Plenty of play at Perran

Kaz enjoys some Paragliding after her hang gliding earlier

Dave K takes off for his first soaring flight straight and level

Dave K looking pretty pleased with himself after the "Big One"

Thre "wise" monkeys ??

Scenic shot courtesy of Nigel G

There was a lot going on one way or another at Perran where conditions were up and down and on and off but this at least gave opportunities for all to play.

Kaz took the chance to get some more airtime in on her hang glider having a couple of nice flights and top landings.

Cathy L (Warminster) cam up on the tandem Hang Glider for a flight to get her back in the air after a lay off from both Hangers and Para's and we had a plesant time cruising the cliffs.

Next off was Dave K (Bristol) for his first hill soaring flight having done all the hard work on the tow line over the last few months. dave did a great job putting 20 minutes and settling down the whole time whilst having to dodge the odd paraglider along the way. He then came in and performed a top landing to save the walk up and looked a very happy chap with it.

Nigel G (Minhead) who is learning to hang Glide on the tow but came along to spectate joined in the fun with a bit of tethering along the top and looked pretty comfortable with it.

Then it was time for daves second flight and again despite the wind moving off to the south a bit he did a good job and looked even smoother than before to log another 10 minutes before popping the Calypso back in on top for his second top landing and even bigger grin.

With the wind off to the SW and increasing a bit we opted for some more tethering on theSW face where Cathy and Nigel both had a good time flying in lovely conditions to give them the feel of soaring. Our timing was spot on and we managed to pull the Condor apart just before the rain set in.

Good to see rebekah upin the sky on her hanger again and good to see a number of visitors making the most of it.

Simon sorted

Simon C joins Bill N at Freathy to get his CPC sorted

Things get better as the cloud clears

Simon sets up for a top landing

It was paper work and Theory session in the morning which saw Malin L (Plymouth) complete his CPC exam for the Paramotor and pass it whilst the weather was drizzly and not too flyable. By Lunchtime things looked brighter so it was off to Freathy with Simon C (Helston) to hopefully get his CPC assessment done enabling us to get him into the system and him to be BHPA qualified and insured making life easy for all.

On arrival Tony M (Warminster) was up and soaring his Hang Glider (U2) which he swears is vice less playing with the orographic cloud and having fun. It was bit windy for the Paragliders so we sat and waited and chatted to the locals.

As the orographic cleared the wind eased and after a quick check of conditions on my Rush 2 we sent Simon off to do his stuff. With a good take off followed by some nice soaring, Big ears , asymmetric and a good top landing things looked good. Next he was off again to demonstrate speedbar which as it turned out was fortunate as the wind picked up a little. Another good landing then he was off to play again whilst i joined him in the air.

By the end of the day Simon was sorted and had added another couple of hours to his log book, nice one. James b (Tideford) turned up and had a whizz on the Rush landing just in time to pack it up as the rain arrived, perfect timing.

Looks like the hill again tomorrow.

Allsorts in the field

Tom A gets set to go on the Calypso

Bob H comes into land as Malin ground handles below

Katie heads beck to earth on the Tandem

callum looks pleased after his flight

Simon C gets a chance to play with the Z3

What looked like a quiet day suddenly turned into a full one as students called in to go flying as the forecast was a good one.

In the tow filed we got going with Tom A (Truro) on a Hang Glider who hada good day converting to the chest release then following that up by getting onto the Calypso and having fun playing with the extra glide and speed. Tom polished off his CPC exam as well so becoming CPC'd on the tow and pretty much ready for a trip to the hill, maybe this weekend ??

Sam A (Launceston) joined him and also put in the effort managing to convert to the chest release and whilst not as smooth as normal had a good time putting in the experience tows in readiness for the hill also. he wizzed through the CPC exam and whilst already being a qualified Paraglider pilot found the exercise useful.

Bob H (Devon)meanwhile finished off his CPC tasks on the Paraglider with some cracking spot landings before taking his exam and passing with flying colours to gain his CPC tow rating. A bit more work in the filed to gain experience would come in useful before Bob heads to the hill.

Meanwhile in the background Malin L (Plymouth) was tidying up his ground handling on a Paraglider in readiness for getting the Paramotor on his back. After a bit of extra work with the unit on his back it was on with the engine for a few practice power runs and aborts then it was the big one. With conditions mellowing it was ideal and by the end of play he had put away 3 lovely flights all with good take offs and good stand up landings to get his Paramotoring career underway.

In the middle of the day Peter L, kate L and Callum who were down on holiday all came along for Tandem flights and had a great time enjoying the whole experience, the views and watching each other. Callum took the honours with the highest flights but then as he only wieghed in at 6 stone I guess it was always going to happen.

Perfect at Perran

What a lovely afternoon we had at Perranporth where conditions were spot on for Paragliding. Having done some useful work in the office in the morning including fitting Coady out with some new side wires on his Hanger and a parachute that's up to size and up to date we headed to Perran as the sun came out.

