Come & Fly in Saint Andre

  The BIG FAT record camp -  July 2002

In a dreary December 2001 a group of like minded pilots were thinking back to classic flying days and the thoughts of record breaking XC flights in hypoxic conditions.  It was quickly agreed that THE place to go was central Spain. We would use the long Gredos Mountain range that runs North to South and July was a good time to go.

Unfortunately no records were broken.... but the lessons learned, resources found, connections made and demand from fellow pilots meant that Chris Jones was able to open facilities for a 5 month season in 2003.


We used a dis-used aero club in Avilia
Pete Stevens comming into re-launch a downed pilot

Dragonfly pulling an Atos into the buoyant air
Matt - A PG pilot - making his first flights on a HG

Pete Stevens taking off
Matt and his Fat Face sponsored wing landing

Matt and the launch/ground crew
Heading off from the flats to the Gredo Mountains

.... Just airbourne - Matt under tow
Same launch... Another view of Matt

Gliders left rigged over night in the hanger
Pete making another launch

Roy landing
Pete resting between tows

Base camp
Wings ready for tows

Take-Off!
About to launch

Heading for the hills and cloud-base
Searching for lift

Thursday 25th July  TASK: 150 KM racing, out & return into 20kmh headwind.

Jim (blue GPS log) and Nev (red GPS log) make the task and get back within two minutes of each other.  Both unknowingly re-connect a few miles out and race across the line, screaming and whooping with joy. Today was a tough task. Thermals were not working well in the flatlands and those that favoured that route quickly landed out.
Matt (no log) arrives back an hour later as dusk approached, exhausted and ecstatic! He was only 6 miles short of the first turn point, having made slow outbound progress downwind. Knowing he faced 50 miles of into wind flying.

 

Thu 18th July  TASK: 200 KM out and return
 What a day! As the famous convergence line sets up overhead at 11am..... all 3 tugs are out of action until 2pm! - (punctures from small thistle weeds.)  With the team pulling together we are in the air for 2pm start.

Big fast, smooth climbs to 13,000 ASL greet us from release. The thermals are so big that even when I stop to film and let the glider meander I am still going up!

Matt (with 15 HG hours) adds another 5 hours airtime and an XC of 180km! Squeaking back in at 8.30pm. Crossing the airfield at 110km hour before pulling some smooth spirals. I think he likes the Class5 gliders!

All pilots have stunning stories to tell.  A few land out racing fast trying to get round the 200km task.

Highlights of the trip include:

  • Most spend the day at 13,000 to 14,000 ASL
  • Climb - glide, climb - glide, climb - glide - yippee!
  • 4-5 hours flights
  • Steady, smooth 2-5ms climbs - + some in the surges
  • Almost every climb is with gaggles of storks or eagles. The scenery is something else! 
  • Avila - a stunning medieval castle town with as much partying as you can handle!