PatPux

Hi I am off to Cairanne in southern France in a couple of weeks time and I am going to take my kit.I know that as a visiting pilot I am ok but I am wanting to find out about the local airspace.Is there anywhere I can view the local aircharts without having to purchase one?I'm only there for a week so probably only get 1 or 2 flights in.Any help would be appreciated.

Blimey, Chris, you won't be flying on your doorstep, there! A bit to the North and you'll be alright

I would be a bit pi**ed off! but I would absolutely go ahead and do it to be able to keep flying.

I would worry that registration was the thin end of the wedge to further regulation.

I wouldn't like the cost, either the fee, if there was one, or the cost of having the number put on.

I can see the benefit in making mavericks inclined to break the rules, being made to think twice if they think they might be recognised.

Blimey! You'll need to power it with the paramotor too, because you're front wheels won't be touching the ground will they! Learnt to drive in one of them, you weren't cornering fast enough unless you were dragging the door handles on the Tarmac!

If you wanted to fly the North Coast of Cornwall, you could try Mother Ivey's on Trevose Head, Constantine Bay,.It's the one that I fly over in the video. but there are loads of others, eg Upper Harlyn, but worth leaving a week till the hoards have returned to school. There is lots to see around the Camel Estuary, just can't go further South than St Eval before straying into Newquay ATZ.

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Hi, Ricky, I'm just down the road from you in Sulham. There are a few others around here, too. Should meet for a drink sometime.

What`s the minimum distance you`d consider a flight to be worthy of being an XC?

Nearly all my flights are ~2 hours and ~55 miles consisting of out`n`backs or triangular routes.

Are they XC?

Well, if those aren't considered XC then my flights would never be considered! At my rate of fuel burn 6+lts/hr, I'd never get a 2hr flight time, unless flying an out downwind.

As a low hours pilot (25 flights) . I have flown from Membury to home (30miles) twice, and undertaken 3 or 4 triangular flights from Membury. Up to around 1hour flight time. No land outs and take offs , yet

In my mind I consider an XC as any flight where I plan a specific destination or series of waypoints. ( rather than a bimble around the sky with no specific intent) I use a Garmin 60csx backed up by a paper print from a mapping package I use RunwayHD

http://www.airboxaero.co.uk/runwayhd/4581846996 ,

for flight planning.

Flight 25 6/8/14

Up with the Moon

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... 5854994168

Managed a sneaky flight this evening just before dark. In the knowledge that its the stuff within 50ft of the ground that needs practice not the bimbling round between, I am trying to get as many Take Offs and Landings in as I can, whilst the good weather lasts.

Todays examples were a bit mediocre, I'm afraid.

There had been a good breeze all day but it was fading nicely by 8pm to 6 or 7mph.

So today was going to be the right way round - a bit of breeze to launch into reducing through the flight, rather than Sunday morning's episode of a sharply increasing one whilst I was aloft.

It took me 4 goes, even in reverse to get the wing to come up how I wanted and even on the fifth I got a bit of tank slapper on as I set off on the run, so I had to bin it.

I still havent quite got that inate sense of correcting any deviation of the wing in take off: I can feel the need for it and direction, but I obviuosly need to finesse my input as I seem to have a tendency to over correct.

The 6th attempt was fine, nice straight pull up and immediate go.

I had another pootle around the local area, always trying to vary my route out of the field to avoid pissing the same person off the whole time!

Obviously still OK with my mate David who lives up the road, because he took this great shot

I had to crab my way back against a breeze that hadnt reduced as much as I thought it would. 
My landing wasnt as good as I would have liked. Firstly I didnt compensate for the wind gradient, I positioned myself expecting my Esses , would see me coming down without making much way against the breeze only to find at lower altitude the breeze had decreased and I was now making significant forward progress over the ground, so I landed much longer than I planned.
Not an issue in the my very large field, but not a habit I should get into.
Secondly, I got my flare a little early, so was a bit high for what should have been my touch down. I think I may be slowing too much for touch down, because touching down with zero forward speed and no run off, I have to work hard not to topple over backwards.
Still it was a nothing like my previous mode of fast and hard, heels first! The extra 4" off the brakes and the wait, wait, wait to flare ,were the key to me cracking that.

A couple of lessons learnt ,today
Better landing positioning allowing for less wind lower down
Still need to hold off a bit more in the flare

So thats 25 flights up, which seems like a lot to me, until I try to contemplate the guys who have done hundreds or even thousands-where do you get the time........Phil?

Great words of wisdom, Bing. I have already pencilled in a trip back to Membury when SW gets back from Sweden. And I did actually get my ground handling harness out last weekend to try some forward practices, but it was that seriously humid and hot day so I only managed a handful before needing a wringing out like a damp rag

Thanks, Andy. Watching that video, I agree if you'd given it full beans as soon as (or slightly before) it was overhead at about 26secs, you'd have been away, but I still think my problem is getting the wing to come up straight in the first place, if I can get it up straight I have overcome that tendency to hesitate and I'm away.

When forward launching, I find it is easy to spend too long checking the wing before starting the run.

As soon as the wing gets overhead and I can feel both risers are pointing upwards, a quick glance up is all it takes to check that the wing is wing shaped and the run begins.

My technique is to run with full commitment immediately. It's only my forward speed that is keeping the wing flying.

So long as you have learnt to feel where the wing is through the risers and don't need to look up again, there's no point in trotting along at anything less than launch speed.

