Piemonte - Andrate (San Giacomo)

My last day on this trip and it looked pretty nice again. Today we went to Andrate (San Giacomo). Ennio, Pierandera (of course) and some other HG pilots met at the LZ and rode up in Ennio's car. Conditions on launch have been perfect - even for me ;-)

Pierandrea launching first (as usual)

Unfortunately for my liking the wind in the air was a bit too strong (> 20kmh out of the East), but otherwise it probably would have been a good day to fly the 'Serra'.

LZ - long enough for hangies

Piemonte -3 Santa Elisabetta: upper TO (again)

Very promising day! Yesterday just a few pilots showed up early on launch. Today was completely different: the shuttle was crammed and Pierandrea took another 3 pilots in his car .

He (again) launched first (around 1115) and quickly disappeared from my view. By the time I was ready (1200), all others were already in the air and heading east.
Pierandrea's flight (133k) is here .

Today I was flying my 'old' Axis Vega III, as the last few days I had troubles launching the ('new') AD Rise2. And I have to say it felt as solid and stable as ever; just the performance is a bit lower, but today this was not really important.

looking west towards Gran Paradiso

I just got high enough (2270m) to catch a short glimpse of the main Alpine divide (Alpenhauptkamm). Once I got pretty low (about 100m/gnd), but luckily a nice thermal saved me. I didn't attempt to try to fly back as the wind had become westerly at about 8-10kmh. And so I landed at Calea, the main landing for Cavallaria.

Lessolo/ Calea (LZ is to the left of the roundabout)

A friendly pilot from Milan offered to drive me back to Salto, where I had parked my car.

Grazie tanto Fabio!!

Piemonte -2 Santa Elisabetta: upper TO

Another promising day. This time we went to the upper TO.

Pierandrea and Ennio (with HG)

Pierandrea

 Pierandrea tock off first and flew a 125km triangle. I (again) couldn't adapt to the conditions and played 'JoJo' again  :-((

looking towards launch

Gran Paradiso

Piemonte -1 Santa Elisabetta: Belice (lower TO)

As the forecast was (finally ) predicting 4 good days in a row, I decided to head South in order to meet Ennio and visit with him some sites in this beautiful region of Italy.
We started in Belice, a site I had visited with and Pierandrea him last october.

Pierandrea

Belice

Unfortunately the conditions were much less promising than everybody had anticipated and it was very hard for me to get even to 300m above launch. 
So not much xc-flying for me, just some local 'JoJo'  ;-)

Fanas

As I was heading home from Arosa today (which had been planned for some days), I've made a reservation for the gondola in Fanas (for 2 persons, as I hoped Andy would join me - which he did).

Fanas, TO 'Eggli'

As you can see, quite a number of pilots had the same idea. And it took untill about noon before the first pilots could take off, as there was quite a persistent tail-wind. But as soon as the conditions improved, the rush began...

But with the intermittent tail wind periods, it took until 1345 until I was also ready to go (as one of the latest). But by then the (forcasted) south wind had increased to >15kmh, so I was not really in the mood to fly far.

heading for Schiers

Andy landing in Schiers

But still it has been a nice day in the company of Andy and some other friendly and helpful pilots - thanks guys for your help and assistance!

Arosa in April -2

That's the way flying in late winter/ early spring in Arosa is supposed to be: blue skies, nice thermals going > 3000m, magnificent views...
...and not as cold as the last flights.

Arosa

looking towards Engadin, Bernina

Medergen

Arosa in April -1: with 'trailing camera', flight 100

Today for the first time I've made a flight with the camera I have received from Hartmut (thanks!) attached to a C-line. It took a picture every 10 seconds (I don't want to start making videos as well). It looks like a GoPro, but it isn't...

Btw: flight 100 in my second life ;-)

ready for TO...

immediately after TO

above Arosa (Tschuggen)

just before landing

Arosa in March -2: new 'toy', first flight this year >3000m

Another 2 great days here in Arosa. Conditions for launching on both days required some patience (due to wind direction)...
Especially today I got off on the first try (forward launch) :-))  Also today I could climb twice above 3000m and soar above 'Seta' with the local eagle(s).
Since last week I have gotten myself a new 'toy': the Oudie 3 from Naviter. This is a navigation aid with a color screen, showing among many other things airspaces.
But, contrary to their claim, it is not very easily readable in bright sunlight.

Arosa in March -1: with Oli

For me the first 2 great days in Arosa this year with thermal tops close to 3000m.
But it was very cold, so after about 50 minutes I had to land, even with heated gloves :-((
Especially on the second day the visibility has been virtually unlimited.
It have been 2 relaxing days in excellent company, as my friend Oli had called the day before and asked if he could join me: any time again!
Also many thanks to Erich, Marlies, Peter, Kiwi +++ for always giving their time and helping me should I need some assistance! And I have to admit that it was needed, because so far I have not really mastered forward launching my AD Rise, whereas reverse launch is a piece of cake...

Oli

Welschtobel

Erich

Weisshorn

Oli, Calanda

looking towards Engadin: Palü, Bellavista, Bernina, Piz Roseg

Arosa

Moroc -11: Tifnit; end of trip...

(Unfortunately) same as yesterday: good forecast (wind direction/ speed). When we got there, it was about 45° off and a bit weak. Just 2 flew, some kited and some declined.
Later it became fully cross, but speed would have been perfect...

Even though I couldn't fly as much as expected/ hoped (due to actual weather and also due to my present physical state) it have been 2 weeks in warm weather and good company.

(As usual) very well organized by Peter from Flugschule Touch & Go.
Beside him as a guide our group consisted of:
Andy, Kurt, Dani, Daniel, Viktor, Reto, Ronnie and me.
Our drivers: Khalla and Moha(mmed).
Our excellent lunch cook: Khalla 

  Many thanks to everybody for their continued help/ assistance

whenever it was needed!

mint tea

Dust of the Universe - AD Rise 2

Friends showed me the website "Dust of the Universe".
The guy testflies all/ most of the recent paragliders (so far about 180) and writes unbiassed reviews. A great source of information to any pilot looking for a new wing or wanting to know where his present wing 'firs' in.

Especially interesting for me is his EN-B comparison, which includes also 'my'
Rise 2.

Moroc -10: Tifnit

In the morning we left Tafraout and headed for the coast: 'Tifnit' south of Agadir.

The forecast looked rather promising, but the actual wind was a bit too weak and too cross and it also didn't turn and increase in speed. But 5 flew and toplaned, 3 declined to fly and 1 sank out to the beach below.

Ronnie (ca 62kgs) kiting my glider...

Moroc -9: Idikel/ Idikl

Another great day here in Tafraout, although the wind was a bit more northerly than yesterday, the inversion stronger and the thermals not going up as high...
But I managed a longer flight -but this was not too difficult ;-)

Launch

another launch right at the pass (looking east)

Moroc -8: Tafraout (Idikel/ Idikl)

Yesterday, while returning from Aglou North we could watch a beautiful sunset at Nigel's place.

sunset at Nigel's place

The forecast for today/ tomorrow shows light winds in the mountains, so we drove across Col du Kerdous to Tafraout. After unloading our non-paragliding gear at the hotel we immediately continued to the site of 'Idikel' (or Idikl). While approaching TO we saw a single glider very high up (he later told us that he had been at 3300m, but still going up).

Idikel, Pano looking west

Unfortunately, while repairing a broken (brake) line yesterday I had made a mistake, which I detected only after having launched, so I went straight to the LZ :-((

But especially Andy and Reto got up very high and both landed near Tafraout.

Tafraout: view (Pano) from hotel room (looking North)