After a couple of nice flights on the Rush 2 and what a nice wing that is it was time to take Shaun (Ireland) up on the Tandem. We had a great time and whilst the height was not excessive it was fun to fly close to the birds and the fauna! The lift did pick up nicely allowing us an easy top landing and rounding off a super holiday for Shaun.

Next up was Julia who turned up on spec having just seen us flying and called the telephone number on the wing so i guess all that sign writing does work. Down on holiday from Northampton Julia and her husband fly light aircraft so they decided she should try something different. Again she had a super time revelling in the quietness compared to powered flight. despite her nerves Julia really enjoyed herself and we may well see her again next year!

Mike C (Peranwell) popped along for a look at the hill and put in some very useful ground handling practice looking pretty good at it by the end of the afternoon. Kaz had a good time putting in 5 flights on the Buzz Z3 and declaring on more than one occasion that she "loves that wing" and I must admit when I fly it there is something special about it.

Hanging around at cloudbase

Ashley L looking almost relaxed as he gets set to go

Tom does some paperwork whilst the others get clipped in

Paul C at one with the Mars....

Another good day for the hang gliders in the tow field and an "easy" day for me with everyone on best behavior.

Ashley L (Swansea) cracked on through his EPC tasks and putting away another 13 flights saw him to the end of it towing nicely up to 150' releasing then putting in good co ordinated turns back to tippy toe landings. His confidence has soared over the 3 days he has been with us and we look forward to his return to carry on into his CPC.

Tom A (Truro) had another cracking day finishing off his CPC flying tasks with some nice slow flight appreciation and stalls along with 180 turns and yet more spot landings. He just needs to build up some experience tows and then it's off to the hills.

Paul C (Plymouth) was back and quickly got back into the swing of things with some high flights before moving onto base bar conversions.

Unfortunately the cloudbase slowly got lower and lower through the day and by mid afternoon we stopped high flights as the gliders started to disappear into the cloud! Then it got lower so putting an end to Ashley's fun as even 150' was enough to get into it and finally whilst starting Tom off on low level chest release practice (60') we began to even lose sight of the winch we called it a day.

Still another good one for the Hangies.

Hangering all day

Wow what a lovely day in the tow field but where was everyone? the hangy boys were out but the Paragliders that were booked in did not show, shame. Still we had a great time with lots done and lots of smiles.

Erik O (Bristol) and Ashley L (Swansea) were out for day two of their EPC Hang Gliding and both quickly moved off tethers as they got the concept of airspeed gives control and onto their first "free" flights. Erik had to leave early but still put in 6 nice flights whilst Ashley stayed to the end putting in 13 flights and moving into release flights with gentle turns and looking pretty pleased about it.

Tom A (Truro) returned after a month or so break to start his CPC Hang Gliding and had a super afternoon putting in the high flights, mastering base bar and prone flying along with plenty of spot landings, 180 turns and even the odd 360!

Sam A (Launceston) had a great afternoon polishing off the remainder off his CPC flying tasks on a Hang Glider and looking like he was really enjoying it as well. Slow flight appreciation and stalls were done some good spot landings and some super turns made him look like the complete package. Another day and he should be ready for the hill.

Terry P came along to put in some more experience flights on his Hang Glider whilst we wait for good soaring conditions to come along and was looking pretty good all round.

Hayley H (Camborne) dropped by for a Tandem flight on the Paraglider and had a fun time being incredibly calm though the whole experience or at least giving that impression!

Meanwhile Kaz was at Perranporth having fun soaring her Paraglider where conditions were a little up and down but generally pretty good. Nice to hear that Terry B is well pleased with his new Ozone Rush 2 and by all accounts the sign writing on it looks pretty good too. Check out mercuryart.co.uk to see what hidden talent Terry has.

Quote of the day " I felt my gon*ds tickle the grass that time" maybe that's why he always keeps his legs up as he comes into land................

Hangers On

It was a hard work day in the field for me with two day oners starting their Hang Gliding courses giving me plenty of exercise!

Erik O (Slovakia / Bristol) and Ashley L (Swansea) were both down to get going on Hang Gliding and had a perfect day for it. They had a steady morning putting in the basics before getting onto the winch in the afternoon. By the end of the day they had both managed three tows across the filed and were starting to get the hang of it so hopefully another one or two and we can get the king post tether off and my life will get easier!

Nigel G (Minehead) and Jason M (Minehead) were both back and had a useful morning just running with the hanger to get the feel of it before getting onto the winch. By the end of the day they had both mastered release flights and were putting in some nice smooth turns as well so getting them well into their CPC's

Simon C (Honiton) was also back and had a great afternoon moving into release flights and turns looking very confident and controlled so also putting him well into his EPC tasks.

Roger Warren (New Zealand) joined in the fun at the end of the day with a couple of low tows to introduce him to UK towing having learnt down under.

A lovely day overall with good progress all round and plenty to keep us busy. Nice to see the sheep back to trim the grass!

Kaz had a day off going flying at Perranporth where things were a bit up and down by all accounts..........

Big Mike Passes Out!

Big Mike makes the grade nd looks a bit chuffed about it!

