Beach Flight - Second Flight

04/11/2007 by admin.

Well I waited 2 weeks now for my second flight, watched the weather Saturday night with my dad and all was looking good for Sunday!

 Woke up pretty early, text Fraser at a reasonable time but he was just about setting out with the family for a day out.

Got all my gear out and checked everything over and then loaded the car, and set off for the beach.

I’ve always wanted to take off from the beach since starting my training.

So we have arrived ,all set up on a dry sand bank, just near Norbreck Castle.

Whilst i was setting up Aidan was chasing Antonia with the wind sock connected to the end of a fishing rod PMSL.

The sun was quite warm and the wind sock was altering by about 20-30 degrees.

1st Launch failed due to me taking too much time staring at the wing as it came up.

2nd Launch failed due to not enough effort (I could hear Mark Ingham in my mind saying Run Run!)

3rd Launch, a reverse launch due to the wind picking up - PERFECT!!!!

I just love reverse launches, up came the wing, Mel said i just spun on my heels and flat out running, 6 strides and i was up! Straight into my seat and off i went.

I flew straight circuits from Norbreck to Cleveleys Pizza hut, I have never seen so many people waving, it was just great.

I stayed up for approx 45 mins as the clouds seemed to be closing in, I did some low flights so Mel could take some pictures and film me.

Time for landing …. i made one pass and all looked good, did a circuit and came into land, except i thought im too fast, ill go round again, so i gave it some throttle, then i thought no i’m ok, so i shut the engine off.

I seemed like i had too much to do and not enough height, tightened my leg straps, throttle off watch the wind sock get out of my seat.

Did i nail it??? ……. oh yeah, and i landed on my feet then sat down and sat and watched my wing fall in front of me and i’m thinking it does not get much better than this!!!

Well it would of been if I had recorded the flight, bought myself an early Xmas pressie a Archos AV600 wi-fi plus helmet cam, I spent an hour in the morning trying to fit the camera to my helmet. I got back to the car to watch the flight all excited, nothing absolutly blank I must of hit a button during the flight or upset the hard drive.

Next Time ill get it right………Paul

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