Japan -day 9: Kabuto-Iwa

Today Rick gave us to options: Ueno to the South, which a possibility of too much wind or Kabuto-Iwa (near Dainkabo). We choose to go to Kabuto, as we already had 'scouted' the site, so we'd loose no time by having to check out everything before I could fly.
I was able to make 2 flights: the first one just a sledder to the local LZ.

looking towards Mt.Aso

looking back to launch

I was quickly picked up by Yuko and we drove back up to launch for a second flight. This time the thermals had been established quite nicely and I could fly towards Daikanbo (as Rick had suggested I'd try).

Kabuto-Iwa launch

Mt.Aso in the back ground

Today Mt.Aso was more active than usual 'spitting' some dust and smoke. The level of activity was such that it was even mentioned on the TV news nationwide.

over Daikanbo launch

Easy going until Daikanbo, but then I 'blew' it. Flying more East I couldn't find any more thermals so I landed in an abandoned rice paddy. There was just one other pilot at Daikanbo; he launched to the SSE, but couldn't find also anything....

After being picked up by Yuko again, we drove through the Aso mountains. This road had been closed until recently due to the 2016 earthquake. And still a major road is closed as they have to replace a collapsed bridge.

Mt.Aso

What's noticeable, not only here, but all over Japan: Japanes tend to try to 'tame' nature by using concrete. Whole mountain sides are covered by concrete to hoping this will hinder landslides and such.

Later a visit to a local Onsen and dinner...

Japan -day 8: Kanemidake

...already the first week of my trip is over...

Today we met Leanne, Rick and Pete at the LZ of Kanemidake.

This is one of the biggest and best mantained LZs I know: it's really huge (aso for hangies) and like a fairway on a golf course with windsocks on all 4 corners.

Kanemidake LZ from the ground

and from the air

Launch on top of the hill (left side)

Launch is hanglider type of launch with 2 ramps; the ramp to the north can only be used by HGs, whereas the ramp to the W-NW is so wide and deep that also PGs can get off.
But it is not possible to just go there and fly, as both ramps are fenced off and you need a key to unchain the fence. But obviosly Rick has the contacts...
But not only the launch is a bit tricky, also the flight poses some 'problems'. the altitude difference to the LZ is rather small compared to the distance: L/D required about 1: 5.5; this leaves not much room for error and just 'hanging around' and waiting for thermals is nearly impossible. Further more: we shouldn't thermal directly over the big chicken Farm - but that's where the obvious thermal trigger is...

Leanne launched first and managed to get up at the far end of the ridge leading out to the LZ.

Leanne

Then it has been my turn and then Pete's; Rick launched last.

Taggi

Pete

Contrary to Leanne I just managed to do a few turns in some weak thermals and then it was already 'game over'; Pete didn't fare better. Rick, who had waited a bit longer, managed to climb away (but he is flying in a totally other league anyway)...

Rick's flight

Leanne, Pete and I were driven back up by Yuko for a second attempt. Unfortunately by that time the wind had started coming over the back. Pete and I made a few attempts, but the ramp wouldn't allow for a safe launch so we both packed up. Leanne on the other hand managed to get off in the only decent window but the flight itself  -due to the leeside conditions- was unfortunatley just a short one.

Japan -day 7: Rain

As predicted, today was (another) rest day. We had arranged to (finally) meet Rick and Leanne in the evening and have dinner together. I had offered (already before leaving home) to prepare a meal.
So in the morning we had to get all the necessary ingredients. Then we headed South to Hitoyoshi, where I had reserved rooms for Yuko and me in an Onsen. So, even before checking-in we got to dip in the warm water :-)

Onsen

From there it was another 35' drive South to meet Rick, Leanne and Pete
Then I had to cook diner for 5 in this rather 'frugal' kitchen...

Menu: Spaghetti with Lemon and Basil; Risotto (with red wine) and lamb steaks; dessert 'Birabrot' (pear bread) - at least everybody was kind enough to ssy that they liked it ;-)

Yuko, Pete, Leanne, Rick

Back to our hotel for a short night.

 We have to leave at 0730 in order to meet the others at Kanemi-dake LZ at 1000.

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 :-))