| Flight # | 011 |
|---|---|
| Date | 29-Mar-2004 |
| Country | France |
| Region | Annecy, Savoie |
| Site | Mont Min |
| Launch time | 15:30 |
| Flight time | 35 mins |
| Max height (A1) | 1561m |
| Takeoff height | 1400m |
| Top to bottom | 1060m |
| Height gained in flight (A3) | 430m |
| Max rate of climb | +3m/sec |
| Max rate of sink | -4m/sec |
No difficulty with takeoff and then went around to the gully to try to find the thermals again. Not working quite as strongly as on the first flight - or maybe I was just getting used to it! Once again Dennis was talking to me on the radio during this part of the flight and helping me find the best lift areas.
Eventually either I got bored or Dennis did, so I flew off the 5km down the lake to the landing field where I was to do the "Big Ears" exercise, watched by Mark on the ground. I tried flying closer to the southern ridge, but nearly came unstuck with this when I realised that the wind was trying to suck me over the ridge into the next valley. I applied the 'speed bar' rather gingerly and then more strongly and gradually made headway back to the landing field. Over the field I still had loads of height, so did the "ears" which I needed to do for my CP. This means pulling the outer A riser on each side down about 6" or so, in order to cause the tip of the wing to collapse and so steepen the glide angle of the wing. Once you have both sides locked in you can't steer in the normal way and have to weight-shift to control the course. Mark had me do a significant turn in each direction with the ears in place (they didn't want to stay tucked in on my wing) and eventually told me to let them out, which was easily achieved by loosing the riser. Then I descended towards the field in the normal way and made a satisfactory landing.
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