Fanas

 Last day of a very long period of excellent flying weather :-)

As was to be expected, quite a number of pilots flocked to Fanas to take advantage of the good conditions. But as I had reserved a place on the gondola the day before, this hasn't been a problem :-)

'As usual' I was (almost) the last to launch, but by that time conditions had nicely turned on...

Pano over launch: looking S: Chrüz (far left)

Pano over launch: looking N: Sassauna (foreground) Schesaplana, Sulzfluh (far right)

crossing to 'Chrüz' (2195)

...and I arrived at Chrüz high enough, so crossing this peak didn't require a lot of searching for thermals.

As the thermals had been nicely established -strong but smooth- even arriving a bit low on 'Jägglisch Horn' hadn't been a problem. From there on to my turning point at 'Chessler' (2836) has been easy going. 

Pano over Madrisa looking SE: Monbiel (left), Klosters, Davos (right)

Pano near turning point 'Chessler' (left) (looking E)

Originally I had planned to try to fly via Davos - Arosa, but the southwesterly component would have made the crossing towards Madrisa a bit cumbersome, so I returned the way I came from.

Pano near Rätschahorn (looking NW): Chrüz (left), St.Antönien

As the other glider, who was flying near me at this time, didn't make the crossing back to Chrüz, I decided to try to fly via St.Antönien - Rätikon.

Pano looking NW: Sulzfluh (2817)

Twice I attempted to fly out towards Schuders/ Schiers but the southwesterly wind had increased even more by now and my ground speed was very low. In order to avoid any risk of sinking out and having to land where there are no really 'nice' landing possibilites, I decided to go with the wind and head towards Montafon / Schruns.

over Sulzfluh looking N: Lünersee

Sulzfluh (from 'behind')

Schruns / Hochjoch (> flight from 10.3.22)

I arrived really high over Schruns and continuing would have been possible. But as I had to get back to Schiers to retrieve my car, I decided to land here: spiralling down almost 1500m :-)

Luckily I did this, as shortly after having packed up my gear, the local bus to the train station arrived...

Schruns, looking towards Hochjoch

...20 minutes later the train for Bludenz left, with a direct connection to Sargans, then va Landquart back to Schiers. I never had to wait more than 10 minutes for the next train; back home by 2030.

1st flight with Skytraxx 4.0: very interesting instrument with some cool features!

Arosa (several days/ flights)

In March I've travelled several times to Arosa, once also with Oli. Conditions have been varying greatly. Launching often had been difficult due to the wind coming from SE/ SSE...

Sahara dust reducing the visibilty (like 'Calima')

But conditions have been (very) nice on some days and climbs to 3000m (or above) became possible. But there have also been flights with almost no thermal activity (even if good conditiones had been forecasted).

Piz Palü, Bellavista, Piz Bernina, Piz Rosegg

Hampe and Moritz with guests soaring on Weisshorn

Several times I landed in Maran (on the golf course), as it's less tricky here then landing on the Obersee - especially in strong thermal activity. Also some landings near LAW Mitte (Mittelstation) in order to 'optimize' turnaround time ;-)

Q: What's wrong in this picture?

A: I should have been under the nice clouds and not on the ground ;-)

Friday, 25.3. excellent fcst on xctherm...

With very little/ no wind I had to abort twice my launch on Weisshorn :-((  I saw Hampe and Moritz with their tandem gliders flying very high.

After having waited quite a while I finally managed a launch on the FIS slope. 

But meanwhile thermals seeme to have gone - at least they could not be found in the places I was looking for them. With not a single thermal to help me stay up I quickly had to land on the golf course.

Disentis - Flims

After several days of flying in Arosa (Blog entry to be posted later), today I travelled with PeterW to Disentis. Although according to the timetable there are only 3 minutes in Chur between arrival of the train from Arosa and departure to Disentis, we easily made the connection; and in Disentis the local bus to the cable car was waiting 'just for us'. In winter, launch is at 'Lai Alv' at 2485m, in summer it's lower (at Gendusas, 2150m), as the chairlift to Lai Alv is not running regularily.

Magnificent weather and great views!

Lai Alv: pano looking South: Piz Medel (3210m)

Launch at Lai Alv (in front of restaurant)

Pano over launch looking West towards Sedrun/ Oberalp Pass

Unfortunately, launch was not prepared nicely (as we are used to in Arosa, where they prepare launch and landing to perfection). So, taking off was a bit tricky as there was a risk of getting stuck in the soft snow while running. That's also the reason why I have decided not to return the next day to this launch.

Oberalpstock (3328m)

But as can be seen from the pictures, thermal tops have been above 3500m. The thermals, once above about 2700m, have been very smooth and gentle. Also the wind from the South (not Föhn!) never became too strong (max 15kmh).

