Topics

1

Slope Soaring / Shame to miss a good opportunity!!!

« on: June 09, 2008, 14:33:20 PM »

I left the house this morning for a job interview, suited and booted.  My wife had to stop and ask me what the bundle of casual clothes rolled up under my arm was all about :oops:  caught red handed!

Well, you see... I had to drive from home, across via Sally Gap to Blessington in West Wicklow and of course take the same route home after the interview.  Now in my book, it is a crime to travel past a good slope soaring site with out stopping to have a flight or two  C'mon, it's true... isn't it :shock:

As for the change of clothes... You see, some time ago I was flying at Kilakee on my way back to the office from a customer site, dressed up nicely in my suit an tie when of all things my phone rang.  I picked up the call to hear something like...
"J**sus, I was about to call you to tell you that there is some eejit flying a glider at Kilakee wearing a suit and tie with his trousers tucked into his socks and a dirty pair of brown work boots on... then I recognised you... YOU EEJIT!"

Anyway, back to today. I managed about 4 flights each about 30 minutes with no mishaps.  Loops were big and turns were fast... I was really enjoying myself.  Had the sky to myself, except that is for the Raptors. Two of them being very territorial with my Middle Phase.  In fact, one of them came back after I landed to do some "Victory Dives" :shock:   Big long dives, maybe about 100M each with the exact same cry during each dive.  I guess he was just telling me which bit of sky was his :?:

Unfortunately moments after I landed on my last flight, as I was just about to walk back to the car, I witnessed a guy put a rock through a UK tourists window to make off with a handbag.  In fact, I only caught the crime itself with no lead up and it looked pretty much like a cricket style bowl with  a long run up which he followed straight in through the broken door glass.  The whole incident took about 5 seconds.  I walked back with the distraught tourists, called the Garda with a description e.t.c. but I guess it only proves that we must be careful what we leave visible in our cars.  It is no consolation for the tourists, but the perpetrator left blood on the victims car which the Garda took for DNA testing.  Maybe an expensive smash and grab for this perp!   :clap:    :clap:    :clap:

I am sopoiled lately having got a good 90 minutes gliding in on Saturday afternoon too on the Greyastones side of Bray head.  I love warm and windy days

Garry

2

Combat / Combat scoring and format

« on: February 26, 2008, 10:05:52 AM »

Hi All,
I was just looking at the events planned for the annual get together and spotted the combat... Oh yeah baby... I am a dirty fighter :twisted:
I did notice that it is "Last Man Standing" format.  I haven't tried this but would suggest that if you are bludgened out of the air early on but in a repairable way, you will be disappointed spectator from then on :oops:
 


The only way that I have personally flown in formal combat was in Wales using a system of heats.  This format I guess would only really only work with a good number of entries.  Have a look at the setup below pasted from the Welsh guys website and let us all know what you all think.  Fred, I am not trying to steam roller over any plans, just to get some discussion going...



Brief explanation of the coarse and rules.

Flying Groups: As there will be quite a few pilots (current estimate is about 35 pilots) the total number will be split into two groups, group A and group B. Each group will take turns to fly their rounds, while group A flys, group B will do the scoring and visa versa. Each pilot will be paired with a scorer and you'll score for each other throughout the comp. Once a few rounds (to be decided on the day) have been flown the best of group A will fly against the best of group B to find the overall winner. If everyone is then up for it we can have an all at once round, if there's any flying models left by then ;-).

Models ready and repair time: Group A will fly first and group B's models must be ready to go straight after group A have finished. Once both groups have flown a round each there will be a 5 minute break to allow for damage repairs. If there is no need for the damage repair time the next round will start. We aim to get as many rounds in as possible.

Coarse markers: There will be a coarse marked out with flags and poles. Entrants will have to fly between the marked coarse and try to stay within an upper and lower height limit, keeping everyone in a set area will maximizes the hits :-). The coarse boundaries are only there for a guideline, you won't be penalised for flying outside of the coarse.

