Next week end 7/8th around Hagerstown

[flaille]

Hello all,

I plan to go flying this week-end if the weather is ok.
Are there any website which provide realistic prediction (rain, wind at different level, thermal instability, etc) here in West Viriginia / Maryland ?

Second thing is that I met at Hagerstown a swedish hang-glider (35 years of practice around the world), recently arrived as well.
He will subscribe soon to the forum to join us. But the thing is that he hasn't brought anything hang-glider with him. I was wondering if anyone had an additional equipment to share with him, pending acquisition of his own material. Of course, he will get a US licence during the next days, and will fill waivers as well.

Hope to meet you this week-end! (or next one, if weather isn't on our side)

Thanks,
Olivier

[markc]

There's a chance that The Pulpit might be WNW and "doable" for both HG and PG on Saturday. But we're still four days out, so it's *way* early to be making a call at this point.....

Olivier, did the HG pilot you met mention his "hook-in" weight?

MarkC

[Matthew]

Smelling like the Pulpit on Saturday....

What's the Bacil-cast???

Matthew

[XCanytime]

Looks NW and relatively warm in the lo 50's. I'd like to come out and help launches and drive. Bacil

[markc]

Could be Pulpit on Saturday and High Rock on Sunday?

Could be our first weekend of near-springtime conditions?

Time to start checking over the gear, oh yeah!



PS: We've missed you Bacil!!

[Matthew]

Yes. Being at the Pulpit without Bacil is an odd and sad experience.

Hope Bacil is in flying shape soon!!!

Matthew

[Matthew]

Hmmmm....

Maybe High Rock.

Will decide around 9am on Saturday morning.

Matthew

[mcgowantk]

I have to pick a day, so I am leaning toward Sunday. Have fun on Saturday. I hope all the snow melts before Sunday!

Tom McGowan

[ryanlds]

If anyone is Paragliding tomorrow let me know and I will head out as well.
703.953.0091

[XCanytime]

Weather.com has it W from noon til sunset at HGR tomorrow. Dead nuts Pulpit. Sunday looks like a great HR day. Why do you have to wait til 9AM tomorrow to decide ? I will be at the Pulpit to welcome the believers . Bacil

[flaille]

My swedish friend and I will be there as well from 11h00 am. see you there. Olivier

[markc]

My concerns about the Pulpit on Sat are two-fold : 80% cloud cover (I'll admit it, I'm a wimp, hoping for a sunny winter-is-almost-over flight!), and the fact that the NWS W@10-15 surface 'cast has a darn good chance of being more like 20-25 at launch. The ADDS 3k looks pretty strong too.

High Rock on Sunday certainly looks good at this point!

OTOH, flying both days would be a great way to break the winter drought!

So I dunno, guess I'll see what the clouds are looking like tomorrow AM, that'll probably swing me one way or the other.

MarkC

PS: This is a good time of year to review your gear! I finally addressed a problem with my hack-job vario/GPS mount: cut off the excess length from an aluminum bracket/plate. Thin, sharp corners, was sticking out 2 inches longer than it should... No longer an accident waiting to happen, hah!

[Danny Brotto]

I have a mandatory annual safety meeting to attend for the sailplane club today (yeah we do those and you can't fly in the club unless you attend it or a makeup session.) Unlikely that I can make it up to McConnelsburg in time but might be able to scoot up to HR with enough daylight to make it doable. If anyone goes to HR, would you please post here?

My $0.02 is that it will be okay at both sites today.

Thanks,
Danny Brotto

[kcarra]

Here's the latest for the Pulpit--

TODAY
PARTLY SUNNY THIS MORNING...THEN MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH
ISOLATED RAIN OR SNOW SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON. HIGHS IN THE UPPER
40S. WEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH. CHANCE OF
PRECIPITATION 20 PERCENT.


Hmmm.. maybe Mark is right about HR tomorrow.

Matthew

[XCanytime]

Here's the latest for Hagerstown: A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High 56F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. I should be at the Pulpit by 11A. Bacil

[kcarra]

We have chores to do and can only fly one day-- leaning towards tomorrow unless I get some good arm twisting.

Matthew

[markc]

NWS text forecast is calling for G25 at McConnellsburg....
weather.gov is calling for G22....
Mostly cloudy, and the satellite loop shows lots of clouds moving in.....

I'm going to wimp out, while desperately hoping that tomorrow's great 'cast for High Rock holds.

MarkC

[markc]

Arghh! They dropped the gust factor, should have waited for the 10am update before committing on the day. Hope those who go have some great flights!

[ryanlds]

Thank you Bacil for your incredible insights and help at Pulpit! I only got one sled run in but it wasa definitely a step above Taylor Hill.

[XCanytime]

You are welcome Ryan. Ryan ended up having the only flight of the day. After 1P+ the sun came out and stirred the atmosphere up good. It got too strong for PG and was near the edge for HG. Olivier and Johan showed up and cased launch, took a jog along the snow covered Tuscarora Trail, then cased the LZs. Charley Fager and Danny Brotto showed up, but it was late and we chose to go to the bar and get some chow. Olivier and Johan returned from the LZ inspection and rounded out the Mountain House clan. After some decent food Charley and Danny departed, and I showed the Smithsburg training hill to Olivier and Johan. Bacil

[flaille]

Hello all,
The wind didn't permit us to take off, but it was a pleasure to meet you today, special thanks to Bacil for the detour you did to show us this lovely little hill at SB!
I will not do the same mistake tomorrow and will be soon in the morning at SB
Ryan, do you have any GPS coordonates for Taylor Hill? I have never heard about this place
Thanks
Olivier

[Matthew]

near the edge for HG...

How close to the edge? Would Mark C. and I have launched???

Matthew

[XCanytime]

Yes you would have launched late in the day, when it was backing off nicely. Bacil