GliderIreland - Ireland RC Forum - Flying Model forum in Ireland

Club House => Road trips => Topic started by: Fred on August 21, 2009, 16:52:17 PM

Title: 31st August to 5th of September...
Post by: Fred on August 21, 2009, 16:52:17 PM
Alright lads,
I'm off for a week on a slope trip to the West coast in 2 weeks !
I'll be based at Lahinch, but will go to Doonbeg, kilkee etc etc, well, around the area, so as in Co. Kerry maybe for a day, weather permitting of course...

I'll only bring with me my good old Algebra (I'm sure to fly on any slopes with that one !) and the Destiny...

So, if there is someone around in the area, let me know, we can go flying together !
Title: 31st August to 5th of September...
Post by: Fred on August 30, 2009, 13:47:07 PM
A quick hello from Spanish Point...
Coastal sloping paradise for the day !
In short.. Having fun !  :D
I'll take some photos and talk about the slope there, flying the Destiny for now doing high speed runs in the lift.
Tomorrow, plan is to go south again to chack a few more spots, I hope to find better ones, not only limited to smallish gliders.
Title: 31st August to 5th of September...
Post by: Happy Days on August 30, 2009, 15:41:47 PM
Yeah, keep us updated Fred :D  ,.........with loads of picies! :clap:
Title: 31st August to 5th of September...
Post by: Peter on August 30, 2009, 21:09:37 PM
Hi Fred,

Just back from coastal south Clare myself (not gliding!).  Try the coastal road south of Kilkee - some great slopes facing the ocean there.  Loop Head also good (but wires may get in the way).  Very windy last week - but the gulls were hanging in the air!  A lot of birdwatchers in the area - apparently an albatross was spotted.

Peter
Title: 31st August to 5th of September...
Post by: DaveMc on August 31, 2009, 12:34:13 PM
Great Fred, Where will you be on wednesday? Myself and Ger Buckley could be convinced to join you for a flight.

There is a south to south westerly facing slope in kilkee. If you look to the highest point on the cliffs on the East side of the bay. Up behind the golf course. You can drive to the car park on the east side and hike up the rest of the way. Ger B flies there almost every weekend. The wind has to be spot on the slope for it to work.

Cheers

D.
Title: 31st August to 5th of September...
Post by: joe on September 04, 2009, 14:24:03 PM
Whats goin on over there????
Photos we need photos!!!
Did you do some flying??
Title: 31st August to 5th of September...
Post by: joe on September 07, 2009, 09:06:03 AM
Freeeeed!! Freeeeed!
Did you come back? Are you lost in the west?? Tell us you are ok!   :?:  :?:
Title: 31st August to 5th of September...
Post by: Happy Days on September 07, 2009, 14:18:44 PM
Should we send out a search party :shock:
Title: 31st August to 5th of September...
Post by: Alan_Perse on September 07, 2009, 18:45:57 PM
Maybe he has found a soaring paradise and he is keeping us in suspense.
Title: 31st August to 5th of September...
Post by: Happy Days on September 07, 2009, 18:49:58 PM
I fear we’ve lost our Fred. :shock:  
May be he felt home sick for his fellow countrymen and hopped on a boat to France.
May be he got so drunk on Guinness he fell into a stupor and has yet to wake up!
Or perhaps he just doesn’t love us any more and chooses to ignore us. :(  

Oh Fred,…..I’m sorry for all those nasty things I ever thought about you. :oops:  Please forgiver me!
I promise never mention Waterloo again! :wink:  (Well,....almost never)

Please talk to us, we miss you :cry:  :cry: ……………………… (and I need the plans for that F3B your designing )

Love & Kisses

Keith
Title: 31st August to 5th of September...
Post by: joe on September 08, 2009, 08:22:09 AM
I can't take it anymore I'm goin crazy with worry.
Anything could have happened to him?! I mean for all we know DaveMc could have him strung out on cream puffs and be forcing him to run buns over the Clare border. We just don't know.
Fred if your out there come home. We won't be cross with you, we just want you to come home.


I don't know what to? Maybe it's timd we called..
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/v/PIfuaUTH9Y4[/youtube]
Title: 31st August to 5th of September...
Post by: Fred on September 08, 2009, 08:47:36 AM
Ouiiiiiii ????  :D
I'm back ! Sorry, long silence, but after coming back from the West, spent 2 days in bed, sick like hell ! Not even able to move  :!:
Much better today.. And at work...  :cry:

Anyway, great week of flying in Co Clare, will definitively come back for more next year with the family !

So, here are a few photos...

First, in base camp, Lahinch (or Lehinch... :?: ) manage to start the day flying at the beach (low tides in the morning this week). Launch from the promenade, and land on the beach... at this time of the year, you will only see a few seagulls and a few surfer dudes, so all safe. Flew the Algebra here without any problem.
Slope is the pile of rocks between the promenade and the beach, and might be something like 3 to 4 metres high, but wind coming from the sea, very laminar of course, make it great to fly smallish models without any troubles.

The beach slope :
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Fred/lahinch4.JPG)

(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Fred/Lahinch5.JPG)

When you are at the beach, on your left, you can see a cliff. So, I tried to fly there... But not great, especially for the approach walk, bit scary at time, but don't really worth the effort at the end anyway, as you can fly the same models you can fly on the beach. Landing zone is not great but ok for smallish machines with srong airbrakes...

