SLOPING OFF...
...Christchurch and District Model Flying Club’s Magazine for August 2023
SLOPING OFF WITH DAVE BICKER
25 Feb - An overcast day but a healthy 13mph NE wind blowing at Win Green. Not the warmest of days, so I wore my fully quilt-lined bike jacket & trousers plus 2 pairs of gloves.
Just as I set up the farmer & 2 colleagues rolled up on 2 quad bikes. They were fine about me being at the NE slope (beyond the "no access" sign at the main car park, by the cattle grid. This relates to stopping off-road vehicles chewing up the track previously. Access has been barred by a gate across the track further along now anyway).
They were monitoring a large (I guess unauthorised) procession of horses & riders down in the valley tracking across the farmland. They counted over 40 horses present, so a highly organised gathering. I think the farmer was probably monitoring if they left the public rights of way in the farmland.
I commented on the Bull (not present today) seeming pretty friendly - which he agreed with but cautioned against touching or attempting to feed it.
I flew my Malibu 1m, Zagi & Phoenix 2400 for a total of about 40 minutes. The wind was constant & lift off the slope was good, but there were no thermals at all - lack of birds above the bowl was evidence of that. In the end I drew the line at flying with hailstones stinging my face & bouncing off my glasses!
When I got back to the car for a warm-up I found out that it had dropped down from 6c to 3c due to the hail, so as my fingers were suffering & I called it a day. At this point while enjoying the view with a coffee in the car, the sun came out - but the wind dropped away below 5mph, so further flying wouldn't have been viable anyway.
The Win Green NE slope is still a good place to fly on a NNE or NE , anything further E & it can get tricky.
31 March I maidened this 1.8m yesterday at Whitesheet. Flew it in a 30mph blow. I'd added flaps, so it was possible to both launch & land it using full Crow brakes. Got in a 20 min flight. It's a Topmodel CZ "Sweet" 1.8m (Before the Knowle Hill “incident” - Ed)
20 April - I'm getting some great flying conditions at Win Green NE slope this afternoon. 16-20mph. Bang on the slope now. Shame it's too remote for a lot of CDMFC members.