norman

Simon, Open Google Earth then double click on the track file. The track then loads on the Google earth screen and you are taken to it. Having done that, alter the perspective on the view and look at the track sideways. Very revealing...

Thanks Martin, checked out the slant view and yes, it i amazing. The entire track is visible in 3D. Just think, if two of you were flying together you could take both tracks and bring them up together to see how your tracks and altitudes relate and virtually reproduce the flight in 3D. Clever stuff. Google Earth is a free Download.

.... I could bring my Tennis Ball Mortar along. It does frighten the bar staff and break windows though if not used with care.

Bought the Garmin 60CSx last month. I think it is a great device and swapping tracks up and down between the device and the Mac/PC is a cinch. Anyone here routinely look at their tracks on Google Earth? It is simplicity itself and if you have not seen it, it has the power to impress. + Download this sample track (my second flight on Sunday last) to your desktop. + Get Google earth up and running. + Double click on the track on your desktop and watch what happens. I'm still new to it but you can display all sorts of info from the track including altitude I believe.

Martin, Naaaa, not yet. I'm stuck in my room in Madras at the moment with a vile cold contemplating the house move that we are about to make. We have just had an offer accepted on a house and sold ours for a very good price. So I suppose I am both elated and deflated at the same time. Work that one out... The new place is just inside the Yeovilton ATZ (2.85 miles from the airfield). Come 2012 we will have the new F35 or whatever it's called buzzin' around our rooftops. That at least should drown the noise from my hydrogen powered, ultra lightweight ducted fan paramotor. Toodle pip,

"Just use the Force Slim." "We have nothing to fear but fear itself." "You ain't lived until you've peeked at a pile o' pickled practice propellors from Pataya." "Chaaaaan.... son.... da-moorrr, rat, tatat, tatat; pick~up 'da bits...."

Slim, Pegasus1 It's easy! Just make a small mountain out of my busted props and launch down the hill!

Hi Chris, Do you do Visa? Yes, not too badly but just a little distorted this time, not Royally Dinged. It will almost go back together but not quite.... if you know what I mean. I think I need to get it to you with the motor so that we can offer it all up together. I have your numbers - mobile and workshop and will give you a call later. 'Hope you had a good time in Italy - busy by all accounts. TTFN

Simon, Please count me in for the party!

Hey Warwick, How about some pictures of your part of the GAFA. I will see if I can find you on Google Earth. Quite a lot of people fly alone in this game it seems. A poll in the US put it at around 51% of their pilots tend to fly by themselves. Interesting.... Anywhere close mate? How about a Lat/Long?

Hi Ian, Thanks, yep' I had my phone in my left pocket but I think I have found the problem, I have extended the 'U' connection that drop from the arms into the harness by adding two mallions (one to each side - Parajet approved) - one of them was sitting on its side in the webbing so shortening itself. That and the corduroy trousers stuffed me I think. 'San fairyanne' as they say. I am looking at replacement prop options now and I think the cage will need to go back to the talented Chris for a little attention. It is just a little distorted, not mashed though a small section might need looking at where the prop dinged it. It's irritating and embarrassing to 'stumph' in like that but what the heck, I'm old and ugly enuf not to bother too much about it. If its good enuf' for the others.... I just love it - it's scary enough to be exhilarating but safe enough to enjoy. I hope all's well with you Ian, looking to be doing a bit of trip swapping in Feb I understand?

Thanks Dan, I tried weight shift with the trimmers out but have some way to go with it. I have a tip steering kit but it's not fitted yet; another suggestion was just to grab the tip lines and use them in the interim. Either way it is a little academic as I will be sending my 'ornaments' off somewhere to get them fixed so that I can use them again. That or new jobbies.... Glad to see you made a great day of it, sorry I didn't hang around long enough to shoot the breeze but I needed to get back to win some points. See you later in the month with luck. All the best, Norman

Pegasus1 slips the 'surly bonds'. Well almost - just that last umbilical to snip and we have an 'Aviatrix beneath a Cloud of Silk.' (Ripstop Nylon doesn't sound quite the same, does it?)

Careful Dan, you never know when the hit team will strike! Great pictures by the way!

