I just can't bend these wings

With another storm coming over this weekend it was definitely time to take the merlin out and see how she copes. Flying fast in a smooth thermal is one thing- and I know the merlin can do that. But self launching in bumpy strong winds, fully ballasted and then managing your energy as you rip up the Sky is another.

You have to love moldies, the last time out the merlin was thermalling but add 3lds of lead and the same model is handling the rough stuff.

Being able to carve a turn is a great help in rough air and the merlin did this as well as it was pinging off the corners earlier in the year.

A good day!

A frustrated Flyer gets relief

  It’s been a long few weeks since those 3 rounds at the Welsh Open and the need to ‘get back on the bike’ was turning into a just let me fly.  Kids/rain/Clubs seem to have bene conspiring lately- so it was time for a flyer from work and an afternoon playing to enjoy the Merlin.

  Light conditions like these might not get me all set for 30mph on the Wrecker but after a while I remembered to start playing with a few settings on the Merlin and feel how she responded.  Very clearly and obviously to relatively small changes is the quick answer.  The feedback from the Merlin is very clear and direct.

  I must have got over 2 hours of air time (the most since Lundy for me) and I hope this was enough time to balance the production Merlin for energy retention in the turn and feel.

Merlins land at T9

  I'm feeling so pleased that the Merlins have now landed at T9 and are looking as good as I hoped they would.  http://www.t9hobbysport.com/merlin-f3f-2.75m-glider
there's also new Willow stock.
  I get a really buz from seeing my models in the hands of other pilots and seeing them in the Winter leagues will be great!- I'd best put a few new build note togther!

Pictures and fun from the Welsh Open

  F3F in the UK is by far and away the most popular/well attended and I would suggest accessible soaring class in the UK today.  The Welsh Open has a long tradition of being one of the center pieces of the British and a highlight of the European soaring calendar.  This is a very weather dependent sport and weekends like the one we have just had will continue to happen.  I’m sure that if the wind had played a little more on Friday then 6 rounds or more could have been achieved on this day alone.

  A look around the pitts of the Welsh Open is as close to an F3F expo that we have in the UK.  Other than the lovely Merlin and Willows on show some of the new crop really caught the eye.  The Crossover has to be one of the nicest looking models available today- 2.7m and a swept back LE just seems to work for UK slopes in particular (does for the willow and Merlin anywayJ)

 It may just have been because of sitting next to Martin’s rash of Freestylers but they are clearly still a dominant model.

  The other dominant model looks to be the knitting circle (?) of needles that were racing.  From the 100 to the new 115 (2.7m again you see) but predominantly the 124 needle was in the in hands of a number of the British pilots.

  3 very variable rounds simply isn’t enough to give anything more than an aesthetic.  Stingers certainly look to have that end sewn up

But for some old fashioned style:

We're still working on happy faces in the fog:









Winter Leagues

  The Welsh clag gave us plenty of time to catch up about winter leagues.  If my memory serves me the plan is:

First Saturday of the month- Northern Winter League HOH

Second Sunday of the month Southern Winter league travelling band waggon

Third Sunday of the month Welsh Winter league BWLCH

Midlands league TBC

More details will be posted on the GBSRA.co.uk web site along with details of the Champion of Champions race- I understand that they will be taking the race on and that the trophy we have will be used each year.  It's fantastic that this race will continue, good luck to those organising it.

  If you've ever thought about having a go at F3F/watching some blokes getting cold on a hill side whether you think your model is suitable (It probably will be) then the winter leagues are the ideal first introduction- get out and have a go!

Home and drying

  After 3 days on Mickies only rewarded us with 3 rounds of racing that's the Welsh Open completed. Huge congratulations to Pete gunning on his own win. Also to frank on a very smoothly flown 16th with his Willow- really showing off the Willows best characteristics of simply carving the course smoothly and quickly.

  I have to put my hand up and say my merlin wasn't set up properly for racing but I just didn't fly her well enough. Still when the air came through for me in round 3 she was off like a scalded cat.  It's clear that the Merlin has the speed and it's jjust a case of practise and set up from my thumbs to allow the turns to let the Merlin show what it can do.  After flying the Willow almost exclusively for nearly 3 years it's a fun challenge to play with the Merlin.

  A good weekend and thanks to Kevin AJ and Martin for trying just about everything to get the race on.  Round 3 stretching out until 7pm on Friday was a nice ballance to my number 1 starting possition.

  Pictures to come later.

Welsh Open- Water proofs ready!

  Right, water-proofs/sportbrella are packed and aerial screwed into to radio I'm ready for a good weekend in Wales- Oh and a model or 2!

  There's no point in looking at the weather forecast in Wales more than 2 pilots in advance so it's time to have some fun and meet up with my Willow team mates.  I'll post up some picks each evening to show how my blind optimism is lost to the reality of my thumb's lack of ability.