After a lacklustre performance on my part at yesterday’s F3F Winter League competition I was keen to get out for a fly and more practice. I certainly need it!
The forecast was showing a light north-westerly swinging south by lunchtime so the chances of me getting any flying on West Lomond after a 50 minute drive followed by a 50 minute walk were not high! Unless I set out in the dark that was never going to happen. My alternative was to go to my local north-west slope up at the Angus transmitter. Gallow Hill or Extreme End as I call it. The last time I flew there I totalled (almost) my Extreme! Took months of repairs. So, somewhat cautious I dug out my trusty Spark and headed for the hill. Any thoughts of F3F practice forgotten.
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| View south to the 750ft Angus Transmitter with Dundee and the Tay Estuary |
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| View south over Dundee and the River Tay to distant East and West Lomond |
There was a nice breeze when I loaded the car which still felt ok when I got to the parking area near the huge tv mast although the direction seemed well round to the north. A 20 minute yomp over the moor saw me standing on the nw slope with the wind well crossed to the right and dropped to less than 5mph. A bit more yomping and an inelegant crossing of a barbed wire fence saw me considering the north end of the slope as a launch point. Not much of a slope width-wise although it is certainly high enough. A big heave saw the out-of-trim Spark struggle round a shaky circuit before I landed just down the slope a little. I chickened out from pushing way out from the hill.
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| View north over Strathmore to the Glens and distant snow covered Cairngorms |
Back to the launch point and the very light wind had swung to just west of north and a big heave saw it gently soar away towards the horizon and into some light lift. A few more areas of liftyness were found and the Spark was comfortably high and looking a picture in the cloudless sky. It may be a bit tattered and gained a little weight but it still flies very well. No slouch either. After about 45 minutes the wind ceased altogether but the Spark was happy soaring along finding lift at a good height. A few low passes and back up again looking for more thermals. Grand!! I landed the Spark after just over an hour and headed back home for lunch. Well happyJ
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| Wind power |
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