Modeling for the Winter line we have Mike showing the 'OZEE', Simon the 'GIN' and Colin 'the BIKER' The GIN available now and Haute Couture this season. Training blog for Sunday morning, 30th September Pundits in magazines talk about 'launch psychology' and in the run-up to this launch I kinda' know what they are talking about. Fall over once and bust your cage and prop, and everyone laughs - spares suppliers rub their hands. Do it twice and you seriously wonder how the third will turn out. `Plus, the imaginary crowd in the goofers (verse three gives a clue) grows to watch the next spectacle. You turn from tyro to tragi-comedian in your own mind, if not the conscious of those above. There is no doubt about it, standing there with your back to the wind burdened with your motor humming sweetly on your back prior to launch can be a tense and introspective moment. Will this be another failure; will this launch represent your last opportunity to run your tongue across your own teeth? Smile we might, but thoughts like these do surface while we hang dutifully on to a pile of ’string’ and ripstop nylon for grim death; it is character forming. The only ray of sunshine might come from the reassuring thumbs up from your instructor. No option, you are here now - best get on with it. Launch! So its lean back, a gentle heave and the ‘A’s for the first surge of hope. The wing soars above straight and true then stabilizes. Crab sideways a shade to get under the centre of the wing, correct minor deviations with the brakes, TURN and start moving. A quick glance up to check that all is still well with ‘Mr Revo’ and smoothly hit full power - a roar and a surge of thrust from ‘Gilo’s monster’ and we are cantering forward. Accelerating the pace whilst keeping the hands up - a glance at the windsock confirms your dash is still into wind. Don’t lean forward - two more good strides, given the stiff breeze all seems well so symmetrically and smoothly pull a handful of brake on both sides and WE ARE OFF! Clear of the ground - sucked up towards the heavens! Ease off on the brakes, accelerate and then re-establish the climb with a squeeze of brake again. Dangling in a somewhat unseemly manner but climbing like mad and AIRBORNE! What a bloody relief. The next task was to get back into the seat, keep the climb going and turn back overhead to allow Simon to get airborne and join up as per the briefing for a trolley across to the Membury Mast. First problem - couldn’t get right back into the seat. This was a disappointment as my hang check at home and modifications to the harness had worked fine at the full dress rehearsal. I never did make it back into the seat in the 45 minutes that I was airborne but I was determined to get to the Mast and back and enjoy the ride. In the end I reckon the corduroy trousers that I wore created too much friction to allow me to slide back into the seat. I tried very hard to do so I can assure you, as it didn’t take long for the posture to become very uncomfortable. Slipped the trimmers to cruise and off we went when Simon finally made it off the deck. After around 15 minutes I realised what people had been waffling on about when they said the brakes are really heavy on the Revolution when the trimmers are out. My arms were (and still are) killing me - if you have the kit, install your tip steering, you need it. Just short of the mast I realised that I had been at almost full power for quite a while and fuel may start to be a factor. I turned and returned to our Lambourn Field, rejoined the circuit and slipped gracefully down the final approach to land. I flared a little high, slowed down and eventually made it into a crumpled heap to complete my second landing. Successful I have to say, as by definition, any landing that you can walk away from qualifies as such. My legs gave way as there wasn’t much blood left in them - tosspot! I should really have had a good 20 minutes and landed back again. I just wanted a good chunk of air time beneath my boots. Oh yes, I also bust my prop…. a little (well a lot really) and the cage needs just a small amount of attention with a hide faced hammer. [You were right Chris, it was best that we left painting it till a little later.] YAHOO! What a great sport!

Could get CAA approval to flour bomb a clown (I volunteer to be the clown) - drop sweeties; trailing smoke shouldn't require permission. We could plant orange smoke on the ground and even (after informing local police/coastguard) fire mini flares from ground and air. Getting adventurous now....

...Trying for Sunday!

Pegasus1, You might talk to these people. http://www.aerosuperbatics.com/ They are based at Rendcomb airfield in Gloucestershire and are the experts in the field having given displays all over the place for years with their Stearmans. As for 'too tall', possibly.... email their Operations Director - biplane@aerosuperbatics.com Good Luck!

Friday midday. I will be there in the morning as will Simon. A bit windy as the day moves on but morning and evening look reasonable.

Friday midday.

Note to close and info for others. Simon has managed to squeeze a quart into a pint pot and got my (200kg) reserve into the Sup Air container. Now I can gaze lovingly at my toys as I carve a large shape in the sky.... one day. Thanks Simon!

Martin, Viewed from a variety of perspectives - you are absolutely right. Mine above was purely of the comedic variety.... from start to finish.

Dan, LOL .... Yes, I know what I did wrong - I woke up that morning!

Up to Lambourn yesterday and a stunning day unfolded. Too much wind early on unfortunately left Simon and I occasionally wandering into the middle of the field with our 'wussy' wind-speed meters to see if our wishful thinking had calmed the wind. Well, nothing worked until the end of the day when conditions became ideal with a fair breeze still running. Kitted up Simon and I prepared to fly, the brief was that I would get airborne first then he would follow. We would then tool around the local area with me exploring the wing's handling with trimmers out and good stuff like that. I got ready, clipped in and started up. My launch went well until to the point where I should have pulled brake to lift clear of the deck. I goofed it up by being determined not to pull brake right up to and beyond that point. The wing lifted raising me just clear of the ground, we settled back with me in the seat prematurely. Classic bungle, a stone was thrown up as my tank scraped the earth and struck the prop. I abandoned the launch and shut the motor down immediately arriving back on terra firma in a heap. Simon launched when he saw I was OK and had a run around the local area to get his eye back in after his break. What can I say? My brain was full and I missed the 'rotate' call. I won't next time.... After some though it is clear to me that if the launch had continued I may have had problems. The 'ding' started a split down the seam of the affected blade. Had that allowed air into the crack in volume that blade may well have disintegrated. The damage grounded my machine but had it not, I would have made it into the air on the second attempt having learnt yet more of the science of the launch process. All in all no harm done really. Simon is very kindly going to repair the blade - no other damage was done; the cage is in the same superb condition that it was when Chris completed his repairs. I will return to the field in about a week and a bit to try again. Stick at it bruvvers, it is worth it in the end!

Thanks Simon. Noted.