peter_6095

I just worked out the answer as I wrote a PM to Simon ... I just cut off the one on the charger that they supplied with the unit and connect that to a cigarette lighter. I hardly ever use that charger anyway as I connect crocodile clips to the battery itself to charge up. Cancel request for info (unless anyone has a neater solution)!

Cigarette lighter option is genius - just what I need. I use the rolling CAA charts on my iphone but the battery runs down super quick. I am planning to do the USSR rally at the end of the month and so could do with a decent power option to take me through the weekend with little access to the mains. Question is - would it be possible to get a lead that connects from the three pin charging socket on a Parajet Volution (not the new one) to a cigarette ligher connection? That would be easier than connecting straight to the battery. Anyone done this before? Anyone know the name of that socket so that I can search online? Peter

Is there one that would fit in a parajet? Would save a bit of weight! quote="irm750"]Thanks. I'm looking at importing these - http://www.shoraipower.com/ Best regards, Ian.

Here's a link to the details: http://www.bmaa.org/pwpcontrol.php?pwpID=2404

Anyone doing the USSR this year? Its at the end of the month and I'll be there! Fingers crossed for the weather...

Morgy - I've got the week off. Would be keen to fly down your way on Thursday or at the weekend, though looks a bit windy on the forecast. Followed your tips and caught my first thermal on Saturday, didn't last long though as it was a bit early in the day.

Yes it does! I had a great flight from Andover on Saturday morning - up to 1700ft wearing shorts, t shirt and no gloves. Doesn't seem like long ago I was flying in 5 layers including down jacket, with fingers freezing despite massive gloves. Caught my first thermal which was fun. Circled around with a huge bird of prey, who didn't seem to mind my presence. Didn't last long though - a bit early in the day - and I had to switch the engine back on. The bird carried on up another 500ft or so, I guess he had a little more experience at riding thermals... Great way to spend part of bank holiday weekend. Shame it looks a bit windy for the next few weeks.

Morgy / Steve, Looking forward to flying with you again soon - keen to start . Hopefully I'll get my engine back soon, it's going back to Parajet this week. Shame not to fly back with you guys on Friday, glad the problem with the engine happened while I was over Membury not half an hour later though...

I spoke to the Virgin Balloon guys last night at Barry's field (when I eventually got back there - many thanks Ian and Luke!). They said that the clients love seeing paramoters buzzing round them. Let's go balloon chasing!

I have used Barry's field and Basingstoke common. Both are good sites. Apparently there have been signs up at Basingstoke common before saying 'no flying' but I have not seen then in the last year.

Yes - there are lots of golf courses around there so well spotted - or did you check the metadata on the photo (stamped with GPS coords by my iPhone thanks to the kind people at Apple)? Here is the route I flew: http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=1004129 I caught up with the balloon again near Hankley Common (and...yes, I did check that the DZ was not active - as I guess the balloon did too). I never thought that I would say it but parts of Surrey are truly beautiful!

I had a few of these incidents before getting my current engine - good point, I would always go for the nice landing, not the convenient one, every time when the engine is out.

Had a great flight on Saturday from Barry's field. 79km round trip in 1hr56 mins. A personal record on both distance and flight time. Great weather - bring on the summer for some more decent x-country (without thick gloves and down jacket)! Saw this balloon on my trip.

Here's an example of how passionate he is about safety: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=5689

Anyone else get flying today? Did the Isle of White trip happen? Managed a 45k round trip from Barry's to the Top Gear track. Someone was rudely flying a heli around the runway so we couldn't get too close...!

Anyone flying on Sunday 20th in Surrey / South East? Weather looks pretty good and I have a free day - these two circumstances have not coincided for a while...! I was thinking of calling Barry and taking off from there unless there is another plan. Steve, Luke - you guys flying?

Send my regards to Fahad, he taught me with Ahmed (RiP) a couple of years ago. Good luck with the course!

Count me in! I fly around that area, usually take off from Basingstoke common but that's a take-off-and-fly-away-quickly site so no good for fly-in.

Doesn't answer your question at all but ... I tried my new microavionics headset today for first time with a mini DAB radio to listen to the tennis while flying. Great sound quality. Shame about the result though!

Got my first flight of the year today! The weather has been so bad on all the the days off I have so far this year I had to make the most of today. I took off from Basingstoke and flew up to Reading and back, with a bit of low flying on the way there. I was planning to go all the way to Henley but that will have to wait another day. The wind was pretty strong and I was only making 15 kph into it at times - I need to set up my speed bar. It started getting a bit too bumpy for my liking so I turned round at Reading. The wind was steady and strong for the landing which meant that it was a nice slow 5* touch down. An hour and 20 mins in total which makes up for not flying for the last few weeks!

Thinking of flying tomorrow as well - Basingstone common early in the morning, maybe up past Reading to Henley. Anyone else flying in the area?

I`m up for a fly on Thursday - forecast looking good at the moment but keeps changing!

Memory Map are a bit behind the times and don't produce a version for the Mac which is a real pain for people like me who had built up a collection of loads of maps for that programme on my PC. I have now managed to install Memory Map on my Mac without having to go through the hassle of putting a whole new (microsoft) OS in my Mac. I installed a programme called CrossOver Mac (http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxmac/) for £25 and this allows you to install any Windows application and then run it straight out of Finder, rather than through a new OS - no Windows licence required. I downloaded the most recent version of Memory-Map from their website for free, installed it and it now allows me to use all of my old Ordnance Survey / A-Z / CAA maps. I have heard that sometimes the older Ordnance Survey maps don't work on the new version, as they want you to buy the new editions, but mine work fine. Thought that I would pass this on as I have heard a lot of people complaining about not being able to do this without installing Windows on their Mac, which no one really wants to do.

Simon, I like the look of the orange Transporter! I am off work for the first week of January and would love to meet up at Membury for some flying if the weather is good.

Nice one Steve, you got me foot-dragging in the snow! Wish I'd had my camera on as well. A really fun afternoon!