Richard launching at CorndonWe went flying today at Corndon. It was overcast to start with, but then increasingly the sky cleared and it became sunny. Katie, Rich and Nigel were already there and we headed to the SE face. After a chat we got ready and the buzzards were out in numbers, but didn’t seem to want to go very high before flapping and searching for the lift.

I launched when I saw three birds in a thermal close by, but high up, and got a little bubble, then sink and I thought I was going down when I got a low save. I clung to it for all I was worth and thermalled along the ridge until I got to the NE end. It was weak lift and strong drift, and at 541 feet ATO not worth throwing myself over the back with, so I headed back to the front. Mark, Kai, James, Paul, Alan and Gordon turned up and we all tried our best to get a good climb, but although the sky got better the wind picked up and grounded us all for a couple of hours.

Geoff and I flew again later and I attempted (and managed) to jump the fence for the first time. Nice evening soaring.

See photos of today.

See video of Mark landing.

See video of James launching.

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