25 May 2009

good times on the way



Friday is superb, the air is crackling with thermals with sink patches few and far between. The rise and rise of or pointless pass time continues and it's busy up on the hill.



busy busy




Ray weighs up the cost of a set of match rods or golf clubs offset by the sale of a Wild Thing



well at least someone's happy!



seems these two are as well






better suited to the bumps of Kent than the flat lands of Essex




praise be to Lord Goodwind; guardian of slackers, sink and south westerlies




good for Dean too

The paragliders get a visit from the national champion. Having cross countried from The Dyke to Ashford, he drops in and shows the natives how to cover some serious ground.

male model in the making



Weasel Evo....expect to see more soon



spring 2009

20 May 2009

out of the woodwork

What a wonderful afternoon! the persistent southerly slant is still with us but if you can hook one of the many thermals rolling through there's no problem getting up and staying up. Goodwind might even go as far as saying summer is here! Well it may not be quite yet, but guess what? Woody turns up to play!


Alan, John and Simon ignore Woody as he tries to get life back into his oxygen
starved member. Rob looks on with envy.


Oh my mistake! he's just setting up his rx



Mr Thai Bride does his best to land out of the country


Kunlun? or cunning linguist? your marriage could depend on it!



a more sensible pastime



North Downs public art installation- Picasso celebrates the 'plane



bee bop alula she's his baby

18 May 2009

taking the PSS

Trevor's fantastic PSS Concorde


windy weekend

There's been an unrelenting blow over the past 3 days. It's been flyable, but with a bit of south and gusts of over 45mph it's not been fun.
Still that's never stopped the fool hardy and the hill is inhabited for most of the weekend with Saturday giving us some superb full size fly bys.

Alan's tranny trouble



Manhattan Project




it may be blown out, but at least the sun's out




10 May 2009

slackers short 01

it makes Friday afternoon even sweeter when you know the rest of the country is hard at work while you're out playing......



09 May 2009

busy week


It's been a busy week, here's a quick roundup....



tues - John Ventus maiden




wed - Graupner Electro in tree





thurs -Electro down (well done Rob), Ventus crash (bad luck John!)


fri -big wind, good thermals, lots of full size action, plenty of slackers bunking off


sat -hanglider lands out in rape seed, thermals, paragliders xc to Leysdown, mellow evening


04 May 2009

Ne'er cast a clout

Well we all knew in our heart of hearts it wouldn't last, and it doesn't. We battle rain and westerlies, having been lured out by a lovely start, but at least we get to have a twiddle.


wind break breaks good wind




18' monster floater (seems like)




on its maiden to meet its maker



both horrified and captivated, John and Deryck cannot help
but look on as Gary sprouts a duck bill



02 May 2009

full of promise

Met Office says this summer is shaping up to be a good one. We all know that in this country that means at least two months of rain, with three days of extreme heat late in July (to give us all something to complain about) and then the promise of an Indian summer at the back end of a washed out August.

Friday afternoon however, may offer proof that the trend is going to be bucked in 09. There's sun, thermals and a lovely breeze.


this is what it's all about





this season's colour





In 1972 a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire the A-Team.




launch that Fokka!






eternal optimists



poise




good year for triffids





enlightenment