Hüsliberg

Tue (22.4.) Arriving at the LZ in Rufi and waiting for the shuttle to Hüsliberg, it didn't look very promising: much less than anyone had expected. I even have given up my reserved space on the first shuttle as I wanted to see, how the situation would devellop...

...and when I got there, almost nobody had taken off so far... But at least the wind was coming in nicely so I decided to get myself ready.

And for once I have not been the last to depart (rather in the first third...) After the 'TO-fiasco' in Feltre, I have been a bit anxious before this launch, but the Leeloo2 behaved very well and I became airborne without any problems :-))

By now the conditions had turned on nicely and the longer the flight lasted, the more abundant the lift became - even to such an extend, that pilots have been looking for sink in order to get down. I also flew for quite a while with ears and accelerator...

I landed after a bit more than an hour. Some pilots reported (very) bumpy conditions after landing, but I had just felt an occasional bump - not super-smooth, but certainly well within my comfort zone.

iCamp: Wed: Levico / Thr: Feltre / Fri: (Marostica) / Sat: (Levico)

Wed (9.4.) Flying in Levico.

After a theory session and analizing yesterday's launches, Michael fixed the 'problem' of the 'too short' manoeuver-lines. As obviuosly it was not possible to lenghten these lines, he had to shorten the other lines by 1 cm. Immediately inflight the wing has been much more stable on half-bar. But the manouever-lines still feel under a bit of tension, so he'll be flying the wing on one of the next days in order to see if further action is needed.

Michael also flew my 'Japanese' Leeloo: comment: it behaves properly, but he advised to have a line.check done (but without a test flight).

Almost all pilots made 2 flights (with the exception of Uwe, who stayed up for 5.5+hrs, flying Thomas' Leeloo2).

 

Thr (10.4.)

Before driving to Feltre we had another debriefing (yesterday's TOs) and theory session (outlandings)

After a lousy night an equally lousy day/ flight: problems (on gnd handling and on launch), a flight I didn't enjoy and a lousy ldg to finish :-( The best thing has been the visit to the gelateria in Pedavena - instead of going up to Monte Avena for a second flight ;-) I've said to Michael we'll talk only twice about this day: the first and the last time...

Feltre

Pano on Mte Avena: looking N to NE

Sunset over Brenta

Fri (11.4.)

Today we went to Marostica, a site I have visited once before: it's a private take-off and you need permission from the owner to fly there (which -of course- Michael has received for our group). The place is ideal for training launches on a shallow slope and for top landing. BUT: yesterday's 'fiasco' with gnd handling and launching had overstrained my back so that I have been in no position to do either...

 LZ Marostica / Rubbio

Which is a pity as all (?) in our group have been able to make the short XC to Bassano...

Again Michael has flown my LeelooX and there (still) seem to be some problems which need to be adressed. I left the wing with him as I'll be back in about 5 weeks.

Sat (12.4.)

Alreday the last day of this iCamp, where one could have flown every day (except today: too windy) ;-) 

Even though my back feels a lot better, i have decided not to fly (even if it would have been possible) and give it some more rest; also in view that I had to sit in my car for the 5.5hrs drive home, which turned out in a 8.5hrs drive: I have been asked to drive 'by' Feltre in order to pick up a glider which had been left behind and take it to CH...

But once more the iCamp has been a very interesting and rewarding week. I have been told a lot of things, if -applied correctly / consequently- would enhance my flying quite a bit: especially launching. But the 'problem' always is the implementation ;-)

iCamp: Mon: Levico & Feltre/ Tue: Caltrano-Bassano

The good wx continues...

Tue (7.4.) First we made a flight here in Levico. Conditions on launch have been pretty strong. If I had been here alone, I wouldn't have attempted to launch, but with the assistance of Igor and Thomas I decided to try. I got airborne, but it has not been a good launch :-(  In addition, the house-thermal has been rather spicy and also pushed over by the wind, so I just headed for the LZ.

LZ Barco (looking East)

In the afternoon we changed to Feltre/ Mte Avena, where conditions have been much more agreable ;-) I launched for the first time off the East launch and quickly found some nice thermals. After an uneventful flight the landing at the main LZ demanded a lot of patience as there has been abundant (but smooth) lift.

