It was forecast to be a big day, but we are on our collection from airport day, so just had a goal in Avila , with Ester to collect us on the way back from Madrid.  However, the three of us got  a little overexcited by the easy 3600m after take off that we rushed into the Avila valley after an easy Pass crossing, to land well short of Avila with an epic sky brewing just ahead

Oops, that wasn’t planned for!

.  Oh well.

A really spectacular day with climbs to 4500m and good 5m/s with light winds.  We had the Tres Provinicas and the Liga Centro, flying different tasks, the former a triangle towards Avila or around 100 and the latter a 150km FAI triangle.  I  had only one guest today, Florian, who  broke every PB: in altitude, distance and time in the air.

Steve’s track

Florian at the Piedrahita landing field after the 114km out and return.

Briefing Open 3 provincias comp

en route in the Avila Valley

Coming back over Pass. Well to the south and here facing the Avila valley in the turn.

On glide from the rear of the Pass. Piedrahita just 24km away and made on the final glide

Wednesday was blown out, and yesterday only good for a short XC. However, today we had strong climbs to well over 3000m, with Florian getting his height record (on a PG..since he flys Jets for a living) of 3650m.  We flew down to the Tornavacas pass at arounf 35km then headed back. (though did not make it).  Here are some  pictures at the pass.  In the first shot we see the Laguna del Barco In the second, behind the riser is the south side of the Bejar range.

doing a 360 turn we can see the provinces of Avila , Salamanca, Caceres and Toledo.

Laguna del Barco

Tornavacas Pass

Another excellent day, though the forecast and actual conditions were poor.  A bit windy from the NE and thermal tops only around 2100m: 1000m lower than yesterday.  A blue thermal day.   Flo managed a great flight connecting with the Bejar range.  The evening flight once again allowed the full run of the length  of the mountain with restitution conditions.

Roberto with PN rock behind.

Certainly not the first flight of the season, since we have been getting some epic flights of late.  However, we have opened a bit earlier to fly with Florian.  Florian came in late this morning after his flight from Dubai (he is an airline pilot based there).  At around 1.30 we took of and within 15 minutes were at 3100m moving off to the west.  We flew for about 1.5 hrs landing around Barco.

The evening fligh one of those classic restitution smooth flights with lift all over the valley until sundown.  A nice start.

Although we did not have groups during this period, I think it worth making a note of the flying conditons of the week for future reference.

The week was almost wholly flyable with decent XC conditions each day except the Wednesday when we suffered storms.  Thursday to Sunday were particularly good, with Climbs to 3000m+.  The 1st of October was the first non flyable day for a while with strong NE winds.

After last week, flying each day except Saturday.  This week we managed to fly both Monday (Navalacruz and PN) and Tuesday (PN), before the clouds got out of control, but just local flying.  Today (Wednesday) with a nice light wind forecast Tim was able to spend much of the day in the air on his flight to Avila and back most of the way to the Pass.  I stayed local running the other pilots up the hill (4 times) whilst Ester collected Tim.  This week we have a demo of the Psi tenor (thanks Parapente Factory and Lodi).   Here is a pic of me Steve flying it below.

Fantastic conditons with a very light NW wind and Cu at around 3300m.  After arriving at Avila, Nigel, Steve Wand Jamie turned aroound for the return (Jonothan, Dolf and myself landing at Avila).  Dominique landed high up in the Sierra de Paramera on the south of the Avila valley…something never done before…and never again I hope!

Steve W did not get back over the Pass, but Nigel and Jamie arrived at the Piedrahita goal field around 7pm for their PB’s of 120km O&R in around 6.5 hours.

Nigel and Jamie. Heroes of he day.

Jamie, Steve W and Nigel’s flights

Many of us were put down at the pass in the shade but Dolf coming up behind on the 2nd flight made it over in the sunshine and onto Avila.  Robin did an out and return from near the Pass.  On a second flight many of those bombing first time at the Pass made it over and to within 10km of Avila

This morning a trip to Navalacruz (SE).  Only Jonothat made a decent XC flying 15km to the Chia landing field.  Later we flew at lastra, just a big fo ridge soaring in the light conditons at the end of the day.