| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| 
| Follow @flybc |
FlyBC "Site of the Day" - January 1/2016
Happy New Years from Colima Mexico, Hasta la Vista Baby!
|
| 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@ 3000' in knots |
Rate °C/1000' Cloud Base in Meters |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1-1-16 |
 Manzanillo MX Sunny. High around 30C. Winds SW at 10 to 15 km/h. 2000 metres  Winter is coming soon, and we are basing our Mexico Tour Operation in Manzanillo this winter: Flying El Toro Launch in Manzanillo is a mix of ridge and thermal soaring, and we have Colima as the inland site, or even Tapalpa on the east wind days. We also have tow ride/dune soaring sites secured as of Dec 3, 2016. Check the FlyBC Online Calendar for availability as we have limited spaces and only 2 months of tour slots. 12-31-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Partly cloudy. High around 30C. Winds SW at 10 to 15 km/h. 2000 metres
We arrived to see someone up high on a red paraglider, and the rest of the Colima pilots we met yesterday were set up on Wouter's Launch.
We set up in the other spot that faces more SW and when the sun came out we got decent cycles. Darren launched on my Delta 2 and had a bouyant sled ride out to the beach, where he found high tides and umbrellas everywhere so he chose an alternate LZ. Maurice was up next and he failed to get enough airspeed to clear the bushes below launch and he got stuck in them. No injuries or wing damage. We drove down after extracting him for lunch on the beach and some surf action, where Maurice got slammed into the bottom and he got cut up a bit, PG is much safer! Colleen, Aaron & Christy joined me at a gala new years party and after midnight (yes I stayed awake), we got a nice fireworks display for 30 minutes. The Mexicans know how to party! 12-30-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Partly cloudy. High around 30C. Winds SW at 10 to 15 km/h. 2000 metres Some good thermalling action as two local tandem pilots flew off and showed us the lift. Then Bev went and showed everyone how to do a low save from out of sight on the south ridge to 300 metres over Launch. Dennis & Bev were swapping "top of the stack" honours while Maurice kept reappearing as he climbed out several times. When Darren launched he got one climb in front of launch and then all sink to the LZ as the winds switched to NW. We went down to get everyone and after lunch we went back up to try again and saw HGers launch and get pinned against the towers, not a chance we were launching again. When we got to the Beach Dunes it was no wind in Manzanillo? 12-29-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Sunny. High 28C. Winds SW at 10 to 15 km/h. 2000 metres We got a late start as a short visit to the mechanic to check the leak in the rear diff became a replaced rear cover and he alos found a cracked brake line. But he got it done by noon and we were on the raod to Colima under cloudy skies. We arrived at La Cumbre to see 6 PG pilots high and 6 HG pilots setting up. Dennis launched first and climbed out going straight out.
Landings were all over the place but I found everyone in decent time and they all rehydrated in the Suburban on the way home.
12-28-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Sunny. High 28C. Winds SW at 10 to 15 km/h. 2000 metres As we have found it was too strong on top, but the beach kiting was good for everyone to get tuned up.
12-27-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Sunny. High 31C. Winds SW at 10 to 15 km/h. 2000 metres We arrived at noon to see 10 paragliders already soaring above La Cumbre Launch. It was getting strong so I suggested getting ready fast. Dennis launched first and had a big frontal but flew away. Darren launched next and had a good launch but let off his wraps too fast and also frontalled, but flew away. Both guys were thermalling on the ridge when Maurice launched.
Dennis had his longest flight ever, +2 hours and some huge climbs. Maurice had about an hour too. 12-26-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Sunny. High 31C. Winds SW at 10 to 15 km/h. 2000 metres First heavy duty test of the new diff in the Suburban with 6 people, 6 gliders and 3 sets of luggage and she made it to the top just fine. Colleen launched first and had some nice soaring near the towers, but we had high cirrus and no CU today. Previous days we had towering CU all around us.
Next off was Dennis and he found some sink near the towers, but had a nice soaring session at the hump near the LZ (pictured in the pic below).
I drove down to find them all eating and drinking in the beach bar near the LZ. 12-23 to 25-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Sun and clouds mixed. High 31C. Winds S at 10 to 15 km/h. 2000 metres
12-22-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Sun and clouds mixed. High 31C. Winds SE at 10 to 15 km/h. 2000 metres I am waking to this sunrise most mornings so it is not all bad.
