...a promising looking thermal fcst made me travel to Scuol today (like many other pilots). But (once more!) the RegTherm has been too optimistic. Even though a few pilots have been able to make good/ acceptable flights, for most of us it has been a bit disappointing. Especially the wind below 3000m has been much stronger than predicted :-(
 |
| ...parawaiting... |
 |
| Motta Naluns |
 |
| Pano looking NW: river Inn, Ftan |
Back on 'terra firma' after 50' and then by train to Schiers, where I had parked my car ;-)
The reason I had driven to Fiesch yesterday: excellent thermal fcst for today and hooking up with friends.
Unfortunatley the RegTherm has been overly optimistic and my enthusiasm/ motivation after yesterdays flights not very high ;-) - so after 1h15' I landed in Niederwald...
But I met my friends at the gondola station and we'll be having dinner in the evening.
 |
| Aletschglacier - always an impressive view! |
 | ||||
Oberaarhorn (?)
|
As I had missed the train back to Fiesch by a few minutes, I tried to hitch-hike. After only a short while I have been picked up. The driver has been a former PG pilot who now runs the Hotel Castle at Blitzingen, he is also an excellent cook. Thanks Peter for dropping me right at my accommodation!
Later in the afternoon the sun burned away the high altitude clouds and it looks that conditions could have improved.
The next day (Wednesday) I decided not to fly anymore (Föhn in the fcst) and just drove back home (via Grimsel and Susten pass).
What a great day!
Early in the morning I left home and drove to Interlaken. Here I took the train for Grindelwald and Jungfraujoch. A flight from there has been on my 'wish-list' for more than 25 years ;-)
Conditions on launch have been absolutelty great/ perfect: a nice head wind permitted a reverse launch (which by coincidence has been captured by the webcam - thanks Peter!)
 |
| Aletschglacier, looking towards Fiesch/ Eggishorn |
 |
| Jungfrau |
 |
| Mönch |
 |
| launching ;-) |
 |
| Pano above Lauberhorn: Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau... |
Thermals above Lauberhorn permitted climbing and continuation towards Grindelwald-First.
 |
| looking back to launch |
 |
| looking towards Schilthorn/Piz Gloria (in clouds), Mürren, Interlaken (far right) |
 |
| Grindelwald-First |
 |
| LZ in Grindelwald-Grund |
Originally I had planned to go back up to Jungfraujoch for a second flight, but unfortunately clouds have been forming below launch... But anyway, what an exceptional flight: not distance wise, but the views cannot been beaten.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So I decided to go for a late afternoon flight from Schynige Platte. The train even makes an unscheduled stop for us paragliders at the closest ponit to launch ;-)
 |
| Schynige Platte Bahn: more than 100 years old |
I had to wait for about 30' until the rain over Interlaken had stopped, but then conditions turned on and (again!) I was able to make a really nice flight.
The Leeloo climbed certainly as good (or even slightly better) than the other gliders present :-))
 |
| launch (you can see some gliders laid out) |
 |
| looking East: Brienzersee |
Today Meiringen CTR and TMA had been active until 1815LT, so I had to wait a bit before being able to fly further East. (One can call a toll-free number to check on the status of the CTR/ TMA)
 |
| looking West: Interlaken, Thunersee, Niesen |
 |
| looking East: Interlaken, Brienzersee, Schynige Platte... |
 |
| LZ in Interlaken: Höhmatte (right in front of 'Hooters') |
 |
| Sunset behind Stockhorn |
Again I didn't venture very far, just enjoying the sights.
After the flight I drove to Fiesch, where I'll be meeting some friends the next day.
Wednesday (1.9.)
 |
| 0630: not very good looking ;-) |
 |
| Webcam around 1000 |
 |
| Wednesday's RegTherm (thermal fcst): looking rather good... |
It took the sun a very long time to burn away all the humidity left from yesterday. I finally launched after 1315: more than 30 minutes in the same thermal trying to make some altitude so I could fly away; and the thermals (at least some of them) have been rather bumpy. I made a (feeble) attempt to head west, but landed back at Scuol after 1h15': the flight was okay, but nothing really enjoyable ;-)
(> the RegTherm has been way too optimistic...)
 |
| Pano on launch (looking East) |
Unfortunately no in-flight pix today due to problems with my camera - sorry!
Yu Tao: thanks for your assistance on launch; I hope you've had a good 3rd flight!
