Expedition Parcours Combattants 2012

This year it was decided that all pilot would assembly at Dover to save the time that used to happen on previous expeditions of meeting at RAF Halton. This worked quite well, however even arriving at Dover at the required time, unseasonal busy Dover port caused a delay by 1 hour. A quality breakfast was had in the Pride of Calais to much disappointment to Ski at the cost.

A very uneventful trip down to Beaune, with a night stop in a Ibis hotel. After a good night’s sleep, bar the lights and TV coming on at random times in several of the rooms, the weather has taken a turn. Low cloud and rain persisted for many miles. On arriving at the Alps, it was apparent that there had been a considerable amount of snow deposited on the hills overnight, quite rare for this time of the year.

On arrival at Sisteron, it was agreed to rig the heavy Duo Discus as the weather overnight was clear. An evening meal was prepared by the expedition leader in the gites.

A full met brief was given by the full time staff member of Sisteron Aero club. An low pressure is established out in the Med and a high was in the near Atlantic giving a Northerly flow with some areas a strong Mistral is anticipated. Local soaring conditions was expected to be very good.

Alan Swan: Alan gave a brief accountant of some local flying to recap from his previous expedition in2011, staying local to Sisteron airfield. After the previous flight a formal test with local examiner George to conduct his French equivalence test allowing him to fly UK registered aircraft in France as the French DGAC fails to recognise the FAI UK (BGA) licence. After his previous successful flight, he was allowed to go solo in Discus R10, exploring Cache, Jaliner, Jouier all local to Sisteron Airfield.

Paul Moslin: After a number of years absence from previous expeditions, Paul had a flight with the expeditions CFI Luke Snr. A relative short flight, after release at the Gache, visited other mountains on including Jaliner and on the Western fringes of the Durance Valley. Paul as also updated and tested on Mountain flying skills and was cleared to instruct in the mountains. After his successful check flight, Paul was cleared to fly Phil’s Ash26E, exploring most of the Durance Valley Mountains up to and including the Lure. Paul explored some very weak wave in the middle of the Durance Valley.

Ben Filer: Bens 1^st flight in Sisteron, starting with a 4000” aerotow to the Gache after getting established in the Eastern mountains ventured onto the Western Mountains. Ben achieved several personal bests, in a glider height 5900” and 2.00 hour duration.

Dave Fidler: 1^st flight with Alan Swan, local check ride out to Gache and Trainon. Taking him low to make him dig himself out, which he did well. He went on to get a local check ride with French examiner and solo flight.

Phil Sturley: Phil started off with checking Luke Dale by ridge flying the Gache, then into the Bowl upto the Lure returning to the Baume and back onto the Gache. Headed into wind and found weak wave with Paul in the Ash maintaining height to Chambre. Ridge soared Chambre and then crossed the Sisteron Valley to ZPA, visited Hongre

Andy Hyslop: After a short tow to the Gache, quickly established with lots of glider traffic, topping out at 5000” QNH. We tried to make it to the Lure 4 times, but could not make it there safely> finallt onto Charbre via some mid valley cumulus. Good introduction to Ben the the mountains.

Phil Sturley: As the Ash 26 had not been flown for some time, Phil conducted a local air test before exploring the Duranace valley quickly in approx. 2 hours, mostly ridge running.

Luke Hornsey: Re familiarisation flight for Paul. Excellent ridge conditions on the Gache. Lure was then just as good. Started out to Mt Ventaux but was not really that good enough. Charbre and home-cracking.

1^ST flight in the mountains for Jon. The Gache was busy with other gliders, Jon coped very well. Explored some of the local mountains and before returning home.

Dave Fidler: Super day in the Ash26e. Early off to Blayeul-Parcours to Pic de Morgon, which was not working. Getting low to Seyne, engine out to climb away to lift of the non-mechanical type. Down to St Croix back up the Parcours-Blayeul-Mallaup-Clot Ginoux .Then down to the Lure followed by local flying. A great day.

Geoff Forster: Launched on the Gache and eventually climbed away after I stopped turning in sink, but still not good lift. Paul suggested going to Hongrie, where we climbed away and ventured to Malaup, Crete des Selles and tried to push to towards Pic de Bure. Then south to the Lure , but was it was not working returned North towards to Sisteron and Gache.

