Click here to return to the Gliding 2006 Pictures page.
Click here to go directly to the Aboyne 2004 Pictures page.
I was at Aboyne airfield (home of Deeside Gliding Club) for the third week of Lasham's annual expedition to this site. I arrived on the 7th but did not fly until the 8th, when I had my first solo flight in the Duo Discus (775). This was also my best flight, reaching 13,200 feet above the airfield. I had a P2 flight in the Duo (me in the back, Richard Whittaker in the front) on the 9th, including some formation flying at just under 9000 feet with Gordon and Richard Hodge in the DG1000 (776). The 10th was just thermal soaring, and I didn't get to fly. The 11th was the only unflyable day, when it rained almost non-stop. On the 12th I had a short flight in the K21 (778) when I failed to find any lift. I flew the K21 again on the 13th and got to 12,000 feet in the lee of Mount Keen and also of Lochnagar before heading out as far as Braemar. It was great to be back in Scotland. Shame diamond height was never likely. So an excuse to return again one day in the future!
This was my first and best flight, and my first solo in the Lasham Duo Discus. I climbed to 11,000 feet initially. Then I got a bit queasy and descended to 7000 feet. When I felt better again I climbed up to 13,200 feet with no ill effect, before Gordon called me down due to closing gaps in the cloud sheet below. Shame that as I could have got higher. Still a lovely flight. The Duo Discus is just as easy to fly as I remember.
Climbing5000-1.jpg |
Climbing5000-2.jpg |
DeeValley.jpg |
ClimbingAboveTheRotor.jpg |
Clouds1.jpg |
Clouds2.jpg |
Climbing at almost 10kts near the Lochs through 5000 feet soon after launch. | My first 2006 shot of the Dee Valley from aloft. | The rotor cloud on one side was quite tall. | Two cloud shots as I climbed higher. |
DeeKinoord.jpg |
Clouds3West.jpg |
DGCFromHigh.jpg |
10k.jpg |
CloudyToSW.jpg |
ViewNEToTarland.jpg |
Looking down at the River Dee and Loch Kinoord. | Looking West. | Looking down at the airfield. | Arrival at 10,000 feet. | To the SW it was 8/8. | To the NE it was classic wave clouds. |
Clouds4West.jpg |
ViewSEToAboyneClosingGaps.jpg |
ClosingGaps.jpg |
Lennie1.jpg |
Lennie2.jpg |
These clouds didn't seem to work for me. | Looking back to Aboyne the gaps were closing. Gordon called me down as I took these shots. | Two shots from the ground of lenticular clouds far to the West late in the day. |
Conditions weren't as good today, but the sky was clearer. Richard Whittaker and I decided to go up together in the Duo Discus. It made for a nice jolly above the Dee Valley. Richard had control for takeoff and landing, which meant I was able to get some good shots on tow. We got to 9100 feet above the airfield. Then Gordon and Richard Hodge joined us for a touch of formation flying. We descended 200 feet and then flew together taking pictures. I managed one picture despite dead camera batteries. Richard H took some great pics of the Duo which I have also included here. After that we climbed to 9200 feet near Ballater at sunset before returning to the airfield.
776.jpg |
778.jpg |
775.jpg |
DGCTugs.jpg |
DGCLaunchpoint.jpg |
DGC27N1.jpg |
Shots of the 3 Lasham gliders after they had been towed to the launchpoint. | The two DGC Pawnees. Also a Robin in the hangar. | The DGC launchpoint caravan. | Runway 27 North. |
DGC27N2.jpg |
DGC27N3.jpg |
DGC27N4.jpg |
776Launch.jpg |
778Launch.jpg |
778Landing.jpg |
More shots of runway 27 North, with the DG1000 lined up. | The DG1000 and the K21 being launched. | The K21 coming back to land on 27 South. |
Windsock.jpg |
PushingIntoLine.jpg |
ViewForwards.jpg |
FrontSeat.jpg |
TugSignals.jpg |
AerotowPastClubhouse.jpg |
The sponsored North windsock. | Alan Manham and Steve Powell helping push the Duo Discus with Richard and I in it into line. | Looking forwards from the Duo's back seat. Richard Whittaker in the front seat. | Steve holding the wing and giving an up slack signal to the tug. | On aerotow passing the DGC clubhouse. |
Aerotow1.jpg |
Aerotow2.jpg |
Aerotow3.jpg |
DinnetCrossroads.jpg |
Kinoord.jpg |
Aerotow4.jpg |
On tow passing the A93 on the right, the woodyard on the left and looking at the tug in front. | The crossroads at Dinnet. | Loch Kinoord. | Another tug shot. |
Morven1.jpg |
Aerotow5.jpg |
ViewSWToLochMuick.jpg |
RiverDee.jpg |
Morven2.jpg |
ViewEast.jpg |
Passing Morven. | One more tug shot just before we released under that cloud. | Looking South to Loch Muick. | Looking Westwards along the River Dee. | Morven now to the NE. Glory visible in the cloud wisp above. | A view of the wave cloud we are soaring, and which we were released under. |
776InFlight1.jpg |
9000feet.jpg |
776InFlight2.jpg |
776InFlight2Zoom.jpg |
BoatInnTrain.jpg |
Gordon and Richard H in the DG1000 below us. | 9000 feet above the airfield. | The DG1000 flying formation with us just below 9000 feet. Richard H took a pic of us at the same time. | In the evening we went to the Boat Inn in Aboyne which has a little train set near the ceiling. |
These are some selected pictures that Richard Hodge took of the Duo Discus from the DG1000 while we were in formation. Thanks Richard for letting me put them online.