Cliffs :
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Fred/Lahinch3.JPG)

(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Fred/Lahinch.JPG)

(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Fred/Lahinch2.JPG)

Ok, so, that's for Lahinch... Now, time to move to Kilkee... Coastal sloping paradise for the week !  :D

I flew at a place called West End on the GPS, at the end of the road, at the back of the Golf Course first. Checked on the GPS and map, and flew Westerly winds.
Great place to fly, lots of birds come and join in after a few minutes. Landing zone is betwen the car park and the cliffs, but only for small models with good airbrakes, as you have to land between benches, but plenty of space, and really smooth landing ! Great flying sitting on the bench, can stay hours !  :D

(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Fred/Kilkee2.JPG)

(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Fred/Kilkee3.JPG)

Then, the other days, I went for the "big" walk to fly the cliffs (George Head I think is the name... :?: )

(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Fred/Kilkee.JPG)

(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Fred/Kilkee4.JPG)

Well... Great !!  :D  Can fly anything here, any size. Great space to land ! Only thing is that you must not be affraid of launching your pride and joy here, as there is no possible recovery if yo go down... But that add to the fun !
Flew mostly on the West side of the head, but went around and you can fly from South to North by West. Was surprised as Ger said thet was S, SW, but checked that with GPS at the slope and on a map  :?:  I might not be at the right spot, as accross, you can see more cliffs, but haven't tried to get there...
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Fred/Kilkee6.JPG)

Anyway, fantastic spot !
Alas, was not able to meet the guys on Wednesday, as the weather was just hawfull !...Up untill 4pm... Where I start flying again in Kilkee  :D

So, Kilkee was my main flying spot for the rest of the week, but went to look for more.
And with a little bit of communication, everything is possible ! Was driving back to Lahinch, by the coastal road of course  :P when I saw a possible spot to fly... Stopped the car for the famous "last one" and off I went to the cliff and fly, when a local farmer came... Show him the thing, advertise that a clean, quiet, harmless hobby... And got the authorisation to use his field to fly if we need  :D  The spot was near Breaffy / White Strand, and that's a Westerly.

(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Fred/Strand.JPG)
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Fred/Strand2.JPG)
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Fred/Strand3.JPG)
Beautifull place, where you can se Dolphins hanging around  :D
The path near the Cliff is public, but if someone need the details to contact the farmer, let me know !  :D

Well, that was a great week... But cannot really leave without flying at the mother of all cliffs... Yep...
After much consideration, I decided to do it relatively late in the evening, not a lot of people around for safety, and off I went to the Cliffs of Moher  :D
Well, when you see sea water coming up straight at the edge, you know you will not have any lift issues !
Not a lot of people, and chatted with a guy responsible for something (did not catched up what...) and told him I was going to fly. We agreed on a spot (on the left when you have the tourist centre on your back) on the sort of bowl. Just a quick 5 - 10 minutes if the glider survive the trip to the edge !
Best technique here, was to launch the glider a good 20 metres behind the edge (well, you cannot get right at the edge anyway anymore...) and let the glider go... You know when the glider is at the edge as that go straight up for 50 / 60 metres in less than 2 seconds !  :shock:
But flying was smooth once passed that, and I enjoyed pure dynamic huge massive lifts... Sweet.
Time to land, not going too far behind, landed on the cow field on the left without a scratch with a big smile on my face, and a few people watching. Stayed another 20 minutes to answer all the questions after that !  :D
That was good, bit scary, but really good !
(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/Fred/Moher.JPG)
On the photo, you can see the launching spot on the left, on the bowl, and a column of sea water right in front... Impressive !  :D

And well, that's it really... A really good week of flying, and really hope to do it again, even more, next year !  :D
Title: 31st August to 5th of September...
Post by: joe on September 08, 2009, 10:06:12 AM
Thank God almighty your back! We were so worried. Don't you ever do that to us again you hear me!!

Wow looks feckin brilliant! Nice slopes in a beautiful part of the world. Life is good indeed.

And you flew the Cliffs of Moher! You are the only person I know to fly there. Real shame you have no video. I want to try, I want to try. Next time I'm coming too!!
You lucky, lucky Bas****

Welcome back  :D  :D
Title: 31st August to 5th of September...
Post by: Fred on September 08, 2009, 11:21:38 AM
Thanks  :D
Keith promise not to talk about Waterloo made me think of coming back asap (promise Keith, I will not mention Tatcher much too...)  :P

Fred - Actually, second time in Moher...  :P
Title: 31st August to 5th of September...
Post by: Happy Days on September 08, 2009, 13:48:50 PM
Glad you're back and well Mon Ami, :D  and thanks for a very good report and pictures. :clap:

I've got to get me to those Cliffs of Moher. Not sure if I'd have the courage to launch my favorite plane off those cliffs but I'd certainly fly some models there. All that lift!!! :D

Sorry to hear you weren't too well on your return, obviously too much excitement made you feel unwell. You need to get back to work for a rest :lol:

K.
Title: Flying in kilkee...my way!
Post by: DaveMc on September 11, 2009, 21:52:35 PM
Hi Fred,

This is me flying in kilkee....20m above me and 20m below me. And look no wings... 8)

(http://www.gliderireland.net/forum/images/uploads/DaveMc/Dave002.jpg)

Cheers
D.