Dave finds a big hole and flies over it keeping the locals entertained:
Pete, Geoff and Ed jumped in my car on Saturday morning and we arrived at Forbes airport to find Steve making sure everything was ready to go for another weekend of safe, fun flying in this unbelievably reliable XC hot spot! Steve’s wife, Anet and son Blake were there to see how it all works of course. Trent with Deb and baby Makayla also there. Mr Keen, the Thief (Andrew L) joined us. Wazza and Bill Moyes, Mikael and family and Fanko!!! Yes, Franko, and watching his smooth skills on tow it seemed like he was as current as anyone.
Setting a task we were keen for triple figures in May so set an optimistic task (given 20oc, blue sky and little wind) of 100km North past Peak Hill.
I was off first and was handed a lazy 200ft per minute climb which was about average for the day, taking it to base – 3000ft agl. Given the conditions it was hard to wait for company so I headed out on course. As the lift was slow and the thermals close together, I was leaving climbs at about 2500ft agl and on glide lowish NW of Parkes, I was approaching the large mining area. Noticing dirt rising slowly out of one of the giant holes I though I would fly directly over it, knowing that if it wasn’t working, I would have to land in the mining compound which would be a nightmare retrieve. But hey, this area of Australia has a great road network so it thought I would give the retrieve driver a challenge for once.
Flying over this massive hole relatively low was daunting. I had glide to an OK landing but some scary thoughts were going through my mind.
There was very little lift over the mine and I could only manage a couple of hundred feet. That would give me glide to a landing. Just beyond the second massive mine, so I would try that one on my way to land hoping a better thermal was being produced. I got a very ordinary glide on the way and getting lower I caught the eye of a few workers driving graders who stopped work to see what the hell I was doing. I arrived over the second giant hole lower than the pervious with more nightmare scenarios going through my head especially seeing water way down at the bottom of this one. But this time I got the lift I expected and it was the climb of the day, spewing straight out the abyss and cruised to near base and continued on out of the compound of the mining area.
Unfortunately I didn’t make goal, landing about 10km short of Peak Hill.
Trent and Geoff cruised over me in style as I was packing up. Andrew, Pete and Franko all had nice XC’s as well.
All retrieved we headed back to Munjal to have a beer with Terry (always a highlight of any trip out that way) but we cried ourselves to sleep when on arrival found that Terry had already crashed. He had a good excuse though, he had to get up early to fly his trike with Goldie. I’ll forgive you this time mate!!
New hangie, Brenden (Turtle) came along to see the aerotowing for the first time and after hearing a few horror stories about this way of getting airborne, it was great to see the drama free and safe towing that goes on at the weekends that Steve organises. Especially impressed by Steve’s towing skills, I’m sure Brenden will be towing with us shortly.
Massive thanks to Steve again for getting us in the sky and all the behind the scenes stuff you do to make these weekends so farken fun.
Get high,
Dave
