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Reposting from the CHGPA Google group: Update on BlueSky Hang Gliding in Richmond From: Shane Moreland <shanemor...@gmail.com> Date: June 5, 2024 at 10:43:34 AM EDT To: skyw...@googlegroups.com, soarbi...@googlegroups.com, Mountain...@groups.io, xcan...@aol.com Subject: Manquin Flight Park Club now ...

Looks like the stampede is on. I'll be there.

It looks like it might be like last time: marginally soarable, not the greatest for shooting footage.

Some videos were posted on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tom.allen.5891/posts/7413399948671362?notif_id=1698116829954987&notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic_tagged&ref=notif I'm the one on the upper left. In very light conditions, I potatoed on launch while the drones' batteries drained. ...

I'll be there.

And here we are (assuming I've figured out adding a photo).

Don't criticize us for placing the windsock in a rotor zone. It's there for visual effect, only.

The helicopter showed up on-time and made around a dozen passes a couple of hundred feet above the set-up area.

For the next round, Tom suggested we camp in the LZ, so the the filmmakers can possibly catch us in-flight with his drones, on the weekend of 21-22 October.

I plan to be there for wire duty.

Is there a particular day involved, or is this a more general request?

David Bodner

I'm gonna suggest that anything that old really should be considered scrap. Make of it what you can, but flying should be done on something newer.

markc wrote:What's the status of the LZ at Jack's this time of year?

I flew Jack's Labor day weekend. There are two alfalfa fields available, less than 12" tall. The rest is in corn. Landing wasn't a problem.

Soaring happened at High Rock, too. I helped the first tranche of pilots launch, along with Andrew Lloyd and special-guest wire-crew, Richard Hays. I doubt winds ever exceeded 10 mph. Steve Krichten, Jim Carroll (of Hyner), Aaron (of Hyner) and Bob Buchanan. All but Aaron soared. He was last, and th...

It looks like some are thinking of High Rock.

Hi Dave: You just need to shrink them to small web view size.

Yeah, looks like I didn't shrink 'em enough. One of your photos looks just like mine, so we're good.

If those bases really are for future poles, one of them will make getting to launch real difficult, but probably not impossible.

Lot's of impressed wuffoes. I don't think it was brain-dead soarable, but it seemed pretty close. I'm guessing one glider got to 1,000 feet over launch. I mostly saw them only a couple of hundred feet above. I don't seem to be bright enough to be able to post the photo I took of the three gliders in...

As far as Steve is concerned, the forecast is deteriorating. I'll post again tomorrow.

Steve Krichten says he, Bob Buchanan, and maybe Anthony Lloyd are flying HR tomorrow (Saturday). I told him I won’t fly, but I’ll wire crew. Steve is trying to contact the family about the LZ conditions.

Who else is in?

Mark, thanks for trying to credit me with three flights, but it was two. Somehow going down always seems to be easier than going up. My Falcon turned 19 this month, and it seems to be gaining weight in its middle-age. I'm sure I haven't lost a step in that time.

I'm good with CHGPA and USPHA. I'm planning on going down tomorrow morning.

Most boring flight video ever.

https://youtu.be/gAXhO2m7Vdg

But, it shows just how pretty a cloud dive at Hyner is. I'm flying only easy conditions on a single-surface glider now.

Friday I'd stopped in Thurmont and saw there were no additional posts, so I continued on up to Hyner for the weekend. I flew, ate, and drank--all in age-appropriate amounts. Steve Krichten was up there, and we got to talking about his enthusiasm for High Rock. I'll pass along this forum information ...

I'm following this. My feet are staying on the ground, but I could lend a hand (or two).

All the launches I saw were good.

From the ground it looked like a bullet-proof day. It didn't look like anyone spent any time close to launch level.

Sold!

Earlier in this thread there was talk of High Rock.

I spoke with someone at Hyner who had been by High Rock. He reported that Emma Jane's grandson said they're still cutting the grass for us. It sounds like they want us back.