Tödi (3613m)

(possible) LZ at Brigels

Pano near Brigels looking West (where I came from): Val Frisal, Bifertenstock

Rheinschlucht/ Ruinaulta

After having taken the pictures of Ruinaulta it would have been easily possible to climb back up to +3000m, and then continue towards Calanda/ Chur. But we had assumed that the valley wind in Chur would most probably become (too) strong in the afternoon and before launchig we had decided  to land in/ near Flims; actual wind in Chur at 1600: NNE at 24.8kmh gusting 40.7kmh...

Flims

After having packed up, I checked the timetable for connections to Chur and discovered that I had less than 6 minutes to reach the bus; with 'running' I barely made it...

Very nice flying day in great company: thanks to Peter for his support before/ after the flight!

Stubai (AT) -Kreuzjoch

Finally a day without Föhn/ Föhn tendency :-))  So I took advantage of the nice (and mellow) conditions for one more flight here in the Stubaital before driving back home...

Kreuzjoch / Schlick2000

Even though on FRI and SAT only 1 flight had been possible, it has been a nice trip in great company. I certainly will try to come back here again (and it need not be for the StubaiCup)...

StubaiCup 2022 -3: Föhn (again)

Unfortunately a very similar situation to yesterday with the danger, that the Föhn might break through after noon :-(

Andrea ready for launch

Andrea

Andrea was quick to launch; I followed about 20 minutes later...

Kreuzjoch / Schlick 2000: launch

So I landed a bit before noon. Today it would have been possible to fly probably half an hour longer, but in no way I wanted to be in the position of yesterday's last 2 pilots landing: nothing had happened but we've been told that it had looked pretty 'rowdy'...

Neustift: LZ and exposition (looking East towards Innsbruck)

Even though we couldn't fly as much/ long as we had wanted/ hoped for (due to Föhn), it has been a nice experience to fly here again at the Stubaicup.

Almost all PG manufacturerers had been present, though unfortunately not all with their gliders in my size. In the end I only tested one wing (AD Rise4). For the moment I see no need to even consider a change away from my Leeloo ;-)

StubaiCup 2022 -2: Föhn / Innsbruck

Unfortunately just one flight from Kreuzjoch (today with my own glider)...

In the briefing we've been told, that around noon the föhn would start to break through and that we should pay attention - and that's pretty much what happened.

Kreuzjoch - pilots waiting for launch

Even though today much more pilots attended the StubaiCup, it didn't take a very long time waiting in the queue, as there have been enough helpers to spread out and help prepare the wings. Also a steady headwind helped avoiding many aborted take-offs.

But once in the air the influence of the föhn could already be clearly felt: thermals in locations where there are nomally no thermals; big sink in places where normally good thermals are standing; flying accelerated and doing only around 20kmh forward speed... So I landed after less than 20 minutes (around 1130)

About 30 minutes later (as predicted in the briefing) conditions became rather 'interesting' to watch...

...and I'm sure that some pilots remembered the saying 'rather be on the ground and wishing to be in the air than being in the air and wishing to be on the ground'.

In the afternoon Andrea and I took the train (Stubaitalbahn) to Innsbruck for a short city stroll...

 

 

...and a visit to the famous Café Sacher ;-)

Patscherkofel and Europa bridge of the Brenner highway

Windspeeds on Patscherkofel in the afternoon 67kmh (gusting 82kmh)

StubaiCup 2022 -1: AD Rise-4_L, (Ozone Rush-6_XL)

Today (Friday), luckily the Föhn influence here in Stubaital remained weak; tomorrow (afternoon) might be different...

Sunrise from my balcony

Breakfast buffet at Thalerhof

After having completed registration, Andrea and I went first to AirDesign, where Andrea choose a wing for her first flight after 12 years. I selected an AirDesign Rise-4, as the wing I was really interested in (Air Design Volt) is not yet available in my side. Then we took the shuttle to Fulpmes and the gondola for 'Schlick 2000'.

Schlick 2000/ Kreuzjoch: looking across hangglider ramp to PG launch

...Andrea awaiting her turn for launch...

...Andrea...

I took off a few minutes behind her...

AD Rise -4

Pano looking SSW towards Stubai glacier

 Nice launch and nice thermals :-)

Landing after 35'; the wing flies really nice and seems to be very performing; acceleration is easy and brings about 8km more at 2/3-bar. What I didn'd like: all the lines have the same colour; and the brake handles are way to small (narrow). too feel comfortable...

For my second flight I then chose an Ozone Rush 6 (in XL). The shuttle again brought me to Fulpmes for the gondola to Schlick 2000/ Kreuzjoch.

Ozone Rush-6

I did not get well along with this wing! The riser-system is rather complicated and I had big problems launching the glider. It has small cell openings (like 777 Rook-3) and thus is not easy to launch in light wind conditions - after 3 fails I packed up and rode the gondola down :-((

But the dinner made more than up for the 'frustration' of the (non) afternoon-flight ;-)