Happy new year!

 Cold, wind off the slope but still worth it to get out onto the slopes in the winter sun.

Hopefully there will be many more fun sessions with the Wyvern coming up.

Christmas flying

   A couple of chances to get out flying over the break, both times were icey cold on the fingers but so worth it.

  Flying the Wrecker is always a challenge but when you can feel your fingers seizing up and have the prospect of walking to the back of the Wrecker to land you have to make sure you enjoy your time on the edge.

  Ballast added and 3.5kg of Saker was away without a hitch, the limiting factor was my practice in these ballistic conditions.  The Saker can be deceiving to fly, it's ease of handling makes you think you cannot be flying all that fast.  When the air squared up she certainly was! 

  A great way to end a very enjoyable year's flying, I'm looking forward to more great days with friends in 2026!

A happy Christmas thrash

 

  I managed to avoid organising for a half day this weekend and found myself on Whitesheet's SW bowl with a 12ms icey wind in my face.

  Simply fun ripping around the sky and realising how bumpy the air can get is you drop below head height..

  A week away next week with the family but my addiction is showing as I start to look at the long range forecasts for the Wooleybacks weekend.

Winter madness

 I'm sure that this is the point where I should be waxing about the performance and behaviour of the Sakers.  But if I didn't think they flew great I wouldn't have flown them for 4 years.  The confidence that they give me as I launch into just about any conditions is what I really love about the Saker.

  With temperatures dropping and the wind blowing a damp 20ms it was never going to be a long session. When the air did come good, the 3.4kg models just ripped through the air.

 Safe to say slope dogs were less pleased with the conditions as the showers came through!

  Time for a warm lunch!

Who'd be a race organiser!

  Putting yourself up as the person who makes a race happen or not is a thankless task (been there)

 

The decision not to hold the southern winter League race this weekend meant that it's was just the slope dogs and me bracing the conditions at 9.00. the winter was cocked off and variable enough to no doubt wind me up at a race.  But for a morning it was great fun.

 Both Saker an Wyvern ripped up and down, trying different things as the air changed. Remembering the feeling of the Sakers step as compared to the Wyvern just reminded me how much I enjoy flying the model

Great fun and as I left after a couple of hours for a roast dinner, not staying to race all day didn't seem too bad!

Taking the Mickie

  The wind starting due west today meant that the slope dogs and I had to take the long walk to the far 'bomb hole' slope today.  I wasn't planning on walking up and down the hill but they were both rather keen on curling up in the shelter it provides!

  The wind picked up from 5 to around 10ms by the time we left so I started with a wyvern and just enjoyed it too much to change! It's a model that has bringing a smile to my face for over 2 years now, I'm always surprised I don't see more of them.

  Setting a model up from Scratch is something I love doing. Recently I've been flying with a forward CG and carving around the turns. Flying faster, if longer and smoother.

  

Last weekend on the mynd

   This weekend is going to be my last of the year where I can have 2 days on the Mynd.

 I've had regular opportunities to fly here for the last few years, so many that it feels like a home slope. Today involved a lot of shower dodging but there's always a triumphant feeling when you have the patience to wait out the bad weather and get to fly.

  The conditions were variable and the wyvern reflected this. There's quite a commitment to that first down wind up turn but as my confidence in the air increased, so did the energy. Great fun and bring on tomorrow!

 Sunday and the clouds parted for a morning on Pole Cott. It was great to be joined by Andy and Les with their matching Mamba S's. It's the first time I've seen this model away from the focused lift of the Bwlch. Not surprisingly bothered Andy and Les made them look good on this very different slope.

 The wind and lift became increasingly variable. When it did come good I was particularly pleased that I kept the wyvern at 3.2kg despite the wind never really topping 13ms. Getting the vertical component of the turn right would really pay off and the pace build.

  A great day and great to meet up with 2 top lads.