Despite a rather selfish desire to sweep all this under the carpet and pretend it never occurred, I have decided to share as I would not like this to happen to anyone else on Constitution Hill, Aberystwyth, (and other similar cliffs). The complete 3 minute flight video is posted here. After a strenuous, (for me), hike and fly from Pumlumon Fawr, I decided on a 'relaxing' late afternoon flight on the coast.
What happened - When I launched at around 16.30, (I had checked that the tide would be out), I think the wind must have been further off to the N and perhaps a bit stronger than I thought. The anemometer at Aberystwyth lifeboat station was showing NW and @5-6 mph, when I took off, but as happens often, it seemed more like NNW, but still quite light on the launch, - conditions which usually would be ok. Through experience, local pilots have learned that both Aberystwyth and Borth lifeboats online real-time data, though very helpful, is not always 100% reliable. When I was soaring, it was clearly much more off to the N than I had thought it would be and maybe a little stronger. From the altitude at which I headed off for Aberystwyth beach, I would normally expect to at least almost reach the bandstand before turning into wind for landing. As the video appears to show, the turbulence induced significant prolonged sink, requiring an immediate decision on how and where to land. I could have attempted a downwind landing on the beach, but it felt that my ground speed was quite high, with concrete breakers across the beach as well. Still in turbulence, (not immediately obvious because of the wonderful Gopro stabilisation), I attempted to turn into wind, but only managed to spin the glider, (I think), impacting the sea quite hard. Luckily I was close to the shore, with the water up to my chest. I pulled the glider towards the beach, but this rapidly became more difficult as the cells filled with water. Luckily a group of visitors on the beach came to my rescue and helped pull the glider clear. I am very grateful to them.
What I have learned? - Don't get complacent, even at 'benign' coastal sites. I was lucky to avoid a more serious outcome by landing close to the beach in a relatively calm sea, with help to hand. If I had impacted the beach at the same speed, I doubt very much if I would have been able to walk away. I don't have flight data unfortunately as my Skytraxx was trashed of course, along with other expensive bits and pieces!
I have also been reminded that on sea cliffs, even if the wind does not seem strong, 'air sharks' may still be lurking! There was another accident, unfortunately with a tragic outcome, at Newgale Beach in August 2011, where rotor from an outcrop apparently was a major factor. www.bhpa.co.uk...
Yesterday, in hindsight, I should have walked to the the north end of Consti, to get a more accurate idea of wind speed and direction, and to be at the better place to launch from in conditions when the wind is a somewhat off to the N. Any decision then to fly to the Aberystwyth end of the cliff would have depended again on assessment of whether conditions in the the air, (altitude, wind speed and direction) allow it to be done safely. What I think happened is clearly warned about in the Constitution Hill guide which ironically I updated myself recently! "If wind veers further to N or NNE and is strong, top landing may be a better option, as both Aberystwyth and Clarach beaches move into the lee of sea cliffs." (See the guide for more info).
I have had numerous flights from Consti over the years, and been caught out once or twice by the wind veering suddenly towards the N or NE, getting away with it, (up to now!) by having enough height to land at the S end of either Aberystwyth and Clarach beaches as far downwind from the outcrops as possible. All in all I feel very lucky to have come out of this in one piece!
Link in text above does not seem to work for me. Repeat here
www.bhpa.co.uk...
doc=2011_08_28_pg-newgale-beach.pdf
Still doesn't work!
Негізгі бет Paragliding accident Constitution Hill, Aberystwyth, 7th April 2023
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