Gil Souviron <>
writes:

This year the season has been particularly successful. I don't
know if it was due to the fact that we delayed the trip at the end of July or if
this year was particularly good. One thing was sure was that our friends went to
fly four weeks in Pedrahita and did only four or five flights. This was due to
constant South and West wind.


So it would seem that more than ever towing (as we did) is the solution to make
the best flight, not only in Spain, but in the world, as I think Spain is one of
the best locations. We must find a ongoing solution to getting towed in Spain.
We should contact the Spanish administration to have these agreements at least
at some specific place.

The three flights above: World Record Out and Return, Longest
flight in Europe, second longest flight in Europe.


Caceres - Andorra de Teruel


That day, South-West wind 10-15 km/h, and 25 km/h on the plain of La Mancha with
ceiling of 2000 meters at Caceres and 3500-4000 at the end of La Mancha.


Take off at 12:25 and immediate climb at 1600 then 1800, which is quite early
for the location (We are at 6,33° West), it is equivalent to a take-off at 11:25
in Germany.


We start the trip with Bruno Capell. The major obstacle is the Sierra of
Guadalupe where the ground climbs and the ceiling quite often decreases.
Unfortunately,  thecumulus fail and Bruno must land as by a miracle I found
a thermal in my last turn at 60 meter from the ground. It will be the only hard
point of the flight. From there I flew over Guadalupe Sierra without a problem
and pass to north of the Toledo mountains for an entry on the Mancha plain which
were totally switched on.


On our last European record the day has finished at 22 hours, I thought that
today it would be finish at 20 hours, so I had to fly fast. with the Cumulus at
3/8 cloud cover I accelerated and selected only the good thermals.


At 15:50 I was at km 126, one hour later km 196 or 70km done with 500 meters of
altitude gained. At 17:50 km 270 or 74 km more and again 500 meters more height.
The cumulus over the Mancha Plain started to dry up, but I arrived on the
Serrana de Cuenca, the biggest forest in Spain. The ground climbs from 800
meters to 1500-1800 meters, the sky became extraordinary with magnificent
western clouds at 4000 meters.


Below the land became frankly hostile, it was a huge forest large of 70 km and
long of 150 with some Canyons, some cliffs and trees everywhere else. Every 20km
a bit of crest seems "landable". I entered in the Serrana at km 370 and would
exit at km 440. I "raise my feet" to stay high, at 2800 meters I felt like a low
point.


Km 380, 19:50 I know that I will beat the record with my glide, the wind drift
jumped to 30km/h and my ground speed iwas more than 100km/h with a glide ratio
of 25:1. I should do more than 80km on my glide only.


20:20 I break the 430km barrier, even the big cumulus start to laminate behind
me, and in front of me I see the fracto cumulus at 1500 meter materializing the
maritime air enters from the Mediterranean coast. It is my final glide, I should
do the 460km.


Suddenly, I see 2 barbules forming in front of me. I take a small vario then a
stronger one below the second. The south-west wind pushes back the East air mass
and I finish my last glide.


And that start again, the ground became again hostile with another cliff Sierra,
but this one has more porosity avec some land points and a road, the drift go up
to 40km/h. The land area are smaller, it is late 21:10.A Cumulonimbus over the
Guadarrama 150km from west project his shade over all the area. I look around
the land at km 496, it is ok I could land at km 501 near Montalba village, but
my God these field are so small.


Lost in my mind, I hear suddenly my variometer, I turn 1m/s then 1.5 2, 2.5 and
2.7 m/s. The thermal is very regular. What's going on? The cumulus has
disappeared replaced by laminated stratus, there is shade everywhere, obscurity
is coming.


It is decided, I will be landing before 21:45 to respect aeronautical night. I
voluntary left the thermal at 2700 meters, and I see a village at the horizon
30km from me. I accelerate for my last glide. I am at 115km/hour with a ground
glide of 30:1. Right over the village at 1700 meters, I pull in spiral to burn
the last 1000 meters before I land at 21:38 in the east wind.


What has happened? My explanation is the west wind very strong has struck the
east air of maritime Mediterranean, generating a convergence or confluence area
where I was , a de facto this large climb area with nothing related with thermal
and should continue largely after the sunset in the night.


That day several pilots will break their own record, and in particular Françoise
who, with a magnificent 290 km, pulverize the best feminine distance in Europe.


But for me the real true achievement would come four days later where Roger
Dupenne would do 220 km with his classic Atos after six hours of flight whereas
he never exceed three hours previously, landing after flying over Guadaluppe
Sierra and Toledo Mountains, and all of that at sixty eight years old!