Topic: South East Flyers

Wouldn't a day down at Bopeep be superb in this weather! I'm afarid I'm snowed under with work at the moment, holding out hope for south westerlies on Saturday and Sunday. At least it's good to hear you other chaps are getting out and making good use of the wind!

At least it's good to hear you other chaps are getting out and making good use of the wind!

not all of us Paul  :(

(not counting the weekend as a decent 'sesh', even if I did get to some premier slopes)

Allen,just got back from Bopeep, awesome lift, wind was 45+mph. I see what you mean about the turbulence at the lip, taped as much lead as I had on to the synergy. It took awhile to get out but once out about 40yds it was quite smooth.
Where did you fly from? If you go East from the car park past the bushes and dew pond to the top of the hill there's a wide open space with no bushes and a huge landing area even I can get down in.
Looking like SSW for Saturday possibly Long man in the afternoon
Mark J 
 

that's exactly where i flew from

and sat afternoon weather permitting sound good to me

Been concentrating on power pylon last couple of weeks (1st meet next Sunday) but hope to be back out on the slopes for some evening sessions after that 

Just give me a bell anytime Nick when your coming my way 

Oh and you know i had a good days flying yesterday, well on my way home a bus pulled out in front of me, making me slam on the breaks hard, found out later the the v tail on the Aldij had slammed in to my seat ripping off the elevator and ripping out the control horn 
I understand they have to be pushy but to pull out with no indication when the car is along side 
All fixed now though just waiting for the silicone to dry 

Oh and Nick I have not need the TX Mitt the last few visits, so should be able to hand over the Aldij for you to have a go, next time we are out 

Cheers Allen - will do 

Poxy buses - i hate it when they do that - usually when there's nothing behind you either 

Be nice to go up on the slopes without risking hypothermia - not done that yet 

Bit busy this week - apart from work Darren and i need 4 models between us for sunday. On tuesday we had three so did a testing session and managed to break them all 

Hopefully be out next week 

Mark Here is where i flew from

Hi guys

Newbie (ish) here Apologies for hijacking...

I was looking into the wind direction for this weekend to do a bit of sloping. I am not far from Gatwick and was looking at Box Hill's West slope on Saturday. I've not flown there before and wouldn't mind a bit of advice please. Is Box Hill a good place for a newish soarer to go or is there a better slope for this weekend?

Thanks
Lee

Hi Leebert - can't remember if we bumped into each other at one of the Ashford (heli) fly-ins?  You may be better heading for Thurnham on Saturday - XC weather says it will be on, and you should find others flying there - it is a great slope if you are just starting slope, with a good landing area.

Simon

I'll be up at Thurnham on Sat if the wind is good, as Simon says it's a kind slope with easy landing and a good crowd.

Allen. Walk about 150 meters past that spot and the slopes free from bushes and the fence behind is further back. A much nicer spot to fly from.
Had a bit of a disaster this evening. Getting my Bedlam ready hopefully for a maiden on Saturday,just pushing a bit of foam behind the battery when nasty smell of burning foam and lots of smoke accompanied with language that can't be repeated here. Must have caught the socket/switch with the foam  . Wiring a mess, fuselage is OK at least it didn't happen in the air, that would be embarrassing. Hopefully I'll get it repaire for the weekend.
Mark J   

Leebert, that west slope on Box Hill isn't very good, it's too flat, I think you might be disappointed.  There's no harm in trying it but your plane may refuse to rise much. 

Some experienced flyers enjoy trying to find lift on a meagre slope like that, but for a beginner, Castle Hill (also called Detling or Thurnham) would be much better.  If you can be bothered travelling that far.  Also at Castle Hill there will be friendly people to help, at Box Hill you would be alone. 

what about Mill hill ? Not too far from the Gatwick area is it....

Yes, even better - Mill Hill's a great site.  More lift than Castle Hill and a similarly friendly bunch.  From Gatwick, Mill Hill wouldn't take long to get to at all.

Allen. Walk about 150 meters past that spot and the slopes free from bushes and the fence behind is further back. A much nicer spot to fly from.
Had a bit of a disaster this evening. Getting my Bedlam ready hopefully for a maiden on Saturday,just pushing a bit of foam behind the battery when nasty smell of burning foam and lots of smoke accompanied with language that can't be repeated here. Must have caught the socket/switch with the foam  . Wiring a mess, fuselage is OK at least it didn't happen in the air, that would be embarrassing. Hopefully I'll get it repaire for the weekend.
Mark J   

I was gonna leave the bedlam at home on saturday but the thought of two doing some synchronized flying is to great

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the replies. 
I initially choose Box Hill as I am in the area tomorrow mid morning. I have flown at Mill Hill and liked it there but not been to Castle Hill (or Detling, or Thurnham). Does anyone have a map or GPS reference please? I don't think I'll be able to get there this weekend but another weekend possibly...
Thanks
Lee

Home - Slopehunter guide to slope soaring sites

Click on the link above, the map and all the details are on there under castle hill.

I'll be up at Thurnham on Sat if the wind is good, as Simon says it's a kind slope with easy landing and a good crowd.

