Manx holidays
Here's where I go every year to get some serious flying in. And some not-so-serious flying.
In 1993 I was inspired to try out this "slope soaring" lark - don't ask how, I can't remember. So I thinks to myself, "If I go on the Manx Soar-In, I'll find out if I like it or not". Well I like the Island anyway, from trips to watch the Manx Grand Prix motorcycle races. They are like the june T.T. but with no prize money and no crowds. So I built a simple sloper, the Soarcerer, booked the ferry and a farmhouse B+B, and stuffed all my flyable models in my van.
Well, the Manx fliers treated me like a long-lost brother and I was in fliers' heaven. We camped at Jurby airfield and flew 'til we had to stop to eat, or it got dark, then I was introduced to another delight - barbecued kippers!
I tried to fly the little "400"Ohmlette unsuccessfully under Jurby runway, but a little superglue and masking tape soon resurrected her and I later found small electric models make handy slope gliders too.When my only thermal soarer got reshaped, I was lent a Miri and shown how to bungee it, another new experience (thanks John)..
During the week I went to look at a coastal site, White Strand, along with both local and visiting fliers. Asking advice on adjusting the model for slope flying, I increased the aileron movement and hurled the battered and familiar Mirus power model out over the sea, minus prop. To my surprise and delight, it went outward and upward, and cruised back and forth in a relaxed manner in the smooth sea lift. Though there wasn't enough wind for exciting performance (I think the Mirus weighed about four pounds) we did manage a couple of rolls and a little inverted flight. More by luck than judgement, I pulled off a neat landing right on the slope edge next to me, and that was it, my first slope flight and not, I was sure now, my last.
Following that flight by test flying the Soarcerer was quite a change; it was a lot lighter and made better use of the lift, though couldn't go as fast. The curlover or rotor at Whitestrand is severe if you fly behind the point where the pilots stand in the above picture, a few feet to the left the wind blows back towards the sea. Further inland by a few yards the wind blows vertically down and this is where I "landed" the Soarcerer. Fortunately with no damage. Well I suppose the pilot walked away from that one.
The winds for the week were mostly moderate or light SW to NW and several slopes were enjoyed, my eyes were opened at what glider fliers got up to. I saw scale, sports, racing and bird models, and resolved to have some new model types by the next year. I was particularly taken by a couple of flying wing types brought by Duncan Simey and have had wings in my stable, so to speak, ever since.
We had social events all week and a visit to Ronaldsway airport, to fly powered models from the tarmac after the last passenger flight was in, followed by a splendid barbecue.
I decided, looking back at the Island from the departing ferry, that a week just wasn't enough. That's why I stayed for a fortnight the following year, and have been over every year since.
That's just about enough for one page, if you want to see more about the annual Manx Festival of Model Flight, surf on over to the club site of the Manx Model Fliers, then reach for the phone and book that ferry!
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