Skip to main content

First Flight at Moir's Hill


The weather looked good.
Post frontal instability, SSW winds averaging around 10 knots and its not raining.
Arrived at launch and there are 4 or 5 keen looking guys all kitted up about to launch. By the time I have laid out my glider they have launched, a couple after a few interesting attempts. Maybe its too strong, but I'm keen to try. I think its is within my capabilities.
After one fizzle and one "pickup and dump on your back" launch attempt, I'm away. Looking for the "guns" I spot them at cloud base rapidly disappearing North toward Mangawhai. Can't seem to find their escalator so I'm going to muck around the hill and practice thermalling.
I fly for almost an hour and a half, and reach 513 m (approx. 1700 ft) above launch almost at cloud base, a personal best. I can stay up longer but I'm starting to feel the cold.
Attempting to top land I find the lift too much and push out in front to circle down and land in the LZ paddock. Its my first flight for 10 months so I'm pretty pleased.
I later find out those "guns" flew around 30 km.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Consistency

The wind was the right strength but the direction was WSW. Not my favourite for Moirs. It certainly wasn't crowded on launch, only Me, Myself and I, until Daron climbed back up from the lower West launch. No punching thermals here, and after a quarter of an hour of mucking around I was in my usual position in the middle of the Bomb-out Paddock. Daron on the other hand was more persistant and was rewarded with a slow climb over the back and a South Easterly ride to Wenderholm. Leonardo Flight Link
Post a Comment
Read more

Who Needs The Paeroas?

Ok, today looks even better. But it doesn't look like launch is going to be crowded. Plan to get to launch by 1115 but end up arriving at 1130. Jeff is there and ready to go, conditions look good, and he was away. Rigging up and launching I'm airborne by Noon. Initially I'm getting some good lifts, but nothing that drags me screaming to cloudbase. Jeff is ranging far and wide but not getting a lot higher. Then the seabreeze arrives pinning me to the ridge, while Jeff finally claws his way up and over the back. The breeze kills what thermals were left and I assume my usual position and head for the Bomb-out paddock, while Jeff runs to Warkworth, then is pushed North over the Dome and is finally drilled by the NE seabreeze, still a respectable 20km+ flight. Leonardo Flight Link
Post a Comment
Read more