Today I left work early, and managed a few minutes paragliding at Dunstable. Managed a couple of top landings, but failed to recognise the dying lift in time and ended up doing one bottom landing.
Category Archives: Dunstable
Paragliding at Dunstable
Yesterday I managed to get off work in the afternoon to go paragliding. Unfortunatly the wind rose to above my skill level as I arrived. (Yes I should have gone in the morning, it was likley the wind would rise as the day went by). There were about 7 gliders at the site. Most of these stopped flying while I was there because of the stronger wind.
As I packed up at just before 5 pm, the wind eased of a bit. So I and another guy (John Cooper) went for a short fly before sunset. Managed to get in another 30 minutes of flying. This time I took off from the carpark, and not the bowl, so I have now flown over all the bushes etcetera I have always avoided in the past.
Finally I left top landing too late, and got dropped by the dieing wind. Landed at the bottom in the small area in the corner of the bowl.
Paragliding at Dunstable
Left work early (just after lunch), the wind was blowing 230 degrees, not ideal, but flyable for Dunstable Downs. It was about 8 mph at the bottom wind station.
Arrived at just past 2.30, there was one paraglider in the air (Bill). The wind was stronger than I expected. This was my first flight in 6 months, and all those previous ones had been made in nil wind. So take off was a bit of a mess. I think I take too long arranging the glider, by which time the wind gusts and drags me back into the bushes.
Anyway a bit of advice from Dave, and I was away with a pretty clean take off. I soared the ridge in the cloudy conditions and gained a hight of 120 feet. After 30 minutes I flew out from the ridge and bottom landed. While I was flying there was only Dave. Bill had left. It was great to be in the air again after such a long lay off.