This evening we went for fly over Langland. A beautiful beach just West of Mumbles. The lift was very good with a fresh warm wind from the South West. The Sun peeping between the clouds whilst slowly setting. The landing zone is well, small! OK there isn't a landing zone as such, just plonk, drop, crash whatever it takes to land as close as possible to where you are standing. If you stray too far, then according to Murphy's Law you're going to find yourself waist high in Gower gorse. Oscar flew his SAS Cobra and I took my trusty 60" Wildthing and homebrew Tracer. After 20mins with the WT I launched the Tracer. Another 20mins later and I was starting to struggle as I was flying a silhouette quite often and loosing orientation. I took the Tracer up and out to do another bunt but during the manoeuvre she spun out and I lost orientation again. I started to panic and wiggled the sticks in order to try and figure out which and what direction she was flying in. However, in doing so she was haemorrhaging altitude fast. when I eventually managed to gain control and flying level she was so low I thought I was going to have to ditch here in the Sea. More by luck than judgement she started to bank and turn towards the land albeit rocks. I couldn't see the landing from where I was standing so was not 100% sure what to expect when I had scrambled to a vantage point to spot the Tracer. I was relieved when I saw here on the rocks but partially hidden. It took approx 20 mins to jog, climb, scramble and slip my way over the rocks to get a closer view and retrieve here. By this time it was dusk and after I had retraced my tracks to a proper path it was all but dark.
But you know what, it was worth it as a part form receiving a broken solid balsa nose cone she was in one piece. What a lucky break!
Langland
Wildthing, Tracer and Cobra