Yesterday was a beach day at Smyrna with Kevin and Bo and Paul. We had LOTS of fun. Ridiculous fun. The wind was a honkin', thanks to Rita! We dragged down these old gliders from a hangar until we found a couple that we thought would work - I will have to get Paul to fill you in on what they actually were because I have never seen anything like them. One was Moyes and the other an Airwave.
We had to sit in the truck while it poured for awhile but then we set up. Bo was the first to fly. Paul and Kev ran down the beach with a line hooked to Bo to tow him, while I stood on top of these little rocks on a dune and wrestled with the left wing. It was weird as sh#*. You should have seen Bo pop up, though! Just like cliff launching. With a man-tow.
When Bo released from tow, Paul fell down and pulled a muscle in his hip really badly. The day was over for him then; I mean he cannot walk, only crawl like a bug. We all felt grateful he was the sacrifice who got hurt.
Bo soared the hotels for a long time. It is actually very complex. The marine air feels smooth, but it was cross from the south. The lift band is extremely narrow. In front of it, you will drop quickly, behind, it is bad news. It is easy to turn in the band, but if you fall out of it with one wing, it can be difficult to turn to say the least.
Bo told me there were 2 rules, never ever get behind the motels, because the rotor will hurt you bad, and don't land in the ocean, even in half an inch of water, because you can drown easily. It was really hard to not land in the ocean because Smyrna Beach got washed away in Ophelia, and the small bit of sand that is left slopes steeply down to the water -- even at low tide.
You should have seen Bo land. The trick is to fly parallel to the water along the strip of sand. However, you are in the lift band there so the glider will just keep flying forever. But if you turn towards the water you may well not stop because of the downhill slope. So you have to drag your feet (no kidding) while you are in ground effect going sideways, and when you have lost enough speed, let the glider yaw a little towards the water and flare. Bo skidded along sideways for awhile through the sand and then landed perfectly.
Kevin was next. He flew for over an hour. Really cool. I filmed Bo and Kevin, the raging ocean, the hotel -- we hung out in on a beach level hotel patio that was unclaimed -- and the groupies cheering for Kev as he made passes by their windows. Bo and I swam for awhile, maybe 45 minutes, while Paul drank beer and iced his leg. It was funny how far you would get washed down the beach if you didn't pay attention.
Kevin said the flying was VERY challenging, particularly in the big old glider-- he called her a "Ho", though Bo felt sorry for her and plans on adopting her and having the rip in her sail fixed. Kevin's landing was more interesting than Bo's but he did stay dry.
Bo said it was not a great place to learn (I had been figuring this out watching, and hearing Kevin talk about how difficult it was to avoid becoming part of the hotel convinced me further. Obviously both Kevin and Bo are hugely experienced pilots with big reputations). But I had to do SOMETHING.
So Kev and Bo hooked me into the glider and I did flat launches down the beach. It was hard to get enough airspeed unless you turned towards the water but that was a big no-no. However, it worked well launching with Kevin and Bo sprinting beside me. I got about 2 feet in the air and could fly for as long as the boys could run. Funny, they got tired of the game before I did... Actually they were pretty wonderful, making sure I got to share in the fun and get airborne at least a little.
I tried launching myself a few times. Bo warned about my right wing stalling since I had to run parallel. Anyhow I told him of course I knew how to fly but I nearly met Ms. Turtle once. It was more fun when the boys ran with me because I could just step into the glider when I wanted and fly like a princess.
Kevin should have some good pictures on his blog later; he might have a video, too, once he sorts through all the bad filming I did.
Lauren
PS. I gotta go up to Kitty Hawk and fly the dunes there -- this is apparently the hep place to learn, hep meaning I might live to see dinner if I learn that way
Beach flying at Smyrna
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
Beach flying at Smyrna
Sounds like fun - and sounds like Bo has made a complete recovery! -
Hugh
On 21 Sep 2005, at 08:01, Lauren Tjaden wrote:
>
> Yesterday was a beach day at Smyrna with Kevin and Bo and Paul. We
> had LOTS of fun. Ridiculous fun. The wind was a honkin', thanks to
> Rita! We dragged down these old gliders from a hangar until we
> found a couple that we thought would work - I will have to get Paul
> to fill you in on what they actually were because I have never seen
> anything like them. One was Moyes and the other an Airwave.
