Nearly flying

On Monday my instructor and I made the trip to Dungiven just in time to watch the last of the mini wings call it a day. So we passed the time with other pilots on the hill while the wind whipped itself up into a frenzy, which eventually sent those hopeful of flying home.

The only upside was that I got to try out the cold weather gear I got for my birthday and Christmas. The verdict: I will ensure I have my gloves with me at all times and wear cycling shorts under my jeans in future.

I had high hopes for yesterday (Friday), but there wasn't even a breeze (a rare thing in these parts of late).

This morning the Met office low level wind charts said 20 knots at 1000 feet and 30 knots at 2000 feet so believing all is was lost I took my son to his Rugby practice. While watching the rugby I realised that the clouds were barely moving, certainly not flying along at 20-30 knots. I checked the wind turbine on the ridge behind where we were and it was barely turning.... So that was enough for me to call my instructor to test the waters.

I got the training site about an hour and a half later, having watched the instructor land as I drove up the main road approaching the site. We walked up the hill to set up and we stopped to watch another student (under a different instructor) take off and be bumped about by the less than smooth wind further up the slope. After watching this for a bit Bertie said that we should probably start my first flight from where we were on the hill much to my relief.

By the time I had got my wing out, performed my daily checks, plugged in radio and put on my new helmet, got in my new harness, adjusted the speed bar, faced the wing and got my controls in my hands it was all over.

The wind had picked up all of a sudden, it was a good bit too much for a student that hadn't flown in 4 months to risk. I certainly don't want to risk putting my self off this glorious sport, especially as I now have full basic kit (well the reserve chute is on order). Of course I made a few faces because I couldn't go off the hill in these winds when the instructor said it was all over but I knew it was for the best.

Two of the other pilots that had just finished for the day had seen what happened and had climbed up the slope to offer me words of consolation and encouragement. Nice chaps.

When leaving the site we stopped to chat with another instructor and student. The instructor had high hopes for the weather the following day, who knows.