Alhama flying

Although is was very windy all day in Alicante, flying was done nearby in Alhama.

From now on we have to look at Alhama if we want to fly afternoons with this strong

westerlies during the day in Alicante. The seabreeze channels through and hits straight for Alhama. A site where our buddies from Murcia fly daily from now one till late summer.

I am off for a week of vacation with the family. We had a busy winter, and we need a break.

After this break we will be ready for the strong thermals, the spring conditions in our southeastern piece of Spain.

Thanks coming down this winter.

And to all those repeated customers, I do not take your visits for granted.

I really do appreciate your loyalty, friendship.

And I hope for may more years I may welcome you to fly with us. And always a pleasure you guys, to read my guestbook, word of mouth and all does work and is most honest.

Hugs, kisses and flowers to all of you.

Off to the beaches to relax.

Western winds from La Mancha

Western winds, coming from over the ocean over Portugal, and then over the flatlands of Castilla La Mancha. The hot sun present today. Too strong to fly. Knowing 30 % more wind with same pressure gradient, on our latitude than lets say Belgium, no chance.
But pressure is rising again, so playtime again soon.

The most sad news

I hate to put this on the blog.
We receive the news this monday morning that Alejandro Rodriguez, brother of Felix and Raul, died this morning after a paragliding accident yesterday at his homesite Chinchilla. A maneuver yesterday went wrong.

My condoleances go out to the family.

Alejandro's father Felix Rodriguez runs the paragliding school in Albacete, Club Almenara de Parapente. They are regular visitors on our sites. The family Rodriguez are one of the warmest, friendliest people you'll ever meet.

GIN Boomerang GTO

Arrival of the GIN Boomerang GTO, premiere for Spain. Tested at our main site Palomaret today. Size Large, up to 115 kg.
If interested in this new GIN beauty, let us know. We can make you an offer you can't refuse.

It was one of those days that pilots will regret having to go to grandma. It was awesome.

take off

Manolo, Pedro, Cafe from Kasana, having fun at take off today.

Pelota in Agost

After flying we passed the village of Agost. And watched part of a 'pelota' game. A very Valencian game, a hard ball is hit by a taped hand, the other team have to bounce it back against the walls. No gym, no court, just a streetgame. Less and less of that around. Worth watching. Hardly ever a spectator.

Orito closed no problem,

foto's of flying at Orito last week

Orito southwest. We should not fly there anymore. We were asked in the most polite way not to distrub the nesting of the birds of prey.

Some foto's of the site and the nests show you clearly.

The last time we flew there, there were 10's of eagles or buzzards, don't know flying around. I have no problem at all with trying to keep their lifes stressfree. Especially in these months march-may. So lets hike up the hill and enjoy the views feet on the ground from now on.

Thanks.

Inauguration Carrascoy Murcia

Inauguration of Carrascoy Murcia. After months of being closed for hunting, our fellow pilots of Murcia can enjoy their fantastic site again. A brandnew carpet on take off, lots of local pilots ready to celebrate in the air. We were there, the five of us, celebrating with them in a sky full of thermals.

Some went XC, some got 1750 m ASL, 800 m climbs, some flew their second best. All fun. Thermals up to 4.5 m/s and when Robert wanted to land, he just low saved and got back up as long as he wanted to fly.

Foto of Robert and Fatime, in the back Mats from Sweden on his last day. It was also Svante's last day, thanks flying with us locals, good choice guys !

Morning flying till noon, that was it today.

Upper left corner, halo ring around the sun. Reflection of light by ice crystals, usually indicating deteriorating weather conditions.
So we had to do it today and not tomorrow. We had to fly La Solana, climb high meet the southwesterlies that are gonna keep us company tomorrow.

Not magic, just knowing where to go on that special weather forecast.

Even low(er) airtimers with us today, who easily launched at the lower take off but had no stress climbing up with the big guys. Excellent flying.

Pizzaglider

The pizza glider from Svante, Sweden. He's flying well that man, but that's the swedish schooling again. With flying well, I mean, his take off skills are there. In thermals I haven't seen Svante flying yet, because again today we had to do with Cabo de Santa Pola.
Very unstable weather, now and then a stop in launching as windlines were appearing on the sea. Five minutes later all clear, wind dropping to 0. But still hours again, and for swedish pilots that's all what counts feeling rusty after their severe winter.

Above us is Fatime, girlfriend from Robert. Novice pilot under her Gin Bolero, amore humble colour scheme. Nice to have you around guys.

Winching in Belgium

This is how our belgium colleagues fly at the winch.

For those who live near mountains, all weird. You are pulled up by a cable, and once high, you release the cable and have your flight.

If you follow SIV with Entrenuvols in the Pyrenees, which I can fully recommend, you are pulled up 800 m above a lake behind a boat. A weird sensation, for pilots who never flew on a winch before.

Just informative. And thanks Geert for the video, Geert is the jester in the movie. I knicked it off the freeparagliders forum.

David Gilmour on guitar.

Cabo de santa pola

Not a photo from today's flying. But a colourfull one of my Niviuk Artik, brandnew out of the bag, at Organya. Where we will meet in june/july.

