Generating my own wind

Managed to sign off forward launches from my remaining CP tasks today.

It had been misty on and off all day with next to no wind. I got a phone call late in the afternoon from my instructor asking if I fancied going out and running really fast with a wing behind me. Being a glutton for punishment I leapt at the chance to push along my training a bit.

At 300 feet tall these can be quite scary up close.

When we arrived at Big Collin most of the wind turbines on the west side of the hill were in mist. As it was a westerly wind we drove past some of the intimidating machines and walked some of the way up the gently sloping west side of the hill. The plan was to practice (and hopefully sign off) my forward launches. This requires me to get the wing laid out facing into what little wind there was (really only a few mph at most) then strapping in, facing into wind with the controls and the 'A' risers in my hands and running as fast as I can while guiding the canopy into position above my head.

I have done forward launches before but only a few, all of which hadn't given me too much trouble. I am pleased to say I managed 5 perfect (my instructors words not mine) forward launches. Although this sort of training is not all that exciting as you hardly leave the ground (see video) it is all good practice and I quite enjoyed myself doing it. Time spent practising is never wasted.

Roll on the better weather to finish of my remaining CP tasks which are:

• 2 more Top landings
• 2 more Slope/crosswind landings
• Flying with others 
• Having a good attitude to flying

Of course I need to complete these tasks to the instructors satisfaction, hopefully all in the same day.

Last Monday I finally got to a point where my instructor (Bertie) was happy for me to sit my Club Pilot (Novice) exam. I am pleased to say I passed, unfortunately I didn't get the one hundred percent I wanted, 4 wrong out of 45 and of course those 4 were not any of the instant fail questions so not too terrible I suppose.

I still have several CP tasks to complete which Bertie says we can do in "one good day on the hill" (I'll try to get that in writing). These last item to sign off is the "final assessment" were your instructor agrees the student "right attitude to flying" (fortunately for me they don't seem to do any background checks to make sure you have a brain).

This weekend I attended a BHPA coaching course. It was interesting spending a whole day with BHPA members in a classroom and strangely it seems to validate in my mind the effort I have put in over the past months. It isn't that I don't believe what my instructor or other pilots on the hill tell me but sitting in a more formal environment seems to give things a more concrete feel in my mind and it also helps when you see that the BHPA is run in a professional manner.

Fortunately for all concerned, there is no chance of me becoming a club coach any time soon as a CP rating plus at least 10 hours flying logged before you can be approved as a club coach by the chief coach of your club.

Still being a new boy I just mostly listened and most of the conversations that I did have of course revolved around the weather and it seems most people think we are well overdue for some good weather because it has been so bad for so long.