Fiesch

Day trip to Fiesch using the 'Tageskarte' for the railways: departing home at 0630, arriving Fiesch at 0955 and ready to launch by about 1100. With this option (Tageskarte) I would be able to land ANYwhere and travel back home without the need to by an additional ticket.

quite some pilots flying, but not too crowded...

The plan: heading East across Furkapass and possibly even further: Oberalp-Disentis-???
According to the fcst, this should have been possible; even with a light (N)W-wind helping...

Finsteraarhorn (4274 müM)

over Grimselpass, looking East: Dammastock (left), Rhone glacier, Furkapass

Gletsch, Grimselpass (Totsee)

Belvedere, Rhone glacier (or what's left of it...)

Pano looking West: Goms, Grimselpass, Grimselsee, Finsteraarhorn, Räterichsbodensee

Until reaching Furkapass I made good (albeit slow) progress. I didn't see any paragliders crossing the pass, just 3 hangliders coming back from the East. Unfortunately I made a major mistake here which most probably cost me the continuation further East :-(

Realp

 

So I got (too) low into the Urseren Valley. I didn't much like the aerology here: NW-wind at altitude, East wind lower. Therefore I decided to land at Realp near the railway station. I could have reached Andermatt, but there is normally much more wind and it's a longer walk from the LZ to the train station. With less than a minute to spare I made the train to Andermatt :-)

Instead of flying across Oberalppass and then via Disentis towards Chur I took the train along the same route. The 'Bündner Oberland' certainly looked rather promising...

Sedrun, looking promising

Even though I had hoped to land (much) more to the East, it has been a very nice and interesting flight in good conditions - at least until Furkapass ;-)
I arrived at home shortly after 1900.
My flight on ayvri.com.

Gerlitzen (Dual Tandem SIV) -2 / Ikuma2 with Colin Popa

2nd day of my SIV at Ossiachersee: 2 more flights with Colin Popa on the tandem and a solo flight.
Finally: the exit of the fly-back worked; also the controlled spirals posed no problems. We didn't do any wing overs today as for me the other manouvres take priority as they are saftey relevant.
But launching has been quite hard: just a light wind out of the west. On the shallow slope this required long and hard running (tandem and solo). On the solo flight I just did 1 long spiral: ROD > -14m/s, but not a very high g-load (yesterday we measured 3.8 - 4.5g)
After these three flights Andy and I drove all the way home. Probably we could have made some more flights as the wx stayed (again!) better than forecasted.

flying towards Kanzelhöhe

LZ

2 most interesting days training with Colin Popa! - Mersi mult!!
Conclusions:
- the exit of the fly-back still need some more work; but Colin thinks that most probably I should be able to manage if worst comes to worst. He also thinks that it might be better Not to control the exit at all (= just hands up), as on a B-glider the wing shouldn't dive too much in front; this might actually be better than a 'screwed up' exit by not properly catching the shooting wing and thus creating another stall (or worse).
- controlled spiral: very good, but the 'normal' exit uses a lot of altitude. He proposed a training session somewhere in the future, where he would show me an 'emergency' exit of the spiral, which uses less altitude...
- wing overs: I'll train them on my own.

Ikuma 2-30
I have decided to order the Niviuk Ikuma 2-30 as a replacement of my 777 Rook 2 - and not the U-Turn Vision L.
I'd still like to test the 777 Rook 3, but the openings of the cells are extremely narrow, which makes the glider a bit hard to launch in nil-wind conditions, as it needs to be guided until it is completely over the pilots head - which could a bit hard for me due to my damaged left shoulder. But everybody keeps telling me that otherwise it has great performance. Additionally, nobody (not even 777!) can tell, when the R3 will finally be available for testing...

Niviuk Ikuma 2

I've been told that delivery time should be 2-3 weeks. The custom design (shown in an earlier post) would take 10-11 weeks, which is simply too long.
It has been a tough desicion as I liked both gliders in the tests.
The Ikuma2 is the more 'modern' design. I think that the B2C-steering is a clever idea, not only to control the glider in accelerated flight, but also to actually thermal in weak conditions. (In strong thermals it doesn't really matter if you loose a bit of performance by controlling the wing via the brakes). The max weight is a bit higher (130kg vs 125kg), so I'm actually not flying overweight. The accelerator on the Ikuma2 needs a bit less power to activate and I can reach the lines for making big ears without problems. On the Vision a technical fix would have been necessary in order for me to easily reach these lines.
You might say that this is not a very important point, but with the ever increasing performance of these gliders, flying spirals as well as holding Big Ears for en extended period becomes IMHO more important in order to get down/ loose altitude.
A small -but not unimportant- detail: the dealer selling the Ikuma will trade-in my Phi Maestro, for which I have not found a buyer in the last 5 months. I won't get very much for the Maestro, but I'll be finally 'rid' of this glider. I'll keep the Rook 2 as a 'spare' and I can take this wing along on a future voyage and then leave it abroad...