Thursday (2.9.)
Again a promising RegTherm (thermals fcst) - let's see how the day will actually turn out...
 |
| Thursday's RegTherm (thermals fcst): again looking promising... |
Today I've made 2 flights. I landed after less than 30' because getting to launch I had realized that I'd forgotten my jacket in the car :-( Knowing that (if the thermal fcst proved correct) it would be rather cold above 3000m I wanted to be prepared for a nice flight.
 |
| some flight school(s) launching from different places |
Again only a few inflight pix due to problems with my camera (but at least some)
Launching for the second flight (see flight on Avvri.com) I was able to quickly gain altitude (quite contrary to yesterday) and started to head west, but I didn't really have a plan.
Getting close to Piz Linard it looked as a crossing towards Klosters would be possible, so I gave it a try...
 |
| Piz Linard (3410m) |
 |
| Monbiel Valley / Fergen: straight ahead; Silvretta Lake/ Bielerhöhe on the right |
 |
| near Verstanclahorn (3297m) looking into Vernela Valley |
So far conditions had been really great: strong thermals but not too bumpy and also not too windy; but getting to Monbiel (Fergen/ Fergenhütte) I didn't like the conditions any more: strong sink, strong headwind at times, so I decided to land at Klosters.
 |
| Monbiel (looking NW): near Fergenhütte; left: Klosters |
 |
| Monbiel - looking East (where I had come from) |
 |
| Klosters - looking East |
This desicion proved to have been a good one, because after having packed up and walked to the train station I only had to wait a few minutes before the train back to Scuol (where my car was waiting for the drive home) arrived :-)
I think this is the first time that I actually 'crossed' the Alps South to North...
 | ||
| Pano looking South: Lugano (left); Lago di Lugano |
While visiting Ticino with Ruth for 4 days, we also travelled to Monte Lema. Instead of going down by gondola, I flew down :-) Really nice conditions, but higher up (> 2200m) the influence of the Nordföhn could be felt a bit... Last time I've been here: 2001.
 |
| looking back to Monte Lema; the clouds clearly show the wind direction higher up... Miglieglia (LZ) at 0300. |
 |
| Miglieglia: LZ (left); Gondola and P (right) |
 |
| LZ (looking towards Breno) |
Daytrip to Scuol; again I left my car in Schiers... Arriving on launch at Motta Naluns I met Marlies, Erich and Peter. The wx situation didn't look too promising in the beginning: SW/ W-winds and low base: most pilots had problems staying up; some also changed from the E-launch to the S-launch. Finally -after having waited about 1 hour- the situation started to improve: winds less westerly and pilots able to climb out.
But it still was no easy going... I was heading East hoping to climb to base under one of the culmulus clouds. Unfortunately I didn't succed and had to head back towards launch. After some more scratching I was finally able to climb to a decent altitude.
The longer the day wore on the better the conditions became. Heading West (against the wind) I reached a max alt of just over 3600m :-)
 |
| Pano looking West: left: Lavin; center: Piz Linard (3410m) |
Near Lavin I turned around, as flying back to my car at Schiers didn't seem feasible (the wind above 3000m had turned to NW...)
 |
| looking East: Scuol just visible at 0300 |
Landing after 2 hours and back to my car by train...
Many thanks to Marlies, Erich, Peter and ? for their assistance on launch!
Michael had suggetsted I'd go to Pinzolo on Sunday. I left Bassano shortly before 0800 and arrived there at 1030. I couldn't not yet check-in at my hotel, but I already received the WiFi password, so I could have a look at the meteo conditions. Pinzolo is (like Molveno, Malcesine) open to the south and has a pronounced valley-wind-system, but not as strong as Molveno/ Malcesine. Access is easy: gondola/ chairlift from 800m to 2075m and the LZs are close to the gondola.
 | ||
| main wind direction is South (from 'top' of pix) |
 | ||
| looking East: launch, Monte Tosa (3196m) |
 |
| launch... |
 |
| ...and from the air |
 | ||
| Fabrizio, a local pilot who gave me a very good introduction to this site: grazie mille! |
 | |
| pano looking East: right: Pinzolo; center: launch/ Cima Tosa; Madonna di Campiglio on the left (outside pix) |
Nice flying for > 1.5hrs; then I landed as I have no experience yet how strong the valley wind can get here...
And again a new site ;-)