It is this style of quick acceleration that gets me into the air in a few paces in nil wind. I suspect it may have also led to one or two hoppy launches, as the wing tends to hang back, only to pitch forward when I leave the ground.

I have certainly had it drummed into me not to hesitate and go to full power as soon as the wing is up and centred.

I think my usual problem is getting the wing to come up straight. I have just about got the knowing without looking thing, I think.

Nice one, Simon[sMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH AND SMILING EYES]

Whenever there is anything more than a slight breeze I usually fly into wind, then the return leg is always quicker, always useful if conditions do deteriorate.

Regarding forward launches: I turned up for my last flight to find nil wind, nada, nothing.

So I mentally psyched myself to concentrate on technique. A really good forward push, hands guiding the risers as high as possible and crucially pushing on the risers until I knew the wing was fully above me, then a long run until I could feel the lift.

It needs concentration and mental commitment, in your mind is 'you WILL take off'. I had a lovely flight with plenty of low level tree dodging.

Keep at it Pat you will get there,

Cheers,

Alan

Thanks for the advice. Yes ,I always go outward into wind, hence why once I decided enough was enough it was such a quick return to the field. I also recognise all your words on forward launches!

Well done Pat.

Sorry but while I'm here, it is better to land safely 1 mile from your car than try and battle the elements as they get worse, trying to get back to your take-off field. (This is when things turn really nasty and you need to know your limitations, and not exceed them.

Thank you for the feedback

You are right of course, Rob. In this case though, I was turning downwind for the run back to the field, so once I'd decided to go back I was on the ground within 4 minutes.

Flight 24 3/8/14

Bit sketchy and blustery

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... 5854994168

Up early and at the field ahead of what was forecast to be a windy day. It was glassy calm when I arrived and if I'd mastered nil wind forward launches, I should have gone there and then. As it was I wanted to wait a bit for a little breeze to help me.

Firstly it took me 4 goes to get the wing decently over my head in reverse launch then take off was decidedly sketchy

There was lots of running, correcting surges and nearly getting pushed over before i decided i was going fast enough to dab the brakes and lift off. But even then I spent a good few metres uncomfortably close to the ground but by gently coming on and off the brakes I ratcheted in some height. (Thanks Col B ,that was one of your little gems, that stuck)

I climbed out over Sulham Woods, keeping a bit East of Purley Hall, so as not to disturb their Sunday morning lie in too much and set off into the stiffening Southerly.

Except I didnt really set off at all, I soon found myself at about 1200ft hovering over the woods above Sulham House in full fast trim

Ad, thanks for your advice. I think I will probably only understand it fully, when I get one!

It's very likely that every flight I do, I will have a passenger along for the ride! :-)

If you can manage a 105kg one ............where do I sign?

Wow! You bought it. Have to come over when you get back from Sweden, for a looksee

Pat, sorry for the delay. A bunch of us use the Sena SMH10r (the r denotes the slimline version with seperate battery) installed in a variety of helmets (which doesnt neccesarily need any mod to the helmet. Bluetooth gives a good 500m range with up to 4 peple in live chat. It pairs with s bluetooth phone to give you very clear phonecalls for longer ranges and very good audio if your phone does tunes .

Right, Thanks. I looked at the Sena site and thought it was probably the SMH10R. But you use the supplied earpieces and mike boom? There's no way to patch in a microavionics (or similar) headset and mike? Or am I missing the point .

I read a lot about the fact they have now upgraded the firmware to give sidetone, which is important for us isn't it? Being in a noisy environment.

George Holmes (george1966) mentioned in passing that he was ditching his PMRs in favour of Bluetooth phones/intercoms, but I never caught up with him as to the details.

Alan, be interested in hearing about your Sena set up?

Yep. Last week PJ had a starter in my hands 20 hours after ordering by phone

Isn't that what George is selling? His Synth

Nice one , Chris. I was waiting to see you , but Sulham was a bit far I expect.

Flight 23 27/7/14

Rock and Roll!

Well I flew today, but maybe I shouldnt have done. I learnt that there is a big difference between the nice laminar coastal breeze I experienced in Cornwall and the same sort of breeze inland on a hot and thermic day!

I went out at around 3pm and watched the sock for some time before committing, had to brake the wing a bit in take off to stop it overshooting, but got away OK after a bit of extra running.
I just had a fly around the local area, taking photos of friends houses. It was quite thermic with me seeing over 400fpm on a number of occasions.

Landing was an education!
I overflew the field and watched the sock, which was swinging through 90 degrees. I put a downwind turn in and hit some big sink that meant a go around which left me clearing some trees under full power by, if not a dangerous margin, too small a one, really.

My next approach was more measured, but still quite turbulent. Once over the hedge I set up my best guess for into wind, stopped any inputs which allowed the wing to settle, out of the seat, engine off and flew right into the ground before an emphatic flare to a nice stand up landing.

So a good lesson and all the more reason to tackle and get proficient at forward launches, so I dont need to go out in less than ideal conditions.

St Andrews prep school, most recent claim to fame being where Kate Middleton was educated.

Saturday 26/7/14

Hot, Bothered and on the ground

Not a good day, today

Went out this morning, got set up, ground handled a few reverses, but decided the wind was just a bit too strong and variable, so packed up with the resolve to come back this evening to have another go when things might have settled down.

They settled down alright! The photo below sums it up really.