Flinders Monument

Description

This site has been recently reopened and use is now subject to a license granted by the Mornington Peninsula Shire, with continuation subject to our compliance with the conditions of use below. Please help us hold onto this site by assuring all operations are conducted safely and in accordance with the license conditions which are summarized below. In addition, please be aware that we operate in close proximity to the first and second world war memorials managed by the Flinders RSL, and due respect should be paid at all times to these important monuments.

Weather station

General conditions of use

• Site rating: Advanced HG/PG5
• All pilots must be current financial members of the SAFA.
• Landings and takeoffs must be made in the designated areas (see maps).
• Do not take off unless a safe landing area is immediately available. For example, the tide may be in leaving no beach and conditions may not guarantee soaring, or there may be too many people in the landing area.
• Flying is not to take place if the reserve is being used for scheduled ceremonies or other booked events such as weddings. (Keep an eye on the SAFA forums for notification of these events, and do not fly if you find one in progress).
• No competition or commercial use is allowed.
• The gate must remain closed and locked when not supervised (from the ground).
• No flags or streamers should be attached to the community flagpole.
• Respect the War Memorials by assuring that children or others do not climb on them.

Access to the site

The slope may be accessed by a gate which is secured with a combination padlock. The combination is changed regularly.

To obtain the combination, log onto the members only section of the SAFA website . From the side menu, select Documents, then Operational Information. Download and view the Flinders Monument PDF file. Alternatively, contact either the Skyhigh or MHGC club site officers for the latest combination, but only if your membership is current.

As per the conditions of use, the gate must be closed and locked immediately if it is not being supervised. This is very important. You cannot supervise an open gate from the air!

Please respect the purpose of the RSL flagpole and do not use it as a mount for wind indicators. Also do not let children or others climb on the war memorials.

Takeoff

The takeoff is above the pier to the right of the war memorial(s) on the cliff top. This launch is through a gate in the fence. Most hang gliders should use a couple of wire men to avoid snagging the fence with a side wire as they go through the gate.

Paragliders can usually lay out on the grass just behind the gate, get the wing up and walk through the gate as they launch.

Hang gliders should assure that there is at least 10-12 knots of wind before launching as they need a wind that allows them to step off and fly away. There is almost no run available. (Hang Gliders should NEVER try to run through the gate!)

Try to avoid too much foot traffic in the takeoff area to minimize impact on the lawn.

Landing

The usual landing area is the beach to the right of the pier and below the car park which can be very wide at low tide and is generally lightly used by pedestrians when the wind is moderate to strong, but can dwindle significantly at high tide and can get crowded by sun worshipers on light wind sunny days.

If you are flying and find that the main landing area subsequently becomes obstructed by beach goers, land on the beach near Dodds Creek 600m to the left and carry back up.

Directly after launch if you go left, there is a large pine tree that must be avoided. Please give it good clearance.

Designated takeoff and landing areas

Flight

The Monument site offers excellent lift in any soarable E-ESE wind. The best flying is generally in October/November when there are usually lots of easterlies or in March. Good winds also occur perhaps once or twice a week up until April. In light winds the site is generally flyable from just south of takeoff to where the cliff peters out about 500m to the left, but in any reasonable wind, you can cross to Boyds Point to the north. In excellent winds, it is possible to fly all the way to Shoreham/Point Leo and if the wind is East and about 15 knots, high performance gliders can usually make the return trip from Shoreham.

It can sometimes be very difficult to get up in light conditions. In fact, in very light conditions it can seem soarable, but there appears to be some form of block which destroys lift below cliff level at the sheer cliff end to the north. The boats anchored by the pier in front of the site offer a good indicator of wind direction.

Hazards / Comments

The Monument is best flown in SE to Easterly wind conditions, with ESE being the best wind for the takeoff and the section of ridge. The maximum safe wind speed for takeoff for hang gliders is about 20 knots with 3 wire men. It is not recommended to fly in close to the cliff to the north of take off if you find yourself below the top of the cliff in light winds.

Do not take the presence of whitecaps out to sea as necessarily indicating wind. The tide flows very quickly just offshore and generates whitecaps in quite light winds. Your best indication of wind direction is the presence of "wind lines". The angle of the moored boats close to shore is useful, but they can also be affected by tidal movement.

Map information