Flying Is A Great Commitment

Driving on the way up to Mount Ben Nevis


Heard a couple of thunder rumbles in the clouds, we decided to pack up and head back. There is always another day to fly.


On the way down to get my car out, not really in my best!

As its the case with all aero sports, and furthermore because hang gliding is highly dependant on the weather conditions; I couldn't find it easy at all to start putting hours under my belt. I had a really slow disappointing progress, driving for hours for the sake of a quick sled ride without being able to stay up in the air, or its too gusty for a safe launch, in addition to the fact hang gliding is financially consuming especially when I first had to set up, but still the cheapest of all aviational sports (needless to mention the fun).
I heard one of my mates once saying to me "When do you know that you are such a hang gliding nut, when you drive to launch site for hours hoping that the forecast you heard last night is wrong.". And the same voice comes back to you when you get there "Its better to be on the ground and wish you were in the air than to be in the air and wishing you were on the ground".
Sometimes I think of why should I put up with all this, I am fed up with carrying my geer, driving hundreds of miles, setting up, find crappy conditions, then pack up and go back, but one flight after all this in perfect conditions ended by glorious landing is all what it takes to wipe all that off.


Floating over trawalla, Beaufort in the background.


A little bumpy out there, crunching on the basetube while taking the photo.