Practice day at Daniels Sat14Jul ?

[markc]

Been so long, I'm considering Daniels tomorrow, simply for a mountain launch-and-landing. A soaring flight seems doubtful with the S@3-5 sfc cast, but a practice day has its merits... And you never know, a lucky thermal might come along.

Course, easy to say this now, and then blow it off tomorrow AM But if others are considering it, that could provide a bit of helpful motivation.

Thoughts?

[mingram]

I'm going tomorrow. Will bring a chainsaw as well.

[silverwings]

I am going to Bluesky with hopes of PG truck towing. The direction, velocity and lift look good for it. Also, should be good for HG.

[markc]

Hmmmm.... Could bring along some (manual) implements of destruction tomorrow, maybe do some clearing, and then the sledder. There are places to grab a cold one on the way back.... Yeah, leaning that way.

[markc]

ETA: About 11am

[mingram]

Same

[silverwings]

I had a nice PG truck tow at BlueSky and was able to get up to almost 4600'. Me and 2 HG's were enjoying some good lift together. Landed after 55 minutes.

[markc]

Good PG flights at Daniel's today!

I'm going to blank on several names, but those I know for sure included Jim, Matt I, Mo, Justin, and George. At least four others seems about right. Matt and another pilot were up-and-out very quickly, I'm guessing some good miles for them. I heard that Justin landed on the west side of Standardsville and hitched back. Others stayed local, some with multiple flights.

Unfortunately, the launch is in pretty sucky shape for HG. Not *terrible*... But given the nature of the day (purely thermal; lulls of under 5mph; pick a random cross-direction when it blows in), it just didn't seem very safe to me for hangies. Some sustained 10 into the mountain? Yeah, that would have been more interesting! (in spite of the tree issues). But switchy down low while the trees above & behind are making noise? Not so much.

I attacked the left side this time, about mid-way down the slot. Put in close to three hours and made a decent dent. But there are still many trees and saplings within the original boundaries of the slot. Really highlighted just how sparse our numbers are, I have photos of that slot clean as a whistle after work-parties involving 15-20 pilots. Sigh.

BTW: Daniel's really is our only summer/South option for mountain flying. And it can really be nice in the late afternoon, if conditions are right! So, just a "plug"... I'm guessing that there could have been some darn good HG flights today.

MarkC

[XCanytime]

501 (Bethel) faces due south. It is an option. Charley and I have flown it multiple times in the past year. Soaring flights each time. Even Knut flew it once last October and had a nice PM soaring flight. Single surface hang gliders need not apply (prohibited), as the LZ is a long glide. Bacil

[krryerson]

Bacil is correct, 501 is a great place (S) to fly, with magic evening lift. (That is what locals told me and it worked for me.)
Working a lot this summer. Yes, it stinks, but little time off. Hope to get a flight or two in on Wednesday or Thursday. Anyone wants to join me? BlueSky an option too.
If not seen 501, here is a video from November 2017.
https://youtu.be/UYCv0g07yNU
Knut

[markc]

Whoops, "only S mtn option" should probably have been "only S mtn option with a no-worries glide to the LZ" .

[mcgowantk]

Mark

Thanks for all that work on the launch. I hope I get to take advantage of it soon!

Tom McGowan

[mingram]

That's for the heavy cutting Mark! This Fall we should do some serious chainsaw work. The club chainsaw was out for a bit, but got clogged up and needs to be sharpened.

We did some work on the slot before we couldn't stand it anymore and had to fly. Syrus and I flew together to Syria. Max altitude 4600 feet msl. The lift felt blown apart to me and was hard to track. Thankfully I had another pilot to help.

Visiting pilot Mo Pimrose also had an XC flight. Don't know where he landed.

George, Karl, Jim Crocker, Fish, Bernardo, Justin, and new P2 from Utah Jeff George. Looks like Randy also flew.

http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/2027650