Weather for Flying

Checking Yourself - You must still call the weatherline!

Here are a few good weather links to help you see what you think we will say:

Thank you for booking your paragliding course with us. Please call (01323) 811770 after 20:00 on the evening before you are booked in to check the start time and whether the forecast weather is appropriate. Sorry, but we cannot tell with any precision any earlier unless the forecast is diabolical.

Please do not call the office outside of office hours if you don¹t believe the weather message! It is based on the best data available and our decision is made for your safety and convenience. We cancel incorrectly on less than two days a year and that is always because the forecasts got it wrong.

Do not try to second guess us as you may miss your day or turn up to find nobody here!

Fingers crossed for the weather and don¹t be surprised if we have to have an early start.

You can watch a simplified version of the weather forecast here. Typically we need 7kt or less for training purposes in the summer months.

https://www.windfinder.com/weatherforecast/kingston_lewes

Additionally,

This shows most variables well:

http://app.stratus.org.uk/blip/dayview.php?region=Saturday&tp=RIN

http://app.stratus.org.uk/blip/dayview.php?region=Sunday&tp=RIN

http://app.stratus.org.uk/blip/dayview.php?region=Monday&tp=RIN

http://app.stratus.org.uk/blip/dayview.php?region=Tuesday&tp=RIN

http://app.stratus.org.uk/blip/dayview.php?region=Wednesday&tp=RIN

http://app.stratus.org.uk/blip/dayview.php?region=Thursday&tp=RIN

http://app.stratus.org.uk/blip/dayview.php?region=Friday&tp=RIN

Red/orange here is no good:

http://rasp.stratus.org.uk/app/viewer/

Development is clear here:

https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/forecast/air/lewes_united-kingdom_26445 59

This shows most variables:

http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/cgi-bin/expertcharts?LANG=en&MENU=0000000000& CONT=ukuk&MODELL=gfs&MODELLTYP=1&BASE=-&VAR=is10&HH=138&ARCHIV=0&ZOOM=0&PERI OD=&WMO=

Unless the weather message alters the start time or meeting place we meet at Airworks at 09:00 then travel to the day's flying site.

On arrival at the site you will be allocated a glider. We will then show you how to perform a parachute landing roll, how to perform a daily inspection of your equipment and how to launch, steer and land. All this usually takes us up to lunchtime.

We may head to a café for lunch, but more more typically we are skipping a real lunch break so do bring a packed lunch and plenty of water.

After lunch we aim to start you flying, starting with low hops just a few feet above the ground and steadily increasing the altitude of your flights as your confidence and competence improve.

In the summertime we may be forced to stop flying during the middle of the day because it can become very turbulent and therefore we may continue late into the evening.

You will need to wear ankle supporting boots and layered windproof outdoor clothing that you don¹t mind getting covered in mud or something less mentionable (there are a lot of cows, sheep, llama and alpaca on the South Downs!) We have a limited number of ankle supports for hire if you have no appropriate boots.

See you soon!