Topic: Cotswold Slopers!

Hey ya'll, I've just moved to the Cotswold area from Cornwall (yes I was / am a Proper Cornish Sloper) but haven't got a clue who fly's in this area?
 

I've visited a few slope sites and met some slopers, but none that I recognise from this forum. I've visited the SCSA website but there is no forum and i'm yet to hear of anyone on here who may be a member. Are you one of the lucky few? Do you fly on from a Cotswold slope?
 

Would be good to hear from you.
 

P.S. Sorry this sounds like a dating request - i'm straight and am not looking for love (the girlfriend wouldn't be happy).

Is there no-one out there . . . .
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh_9QhRzJEs" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh_9QhRzJEs</a>

Hi Eyeboy!

Welcome to the South Cotswolds.

The SCSA has a membership of approx 80 but that results in about 20 or so who frequent the slopes occasionally and a hard core of us of about 10 who do it often!

Tiger, Phil the fridge and others contribute to the forum often.

Our SW slope - Frocester is 'on' for light winds, tomorrow, Friday and there will be a few of us there in the afternoon.

Please feel free to pm/email me and we will get you started, though it may well not be up to Staggy...

Welcome!

Guy McKenzie

Looked up the club website. Cam long down looks interesting and is less than 1.5 hrs away from me I reckon, does anyone ds there and if so what wind directions are best? Your web site says front side in North East but on the map several directions look possible.   

Mark

Our SW slope - Frocester is 'on' for light winds, tomorrow, Friday and there will be a few of us there in the afternoon.

Hopefully see you there tomorrow (if I can get away from work at a decent time). Looks like the winds should be 14mph SW at 16:00. I'll try to get there for max lift!

Thanks for the comments.
 

Hi Eyeboy. I belong to the SCSA, and am usually on the slopes on Sunday mornings with my mate Andy George. I don't actually live that local, but these are probably the easiest slopes for me to get to. Be warned that the landing zones on most of our slopes leave a lot to be desired!

Hi Eyeboy. I belong to the SCSA, and am usually on the slopes on Sunday mornings with my mate Andy George. I don't actually live that local, but these are probably the easiest slopes for me to get to. Be warned that the landing zones on most of our slopes leave a lot to be desired!

Hi Gordon. I overlooked you in our 'regulars' list, sorry. Have you got the tail fixed up on the Luna yet?
Guy

Hi Eyeboy. I belong to the SCSA, and am usually on the slopes on Sunday mornings with my mate  Be warned that the landing zones on most of our slopes leave a lot to be desired!

I've read the reviews and flown from a few of the posts already. I've got a lovely 90" Spitfire that is just itching to see some land rather than sea below her but I get the impression that unless the wind is on at Selsley, there's not much chance of her flying. The SCSA certainly gives the impression that although you may be able to land at other slopes, the margin for error is small.
 

Any idea how long it takes to get from Stroud to the Bwlch . . . . . !!
 

Will hopefully catch up with you this weekend if you're about.
 

Hi Gordon. I overlooked you in our 'regulars' list, sorry. Have you got the tail fixed up on the Luna yet?
Guy

Yes, all fixed now, but I had to resort to a little surgery along the way.

The Bwlch is 1-1/2 hours from Stroud and it costs £5.40 to get over the Severn Bridge!

Frocester is a slope that some won't fly, or only fly foamies as the landing can be tricky if you don't follow a proven approach! Others fly 4m scale ships and don't have a problem getting them down! It's easy with crow.

The slope will fly SW around to W or even WNW when you should then be flying Selsley. It tends to drift to SSW as the afternoon goes on when the lift can get intermiitant depending on the wind speed.

Mark, CLD flies N best and is OK with a touch of Ease in it. Despite what our website says, for me NE is no good. The back of the ridge faces South and I've flown that too but ended up in one of the numerous bushes!