A bit like the Berlin Wall coming down it was something I never actually thought would happen until it did. We headed to Freathy mid afternoon to catch the low tide and arrived to find it nicely flyable and even a couple of the locals making the most of it (Martin R and Chris S) on their hangers along with one Paraglider.

Mike P (Bath) fresh from his success yesterday was pretty much rigged so after a check of conditions on a borrowed glider we got Mike briefed and ready to go. He did a fine take off and after a bit of a wobbly start quickly settled down and built height as he soared along above the chalets. Conditions were very different from those at Chapel Porth making life a bit harder but Mike took them in his stride. After a good 20 minutes he came in a performed another acceptable top landing with his usual grin.

De brief and re hydration then it was off again and another nice flight, much smoother this time and he looked solid the whole time. Another 20 minutes and another top landing, Yeehow he's there! Technically he has completed his CPC Tow and Hill endorsement after what has been an interesting journey but he has kept focused the whole time and the rewards are his. Think we shall see him again for conversion to his new harness when it arrives so watch this space!

Mike R (Plymouth) turned up after work by which time the lift was on the drop but he did a fine job dsespite his nerves to get his first hill flight in which saw a nice take off a couple of wobbly beats then a nice beach landing. Still a big step for Mike who had not flown for several months and never off the hill.

Thanks to Karez for the company and good to see him enjoying flying again with plenty of enthusiasm after a 20 year lay off. Also good to see ex student Dave L showing the Paraglider guys how to do it and making it look easy in fresh enough conditions for a Paraglider. James B also popped in an appearance on his Paraglider before heading off for some "exploring".

Nice day and hopefully we will get Mike R out again this week.

Making it happen

Kaz gets the day going in a slot at Perranporth

Hellmuth up on the tandem at a stunning Chapel porth as the sun comes out

Back on terra firma Hellmuth has plenty of pictures of his flight

Simon K takes off on the Tandem hang Glider at the start of a super flight

Happy Simon looking chuffed after his flight

We opted for a hill day based on the forecast so headed to Perranporth early where although the wind would be a bit off at least we had some beach just in case! Sure enough the wind was off and whilst we waited the guys at Chapel Porth were having a good time although a bit top end for Paragliders. Kaz took advantage of a wind shift and popped 20 minutes in on her hang glider before it backed again to the WSW.

By early afternoon we made the decision to head to Chapel where the beach would now be opening up as low water approached. On arrival conditions were super so we wasted no time in getting airborne on the Tandem Paraglider with Hellmuth (Wimbledon) who was down on a "road trip" with his two sons for his birthday and making the most of it. We had a cracking flight with stunning views up and down the coast and Hellmuth got a chance to fly the glider so a good time was had.

By the time we landed Mike P (Bath) was ready to go for his first hill flight on the Hang Glider. he did a good take off and after a little encouragement quickly settled in to enjoy a solid 25 minutes of soaring with others before putting in a very acceptable top landing. One of the huge Mike smiles followed by a bit of chatter, nice one Mike.

Next it was up on the Tandem Hanger with Simon K (Southampton) who is David K's brother who is learning with us. We had a great flight cruising the cliffs with the seagulls and had the added bonus of seeing huge Sunfish up the St Agnes end, not a common sight. Despite Simons fear off heights he had a super time without even worrying about the height thing before we popped it back on top.

Good to see plenty out a mixture of paragliders and Hangers and good to see Rebbekah (S) up in the air again for two flights and looking good under Paul's watchful eye.

Full on in the field

We had a great time in the tow filed with lots going on and plenty done. The morning saw new student Tamsin H (Sennen) showing us what she could remember from her EPC that she did 3 years ago on the hill on a Paraglder whilst Malin L (Plymouth) amused himself getting more sorted on his ground handling having come back for his second day after his taster day. They were joined by Nic C also back after his taster day and ready for more.

Karen m (Bristol) turned up by lunchtime ready to crack on with her CPC tasks on a Paraglider and wasted no time putting in some ground handling.

On the hangy front David K (Bristol) and Daniel L (Truro) got rigged and ready so by early afternoon we had the winch up and running.

In near perfect conditions everyone had a fun time with over 50 tows in total which saw Dan L move onto the Calypso having completed his CPC tasks, Dave K complete his slow flight appreciation so putting him near to the end of his CPC tasks, Karen M rattle off the middle of her CPC tasks so only leaving the "instability" ones to go, Malin L have a ball ending up with high flights and circuits so completing his EPC tasks in two days and getting him ready to start on Paramotoring, Nic C make progress into his EPC although a tough night before took its toll so giving him and early day! Tamsin H also had a full day getting her first taste of towing which she took to well and by the end of play she was releasing and moving onto higher flights with turns, nice one.

Chris B also dropped by to finish off the tows from his taster day and had a great time looking better with each one and ending on a high with a release flight and huge smile!

By 17.30 everyone was pretty much full so we called it a day, what a cracker.

