Changes

Some experienced Aboyne pilots say that getting diamond is one thing, but the real challenge is to fly cross country in a wave. The next day after my diamond height gain looked promising, thanks to fierce but stable southerly winds giving wave bars latitudinally aligned all across Scotland. Again, I decided for an early start and seeing two Aboyne pundits ensured me that the day will be good. They were ready at the runway, in complete darkness waiting for the first sunrays to allow for aerotows to commence. As before, sunrise over wave clouds was spectacular and unforgettable.

I would not be myself if I did not declare a very ambitious (and definitely doable!) 500km task. Yet, in the end, I decided to play it safe seeing very unwelcoming territory and very few outlanding options. My strategy was to find permanent wave hot spots, gain height there and then try to jump wave bars to move forward. This worked pretty well, kept me safe but did not allow for high cross country speed or long distances. Some wave bar jumps were successful and easy others were very tricky. Few times I found myself in a place where I was expecting a strong wave after flying quickly through a heavy sink and yet I was still going down, without any prospects of nearby lift.