seymore Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Tuesday 8 march is looking really good. Who wants to fly and has a plan? I have been starting up a new map of Paramotor launch sites on google maps and it is open for anyone to edit, so lets start filling in the blank spots http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF ... 33&t=h&z=5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seymore Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 Mark is looking at a site near Chichester this afternoon and if its any good we hope to do a run around the Isle of Wight with our Baileys, starting fairly early , say around 9.30 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t2 Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 in Birmingham tomorrow and Kev only gets back at 4. Let us know how it goes. T2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seymore Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 We flew South across the Island with a stiff head wind and it was a bit bumpy, but the payoff was from StCatherines point ( where we left Luke with a bust prop) to the Needles where we glided along an almost continuous cliff face for about 15 miles only using the motors to bridge a few gaps in very smooth ridge soaring conditions. When we turned for home the higher we got the stronger the tailwind. At 4000 ft I was seeing 100kph on the GPS and was so sure of crossing the solent I shut the motor down half way across to get down. The photos are a bit rubbish because it was so hazzy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquatix Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Great photo's - you always seem to fly at superb locations (jealous) ! Was the whole trip done on one tank, and what width was the Solent at the point you crossed ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paramotormike Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tj Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I am looking forward to doing THAT! Tj. On the cusp! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgy Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 (edited) Hi What a flight this flight has to be done!!!!!!! A bit scary flying over all the water esp as at one point near ryde pier i was not going forward!!!! Some photos but as seymor said they are not that good due to the haze... One the climb out from take off Starting the crossing looking back over lea on solent Looking down at ryde from 4000ft South coast here we come Luke and Seymor ridge soaring... Before luke hit the deck!!! Off on our glide to the needles The cliffs near the needles (soaring) rest and pee stop The needles Cowes in the haze The crossing at 3000ft and doing mach 1 Edited March 9, 2011 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paramotormike Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_k Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Great pictures, sounds like a great flight. Next time tell the story and embed the pictures within it Cheers, Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgy Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Sorry this one is the crossing at mach 1 looking back at portsmouth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgy Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I am not much of a story teller to be honest!!!! sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paramotormike Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outkast Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Great pics lads and well done for have the balls to do the water crossing Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgy Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 OK I am not one for write up's on our flights and being dislexic makes it a little harder to put into word what i have to say. As i have some time to spare i will try and give it a go..... We all turn up at our take off site "to be left nameless" at around 930/10am the wind was very light and from the SE. The forcast was for SW wind and picking up as the day goes on... All 3 of us put together our motors in a hurry some faster than other's... cough cough "luke". Now know to me as "buy a Bailey luke". We all spread out our kit in a line ready to go but by now the wind "what there was" was now coming from the south/SW.... I try and give it a go "i know in my head this aint going to work" the wing comes up and just hangs behind me and the Bailey feels like a massive weight on my back i give up. OK TIME TO MOVE While i move my kit Seymor takeS off JAMMY F***ER. Luke has seen me fail and is already moving his kit. Ok second attempt here we go wing come up nice and we are off then were back running then were off again but only just a dab of brakes and were up i go around the field once then start my climb. I get to about 1000ft above take off and see Luke still on the ground So i hang around trying to save fuel untill he gets off. I also look around for Seymor but i can't seem to see him at all. "our pre flight talk we said we would climb over portsmouth" BUT the wind seems to be picking up and i wanted to keep an eye on luke to make sure he gets off the ground ok. Anyway a little while later i see Luke in the air.... ok now we are on!!! time to climb still no Seymor. At this time it is prob best to say we had radio's but were having a little trouble with them as my head set has seem to given up and i have to use the radio itself... "i think i here Seymor say he is coming over the coast" Now i think he is coming from portsmouth along the coast and will be with us soon... I now start my crossing i am at about 2500ft and climbing well due to the wind picking up a bit.... The higher i get the more the wind was picking up now at half way and about 4000ft things seemed ok... i could see ryde pier in the haze. The closer i got to ryde the slower i seemed to be getting. I am not turning back now!!! time for speed bar. Now i start to hear Seymor saying he was on the ground waiting for me. " i think to my self WHAT no way your not still in the portsmouth area". I turn to see luke behind me by about a mile or so and think well "topr gear rules". I am now over the isle of widget time to desend to a normal hieght. Man is it getting bump i am getting tossed about a bit. Seymor is coming over the radio very clear for the first time he has landed on a down in the middle of the island south of ryde about 3ish mile ahead of me near a tower??? ten minute later we finaly see him for the first time in the flight. As we fly over he takes off and i take the lead.... We have to keep away from the two sections of airspace on the east coast. But i think i am going the wrong direction??? i can see the isle on my head and the shape but my compass is telling me i am going in the wrong direction its telling me i am going south/SE. Its not for about 20mins or so i realise it's my camera that i have placed next to it giving me a false reading I can see