Strange at Struddick

With a SSW moderate fresh breeze forecast we headed to Struddick for some hill soaring and tandems. On arrival it was a bit lighter than expected and a lot cloudier. in fact there was orographic cloud generating on the cliffs at quite a rate. Still ever positive we rigged and no sooner than the glider was out the bag than John h (Bideford) turned up for a Tandem flight on the Hanger.

With conditions not up to it he headed into Seaton for coffee and cakes whilst we sat it out. Finally the cloud thinned and i took off to check out conditions, they were stunning with bright sunshine out over the beach yet low cloud piling off the cliffs making them look like they were on fire.

Marcus (Geramany) whom i last flew with some 28 years ago borrowed the Calypso and put in a couple of flights playing with the lift and the clouds to make the most of his holiday.

Next Graham A went up to check the lift and with John having returned we followed on the tandem. It was a super flight with some of the most amazing views i have had whilst tandem as we flew in and out of the cloud with the trees looking more like a tropical rain forest then SE Cornwall. Add to this the monkey sanctuary below and you could have been in south America!

Bill n held up the Paragliding side with a couple of nice flights and as we left old hand Bill Arkle was in the air on his Hanger,

Another nice day out

Fun in the field

It was a relatively chilled day in the field and with Kaz away in sunny Majorca for the week it was just as well.

Nic C (Camborne) and Malin L (Plymouth) were both along for "Taster days" with a view to taking up Paragliding and Paramotorung respectively. In cracking conditions they worked through the morning putting in the effort. By lunch time their forard launches were looking good and the hand towing was out of the way.

We took some time out to introduce Malin to the paramotor unit getting it on his back and starting it up so he gets an idea of hat it's all about.

Then it was on to the tow line and despite an exciting start for Malin things settled down nicely and by the end of the day both Nic and Malin had put in 5 nice flights and even managed their first release flight. It was enough to convince them both and we look forward to seeing them through their training.

Dave L dropped by as he wanted to complete his Asymmetric tuck exercises for his Pilot rating which he did in fine style of the top of the tow, well done. So off goes his exam and we await the result................................

Well done to Graham M on the winch as he joins us as part of the team. Sorry no pictures Kaz has taken the camera !

Super Soaring

Whilst the Paragliders waited for the wind to fill in at Perranporth the Hangers hoped it would fill in a lot! By mid morning the Paragliders got their wish and enjoyed some lovely flying whilst the Hangers rigged. By early afternoon it was top end for most of the Paragliders but ideal for the Hangers .

Rebbekah S (Exeter) was back and despite a bit of a lay off showed the way with a cracking 20 minute flight followed by a top landing although a little "down the front".

Karez was next off getting back into the air on a Hang Glider after a 20 year break. Aboard a Calypso he had a super time putting in a good 40 minutes before landing back on top nicely.

Next it was Shads (Surrey) turn who after coming to us a month ago following nearly 2 and a half years of training elsewhere was finally in the air and soaring putting the experience on the tow into practice. He had a lovely 40 minutes playing with the lift and sussing out ridge soaring. Shad followed up with one of the best top landings of the day and a huge smile.

Rebbekah took the opportunity to get some more airtime in and popped in another 20 minutes or so before doing a really nice landing on top with some good "S" ing off.

Karez then took to the air on his own glider in what were classic conditions before we rapped the day in still super flyable conditions. Nice one guys.

The Boys are back in Town

Back in the field after our "break" in Wales we had plenty on with a mixture of hangies and para's.

On the para front Clint M (Plymouth) was along for a taster day and worked beside his mate Ben (plymouth) who had already spent one with us. They both did really well in what turned out to be challenging conditions as the breeze filled in to become top end for them. They did everything but actually tow on the winch although we did get clint nicely airborne on the hand tows.

James SD (Sparkwell) was along for a Taster day on the Hanger for his 18th Birthday present and had a cracking day getting to grips with it. With conditions on the top end for the paragliders it was ideal for the hangers and James made the most of them as he finished off his day with some super flights across the field and good landings. He had a great time and again nice to see the younger ones having a go.

Jason M and Nigel G (Exmoor) both returned after their taster days to start on their EPC's. With the winch pretty much to themselves in the afternoon they both did really well moving off tethers and into free flight. By the end of the day they had put away 8 flights each so next stop release flights.

thanks to Mike C (Falmouth) for his help on the tethers. Will try and find the camera and get some piccies to brighten up the blog!

Power Play

It was a lovely afternoon in the field with the Power boys. Pete l had fun flying around on his new Dudek Synthesis wing whilst i put in the effort with Rod G as he approaches the time to fly.

Rod worked hard and is now much more in tune with his new wing (another Synthesis) and was all hyped up to go for it. Unfortunately when i got into his unit to test fly his combination guess what, no battery! We managed a jump start so i took to the air to check out his kit and the conditions but it did mean no fly for Rod. Still he put in a bit more useful groundwork and lost about half a stone whilst doing it!

With bit of time to spare I popped the school unit onto a Rush 2 and went for a fly and what a nice combination it was. The views were superb with the tide well out and the sea crystal clear.

lets hope rod gets up there next time out to enjoy!

