Japan -day 6: windy! Daikanbo (Kabuto-Iwa)

Another interesting day with an unreliable forecast: the day turned out much windier than predicted...
The original plan was to head for Kabuto-Iwa (SE-facing) and fly there in the morning, then continue to Daikanbo (SW-facing), in order to take advantage of the changing wind.

First we had a look at the LZ for Kabuto-iwa, a large sports field clearly visible from launch. 

a kind of 'Enzian' on Kabuto-Iwa launch

Do to the 2016 earthquake, the direct road up to launch is still interrupted so we drove via Daikanbo. Here one pilot had just launched and climbed quickly away. But he soon toplanded and reported strong winds and some turbulence. We were advised to wait until mid-aftrenoon when conditions should normally improve. We used the time to check-out the launch for Kabuto-Iwa, knowing that with the actual wind direction and speed a flight even earlier in the morning would not have been possible anyway.
Afterwards we headed back to Daikanbo, where meanwhile even more poilots were waiting. Finally around 1600 it became launchable.

Daikanbo: looking SW

Daikanbo

Daikanbo - launch area

In the air it was still rather windy - ground speed sometimes showed as little as 3kmh :-(
Daikanbo is a site wich is normally toplanded. But this wind speed is exceeding my capabilities, so I landed in a rice paddy below and was later picked up by Yuko.

Dinner on the way back to Kumamoto in a restaurant serving horse meat, a Kumamoto speciality.

Tomorrows fcst: most probable no flying due to rain, but maybe (or: hopefully) the actual conditions will surprise us ;-)

Japan -day 5: Kirikabu

What a strange day...
According to the fcst it should have been sunny for most of the day.
When we left Kumamoto for Kirikabu it (still) was.

The further North we got, the cloudier the sky became. When we arrived on launch the sky was almost completely overcast. I prepared myself for a sledder, so I could tick off this flight area from my list. But when I finally was ready to launch, it started to rain :-((  We waited for an hour on launch and the headed down in order to look for an Onsen to take a dip and wait for better weather.

The Onsen we choose had two pools, the iside pool was ok temperature wise, but the outside pools  was -at least for me- way too hot, so I just got in for the picture ;-)

Then we returned to launch: winds straight in (15-kmh) with sunny spells. For once there was no shortage of wind socks.

overwiew of Kirikabu launches

Some other pilots where already flying, but it still was a bit too cloudy for the thermals to devellop nicely. So everybody hung around launch.

LZ and launch

To finish the day (and before heading back to Kumamoto) we had dinner at a local noodle shop: soba and vegetable and ebi tempura.

Tomorrow: I'm not sure; according to Rick the wind should change to SE in the morning and SW in the afternoon, so that would mean Kabuto-iwa and Daikanbo. He also gave us a contact, which we'll contact in the morning. But we will see...

Japan -day 4: Minou-Glideryama / (Kirikabu)

As mentioned in yesterday's blog, we drove to Minou, about 2hrs north of Kumamoto.
I had info about a flying site there (Minou-Kankake),so we drove to the LZ of this site. But it turned out that there is another site on the same mountain, about 7kms to the west: Minou-Glideryama. So after some calls by Yuko, we finally managed to meet Tsuru-san who took us to their clubhouse.This 'detour' cost us about 1 hour... After the compulsory paperwork, I was shown the LZ and then we drove to launch.

Glideryama launch

Launch here is rather tricky: small, short, steep and there could also be some turbulence caused by the trees out in front. But Tsuru, Hiro and finally I could launch and then soar along the ridge to the East and back
.

Glideryama landing

Landing is in a rice paddy, that can also easily be reached with a sledder. A second flight would have been probably possible, but with this morning's experience we decided to drive East to Kirikabu and check out that site. This way we would be (better) prepared when we actually go there and wouldn't loose again so much time finding everything. 
In Kirikabu, after waiting just a few minutes, we the met Kajiwara-san, the caretaker of the site. He offered to give a site introduction, so we drove to LZ and launch.

And what a launch it is: 5 'launches' cover almost 180° from West to NorthEast. Toplanding is also possible and you could play golf on these launches; additionally there is a really nice toilet and a kind of restaurant overlooking the valley and the LZ. He later directed us to a Jap./ Korean BBQ restaurnt for diner.

Dinner

By the time we had finished eating, Rick had updated us on the wx for the next day and he recommended that I should fly Kirikabu ;-)  So it paid well off that we checked-out the site already.

Japan -day 3: no fly (wx) - shopping, sightseeing, onsen, sushi

As forecasted by Rick, today was not really flyable, so we stayed here in Kumamoto. Yuko took me first to the train station, so I could make the reservations for my upcoming train trips. When travelling with a JR-Pass it is unfortunately not possible to make these reservations on-line... Then  we looked for an ATM so I could check, if it was actually possible to withdraw money with my (European) bank-/ creditcards (- yes it is). Before we went sightseeing, I needed to to some shopping as well, so Iwould have all I needed for breakfast for the next days. The breakfast here at the hotel offers just some (white) toastbread and marmelade; all the rest is Japanese-style only, which is ok if there is nothing else around, but I prefer my Müesli and Yoghurt...

Sightseeing: here in the city this means 'Kumamoto Castle' (around 400 years old) but heavily damaged by the 2016 earthquake. I was told it would probably take another 20 (!) years to finish the restauration completely

Kumamoto Castel

damage by 2016 earthquake

all the stones are numbered, so they can be put back in the correct place...

