Where and when we've been flying
The end of another year , and after a period of wet and windy horribleniss a flying day appears in our hungry laps.
We could see this day developing a few days before and we have a grand plan to have a day out at Tinto . For me it's all just too much as I have another wing , a used Advance Epsilon 8 , but it's new too me and I am very keen to fly it.
Wednesday 18 September - Border Reiving at Hownam Law!
Strange how things happen but Tommy has always fancied a trip to Hownam Law and with no other plans we both decided to head towards the Border for a bit of a raid. I should explain that Hownam Law is listed as an NHPC site although it is planted well and truly NORTH of the English border so a bit of 'reiving' seemed in order!!.
Aye just call me Mr fabulous. In the past this date has proved a very successful flying day out and what you are about to view is no change, I did post that i wis gaun oot and wasn't being a sleekit eejit.
Two cups of coffee, fruit and toast and still I want to go back to bed. It’s an ungodly 7 am and I'm up to head north for a red and yellow rasp day. It’s suddenly all too much too early and I make yet more coffee, rub anti-inflammatory on my knee and then some more, and decide to head to the borders for less driving and more roads when you get there. A call to Dave Thompson and then to Jed in Hawick and we’re to set to meet in Hawick to dump a retrieve car and head to Tudhope.
After flying both Saturday and Sunday with the weather due to break it seemed that there may be a small window of opportunity to fly at Witchie today. The morning saw a grey sky that broke to give blue sky and fluffy white clouds....perfect except that as I headed to Witchie mid afternoon the sky darkened as the small Cu became CuNim in the distance. However as I approached Witchie the sky to the south seemed OK and I could see Jed on the hill with the wing above his head and a buzzard thermalling several hundred feet above at the south takeoff. I was trying to ignore the 'I don't want to be up there' sky to the north!!!!!!.
Following the usual review of all available weather sites a decision was made to head to the Moorfoots, at least that is where Fred was heading so I used flock instinct and followed!!. I arrived to find cars parked on the corner and one pilot walking up the closest slope but no one else around or in the air. It seemed breezy so I walked along the ridge to Torphichen Hill to find a number of folk sheltering well down the slope out of the breeze. As the breeze eased slightly (or Graham proved it was flyable by gliding across from the quarry) the small group launched whilst I was still setting up. After a pre flight check, I flicked the wing up and launched into lifty air conscious that some pilots were now settled high above the ridge whilst others were struggling to jump the gap. The air was 'interesting' but once settled in I played in some of the thermals conscious that I was drifting back with minimal height whilst turning back into wind gave a low forward speed with a fence line below me. Caution prevailed and I slowly pushed forward and made my way to the far end of the ridge, turned back and followed a yellow glider that was slowly climbing out, the only problem being I was in the sink cycle of the thermal so decided to slope land rather that make the downward glide to the ridge base!! By this time Fred had disappeared downwind on a venture.