People do DS it in both N and S. We tend to fly Selsley in a Northerly (but it dies if it goes East past North) and Haresfield in a Southerly. The latter is a good Southerly ridge but the nice open LZ can be turbulent in a strong wind.
There is a small SSW bowl there with phenominal lift but really it's for foamies as the landing is a quick about turn and dump on the lip of the ridge! Some fly big stuff but walk down the slope and land in the fields below.

I see the wind is SSW at the mo. Are you going to Haresfield Beacon today?

Just got back from flying Frocester with 4 or 5 others. It was mainly SW but kept drifting to SSW, so in all was not good but perfectly flyable.
The small bowl at Haresfield would probably have flown OK. One of those frustrating borderline days...

Won't have the chance tonight after all. 

Let us know if you're intending to get out and about this weekend if that's ok? I'm defo up for a bit of slope action and the winds should make it just about do-able!
 

Hi Eyeboy. I belong to the SCSA, and am usually on the slopes on Sunday mornings with my mate Andy George. I don't actually live that local, but these are probably the easiest slopes for me to get to. Be warned that the landing zones on most of our slopes leave a lot to be desired!

Is is easy to land at Frocester, there is a video on the club site

http://www.scsa.org.uk/video/frocester.wmv

Phil

Is is easy to land at Frocester, there is a video on the club site

http://www.scsa.org.uk/video/frocester.wmv

Phil

Thanks for the link. Think i'll try it a few times with an EPP model before using something crunchable.

Will hopefully get the chance to try it tomorrow winds permitting.
 

Hello Eyeboy,
I am a member too. Almost a year since starting this hobby. The others have not seen me for a while because when the wind is SW I go to Cleeve Hill, by the radio masts. I enjoy the wider slope and steadier lift, have even practiced proper landings. When I get lonely again, or the wind changes I go back to the SCSA slopes.
Cleeve Hill overlooks Cheltenham race course, I haven't managed to scare the horses yet.
Tony.

Hello Eyeboy,
The others have not seen me for a while because when the wind is SW I go to Cleeve Hill, by the radio masts. I enjoy the wider slope and steadier lift, have even practiced proper landings.Tony.

Tony, sounds like a great slope. May well catch you up there some time soon especially if it's slightly more "crunchie" friendly for landings. If you ever want company, let me know when you're heading up there.

 

I'll be up on Cleeve Hill at about 2.30pm for a couple of hours, if the wind is right for Sunday I'll be there again in the afternoon. I have seen people flying large crunchies on the slope, I am still a foamie sort of flyer so can't offer advice on flying anything valuable.

I'll be up on Cleeve Hill at about 2.30pm for a couple of hours, if the wind is right for Sunday I'll be there again in the afternoon. I have seen people flying large crunchies on the slope, I am still a foamie sort of flyer so can't offer advice on flying anything valuable.

I've got nothing financially valuable but a couple of my models are my pride and joy.
 

Hi Eyeboy
You managed to get over the border then, was thinking of a road trip tommorrow might come and have a look at cleeve hill looks good from the road.

Steve C

Eyeboy,

Here is a map of the Cleeve Hill slopes and nearby Leckhampton. I've been to both locations with models but there was no wind!

Good luck - Guy

Eyeboy,

Here is a map of the Cleeve Hill slopes and nearby Leckhampton. I've been to both locations with models but there was no wind!

Good luck - Guy

Thanks matey, that's a  cool map to have. Will defo try flying there soon.
 
Do you know if any of the slopes listed are at all crunchie friendly having a decent LZ?
 

Had two flies at two different slopes this afternoon. Started at Frocester which was OK for lift but a bit bouncy. Then went to Haresfield and flew from the tight slope just feet away from the car park with a chap called Paul who is newish to the game (says the bloke who's only being flying for 20months). Top afternoon.
 :colm:

Hoping to get out again tomorrow for an hour or two. Anyone else playing? 
Winds are set SW going W and light (10mph) so I guess that means Frocester again.

There will be a few at Frocester this Sunday morning.

I'll not make it until this afternoon.