Mte. Avena: East-launch

over East-launch, looking North

Mte.Avena: Main.LZ

Wed (8.4.) after a detailed debriefing of yesterday's flights it was decided head for Caltrano and try to reach Bassano from there (about 22kms).

Caltrano - Campanaro-launch (looking East)

Caltrano - Campanaro-launch

Conditions had been excellent and I have been able to reach the LZ 'Paradiso' in Bassano in just a little over an hour :-) From there (at 570m), a thermal has taken me all the way up to 1800m and it has been 'easy cruising' up to Panettone/ Mte.Grappa (even a little beyond) and back to the antennas at Costalunga...

Mte.Grappa / Panettone (looking East)

Note: interestigly, when flying on half-bar, my LeelooX had a tendency to frontstall: after the flight I have told this Michael and he said that this is due to the fact that in this configuration the manoeuver-lines are under a bit of tension (which they shouldn't be) and that he'd be fixing this the next day. (That was probably also the reason for the frontstall at Cari >> video) The suspected reason for this behaviour could be a minor lenghtening of the A- and B-lines over time due to the tension 'produced' by flying...

iCamp in Levico (5.-12.4-25) - Sat: Levico / Sun: Bassano

Sat (5.4.) In the the late morning those who had arrived early made a (short) flight here at Levico. At first there has been a clearly visible inversion, which got cleared out by the increasing NW-wind. I didn't much enjoy the flight as the thermals had been small and bumpy - I'd rather fly 7+m/s thermals (like in Scuol these last days) than thermals like these here.. No second flight as a) the wind was fcst to increase even more and b) the iCamp was due to start at 1500.

TO Vetriolo

LZ Bicigrill (looking East)

The iCamp started with the 'usual' introcuction round and the Michael's 'lecture' about harnesses and its correct setting. Many pilots took advantage and had their harness checked and -where necessary (most!)- adjusted.

Sun (6.4.) According to all fcst, this day should be the least good of the week, which a chance of flying only at Bassano. So we had to leave at 0900... 

Michael (LeelooX)

Arriving at the Garden Relais LZ, a strongish Easterly wind was blowing, so a ground handling session was announced. I took part as well a little later, when the wind became at least a bit weaker.

Only in the afternoon it looked as the wind might be weak enough to permit safe landings - on the launches it had looked good already in the morning. We headed all the way up to Monte Grappa for a flight from Panettone. Unfortunately the road to Panettone was still closed (snow). This meant that I would have to carry my gear down to the launch (which I could have done), But what if for any reason I wouldn't be able to launch? - then I'd have a huge problem getting back up to the cars (even if someone would be carrying my gear). Therefore I renounced and let Gudrun make a flight as otherwise she would have had to drive a car down. Later an extended sledder from Tapetti would have been also possible - but what for? 

Sunset at Garden Relais

Dinner at Garden Relais...

Scuol 3 days

Wed (2.4.) Already at 0645 I left for Scuol: Burnair's thermal fcst looked pretty good and the clouds have been said to disappear during the morning.

But upon arrival at Ardez there have been still quite a lot of clouds. Luckily I could already could check-in, so I rested a couple of hours before taking the 1206 train to Scuol. In the meantime it had cleared up nicely...

Motta Naluns: Pano looking South

By now good conditions had developed and I could climb to max 3100m in 'sporty' thermals. After 40' I landed in Ardez - only 5' walk from my car ;-)

> Sorry - no in-flight pix, as I had forgotten to charge my camera :-((

For dinner I then met 2 friends from way back (Kantonsschule in Chur).

Ardez

Thr (3.4.) With a very promising thermal fcst I left Ardez 'early' and was ready to launch by 1130.

Thermal fcst for 250403

South launch at Motta Naluns

Initially I had to work a bit to get above 3000m, but then it was 'easy going' with a slight easterly tail-wind. Thermals at times have been (very) strong, but my LeelooX performed flawlessly ;-)

Pano over Susch: looking SW-W

Piz Linard (left) (3410m)

Pano abeam Zernez (ca 2800m) looking W: Bernina Mountains - Samedan/ St.Moritz

again: Bernina (4048m) - the only 4000m peak in the Eastern Alps

Brail (looking E towards Zernez)

After 1h45' I landed just outside Brail, a bare 200m from the bus stop - only to see that the next bus would eventually run in 1h40'. So I tried to hitch-hike and a friendly local farmer took me to the train station at Zernez - Many thanks!