Luke Jnr: Luke was released to go off for local flying local to Sisteron, if possible silver duration. He managed to explore most of the Durance valley. He achieved silver height and duration, bar the technical issues with both the LX7007 and the Colibri.

Phil Sturley: Started off with a tow to Trainon, found good conditions and pushed out to work Blayeul . Snow showers and lower cloud base pushed us south in search of good climbs which we found. We pushed further south passing St Auban and Puimoissen, saw us as south as Vallaur, then back north to Pic de Bure – Lure and the Gache and home. Lots of lesson , skills learnt. Really enjoyable.

Ski Szuszkiewicz: Paul and myself started the day with a jog. At 8.00 all hands to the deck for assembly of the single seaters. At 10 weather brief. All gliders on line for 11.30. Luke and Ski went to Hongrie where we released from tow. Then towards Trainin, Jouere, Mallaup then hopped across to Crete de Selles. Has a good crack a Pic de Bure, but did not quite get to the summit. Grrrrr. Then went East towards Gap, eventually headed south over everything, finding lift by the solar panel farm not too far from Malaup. From there we headed south, followed the ridge towards the weather station, scurried about a bit then we heard a warning of a fast jet in the vicinity, the roard of it in the message was amusing. Anyway, hopped to the Gache again, got huge lift up to about 8000” and went North again to Mallaup. Luke tried this Theory as if he never knew. (yeach right). That if we go from maloup to hongrie we wont lose lift. This was true from this time of day 18.00 ish. 2 laps of Hongrie later and a good look at the rivets on the aerials we landed back at Sisteron on runway 18. Great day-hours literally flew.

Phi: A great day for a grand tour, towed to Trainon, then rapidly to Authon –Aurbeau and then Blayeul. Parcours looked bad, so we went north then south to St Croix and just north to Fouran using good cumulous on the ridges all the way. The to Cheval Blanc a short section on the Parcourss and then ran to Pic de Bure which we summited before going south to the Lure.

Luke: Cracking thermal from Hongrie to get us started, quickly progressed to Blayeul but snow falling on the Parcour stopped us from going in that direction. Recovered to the Durance valley then Pic de Bure , and the Lure called which did not work too well, before flight back to Sisteron.

Andy H: launched on to the Gache which dis not work too well, son finally thermalled away from behind Hongrie. Afetr checking out the conditions to the North East, decided to run South to Lac St Croix, then up the Parcors to Blayeul across Malaup to petite Ceuse and Pic de Bure then south to Chabre, pushed west but not in ideal conditions so only the Lure. Then back across east and Blayeul again but with the lowering cloud base a short flight to the south west and home to Sisteron.

Al: First on the grid launched to the Gache initially struggled to climb above 6000’ but then a switch was flicked and the thermals started. In 40mins went from Trainon to D’Aujour, St Gensis and Charbre. Called back to Sisteron to handover glide to Jon.

Ben and Dave: Training sortie for Ben, on the local hills of Trainon, auton and Les Monges. Carried out this while the cumulous built. Ran south to D’Aujour, some good climbs enroute. The Ben was shown the route to Pic De Bure, difficult to find good climbs and Obiou was not working. Ran south to Sisteron area. During this flight Ben achieved several personnel best’s : highest, longest and most distance covered in a flight. He also found masses of sink at some points.

Phil: A better day than expected, 1^st of as sniffer. Local route out to the Parcours up to Dormillouse, St Crepin was in showers so went north/west to Pic de Bur. The Vecours / Grenoble valley worked well. Then down south to Mt Ventoux , and home.

Andy and Ski: We launched in Duo Discus R2 releasing between Hongrie and the Gache. Caught up with Alan in R10 to give him stick. Got in touch with Phil in VS and basically followed him as far as Grenoble. We both discovered high rates on sink and discovered at times Andy has Tourette’s! A fantastic recovery en route to Gap if needed, we still remained in contact with Phil for a good while which was , at times very useful. In layman’s terms, Phil was a brilliant guide for advise and where energy was vast. As for Andy, well what a Geezer. I have to admit to being challenged today, while adventure training is concerned. Andy did it, today, I was amazed at what can and can’t be done in a glider. Anyway enough about him. Several areas of rain appeared in and about the local training area of the Durance Valley. We did have plans to head up to the weather station on the Lure, but a call was made to all Goldmine gliders are to return in 10 minutes due to heavy rain in the area. For me personally today I was stretched me to a point of my limits. Fantastic intro to mountain flying and Andy’s skills. Good demonstration of teamwork and effort. Massive confidence boost for me by being shown what can be done.

