well done chris foz for a magnificent flight from x fell to witton le wear.
52 km.
A really good effort, putting to bed this x fell sink hole thing.
Just heard our own ali g has invaded the dales and flown from weather fell to whitby (another record?). Fantastic.
Oh and i flew @ 44.5km or there abouts to wolsingham, should have done better, next time perhaps?
Thanks to glen for the lift and gary for the petrol.
1st proper xc, just got it in 363 days after passing my cp. Chuffed.
new site record
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Jim Bittlestone
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gary stenhouse
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some great flying but i have decided that the second thermal can be very ilusive or ver surprising. i thought that if at first you do not succeed then try again. that i did though onlu to nearly bomb out at 6k with a big walk out. yet on a down slope near a trap to garogil i picked a thermal up as my landing gear was nearly out. was a slow climb to end up on my other favorite valey end and picked another 1 where ali wolf joined me, ali lost it and whent on what looked like a final glide then as i was feeling smugg i was loosing the lift only to see the wolf climbing in good lift with another glider following him i bombed out at the same height as take off at only 21k the second duff flight of the day. the only record i can claim is altitude gain for top six flights.
cracking flight jim and remember the feeling of the second climb as it isn;t always so easy too find as you sometimes hit red as the lift just has gone.
cheers gary
cracking flight jim and remember the feeling of the second climb as it isn;t always so easy too find as you sometimes hit red as the lift just has gone.
cheers gary
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John Wallis
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Most excellent flights by you all! Chris is the man to catch this year. Jim What a great first real XC very credible. Alastair and Tony great flight to Rookhope via all the pubs...........What a long retrieve I've just finished my Indian. Thanks to Paul Smith for letting me fly his glider for an hour tonight it was great to be back in the air.
Tony's picture below is what happens to you when you land in the lost city of Rookhope and drink moonshine until your retrieve turns up
Tony's picture below is what happens to you when you land in the lost city of Rookhope and drink moonshine until your retrieve turns up
Livetrack24 wannyjollis
“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”
“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”
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Jim Bittlestone
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I got up early this morning to get the sunday papers. I must say im a bit disappointed, not a mention anywhere. Checked the sports pages, everywhere, not a sniff.
I thought a centre spread with me nut huggers on would have tempted fleet street?
I promised me mam. Just who is this bloody press officer anyway?
Off out to get the local papers:)
Well done chris and ali for nicking my headlines, cheers.
I think luck plays a big part, in the right place etc. Looks like ali w and tony b left it a bit late cos they were hi looking good when i saw them at 1740, i thought they were heading for the beach. Unlucky.
Garys right, the second thermal was crucial, we were getting low then. I learnt a lot yesterday. I tried to keep in front of chris on his faster wing so i didnt get left behind which worked well, but the main plan was to follow the big guy cos hes the man who can.
These two plans clash a bit, i can see that now. Follow from the front? Chris passed me on the glide to garrigill and went left climbing. I caught a vicious wee climb which i stuck with only to see chris below heading my way. Champion the plan is back on, got to base again and took off toward the beach, convinced i was getting fish and chips at whitby. Oh the delusions of the dreamer. Looking back i saw chris heading south. Eh? deserted by my xc coach on the first trip?
Too late for me, on reflection i could have turned back into lift then followed but i wanted to challenge myself. Deluded, naive, but the beach was on my route.
Consequently he escaped my clutches.. I could see the quarries and villages so i chose weardale. I could see the east coast, when i set off i saw the west coast.
Thanks to whoever sent the spitfire up for us, nice touch. Not so much a battle of britain, more a wanderer in weardale.
Took a 3rd climb to base to see a blue hole down wind,thinking i may get a climb above wolsingham i went on another glide
I got nothing from wolsingham, but got a tiny wicked little thermal from the crop field just after when coming into land. I went with it just maintaining height and added over a mile.
The farmer who runs a farm shop drove up and was really friendly, offered me a cup of tea. Five lifts later and i was back to the car. All had gone, good job too, i bet i looked a bit daft jumping up and down clicking my heels, shouting get in, you beuty!
Cheers chris, i probably wouldnt have gone on my tod, the plan with paul and chris was to push forward then climb and drift back. My second climb was strong and i went with it.. . . So much for plans
I thought a centre spread with me nut huggers on would have tempted fleet street?
I promised me mam. Just who is this bloody press officer anyway?
Off out to get the local papers:)
Well done chris and ali for nicking my headlines, cheers.
I think luck plays a big part, in the right place etc. Looks like ali w and tony b left it a bit late cos they were hi looking good when i saw them at 1740, i thought they were heading for the beach. Unlucky.
Garys right, the second thermal was crucial, we were getting low then. I learnt a lot yesterday. I tried to keep in front of chris on his faster wing so i didnt get left behind which worked well, but the main plan was to follow the big guy cos hes the man who can.
These two plans clash a bit, i can see that now. Follow from the front? Chris passed me on the glide to garrigill and went left climbing. I caught a vicious wee climb which i stuck with only to see chris below heading my way. Champion the plan is back on, got to base again and took off toward the beach, convinced i was getting fish and chips at whitby. Oh the delusions of the dreamer. Looking back i saw chris heading south. Eh? deserted by my xc coach on the first trip?
Too late for me, on reflection i could have turned back into lift then followed but i wanted to challenge myself. Deluded, naive, but the beach was on my route.
Consequently he escaped my clutches.. I could see the quarries and villages so i chose weardale. I could see the east coast, when i set off i saw the west coast.
Thanks to whoever sent the spitfire up for us, nice touch. Not so much a battle of britain, more a wanderer in weardale.
