Disentis - Flims

After several days of flying in Arosa (Blog entry to be posted later), today I travelled with PeterW to Disentis. Although according to the timetable there are only 3 minutes in Chur between arrival of the train from Arosa and departure to Disentis, we easily made the connection; and in Disentis the local bus to the cable car was waiting 'just for us'. In winter, launch is at 'Lai Alv' at 2485m, in summer it's lower (at Gendusas, 2150m), as the chairlift to Lai Alv is not running regularily.

Magnificent weather and great views!

Lai Alv: pano looking South: Piz Medel (3210m)

Launch at Lai Alv (in front of restaurant)

Pano over launch looking West towards Sedrun/ Oberalp Pass

Unfortunately, launch was not prepared nicely (as we are used to in Arosa, where they prepare launch and landing to perfection). So, taking off was a bit tricky as there was a risk of getting stuck in the soft snow while running. That's also the reason why I have decided not to return the next day to this launch.

Oberalpstock (3328m)

But as can be seen from the pictures, thermal tops have been above 3500m. The thermals, once above about 2700m, have been very smooth and gentle. Also the wind from the South (not Föhn!) never became too strong (max 15kmh).

Tödi (3613m)

(possible) LZ at Brigels

Pano near Brigels looking West (where I came from): Val Frisal, Bifertenstock

Rheinschlucht/ Ruinaulta

After having taken the pictures of Ruinaulta it would have been easily possible to climb back up to +3000m, and then continue towards Calanda/ Chur. But we had assumed that the valley wind in Chur would most probably become (too) strong in the afternoon and before launchig we had decided  to land in/ near Flims; actual wind in Chur at 1600: NNE at 24.8kmh gusting 40.7kmh...

Flims

After having packed up, I checked the timetable for connections to Chur and discovered that I had less than 6 minutes to reach the bus; with 'running' I barely made it...

Very nice flying day in great company: thanks to Peter for his support before/ after the flight!

Stubai (AT) -Kreuzjoch

Finally a day without Föhn/ Föhn tendency :-))  So I took advantage of the nice (and mellow) conditions for one more flight here in the Stubaital before driving back home...

Kreuzjoch / Schlick2000

Even though on FRI and SAT only 1 flight had been possible, it has been a nice trip in great company. I certainly will try to come back here again (and it need not be for the StubaiCup)...

StubaiCup 2022 -3: Föhn (again)

Unfortunately a very similar situation to yesterday with the danger, that the Föhn might break through after noon :-(

Andrea ready for launch

Andrea

Andrea was quick to launch; I followed about 20 minutes later...

Kreuzjoch / Schlick 2000: launch

So I landed a bit before noon. Today it would have been possible to fly probably half an hour longer, but in no way I wanted to be in the position of yesterday's last 2 pilots landing: nothing had happened but we've been told that it had looked pretty 'rowdy'...

Neustift: LZ and exposition (looking East towards Innsbruck)

Even though we couldn't fly as much/ long as we had wanted/ hoped for (due to Föhn), it has been a nice experience to fly here again at the Stubaicup.

Almost all PG manufacturerers had been present, though unfortunately not all with their gliders in my size. In the end I only tested one wing (AD Rise4). For the moment I see no need to even consider a change away from my Leeloo ;-)

StubaiCup 2022 -2: Föhn / Innsbruck

Unfortunately just one flight from Kreuzjoch (today with my own glider)...

In the briefing we've been told, that around noon the föhn would start to break through and that we should pay attention - and that's pretty much what happened.

Kreuzjoch - pilots waiting for launch

Even though today much more pilots attended the StubaiCup, it didn't take a very long time waiting in the queue, as there have been enough helpers to spread out and help prepare the wings. Also a steady headwind helped avoiding many aborted take-offs.

But once in the air the influence of the föhn could already be clearly felt: thermals in locations where there are nomally no thermals; big sink in places where normally good thermals are standing; flying accelerated and doing only around 20kmh forward speed... So I landed after less than 20 minutes (around 1130)

About 30 minutes later (as predicted in the briefing) conditions became rather 'interesting' to watch...

...and I'm sure that some pilots remembered the saying 'rather be on the ground and wishing to be in the air than being in the air and wishing to be on the ground'.

In the afternoon Andrea and I took the train (Stubaitalbahn) to Innsbruck for a short city stroll...

 

 

...and a visit to the famous Café Sacher ;-)

Patscherkofel and Europa bridge of the Brenner highway

Windspeeds on Patscherkofel in the afternoon 67kmh (gusting 82kmh)

StubaiCup 2022 -1: AD Rise-4_L, (Ozone Rush-6_XL)

Today (Friday), luckily the Föhn influence here in Stubaital remained weak; tomorrow (afternoon) might be different...

Sunrise from my balcony

Breakfast buffet at Thalerhof

After having completed registration, Andrea and I went first to AirDesign, where Andrea choose a wing for her first flight after 12 years. I selected an AirDesign Rise-4, as the wing I was really interested in (Air Design Volt) is not yet available in my side. Then we took the shuttle to Fulpmes and the gondola for 'Schlick 2000'.

