EC / CO 2024: replanning... / Quito

Here in Quito I'm making up my new plan for CO - without flying. Basically I'll be cutting my trip short by 10 days (returning on 19.1. iso 29.1.). But in CO the frist days will remain unchanged - just without paragliding: we'll also fly to BGE for 2 days of sightseeing. Then on 18.1. I'll be flying form MDE-BOG-MAD-ZRH; arriving home on 19.1.

Fri (12.1.) After breakfast I took a taxi back to the Airport in order to (finally!) recover my iPhone. I eventually got it back, but instead of 'wait 5 minutes' I had to wait almost 40 minutes...

At 1100 Thomas (a local pilot who had been recommended to me by Igor) showed up and we had a look at the local flying site 'Lumbisi': a huge LZ (but how long before it will be overbuilt?) and a wide TO faccing normally straight into the wind.

LZ: launch is on the ridge...

Lumbisi launch

LZ

Quito (City Center)

There is another launch on the mountains 'behind' the city at 4000m, but we have been told that the cablecar (TeleferiQo) is out of service and there would have been too much clouds anyway.

Many thanks to Thomas for having taken his time to show me around!!

In the evening I actually had my first dinner on this trip in a restaurant (Sushi); all other evenings I had eaten at our hostal in Crucita.

Sat (13.1.) After breakfast I took a taxi to the city center: Iglesias San Fernando and Compania, as well as a ride on the only recently opened Metro (=subway).

It's absolutely amazing/ stunning how much (stolen!) gold has been used in these churches.

San Francisco

San Francisco

San Francisco

Metro

Compania

Later in the afternoon I was driven to the airport (UIO) for my fligh to Colombia (MDE/ Medellin).

Crucita: days 7 / 8

 

Leeloo-2L (XL) (Design/ montage by Michael N.)

(Wed, 10.1.) After yesterday's flight-free day, today began with few clouds (even though it had rained quite heavily again during the night). The first pilots were already in the air at 1200. With the help of Igor and Hans, I did a few Cobra launch exercises before finally taking off.

The conditions were good right from the start and got better and better over the next 2 hours...

BUT: on my second pass North over the town of Crucita, I (apparently) turned around a bit too late and therefore didn't make it back to the landing zone. Maybe I would have made it if I had chosen a line more over the sea - but that's pure speculation. Anyway, I tried to land on the road parallel to the coast. Unfortunately, I missed the target by just 1 metre and had to land on the beach :-((

The rest is history: in order to save me from being pulled into the surf, Michael had to cut loose the glider from my harness... I am uninjured, but more or less lost all my PG equipment: glider, vario, cameras (Lumix and X3), Garmin Spot. My harness, reserve are ok, but dripping wet. By the time some of the helpers were able to catch my glider, it had already been damaged beyond repair. The rest is currently being dried.

Straight away, Michael, Peter and other participants generously offered to lend me a paraglider, a vario etc, but I declined with thanks. I don't like trying out new flying areas in unfamiliar conditions with other people's equipment. (The guides from UIO and MDE also spontaneously offered me similar support). Peter, Michael (and also Nicole - although she doesn't know about my 'mishap' yet) also offered to help me get replacement equipment.

Many thanks to ALL those who helped to ensure that this 'incident' didn't turn into a major disaster!!!

Fortunately, all flights, rental cars and hotel bookings can be changed/ cancelled without penalty. Tomorrow, before leaving for Quito (as planned), I will try to rebook my return flight so that I can get home a week earlier than planned.

Thur (11.1.) Gathering and drying the remains of my flying equipment... 

In the afternoon a taxi took me to back to Manta for my flight to UIO. I couldn't yet recover my iPhone upon arrival, as it was well beyond office hours :-)

coast line North of Crucita

Crucita: days 5 / 6: Leeloo-2L / RA

Mon (8.1.) Again flying at Crucita. The quick ones launched from 'Aeordrome' (I worked on my Cobra with Igor and Michel), but soon wind increased and veered more to the west, so we moved to 'Guacachina'.

After having waited for a while until Peter landed, I could then test-fly Michael's latest 'product: the Leeloo-2L. Where '2L' stands for 'two-liner'. This is a  prototype and he claims the wing would pass the EN-B tests (without folding lines etc)...

Basically this Leeloo-2L handels like the 'regular' Leeloo: for me the biggest difference is the trim speed, which seems to be about 2 or 3 kmh faster. But Michael is known for trimming his wings on the fast side. I myself didn't feel too comfortable about this (especially close to the Gnd, TO, and LDG). As my abilities to run really fast are (unfortunately) rather limited, this is not something which is very helpful to me. But I have to say that accelerated the wing glides extremely nicely (as far as I can judge this with my limited knowledge of such gliders). Even accelerating to 100% does not need to much power.

As the winds (without sun) continously weakend many of us have been forced to land on the beach. Just 1 flight today, but it has been well worth waiting for Peter to hand me over this wing.

Tue (9.1.) It had rained the whole night. Shortly after noon we left for launch, hoping the wind would eventually be strong enough to permit flying. But with so much rain and humidity, the sky remained overcast. No sun = no wind; very sunny = lots of wind. So a partly cloudy sky would actually be best. At 1600 we decided to call it a day and returend to our hostal: Just a few of our group made (very) short sledders and had to land at the beach...