Qualification

It was a long day in the field but patience paid of and we had a cracking time by the end of it.

Stuart A ( ), Ben (Plymouth) and Duncan (Truro) were all along for Paragliding taster days with the added bonus of checking out the Paramotor thrown in making them effectively Paramotor taster days.

They all did very well in the morning session showing above average skills and by lunch time were not only pretty good at forward launches but also at revers ground handling, can't be bad.

Early afternoon saw the arrival of the rest of the students along with an unforecast increase in wind making it on the top end for paragliders. So whilst the hangies got rigged we spent an hour showing the guys the Paramotor , popping it on their backs and then letting them feel the power of it as it got fired up.

By the time England had "qualified" things were a little better and the Hangies were making good use of the tow lines with Tom A (Truro) moving into release flights and on to the Mars. In fact it got that good for them that by the end of the day Tom had completed his EPC tasks and finished off with a super high flight to give him a taste of whats to come.

Dan L (Truro) also did very well on the Hanger completing his CPC tasks with some nice stalls and some cracking spot landings as conditions got lighter.

Whilst Stuart and Ben had to leave early Duncan hung on and was rewarded with it becoming nicely Paraglideable resulting in him putting in 3 lovely flight across the field at up to 60' all with good take offs and landings. He had a great day just a shame his companions weren't able to stay on for a couple of hours.

Bob H (Tavistock) who had waited on then took to the air and did a fine job polishing of his CPC flying tasks as he completed Big Ears, Asymmetrics and Speed bar in succession all rounded off with some excellent spot landings, oh and also some lovely floaty bits in between (Sorry Mike, but at least we have worked out who the weather Johna is).

Helen K (Penzance) joined the fun, having arrived for the evening on a Paraglider and did a super job putting away the remaining release flights before going higher and building up the turns to 90 and well beyond. Having completed her EPC tasks she is now ready to move onto CPC and higher flights.

Shame Mike C and Ashlet R both missed out on a Paraglidier and Powered HG respectively but better luck next time. A late one with us leaving the field at 21.45 but well worth it.

Hot Rod

After a few days of hard work chasing hangers across the field we had a more relaxed day traducing Rod g (Falmouth) to his new Paramotor wing. Rod on the verge of his Powered flight career opted for a Dudek Synthesis 34.

We had a fun time setting up the wing then getting to grips with the ground handling which Rod clicked into pretty quickly it being much lighter than the basic training wings. Next it was ground work with a power unit on his back and again he did well so next time out its up and away with a bit of luck!

i sneaked in several flights on the Paramotor and even got to fly Rods new wing which being a little on the large size for me gave me a super take off and actually flew really nicely despite the low wing loading make it very floaty in the thermals.

Barry H (Falmouth) dropped by and played ground handling on one of the School wings before trying his older Firebird Matrix and the difference was enough to convince him to upgrade so wait to see him out on a shiny new Ozone Buzz Z3 soon. Any one up for a Matrix XL ??

Hangy Heaven

What a day in the tow field with lots on and plenty of exercise to be had! We had a total of 7 hangies out and they were joined by a couple of para's to give us a full house.

With a mixture of day oners, day twoers and day threeers on the hangies it was always going to mean lots of running for me but with yesterdays "warm up" things were easier than expected!

Nigel G (Exmoor) and Jason M (Exmoor) were along for a Taster day on hangies and had a cracking time both doing really well and after the normal ground work ended up with some lovely flights across the field by the end of the day. Nigel had the added bonus of a Tandem flight on the Paraglider to see the spectacular views around the cliffs. They had a top time being very complementary about the day and vowing to return!

Roy L and Elouise L (Exeter) were back for their second days and both worked hard to achieve untethered flights by the end of the day with Elouise taking the best landing title whilst Roy got the weight shift sorted between them we have a good pilot! They left the field very enthusiastic and will hopefully return to continue.

Carolyn B (Linconshire) and Tom B (Truro) both on day 3 cracked on with Carolyn getting to untethered flights by the end of play and Tom completing the low flights so now ready for his first release ones and both looking pretty good to boot.

On the Paragliding Side Sam K (Newquay) had a fun day completing his CPC flying tasks then having fun playing with the evening lift as it floated in, well done Sam. Helen K (Hayle) was back after a Taster Day a year ago and did well getting back into the ground handling before getting back into the air and putting in some excellent tows including her first couple of release flights so getting nicely started on her EPC.

Mike P (Bath) popped in for some experience flights on his Hang Glider and did well in some bouncy conditions around the middle of the day but looking on top of the game the whole while.

Nice to see ex student Glyn P (Woolacombe) drop in to say hello and good to hear that he is enjoying his flying and getting out and about and abroad!

Day off tomorrow!!!!!!

Tall ships and short grass

It was a full on day out in the field with 4 Hang Gliding Day ones and two Paragliding Day Ones so we had plenty to do. Conditions started off pretty much perfect and the Hangers made up of Roy L (Exeter), Elouise L (Exeter (daughter of Roy)), Amanda P (Exmouth) and Caro W-E (Peranarworthal) had a fun morning working through glider rigging and the ground runs whilst the Paragliders Paul S (Helston) and Chris B (Plymouth) cracked on with the Paragliders.