Mid Air Collision Report - I've had 4 flights in Oz now and 2 wedge tailed eagle attacks.
He got caught in the fabric after the strike and fell over the leading edge. I thought for a second he was gonna slide down the lines and get personal. After the initial strike he was a bit more wary, maybe getting thrown over the front was not too his liking. So with some bar, swearing, side collapses, and more yelling I got away enough for his liking. Glider wasn't flying to well, bit of turning and pulsing. Landed OK and two friendly rides later I was back in Bright at the brewery. Apparently its nesting season. In this picture you're not supposed to see any white, 70 cm tear on the seam as well as 4 other holes.
12-19+20+21-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Partly cloudy. High 32C. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 km/h. 2000 metres Shaun had an awesome flying trip with 10+ flyable days and some great airtime. Wouter of course was a star, flying most days . . . even when it was blown out. The Suburban got dismantled on the weekend and here is what the pinion looked like, and the main pinion bearing also gave out. New/used diff was being installed Monday.
12-18-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Sun and clouds mixed. High 31C. Winds SE at 10 to 15 km/h. 2000 metres Wouter went surfing, Colleen is still working til Monday so I had the day off to do some errands. It was flyable as most days here are with light outflow in the morning, switching to SW or NW in the afternoons. Very civilized compared to being on Woodside at 9 am everyday. We have high mountain launches (600 and 800 metres), Beach soaring sites facing South and NW and if we are really motivated we are only 2 hours from Tapalpa. OZ XC Report - Alex R is in Australia doing some XC flights on his mildy used Alpina 2.
He's on his way to Deniliquin now to try for some record XC flatland flying where the Ozone Team has been breaking female & male Triangle Records- Nicole Used Gear List: Updated Dec 19, 2015 SupAir XA13 Harness L size, 4 hours like new - $1000 (superlight pod for the X Alps) Ozone Oxygen I Harnesses, demo models - $350 Ozone Rapido 13 Speed wing - new demo - $2250 Demo SupAir EIKO Hiking glider - $3200 CDN - only 8 flights on it - first in North America, 2.7 kgs! Info is available at Eiko Specs Icaro Wildcat 2 XL good to 115 kgs - $900 CDN no taxes, 100 hours 2011 model. Niviuk Koyot XL 100-130 kgs with harness & reserve - $2000 with 40 hours (good student rig) Gin Carerra+ M - 85-105 kgs - EN-B - $2750 - 60 hours, no taxes. Ozone Rush 3 L in Blue from 2014 - 100 hours - $2000 CDN Ozone Rush 3 L in Blue from 2013 - 100 hours - $1500 CDN Nova Mentor 3 Small (80-100 kgs) EN-B - 30 hours - $2600, no taxes. Ozone Delta 1 M in Red from 2011 - $1400 CDN 60 hours. Ozone Delta 2 S in orange/blue - $2000 CDN 80 hours Ozone Delta 2 ML in Red custom colours - 2014 model - $2700 CDN 60 hours Nova Factor Large (90-110 kgs) EN-C - 60 hours - $600, no taxes. BlackHawk AirMax 125 Paramotor with your choice of new wing for $7,000 USD. Just broken in, 2 hours. BlackHawk AirMax 220 Paramotor with Electric Start and your choice of new wing for $10,000 USD. Just broken in, 0 hours. Ozone Roadster 2 28 in red (paramotor & PG wing with EN-B) - $3500 CDN with 5 flights FlyBC is an authorized distributor for Ozone , Gin , SupAir, Flytec, Blackhawk Paramotors, Wills Wing. Current Demo Gear: Supair EONA EN-A Gliders in S/M/L, New SupAir EIKO Hiking glider, Ozone Buzz Z4 Small/Medium/Large, Gin Carerra+ in M, Ozone Delta 2 (ML & S), SupAir XA13 Pod Harness L. 12-17-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Partly cloudy skies. High 29C. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 km/h. 2000 metres We arrived on launch at 12:45 pm, and Shaun launched first and got some lift on the way to the ridge. I told Wouter to fly as he has only a few more days here before heading back to Holland. I suggested that if he top-landed then I would fly afterwards. He took off, made two passes and came smoking in for a top-landing from the north.
