Pulpit: July 7, 2012

[Ward Odenwald]

As of now, Saturday’s forecasts indicate soarable conditions with decent thermals albeit hot on the surface. Any interest?

[RichH]

Flying at Highland on Friday thru Sunday weather permitting ..I'd say Friday is looking decent with Saturday's forecasting shaping up nicely...

[Ward Odenwald]

Comparing the two sites suggests that the Pulpit has it for Saturday (at least from this arm-chair).

[Danny Brotto]

Before you leap, better check NOTAMS... TFR is scheduled (again) this time from Friday evening through Sunday night. Might cramp your downwind dash desires.

What is it 2 weekends in a row? Maybe the electricty is out in the White House?

Danny Brotto

[Ward Odenwald]

Forecasts are still suggesting ridge soarable winds with decent thermal conditions. I plan on being there at ~10:30.

Ward

[markc]

Thinkin' about it.....

[markc]

Still thinkin' about it.... And I'd be thinking even harder if more pilots chimed in!

The surface 'cast has been knocked back a bit (good), and the temps at the mtn top should be cooler than anything around here, or down in the valley. Anyone up for giving things a try?

MarkC

[markc]

Thinking no longer

Will swing by Blue Sky to drop off my harness for a zipper replacement and chute repack instead....

On the bright side: Capital Ale House in Fredericksburg on the way back!

[Ward Odenwald]

DNF. Spent several hrs at launch and walking the primary LZ. As mentioned on other threads, the hay in the LZ has been cut and rolled. The central region of the LZ is now ideal for landing as it is clear of hay rolls (there is one narrow slit of tall grass flanking the west side of the central region but it should not be a landing issue as the main cut field that is free of hay rolls is very large). The east side of the LZ (closest to the ridge) is loaded with hay rolls.

For the record, the wind speed/direction forecasts at launch were accurate – straight in 12-15 mph during my stay (11am to ~1:30pm). So it was soarable, but the rest of the forecast was also on the mark – extreme heat, humidity, and haze! With thick high cirrus approaching from the NW (no cumulus clouds), “reason got the best of me” so I slowly drove back down the mountain into the higher heat and haze while thinking about all of those wise pilots that knew better than to risk heat-related problems and takeoff/landing issues in the lowest density air we have experienced this year.

Ward

[markc]

Well heck, I woulda been there regardless of the heat if a few more pilots had chimed in!! Wasn't a lost cause Ward, just a matter of air-hungriness! Paul down at Blue Sky was the lonesome pilot, and got about 30 minutes while I was there. But it was wicked hot.

[tomceunen]

woodstock looked worse no wind hot humid thick cirrus...but i launched in a lul, tagged walmart i81, next strassburg and landed outskirst of front royal, all in the flats, it was nice cool up there ,felt like I had a cool beer to drink, lower and above i66 i got grilled.

[markc]

Nice job Tom! Sounds like the valley was so hot that you could chase from one ice-cream stand to another!

Cheers,

MarkC

[Danny Brotto]

I flew the sailplane on Saturday. I took a fairly high tow (3,500 AGL) to get outside the TFR with extra altitude to explore what looked to be a stable day. Trigger temperature was 104Fand while it was hot, it was unlikely to reach trigger. I found a wide area of light lift shortly off of tow and worked it as a thermal. The wind was ~320 degrees at 15 and I wasn’t really climbing but the drift was taking be away from the TFR so that was a good thing. My buddy who had taken a tow to 3,000 AGL couldn’t connect and had to enter the TFR and land. Eventually, I fell out of the back of the “thermal” and pushed back upwind climbing the whole way. Wait a minute, stable below, moderate wind velocity into the ridges, sure feels like wave. So I flew the lift bad as if it were wave which worked very well. Eventually I was able to climb to 5K MSL and once above the inversion, the wave bars were quite visible. I mapped out the wave from about the town of Fairfield to a bit beyond Gettysburg and flew a some laps. After a while the sun popped out from behind the cirrus mixing things up and pulling the plug on the wave. There was steady, big sink everywhere and I succumbed to gravity after a couple of pleasant and unexpected summer afternoon hours in the wave.

Danny Brotto

[XCanytime]

Danny how high did you top out in the wave? Thanks, Bacil

[Danny Brotto]

Bacil,

Inversion was at about 4,600 MSL. Topped out in the wave at 5,000 MSL. Wind velocity at that altitude registered 29 knots.

Danny Brotto

[tomceunen]

FYI
In the Woodstock valley I topped twice the max altitude as 5413 masl, the wave was not present above Rt11 at that altitude, this was between 20 and 21 UTC.