LeelooT - unfortunately even more delayed :-)

LeelooT

(T=Tandem)  But it's not for me, the wing will go to Andrea, a friend of mine and my flight instructor in 1988. But I'll surely get a chance to make some flights; either with her or with Andy (as I still hold a restricted tandem license - where the 'passenger' has to be a licensed pilot). The wing will only be DHV-certified and go into regular production, once Michael has received has 18 definite orders. But as in Switzerland there is no such requirement, this particular wing should arrive here within the next 2-3- weeks...

 >>  Video

20.6. Michael has informed me that -due to problems with the laser cutting- delivery of this LeelooT is delayed until mid-July...

30.6. Call from Michael: big problems with the laser cutter: it will take at least another 4 weeks before 'my' LeelooT is ready. He also told me that by now he has enough firm commitments for the LeelooT, so he's also producing a wing for the DHV-tests. I'm glad to hear that so many pilots are interested in this wing (good for Profly!); especially in view of the fact (as he told me) the numbers of paragliders sold in Q1 of 2023 have dropped by 70% (?!) compared to Q1 2022. Luckily (so far at least) Profly does not seem to be affected by this trend.

Anyway, recently I have been wondering at the incredible number of new paragliders (especially 2-liners in C-class) appearing on the market. But with this lousy/ inconsistent wx we've had in the last few weeks (permitting very little flying), nobody is tempted to test and buy a new glider.

X-Alps: 13.6. - Arosa -M.Pinot (FRA1) und weitere

For this time of the day (1000) I think M.Pinot has chosen a rather 'daring' line: finding lift at Golf/ Prätschli and then again in the Urdental! It looks as it would have paid off - at least for the moment ;-)

During the course of the day some more pilots have passed Arosa, the last one (GER2) around 1700...

X-Alps 2023

 Just in case you've missed it: redbullxalps is starting today (11.6.23) at 1130...

;-)

Grand'Rue 48, 1454 - L'Auberson

 

Galgenen

In 35 years of flying, today has been only the 7th flight here in Galgenen :-( but also the longest and furthest. The longer the day, the better conditions became :-)

launch 'Gschwänd'

Pano looking NE (Churfirsten, Walensee)

Pano looking N: Lachen (SZ), Obersee

Thanks to Steph for the company!

Weissenstein (Jura) with PeterW.

Daytrip by train (Fehraltorf - ZRH HB - Solothurn - Oberdorf) to Weissenstein with a promising fcst / RegTherm.

At the beginning of the flight I've had some problems climbing above 1200m. In the lower airlayers the East-wind (Bise) was stronger than predicted and sometimes while circling ground speed fell to 0kmh. For a moment I have been even thinking of landing... Once breaking through 1500m and above the ridges it became much easier...

Pano looking West

When I was about to pass Courtelary clouds started to get 'darker'. Turning back towards launch probably would have been possible flying very (!) close to cloud base, but down lower the NE-wind was too strong, so I landed at Courgémont. Meanwhile PeterW had also landed (near Tavannes). Approaching my landing field I have 'touched' the edge of the AD zone of Courtelary :-)

Corgémont looking West

As I was walking to the nearby train station of Corgémont, a car stopped and invited my to take me to Biel/ Bienne (main station); it turned out that the driver was also a PG pilot - many thanks! Peter has arrived at the same time by train.

Back home (same way by train), arriving at 1645 :-)

Scuol (1.6.) / (6.6)

1.6. promising fcst...

webcam at 0715, when I departed home...

...and that's what it looked like upon my arrival at 1100.

According to XCtherm it should have been 'pretty good' until about 13z (burnair.map showed about the same). But already when I arrived on launch at Motta Naluns shortly before 09z much more clouds had been present.

So I flew for about 1/2 hour, then landed at Scuol - just 'a little' disappointed about the 'wrong fcst'/ my (mis)interpretation of the fcst. But others have fallen also into the same 'trap'...

2.6. 'slightly' frustrated when I look at today's webcam pix and the fcst...

Webcam at 1655 - still little clouds, no OD...

On XContest there is a really cool flight from Motta Naluns to Fiesch.

6.6. another attempt, but (again) too much humidity :-(

As long as there has been sunshine, thermals have been active, but as soon as the sun was blocked by clouds: 'game over'...

...apparently conditions improved 2 hours later - but I'm not really well know for having so much patience ;-)