Hoping to get up there too
Paul - PM sent
Phil

Hoping to get up there too
Paul - PM sent
Phil

Back in the smoke Phil, yuk ! I was down in Devon and Cornwall last weekend, far more civilised 

Shame I can't make it this weekend, have fun...

Got the Bedlem sorted. Looking  good for Long Man this afternoon, hope to be there  between 1 and 2. Must get to bed, long evening with Mr Harvey 

Looks like you may as well try the west slope at Box Hill, Leebert.  The wind forecast is looking suspiciously west rather than southwest.  West is pretty borderline for Mill Hill or Castle Hill.  I have flown Mill Hill in west and it sort of worked, and I've also flown Castle Hill in west and it sort of didn't work.  So if you're in the Box Hill area you've got nothing to lose by trying there.

Me?  Babysitting.  My lovely wife is at the end of her tether and needs a break.  I'm toying with the idea of going to Beltinge, pushing the pram around and photographing the site.

Starting to put together the Blaster 2e.  It's getting expensive, nothing I've got fits, I need to buy miniature everything.
 

Thanks for that 
Gonna pop the Wildthing in the car and give it a go at Box Hill. Like you say, nothing to lose.
Cheers
Lee

I know how you feel Gary, I'm in a similar position with a 4 yr old and baby of 8 months. I'm hoping on getting in a good session over the long bank holiday weekend.

If you could choose one plane at Castle Hill today not to get wrecked in a mid-air, it would be this one...

Here she is in happier times...

I wasn't flying, I was observing, with this crew in tow ...

At the precise moment the CRACK of the midair echoed across the field, my one year old let out a cry of anguish and filled his nappy with a megapoop, all up his back and down his legs ... this act of performance art was a poigant representation of the feelings of all of us there ...

Ouch :( That looks bad.
I didn't go to Box Hill this morning in the end due to rain but went to find Castle Hill in the afternoon on the bike. Didn't see any gliders but did see a fair few para-gliders. Is that on the same hill?
Only took 40 mins and looked a really nice place
Cheers,
Lee

At the precise moment the CRACK of the midair echoed across the field, my one year old let out a cry of anguish and filled his nappy with a megapoop, all up his back and down his legs

as did I
(post traumatic stress disorder)

Went to Folkestone early this morning and flew the zagi with Simon, some great comebat shame the lift came and went,
Only left when my antenna got broken after a hit and she went free flight towards the channel, lucky she went down in a spral dive.
Did a few jobs at home then took the Mrs to Thurnham for a quite evening of flying.
Had a moment when I switched on the wrong freq due to me setting up the wrong freq on my synth module.
(sorry if I nearly shot you down !)

But once I sorted that out I flew the Ascot for about an hour none stop on the early evening thermals, with out ballast.
Was nothing fast but was still a good fun.

John, you missed all the carnage!

Alan had a softer landing....

At the precise moment the CRACK of the midair echoed across the field, my one year old let out a cry of anguish and filled his nappy with a megapoop, all up his back and down his legs ... this act of performance art was a poigant representation of the feelings of all of us there ...

LOL - thanks for that - just cracked me up 
It was certainly one hell of a bang 
and the fus was buried 8+ inches in hard ground, but survived intact.
It is repairable, and will live to fly another day, but for the moment the Falcon is back in its carry box & will stay there until I pluck up courage to examine the wreckage more closely. I'll put some pics up on another thread for repair suggestions.
It was a great days flying before the great event though
Phil

The poor models.
Not very nice seeing broken mouldies :(

I reckon Tony Fu could fix the Falcon though.

The lift went at the end around 7pm but the sun was very low at that time so I wasn't that unhappy.

carnage at aThurnahm !

Got a report Paul ?

Goodwind Slope Soaring: oh the horror!

the poor chaps!

I rather like this one - I wondered what you guys were up to hiding in the trees 
Phil

You know what was really funny yesterday ... the look of confusion on a couple of flyers faces when they arrived to find a load of planes set out with no flyers visible anywhere (you were all off trying to de-tree the mouldie).

They looked nervously at me crouched in the field changing a nappy.

"Er, are you a flyer then?"

"Yeah, I am actually."

"These planes all yours?"

"Nope."

"Oh okay ... so which is yours?"

"Er ... none of them."

Look of total confusion returns...

If I'd been a bit quicker I should have said "Oh, haven't you heard?  It's the charity glider giveaway today.  Guys drop off planes they don't want, and anyone can come along and take whatever they want.  You're lucky, there's still quite a few left, so grab whatever takes your fancy ..."

Here is another one that likes the Trees at Thurnham, he was coming in for landing, and managed to smack the tallest tree, down it went finishing up on the road and NO DAMAGE, how lucky is that. Although he doesn't look to pleased!!

Looks like a Parkzone Radian - any good ?

Nice Flying with you one Saturday Mark your new bedlam was so smooth and efficient compared to my battered old one 

Lift just got stronger and stronger

Thought it was funny that that guy turned up with the 2m Fling, and stated he would not fly in anything stronger, and by the time i left he must having been fling in over 20mph, I was a bit jealous at times seeing him so relaxed as i hacked across the slope with my toes scrunched up 
I did get a little footage of your Bedlam on my phone I'll try to post it here later if its any good.(if i can convert from phone format)