When I got to Shaun, Wouter was getting high above the first rocks on the South Ridge. Shaun relaunched and it was spicier now, and he was thermalling out over the farmland, when Wouter tried for anoth top-landing.
At the Coast it was light South winds, but Shaun tried the dunes a few times and got his feet in the air.
12-16-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Sunny to partly cloudy. High near 30C. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 km/h. 2000 metres Wouter & I took this time to take the Bronco in for a tuneup and fluid change at Javier's garage in Santiago. Also the brakes were a bit spongy so Colleen was not so happy driving it that way.
On the way through the low jungle towards the hill the Suburban was behaving itself well and we got to a place where the road was washed out so we turned around and the rear diff made some funny noises. I headed back towards the mechanic shop and babied it and about a mile from the shop the rear end seized up and I can only imagine how many teeth are now missing on the ring gear. Javier now has 2 trucks to work on after getting the Suburban towed in. I am now driving a rental car til the Bronco is back in service tomorrow.
12-15-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Sunny. High 31C. Winds SW at 10 to 15 km/h. 1500 metres
It is an hour to Colima and about 45 minutes to the top of El Toro so more kms but roughly the same amount of time. We arrived at 1230 pm, to find Gilles & Warenka set up for two tandems. Gilles is the Ozone Dealer for Mexico so they were flying Ozone Magnum IIs.
Ware launched first and climbed out fast with some vultures.
The tandems went north to the Police Station LZ, but Shaun could not see where they went so he landed in the Piano LZ after 30 minutes of soaring. I went down to get him and we headed back up as the normal SW winds seem to have diminished. This next flight had higher launch winds but Shaun has his Ozone Geo 4 all figured out with all the beach kiting and he had a perfect inflation and launch run and he climbed up to cloudbase fast.
When I arrived at the bottom I could not see him . . . because he was ridge soaring the SW facing slopes and getting lots of soaring action. He landed at Kirril's LZ near the river after getting into the lee at one point. Chalk up 2 more Mexico flights and 1:30 of airtime for Shaun! San Marcos Report - Bev & Norm headed up San Marcos and the German's took off and one landed at the bottom and the other made it over the back. Norm climbed out and headed home to San Juan Cosala and had a perfect approach into what he though was green grass, but it turned out to be water plants in 3 feet of water. Wet harness & reserve but the wing stayed dry. LOL! 12-14-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Sunny. High 31C. Winds W at 10 to 15 km/h. 1500 metres We did more launch improvements, cutting a few more trees to expand the launch area.
After collecting Shaun we headed to Pelican Bay, the NW facing ridge site. Wouter tried kiting his Swift 2 on the top area and got blown back. He went down to the beach to try there. Shaun went to the beach too. I set up my Delta 2 on top and managed to get her up a few times but I was getting lifted off and drifted back twice even letting it surge forward to reduce the angle of attack. I packed it up and got out the Rapido 13. It was easy to kite the Rapido but no lift even at the edge of the cliff. I kited while Wouter disappeared going for a hike with his Swift 2.
Shaun was kiting on the beach and when I launched the Rapido I got no lift and was just coming over the middle ridge to land on the beach when he inflated his wing right in front of me and I had to swerve left to miss him. Wouter had landed too, and was doing some low soaring right on the beach.
12-13-15
|
|  Manzanillo MX Overcast with rain showers at times. High 29C. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 km/h. 1500 metres We did some shopping for housewares and car parts for the new Bronco. After lunch we went to the beach next to the condo and went swimming in the ocean.
12-12-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Overcast with rain showers at times. High 29C. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 km/h. Chance of rain 70%. 1500 metres We found a 1980 Ford Bronco in the online classifieds and we found it out in Campos near the power plant.
It looks like a 302 cid motor and standard tranny, so El Toro or San Marcos should be no problem. It has a few cosmetic issues but for a 35 year old unit it is pretty good, no rust and it takes the "topes" very well. It was raining heavily last night and no leaks showed in the top or windows. 12-11-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Generally cloudy. High 31C. Winds S at 10 to 15 km/h. 1500 metres
Wouther was off working on his launch beside the barbed wire fenceline as Shaun launched.
I walked over to check out Wouter's spot and watched him forward launch. His slot is very nice with no trees and just grass to lay out on.
We checked out a dune buggy that was for sale for $24000 pesos. Not bad except it had no brakes despite a fill and bleed operation.
