Deadly Thermals - They Can Kill!

[Paul Naton]

Read about a freak fatal accident caused by a rouge thermal in England.

Truth is stranger than fiction.

Go To:

http://glidefast.typepad.com/glidefast/

Click on Deadly Thermals ......

[ScottLister]

Paul, A few years ago about a quarter mile from my house we had a very very strong thermal take the roof off a building and knock down the walls killing the owner of the bodyshop. Insulation and roofing was found about 2 miles away on a friends lawn. The national weather service called it "dust devil" similiar to what is found out west.
Very sad situation.

Scott

[lrsudog]

Used to attend the Black Sheep Free Flight champs iin Taft, California religiously. Many people set up shade awnings with the legs in coffee cans filled with cement, and strapped down.

It was not unusual for a big dust devil or thermal to tear these awnings loose from their moorings and lift them a hundred feet or so in the air, only to have them hit sink and drop like a ton of bricks.

[Richard S]

the last few weeks in the UK we have had plenty of 30C(85F)+ temperatures with calm winds... the thermal activity has been very good, but nothing that I have not seen before.

Rather than the accident being due to particularly strong thermals, it is more likely that they were just un-prepared for any thermal activity at all.

I've seen dust devils three or four times in the UK.

If you think about it, an inflatable structure the size of half a football pitch + hot thermic weather = this kind of accident

[Sparky Paul]

Roofs and carport awnings change addresses around here all the time..

[Kelley]

Concrete Cows! The first thing I saw when I moved to Milton Keynes. Other than getting sick with all the roundabouts, I enjoyed living and flying there.

Had a thermal last month that took 5' umbrella two blocks down the street. Wife wasn't too happy. I was laughing my :censored: off as I watched it going down the street. I wanted to run and get my Gentle Lady for a quick hand launch. Now the new umbrella is bolted to a concrete base.

[xtc]

hang on

[psoff3x]

The Police haven't ruled out foul play either. Moorings, ropes and pins are being examined by specialist engineers and Police.

The structure has been exhibited world-wide and was considered safe, but the sculpture's creator was seen to be dragged into the air as it broke free while he was trying to fasten extra ropes.

Hot-air ballons don't need thermals to rise.

[trashmanf]

hi Paul,

the link on your page to the BBC news story doesn't work.

is there video of this disaster?

[davidjensen]

We had a small dust devel over out grass field so you could not see it as well. Well it picked up a pop up sun shade and blew it out towards the runway. This guy who stands all of 5'-2" goes running after it and the swirling winds stop it and turn it around and the sun shade is now chasing the guw who was going after it. We were all on the ground LOL

[ploof]

That site has fantastic images Paul. I'd have been ordering more videos from you but for some reason our new DVD player won't play your older ones I've got. I myself have got to start bringing my camera along with me when I'm out, it's all to often that I catch an over the top sun set on the way to work, or a monsterous storm could dwarving the Cascade mountains.

Take Care, Ploof