Flight line: There will also be a flight line marked out. If your model drifts or is hit towards the flight line, down your model, please don't fly over the flight line. If a model is hit over/behind the flight line this will be classed as a kill, please don't try to fly out back over the pilots, down your model and relaunch (we don't want anyone hit in the back of the head by a model flying back out through rotor).

Scoring: If any two models come in contact this is regarded as a hit (regardless of who initiated the hit) and both pilots will be awarded points. If one of these models goes down this becomes a kill and only the model still flying is rewarded points. If both models go down no points are scored by either pilot. How many points scored for hits and kills will be decided on the day during the pilots briefing.

Models: Any EPP model up to 50" can be used, Zagis, X-its, Wild Things are what's usually used. Models can be internally sparred but there must be no sharp or pointy Protrusions. Any balance weight including additional ballast must be internal, not taped on the outside.



Food for thought  :?:

And yes, a melee just for fun after the formal combat just to finish off the wounded airframes  :clap:

Garry

3

Slope Sites in Ireland / Wicklow Head (East - North East)

« on: September 26, 2007, 18:05:19 PM »

I think I have mentioned Wicklow head before on this forum but may as well put it here now that you have gone to the trouble to create this spot :clap:

If you travel throught the main street in wicklow town heading south and follow the road out past the gaol (how the locals like to spell jail!).  This road is signposted "Brittas Bay" and takes you out past Wicklow Golf Club.  Not far after the Golf Club there is a public car park on the left, then a very sharp right-left chicane on the road.  Slow down after this as about 150m further out this road you will see a red 5 bar gate on the left.  It is marked "Commissioners of Irish Lights" and says that there is no public access.  This is a popular walking spot and there is never an issue with access.  Total distance is < 2km from Wicklow Main Street.

You can drive right out to the lighthouse (over 2 or 3 cattle grids) and park just outside the gate of the lighthouse compound.  Lift (as with any coastal site in my experience) is unfeasibly smooth and is good in all wind strengths once the wind is from the East.

If the wind is slightly North of East, you can launch at a sort of nook just at the last sharp bend in this access road, around half-way between the last cattle grid and the lighthouse.  The lift can be quite good here and we have done plenty of combat and general flying here.

Hope this is of some help

Garry

4

Slope Soaring / Other lads and what they are doing

« on: May 09, 2007, 22:10:46 PM »

Hello again,
I myself am guilty of flying anything that can haul itself against the earth's gravity, mostly helicopters lately (well that's where I have diverted most of my hobby spend).  To this end, I have been involved in the promotion and administration of our new "3D Heli Challenge Trophy" national championship.  All said, I have had far too much family and work interruption of my precious hobby over the last year and have not flown much at all.

Where is all this going...
Some of the other guys I fly with in the Shankill Radio Flying Club http://www.srfc.net have just come back from a trip to South Wales.  They tried thier hands out at F3F racing and had an other go at proper organised combat.  Now I went on this trip two years ago, combat only and wrote an article about the trip for the MACI Flightlines when I came back.  According to the lads, this F3F is absolutely compulsive stuff when you try it.  My experience in South Wales was of unbelieveable lift, I mean yank the model out of your hands...look up quickly like it is on a bungee to the heavens!  The fun we had in the combat goes beyond description.  Have a look on the Shankill Club website, our webmaster was on the last trip (ringleader) and has put a lot of stuff on the front page...just click on the photo and it opens up a new page.

I am keen to get out a little more with my silent stable (all sport stuff) and am going to point all the gliding folk towards this forum in the hope that we can all join in a little more.  I have a feeling that with a little "rebel" rousing (sorry for the pun) we can get some stuff going.

What sort of stuff is happening that we don't know about?  Is there any organised "fun" stuff happening?  I am thinking combat, 60" epp racing e.t.c.

Sorry if I sound a bit dis-jointed, I am looking to find what's happening and looking to see if we can row in together to get some more rapport and fun on our hills.

Talk soon

Garry