Resident Rain
Rain the last couple of days, but having said that. Emile managed to squeeze three early morning flights in yesterday before the deluge arrived. Dennis worked with him first thing then I took over for the last one before the rain became redsident. Emile has been full on for over a week and really could do with a rest, a day or two to let it sink in, and recharge the batteries.
It’s been a good run of weather which is set to improve again tomorrow. Have sorted out this speed bar so should be plain flying again now.
A Much Needed Domestic Forecast!
As expected and correctly forecast… no good weather for flying. Domestic panic ensued with vigour, considering we haven’t had much time to keep the place ‘guest friendly!!!
Early Day(s), for Balloons and New Pilots
Flyable this morning although it wasn’t to last all day. There were a couple of balloons out early flying over the house. We manged to fly our beginner Emile, four times including some tasks which included most of his turns, big ears, big ears and bar etc. etc. a very productive morning’s flying for him, and an evening EP pass.
Balloons, floating above the house this morning.
Whilst up on launch, it started to rain so we held down until it passed through managing to get a last flight in before the sky was looking just that bit too ominous. After Emile and Ron, our other guest launched, I managed to squeeze in a couple of sweet flights completely electronic free.
When I can’t fly, fly. It’s nice to simply fly… that may be it for a couple of days, well maybe tomorrow anyway?!
Good Day for Guests
Pierre-Marie and Boom 7
Work flying today…
Busy day for the Para-worker bees. Lots of tandems and busy schools. We were working with tuition with a one to one client and a couple of pilots needing some work on ‘weaknesses’. It was a good productive day.
Good to be productive but a little restrictive for personal flying… c’est la vie…?
Pierre-Marie was flying again today thermaling with a Boom 7. Conditions were somewhat challenging, with a high white sky dampening the action. Good day for our clients though.
Another Flyable Day!
Another flyable day here in the Alps! I did a bit of flying today with our guests. It was stable again, and completely blue for most of the day… later on clouds were forming but were shredded as there was a bit of a bizarre relatively strong South Westerley tearing them apart as soon as they formed.
Pierre-Marie waiting to Launch
Everyone had some good flying but not the best xc conditions. I flew the Mantra first then had another fun fly on the Alpha. I have to say, as much as I enjoy flying the Mantra, it is not so much a “fun” glider as it is an xc machine, whereas with the Alpha the emphasis is certainly on ‘fun’ and when the conditions aren’t the best, it’s great just to throw it around a bit and enjoy the solid form of a DHV1 – EN A certification. It’s easy to forget the fun side of things when the serious side of flying dominates the thinking!
Dennis, Tandem and Sock On!
After my couple of flights Dennis flew his Mantra, although the conditions were ‘a bit strange’ still not really any problem in climbing today! Chamonix was again considered this morning but the traffic was almost at a standstill queues stretching back as far as Le Fayet almost like the M25! We enjoyed flying over the traffic on the main Chamonix flyover, happy with our choice to stay local.
Pierre-Marie, flew today, she flies with her wheelchair, and is a very good pilot. Dennis and Pierre-Marie were thermalling together for a while. Another good day all in all, although having said that there were some tell tale cirrus moving in from the South West, so maybe a change is on the way, it certainly felt like it.
Pierre-Marie and Dennis sharing a Thermal
Apologies for the photo quality still using the mobile! all pics are clickable for larger image.
ok day…
Quite grey and cloudy this morning which wasn’t forecast?! A slight shower came and went early on, and it turned out flyable. I was restricted to chalet work with a changeover whilst Dennis did the fly guiding.
It turned out ok all in all. Everyone had some good flying although the unforecast West Wind, made an unexpected appearance stopping play for a while, but it was short lived, and it evolved into a most pleasant evenings flying.
No they’re not night time pictures! Just the mobile phone quality. If you decide to ‘click’ on the pictures observe the cloudstreet leading across from the Aravis!!
Nice Couple of Days
The last couple of days have been good flying. Yesterday, was a bit more lively than today as more stability set in, both days have been good. We stayed local, as yesterday the upper winds were a bit strong and today being Saturday and the main holiday weeks the traffic to Chamonix would have been another bumper to bumper experience not to mention the lift queues so we plumbed for staying local and getting more flying and less queing in. Incidentally, whilst flying we did see the traffic and it was as expected.
Alex, one of our other guests went to Les Grands Montets to fly, and after some effort with travel and cable cars he eventually took off, and only managed a top to bottom. Apparently not one pilot managed a climb out at all.
Lovely day for us at Plaine Joux though, really pleasant thermals nice climbs and pleasant gentle air. I flew the fun Alpha first thing, and was flying towards Passy, where a Niviuk Arctic was a little way ahead… then suddenly the glider had one heckuva blowout! ending in a complete stall, but a thankful full recovery, it was a bit low, and I have to say I was preparing to radio in a tree landing. Fortunately, alls well that ends well, and on landing I chatted to the pilot who said he hit a really strong thermal… he was fine with just a few momentary palpitations to contend with!
The rest of the day and evening was just sweet, I flew my Mantra and just enjoyed some pleasant evening flying. Dennis had a transfer to do so had to leave early, meanwhile Lawrence and me had a cool beer after a lovely early evening fly.
A number of pics of the last couple of days. Click on thumbnails for larger image.. (pictures taken with Dennis’ somewhat inferior camera, but still works ok, whilst my camera quest continues..)
Wet, Net & Washing..
It was “all change” the last couple of days, the good weather has departed and a ‘small’ (or so they say), cold front is just passing through. Wind, rain, thundery cloud and basically all round non-flyable weather is here.
Anyway, yesterday domestic life took over in the shape of a new washing machine as our’s had packed up! What, with the amount of laundry we have to do with bed linen and towels for guests it was just too much for the old machine to cope with, so it finally spun it’s last and gave up. We went machine hunting and came back with a new Whirlpool, very nice, a bit more robust, and one that can take the pace, and the load. It’s so big, it looks like a portal/wormhole to another universe, or worse still could eat us all alive! it’ll certainly devour the wash load for some years with relish!
Not much else to report other than the fact that I’m still in search of a new camera, so a rainy day trawling the inter’net’ looks possible, as well as doing some washing! Having said that, the sun seems to be pressing on the cloud just now, and it’s still only early…