'Info' especially for Chinese and Korean tourists

After a short nap at the hotel Yuko dorve me to a small, but nice onsen for a dip in the -luckily not too- hot water. On the way back we had dinner at a sushi bar.

Onsen

Suhsi bar

Yuko, my invaluable guide here in Kyushu

Tomorrow looks rather better; Rick has provided us with contacts for 2 possible flying sites (Kirikabu and Minou-Kankake). We'll leave at 0900 for Minou where we are 'expected' by some locals at 1130; they will show us around and take us also to launch.

Japan -day 1/ 2 -travel

All 3 flights on time, mostly smooth, no problems with immigration/ Custom...

ZRH-FRA: CRJ900

Over Ishioka (descending into HND): flight areas COO, Ashio - TOs: clearings in the forest

FRA-HND: B747-9

HND-KMJ: Boeing 787 Dreamliner

In KMJ I have been picked up by Yuko (my guide for the next 12 days) and taken to my hotel. Now I'm trying to adapt to 'local time' ;-)
Let's see what the coming days have to offer...

Japan -day 1 -ready

...the adventure is about to begin for real...

Last night Rick has sent me -as promised- the first 'wx outlook' for the next 3 days - many thanks!
Unfortunately it does not look very promising, but at least he sees a chance of flying. Possible sites: Kirikabu and Minou-Kankake. On the bright side: I'd rather have the 'bad' days at the beginning while I'm still jetlagged and therefore a bit 'reduced'. But he also mentioned that at the moment the conditions are changing rapidly and that by Thuesday evening, when we'll have to make a decision, it might look completely different (for the better or worse...)

All the luggage is ready (it just needs to be dropped-off at the airport) and I hope I have not forgotten anything important. For the rest there are shops in Japan - at least I hope so ;-)

Yuko - my guide- has wished me a safe journey and said she'll be at Kumamoto (KMJ) airport to pick me up  :-))

Scuol

Last flight for this winter season. Unfortunate choice of flight area: by far not as 'good' as I had hoped - I arrived on launch probably too late :-((  According to the 'Regtherm' it was supposed to be much better. I renounced of a second flight, as the wind on launch was always coming 'over the back'. Fansas, Crap Sogn Gion or even Arosa would have been the better options...

 

The coming week will be 'dedicated' to final preparations for my upcoming trip to Japan :-))

Arosa im März (cont)

Yesterday's launch (by Oli)

Saturday: 2 flights; but I think that the rapid temperature increase over the last couple of days could be felt: the thermals are less 'abundant' ;-) 1st flight; easy launch towards the East; 2nd flight; the wind had changed to SSE, so launching became rather tricky...

Erich

over 'Innerarosa'

Sunday: most probably my last flying day in Arosa for this winter season.
The day proved to be one of the best days I can remember here: nice thermals bringing me close to 3000m; even the thermal at Seta 'behaved nicely'. From there I wanted to fly towards Chur, but the westerly wind, which was already a 'problem' on launch, could be cleary felt. So I decided to turn back to Seta. But I arrived rather low; to low in fact to comfortably  'join' the leesied thermal at Seta. After scratching for a while I decided to land near the train station at Langwies: tricky conditions with the wind and lift. I had already had touched down when my left wingtip caught a branch of a nearby tree:-(( 
Luckily I found someone who had a saw, could climbed the tree and cut the branch off :-)) Many thanks!!

Tijerflue, Furkahörner, Schiesshorn

Arosa (Pano taken at 2900m over Langwies)

the tree in question...

;-)

The next two weeks will be mostly dedicated to preparing my trip to Japan: departure 8.April :-))

Arosa im März (mit Oli)

Due to the excellent wx fcst I returned to Arosa; I might stay up to 6 days  :-)
Wednesday: blue skies, COLD, nice thermals; I am visited by my friend Oli (he'll stay for the night). We had dinner together at 'Lamm & Leu'.

over 'Litzirüti

Oli

...no, not all for me - we shared  ;-)

Thursday: 1 flight only: for a while a pair of eagles flew with us; the thermals have been very hard to center... Dinner with Oli at 'Güterschuppen'.

Oli launching...

Eagle

Friday: 2 more flights with Oli (who had to leave afterwards). Nicer thermals than yesterday, but it was rather 'hard' work, especially on the first flight. 20' into my second flight it looked as I had to land but finally I managed to 'dig' myself out. Later at 'Seta' very nice/ mellow thermals - not the usual situation...

'LAW Mitte' - LZ for my first flight

Medergen - our hut (with the trees)

Pano over 'Seta' - Medergen on the left

Japan

JHF membership

Meanwhile planning is continously progressing. Just today I received a copy of my JHF-membership card -the original has been mailed to Yuko's address in Kumamoto.

Some things are done in a rather 'funny' way (to put it nicely) in Japan. JHF sent me -by snailmail- the application form to Switzerland. But everything was 'Japanese only, without any explanations... 

I don't know how they expect a foreigner to fill out this form. Luckily Rick did all the paperwork for me (and also paid my dues).

A small problem crept up: the last part of my trip coincides with the so-called 'Golden Week' in Japan. This is a period, where almost everybody takes some days off and travels. This year it is even more special, as during this 'week' the Japanese Emperor will resign. Therefore it has been necessary to make all accomodation reservation well in advance. I hope that travelling by train will not be too much of a hassle... On the other hand it means also, that certainly all flight schools will be operating. (Because many normally are open only weekends, as everybody is busy working ...)