Sunday May 3rd : Pulpit day? Tandem Too?

[djscheele]

I am looking to fly the pulpit on Sunday, looking about west at 5mp on ground, that might be good at launch. I will bring both tandom and regular glider in hopes to fly. Any body how wants to take a tandom flight give me a call at410-263-1135

[thermalup]

If the forecast doesn't change tomorrow morning .. then ETA at launch by noon. Not looking for a tandem flight though ... sorry!

[djscheele]

that is ok about the no tandom flight. I hope to be up at pulpit around 10:00 am I hope to have Kieth Ford with me see you then.

[markc]

I'm there now, bright enough for a moonlight flight. Hoping that the W5-10 holds for tomorrow. Feel free to call for conditions after 8:30am.

MarkC

[markc]

We may see Bacil and Charley and Ric as well : Seemed like they were motivated during dinner at the Strasburg Inn!

[Dave Proctor]

I am heading to the Pulpit today. ETA...late morning. No driver yet. Could be a long hitch hike back
DaveP

[Danny Brotto]

For all you folks contemplating OTB tomorrow, please be aware that there is a TFR up!

Danny Brotto

[markc]

W5-6 on the ramp at 8:30

[djscheele]

well it was not a booming day at the Pulpit but there were four flights, Denis launch his 220 delta wing solo in light thermals and lasted about 10 to 15 min. Denis tryed to work a couple thermals he got about 300 ft above but no better. Then there were two more flights sled rides. Denis got back up to launch and test flew Kieth Fords Wills HP and did very well. Denis hooked into a thermal and worked it up to 4000 msl and went over for a fun little 10 miler xc. Turned out to be just a fun day. Thank you to all that came out to fly and have fun, see ya next week

[thermalup]

Everybody had big plans to get high, go over the back and score some distance. However,the forecast turned out to be much better than reality. But it was a great day to experience my first flight at the Pulpit, first landing in the Pulpit LZ and my first sledder of the year! Congrats to Denis for coring a nice one on a challenging day (Johan, Marzena and I were cheering for you from the LZ). Mark's great patience rewarded him with a soaring flight late in the day (hopefully he will post his analysis of the day's conditions). Many thx to Dave P., Mark C. and Marzena for launch assistance and an extra thx to Mark for setting up the wind streamers at all corners of the ramps ... they were definitely a safety feature for the cross launch conditions.

[markc]

No great insights I'm afraid.... Conditions initially were promising, and in line with the forecasts. But then it OD'd (streets of nasty black clouds and even a raindrop or two), and the winds seemed to go hugely cross. Dennis' and Jim's early flights were an eye opener, as they went screaming downwind to the south.

Seeing that, and after noticing that there was almost zero motion in the slot, I went into wait-and-see mode. Things finally changed for the better at 4:30 and Dennis got up to 2k and went OTB for his second flight.

I launched at 5:15 after pilots were back up top, into conditions that were still OK-ish. Got up over the two spines to the south of launch for a bit, but made the huge mistake of leaving lift (saw indications that it had switched to SW cross, and gambled that the section of the ridge where Rt 16 crosses the ridge would be working). It wasn't. Was landing minutes later. Never leave lift on a sketchy day, sheesh, what the heck was I thinking?

MarkC

[Danny Brotto]

I had to sit Sunday out with many-to-much things on my plate however here is another data point for the discussion.

The sailplane guys reported spectacular conditions.

"On the strongest thermal day this pilot can remember, we flew a 2+30 MAT to Thompsontown (25) and York (20) during the TFR. Thermals were strong at 6-7 knots on the average. One pilot saw 12knots. Cloud base was 9500 feet, a severe under call by Dr. Jack who forecasted 6500 feet. CL, LBL and 1I participated. Speeds were high for a thermal day with Baude clocking over 60 knots. If not for a low point and a bit of struggling near York, his speed would have been in the 70-72 knot range."

Surprised to hear of the difference between the sailplane and HG reports (both Ridgley and McConnelsburg.)

Danny Brotto

[XCanytime]

Thanks for the sailplane PIREPs Danny. I had a similar affliction; had the glider and the wife w/ me. Which way do I go? Went to the winery instead. Bacil