Topic: Another BBQ and slope day at the Southdowns

Well Boys the winds are coming round again and the sun is creeping out
I make that BBQ and slope carnage O'clock
At the mo we are looking at a Week Day in June
One of these
4, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25.

As usual I will supply two disposable BBQs and you guys bring food drink and as many planes as you can fit in the car 
But first things first

DATES

post here which dates you can do, hopefully we can find one that everyone can make 

We really need two dates, one as a reserve incase mother nature wants a day

Quick Refresher of the good

And the not so good

Nice one Allen 

I could get the 4th and 23rd off without too much hassle I think. I could also bring some goodies to go on the BBQs 

Just need to remember how to fly 

Nice...............

22nd, Poss 23rd

I'll try and be there whenever you do it Allen

Si

17,18,23,24,25 for me

Dave

Count me in. 

Ok well lets say the 23rd of June then 
once we get within 7 days we can talk weathe and location 

So we have
Me
Aeronaut
Leebert
Bad Raven
dav3uk
Swarren
and hopefully PaulW

Anyone else is welcome to just turn up
down worry about crowded skys, coz we dont all fly all the time, we have all day, so bring coffee, cameras, video cams and lots of 5 min epoxy 

If I can get the day off ill be there. 24th better for me but i'll go with the flow. My Red Arrows have been waiting for a sortie down the south coast! 

So we have
Me
Aeronaut
Leebert
Bad Raven
dav3uk
Swarren
and hopefully PaulW

Anyone else is welcome to just turn up
down worry about crowded skys, coz we dont all fly all the time, we have all day, so bring coffee, cameras, video cams and lots of 5 min epoxy 

It is in my diary

That's only a couple of days off the longest day of the year.  Anyone keen enough could set a session duration record, say 5am to 10pm.  Not me though.

Should be able to make it any day you suggest.

Eric

Well looking a head a the weather they say it's going to rain

  they cant even get today right let alone two weeks time 

wind looks ok though

Looking forward to it  

Me too!

Si

B****r! I have to work at Staines that day  , so I won't be able to get there until about 6pm - hopefully some of you will still be there when I eventually arrive. 

We're still talking about the 23rd right?  I have that day booked off as holiday. 

I bought two disposable BBQs from Lidl - those Lidl ones work well and cost an amazingly cheap £1.29.

We're still talking about the 23rd right?  I have that day booked off as holiday. 

I bought two disposable BBQs from Lidl - those Lidl ones work well and cost an amazingly cheap £1.29.

Yes and you nicked my job, I'll have to get sausages and maybe an umbrella 

Ive got the day off now so count me in! 

Really looking forward to this one. It'll be my first day back in Blighty after a holiday. Sounds like the perfect way to spend a first day back  

I'll bring cakes, buns, goodies - what ever is required 

I will book the day off. Where are we planning to me?

Eric P

Sorry can't spell I meant wher are we planning to meet.

Eric p

Still can't spell. Where are we planning to meet.

Eric p

Wherever is good that day for the wind direction.  For instance we could do -

NW Long Man
N Firle, or maybe Long Man
NE Bopeep
SW Long Man
SE Beachy Head
W Itford Hill, or maybe Long Man
E not sure, maybe Butts

... but Allen is organising it, he'll know better than me where's best for which wind direction since he lives there.

We will wait till two to three days before we talk location
those without my mob number message me 

NW Longman
W Longman
SW Longman
N Butts as it's as good as firle but no PGs and generally quieter
NE Bopeep
SE Beachy Head
E  Butts

Wed 23 Jun   0:00   5:59   9 °c   5 °c   1020 mb   0.0 mm   88 %   [Wind from N (3°)]    25 mph   [Cloudy]
    6:00   11:59   9 °c   5 °c   1020 mb   0.0 mm   100 %   [Wind from N (4°)]    26 mph   [Cloudy]
   12:00   17:59   9 °c   4 °c   1019 mb   0.1 mm   100 %   [Wind from N (-1°)]    26 mph   [Cloudy]
   18:00   23:59   9 °c   4 °c   1018 mb   0.2 mm   100 %   [Wind from N (-1°)]    26 mph   [Cloudy]

This will be interesting If it sticks
North bowl Butts lane  or Firle, your not gonna get a PGs out in that

will be 30+ on the slope

Wow, that's great!  The biggest threat at this time of year is too little wind, not too much.  So even if the forecast gets weaker, it should still be a good flyable day.

Possibly Firle is a bit smoother and easier in those conditions than Long Man?  I've always wanted to fly Long Man's north slope (which I think is more NW and lacks a big landing zone?), but if conditions are really hectic the easiest slope might be the one to go for.  But of course I'll be there wherever we go.

Getting the BBQs working could be a challenge! 

Longman NW is good but a LONNNGGG walk
but I said BUTTS not the longman
Butts north is as good if not better than firle IMHO but you have to pay for parking if you not local
I have a card that allows me to park for free
little tip though
there are a few laybys/ room on the verge on the road up the hill that you can park for free 

Looks like the wind may be dropping right off after the weekend, get yer floaters out.....

XC currently (with plenty of time for change of course) now showing SW quickly moving SSW close S 6-10mph.

Small point, don't know Longman at all, let alone it's suitability in SSW, but Mill Hill (Shoreham) due to valley shape and proximity to sea usually generates it's own local weather and that sort of forecast with some solar activity often results in a very flyable square on hill 15-20 mph ish with good lift.

Close to A27, Car Park right by slope, but height limited due proximity to airport, so no thermal climb outs, strictly slope flying only.

Thoughts??

Typical that after days and days of NE winds, when we arrange to get together at the south downs we get a forecast that would be great for Thurhnam!
I don't think Longman was all that good last time we met there so I'm happy to go to Mill Hill, but I guess it's Allen's "gig" so I'll go where I'm told - or we could do it at Thurhnam instead!

Si

Yeah if its SW a bit of Mill Hill wouldn't be bad.

Well all the forecasts I have looked at, totally contradict themselves   

We will talk about location on Tuesday

I'm quite happy with Mill Hill if the wind is SSW, I have not flown there yet

As for slopes up Kent way, well I dont know them, have never flown then and was lead to believe, although more than flyable they were not all that great ?

No, we can't do Kent!  That would ruin the name of the event! 

I agree we should wait until nearer the day when the forecast will have got its act together.

As for slopes up Kent way, well I dont know them, have never flown then and was lead to believe, although more than flyable they were not all that great ?

As a non-local Thurnham flyer, I'm to a degree put off by the likelihood of arriving in light winds and finding paragliders in front of me all day. If you are local based no doubt a ten min drive for nothing (or limited flying) is perfectly OK.....different story when you are burning fuel and time.

Been six times now (way less than others, I know), but on no occasion was the lift/wind combination what I'd call good.  Maybe because I cannot stay to evenings, I never see it at its best.  It does have a benign landing zone though.

That's fine, I'm happy to go anywhere as I'm on holiday!


Si

I hope we do go to a BIG hill on the South Downs as I have flown there before and they are MUCH better normally when it comes to lift than Thurnham. 
 My Red Sparrows NEED a BIG hill !

I hope we do go to a BIG hill on the South Downs as I have flown there before and they are MUCH better normally when it comes to lift than Thurnham. 
 My Red Sparrows NEED a BIG hill !

Just for you I will make sure we have a BIG HILL 
even if I have to pile things on top