Tuesday Flying
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
Re: Tuesday Flying
At the moment it's looking like a High Rock forecast. If it holds, I'd be up
for a late-ish run up there tomorrow afternoon/eve.
MarkC
for a late-ish run up there tomorrow afternoon/eve.
MarkC
Re: Tuesday Flying
If the forecast holds up I will try to fly somewhere. Should be able to get on the road around 1pm.
Re: Tuesday Flying
I'm still encouraged by what I'm seeing for tomorrow. Leaning towards
High Rock because I want to take minimum time off. Could be a sweet
glass-off type of day....
Anyone else in? Would be nice to have at least 4 pilots, two to crew
and two to fly, then swap.
MarkC
High Rock because I want to take minimum time off. Could be a sweet
glass-off type of day....
Anyone else in? Would be nice to have at least 4 pilots, two to crew
and two to fly, then swap.
MarkC
Re: Tuesday Flying
Ill try and make it up to hi-rock leave 1 pm - Dave Green
301-841-5822 Cell Phone
301-841-5822 Cell Phone
Re: Tuesday Flying
Hmmm..... Janni is trying to talk me into taking a full day off
and going to Woodstock. Both he and Steve K are planning on it,
at least at the moment. And if that gamble pays off (lighter
'cast to the south), it could be really sweet. Hmmm....
Planning to work from home for a bit, then decide.
MarkC
and going to Woodstock. Both he and Steve K are planning on it,
at least at the moment. And if that gamble pays off (lighter
'cast to the south), it could be really sweet. Hmmm....
Planning to work from home for a bit, then decide.
MarkC
Re: Tuesday Flying
Steve and I are going to give WS a try. If it sucks there I'll still be up for a late afternoon HR day.
Janni
240-481-6337
Janni
240-481-6337
#1 Rogue Pilot
Re: Tuesday Flying
Steve, Janni, and I are going to give Woodstock a try.
If it doesn't work out, we might swing by High Rock.
MarkC
If it doesn't work out, we might swing by High Rock.
MarkC
Re: Tuesday Flying
Im still planning on heading to high rock, if anyone else is going there please post or even better call me on my cell 301-841-5822 and let me know. I havent been able to scare up a driver yet, and i'd hate to get there and be the only pilot !
Re: Tuesday Flying
Unreal. Simply unreal.
It was the type of Woodstock day I haven't had in about a year. Stayed local and soared
for at least five hours. Janni was all motivated for an XC, and I figured I'd likely do the
same after an initial run up to Strasburg. But then... I just kinda zoned out and lost
track of the time! Got to 4100-and-change above launch once, and many times to 3500+ and
3000+ above. Soaring around, working the clouds, heading out into the valley,
trying to work each core better than the last. Blew two hours that way, which made it
kinda late for gap jumping. Ran into Janni at Signal Knob and watched him thermal off
the end, into the valley. Thought about following for about 2 seconds.... But I just couldn't
do it, the conditions were too sweet! I headed back south and had more fun flying into the valley,
working upwind from cloud wispie to wispie. Hung around Rt 11 at 1500' over launch,
drifting around in zero sink and enjoying the view of the mountain from out front.
Four or five PG'ers launched late in the afternoon, and I had lots of fun soaring with
one of them (mostly white canopy, and two orange swirls curving into the center of the
canopy; anyone know who flies that wing?). I was trying REALLY hard to get above him/her,
but couldn't match the last 100 or 200 feet. Then south to Edinburg gap, soaring with
some redtails for a while, and enjoying what had become completely magic air. Whoa!
That was a SERIOUS attitude-adjusting flight, hope these endorphins keep flowing all week!
I'll let the others chime in with their stories. It was a great flying day.
MarkC
It was the type of Woodstock day I haven't had in about a year. Stayed local and soared
for at least five hours. Janni was all motivated for an XC, and I figured I'd likely do the
same after an initial run up to Strasburg. But then... I just kinda zoned out and lost
track of the time! Got to 4100-and-change above launch once, and many times to 3500+ and
3000+ above. Soaring around, working the clouds, heading out into the valley,
trying to work each core better than the last. Blew two hours that way, which made it
kinda late for gap jumping. Ran into Janni at Signal Knob and watched him thermal off
the end, into the valley. Thought about following for about 2 seconds.... But I just couldn't
do it, the conditions were too sweet! I headed back south and had more fun flying into the valley,
working upwind from cloud wispie to wispie. Hung around Rt 11 at 1500' over launch,
drifting around in zero sink and enjoying the view of the mountain from out front.
Four or five PG'ers launched late in the afternoon, and I had lots of fun soaring with
one of them (mostly white canopy, and two orange swirls curving into the center of the
canopy; anyone know who flies that wing?). I was trying REALLY hard to get above him/her,
but couldn't match the last 100 or 200 feet. Then south to Edinburg gap, soaring with
some redtails for a while, and enjoying what had become completely magic air. Whoa!
That was a SERIOUS attitude-adjusting flight, hope these endorphins keep flowing all week!
I'll let the others chime in with their stories. It was a great flying day.