But back to today. Foggy, misty, no visibility, till noon. Then windsocks started to be visible.

And then flying till late in the afternoon. Soaring, nothing else. Up and down, left and right. Very laminar, all day long. Gotto give the flight a value, try different gliders, toplandings from all sides. Otherwise it would be soooo boring. It was all up to you, as I said before, you had to give your flight a value.

Svanske and Mats best flight in 2010

Max, german pilot, is leaving Alicante tomorrow. Thanks visiting us Max, nice to have met you, regards to all known german pilots. Keep it up.

No wonder, they haven't flown since last november. But that's how the weather was in Sweden. But they are down here now in sunnier and warmer Spain.

We had to wait for a breeze to get conditions to fly. It was not special, but nice for them to have their gliders out of the bag for the first time this year.

XC Barcelona - Faro Portugal

Toni not under his glider this time, but doing a huge XC with his bicycle. Barcelona - Alicante - Malaga - Sevilla - Faro Portugal.

See you in may with your paraglider, good luck.

British overreacting ¿?

I don't know if the British are overreacting because it comes from Brussels - Europe, but at least we should take notice of their panic.
It is all about some new regulations quoted, that aircraft is not allowed to fly under 300 m AGL, only if taking off, landing or having special authority. So ridge soaring could be prohibited .... can't believe it.
I think it is just a British allergic reaction to anything that comes in from Brussels - Europe.
Knowing Britian is so overruled, and Britain is lobbied so anti-Europe, it is easy to understand that there is paranoia. I think we still have margin to believe in common sense on the continent.
For instance, a paraglider is not a registered aircraft. But anyway, if interested study it yourself.


Please find the letter of the chairman of their federacion, asking for urgent help.
///////////////////////////////////////////////
Standardised European Rules of the Air

Hang gliding and paragliding is once again under serious threat. Eurocontrol, the ‘European Organisation for
the Safety of Air Navigation’ has produced for consultation its draft version of its proposed Standardised

European Rules of the Air (SERA).
Whilst the aim of having one single set of Rules of the Air that applies right across Europe may seem
attractive, unfortunately whoever has written the draft has clearly not given a single thought to hang gliders
and paragliders. Some of the proposed rules will have a massive detrimental impact on our ability to go and
fly. (E.g. 4.6 bans flight below 500 feet – so ridge soaring will be effectively outlawed!)
Unfortunately, the consultation period is very short, hence this email direct to each member.
The BHPA will submit a response and the EHPU is also submitting a response both directly and through
Europe Airsports. But we feel that Eurocontrol should also get a feel for the strength of our feelings on this
matter – and therefore ask each of you to make your own response to Eurocontrol.
Depending upon the outcome of this consultation, we always have the alternatives of going down the political
(MEP etc.) route. But at this stage we just want members to complete and return consultation response
sheets.
ACTIONS:
1. Go to this Eurocontrol webpage and download a copy of each of the four consultation documents:
http://www.eurocontrol.int/enprm/public/standard_page/enprm10002.html
2. Refer to the document attached to this email entitled ‘BHPA Comments on SERA Draft - V 1.0
3. Choose some of the points outlined and, in your own words, complete the ‘Consultation
Response Sheet – Enclosure 3’ that you downloaded. Ideally you should express dissatisfaction with the
SERA proposals along the lines of ‘the current safe, entirely legal activity would be made illegal by this
change’. (The BHPA response will suggest alternate wordings – and it may be counter-productive if you try to
create ‘in your own words’ alternatives to our proposals.)
4. Please email us any further issues that you identify in the proposal, for possible inclusion in the BHPA’s
final submission. Use the subject line SERA.
5. Send your completed comments to Eurocontrol before the closing date of 12th April 2010
to;
Mr Olivier MROWICKI
SES Mandate Manager SERA
EUROCONTROL
Rue de la Fusée, 96
B-1130 Brussels, Belgium
E-mail to sesframework@eurocontrol.int or Fax to +322 729 5190
Martin Heywood
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Toni on his cycling trip

Toni tonight. He arrived with his bicycle from Barcelona, he still got another 1000 km to go. He is finishing his cycling trip in Faro, Portugal. Following the coastline from Barcelona all the way south, passing Alicante, Malaga, Sevilla.
What an effort, we wish him all the luck. Break a leg.

Chilling out

Chilling out today, overcast, and here and there a drop, warm enough to have a stroll, but also warm enough for feet up, listening to a tune.

La Dolce Vita

Jan, Nick, Lennart, 6 days flying in a row, not bad. And helping us out today, with cleaning the new take off at Orito Southwest, thanks guys.

New site, flying together with several buzzards, made us all feel like pioneers, on this born flying site. It is facing southwest, and leaves us an alternative for sites like Toix.
Only 20 minutes from base, a 15 minute walk to take off, and splendid views overlooking Allenda golf courseLennart flying his Windtech Combat,
and below,
the spanish take off ...

.