By early afternoon the hard work was done (for the students) and we were ready to tow. The hangers got going first as the wind had filled in to a fresh breeze making it to windy for the Paragliders. Despite the challenging conditions everyone had a good time putting in some cracking flights and ending up with big smiles.

Despite hanging on till 19.00 the wind stayed on the strong side for the paragliders so we gave them a miss but will hopefully see Paul and Chris again soon to "finish off".

Co incidence of the day was Roy and Caro who it turned out had both worked on Tall ships and both had several common acquittance's, whats the chance of them both turning up on the same day to do Hang Gliding ??

Apologies

Sorry got a bit behind with the blog but will catch up soon with whats been on and there has been plenty!

Good to be back

It was nice to be back in the tow filed after a bit of a break and several days on the hill. Tom A(Truro) and Carolyn B (Linconshire) were along for their first taste of Hang Gliding on the line after a good day on the hill last Sunday.

They both had a top time putting their previous experience to good use as they flew across the filed with me in hot pursuit. By the end of the day Tom was off tethers and Carolyn down to only one. A tiring day but plenty achieved and both students in a good position for their next day out.

Thanks to Mike C (Perranwell) for his help on the tethers and it was good to see him up in the air as the wind eased back test flying the Gin Bolero which impressed him enough to go for it.

Quote of the day "that was so good"

Back in the air !

It was looking good for hill work at Carbis so off we went where we were greeted to find it on the light side even for the Paragliders but forecast to fill in.

Kepler W (Honiton) was down to get back in the air after an 18 year lay off on the Hang Glider so got rigged and ready. As the wind filled in the Paragliders got soaring and by the time Mike R (London) arrived it was perfect for a Tandem on the Paraglider. He had a super flight soaking in the views and enjoying the whole experience as well as having a go at flying the wing.

By the time we landed it was looking good for the Hangers so after a couple of demo's and a bit of practice Kepler was off. He did a great job and soon smoothed out and settled in. by the end of the day he had put in nearly two hours airtime over four flights each one ending in good top landings, nice to be back!

Mixed up day

With an interesting day forecast starting off light and picking up we headed to the hill with a plan for Paragliders in the morning and Hang Gliders in the afternoon, but even the best made plans need to be adaptable!

Arriving at Perranporth the wind was light and well off so we spent an hour doing the hill briefs with Ian and Ed B who were hoping to complete their Hill conversions. By mid morning there was no change so we opted to head over to Chapel to catch the tide and where we hoped the wind would be more on. The hangers waited at Perranporth as the forecast was to fill in and veer to the NW.

After a brief wait at Chapel things got good and Ian and Ed had a cracking time putting in 3 super flights each up amongst the qualified pilots. Nice landings and big smiles saw us pack up and head back to Perran as the tide closed in.

Things now looked good for the Hangies with a nice breeze for tethering with Tom A and Carolyn B both starting their EPC courses. No sooner had we got going than a super sunny day turned into thick drizzle! An update on the forecast suggested that it would clear in an hour or so and we waited patiently. Sure enough we were rewarded with a cracking late afternoon/ evening which gave the guys some super tethering and a great introduction to hang Gliding so more big smiles. The Paraglider boys also took the opportunity to increase their hill flying making it a first class day for them. The wind continued to fill in as forecast but by the time it was good for Hang hill soaring the beach had disappeared so unfortunately Terry P missed out.

Strange day but we got there in the end.

Hard going

The day looked promising with a nice westerly and sunshine forecast. Mark T (Exeter) and Peter B (Wales) were along to get going on the Hang Gliders and Mike C to finish off his CPC Paragliding tasks. However despite our best efforts the weather would not play ball and although the guys did well working through the ground based activities we were unable to tow them as the wind was constantly on the move and heavy rain showers did not help!

However we did mange a few tows on Luke C who dropped by with his Hanger and took advantage of the "long" field to keep his hand in and get his first tows on his Wills Wing Sport 2 looking very competent with it.

Lets hope the weather settles down soon.

A Game of Patience

Bob E coming back to earth after a super Tandem flight

Kaz P pleased to get back on a Paraglider after her skiing injury

Super backdrop as Kaz flies by

Cpt Kev being Cpt Kev and enjoying life

It was a great forecast for Perranporth with a moderate to fresh NW forecast so of we headed loaded with Hang Gliders. On arrival it was a lot lighter and off to the south and despite reasonable conditions Paragliders were going down. That was pretty much the story of the day although to be fair it did improve late afternoon before disappearing again.

Fortunately there was a brief spell where it got pretty good and having waited on launch for about an hour we got off on the Tandem Paraglider with Bob E (Grampound) for a super flight in the best of the conditions. We had a lovely flight enjoying the view and chatting about my "old job" before trying out the quick outs on landing as the breeze picked up.

The hangies then got a nice spell of flying before it dropped off again seeing them all on the beach, but the bit in the middle was good!

