Pit pin mayhem

I picked Josh up for a Beechmont fly today. With no rain or storms and 10-15 knot SE/NE winds predicted we thought today was going to be a great flying day. We were welcomed by a very overcast sky with quite light winds. After arriving I finally met Brandon O'Donnell. Great bloke, especially considering when he picks you up from the bombout he brings the chips and drinks (thanks mate!).

When setting up, Josh realized he was missing a newly purchased pit pin used to connect his down tube to his cross bar. He was spewin and couldn't work out where it might be. We looked every where. I told him to look inside his wing, in case it had some how worked free and ended up going cross country inside his glider bag. No luck there. An addimit (I know I spelt that wrong) Josh saying there was no way he would not be flying today got on the phone to Lee and tried desperately to work out a plan to meet so he may get another. A last ditch search by Kenny who was on the hill to do a couple of tandoms came through and with a newly found castle nut and bolt from the back of Kenny's car, Josh was looking good. Anyway as it did turn out when he opened his glider his pit pin fell on to the grass after doing a mammoth cross country from the middle of his glider bag to the end.

After setting up we relaxed a little whilst waiting for conditions on launch to come good. I gave Josh a remote control zaggi wing I made almost 12 months ago but never worked out how to fly and settled into some nice thick cozy grass to watch him fly it. Brandon and Marty (both paraglider pilots) launched and landed back on top after testing the air.

With one glider pilot in the bomb out and Marty having just Landed there, Brandon came up to me and said Josh and I should launch, if we bombed out he would drive down and pick us up (at the same time as picking up Marty and Dave). This was an offer I couldn't refuse and after letting Josh know we were both quickly hooking in ready for a fly. Firstly I checked Josh out to see if he was ok, and after realizing he was about to launch with his under surface wing unzipped fixed the problem and walked him to the appropriate part of the hill. After he launched I got ready and after a quick hang check by Kenny, sprinted off the hill while Brandon took some much wanted video footage (cheers dude).

I hooked it right but was cut off by Josh who was about to give way. Too late, I was at that moment out of my comfort zone and had turned before I could see him turn himself. Unfortunately by doing this I lost a lot of precious height and found it extremely hard to get it back. I scratched for about 10 minutes before I gave up. Every time I find myself over the far point of the mountain after the day I left to late and didn't make the bomb out, I find I leave way early just to be safe. I glided in and landed in the north paddock (yes, On my wheels, again!) just in time to pick my glider up to get out of the way for Josh. Unnecessary in the end considering he almost flew over the north paddock through a phone line and onto the road. Although to his credit he did do an awesome floaty type landing. Far from a text book landing, but one with a lot of style and personality. A landing I'd be happy to do over and over again (well done mate). I'd hate to say it but it was alot like a Jonny Junior landing.

After congradulating him on a cool landing and jokingly saying thanks for cutting me off causing me to loose height and bomb (well that's my excuse), Josh then proceeded to tell me how much higher he got than I and reminding me about my crap landing and to get use to him being a better pilot all over. I think ill have to get use to this side of his personality, seems to come out quite often. I should have reminded him of his effort on Sunday and my superior triumph! (Yes!!, arms up in the air) But then again I'm not so childish as to be so competitive ;)

We drove back up to launch where conditions had changed for the worst and with rapidly approaching rain tied our kites to the racks, took a few quick pics of Josh as he flew my zaggi and drove home. Thanks all for a great day guys. Special thanks to Brandon and Dave for saving us from a long walk.

All up 15 minutes