Saturday May 3'rd

[FlyingFelix]

I''d like to fly somewhere tomorrow.
I'm thinking Highland or Daniel's. Dickey's is out for me since I didn't get the pass this year...
Daniel's looks doable, winds from SW (was more WSW earlier but looks to be pretty much SW as of now), a bit strong up top but should be pretty good, hopefully not too mellow at launch. Thermal forecast is in the 500's fpm
Highland shows WSW, not too strong, but thermal forecast not so great.
I'll be watching conditions and hope to fly somewhere.
Anybody else wanna give it a shot somewhere tomorrow?

[markc]

I am giving Saturday some thought Felix..... Maybe an early day at Highland before it ramps up from the SW.... Or maybe a Daniels day, if it doesn't look too west..... Will decide early tomorrow AM.

MarkC

[Joe Schad]

It is not too late to get a Park pass to fly Dickey Ridge. We need more hang gliders flying the site to keep the usage up. Beside you get to entertain the visitors to Shenandoah National Park all summer long.

Joe

[FlyingFelix]

Not too happy with the forecasts today... Based on the RAP blip maps I'll give Highland a shot. Might be too much W at Daniels and I'm afraid of going all the way there and not getting a good flight. Highland is at least close and can always go back up if needed - which I probably will today.
Oh well, hope it turns out ok.

[Matthew]

Still holding out hope for a late day flight at Woodstock on Sunday.

The text forecast has backed off.

Going for a bike ride this morning-- then climbing at Carderock around 4pm. Give me shout if you wanna go climbing today (5/3)

Matthew

[FlyingFelix]

Highland was strong yesterday, strongest stuff I've encountered there so far. First flight was an extended sledder, lots of sink, strong bubbles going up I couldn't make any sense of. Second flight was adventurous all the way up, Jim dropped me off in a thermal at 2500' MSL that took me almost another thousand feet up fast - my vario briefly showed as high as 900 fpm up. I was drifting too fast over the ground so I got out front from the thermal, pulled full VG, race position, was going faster than best glide speed and I was almost parked (gps said 4-5 mph ground sped), still climbing for a while. When I finally got out of the lifting air I was in fast sink, I then went searching in vain for more thermals, stayed on top of the airfield and played in some punchy stuff, landed soon afterwards. High winds and strong thermals will make it interesting up there to say the least.
Nice day to be out, a few pilots, students and joyriders present.