Early Action at Dallas

Click image for more pics!Kiting for Johnny, Maurice, and Bev
PG flights for Charlie and Jayson
HG flight for John

It was raining lightly when I joined the students for some kiting around 11am and the wind was pretty west and strong. And then the rain stopped and the wind swung SW and good. And then it died off. And then blew it SSW and very strong.

Not a lot of kiting was possible but everyone got some time in. Charlie arrived just in time to take to the air and then I asked Johnny if I could take his size small Gradient Bright III for a flight.

I rarely fly Dallas much solo anymore and usually just to test a glider out or see what conditions are like for others and I haven't had a 'Point Hop' yet this season - tandem or solo. Until today that is.

It actually turned out to be one of my best flights in over 10 years of flying Dallas - and I might add, during my first few years, I flew it A LOT. I think I extended my degree at UVic by a good year due to my Dallas addiction.

Being heavy on Johnny's wing, I was able to penetrate the over 25kph wind and stayed out over the ocean, doing a few turns about 5' or so over the beach every now and then, and continuing along in this manner along the entire beach from Clover Pt all the way to Finlayson Pt (the "Pt"). It was so straight I couldn't resist.

I could have just landed on the beach and relaunched easily (most of the sunbathers probably thought I was planning to do that). Whenever I got super low I would just back in towards the cliff and top up as needed.

The wind was coming in on both side of the Pt and, if it wasn't so strong, I could have easily soared the very front of it. I used a bit of speed bar to cross and then pushed quite far out over the ocean as I was would be at risk of getting pushed up and back along the much higher bluffs on that side.

It was silky smooth over there and I could see the odd rain cell over town and lots more further upisland. A couple of cruise ships were docked past the breakwater and I used my iPhone to take some rather grainy photos.

I decided to see if I could fly the entire ridgeline and not worry about making it back to launch. I passed the apartments and then the duck pond and cruised to where the ridge meets up again with Dallas Road, staying low and out front pretty much the whole way, never trying to gain much height.

I chatted with the various beachgoers that noticed me and then grinned to myself and zoomed all the way back and landed where I had launched from. Awesome stuff!

Click image for more photos!It seemed like ideal hang gliding conditions now and John Smith had thought the same thing as I could see him starting to assemble his aircraft. Charlie and I gave him some assistance and he had a smooth launch before quickly landing to make an adjustment with his harness. A short time later he was back in the air but the wind had gotten even stronger, thwarting his attempts at hopping the Pt. Three flights for him at Dallas in less than 24hrs!

Lucky I got over there when I did!

Here's a Youtube vid that Maurice took of John's first launch:

Definite skill and site knowledge being displayed!