Took a 3rd climb to base to see a blue hole down wind,thinking i may get a climb above wolsingham i went on another glide
I got nothing from wolsingham, but got a tiny wicked little thermal from the crop field just after when coming into land. I went with it just maintaining height and added over a mile.
The farmer who runs a farm shop drove up and was really friendly, offered me a cup of tea. Five lifts later and i was back to the car. All had gone, good job too, i bet i looked a bit daft jumping up and down clicking my heels, shouting get in, you beuty!
Cheers chris, i probably wouldnt have gone on my tod, the plan with paul and chris was to push forward then climb and drift back. My second climb was strong and i went with it.. . . So much for plans
Great 1st!
Great 1st XC Jim. Well done.
Chris was worried about airspace and turned away. He showed us his GPS trace with airspace on it and he thought he was at the 4500 step and was (i think) at the 6000 step instead so could have carried on a bit.
Better safe than sorry though.
He was remarkably accurate of his assessment where the airspace was from memory. I was well impressed. He appeared remained clear (of poss wrong step?) in a wiggly GPS trace tracking airspace within a few hundred metres. Amazing!
Did anyoone hear from Ali? Has he succomed to the fish n chip eating Goths of Whitby? Are you sure that's ketchup?
Chris was worried about airspace and turned away. He showed us his GPS trace with airspace on it and he thought he was at the 4500 step and was (i think) at the 6000 step instead so could have carried on a bit.
Better safe than sorry though.
He was remarkably accurate of his assessment where the airspace was from memory. I was well impressed. He appeared remained clear (of poss wrong step?) in a wiggly GPS trace tracking airspace within a few hundred metres. Amazing!
Did anyoone hear from Ali? Has he succomed to the fish n chip eating Goths of Whitby? Are you sure that's ketchup?
You are only as good as your last flight........
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Jim Bittlestone
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Just found the media coverage. It was in the Observer, page 2A? Strange? It looks a bit like Heathers writing too? Anyway, the headline is
newbie gives the record to xc coach! In a gracious display of gratitude, jim dived under airspace on a death glide to give his new xc coach chris ( i will remember my radio next time and keep you right jim) foster, the new site record and a pb to boot. It was a strange coaching method, flying past at 85k shouting as away, you comin?
Jim was heard to say it just wouldnt be right on my first trip away from the hill to take the site record, i mean how would it look?
it just goes to show how much there is to learn. Its not enough to be an exceptional natural talent. You need to be alert and aware too.
My map didnt have the new airspace on it, luckily i remembered it just in time.
Phew!
newbie gives the record to xc coach! In a gracious display of gratitude, jim dived under airspace on a death glide to give his new xc coach chris ( i will remember my radio next time and keep you right jim) foster, the new site record and a pb to boot. It was a strange coaching method, flying past at 85k shouting as away, you comin?
Jim was heard to say it just wouldnt be right on my first trip away from the hill to take the site record, i mean how would it look?
it just goes to show how much there is to learn. Its not enough to be an exceptional natural talent. You need to be alert and aware too.
My map didnt have the new airspace on it, luckily i remembered it just in time.
Phew!
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colin keightley
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Bradleisure
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First job of the day has to be a massive thanks to John Wallis for the retrieve from the land that time forgot. (Hope the curry still tasted good that late!) 
Secondly a big thanks to anyone else who tried to help with my retrieve / vehicle recovery.
The lack of planning to go on a XC was smashed when I found my self with Alistair Wolf in a strong climb at an altitude not before achieved by me in the UK and all right next to take off. I'll always be better prepared from now on even if I've no plan I'll be ready!
Lastly a doff of the cap to the real pilots of the day with there record flights and I would guess records for First XC flight distance.
Some stunning flying great, camaraderie and XFell came up trumps again!!!
Secondly a big thanks to anyone else who tried to help with my retrieve / vehicle recovery.
The lack of planning to go on a XC was smashed when I found my self with Alistair Wolf in a strong climb at an altitude not before achieved by me in the UK and all right next to take off. I'll always be better prepared from now on even if I've no plan I'll be ready!
Lastly a doff of the cap to the real pilots of the day with there record flights and I would guess records for First XC flight distance.
Some stunning flying great, camaraderie and XFell came up trumps again!!!
Fly Safe & Fly Far 
A big WELL DONE to the Gradient Boys 
and to ther others as well
Unfortunately for me I momentarily crossed one of those nasty invisible lines in the sky. but what a day....
and to ther others as well Unfortunately for me I momentarily crossed one of those nasty invisible lines in the sky. but what a day....
Air-Play Serving the Lake District, Northumbria and Scotland.
Agents for Gradient, Digifly Instruments, and Ava Sport Harnesses & Reserves 07811642533
Checkout the new Digifly Air (coming soon)http://air-play1.blogspot.com/
Agents for Gradient, Digifly Instruments, and Ava Sport Harnesses & Reserves 07811642533
Checkout the new Digifly Air (coming soon)http://air-play1.blogspot.com/
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gary stenhouse
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i think hats off must be for ron don who was flying with no vario or gps. the plan was to follow otheres yet ron did not need this as he was already climbing out when i followed him out and must say it was a great feeling to climb out with a freind. i only managed to get above at the last legg to base. then as the plan had been was for ron to follow with him having no vario. well we did not get anther big one but i think rons flying was eceptional in the type of thermals up there
cheers gary
cheers gary
Garey and I where the first out of the traps away from x fell, we flew together for half way, I landing just past by the dam wall at Burnhope Reservoir you will just have to take my word for that as I had no interments to prove it.
Very well done Chris, And and the rest of the gang.
RonDon
Very well done Chris, And and the rest of the gang.
RonDon
Everyone who lives dies, yet not everyone who dies, has lived. We take these risks not to escape life, but to prevent life from escaping us ...