A pleasant day all be it a strange one with a general lack of lift, nice to See lots out. Thanks to Richard R for the piccies of Kaz

Back in the air

Karen M cracks on with her CPC as she moves into high flights

Karen (a different one) looking pleased after her Tandem flight on the Paraglider

The Mars floating back down after a busy day of high flights

Kaz P rounds off the day with a cracking landing by the windsock

It was another interesting day in the tow field with once again the wind playing tricks although not as many as the previous 2 days thankfully.

Shad C (Surrey) was joined by Dave K (Bristol) and Mike P (Bath) on the Hangers as they all worked towards the end of their CPC's. They all had a good day despite some early challenges and by the end of play Shad was sorted, Dave was well on his way as he settled into prone flying and Mike was one flight closer but still needs another good spot landing to complete. Still they all put in plenty of flying which is the main thing.

Karen M (Bristol) represented the Paragliders and had a super day completing her EPC before moving into her CPC with some cracking high flights in overcast but nice flying conditions. Karen showed the guys how to land by the spot looking as calm as ever.

Karen W (Falmouth) dropped in for a Tandem flight which was a Birthday present and had a fine time enjoying the views and the whole experience whilst egged on by her family. Once again so nice to meet people who are so enthusiastic and appreciate the freedom of the sky.

Kaz took the opportunity at the end of the day to get a couple of flights on the Hangy, the first time since her knee op and did a super job on both flights and just like Karen M showed the boys how to spot land making it a top day for the girls!

Quote of the day "it gets stiffer and much better" hmmmmmm

Will catch up with the missing blogs soon along with some piccies and they are woth seeing so keep an eye on it.

Thema and Louise

Lucy gets going on her first tow flight of her Taster Day

A great birthday surprise for Simon as it all came together for a Tandem flight

Dan pretty chuffed with himself as he progresses into his CPC

Thorn between two roses, Lindsay and Naomi both had a cracking time

Brian H not only enjoyed some flying but got his Tow endorsement as well.

Well not quite but certainly Naomi and Lindsay (and families).

With the wind playing ticks again we were kept busy moving the winch and slipping in the odd flight in between. Shad C (Surrey) and Dan L (Truro) were on the Hangies and kept me on my toes for the first part of the day before settling down although Shad threw one in towards the end. Still they both made progress with Dan getting settled onto the Mars and Shad onto the Calypso so setting them up nicely for their next days out.

Brian H (Majorca) had a good day on the Paraglider as he completed his Tow Endorsement putting away 10 flights and looking very solid by the end of it. Mike C (Peranwell) put in some nice flights as well as doing a great job on his ground handling, not long and he will be sorted. Bob H also got some flights in the morning but had to leave early unfortunately missing the best part of the day.

Then there was the Tandems! Simon (Liverpool) was the first to go. He had been given it a s surprise Birthday present and had no idea what was on until after seeing us from the road and saying " that looks great I'd love a go" he was suddenly taken to the field and was given a go, perfect. Simon had a great time and it would not surprise me to see him learning in the not to distant future.

Naomi and Lindsay are tricky to describe but the title kind of gives a picture. They are up for anything and having tried variety of adrenaline experiences were along for some Paragliding. They both had a super time and with their children there to share it with them it was a both a pleasure and a privilege to have them on the filed. Again we may well see more of them and the guys in the future.

So good to have tandem passengers who really appreciate it and to be fair it was a lovely day to be in the air.

Quote of the day " I don't want it to finish" if only it was that easy

Relaxation therapy

Good to be back in the field after a few day "off", Saturday and Sunday due to unexpected wind (actual wind not mine) and Monday because we needed a day out! The weather was much brighter than forecast and although cooler than the last few days was ideal for running around in.

Anna D and John M were along for a Taster day on the hanger having travelled down for a week in Cornwall from the Wirral. They had a full on day of it working through the ground based activities in the morning then moving onto the tow line after lunch. Slowly they began to relax and as they did the flying became easier and by the end of the day they were both putting in some good flights across the field and landing on their feet. Think they will sleep well!

Paul C (Plymouth) also took his time to relax but when he did his progress on the Hang Glider leapt ahead and by the end of the day he was high flighting and moving onto the base bar, lets hope he stay relaxed for the next time out.

Keiron C and Sam K were out with the Paragliders and worked hard in the morning practicing ground handling whilst the breeze was still a little fresh for them to fly. By mid afternoon it eased back and they both put in some nice flights with Sam moving within spitting distance of his CPC tasks and Keiron having completed his rounding off the day by passing his exam so become CPC qualified on the tow, well done.

Jonathon P (Bristol) dropped by and put in a few more tows on his Hang Glider looking very competent with it and also helped out with the tethers alongside Sam and Paul, thanks guys.

Nice day, nice people even I nearly relaxed!

From the ground up

Hangers rigged and ready to go

Alan s ground handles whilst Jonathon P comes in to land

Bob H gets in tune with the wing

Paul C heading up

Jonathon P floats arounsd whilst we shelter from the sun!