Schlick 2000/ Kreuzjoch: looking across hangglider ramp to PG launch

...Andrea awaiting her turn for launch...

...Andrea...

I took off a few minutes behind her...

AD Rise -4

Pano looking SSW towards Stubai glacier

 Nice launch and nice thermals :-)

Landing after 35'; the wing flies really nice and seems to be very performing; acceleration is easy and brings about 8km more at 2/3-bar. What I didn'd like: all the lines have the same colour; and the brake handles are way to small (narrow). too feel comfortable...

For my second flight I then chose an Ozone Rush 6 (in XL). The shuttle again brought me to Fulpmes for the gondola to Schlick 2000/ Kreuzjoch.

Ozone Rush-6

I did not get well along with this wing! The riser-system is rather complicated and I had big problems launching the glider. It has small cell openings (like 777 Rook-3) and thus is not easy to launch in light wind conditions - after 3 fails I packed up and rode the gondola down :-((

But the dinner made more than up for the 'frustration' of the (non) afternoon-flight ;-)

Schruns (AT) -Hochjoch / Sennigrat

On my way to Stubaital for StubaiCup 2022 (11. - 13.3.), I stopping at Schruns (Montafon) for a flight from Hochjoch/ Sennigrat. I had flown here only before twice in summer (1992/ 1996). 

Pano on launch (Sennigrat) (looking WSW-NW)

 

looking W towards Säntis (Switzerland)

LZ (Winter!) near P and gondola station (this gondola does NOT run in summer!)

Very nice (and smooth) conditions; landing after about 50', then continuing to Telfes in Stubaital, where we (I'm accompanied by Andrea Röösli, my flight instructor from the late '80ies) stayed at 'Tahlerhof' - the same place I stayed at the Stubaicup in 2020). I really can recommend this place: 86EUR for halfboard (!) with an excellent 4-course dinner.

déjàvu- Daydreamer

 

déjàvu- Daydreamer (Official Videoclip)

mit sehr schönen GS-Aufnahmen

 

 

back to Arosa...

Webcam Friday at 0720

Friday: 'on paper' the day didn't look too bad: winds from the North, which would have permitted good launches. Instead the actual wind was from WNW to NNW - directions which make launching difficult/ impossible. 

...parawaiting...

After having waited for about 2 hours, the wind weakend a bit and launches became possible. I soared a bit in the northerly wind, but didn't really like the flying conditions and landed on the Golf course (Maran). Others (AndyS/ Bruno) found nice thermals and had good flights...

pix by Marlies - thanks!

Saturday: luckily today the wx was much according to the fcst ;-)  Just a little NE-wind for launch. Excellent conditions, permitting climbs to > 3100m (first time this year). The thermal at Seta (Langwies) has been strong, but -for once- not overly turbulent.

...unfortunately no pix from Seta, as the camera battery died (due to coldness)...

landing at LAW Mitte

I attempted a second flight, but (like another pilot) found nothing but sink, when all others stayed really high :-((

...where are the pilots...

Next 'stop': Stubaicup (11.- 13.3.)

Short trip to Engelberg - Brunni

Today I could pick up my modified harness :-)  Andrè -as usual!- did an excellent job and beside a minor detail (which does not affect flying) everything seems ok now. He suggested I'd drive to Engelberg (just a 15miuntes drive form his place) and go for a flight.

Brunni-launch, looking towards Titlis (3238m) (highest point on the left)

Unfortunately I arrived at launch only shortly after 1500 and was ready to launch by 1530: this means that thermal activity was well beyond its peak; nontheless I could fly for almost 40 minutes.

looking towards launch: Gross Walenstock, Gross Sättelistock

...quite a lot has changed here since my last visit in 2008: the gondola station has been moved from the centre of the village and now has ample parking; also the LZ has been moved around a bit...

Arosa -again ;-)

Sunday: ...nice thermals already at 1130 (1st flight), but very cold, so I landed after about 40 minutes...

For the second flight conditions got even better and some soaring at the Weisshorn became possible - launch and soaring captured by webcam ;-)

 

...this time it took 1hr20' before it got too cold for me...

Monday: the fcst predicted 6hpa 'North overpressure'; this made me wonder if launch on Weisshorn would be possible at all. But luckily the whole day the North component remained rather weak - actually it weakend even more for the second launch.

First flight: very strong thermals - 'sporty' at times ;-)  Going up almost everywhere. Landing has been rather tricky as the LZ was in the lee of the trees as the air had to supply the strong thermals. I hoped for similar thermal conditions for my second flight. Interestingly, thermals had become much more mellow but it was still possible to get > 2700m. Unfortunately the heating in my rh glove run out of power after about 20' into the flight...

looking towards Tieja, Medergen and Weissflue

Towards the end of the flight I headed over towards Furkahorn/ Tijerflue where I also found nice thermals. For a moment I was tempted to continue via Medergen to Langwies/ Seta, but my rt hand simply got too cold by that time :-(

Tuesday: (KSGR) not 'fit-to-fly' :-((

Wednesday: windy up high...