MarkC
Re: Tuesday Flying
Woodstock was smoking! Stevek, Mark, Janni arrived up top around same time. Setup... Launch... 3900 over... 2 hours. Just like that. Landed at the bridge field. Hiked up almost to launch and got a lift at the end on the back of some pg persons'' truck, thanks. Didn't get a chance to get your name. (btw, Was it Joe who lugged a hang glider up that long road in snow? chgpa should award a plaque).
I was one of the last pgs to launch, half a dozen others were hanging out over launch. Who were you? I went north, the flock of others went far south down the ridge. Unbelievably smooth. On my way back from Signal Knob I called Mark. Turns out Verizon has bad reception 300 feet over the ridge, we could barely hear each other. Landed just in time to pack up before dark. Two more hours. Mark was right there to give me a ride back up. Thanks.
Alek
I was one of the last pgs to launch, half a dozen others were hanging out over launch. Who were you? I went north, the flock of others went far south down the ridge. Unbelievably smooth. On my way back from Signal Knob I called Mark. Turns out Verizon has bad reception 300 feet over the ridge, we could barely hear each other. Landed just in time to pack up before dark. Two more hours. Mark was right there to give me a ride back up. Thanks.
Alek
Re: Tuesday Flying
Launched after Alek with the help of Steve and Mark. Thanks guys. Picked a weird cycle, glider wasn’t getting off my shoulders right away. Headed to the Edinburg gap, climbing in ridge lift. Despite one cumie after another passing by I never found a strong thermal. Arrived at where the ridge angles back with perhaps 1000’ over launch, waiting for my ride to jump it. Never came. That part of the ridge just wasn’t working for me. On my way back to launch I found several rides half a mile from the gap and climbed to 4000’, drifting back to the second ridge. Got back out front at 3500’ and decided to go for the gap again. VG full on, bar to my belly heading out for the fields in front of Short Mountain. But a strong head wind and lot’s of sink made what would have been my first jump impossible. Arghhhh! Turned back and did a fast ridge run to signal knob instead. Got kinda low at the reservoir so released the vg and tanked some altitude when a nice cloud street invited me to hitch a ride. Left signal knob, intercepted the street and went straight from 3000’ to 6000’ in 800ft/min lift. Things got a little spooky when I hazed out under a massive dark monster, surrounded by towering cumies. Scared of getting sucked into it I headed downwind towards where the sun came through. From there I just drifted to Frond Royal, arrived there still high but with no place to go. Thermals were still working and I fooled around over those little hills NE of Front Royal. I enjoyed watching the trucks on I66. Picked a nice field back upwind, next to a Catholic college as I later found out. This was the first time I had to quit because I ran out of playground, sucks even more than bumming out after you gave it your best shot. Not going there no more 
A very nice woman gave me a ride back into Front Royal. She introduced me to her gal pals at a shopping center. They all couldn’t believe she had just picked up a German who flew from Woodstock to Front Royal in a hang glider. Turned their invitation to dinner down, would not have if I were single, lol. Seriously, they were hot! Ate at KFC while I was waiting for Steve for retrieval, thanks man, the next one’s on me. Flight stats: 4 hours, 16 miles straight line. Not quite what I wanted but I'm still stoked. Any suggestions as to what I should have done to cross the gap?
Red Baron
A very nice woman gave me a ride back into Front Royal. She introduced me to her gal pals at a shopping center. They all couldn’t believe she had just picked up a German who flew from Woodstock to Front Royal in a hang glider. Turned their invitation to dinner down, would not have if I were single, lol. Seriously, they were hot! Ate at KFC while I was waiting for Steve for retrieval, thanks man, the next one’s on me. Flight stats: 4 hours, 16 miles straight line. Not quite what I wanted but I'm still stoked. Any suggestions as to what I should have done to cross the gap?Red Baron
#1 Rogue Pilot
Re: Tuesday Flying
Janni,
I'm no expert but the times I have succeeded in jumping the Edinburg Gap I worked a bit north of the gap itself (more straight line distance but away from any venturi in the gap) and found a line of lift going out into the valley. Then sorta curved in to safety on the ridge. It's definitely a leap of faith. Once again, I think this is best done in a gaggle with at least one guru to give in-flight advice via radio.
On Front Royal, I think it's cool to land at the airport (if you are high at the reservoir on Signal Knob, you are right off the end of the runway). Unpowered traffic (sailplanes) and trikes make right turns, regular airplanes make left turns. There's a grass parallel runway on the west end of the paved one.
- Hugh
I'm no expert but the times I have succeeded in jumping the Edinburg Gap I worked a bit north of the gap itself (more straight line distance but away from any venturi in the gap) and found a line of lift going out into the valley. Then sorta curved in to safety on the ridge. It's definitely a leap of faith. Once again, I think this is best done in a gaggle with at least one guru to give in-flight advice via radio.
On Front Royal, I think it's cool to land at the airport (if you are high at the reservoir on Signal Knob, you are right off the end of the runway). Unpowered traffic (sailplanes) and trikes make right turns, regular airplanes make left turns. There's a grass parallel runway on the west end of the paved one.
- Hugh