zeke-zero

Hi Jock, sorry for the late reply - I was flying nearby Bransford Golf Club and the wind was 12mph NE to NNE. It went awol at around 420m agl so will have drifted with wind for a further 12 mins max - or it could have come down within 100m of takeoff! So the search area is huge and covers a plume going SW from WR6 5LE - max 2.5 miles. I've leafleted the neigbourhood and farms in the hope someone will stumble on it in a filed or tree. Unfortunetly it's got 2 cameras hanging from it worth £500 and the airframe is another grand so obviously keen to find! I flew twice last weekend on my paramotor but no sign in open fields from about 250ft up. Good news is that the Sky 100 is one of the nicest little engines I've flown - very smooth with loads of power for me. Hate the high hang point Fly Castellucio frame/harness though - it stinks compared with active low hangpoints - arms always above head and not much weightshift. Might be up this afternoon if wind stays down. Will have to meet up for some flying before winter sets in . Say hi to Stew from me. Simon

Guys, to cut a long story short I have lost a very expensive aerial filming drone and could do with some help searching from the air before the farmers come out to play in their tractors. If you're flying from Powick field in the next few days or the coming weekend I'd appreciate any help - the search area's within 1.5kms easy flying distance. A reward of couple of hundred pounds is offered or as much beer as you can carry in your car! If you're able to help please get in touch. (I'd do it myself but my Sky 100 is in bits and a rebuild is a week away at the earliest). Thanks, Simon Chandler 07775 998792

After seeing Jock's message about the grass cutting I decided to take the opportunity of a nil wind Sat evening to fly Powick. I'd rebuilt my motor after having a crack in the stainless frame welded up (Yarnolds nr Norton - great service). But as is the way of late, my aspirations to slip the surly bonds of Earth were confounded: The carb gasket had been put on back to front meaning no crankcase pressure pulse to the carb diaphragm which in turn meant no tick over.... Having identified this I promptly pulled the starter in anticipation of a good tick over and the cord snapped! F*** IT. So back home and back out in the morning. All was good this time - winds were light but thermals were passing through by 10am. Took off and got to 200ft where the winds were stronger so I applied speed bar and set out over the river towards Kempsey. Still on the bar I took the opportunity to return a wave from the boaters and immediately took a 60% collapse on the right which made my wave look somewhat stranger than normal from the ground . Luckily my time in Oludeniz a few weeks back paid off and it was over before I had time to think how nasty it could have been (mainly centred around a getting a cravat followed by a spiral into the fields). Mental note not to use speed bar on climb out, while waving. That made me more wary of how conditions were changing and by the time I got to Severn Stoke it was rough and squirrelly with no penetration at 700ft. I turned around and got back to the field in about 30 seconds switched off the motor at 800ft and noticed I was going backwards - not good. If all those books have taught me anything it's that windspeed usually reduces with altitude. Luckily it did and I made a very careful landing into the centre of the field to avoid rotor from the Powick Church hillock. It was one of those flights that teaches you not to take the piss...

Are you sure that's not some rice left from last nights chinese on the lens? Funny, I noticed how loud it sounded when it went over my house on Bath Road at about 3500ft? Sounded direct drive to me but maybe it was the weather/wind direction. I waited before it calmed down last night and took off from Kempsey at about 7:45pm. Flew out to Bredon hill top and then back over the fields to Defford - it was a beautiful evening with mist gathering in the gullies and low lying fields after the sun set. Managed to SAT my Action 27 for the first time and it did really well - it pulls massive wing overs and reversals as well - I think it has something to do with the pitch stability of the reflex profile meaning less outside brake is needed at the top of the wing over. It is now my favourite wing. I'm trying to get hold of an Ozone Viper 2 (24) on demo. I've tried the speed wing / motor combination (sparamotor) and it's just to limited for my liking - lots of speed yes - but max revs everywhere and no relaxation - a bit like a racing motorcycle. I'm hoping the Viper 2 will offer the speed, handling and pitch stability I'm after without being to power hungry (not much to ask - is it!) I went down to the field behind the Indian in Powick to have a look - it's like the Amazon basin down there. Didn't want to venture in as I'd forgotten my machette. What are the rules for the site - is it open? Thanks in advance, Simon Chandler

Hi Jock/Dan, I was up at malvern and I was the guy with the ppg in the car. I was flying with a tandem wing (it was yellow with a man and woman on board I think) We were top of the stack over near the wyche and the tandem dissapeared over the back at about 5pm? I was flying a red white and blue airwave mustang 2. Was that you Jock? Stayed up the hills until about 8pm and helped a someone with their Moyes CSX topless HG. He launched as the wind was dropping of but was scratching around in the late lift when I left.

Is anyone planning to go flying this weekend - the weather will be supreme in the mornings and evenings. Flew last night and it was SO smooth i could foot drag without brakes - (not that i did! ). Out until 21:30. SimoN C

It was me on my Blue Action. Not posted here before but have e-mailed Jock (is it Jock?) a few times. The weather did" look" pretty bad with big grey clouds all over the place and some over-development over Hereford way but the winds were light. I did get rained on over Hindlip Hall and debated landing but out ran it. I could see the clouds that were dumping rain from miles away but strangely it didn't feel to active when up. I took of from Pixham and flew down to the Croome monument near Upton then back up following the M5 to Droitwich. Then turned SW to Hindlip and back down M5 to Pixham. Swoop landed trims out - fark, thats fast in nil wind!!! Where do you guys fly from? Anyone doing the nationals? Simon Chandler PS I've got a Little Cloud Spiruline 18 speed wing on loan at the moment. I'm flying it with my motor. It's not for beginners- but anyone with over 25hours should manage it fine. Its very nippy. Turns (and dives) on a dime. Simon Chandler Pap 1400 (Raket engine) (Building Sky 100 liquid cooled replacement)