12-10-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Partly to mostly cloudy. High 31C. Winds SE at 10 to 15 km/h. 3200 metres After food, we stopped to look at an Isuzu Amigo for a backup truck, and just like Canada the truck did not match the description in the ad. Instead of 100,000 kms it was 190,000 miles and beat up. Still looking for a smaller 4x4 for running around in. We headed up to El Toro at noon and it was pretty strong on top, with clouds zooming by. I clipped in and waited and waited for a lull, but it was so south that when the lulls came the wind was 90 degrees cross. Shaun & Wouter were hacking trees and brush down around me and missed my launch which was uneventful and I went straight up into the clouds. Base was just above the peak but thin.
I tried penetrating out toward the beach and the wind was +20 kph according to my FlyTec Element vario/gps.
There is a mountain I have looked at for years, that looked soarable but has no road access. Today it was not trouble soaring it as I hit it at 600 metres. I flew back out to the valley and was making +10 kph forward progress so landing should be a breeze. Except that it was thermic down low and in the lee of some palm trees, so I picked a big field just west of the Pemex and worked my way down to a nice place to pack up. As usual in Mexico there are lots of powerlines all around to watch for.
It turned out he is an air traffic controller at Manzanillo Tower and he told me the airspace area. We are okay up to 4000 feet and then there is a Victor Airway that extends to Colima Airport, and we can be in it if we call first or radio our intentions. Launch is at 2400 feet so we are not required to call. The traffic usually lines up for the airport out over the ocean so we are okay landing on the beach too, he says. When the guys arrived in the Suburban, we headed to the south dunes area to kite and wait for the winds to die down.
Wouter did not like the south facing slope, soo shallow without lift, so he went to the fence area while Shaun stayed on the west facing launch. We got completely socked in for a bit, and when it cleared Wouter launch but it was almost legal dark so we packed Shaun up.
Off to dinner and early bed time for me. Long days but the weather is giving us some nice thermals now. 12-9-15
|
| Manzanillo MX GDL: Mostly cloudy. High 26C. Winds light and variable. 3200 metres Too bloody cold in Joco and cloudy. It was flyable but not soarable. Reports back from Bev that they made it up San Marcos in the Vocho (VW Beetle) with all four pilots on board (a miracle) but it was blowing down. So they went to El Chante and got Tobi & Max a flight there. We drove South and when we went past Tapalpa it was grey and we saw no gliders flying so we kept going to Colima. It was definitely sunnier in Colima with SW winds in the valley so up to La Cumbre we went. Nice launch conditions on this perfectly manufactured astroturf, so Shaun set up and had a sweet launch.
Wouter flew off next and got even less lift.
The locals were doing just fine near the antennas.
When we got to Manzanillo just before sunset there was no wind so we headed straight to the Hotel to unpack Shaun's gear. Nice sunset on the beach!
12-8-15
|
| Manzanillo MX GDL: Mostly cloudy. High near 25C. Winds light and variable. 3200 metres It is very cold & cloudy here 25C but flyable. Shaun was first off El Chante, then me. I am flying Doc Russell's 2014 Delta 2 and it is in primo shape and launched nicely. There were some bumps if you hugged the hillside but just an extended sledder to the Futball Field.
Max had a long final and his wing was on the wrong side of the fence after he "kungfu kicked" the fence. Shaun & Tobi landed right in the middle as did Wouter.
We then headed to San Marcos and Max, Shaun & Wouter flew off in light cloudy conditions.
12-7-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Mainly sunny to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High 33C. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 km/h. 3200 metres Shaun deserved a break from tight launch spots after yesterday at El Toro, so we went to the main Tapalpa Launch to find Bev and Norm snoozing on launch, not too excited to fly as Tobi & Max had sledders down to the Piano. Shaun got ready and took off and climbed out immediately on his sand filled Geo 4. Somewhere in the past few days the clutch on the Suburban started acting up and it would not disengage so I had to start and stop on a slope, so I told Wouter to fly. Wouter flew off too and both of them got high right away.
The plan was to have the boys fly to the Crossroad LZ far in the distance but right next to the road down to the highway, so I would not have to turn around.
