Thermal Soaring

Takeoff Site Name: Mount Ben Nevis 140km West of Melbourne
Date: 17-12-2006
Conditions: Light westerly to north westerly 2-5 knots, gusting at about 8 knots.

After a fortnight of imprisonment on the ground due to the bush fires going around in the northeast, with smoke haze and the high level of alert amongst the fire brigades, which eventually blocked the possibility of any flight, last Sunday came as a big relief where the sun was heating up granite rocks faces along the ridge face cooking up big thermals (and big sinks!), in which some of them I was climbing at a rate of 600fpm, it was the first time I heard my variometer screaming that loud!
Steve Normand and Glenn Batchelor took the chance of the strong thermals and went on a cross country flight to the flight park at Dynamic Flight, where I hung on to the top of the ridge enjoying the view over the valley and Colliers Gap and sneaking up on birds.


Getting into the harness after doing the preflight


Waiting for the thermic cycle to come through to launch


Chasing a thermic buble off the rock face. Glenn in the background getting ready to launch


Soaring within the thermal


Big air, started to get a bit bumpy as thermals went stronger


Top of the World


Keep on working the thermal till the end


Aerobatic Bank


Considering Landing


Target Fixed


Final Approach


Flawless Flare


Ecstatic!!