Gerlitzen (Dual Tandem SIV) -1 with Colin Popa

1st day of my SIV here at Gerlitzen/ Ossiachersee. Before today I would have said 'unfortunately' not with Xandi (the trainer on my previous trainings here). But Xandi is very busy: 8 (!) SIV-courses in a row... So he recommended that I fly with Colin Popa. Obviuosly I was a little sceptical about changing to someone unknown to me, but luckily it turned out that Colin is an excellent instructor as well :-)  Small detail: Colin is originally from Romania and I have known only one other Romanian pilot before: Puiu, which I met at Abtenau/ Trattberg in May 2003. It turned out that Colin knows Puiu as well ;-)

We did 5 flights with Colin's Gradient BiGolden3, which behaves closely to a solo paraglider.
On all flights we did a fullstall (or back-fly - as Colin prefers to call the manouvre). I got the back-fly part of the manouvre pretty right from the beginning, but I made a (different) mistake on the exit on the first 3 flights. Actually on the first exit we got twisted, so Colin had to take over and sort out the mess ;-)
Then we did spirals ('controlled' spirals as he calls them): they give a very good rate of descent with not too much g-load - exactly what I was looking for.
We also are working on wingovers - but there my timing still needs some work, but I think it will be easier on my Rook2.
Today the wx has been much better the on the fcst. I hope it will also be better tomorrow (where the fcst is not all too good). The plan is to do 2 more flights with Colin, working on back-fly and wing overs, then a solo flight...

(busy) LZ at Xandi's place

Yesterday and today we also met Nicole; she was doing work on the 777 Rook 3 and the King 2.

Nicole: 777 Rook3: incredible how small the cell openings on this wing are...

Nicole: 777 King2

Bischling

On the way to Annenheim (Gerlitzen/ Ossiachersee) we stopped at Werfenweng for a flight from Bischling. Even though many pilots had been waiting on launch it was surprisingly relaxed and we could launch without having to wait too long :-)

Thermals had been abundant and lift almost every where: nice and relaxed flying :-)

looking North; launch is on the left side

above launch, looking NE

Looking NE: Werfenweng left; LZ and launch on the right side

We then continued to Annenheim, stopped quickly at Xandi's place (meeting Nicole and Colin, my pilot for tomorrow) and then relaxed at our hotel.

Pinzgau (Ikuma2)

Together with my friend Andy I travelled to 'Neunkirchen am Wildkogel' (Pinzgau, AT). As Saturday was mostly rainy, we didn't expect much for today (Sunday). Luckily in the end the day turned out much better than we both had anticipated. The reason for coming to the Pinzgau: testing again the Ikuma 2-30. Today I could make 3 flights: twice from Wildkogel and then from Hollersbach-Berghof in the late afternoon.

Ikuma 2-30

The day started of with lots of humidity and low clouds, so we had to wait on launch for the clouds to be burnt away by the sun.

The Fcst called for (light) winds out of the north. This makes Wildkogel a less than ideal launch; especially on the second take-off we had to wait quite a while in order to have a phase with some head wind. On this flight Andy was able to make a small xcflight to the east, landing at Uttendorf.
Hollersbach is an ideal site for flying in the late afternoon: it is facing North into the 'Bavarian wind', which comes over the Pass Thurn opposite launch. This makes long/ high flights possible, as the Bavarian wind pushes the warm air in the Pinzgau up the Southern slopes. And even without thermals soaring is still possible.

LZ at Neunkirchen: South of railway/ tennis field

Hollersbach-Berghof (launch)

Andy (Advance Iota)

Hollersbach (center); Berghof (right)

So what about the Ikuma? Contrary to my first flight at Rotenflue 10 days again (where the wing didn' impress me at all), today I was much more at ease. I had 3 good launches (no aborts); the handling was much more to my liking and especilally turning felt much less strenous. I was even thermalling using only the BC-steering. I still don't like this color, which does not give enough contrast on pictures.
To sum it up: the Ikuma is back 'in the race' for the replacement of my Rook2. It has the edge on the Vision, as the max the weight is 130kg (vs 125kg) (I'm somewhere in between 125 and 130). I'm well aware that flying a '125kg-wing' a few kilos over the limit is not a real problem - especially in summer/ strong thermals. But in winter/ weak thermals this may make a difference. Another small point: in order to get down at Hollersbach, I had to pull Big Ears for quite a long time. As the lines on the Ikuma are extremely thin, this makes holding the Big Ears rather 'hard', as the lines cut into the hand (even with gloves). Here the advantage goes to the Vision, as its lines are more 'sturdy'.