Wouter and Norm were scratching around down low and and I doubted either would make the LZ, but a few miracle thermals got Wouter there with Norm doing the "death glide" in to the LZ. We spent 20 minutes bleeding the clutch cylinders and got the clutch working for the drive to San Marcos. We got to the top of San Marcos to find tailwind so off to the mechanic and Casa Marina for the night. 12-6-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Sunny. High 33C. Winds SW at 10 to 15 km/h. 3200 metres I must be on vacation because I got up very early, updated the SOD, and then went back to bed til noon. Shaun had done the tour of Manzanillo Playa Azul and was itching to go flying, so we got some breakfast at Starbucks and headed up El Toro. Sunday and there were many trucks partway up El Toro at a casita getting ready for a BBQ. Even up at the North Launch there was a truck full of sightseers. Nice folks and immediately they pulled out a machete and started helping us clear launch for Shaun's first flight here. After hacking a few trees down, we set Shaun's Geo 4 u and he tried a few times, very nervously becasue it was light winds. After the third abort into the thorn bushes, I removed those bushes and then he got a good wing but turned right . . . right into the path of some tall tree to the right of launch and flew right through the top of one tree and flew off. He did not want to do a "Tobi"! He got some soaring in on the North Slopes before heading out to the beach, a nice long glide out but it was very buoyant. Wouter launched after Shaun, it was my turn to fly but the clutch was acting up in the Subrban so I nursed it down the mountain. Looks like a clutch slave cylinder, easy fix if we can find the part.
Then off to the Hotel to kite on the beach.
We kited til sunset and then off to dinner.
Bev reported that Norm got high at Tapalpa and was able to topland to drive for the others there. 12-5-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 33C. Winds W at 15 to 25 km/h. 3200 metres The part was just the steady bearing, easy to source and change, but the usual delays happened as the new front tires were supposed to be there in the AM but they were shipped to the wrong store. So I waited and waited, then shopped a bit and 5 hours later I got the truck on the road.
The South Launch is looking great now, but we still need to do some work on the North Helipad once I get the weedwhacker from Joco. Tapalpa Report - Bev, Tobi & Max flew successfully today and all landed safely in the Piano LZ.
12-4-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Plentiful sunshine. High 32C. Winds W at 15 to 25 km/h. 2200 metres We thought it would be SW at 15 kph, but in fact it was NW at the same amount, sometimes thermalling up the front of the SW face but when we got to the helipad near the antenna it was definitely NW. I cleaned up a bit of brush near the pad, as Wouter got his Swift ready. Not much room on this pad even for a small wing.
We drove into town to book some repairs before heading to the airport for Shaun G. Pelicanos Report - after picking up Shaun we headed to Pelicanos Launch which faces NW and it was gusty. Wouter took my Rapido out and was kiting it and it was strong and he had to work to keep the wing pointed into the wind, and he had to work to get to the edge and then . . . he was on the beach in 2 turns?
Once up high it was smooth but on the top of the bluff it was even more gusty.
Shaun managed some kiting on the beach.
12-3-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. High 31C. 1100 metres We found the NW facing ridge near Old Manzanillo and the access is unrestricted through one gate up to the 60 meter ridge.
Easy top-landing on this top bench that is covered in native grasses. Great entertainment by the Pelicans fishing in the bay below, free falling from great heights to dive beak-first into the sea to get a meal. We then headed South to find the dunes, and after many treks through the palm forests we found a drive in access at El Eden Resort with 20 metre high dunes with due south aspect, so we have North & South winds covered now. We even found this wind ribbon on top of the dunes?
See picture, you need a strong webbing strap and a piece of wood and you can get yourself out of mud or sand. With some luck and the help of two strapping Mexican dudes on a mission to get us out!
12-2-15
|
| Manzanillo MX Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. High 31C. 1100 metres It takes about three hours to get to Manzanillo via the toll road, and there was no traffi today thanksfully. I got settled into the new rental condo, after hiking many boxes up to the 10th floor via three sets of elevators. We are going to get lots of exercise this trip! Nice view of the Salahua Bay.
The birds were soaring easily in the sea breeze and thermals.
12-1-15
|
| Agassiz BC Cloudy. Risk of freezing rain in the morning. Windy. High zero. 600 metres
|
FlyBC Paragliding Past Site of the Day Reports click to select the month and year you wish to review.
|
1253 Kilby Road, Harrison Mills, BC V0M 1L0 Cell: 604-618-5467 Skype: flybcpg E-Mail: FlyBC E-Mail |