Friday 3/18 afternoon/early evening flight at Woodstock

[sailin]

Any interest out there for an afternoon or early evening flight at Woodstock tomorrow?? Say maybe be at launch and ready to fly by 430pm. Looks to be a strong west most of the morning and first part of the day...then clocking around to a more reasonable WNW to NW by late afternoon.

If any observers are willing and able that would be wonderful????

thanks,
Jon

[cthornberger]

argh - you just beat my topic

Cross posted -

Friday Flyin'
http://www.chgpa.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4782

[sailin]

Nice man,,,great H2 minds think alike !!

Hopefully we can get something worked out...I think it could be nice out there tomorrow afternoon.

Observers????... Please

Jon

[Roger]

I'm not an observer, but it looks like a ridge soaring only day to me. That's only if the WS effect is in play. But I'm interested.

[cthornberger]

haha nice.

My departure time will be about 1:30ish from B-more area.

Roger, what sort of factors do you look at that determine ridge soaring only. ..there does appear to be a lot of (too much?) cloud cover tomorrow. But other than that - temps and lapse rates look decent

[Roger]

Well

Roger, what sort of factors do you look at that determine ridge soaring only. ..there does appear to be a lot of (too much?) cloud cover tomorrow. But other than that - temps and lapse rates look decent

I looked at the updraft velocity on XC skies and Weather.nostepper. Both have changed. Now 400-500 is possible. And the wind at 2k starts out at 11z (700am local) at 24-28. 4k'=47, then at 10am local 2k'=23/4k'=33. By 1300 local 2k'=15, 4k'=22. The direction looks 290-310ish (barbs). I'm usually over optimistic, and really desperate for airtime. So, don't listen to me.

I hope more will chime in with more soar casting experience than I.

Bacil has never steered me wrong. hint hint what cha think? (Bluesky was too wet to tow today)

[RichH]

I'm seeing the same thing Roger ..Fri is looking west 15 knots on the surface with light thermal velocities predicted..Forecasts can change but looks like a ridge type day...

[Roger]

If you want a ride up Rich, I have to stop at BS to get my glider and rack.

[garys]

I am taking the afternoon off tomorrow (Fri.) to give WS a try. ETA 2 ish. Come on out, looks perty dern good to me.

Gary S
H 540-955-3956
W 540-535-7590
Cell 540-686-0351

[Roger]

What am I missing? The forecast still looks ridge soarable (actually it looks straight in now).
Doesn't seem like much interest in WS tomorrow, hence, what am I missing?

[sailin]

I am definately interested and willing and wanting

Just hoping for an observer

Jon

[markc]

I've seen a WNW@15 G 25 forecast, and a W@10-15 G 35 forecast. The former is a 'classic' (and encouraging) Woodstock forecast. The latter is less so, obviously.

A few weeks ago, after a hike up the back at Woodstock, I mentioned that I hauled the glider to launch to at least put it up on the base-tube.... More as a matter of principle than anything else.

What I didn't stress was that this wasn't some "Wink-wink, we all know that means he's going to fly" kinda deal.... On very strong days, you really have to recognize the fact that you've got a 50/50 chance, at best, of flying. The 'Woodstock Effect' is only good for so much, ya know?

That day I was lucky, and the winds truly backed off late in the day, enough to make for a pleasant sunset flight. But that doesn't always happen. Oh, and new pilots, please be aware of "sucker lulls" whereby winds seem to back down, only to resume freight-train status a short while later. My rule of thumb is a half-hour : If that much time goes by without a significant ramp-up, then that might indicate improving conditions.

Might!

MarkC