Of course, as soon as we got back to our accommodation, the sky started to clear. But it has been too late to 'turn on the wind'.

Crucita: days 3 / 4

Sat (6.1.) turned into a very beautiful day; in the end the wind became rather strong (at least for me). But wth the guidance of Igor I have been able to perform my very first (for real) Cobra-launch (not just training). After just a few minutes over 2 hours I toplanded in 25+kmh winds :-))  At first we have been using 'Aerodromo', but as the winds veered a bit more to the West we changed to 'Guacachina'. I launched only once (from 'Guacachina'.)

Gene Castro

Gudrun

Cobra launch (by Oleg)

Crucita (Gudrun)

Remark: there are 3 launches here in Crucita, not to far apart. Top landing is possible on all 3... At 'Guacachina' there is also a small kiosk and a toilet. For landing at high tide there are 2 options; at low tide anywhere on the beach.

Sun (7.1.) at 0930 we left for 'San Clemente' (about 45' by car). Here 'Helge' has created on his properity (a bit north of this village), a nice lunch. Just 35asl, but that's has been more than enough for the very smooth conditions we could experience today.. Helge, with the help of his tractor, drove all of your luggage from his house to launch - including me ;-)

Breakfast (by the pool)

Hostal Voladores

Helge's place

launch (looking North)

Launch

looking South (San Clemente)

Helge's Place (landing on the beach in front)

After about 2hrs flight time I landed at Helge's place, especially as it looked as if it would start to rain... With the exception of Holger, all the rest of our group landed at San Clemente's 'Punta Bikini'...

Crucita: days 1 / 2

looking North towards 'Crucita'; our hostal ('Hostal Voladeros') is the high rise in the middle of the pix

large launch, easily toplandable

Yesterday (4.1.) afternoon - after having rested a bit - I had a look at launch; actually there are 3 launches, which take care of slightly different wind directions. But it is HOT and HUMID here!

re: my iPhone: I'll pick it up on the evening of 11.1. when I'm passing through UIO again. Until then it's safely stored at the airport security...

our main launch

Thur (5.1.): I had a much better night: the cough stopped shortly after midnight and then I was able to sleep quite well. The cough stayed "away" until late afternoon, when it came back sporadically.

A little later than anticipated, the seabreeze finally set in, permitting everybody to make 1 or more flights. I could made 3 flights (with decent reverse launches), allways toplanding - but there is still quite some room for improving ;-)

all 3 launches (looking South)

all 3 launches (looking North)

looking North from my most southern point today...

Tomorrow we'll be flying again here; Sunday another site (about 45min away)

EC / CO 2024 -Travel (Part2)

The aircraft left BOG on time and we landed at UIO shortly before midnight. 

departing BOG

Immigtation and customs into Ecuador have been easy and quick. But the following hours -before I could check in for the flight to Manta (MEC)- have been a real 'pain in the a...': little space to sit, only later I've found a place I could actually lay down for a while. But already the whole day I had some choughing spells, which while lying became especially bad...

Unfortunately I had left my second iPhone (with the WhatsApp contacts) at security check in UIO and when I finally realized this, it has been too late to get back and pick it up again :-(( Luckily the App 'where is' keeps track of my iPhone (something extremely helpful). The problem: I (or someone I know) needs to pick it up at security in UIO...  

departing UIO

UIO-MEC

arriving MEC

The flight to MEC lasted only 35' and I have been  picked up by a taxi driver Michael had organized; 45' later I arrived at my destination in Crucita. After having said hello I finally had a good, albeit short, rest. All-in-all more than 28hrs travel time and more than 33hrs being on my feet.

EC / CO 2024 -Travel (Part1)

Meanwhile I have arrived in Bogota (BOG). The flight departed late (connecting passengers) and with headwinds up to 90kts flightime (12h20') was much longer than blocktime (12h05'): meaning that we landed about an hour late. I didn't really mind, as my ground time (planned 6h10') here in BOG was long enough to 'abosrb' any delays ;-)

AirTags are a cool thing: as I could see that my bags had arrived at the aircraft...

Edelweiss Air A340

Departing on Rwy 32

passing almost over the sunk 'Titanic'

actual route flown

In 1h30' my flight to Quito (UIO) is supposed to depart (STA 2340)...

On the road again :-)) EC / CO 2024: 'the plan'

Tomorrow (3.1.), finally my travel to Ecuador and Colombia will be starting :-))

It will be a very long day: roughly 28hours until reaching Crucita in Ecuador... ZRH-BOG: 12hrs; Layover BOG (Bogota): 5hrs; BOG-UIO: 2hrs -arriving in Quito shortly before midnight (local); UIO-MEC: 1hr - arriving in Manta at 0700, then by taxi to Crucita (30'). I have checked-in my luggage tonight, so I'll be having just cabin luggage to take along to the airport in the morning. The main luggage should be checked through all the way to UIO.

In Crucito, everything is organized by Michael, Gudrun and Peter (Nitsche), while for Colombia I have (hopefully!) find a good guide (Edgar). Here I have organised everything by myself. I have 'found' Edgar by contacting several people in CO I know. He's made a good impression while exchanging serveral e-mails and calls...