Much airtime was had at Edith's Gap on Saturday 8/26/17. Some pilots went over the back. One flew up and down the Shenandoah valley! I made it west of 81, crossing near Edinburg. I took a bad line and ended up on the ground. It took a lot of skill to find sink, there were cummies all around
Hitchhiked back, with a ride from a Shenandoah County Deputy and made a ridge run south to the end of the ridge and back, about 10 miles. The south point is just north of the New Market Gap. Jim Crocker made the run with me and saw two balds playing on the ridge.
Randy,
Great to hear you PG guys did have a great flight Saturday at Edith Gap.
Was suppose to fly HG at Bluesky and aerotowing on Saturday, but it was "cancelled".
Turned back home... .
When driving back home, leaving Fredericksburg, was in fact thinking about going to Edith Gap on Saturday.
In aftermath, do you think a HG pilot with the right skills, would have had a great XC from Edith Gap on Saturday?
Knut
Absolutely, an hg could have flown a great xc. The only issue is the landing zone. The pg zone can be landed by a hg in a downwind uphill landing but it would be challenge. The field was landed by a Falcon a few years ago in a quartering tailwind, crossfield landing by Brian Vant Hall, I believe. There are very large,landable hg fields, but they are a good distance out. Check them out on google earth. I think the largest one is about a 12 to 1 glide. They are very reachable if one gets above the ridge. The launch is at the Kennedy Peak Trailhead. The pg lz is the first field at approximately 10 oclock from launch. Check out the site guide.
I landed in that field in a Wills Wing U2, a few weeks after Brian's flight. Same MO, downwind/uphill, on the wheels. It worked... But wouldn't want to try it on a topless!
Sorry, it was Sunday, not Saturday I was on my way to Bluesky. Mixing up the days.
In any case, was at Edith Gap, during the LZ clean up, in December, for a few years back, so I do know the launch and LZ.
My point is that maybe we should consider flying HG at Edith Gap, on days like Saturday and go XC.
Not for everyone... But, would not land at the main LZ.
Knut
Last edited by krryerson on Thu Aug 31, 2017 3:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Sunday was even a better day for hg at Edith's Gap, with increased wind velocity. I had a nice hour ride, made it to cloud base but did not go anywhere. Other pilots went xc.
I tell ya Knut I would not even think about going to EG unless there was a forecast for SE winds 10 to 20 MPH. I want guaranteed ridge lift to enable me to land somewhere else. Bacil
Correct.
Would love going to E.G. and fly HG, on a guaranteed ridge lift day, enable us to land somewhere else.
That place has great XC potentials.
But, would not be first to launch.
Randy and everyone, why don't we look into it.
Maybe Mark or Brian can launch first, since they know how to land there.
K