Strange day in the tow field as the easterly wind played tricks. On arrival it was already breezy enough for the Paragliders so they set off across the field for some ground handling. They being Mike C (Perranwell), Bob H (Tavistock) and Alan S (Falmouth).

Meanwhile the Hangers got cracking with a real mixture of things going on. Jonathon P (Bristol) was along for some refresher work and to get back into towing and had a great day settling in and enjoying some good flights the last of which saw him floating around the field having climbed out from almost setting up to land.

Paul C (Plymouth) continued into his EPC and despite a "slow" start finally got more relaxed and sorted out his airspeed to get his turns going. Hopefully he will now be set up to move into his CPC next time out.

Simon C (Honiton) on his second day moved nicely off the tethers and put in some super flights across the field as he prepared for his first release flights. He took an early bath after tweaking his shoulders but is looking good for his next day out to move on to higher flights and turns.

Gary M (Bath) came down to have another days practice on his landings and had a fine time starting off on the Mars then moving onto the Calypso. His confidence steadily built and hopefully he will soon be happy to get back into the air (and down again) on his rigid.

Shame we could not get the Para's into the air but a couple of test flights quickly made it plain that it was not good up the boys however did well and the ground work they did will pay dividends in the future.

Cool hand Luke

Having written off the day for flying it was a surprise when the misty/fog suddenly lifted and Luke C (Bath) was on the phone wanting to get going on his Powered Hang Gliding conversion. So it was a late start made a bit later by some sheep retrieving and fuel sorting but we did get going.

After the basics i did a quick demo flight ob his Wills Wing Sport 2 / Mosquito NRG combination which reminded me what cracking pieces of kit they both are and make a superb match when together. Conditions were near ideal, nice and smooth although light enough for the take offs.

Luke got on with it and did two super flights both with excellent take offs and landings although he needs to work on "the spot" to save some walking. In the air he looked relaxed almost from the word go taking to it in fine style. We finished early so I could go to the doc's with Kaz for an update on her knee (skiing injury) which was pretty positive so fingers crossed she will be back in the air soon. Busy day tomorrow so early night!

Finishing school

Always good to find a four leafer at the start of the day

Luke acts as "nose man" whilst Hywell gets set to go

Nice and level with undercarriage down Hywel sets up to land

Four Fours are whats needed if you are going to find a lost radio!

With the weather forecast to go damp tomorrow we decided to head to the field to "finish off" Hywel's CPC Hang Gliding on the tow line.

Whilst Hywel rigged his glider Kev T got in some ground work on the Condor to start off his Hang Gliding training in earnest so watch this space.

In classic conditions Hywell put away 8 tows polishing off his slow flight appreciation and adding to his overall experience and landings. By lunchtime all that was left to do was to find the radio that I had lost in the field.

An organised search pattern amazingly found it much to everyones surprise, thank you Luke. may be it was something to do with the 4 four leaf clovers i found as we rigged the Condor.

Will pop some piccies on later.

"That was lovely"

Keiron looking like an old hand as he completes his CPC tasks

Jackie W starts to get higher on her way to her EPC

The skies got bluer and the start gate busier

Pete L returns on his new Dudek Synthesis wing with a big smile

What a cracking day in the tow field with a whole lot going on. First to get going were the hangers with Hywel (Pembrokshire) and Shad (Surrey) putting in the high flights and moving through their CPC tasks. By the end of the day Hywel had converted from the Mars to the Calypso and Shad was getting to grips with the chest release. The title quote came from Hywel after landing the Calypso for the first time.

Kieron C (Boscastle) was out on the Paraglider and had a fab' day finishing off his CPC flying tasks by performing Big Ears (and they were very Big) and some very nice Asymmetric collapses. He then spent the rest of the day having fun and building experience, nice one.

Jackie W came along after a bit of a break and had a stunning day (afternoon) racking up a Dozen tows to complete her EPC flying tasks and rounded off with a lovely high flight which really put the icing on the cake.

Pete L was along with his Paramotor ready to try out his new wing (Dudek Syntesis) which after a bit of ground handling he took to the air with. The reply to my question from 1000' was "absolutely fabulous" as he cruised around the sky learning more about his new toy. A bit quicker at launch and landing but a lot quicker in the air. Big smile and one happy customer, enjoy Pete.

Looks like light winds all week so we should be out for some more including some powered Hangies over the next few days. Will pop piccies on later.

Afternoon Delight

Derek J reaxes his fingers as he floats by

The whole ridge to himself, one of the benefits of Hang Gliding

Soaring the wind sock

Patience was the name of the game and with the cold front over us in the morning we had to wait for it to clear. a close eye on what what was happening saw us head out about 13.00 so we were nicely on site as the sky cleared on the wind veered.

Derek J was keen to get some hill soaring in before returning to Wales and with Perranporth to ourselves it was perfect. He had a lovely hours flying in super conditions practicing all sorts of things and looking very competent with it. Hywel and Shad came along for a look and picked up lots of tips and useful information along with getting to know the site where they may well do their first soaring flights.

Lovely....