Year: 2008

Singing the Billing Blues

  Back home to Mumbai and Kamshet but our thoughts keep going back to Bir Billing. We miss the daily flying fix,  the friends we made,  the general excitement and more. Doc and Piku are still there and and killing it every day with great flights.  Doc has been  enjoying the air and testing the [...]
Our last flying day at Billing

Our last flying day at Billing

Then the last flying day dawned and after two days of staying within familiar surroundings  I was focused and ready to head out again but this time keeping the rules of the game in the fore front of my mind. At take off I decided to fix up my talk back but Steve told me [...]
A spate of good weather

A spate of good weather

  The next 5 days went off like clock work – breakfast at 9, head out to the site by 10, wait for the vultures and the wind dummies to takeoff, launch, milk the house thermal till about 3000 m and then headed out in some pre decided direction.  We usually took off after 12 [...]
A dramatic change in the weather

A dramatic change in the weather

  I woke up at 6 am and rushed up to the terrace to find big clouds gathering fast over the east. The sun peeped out for a short while only to be enveloped by cloud and it began to get very dark. A huge thunder storm ensued and we thought – bother another day [...]
Bad Weather Plans

Bad Weather Plans

Hiren and Dwane arrive and our world becomes 'Animal Planet' Hiren and Dwane arrived in Bir last evening. They will stay on with me for the next 11 days but Ravi and the rest of the boys will head back home in a couple of dasy as the season in Kamshet is due to begin. [...]

Himalayas here I come

The day arrives and  Sanjay drives me to the airport. I am on my way to Bir Billing for 12 whole days. Sanjay has not been able to join me once more but has organised the works. Double the amount of time as compared to last year's trip, an XC course that I will participate [...]
Himalayas here  I come

Himalayas here I come

The day arrives and  Sanjay drives me to the airport. I am on my way to Bir Billing for 12 whole days. Sanjay has not been able to join me once more but has organised the works. An XC course that I will participate in along with Hiren and Dwane, and a chance to fly [...]
Dune de Pyla (7th to 11th July)

Dune de Pyla (7th to 11th July)

At 60Km from Bordeaux, in the South of the Arcachon Bay, it is the highest dune in Europe, the Great Dune of Pyla (or Pilat). The dune is 7km long, 107 meters high, and has a lovely view to the Atlantic Ocean, the Bay and pine forests. For some years now it has been a [...]
Francois and Gwen’s wedding at Nieul le Dolent

Francois and Gwen’s wedding at Nieul le Dolent

When we reached Nieul le Dolent the sky was grey and it was windy and cold. We saw the big blue tent where the wedding reception was to be held from the distance and knew we were there at last. The wedding house was buzzing with activity and excitement. As of now it was the [...]