Scuol

 

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!

Pinzolo (Doss del Sabion)

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 ;-)

iCamp: Day-7: Bassano; Day-8: Levico Terme; Fazit

Friday: after the long drives yesterday everyone welcomed that we stayed here in Bassano; first a flight from Panettone.

Vedetta

Due to the very high temperatures thermals didn't devellop very nicely, so it had not been very easy for some to stay up, but I'm pretty satisfied with my flight: strong, small bumpy thermals as well as nice wide ones: all easy to center with my Leelo, especially light thermals. Just start the turn by wightshifting, then hold the inside brake at a steady position (about 10cm) and control the turn with the outside brake. The less I do, the better the wing climbs: hand movement is minimal, just a few centimeters when needed.

After a stop at the gelateria we drove again to Paettone. Unfortunately the wind started to turn to NW / N. While driving to Casette launch it even rained a bit :-(

Casette -launch

Unfortunately conditions would permit only a sledder, so I 'declined'...

 

Diner at the hotel: indulging (again) in very nice meat, but the 'mille foglie' for desert have been absolutely outstanding :-)

Saturday: Levico Terme: again too hot and weak thermals and even for those we had to wait rather long...

Vetriolo -launch

Fazit: for me it has been more than worthwhile attending this 'iCamp'. All instructors have been excellent: Peter, Michael and Gudrun, as well as Igor, our driver and 'Jack of all trades'... Michael as 'head' instructor is outstanding! His knowledge of everything concerning paragliding is incredible and he also knows how to explain these things. Peter is not only a PG instructor, but he holds (or held) several licences in aviation: sailplane/ motorglider instructor; (frozen) ATPL; IR... so there had been more than enough things to talk about besides paragliding ;-)

At the beginning I had been asked what my targets for the week would be and I replied: landing more like an eagle than an albatross; improving my launches; rapid descent techniques. I think I made progress in everything, especially landing. The main reason for my landing problems: a completely wrong adjusted harness which simply didn't permit for good landings (- it had been almost impossible to get up in time for a good landing).

I'm pretty sure I'll join them again, as it not only has been very helpful/ instructive but also a lot of fun :-))

Bonus: 1 new flight area: Levico Terme/ Vetriolo :-)

iCamp: Day-5: Bassano; Day-6: Malcesina (Lago di Garda/ Mte.Baldo)

Wednesday: 2 flights at Bassano from Panarotta (Monte Grappa). On the first flight I flew a Leeloo L as Michael was flying my XL wing. I had asked him to do so as a kind of test flight: it probably will be quite a while before this can be done again: everything fine. Thermals have been a bit torn up on the first flight, but much better on the second one.

Panarotta launch on left; Cima Mte Grappa (Center; unfortunately pix badly stitched...)

Tapetti -launch

I much prefer the way the XL wing handles (compared with the L wing)

On Thursday we then made the loooong drive (> 2.5hrs) to Malcesine on Lago di Garda for a kind of 'mini-SIV': all pilots could fly their preferred manoeuvres under Michael's supervision/ instruction. This is an ideal place to do so, but especially in summer it's a pain in the ass to get to the top of the mountain as (too) many other tourists want to go there as well (due to this I made just 1 flight; the rest made 2).Additionally the wind situation on the lake can be pretty tricky as well. But the instructors had chosen the day well: always launchable on top and not too strong at the landing :-)

 

launch is on just beyond on the left side

the 'famous' LZ by the lake

I flew some nice wing-overs, a good steep spiral (using the anti-g) and some big ears; but each pilot could select his own program.

Michael

...some food before the long drive back to Bassano...

Back at the hotel just before midnight.

iCamp: Day 4: Seiser Alm/ Spitzbühl

As the fcst indicated good conditions in the Dolomites, 'Seiser Alm' was selected as flying site, even though it's quite a drive (2.25hrs one-way). Unfortunately the fcst turned out to have been much too optimistic: lower cloud base as well as less than optimal wind direction and speed :-( It would not have been my first choice as its a site that turns on only in the afternoon; long drive; I've been there once 20 years ago (almost to the day) and my flight log alreday then indicates that it normally turns on only after 1600. Michael also told me that the site is really good only in spring/ early summer (before the end of July).