Guy

Hi, Andy, nice to see you at Frocster hill
please join our news group

http://www.glos-mfc.co.uk/phil/news.htm

phil

I hope the flying was as good as it was this afternoon!!

Strong lift and wind and generally pretty smoooothe.

Guy

Hi, Andy, nice to see you at Frocster hill
please join our news group
phil

Phil thanks for the help re the landing pattern at Frocester - much appreciated and I feel much more comfortable flying there now.
 

Marcellus, did you fly at Frocester or Haresfield this afternoon? I'm tempted to go out again this evening for an hour but don't know which would be the better slope?
 

Talking of wind directions, I take it for refernce purposes, Staverton Private is probably the most local wind direction reading isn't it? If so, do you ever make any allowances e.g. if Staverton says due W, it's more than likely WSW at Haresfield etc?

Phil thanks for the help re the landing pattern at Frocester - much appreciated and I feel much more comfortable flying there now.
 

Marcellus, did you fly at Frocester or Haresfield this afternoon? I'm tempted to go out again this evening for an hour but don't know which would be the better slope?
 

Talking of wind directions, I take it for refernce purposes, Staverton Private is probably the most local wind direction reading isn't it? If so, do you ever make any allowances e.g. if Staverton says due W, it's more than likely WSW at Haresfield etc?

Frocester was great but chilly! WSW, so Haresfield no good. Yes, Staverton. Staverton is usually correct. You will notice we always get a bit more S in the direction compared to the rest of the UK. Effect of the Severn I believe.

Then went to Haresfield and flew from the tight slope just feet away from the car park with a chap called Paul who is newish to the game (says the bloke who's only being flying for 20months). Top afternoon.
 :colm:

I'm really not convinced that you need to bother with the "tight slope" at Haresfield. On numerous occasions, the wind has felt as though it was "dead on", at this slope, but when I have ventured round to the main slope, the wind has always been perfect there also! Given the choice, I know which slope I would rather fly from, even if landing at the main slope can be a bit tricky due to rotor.

I'm really not convinced that you need to bother with the "tight slope" at Haresfield. On numerous occasions, the wind has felt as though it was "dead on", at this slope, but when I have ventured round to the main slope, the wind has always been perfect there also! Given the choice, I know which slope I would rather fly from, even if landing at the main slope can be a bit tricky due to rotor.

Absolutely true Gordon! There is a large wind turbine on the horizon, which helps identify the actual wind direction!

Cheers for the advice gents. No problem with wind direction / slope today. It's currently SW going W. I'm gonna head up to Frocester for a quick lunch time sesh in a mo.
 

It must be great having the slopes right on your doorstep! I've recently changed jobs, and now work in Bicester, so the prospects of any after-work flying are virtually non existant these days. 

Congrats on the job!

I've recently changed jobs, and now work in Bicester, so the prospects of any after-work flying are virtually non existant these days. 

True but the job will no doubt mean that you'll be able to add to your hangar which therefore improves the quality of flying you get. Quality not quantity (as the girlfriend says)!

Lunchtime session was so enjoyable i'm gonna head up to Frocester again in a mo for an early evening sesh to feed my addiction.
 :cigarsmoking:

I'm going to have to put a plane in the back of my car this week! The sun is still shining, and I'm sure I could just about get to Stroud before sunset! 

I'm going to have to put a plane in the back of my car this week! The sun is still shining, and I'm sure I could just about get to Stroud before sunset! 

It was lovely up there again this evening catching the odd bit of thermal lift every now and again. Met a chap called Ross who was throlwing around his Blade. Awesome piece of kit and well beyond my price range.
 

Absolutely true Gordon! There is a large wind turbine on the horizon, which helps identify the actual wind direction!

The small slope next to car park does SSW to SW, the large slope runs east to west spot on for a south.
Phil

And the ridge at Haresfield looks great for Wednesday.....due South

Wednesday 19th Aug is the SCSA mini glider competition, 6.30 for 7.00PM start.
If you can't make it bring a note.
Phil