seymor and Luke going off south straigt for the coast so i follow south "they have to come my way anyway i think to my self. I hit the cliff's first and start to loose hieght to try and soar the cliffs. I keep my motor running on tick over just incase. I head on over to the others as i am not burning much fuel the lift is getting better and better so i kill the motor. After a few KM of soaring i meet up with the other two seymor has now got his motor off and soaring with the buzzards and i think some kinda hawk... Luke is inbound to join us. We do a few pass's and the lift is good so i get out my camera to take a shot or two. After getting a couple of photos i get back to the lift but didnt see luke anywhere on the cliff I turn around to see him a few hunderd feet back from the cliff face with his wing in a barbed wire fence!!! "he looked ok" So i shouted what you doing... All i could hear was his motor was screwed... "TOP GEAR RULES" I shouted i will pick you up from the ferry at portsmouth and we left him. There was no way i was going to go in and land near him due to the rotor from the cliffs and we could not have done anything or him... Now we go off on a glide to the needles i only used the motor just to jump gaps in the cliff or if we needed to push out to sea to get around a cliff due to the wind going further to the west... Seymor shouts to me he was getting cold plus i needed a pee so we had to land but after seing luke bin it going to far back from the cliff i was not happy to land. I saw a large slope whitch looked to be west facing so headed for it. It took me and Seymor about 5 goes at coming in due to the lift. We had to fly lower than the ridge then turn back down the ridge then back up it so we just popped above the top we both landed within 20ft of each other and 20ft behind the cliff. I called Luke to see how he was getting on. by now he was in a cab and on his way to the ferry i arranged to pick him up at portsmouth when we landed. Our take off went without trouble i waved by to the couple that had turned up and we were both off moting most of the way to the needles A quick photo or two then we turn back for home. We are seriuosly flying along i can see i am going much faster than all of the cars on the road I think to my self we must be doing at least 60/70kph "seymor tells me later we were doing about 100kph We are now on the long climb out over the lsland i dont turn or do anything just fly and climb. By the time i got too the north coast i was only at 2600ft So i trim in and try to climb as fast as poss to get to at least 3000ft. OK trimmer back out and were flying along again by the time i am half way across i am only at 3500ft so i throttle back and glide home the rest of the solent i lost about 600ft. I need to loose my height fast as i remember my car park ticket run s out soon!!!!! trimmer in and The whole way back from the needles took less than 30mins now thats fast!!!! I cant wait to do that flight again but next time i hope to make it a bit longer as i landed with 3ltrs left so the whole trip was done on 7 ltrs. And next time i am going to take more car park money YOU LIVE AND LEARN I hope that makes sence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob_jones Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Cracking flight and write up, Although I never have any free time I am still here and about. Over the winter I bought a 6.3m Offshore RIB (blow up boat) if you want some safety cover for a french crossing I will either get a skipper and fly with you or pilot the boat myself. Now theres a challenge!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgy Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Good to hear from you Rob next time you have some free time to go flying just give me a call... but now you havea rib your going to have less time!!!! As for the channel crossing MMMMM Dont think thats my kinda trip long boring nothing to see execpt sea AllwayS up for a XC tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tj Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Cross channel flight..do you reckon I'd be ok to do that on a first flight!? Cracking post flight report...can't wait to get going now! Tj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgy Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 ARE you for real Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tj Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Straight of the white cliffs I reckon! Tj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgy Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Good luck Make sure you pm me when you plan to go i will bring the camera might get £250 from you been framed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lukebanks1 Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Channel crossing - now we're talking! I'm in! So is Morgy! RIB chase boat essential though. Was a great trip while it lasted. I was GUTTED to miss out on that soaring to the Needles. I committed a cardinal sin whilst ridge soaring..... My motor stalled on idle whilst at about 150 feet AGL and Instead of pushing out into the lift and attempting to restart (not many landing options down below though) or continuing to ridge soar and top landing if necessary, I turned into the hill in order to 360 and restart over the middle of the field. Needless to say things happened very quickly - I hit rotor and couldn't find the bungee start straight away. I was committed to a FAST down wind landing. I didn't attempt to complete the turn from 180 degrees to 360 degrees as I was being thrown around by rotor. I hit the deck fast - no way could I run it off! Two somersaults with motor on my back later I stand up to find my Miniplane cage obliterated. I feel very lucky to have walked away unscathed. Anyway.....welding being done, replacement parts ordered from Michel Carnet and a week off coming soon..... PS Thanks again Morgy for the pick up - I owe you one - wonder when it will be? - Top Gear rules! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tj Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Just out of interest, how fast can a RIB go? Tj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clivefreeman Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Just out of interest, how fast can a RIB go?Tj. Very fast especialy if its got bbq sauce on it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgy Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 I know Luke my time WILL come!!!! I think top gear rules only applies to the isle of whight tho both me and seymor said we were not going to land near you.... When you got your time off give me a buzz i am up for another big XC poss with some thermaling next time. Glad to her the motor is all fixed now and good job you had a plastic cage would not have like to seen the mess if it was ally..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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