Launch: facing West ('Schlern' left side)

Launch in the middle of pix, above tree line; behind 'Langkofel' (left), 'Plattkofel' (right)

Schlern

Kastelruth (village in back); LZ (2 white 'dots')

more Leeloos  ;-)

 

After 1 hour of scratching, not getting above 2200m (launch is at 1950m) and getting 'shaken' by the southerly wind component in front of 'Schlern' I landed. In order to climb in front of 'Schlern' it has been necessary to fly really CLOSE to the mountain face and the outside of the turns have always been in sinking air...

But it's a very scenic spot and I understand why many pilots in our group wanted to go there.

 

iCamp: Day 3: Levico Therme

Today Levico Therme (Panarotta/ Vetriolo) had been chosen for our flights. As I have not been here before (but passed several times when going to Bassano) I had been looking forward to fly this site.

Briefing...

sign at the entrance of the toilets: no comment ;-)

Launch is not very large, but well maintained with nice grass; about 1000m hight to play with above the large and obstacle free LZ at Barco.

LZ Barco

Like most I made 2 flights (1hr/ 2hrs), a few made 3. Especially on the 2nd flights some thermals had been 'butter soft'. Today I have been pretty happy with my launches and even the landings :-)

Pano looking North East: launch roughly at 11o'clock

Fort Vezzena (built in WWI)

iCamp: Travel, Day 1, Day 2: Bassano

6.August

travelling to Bassano in order to participate in a training camp (they call it 'iCamp').

In order to avoid the usual traffic jams in front of the Gotthard tunnel and the border at Chiasso I elected to travel via Davos-Flüelapass-Zernez-Ofenpass-Münstertal-Vinschgau-Meran-Trento-Valsugana to Bassano. Time wise (without traffic jams it's the same: 6.5hrs; distance wise this route is 100km shorter and much more scenic.

Münstertal (Val Müstair), Ortler (3905m)

Müstair, Kloster St.Johann (dating back to 755)

As I just made 2 short stops (fuel and coffee) I needed some calories after arriving...

7.August - Day1

meeting at 1400: Gudrun, Michael, Peter and Igor are our trainers for the week.

Michael Nesler, Gudrun Öchsle  (Profly) and Peter Nitsche (Flatland Paragliding) are all very experienced instructors; although Igor is also a teacher (?) he is more of a helping hand, video operator and driver.

A large part of the afternoon has been spent by ajusting the harnesses; NONE had been to Michael's liking ;-)  Especially my harness needed some major work...

Then a short flight from 'Antenne Costalunga' to finish of the day.

The harness adjustments seem to be working, as I managed a good (standing) landing (this has been a major problem recently and it seems it was due to the way my harness was set up).

8.August - Day 2

Starting the day with a theory session: launches and landing: all of yesterday's lanuches had been filmed and were now scrutinized. Then we drove to 'Tapetti / da Beppe'-launch for a nice thermal flight, before shortly after 1330 the rain set in (as forcasted):  I landed just before the rain started, but I had cut it too thight, so my gear got a little wet while packing up :-(  While the harness adjustments seemed to improve my landings, but on the other hand it feels like turning the glider has become much harder, so more adjustments...

Pano looking east (launch can bee seen)

LZ (and hotel Garden Relais)

After the rain had finally stopped and the clouds cleared away we drove to 'Cassette'-launch (facing west). The pretty weak thermals made me land just short of 30'.

drying my wing before flying

The rest of the group went for another flight, this time from 'Panarotta' (the highest launch here at Bassano), but I declined. Instead I went for an early dinner at the hotel. As for the last 2 nights I only had a carrot and some gelato for dinner, I needed something more 'substantial' ;-)

I'm pretty happy with all 3 launches I made these last 2 days; landings: 2 good ones and still one on the butt...

Scuol

Taking advantage of the only good day this week...

Well: supposedly good day, because the thermal forcast for today had been much better than the actual conditions. But I've not been the only one who had been 'mislead' by the fcst: a group of Austrian pilots from Tirol had planned to fly from Scuol to Landeck (their home); but - like me - they also had become customers of public transport for their trip back...

Gymnadenia rhellicani (common name: dark vanilla orchid or black vanilla orchid

)

 

 

 

 

In German: 'Männertreu', a kind of orchid

But at least I've met some friends who - in winter - often paraglide in Arosa: Marlies and Peter :-))

 

pix by Marlies - thanks!