M Cabrer, always full of temperament

She's like a woman, full of temperament. Monte Cabrer.
One day you are on top of her, and she wants you to do anything she wants. She plays with you untill you are knackered. She treats you with thermals, strong and punchy, tricky or smooth, cloudbase at its highest, playing turbulent at landing approach, all in her power, on a good day.

Today she took a day off. She was stubborn, she didn't want to play. Below at landing, she deceived us, with some eastern wind. Come on up. But once up on top, she hesitated to give us playtime. She hesitated to give us a go, treating us with some backwinds, teasingly light.

We played anyway, rushing off the hill, forward launching. Some just floated down, some managed to find smooth lift. As you can see Max Schueller flying thermals under his Skywalk Mescal.

Monte Cabrer, you never know what you are in for, that's what makes this site so exciting, full of temperament.

Monte Cabrer my love, we're back !

I got a kiss. Yeah honestly, I got a kiss from a pilot ! Seriously. I sometimes get a beer, or a compliment, or a slap on my shoulder, but this time was different.

Martin was so happy about the flying, he came up to me, and gave me a kiss ! I thought only football players did this. But as long as we don't start spitting like those footballers every other step, we're fine.

We flew at Monte Cabrer so, got 4 m per seconds thermals, and Martin got up to 1650 m ASL, which is 650 m above take off. Not bad with such an inversion layer, clearly to be seen.
Good old Monte Cabrer, its' been a while love. But we're back, winter has gone, so we will visit you regularly, don't you worry.
And always calling the local pilots out there, because this site is fragile, and we do have to protect our sites, as always.

Warren coming in, after his flight at Monte Cabrer, dude hasn't flewn for a year, did we really have to take him to Monte Cabrer ?

View of the main landing field, the old landing field is more and more out of use. Trees grow, and glide angles get better.

Foto of Jan Bernaert at the inversion layer, with the town in the distance.

A fantastic day, oh god not again.

super value

Nick (not me - the other Nick) birhtday today, 50 years old. Had his first flying in since three years. Thanks to his wife's surprise birthday present, he is down here with borrowed gear to restart his flying carreer. And how, he rocketed as one of the first to cloudbase, toplanded as a local, smoked a fag, took off very skillfull again, and later joined the local pilots carving the sky. No stress there.

What a day. Years' best so far. From 12 am till 6.30 pm all you wanted. Thermals sweet, thermals strong, thermals small, thermals big.

A bright blue sky untill the breeze kicked in. Then still very much flyable for all levels till sunset.

There were too many to mention, who did very good today. Maybe mentioning Jan, who topped up his airtime, thermalling for over 4 hours under his brandnew still crispy Airwave Sport4.

Martin who made the bridge, one of the first tasks that were set today. Simon, Justin untill their arms fell off. John Apco Tetris, flying his old wing. Tony, who landed on the road to Agost, Toni the Swiss who just arrived. Glenn, getting used to his Windtech Kali, so much better handled than first days when he arrived, two weeks ago that is. And Andy, where the hell was Andy ? He was way up there. Lennard, his Windtech Combat, speeeeeeedy.

When I guide I ask everyone to put some value in their flight. Not just up and down up and down, but thermal with eyes closed (try it, it is a very good excercise), bigears - speedbar, set a little task, all kinds of things, etc... . Today there was more than one value in every flight, it was super.

Now who did I forget ... let me think... oh yes !

Last and not least, LYNN who had her first real thermals in. Screaming her glider up, she was handling her Ozone Mojo very gentle, not a wrinkle in these early spring Alicante thermals. Gently weightshifting it, coring the lift, first steps into so many more blissfull hours in the air, I am sure.

Topgirl Lynn, being carried by top-blokes.

Down below, Jan Bernaerts, 15 time visitor of Doyouwanna Alicante, something is good down here. Thanks Jan being so loyal, respect.

Filled up our boots, again.

Conditions pretty strange today. At Reconco it was snowing ! Honestly, those white little things falling down the sky. Su buggered off to Palomaret.

Huge black clouds in the back, was it ok ? Don't know.

Had to get nearer. Turned radio on and asked if there was anybody at take off. Yes Nick, it is good, 15 km per hour etc... . Then why is nobody in the air ? There are two in the air but dissapeared in the cloud. Holy shit.

But no panic, it was all controlable. The clouds weren't that angry actually, you could just choose, wether you wanted to get into them or not. Like Justin did, he climbed up to cloudbase, his voice screaming in the radio, together with his vario, YEEEEEES I AM 4000 FEET ABOVE TAKE OFF !!!!
A happy man way up there.
His friends : we can't hear you, hello ?
Later in the retrieve bus :
Simon : hey guys, I had rain up there.
Justin : I HAD SNOW !

Well lets repeat, we all had a great time, thermalling, filling up our boots (where does that saying come from, anybody ?).

We just had a coffee break at 4 pm, doyouwanna know why ? Hail ! Yes, those icecubes falling out of the sky. But only for a little while, after our coffee and tapa, we went up and had our second half of flying.

No complaints from us I guess.

Lennart, Tony and in the back Nick. Not me, other Nick.

The suspects.

Lynn camerawoman.