...possible color scheme...

Tomorrow in the morning I'll return the Ikuma2 and then we'll continue heading East towards Ossiachersee, where I expect to do a dual tandem SIV on Tuesday. But of course - conditions permitting- we'll try to make a flight along the way: Bischling, Fulseck, Stubnerkogel are among the options.

Ebenalp

Excellent flying today at Ebenalp. Thermals to be found almost everywhere: strong but not (too) bumpy  :-)  Unfortunately cloudbase has been to low to reach Säntis.

Ebenalp (launches); Säntis (highest peak)

Pano looking NE: Schäfler (left), Seealpseee, 'behind': Hoher Kasten

Pano (near Hoher Kasten) looking SW: Säntisersee, Alp Sigel; Säntis

After about 2 hours I had to land, as it has been rather cold (with Bise) for the season. On launch and after landing I met Kiwi, who -during wintertime-  is the 'resident' tandem pilot in Arosa.

Fiesch -3 (Binntal)

This morning the weather looked very similar to Saturday's: a layer of clouds between Kühboden and Eggishorn :-( While waiting for the clouds to dissipate I made a short trip to Binntal. For quite a while already the practice a 'soft' turism here, therefore the valley is in very 'original' state.
 

this bridge in Binn was built in 1394

Getting back to Fiesch it looked much better, but in odre to be on the safe side I passed by the LZ; here a local pilot recommended NOT to fly anymore, as in Visp the wind was already gusting above 55kmh. 

So I headed home, passing at Mollis to return the U-Turn Vision. Unfortunately I had been able to make only 1 flight here at Fiesch with this glider and I have not yet made a final desicion...

Fiesch -2

Much better than yesterday, but still not quite what Fiesch has normally to 'offer' ;-)

Nice flight with the U-Turn Vision-L: very long lines (which could eventually be a problem on small/ short launches), but quite 'sturdy'; not 'dental floss' as on many other (newer) gliders (ie Ikuma2).
Accelerated gliding (and C-steering): nice glide ratio. I felt very comfy under this glider...

Niederwald (behind my boot)

Landing in Niederwald, just a few minutes away from the train station for the way back to Fiesch. Tomorrow another flight with this glider, before I'm heading back home.

Fiesch -1

'Grimselschlange' on my way to Fiesch (Friday)

Fcst by https://kachelmannwetter.com/ch/wetter/2660781-fiesch

today's Regtherm (Goms)

Webcam Eggishorn (Saturday, 0830)

Not exactly the wx I've been hoping for/ expecting for my first day here at Fiesch ;-)

Around 1200 it finally began to clear up and I headed up to launch.

Strange conditions: very hard to get up and torn up thermals.

Pano looking East (Goms); Fiesch (and LZ) on the left

Hanging bridge at Fürgangen

Toworrow I'll be flying once more the U-Turn Vision, which I had picked up at Basisrausch on my way to Fiesch. Hopefully the conditions will be better, at least the regtherm is looking more promising:

tomorrow's regtherm (Goms)

Test Ikuma 2-30

Finally a Niviuk Ikuma 2-30 has made its way to Switzerland; albeit due to many construction sites along the route (and therefore long traffic jams) much later than anticipated (and hoped for): instead of 1200 I could get my hands on the glider only at 1345 :-((
I have been to today's flying site - Rotenfluh - only 3 times before: 1992, 1994, 1997; in the mean time a new gondola has been built, which departs just a few minutes from the LZ.
Launch is less than 10' from the gondola station.

I don't like this color very much - not enough contrast on pictures...

 

Here my impressions after a not very long flight: easy launching (though today I needed several attempts to get airborne). Great performance. (With my left hand) I can easily reach the A-riser in order to pull Big Ears. The speed system does not need much power to be fully pushed; together with Big Ears this gives a good ROD; no 'flapping' of the ears. Turns: to me it felt, that it was rather hard work making the glider turn. BUT, as I have to admit, I did all the turning/ thermalling only by using the brakes - the 'old-fashioned' way - and not by using the B2C-system. After landing I have been reminded of this fact, which I simply had forgotten.

Pano looking west

As this cloud was developing quickly I landed after about 50'.

Ikuma 2: certainly not 'love at first flight', but still on my list of possibe candidates. I'll need another flight in order to try making turns by using the B2C-system only (and not the brakes). I hope I'll be able to do this when I travel to Austria in the near future, as there is no size 30 glider here in CH.
Thanks to Peter from Paragliding Touch and Go for having organized everything!