775Above.jpg |
775InFlight1.jpg |
775InFlight2.jpg |
775InFlight3.jpg |
775InFlight3Zoom.jpg |
775InFlight4.jpg |
The Duo above before we descended to join the DG. | This was the same moment that I took a pic of the DG. | Two more shots. The second one I also produced a crop in. Richard W and I are clearly visible. | The Duo turning away at the end of the formation. |
I did not fly today but I did take these pictures from the ground.
UnpackingAboyneHangar.jpg |
Morven.jpg |
LashamFleetAtAboyne.jpg |
Unpacking the hangar in the morning. | Morven to the Northwest with a cloud cap. | The Lasham fleet parked near the clubhouse. |
There was a gorgeous sunset today.
Sunset1.jpg |
Sunset2.jpg |
Sunset776-1.jpg |
Sunset776-2.jpg |
Two sunset shots. | The Lasham DG1000 coming back just after sunset. |
I initially climbed several miles downwind of Mount Keen to just under 6000 feet. Then I flew closer to Mount Keen where I was able to get to almost 12,000 feet almost overhead the mountain. Then I moved West to North of Loch Muick, downwind of Lochnagar, and climbed to 12,000 feet, before pushing further west as far as Braemar before coming back. Then I just soaked in the view as I descended from 6000 feet back to the airfield. This was my longest flight, and also took me over 600 hours total gliding experience. It certainly was a nice way to round off the hours like that.
BraidCairnMountKeen.jpg |
LochsDee.jpg |
BallaterWestwards.jpg |
WesternDeeValley.jpg |
LochMuick.jpg |
ViewSouth.jpg |
Looking upwind (SW or SSW) to Braid Cairn (left) and Mount Keen. | Looking Northwards to the River Dee and Lochs Kinoord and Davan. | Looking towards Ballater and westwards up the Dee valley towards the Cairngorms. | My best shot of Loch Muick from the North. | Looking South as I climb in the lee of Lochnagar. |
ViewSouthWest.jpg |
Lochnagar.jpg |
BalmoralCrathie.jpg |
LochCallater.jpg |
Balmoral2.jpg |
Lochnagar2.jpg |
Looking Southwest as I climb in the lee of Lochnagar. | Lochnagar seen from the Northwest as I explore westwards. | Looking Eastwards back down the Dee Valley from Braemar I spotted Balmoral. | Loch Callater to the South of Braemar. | A closer shot of Balmoral from the West. | A closer shot of Lochnagar from the Northwest. |
LochMuick2.jpg |
Ballater.jpg |
Lennies.jpg |
Clouds.jpg |
KinoordDavan.jpg |
GettingMurky.jpg |
LochMuick from the Northwest. | Ballater from the West. | High lenticulars to the Northwest. Alas they were part of a separate unreachable upper wave system. | Clouds to my South / Southeast sitting on the mountains. | Lochs Kinoord and Davan from the Southeast. | Getting murky as the high pressure pushes in. Mount Keen just above and left of centre. |
DGC.jpg |
Tarland.jpg |
Looking down on the airfield from 6000 feet to the West. Compare with similar shot in 2004 to see how it has changed in the last 2 years. | Looking North to Tarland. |