Japan -day 13: Uono (Yatake)

After an easy 1hr 40min we reached Yoshimatsu where we met Yoshimitsu-san at the LZ of Uono. Once more a flight area with perfect infrastructure: huge TO and LZ with toilet on launch and sun-shade in both places. The grass is nicely cut and in better shape than on some (golf) fairways I've played ;-)

Uono LZ

looking towards LZ and TO (center of oix)

I flew for a little over an hour and could get to 900 meters over launch (550m / 1450m). My vario recorded climb rates of up to 7 m/s, but not very bumpy.
After landing we went looking for Yatake's LZ and TO nearby. This site is only about 7km from Uono. Everbody had said that this site might be good in the afternoon. We easily found both places, but I couldn't/ didn't launch as the wind was always coming from the right side, putting the TO in some kind of lee. According to Rick this happens quite often and he only goes there if Uono is not flyable.

Yatake: LZ to the left of the white 'building' in the center

On the way back we stopped at an Unagi (Eel) restaurant.

Tomorrow (Sunday) we'll leave at 1000 for Komeno-yama near Fukuoka for (hopefully) a good flight - it will be the last one here on Kyushu for me...

Japan -day 12: Kuratake

Luckily I let myself convince by Rick yesterday to stay another night here on Amakusa. His forecast (once more!) proved to be accurate and the day turned out to be excellent - a 'Hammertag' as we call it ;-)
I had an easy launch at 1100 and flew for a little over 2 hours: cloud base rose steadily and lift was strong and more than abundant.

looking towards 'Hondo'

looking NE

looking W

Flying for many more hours would certainly have been possible, but due to a very lousy night I landed shortly after 1400. But what a beautiful flight area this is!!

Tomorrow Rick is sending me to Uono /Yatake and for my last day here on Kyushu (Sunday) he thinks that Zojiro might be worth a visit..

Japan -day 11: Kuratake

We met Rick at 0900 at the designated meeting point/ parking for the drive to launch. He had brought along Pete and 2 Japanese pilots. Later Leanne would also join us. Furthermore he had his tandem glider, so Yuko could make a flight with him.Kuratake is a most senic flying site with great views of the Amakusa cosatline and the outlying islands!

Kuratake launch

Yuko's flight lasted around 40' and she liked it very much :-)

As the wind stedily became stronger and out of the West all of us (except Rick) landed after a while. Rick headed east taking advantage of the wind and landed short of Misuni.

The rest of the day was spent driving along Amakusas coast and enjoying the views.

As Rick was predicting toworrow should be as good (or even better) than today, I decided to stay another night on Amakusa. This time we lodged directly at the Onsen...

Japan -day 10: no Fly > sightseeing

Another non-flying day :-(  I spent the morning at the hotel washing all my cloths. In the early afternoon we left for Amakusa, where we hope to fly tomorrow morning. 
It's normally about a 2-hour drive from Kumamoto to Kuratake (Rick's home site), but we followed the coastline, so it took a bit longer. Sightseeing-wise Amakusa is the part of Kyushu I liked best so far.

Misuni

inside 'Pyramid'

We couldn't really figure out the purpose of this building called 'Pyramid' by the locals,,,

near Misuni

east coast

Sunset near Hondo

more Sushi with Dr.P.

On the way to dinner with Dr.P. we stopped once more for Onsen ;-)

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.