Saturday Flyin'

[Matthew]

Might be High Rock again.

Matthew

[andybalkphysics]

I'll go if you can observe me, Matthew. I don't have my cliff launch signoff.

[FlyingFelix]

Same here.
Hope the weather cooperates, I wanna fly!

[Matthew]

Hi Andy,

Sure. I can Observe. Have you done many cliff launches and/or wire crewed for cliff launches? It is very important to do lots of wire crewing to learn to do assisted cliff lanches.

On a side note-- as a general rule of thumb, if it takes two or three pilots to help you launch at a site, then you should at least help wire crew that many pilots. There are some pliots who show up, launch with required assistance, fly till they're done and never come back to help anyone else launch. And on a day when there aren't many pilots, we need to take turns, those who launch first may have to cut their flights short in order to return to launch to be wire crew... so that everyone can have a nice flight.

Matthew

[andybalkphysics]

Matthew,

I have done one cliff launch at High rock (observed by you, I think, last year in the snow) and I probably helped a few guys off that day also. Of course I don't mind crewing for others.

-Andy

[Matthew]

Now it looks like Woodstock on Saturday-- hope they don't close the road.

Matthew

[wmelo]

SATURDAY
MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 30S. NORTHWEST WINDS
10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH.

I

[wmelo]

oppss...press the wrong button...I am interesting in woodstock tomorrow. Currently, it seems a little bit to wind to my level...hopefully it will be better by tomorrow morning
Observers?

walt

p.s. I still do not have a windsock but I am shopping for one...any hints where I can buy a cheap one?

[Matthew]

Will make a final decision in the morning after checking updates. It's a hard sell to get KC to come out to Woodstock when temps are in the 30s.

Matthew

[markc]

Thinkin' about it, will see how motivated for a cold weather flight I am tomorrow AM.

MarkC

[FlyingFelix]

So are we thinking Woodstock or HighRock tomorrow?
Looks a bit light and N for Woodstock?
I'm totally undecided as of now...
WIll make a call in the AM.

[markc]

Gust factor is now gone from the HR surface 'cast. Leaning that way because it looks pretty north at WS.

The 3k forecast is a bit on the strong side though.....

[FlyingFelix]

Yeah, loos like HighRock is the place for today.
What say you Matthew?

[kcarra]

Karen and I are in. ETA 11:30. Daniel Broxterman is riding with us.

Matthew

[markc]

Let's fly, woohoo!

[FlyingFelix]

Sweet
Just to be sure- it's HighRock right?
See y'all there.
Aren't we a bunch of air horny pilots?:-)

[kcarra]

Yes. High Rock!

Walt and Andy-- are you in???

Anyone else??? The more the merrier!!!!

Might be the last chance to fly for a while before it gets REALLY COLD!!!!

Matthew

[andybalkphysics]

Yep for me! Out the door in ten.

-Andy

[FlyingFelix]

Awesome flying day!
Got a nice 2 hour and some flight, great flying close to a Sailplane, other gliders and an Eagle!
Many thanks to Matt (observer extraordinaire), Daniel, Charley, Karen for wire crew and Andy for the ride back up top.
Schweet!

[Matthew]

Yep, Great Day!!

Everyone who flew soared and got high. Karen bailed because she was already cold before setting up. I got 2 hours and 1600 over launch. Andy, Mark, Daniel, Felix, and Trevor all had fun and high flights. Trevor had an excellent launch! My hands started to freeze after I somehow lost the heat pack in my bar mitts after 90 minutes. Otherwise I might have stayed up till sunset-- lift was everywhere!

Matthew

[andybalkphysics]

Got out to High rock around 11:30 to find Mark already there with conditions looking OK. We set up as others got there…Matt, Karen, Dan, Felix, Charlie, and Trevor. Matt was observing me (thanks Matt) so I wanted to get off early so he would get a chance later. Took off into light but doable ridge lift, where it took a pass or two to get over. It was pretty cloudy, so I didn't think the thermals were gonna be anything but sure enough I found something above launch that took me a couple thousand over. Soared a bit longer, probably about an hour and a half in total, then went out to land so I could help the other guys. Really nice day to fly, esp. after all the hovering I'd been doing at Woodstock.

Thanks to Matt, Karen, and Dan for the launch,

-Andy

[rlweber]

By the way, Woodstock was also working on Saturday. After getting some household holiday chores done I ended up at Woodstock around 3 pm. It was blowing straight in between 5-10 mph. Laszlo, Kurt (from Charlottesville), Austin and I (flew my pg) all had very enjoyable soaring flights in a combination of ridge lift with some thermals. We all came down due to a combination of cold and not wanting to miss a ride back up the mountain. Most of us bagged around 1.5 hours. Thanks to Laszlo for the encouragement to give it a try.
Randy

[FlyingFelix]

Well, since I had some nice videos from this day I put together a little film...
My tail camera died after a little over an hour...so I missed some awesome close-up footage of a Sailplane and an Eagle that visited us in the air, as well as my landing. Luckily Charley and Andy filmed a little of my flight from the launch area and my landing.
Enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvVA6xUH ... e=youtu.be