As well as my response in the Ventus FES thread, I might add that in other flights in 2011 and 2012 I used the FES to do cross country flights that I would otherwise not have attempted but instead stayed local - just because the risk of outlanding would have been too high with small, weak thermals and probably dead areas or periods. I did stay within "motor home" distance of the airfield, say 30 miles to be on the safe side, but it is all practice.

During another flight on a barely soarable day, in hilly country I was visiting rather than my usual flat home area, I used the FES to explore local hills to see if any gave useful ridge lift (they didn't - not enough wind - but it all experience, and enjoyment).

Chris N