbed back up the hill for another go, but by the time I got my breath back the conditions had become too gusty. This is an important lesson right here. Even if you have climbed to the top of the hill and put significant effort doing it, you should only fly when the conditions are suitable. I unfortunately had to pack away my wing, even though I was raring to go for another flight (second flight of the day always seems more exciting than the first to me because the first seems to clear the cobwebs from your mind). Even though other pilots were still flying, you have to remember that they have been doing it longer than you. I comfort myself in the confidence I have built up from the ever increasing height and distance that my flights have given me. It would be a shame to rock that confidence prematurely with what my instructor calls a "roller-coaster ride." Besides anything else, if an instructor with 20 years paragliding experience behind him says it is too gusty for you, then it is "TOO GUSTY FOR YOU."

This reminds me of some wise advice:

It is better to be down here wishing you were up there than up there wishing you were down here.

Although I only got one flight in, I hand made enough (including previous outings) spot landings to sign that off as a task on my way to my club pilot qualification. I also got reverse launches signed off.