Get it While it's Windy

Click image for more photos!Late afternoon Dallas Session

I showed up to doing some kiting work with Johnny at Dallas around 3pm today and was surprised to see Shabe, Rick, and Lee in the air as the wind wasn't very strong uptown. Go figure.

It was overcast but still the Dallas 'bubble' formed, catching Rick and Shabe in it and sending them to the beach. Lee was a bit higher at this point and pushed out front, effectively staying outside the bubble and enjoying another 15mins or so alone in the air before coming in for a toplanding.

After Johnny and I got going, the wind picked up and Charlie and the rest of the gang all got airborne. John Smith, who is really the only hangglider pilot to still fly Dallas with any regularity, started to set up in the hopes that the wind would strengthen enough to get him airborne.

Lee let me give his Cobra a spin and I joined Rick and Charlie in the air before heading down to Finlayson Pt to see if I could hop over to the apartments - but it was a bit too west so I came back and landed next to Johnny. I busted out my tandem and was going to take him for a flight but then it started to pick up a bit too much.

While Lee was back in the air, the wind had straightened more south, giving him enough height to make his first Point Crossing - way to go Lee! Rick and then Simon followed him over and, just as they made it back and hovered down at Clover Pt, P.Mac arrived and I decided that his and my combined weight could handle the stronger wind nicely. John Smith had since launched his hang glider and, with some good ground assistance, we soon launched and joined him!

Definitely some good late afternoon fun at Dallas for everyone!

Shabe got some footage of the tandem landing: