Mountain Hawk ASC - Nepal

The Mission Continues

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:20:46 +0000

Karan has completed his paramotor training at Pune (some while ago now) and has moved to Hyderabad. He has started free flying to gain experience – to get some ‘miles on the clock.’ The growth of MHASC is happening in the background with steps being taken by Karan to establish a company in Nepal, he is also taking tentative steps with the Nepali CAA. Establishing a working relationship is essential, the basis under which paragliding runs within Nepal is, shall we say, a little unconventional.

The silence between posts here is related to this protracted process. We hope to have more to report when moves start to come to fruition.

Outstanding!

admin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:14:06 +0000

Today I did 4 launch and each launch was with successful take of.

Wind and weather is good. one thing still confusing me. It was same motor which i fly yesterday. Mangesh done one flying and land. Same instruction control on throttles and everything is fine.

I am ready for flying, i did reverse launch and control the wing and go go go and srrrrrrrrr I am in Air nicely. I press throttle very carefully and i get the point of throttle. one time its again try to loose power but now i get the point of correction of throttle control i release the throttle little and again its come on power and i start lifting nicely. I spend more then 18 to 20 min in first launch. I feel really like hawk flying in sky and watching the world from hawk eye. Its very beautiful scenery from sky i enjoy lots I have no word to express it.
Eric sir call me for landing, but i didn’t want to come back to land LOL. After make approch i came for landing Mangesh sir told me make a power landing. I prepare my self for power landing and land but with knee folded because my flare is not react nicely. every thing is ok.

2nd launch its all done by my self make reverse launch control glider turn forward quickly give power and go again, nice launch. the confident level build up little more again. I fly 20 to 22 min and soar in air here and there I try to make straight and level flying but wind blow me little here and there I try to control and make it straight flying. I see down try to make flight follow over the foot track for little practicing the flight for directional flying. I success little bit but not smoothly follow the track some time glider go little left and sometime right.

Eric sir again call me Karan get down your petrol is came to finish now make a approach and land. then i came for landing and land not nicely but better the 1st landing. At this flight i make one touch down and go just touch the ground and again take off. but this practice is not good in learning period.

3rd launching- after 2nd landing we make a break for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes Eric sir ask me, karan would u want to take one more flight. I smile from inside and tell my self, That Eric sir ask to a person for water, who is very trusty. I quickly answer yes sir if u allow I want to make one more flight. Today he fill happy so and behave very differently. I will get ready and make one more flight. At this time one trike is also flying in same ground. Eric call me in radio and warn me about trike flying. I answer Rozer sir, I make observe and flight. Now we two flayer in same ground. its very wonderful when another one is also flying in same ground. this flying is also about 15 to 20 mins. I fly until Eric sir call me for land.
this was my 3rd landing its also well.

4th launch- Now Eric sir ask me to pack up the glider. u done lots of flying today. I say ok and pack the glider and helping one of the flyer he is also new flayer ( Shriinivas Gadare 52) he is good Free flyer but little bit heavy he make reserve launch run and when the glider try to lift him he sit down on harness and get struck with ground with hips ( Painful launch) but not get any wound and every thing is ok. I thanks god. After 45 minutes what happen Eric sir ask me again karan would u make one flight more. I smile and answer yes sir why not. Very fast i get ready for flying with motor Mangesh sir layout the glider on ground.
At this time i feel i missing something. I feel that it was very good chance to catch some wonderful moment of flying in camera. I ask Sandeep mobile camera and kept it with radio pocket. make reverse launch and give power and go now i feel everything is happen easily.
my confiedent is in new level. At this time i flew and take more height (900 to 1000ft). and watch the city. wow! good looking at the moment Eric sir give the call and tell me that make low flying you are going to much height cloud may be suck you, yes i correct and i live the powe low and flew down and after 500 to 600ft i start straight flying. i captured some photos and try to make vedio clip but it cant save so i have only some photos which i want to share with you all. with one my close up pic. and some video clip.

i hope i get one more chance to fly on 10 Nov after my flying i have to move for join duty to Hyderabad.
thanks………………….

Karan

Pune – 5th Novemeber – Ground Handling

admin — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:58:51 +0000

It looks as though it was too breezy to fly so the boys ground handled the wing. Karan is helping Sandeep with a little GH.

Karan with friends/family in Nepal

Hi, Daji Namaste, How are you?

Daji Its my 4th day of regular practicing the ground handling with OASIS. Now I have developed full confidence in ground handling, but I say learning have no endpoint. The wind condition is good, not to much violent . I want to ground handle lots and lots. Again I understand that ground handling is also a flying, the difference is sky and ground.

Now Sandeep is also little bit improving in his ground handling and I also assist & guide him what ever i can I help him to learn easily and perfect. I tell him the fault which i made earlier and beware for that. By own glider I get lots of time for practice without any time limits and I practice both morning and in evening. In morning I and sandeep alone practicing and in evening they (Flight and Wings) came to assist .

The member are change Joy and Kris leave the wings & flight. Joy have good skill in PG and he teach me well. He is also practicing because he flying 50 to 60 flight four year ago and leave now he again join the Flight & Wings. Joy Start his own commercial flying club in Hill station (Panch Gani 100 km from Pune).

Daji i am little late to send mail and pic of my training. because of picture which i take from mobile camera memory card is infected with virus so it defficul to download, today i correct it and i send some photo and video of my ground handling.
pic- 1 to 5 (5 Nov with out any assist) and some more photos with Nepal aeronautical chart not clear but understandable.

today i done one winch launch free flying which help me to recall my previous flying experience and now i am fresh up for PPG. tomorrow is my PPG flying.

Eric and Mangesh both asking about you & asking is he come in Hydarbad ? I say yes and we mates there and he gives me this glider. Eric also checked and told its good ( Gin products are good).

I have video which i take it from 2MP mobile cemra so its not to good at that time the wind is high I am just strugling with wind LOL. and some pic.

Karan

Airborne!

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:24:59 +0000

Here is a note from Karan after the days flying.

Hi Daji Namaste,

Yes i start from today morning, at first its very difficult to launch wings again, because i forget little bit. Now I am with possessions of my own, I bring it again in evening and now its perfect. Oasis is so good and i don’t struggle with it like earlier, I complete 6 to 7 launch without assistance. I feel very good and inside my heart says me good boy you can do well, LOL.
Tomorrow i send you photo also. and if possible vidio clip also.

thanks everyone!

Karan

Back to Pune and into the air!

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:35:34 +0000

Karan is now back at Pune to finish his training. He had to slip back to Nepal to see his family as his daughter was unwell. Thankfully all is now well. Karan is sharing his experiences with a friend on the course, Sandeep is also learning to fly.

More to follow I am sure as the flying progresses.

Wake from wings

admin — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 09:34:45 +0000

29th June update

admin — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:00:29 +0000

I had a long chat with Karan on the phone yesterday morning (UK time) and we discussed his plans for the next few months. He is going back to Varanasi to rejoin his unit and prepare for his duties and posting. When we spoke he was just starting out.

As you will see from the Climate page (similar for India as Nepal) this is the monsoon season and not really suitable for flying. When it finishes in September conditions once again become ideal for flying. Karan is committed to returning during October when he has more leave to finish the balance of his PM-1 paramotor course. Over here his support team will be planning his next move and raising money to put toward his equipment.

25th/26th June – Karan

admin — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:59:07 +0000

Hi Daji, Namaste

Yesterday its my first solo flying in G6 Paramotor. Daji at first in morning its more wind, So Instructor (Mangesh & Eric) were thinking whether they give a launch from winch or give free launch to me. At last final decision is that I get free launch.
My whole heartbeat is going fast but Im ready. At first Instructor ( Mangesh & Joy ) help me to raise the wings and say I gradually press throttle and go – go -go power -power -power and wow ! With in few step i was in air.
In my first circuit (around the ground) I’m not able to sit on harness properly, I feel uncomfortable while flying but when in my 2nd circuit I decide to adjust my harness, now I really feel good its now to easy to flying and whole body feel well and comfortable now I think In this position I can fly hours.
After Completion of 2^nd circuit I have to land and I make approach and forwarding for landing. In my flight the radio stop working so I not able to hear Instructor guide what ever I do. I land safely and turn back side to control wing I control it and I pull my both brakes, with wind it quite difficult to collapse the wings and I have to run toward wing while collapsing at last the one gust of wind come and drag me with wings at that time I cant control my self and I fall with motor and get My first wound in my knee! Its good I am happy at all every fall give me to learn. (If I ran faster there I never fall) As a result the cage of motor also gets little bends inside. The winds are not in good condition so we can’t try next launch & we pack up.

Daji as a wind condition I request to CI (Eric) pls from tomorrow we came early in the morning around 6 am, so I get little more time to fly and good wind condition for flying.

Today morning about 6.45am we complete all checks and ready for flying.
I was in more confidence and thought today I fly well and gain more height and enjoy flying more. We are ready for launch they (Instructor) help me for raising wings go-go-go power –power …. bump! Sound came and I cut throttle kill motor. I fall down with my knees. We see the propeller hit the cage net were the cage bends inside Yesterday. Its happen because the cage already bends and while I take run for takeoff with little bends my body at that time the raiser press cage more closer to propeller and get contact with net. They have no spare propeller at that time and we have to pack up.

Daji for few min I stand alone and think about my mission and trg. From my PM1 trg I get only one and half hrs for dry motor handling and 20 min solo flying. Today its Nil. And I have only 01 days left (27/06/2009). I also have to obey good Army orders which I get from my seniors, and I have to move in 27 noon.
I am sure I can’t get more then 1 hrs flying on 27 and if the weather is in good condition. At last I decide to give my trg break and kept it pending for next session. I hope I get more attention and more time (about 5hrs to 6 hrs flying) from Instructors in session and I get more good knowledge of flying and about paramotors. I ask these things with Instructor and he is also agreeing for that.

Today I see the flyings of my instructor (Eric) He flying well. And show His skill of flying and landing with power.
I hope I am sure one day I (MH) also flying Like Eric.

26th June

admin — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:55:11 +0000

Today Karan had a a tumble during launch, I will leave it to Eric to describe what happened. Nothing serious thankfully, just a milestone.

Dear Norman,

Mangesh, our Paramotor Instructor clicked a few pictures of Karan flying the paramotor. I am with the radio instructing Karan. Next to me are a few of my paragliding and paramotoring students.

Today, there was a set back. Karan has a habit of bending forward while launching. For some reason he still does it despite warning him. Today, he did the same and the risers put a lot of load on the cage and pushed the cage backwards during his take off. The cage touched the prop and shattered it. Karan aborted the flight lost his balance and toppled. The cage got bent on one side. Had to terminate the training session.

Karan has decided to go back to Nepal. He is being called back urgently. He has promised to return back in the month of October for the completion of his training.

Norman, if you happen to visit India in between please let me know. I would like to meet you. I wish to plan a few Paramotoring safaris with your team in India. There are very beautiful places to fly in India. Let’s plan it out and do it in the coming season.

Krish is limping to normal. He has just joined office today. He doesn’t seems to be 100% yet. Will take some more time to recover completely.

Cheers, Eric Menezes

And so ends the first chapter.
Learning to fly has always been challenging both of skills and personal resources. Falling over with all that noise and weight on your back can shake the best of us. I know this to be true as I have done it myself; if you paramotor, then you have probably done much the same.
The process seems to be a series of triumphs and minor disasters. We only hope that we can see them for what they are, all part of the process of learning and building respect for the sport and the act of flight.

Karan’s recall to his unit has been in prospect for a couple of days, they need him back despite extending his leave slightly. I understand he wants to have a day or two at home before his return.

Norman

25th June

admin — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:30:48 +0000

Karan has flown his first solo with a paramotor. I got a brief email from the Cyber Cafe with a bunch of photos attached telling me he had run out of time and just managed to make it before the place closed. He has been working during the evenings as well. You can see the focus and determination coming through can’t you?

Dear Karan,

Congratulations for your first paramotor solo flight.

Date: 25th June 2009 Time : 08 :15 AM
Location: Gliding Centre, Pune
Altitude: 560 m above MSL Altitude gained : 150 m AGL
Glider:   APCO THRUST (M)
Paramotor: G 6 power
Wind:   12 kmph
Clouds:    7 Octas
Duration: 20 minutes

Witnesses: Eric, Col Sil, Daniel, Mangesh, Rhone, Joe, Sachin

Regards
Mangesh Dighe

More photos …..

No pictures of the landing sadly, I gather it all went well enough though.