Fri (4.4) An equally good looking thermal fcst...

Great flying conditions: thermals have again been strong, but not as 'sporty' as yesterday. I flew for 1.5hrs, enjoing the great views and taking pictures...

again Bernina

Ortler

After landing I headed for Vetriolo/ Levico (IT) as the next day the iCamp was about to start.

Flying in the Karakoram - 'the Magic of Freedom'

Arosa

Probably the last flight of this year's winter season in Arosa. I arrived early on the mountain with the intention to just make an extended sledder trying out a few things I had read the day before in the freshly released LeelooX manual. But with very little wind on the NE slope I had to try 3 times before finally managing a decent launch (also in almost nil wind) ; -) Many thanks to Hampa and Joel for helping me relaunching!

Unfortunately by the time I finally made it off the mountain, the originally blue sky had started to be (temporarily) covered by cirrus clouds, which partially blocked the thermals.

one-sided collapse - but the wing almost doesn't turn away...

big ears on the rh side - unspectacular

In both manoeuvers the wing showed very little tendency to turn towards the closed side and it's even  possible to steer/ turn away from the collapse. But in either manoeuvre there is room for improvements, ie to make the ears / collapse bigger... 

 The flight has ended with a good landing on the golf course/ nordic track.

I went up to the Weisshorn again, but decided not to launch, as the wind on neither launch provided a clear head wind component.

Urs and PeterN getting ready for another flight - and the cirrus clouds had disappeared...

I'm slowly feeling more confident and comfortable with my wing and I'm looking forward to the iCamp supposed to start on 5th of April in Levico, where I hope to fine tune all these manoeuvers with Michael's help; especially: so far I have not managed to make (big) ears simultaneosly on both sides, as my lh hand doesn't reach high enough, but I'm hoping Michael will have an idea ;-)

Watles (IT)

I had left home Wed afternoon (19.3.) as my first iCamp in 2025 with Michael, Gudrun and Peter was supposed to begin on Sat, 22.3. in Levico Therme. 

Ofenpass - looking East into Münstertal; Ortler (3945msl) on the right

I stopped at Laatsch in the upper Vinschgau, as I hoped to make a flight the next day on Watles.

Thu (20.3.) Blue skies, little wind - all looking very good :-)

Mals (bus station): Ortler

I parked my car in Mals at the bus station, as first I had to ride the bus (20') to Prämajur (1700msl), from where the chairlift (2 sections) start to Watles - pretty fairly priced at 15EUR. On the bus I have met a local pilot (Luis) and with him I rode the chairlift to 2140m, where we stopped for a while and had something to drink. Here, Luis gave me a good brefing about the local coditions  - many thanks!

view from restaurant at 2140m: again Ortler

An hour later we have been joined by 2 other pilots and we rode the second chairlift to Watles (2490m) - the actual peak is a about 500m away and 100m higher. The launch here can only in winter reached by chairlift; in summer there is another launch at 'Pfaffensee' (2220m). Launch directions are S (on the groomed slope) and W - but here the launch is not well prepared (so no choice for me with little or no wind).

The 3 locals launched without too many probles. I, on the other hand, had to abort the launch 4 times on the rather flat slope with no wind at all :-(

looking S

rather shallow, especially with no wind... (looking SE)

In the end with a little headwind, I also had a good launch (but lots of running) :-)

Conditions would have been rather good, but with my 4 aborted launches I had spent a bit too much energy, which lacked now ;-)

looking N: Watles on the left/ Reschenpass on the right

Monastery 'Marienberg'

LZ in Schleis, looking to Prämajur, Watles; 'Burgeis' at on the far right

In the evening I have received a message from Peter, that the iCamp had been cancalled due to a very unpromising fcst. But I could secure myself a slot in the next iCamp starting in 2 weeks (5.-12.4.), also in Levico.

Tomorrow (Fri) unfortunatley already looks bad with a chance of the Föhn becoming too strong - but we'll see in the morning...  Anyway I'll be driving home  - with or without a flight.