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Here's my latest compilation of footage from Blue Sky...mostly made of video from last week's EPIC conditions there. The skies were thick with gliders and pretty much everyone was getting up to cloud base at 7 grand - and all off the truck, no less!

https://vimeo.com/44099065

--Chris

Here's some footage from my last few trips down to Blue Sky (HD & full screen recommended for full glory!): 25247894 It's a combination of stills, time lapse (a technique I've been fascinated with lately), and good old GoPro video. Big thanks to Steve and the gang down there (especially Peter fo...

Chris, Dave, and I helped John launch into a nice cycle. He had a good launch and got hit by very strong lift out of the slot. Now that's an understatement...it was more like an ICBM taking off! VOOSH!! :D Nice launch, John! So we waited, and waited, and waited, and the winds just would not back do...

PKane wrote:Tom McGowan Just landed at Blue Sky Flight Park in Manquin. Steve just called me. Congratulations Tom!!!!

Peter

That is amazing! Congratulations!

Was very glad also to read that Kathy and Chris D. were out yesterday. Did either of you get in a flight? I'm afraid not. There were certainly reasonable launch cycles throughout the day, and at one point I was hooked in and about ready to carry down to launch when the wind really picked up again. ...

"Catcher at the trapeze school"? Yes, yes, go on... - Hugh Indeed. "Catcher," which translates roughly from the latin for "Destroying one's body for the enjoyment of others..." :D As a point of illustration - exhibit A "What we like to catch": http://home.com...

Any observers heading to Woodstock today?

--Chris Donahue
C: (703) 887-3582

Even the cows got involved by knocking down and munching on the wind sock. Let the record show - that was NOT me this time! :lol: They REALLY wanted to eat that windsock too. People had to chase them away contantly - how bizarre! Hmmm...I guess if I ate grass all day, I'd find nylon appetizing too...

Lots of weather changes. Now THAT'S an understatement! Conditions were pretty light when we arrived, and we watched a couple people sled down. The wind picked up a bit by the time I launched, and was actually fantastic - it seemed like there was lift everywhere. It was my first soaring flight, and ...

rs54263 wrote:Sorry, but 3 other pilots before you have already validated the "crash
worthiness" of my design.

Nuts...and here I thought I could claim a pioneering spirit.

rs54263 wrote:Still, congratulations on your first mountain flight!

Thanks!

I'm guessing that you lost the top bolt (which will have to be replaced) and you bent the ground spike (which will also have to be replaced). Looks like you own me $10. (Windsock-strike penalty.) ;-) Right on both guesses (although we were able to bend the spike back). Will happily pay the penalty....

rs54263 wrote:Was that windsock posted on a light-purple mast, by any chance?

Yes - no guy wires, just a metal spike at the bottom.

Ooo - sounds like we've got someone who has experience with this stuff. What's your background, Chris? Well...a little experience with helicopters, but not the real ones. I've flown (and crashed) a number of RC helicopters. (Dicey little buggers to fly!) Fixed pitch models are not uncommon in the R...

Wills Wing Eagle: $3500 Z5 Harness: $800 Knocking over your observer's windsock on your first mountain flight: PRICELESS So my first mountain flight was at Bill's Hill this Saturday. After spending the first couple hours helping the slot clearing effort, walking the LZ, and setting up my glider, I f...

There are some really neat ideas on that aircraft - like deflecting the downwash for yaw control. But you better have a whole lot of faith in the engine they're developing for it. With a fixed pitch rotor system, autorotation really isn't an option!

--Chris