Jon: Check flight with George in Duo Discus 26. Got most of the way to Pic de Bure, monster thermals with average of 8.5 knots. Solo in discus R10 after. After a low release from tow, I slowly climbed away to enable me to get to Hongrie. After gaining some height there, I went on a tour of the bowl. Forced to land after the rain showers came into the bowl area.

Luke Snr: Bit iffy on the Gache, at the start, but them good at Authon, Blayeul- huge thermal to 8500” and south on the Parcours yto Ponte Aguine and back with no turning. Snow and rain showers forced and early landing. Andy had his experience of aerotowing from sisteron. From the local hill of the Gache onto the Parcour. After flying south to Ponte Aguine, weather stopped play. My personal best so far, longest, highest and most enjoyable flights so far.

Rain and low cloud. Weather scrubbed play. The CFI briefed the pilots to go out and recce field to their experience level. The new pilots went to the east and north east, where the others went to the north west fields 13, 27, 14 and Gap.

Alan: Launched onto the Gache and managed to retract the undercarriage on the 1^st attempt, bonza. Then worked tete de Boussie, then onto Aujour. Quickly moved to St Genis, Charbre and onto the Lure. Spoke to Sallon approach to enter R71 airspace, what a nag the controller was.! Headed back overhead Sisteron and fired up the turbo, crickey she is noisy. Back over Charbre and tried to get to Seres but too much sink. Back to Sisteron to land.

Andy: Launched onto the gache, off to the Lure, then Ventoux. Back down the Lure to Vaumuse, across to Cheval blanc and then E to the North of Froyence looking down on the Cote d’Azur. After lunching down there, slowly made headway westwards, back onto Parcours north to Dormillouse. On arriving into snow and heavy sink. After visiting many other mountain back to Sisteron for tea.

Paul and Ben: A fantastic day. In summary a full brief was given by the Sisteron Aero Club CFI in both French and English. We aertowed to the Gache, early on it was obvious the low cloud that we would have to park and wait for the club base to rise, we set off on the standard route to the Parc Hour, down south as the task was set by the expedition CFI. Some fantatic views on the Cheval Blanc, running down south to Lac de S Croix. Our trip north was hindered by significant sinkand managed to pull out a 9.8 knot thermal. The day was cut short due to some snow showers on the Durance Valley. A quick introduction of the iron thermal was given to Ben local to Sisteron.

Luke Jnr: After an uneventful aerotow to the Gache, a good climb to 6000” I pushed forward into wind to Crete de Selle. Then over to Beaumount and down to the Lure. Back over the Gache and then to Monge, where I managed to climb to 11,3000” (in excess of Silver high requirements) . I met up with R11 and praticed the art of dolphining technique. My feet got cold after 7 hours flying, so RTB.

Dave and Andy: An early departure from Sisteron at around 11.15. Headed NE to the Parcour gaining nabout 8000” on the Blayeaul, which was not working too well. Parked for a while till it picked up. Headed initially North till we got shot down, by some significant sink. Took a climb close to Seyne, headed down south taking the lead with 26 just behind us. We tuned atv the lake of lac St Croix. Then headed back north again up via Dormillouse over Seyne to cloud base. A quick flight in to Pic de Bure, and back to Sisteron for local flying for Andy. Andies longest flight so far 6 hrs. Most weird experience of flying through a snow show shower and still in lift.

Jon: Alan finally landed , so I could have my 1^st Ventus Alps solo. Launched into lift just short of the Gache, straight to cloud base, Pushed on to Cret de Selle, where I met R10. During this part of the flight a large show snow shower which put me off track. I made my way to back to the Gache having lots of fun on way. Very good flight, racing back to Sisteron after 3.20.

Geoff and Phil: Task set to Pont Aigunes to Pic de Bure. Launched onto the Gache then of to Trainon via the standard route to Balyeul. Then jumped to Cheval Blanc, then down south the Parcours, with Phil pointing out the tactical mistakes, (he talked for some time!). We turned at Point Aigunes , we then back north via La Motte, but found no lift and turned towards Malaup, eventually finding lift. We ended up in bounce list on the western edge of pic De Bure approx. 8.5 knots. And early return to Sisteron to allow Geoff to conduct his French test with the local instructor.