Pulpit Saturday March 30th

[XCanytime]

This time it don't look too bad at all. Certainly not even close to last Saturday. Another PM arrival planned after working in the AM. Bacil

[jyoder111]

Yeah, looks really nice. This weekend I'll be traveling to see family, however, so I won't be able to partake. Good luck to those who can!

Jesse

[markc]

Oh wow, let it be so, wind gods! Sure looks like Pulpit could be a good day on Sat, let's hope it holds.

[Dunegoon]

C'mon weather.

See you Saturday.

Charley F

[mcgowantk]

I hope to fly saturday too. Not sure where yet. I am also considering Highland.

Tom McGowan

[Matthew]

Can't leave till 11:30 and gotta be home by 7pm to get to a show. So also considering Highland for Saturday.

Matthew

[Joe Schad]

Looks like it will be light at Woodstock and Dickeys Saturday but I see it swings south west Saturday. If the the forecast improves that direction I may head to Dickey's Saturday. The Pulpit does looks like the most likely choice as of today.

Joe

[John Anderson]

In case anyone will take advantage of the NW to do my HG tune-ups... I am thinking of getting to Smithsburg on Sat. Nice to have company. --John

[Matthew]

Looks good for Pulpit first half of Saturday and all day at Highland.

Planning on Highland due to time constraints.

Matthew

[andybalkphysics]

Ill be at the pulpit elevenish. Coming from gaithersburg with space for one other hang glider if anyone wants to carpool.

Andy
732.207.97OI

[silverwings]

Will be teaching at Smithsburg on Saturday. ETA 11:15 am

[markc]

Heading for the Pulpit, though open to High Rock as well... Feel free to call and coordinate on the site or shuttles. 301 807 5414

[mcgowantk]

I am heading to Highland. Winds look light everywhere to me. Most models show sunny skies and great lift. However, the NAM forecast shows OD on the Eastern Shore. It will be interesting to see how the day develops.

Have a great day and take care

Tom McGowan

[Joe Schad]

Well being lazy, I decided to try Woodstock. Launch winds were light and all over the place. But by 1:30 there were a few good cycles so I took my shot a little after two. Had to scratch for about five minutes in front of launch before finally getting the first thermal. After that it was no problem. Provided entertainment for a dozen or more people in the woodstock tower. Landed in the bridge field after an hour because Zelda and I have an evening event to attend. Flew over Rt 11 in Woodstock and managed to get to 6500msl. Could have gone anywhere today. I was the onlyest flier there today.

Joe

[mingram]

Nice Joe! I heard a few PGs got some miles at the Pulpit today. I was stuck working and am waiting to hear what I missed.

[XCanytime]

Tom Cuenen made it to Frederick! Jim McClave made it to Greencastle. Let's hear about those flights Tom and Jim. I gave Jim a ride up after finding him on Rt. 30 going up the backside of Cove Mt. Krzyztof had a nice soaring flight, getting 1.3K' over. Mark C. had a nice soaring flight, getting 2K' over. Charley Fager had 2 flights, landing in the secondary LZ both flights. Bacil

[Dunegoon]

Arrived early at the Pulpit to get ready and watch conditions. The sky was marked with nice clouds and looked very promising. Mark C. was already setting up, and a looked anxious to fly. We watched Tom and Jim beam out together and head over the back at cloud base. They made it look easy. Other PGs showed and Dan T. had a handful throwing a bunch of P2s off with varying results. Maybe he can elaborate.

Despite some light conditions, launching conditions were fairly good. There where definite good thermal cycles starting from the south, building to a straight in crescendo and dissipating with a north cross. It was a gamble when to launch into the best part of the cycle. Mark had a nice launch and made a heroic effort to stay up. He landed in the primary after an extendo. He was to be rewarded later. We launched another HG pilot and he was able to thermal up right in front of launch. He perched north of the launch and boated around for a while. Bacil noticed when the PGs and HGs were thermaling, it look like they were turning much later than optimum to core the thermal. Our game plan was to have Bacil vector me around the sky as he observed from launch. You need a plan right?

I had an ok launch and filled was with excitement that I was going to tactfully execute my flight plan and join the sky Gods above launch (please stop chuckling). Almost instantly, I realized that my radio was filled with unintelligible noise. My best guess that it meant to try to turn shaper, or turn the other way, or head for the secondary NOW. Stumbled around for about 7 minutes and did recognize a few words (possibly knucklehead or worse) and proceeded to drill my way to a low pattern. Got set up ok and made the crest of the field only to have the glider start to execute its own mush/flair at about 5 feet. The only thing I could do was go with it and complete the flair. Ended up with an unceremonious wack. Not bad, but definitely got my attention. Not sure I like landing in the secondary with switchy conditions.

The LZ was a great place to watch Mark launch for a second flight. His persistence paid off and he gracefully bobbled about until he was rewarded with a nice climb, or two, or three. Not that I was counting. Whatever, I wasn't that envious. Hope he tells his Story. Bacil picked me up and tactfully encouraged me to try again. My second launch was a little stronger and I squeaked another 8 minutes before landing in the secondary. My pattern this time was way high, and I flew a complete pattern, lined up a high final from the corner and stuffed the bar to super sonic Eagle 164 speeds. Got to the crest of the field with good speed (thought I had this wind gradient/uphill thing figured out) only to find myself frantically pushing out (never even made it to the uprights) completing a carrier style 3 point landing. Never did that before. Always wondered how anyone could mess up their approaches that bad to end up with crappy landings. Now I know.

Kind of wish I could have reported about more exciting things. This was my 99th flight since I started flying after a very long sabbatical. Something about making it to cloud base, or flying with an eagle, or explaining a nuance of the conditions that allowed me to have a nice flight. The Pulpit wasn't going to give it up that easy. Maybe next time.

We had a good debriefing. Mark explained that conditions were weird and much more challenging than it looked. Now that is humble diplomacy. Thanks again to Bacil and Mark.

Charley F.