501 Saturday Oct. 7th

[XCanytime]

Looks pretty good for flying 501 Saturday. Moderate winds from the S/SSE. Looking to go XC to the same golf course as last Saturday. Bacil

[h.reynolds]

I'm interested in coming out but I have not been to this site. How can I find location?
Hugh

[wuffos]

Hi Hugh,

I didn't recognize your name, so I have to ask your rating(s) ? "501" is a Hang 3 site, 1 mile upwind to the LZ. Double surface only.

[h.reynolds]

Bacil,
I'm hang 2 and not familiar with some of the sites. I have flown woodstock and high rock. I would like to check out a hang 2 site that might be flyable tomorrow or the next time conditions permit with an observer. I live in Hanover PA and I think I may have met you at the Pulpit last fall.

[XCanytime]

Met up w/ Ward at the launch around noon. Already soarable w/ breezy conditions on launch. Spent the next 1.5 hours using a lopper as a poor man's weedwhacker. Tom Allen, Charley, Ric, and Jim Carroll all showed up before 2P. Ric used an actual weedwhacker while I set up to fly. Thanks a bunch Ric. The slot looks a helluva lot better. Things had lightened a little when I launched around 2:30P. I spent the next 45 minutes doing the gymnast balance beam thing following lift lines to the SSW/SW out into the valley. The lift was not wide enough to turn in. Decided it wasn't happening and being already out in the valley chasing a lift line just flew out to the horse farm to land. Gradient was huge and a late flare resulted in a plop landing. Ward decided not to fly and retrieved me. Thanks Ward! Back at launch Jim was soaring high above. Ward and I helped Charley and Ric launch. They both had good launches. Bill U. and another pilot showed up in between the launches and hustled to set up before the sun set. I went down to the LZ and waited for the pilots to land. The horses were hanging out in the middle of the field, prompting Jim to land in the next field over. The sounds of his approach into the adjoining field spooked the horses and they galloped up to the crest of the main LZ hill. I scoped out the insidious power lines that are at the north end of the adjoining field that Jim pointed out. In the meantime Ric and Charley landed, and the other 2 pilots were coming in to land as I hit the road. Bacil http://www.doarama.com/view/1665939

[XCanytime]

Bacil,
I'm hang 2 and not familiar with some of the sites. I have flown woodstock and high rock. I would like to check out a hang 2 site that might be flyable tomorrow or the next time conditions permit with an observer. I live in Hanover PA and I think I may have met you at the Pulpit last fall.

Hugh,
The Smithsburg training hill should be open in a month+. It faces NW and is flyable in W to NNW winds. I suggest flying there as often as you can in winds commensurate with your rating. Don't fly alone. The Pulpit is only 45 minutes away from the Smithsburg training hill. You could hit Smithsburg in the morning, then pack up and go to the Pulpit in the afternoon and fly, as long as conditions at the Pulpit are within the operating thresholds of your rating. Post here your intentions when an opportunity presents itself. In the next 6 months there should be plenty of opportunities to realize the scenario described above.

Best Regards,
Bacil

[Dunegoon]

Thanks to Bacil for getting a good start on cleaning up launch and Ric to finishing it off with his power trimmer. Some nice evening flying conditions. 2,400 msl and over an hour of flight time. I needed some easy airtime as I have not been able to fly lately. Ric and I had good air to air radio contact and monitored the LZ and the other pilots. We watched Jim zoom around and enjoyed the beautiful conditions. I radioed to Ric, "This one is for Tom Petty." Ric thought I meant, "Free Falling," but I thought I was making an obvious reference to "Learning to fly." LOL.

Once the horses moved into the upper area of the field we headed out to land. The wind was still strong and it took a long time to get out even with full VG and being as pointy as possible. No trouble staying high as nice lift lines prevailed. I watched Jim make numerous trips out and then back to the ridge with his T2C. Jim said conditions were strong enough that at times he could park with his VG off...so obviously flying an S2 required some patience if you wanted to go anywhere. 501 produces some of the nicest magic conditions, but the distance to the LZ and other nuances of the site require a good briefing for visiting pilots. Definitely not a site for an inexperienced pilot.

Ric had a nice approach and a good landing. I followed. Set up spiral approach away from the horses and a squiggly figure eight. Lifty conditions and beginning of katabatic flow kept me higher and landing faster than expected. Landed higher on the hill which was not great, but worked out ok. The last two pilots landed with unceremonious clunkers. Some nice flying and thanks to everyone for their help.

CF