Woodstock Sun03Nov

[markc]

Just starting a new topic to be sure that people know that flying is hoped for at Woodstock today : Joe Schad and myself, Gary S,and visiting pilots from Kitty Hawk are all expecting the be there. Hoping for a tad bit of west rather than due north, we will see!

MarkC

[wesleycomerer]

I'm hopeful. LZ ETA @12. I've messaged a few potential observers. No hookup yet.

[DanTuck]

I'm planning to give it a shot. I'm also an observer if you guys want to come out. But be prepared to possibly not fly. Strong and cross ain't gonna work but it could be nice later.
If nothing else, you'll get the experience of comparing real life conditions at WS in November vs. the forecast.
I'll plan for the LZ at noon.

[g.sessa]

I'm in. ETA noon

[Rich E]

Will be at the LZ at noon too.

[Joe Schad]

Mark and I dropped a car in the lz and got to launch at 11:30. After setting up winds were north cross but not too strong. Mark started about 12:15 or so. Had to wait a bit for the light conditions to change to a nice cycle. Got up immediately. I followed about twenty minutes later. I had no trouble getting up. Ground speed heading south was 40 and north 17 or so on my gps. Mark went to Strasburg and I followed. Got a couple thousand over but lost nearly all to it about mid way. Turned back but found some lift and then headed to Strasburg. I stayed in front of the mountain and took an angle to the High School from the reservoir. Lost a little altitude on the way out but got back to 1600 over at the High School, my goal for the day. Decided to go further over town before turning back to my planned lz, the school soccer field. But I found lift and got to 2400 over from my low of 500 over. Scraped my way north putting down next to Lord Fairfax Community College at exit 302 on I81. That is the north side of Middle Town.
Learned two lessons. Never fly xc without you cell phone. And don't expect to have anyone offer you a ride. I ended up walking home, 6.3mi. 2hr 15m which is good time for me. Zelda got be back to my car, but I missed having a beer with everyone at the hotel. Maybe next time. Great day for a geezer.

Joe

[markc]

WWAWW!!!

(wow what a Woodstock weekend!!!)

Very happy, the smile might even last well into the work week. Great frickin' flights!

Much fun hanging out with Joe and Zelda, and at the Strasburg Inn swapping flying tales, and seeing great fall color, and with balds and red tails *everywhere*. Great times shared with great pilots!

MarkC

PS: Strong and challenging days, but very rewarding!

[Pete Schumann]

Wow! I had a great day soaring at the Mid-Atlantic Soaring Association's, M-ASA Fairfield, Pa airport (Just south of Gettysburg, PA) on Sunday. Danny Brotto offered to take me up in a 2 place (2 seat sailplane). I got there early as Danny had hoped for a wave flight. Conditions were not the best but we gave it a shot. Our first tow at 11:30 was to 5000' AGL and winds were strong mostly out of the N to NNW and even NNE. We flew for about an hour and Danny suggested we land and try again later.

We then towed up at 1:30 to 2000'+ AGL and Danny worked us up in light lift at first to 6000'+ just under cloud base the lift got better and he showed me some sailplane maneuvers. We flew for over 1.5 hours it was so cool. As a hang glider pilot I felt I could feel the lift in the sailplane before the instruments that was different.

I highly recommend taking a sailplane ride at the M-ASA's Fairfield airport these guys are friendly, professional and run an excellent facility. It was so much fun!

Thank you again Danny.

Pete