Arosa - more 'noFly'

Unfortunately the north wind persisted also for the next 3 days. Only on Thursday it would have been possible to launch (more or less) safely.
Thursday was also the first day 'Napa' was allowed to venture outside.

More Info can be found here  (sorry - german only).

Those familiar with the site can clearly see that launching would have been 'tricky' - to put it mildly ;-)

But on all days the views have been stunning.
I'm of course well aware, that going to some other launch (like Crap Sogn Gion or Pizol) would have 'solved' this problem  ;-)

Arosa - noFly (wind) :-(

Screenshot from https://weisshorn.roundshot.com/ (updated every 10mins)

That's the way it looked at 1230 today. But (as I already feared when leaving home) the wind 'didn't play along'. So I just reinstalled the windsock (that's me on the roof with the windsock- sorry hard to see) and put a wind indicator further down in the 'Rööslihang'. Tomorrow hopefully another try...

USA 2018 -the plan in detail

If all (especially the wx) goes well, then this will be (most of) the sites we plan to fly:

Ebenalp

Almost exactly 1 year after my stupid accident here on the Ebenalp (when I broke my left wrist) I came back for a really nice flight: cloudbase > 2500m, nice thermals (up to 5m/s), generally not too much wind.
In the gondola up to launch another pilot had told me that he would try to fly past the 'Säntis' to Amden (on the Walensee), then East along the 'Churfirsten' towards Walenstadt/ Sargans and from there back to Ebenalp/ Wasserauen.

...on this launch I broke my wrist  :-((

Säntis (from Ebenalp)

Once I had launched and could see that it was not too hard to fly away, I tried to 'follow' this plan (more or less)...

Churfirsten/ Unterwasser

Churfirsten (left side)/ Walensee/ Walenstadt

I didn't fly all the way East towards Sargans/ 'Gonzen', as I feared I would not be able to make the crossing back towards 'Säntis', so I got all the altitude I could above 'Hinterrugg' and turned back...

Säntis/ Unterwasser (on the way back from Hinterrugg)

Säntis

It has been quite a while that I had been able to pass the 'Säntis' - actually even twice today :-))

'Hoher Kasten'

To extend the flight a bit I passed the launch at Ebenalp and turned around only after having passed 'Hoher Kasten' (more to the NE).

Scuol (day 2)

What a day: excellent visibility and conditions: after 1230 there was strong lift almost everywhere :-)

Forecast auf fivl.it

So strong in fact, that it took me close to 30mins to get down ;-)
These strong conditions (of course) meant, that there was a strong wind to be expected for landing; which it was: rather strong and gusty from the west.
With more 'punch' (from my part) it (probably) would have been possible to go almost 'anywhere'...

looking south-west: Ortler (lh side), Bernina (center/ right)

3475m and not at cloudbase...

looking east: lower Engadin// Austria

Bernina Group: Piz Palü, Bellavista, Piz Bernina, Piz Roseg

Ortler

looking west towards Scuol/ Motta Naluns (launch)

Scuol (day 1)

4 days here in Scuol (or 'Schuls') in the (lower) Engadin valley.

- Thursday: conditions have not been too bad, just the west wind could be felt a bit. It even 'overpowered' the normal valley wind (from the east) after I had landed, so I didn't go up for a second flight.

at launch

looking west : Ftan

Schloss Tarasp

(Arosa Weisshorn)

Although it was a beautiful day here in Arosa, with regard to flying I didn't expect too much when I took the gondola to the Weisshorn: northerly winds and not too much thermal activity...

...and so it turned out: for this launch I'd need 'perfect' conditions (wind straight on the nose, just the right strenght), but it never felt 'right' so after a short hour I packed up :-(( 
Maybe next time the condtions are more suitable here.

NNW-launch; cliff launch, you don't want to make any mistake(s) here

USA 2018 - the plan

...only 2 months to go   :-))

>>  5.Sept. - 11.Oct. 2018

The plan is to fly to SLC via AMS, where my friend Hart(mut) will be joining me for the flight. We'll be together for 3 weeks (30.Sept), when he'll return from LAS to DUS. Initially also my friend Andy had wanted to come along for part of the trip, but very unfortuntely he recently has 'grounded' himself for the months to come :-((    (> 'Guati Besserig!!)

After a couple of days in SLC we'll drive north to fly Sun Valley/ King Mtn/ Jackson Hole; then south towards Dinosaur; east towards Glenwood Springs and Villa Grove. One week will be spent at the Red Rock Fly-in in Richfield. Stacy will be with us for part of the trip (Dinosaur-Ritchfield). On the way to drop of Hart at LAS maybe some flying at Cedar City or St.George.

From LAS I'll be heading to the Owens Valley (Bishop) for a week of flying together with Kari Castle.

The last days I'm planning to explore some sites in the Bay area/ SFO.