Woodstock Friday 10/29

[XCanytime]

Might be another repeat pattern of 10/22. Jesse and I are interested. Bacil

[uplandann]

If Friday pans out and isn't too windy for an H-2, I would also like to come out. If someone is willing to observe me I'd like to get my first flight (or two) off.. maybe two flights by 3pm... So I was thinking of getting there around 10am and set up by 11a for a first flight.

Ann

[Roger]

I'm interested too. Fingers crossed.

[sailin]

I'm VERY interested as well. Bacil, would you be able to observe me as well on Friday????

Thanks,
Jon

[chuckok]

Crossing fingers for a escape option from work.

[markc]

I might be able to clear things at work and get away on Friday.
But still vehicle-less... So if anyone's going from the vicinity of
the top-o-the-beltway, and can offer a glider-ride, please give
me a shout. Danke!

MarkC

[Joe Schad]

I am in for Friday if conditions still look good.

Joe

[Matthew]

Sure hope the forecast changes--

FRIDAY
SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 50S. NORTHWEST WINDS AROUND
15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.

Matthew

[Ward Odenwald]

Interesting, could be a "reverse Woodstock effect". Here's what NOAA is saying about McConnellsburg and central PA.

FRIDAY
MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 50S. WEST WINDS 10 TO
15 MPH.

[kcarra]

Forecast was dropped for Woodstock on the 3:00 updates.
NNY. HIGHS IN THE MID 50S. NORTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH.

[jyoder111]

Matthew, would you be available and willing to be a HG observer on Friday? Looks like Bacil might only be available in the AM. Any other observers thinking of coming?

[mcelrah]

You have my attention... And yes (unless there is some emergency at work) I will be available to observe Jesse, Jon, Ann. (Not trying to hog all the observing - if Bacil and/or Matthew are available, go with whomever you please and is willing - but do have an observer.) - Hugh

[mcelrah]

Mark - I can give you a ride (glider too). 301 980-6381 cell. - Hugh

[rasmussenv]

Wow! With that set of observers and the forecast looking less strong/gusty, I think I'm going to find a way to get out there too! Won't arrive until about 3pm.

Valerie

[uplandann]

Just something to keep in mind:
If you are thinking about getting high (3k or above), may want to consider that (according to ADDS) the winds aloft are forecast to be 30-40 knots at 3k MSL! 40-50knts at 6k.

Ann

[rasmussenv]

I'm probably missing something obvious in the sites I visit, which provide surface winds, but is there some particularly useful site / link to get winds aloft data? I go to nostepper (among other sites), and they mention it, but I either don't know how to interpret it or am not looking in the right place.

Anyway - last time (only time) I was at Woodstock, I soared a nice time just a few hundred feet above the ridge, so the warning is good (thanks!), but it seems that it would not prevent me from safely flying my Falcon, as long as the winds on launch and up to 2000 or so are reasonable. Anyone who sees a flaw in this logic, please educate me if there it seems I'm not thinking this through.

Valerie

[kcarra]

How is everyone able to get off of work so easily?! Can one of you talk to my boss?

[mcelrah]

Well, here's the flaw: ADDS lists winds at 3k, 6k, 9k etc. MSL. Woodstock launch is at ~2k MSL, so if it's honking just a thousand feet up, you will contact it. So prepare to do some hang-waiting. We will get flight reports from higher performance wings, then from the first Falcon driver (might be you, Valerie) before launching the rest of the H2s. Everybody dress warmly: 15 degree temperature drop with frontal passage. If all goes well and you get a nice long soaring flight, you can still blow your landing 'cause of having "the slows" from hypothermia... - Hugh

[mcelrah]

See here, Mr Boss Man, Karen needs to come flying with us. That's OK with you, right? 'Cause we wouldn't want anything to happen to your face, or your knees, now, would we?

In fact, Karen needs to go on a 32 hour/week flextime schedule from now on. You got that? Nice new car ya got there; wouldn't want anything to happen to it in the parking lot...

(How'm I doing so far?)

[XCanytime]

Just something to keep in mind:
If you are thinking about getting high (3k or above), may want to consider that (according to ADDS) the winds aloft are forecast to be 30-40 knots at 3k MSL! 40-50knts at 6k.

Ann

That forecast has wave written all over it (winds increasing with altitude). A pilot must maintain SA if they are flying in such conditions. Wave often sets in late in the day after the thermals wane and often early in the morning before the thermals develop and interrupt the formation process. However, it can happen anytime during the day as well, as the sailplane pilots have proven many times. Bacil

[Matthew]

Karen and I might be able to get there for a late day flight-- arriving at about 3:30-4.

Got my fingers crossed.

Matthew

[mcelrah]

Got your fingers crossed that it will be flyable (especially for Falcon/H2) or that my intimidation of Karen's boss has been effective? - Hugh

[mingram]

Valerie, ADDS is what we use to check winds at altitude. You can play with altitude and time to get forecasts. I also use it to get a better sense of how likely a site is going to work by switching from wind speed to wind streamlines at the surface and at altitude.

http://aviationweather.gov/adds/winds/

[uplandann]

I'm having second thoughts about coming in the morning. Not sure I want to wait on a chilly breezy mountain top until it is falconable... May opt to come late afternoon 2:30ish. ADDS show upper level winds backing off around 4pm.

Ann

[mcelrah]

Sounds reasonable (waiting till later in the day), but factor in time to walk the LZ, consolidate with another pilot to leave a vehicle in the LZ, drive up (and, if you skipped the previous step, shuttle a vehicle to the LZ), set up, crew for a few others (to learn how to judge and time launch cycles) and to receive an instillation of wisdom from your sage observer. - Hugh