The new start shows its possibilities

The sky looked great yesterday so I finished the job as soon as possible and went up to the new start above Volce viliage. When I was assembling the glider one bird showed that the conditions at the start are good. I ran down the hill and got straight up to 2100 m. Thank god I had a camera with me on the keel. Snow, lots of snow in the mountains which I reached over the valley. The flight was easy to the border with Italy, afterwards I got in to strong North wind with lots of turbulence. Yes, that is about spring pilots who don`t fly in winter time, but we will get used to it very soon :) Kobala will be soon reachable so I am looking forward to finally fly from our main launch above Tolmin. Enjoy the pictures.

A quick view from my balcony

3 hours of cloud movement in 1 minute.

First race this year

On Saturday we had a first race for a national league. We set up a short 52 km task from start Lijak near Nova Gorica. The guys who stayed up went realy high and 3 of them managed the task in all. On the last part pilots got in strong wind and many of them landed short of goal. I was inpatient and raced too low until I finally got to the landing finishing in the middle of the task.. I need to make it slower..

Now we can say the word SPRING

This Saturday I flew again but now with my Combat L for the first time this year. We went with 3 of my students to Kovk starting place 50 km south from my home town. There were at least 20 hang glider pilots on the top, that was a view to remember. Primoz, Regina and their friends came also from Germany to escape the high snow in Germany and Austria. It was nice to see all those friends again. The wind was quite strong and the visibility was very low but still it was a good day to fly. I felt much more confortable in the air since I changed the cluch in the harness so I was able to adjust the position in the air and enjoy the thermals with out too much strengt. I flew for 1.5 h, I could make it much longer but my chikens (students) were waiting on the top to make their first flight from this mountain. They made a 45minute ridge soaring flight so we were on our way back home with full smile on our faces. Next Saturday the first league comp is coming so we will be again on Kovk, hope with taskable day.

First thermal this year

There where nice days here last week. Many paragliders and hang gliders made it to 3000 m in Nova Gorica, 45 km from my town. I am stuffed with scholl and I am waiting for a new glider. Today I was again looking at the spring colors and nice sun in our valley. Top of Kobala is still in snow and I should carry my glider on my shoulders for a long time to do it. Thank god we have now a new spare place to start, aldo lower but still you can fly. I took a Atlas glider from my student and went up the hill. Nice road with the car, 15 minutes from my home. There was a NorthWest wind at the top of Kobala and this reserve starting place is looking at the south east. I was suprised to see a nice upwind at the start. It seems that it is so well hidden in the hills that manditory wind does not affect it. But yes it was ligh Northeast. I had to clean the start pleace of all the leaves that people left when we were preparing the place and taking the wood to the top for the owners of the place. They don`t know what we need for the launc....
I started and got a small thermal, I thought if I would be earlier I definetly would be above the start. Now I was scrubing the top of the trees below the start and was happy about it like making a long flight :) That was enough for now to make my day. One week more with scholl and then I am free to do the real air time.

Here is a nice picture of my start today. Desiree and Rob might remember this one as many others from the greatest Dutch team I know :)

KOBALA OPEN 2009

This year we will organise the Kobala open 2009 again. Same place, my home town Tolmin will hold this traditional FAI 2 competition. We managed to get a free camping area for the pilots, same as last year.

All the info about the comp you can find

HERE

Here is also a video that I made as a trailer for the competition

KOBALA OPEN 2009 (TRAILER) from Matjaz Klemencic on Vimeo.

Flying for the last time in 2008

I was working on the 31th of December and the sky looked cold but good enough to try out our new starting place just over the valley of Kobala. I went there with a scholl glider to see how much height will I get over the landing place for our students and I have to tell this site is great for that. 10 minutes drive form landing to the top, straight flight to the landing and students can make up to 5 jumps a day. That is great. There is some work still to be done but it will happen soon.

Happy new year and many safe landings to all of you my friends who are reading this flying blog :)

Here is the video of the flight (chose a link option for a much better qualitiy)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAc2LkpExAo