> We had to sit in the truck while it poured for awhile but then we
> set up. Bo was the first to fly. Paul and Kev ran down the beach
> with a line hooked to Bo to tow him, while I stood on top of these
> little rocks on a dune and wrestled with the left wing. It was
> weird as sh#*. You should have seen Bo pop up, though! Just like
> cliff launching. With a man-tow.
> When Bo released from tow, Paul fell down and pulled a muscle in
> his hip really badly. The day was over for him then; I mean he
> cannot walk, only crawl like a bug. We all felt grateful he was the
> sacrifice who got hurt.
> Bo soared the hotels for a long time. It is actually very complex.
> The marine air feels smooth, but it was cross from the south. The
> lift band is extremely narrow. In front of it, you will drop
> quickly, behind, it is bad news. It is easy to turn in the band,
> but if you fall out of it with one wing, it can be difficult to
> turn to say the least.
> Bo told me there were 2 rules, never ever get behind the motels,
> because the rotor will hurt you bad, and don't land in the ocean,
> even in half an inch of water, because you can drown easily. It was
> really hard to not land in the ocean because Smyrna Beach got
> washed away in Ophelia, and the small bit of sand that is left
> slopes steeply down to the water -- even at low tide.
> You should have seen Bo land. The trick is to fly parallel to the
> water along the strip of sand. However, you are in the lift band
> there so the glider will just keep flying forever. But if you turn
> towards the water you may well not stop because of the downhill
> slope. So you have to drag your feet (no kidding) while you are in
> ground effect going sideways, and when you have lost enough speed,
> let the glider yaw a little towards the water and flare. Bo skidded
> along sideways for awhile through the sand and then landed perfectly.
> Kevin was next. He flew for over an hour. Really cool. I filmed Bo
> and Kevin, the raging ocean, the hotel -- we hung out in on a beach
> level hotel patio that was unclaimed -- and the groupies cheering
> for Kev as he made passes by their windows. Bo and I swam for
> awhile, maybe 45 minutes, while Paul drank beer and iced his leg.
> It was funny how far you would get washed down the beach if you
> didn't pay attention.
> Kevin said the flying was VERY challenging, particularly in the big
> old glider-- he called her a "Ho", though Bo felt sorry for her and
> plans on adopting her and having the rip in her sail fixed. Kevin's
> landing was more interesting than Bo's but he did stay dry.
> Bo said it was not a great place to learn (I had been figuring this
> out watching, and hearing Kevin talk about how difficult it was to
> avoid becoming part of the hotel convinced me further. Obviously
> both Kevin and Bo are hugely experienced pilots with big
> reputations). But I had to do SOMETHING.
> So Kev and Bo hooked me into the glider and I did flat launches
> down the beach. It was hard to get enough airspeed unless you
> turned towards the water but that was a big no-no. However, it
> worked well launching with Kevin and Bo sprinting beside me. I got
> about 2 feet in the air and could fly for as long as the boys could
> run. Funny, they got tired of the game before I did... Actually
> they were pretty wonderful, making sure I got to share in the fun
> and get airborne at least a little.
> I tried launching myself a few times. Bo warned about my right wing
> stalling since I had to run parallel. Anyhow I told him of course I
> knew how to fly but I nearly met Ms. Turtle once. It was more fun
> when the boys ran with me because I could just step into the glider
> when I wanted and fly like a princess.
> Kevin should have some good pictures on his blog later; he might
> have a video, too, once he sorts through all the bad filming I did.
> Lauren
> PS. I gotta go up to Kitty Hawk and fly the dunes there -- this is
> apparently the hep place to learn, hep meaning I might live to see
> dinner if I learn that way
>
Hugh
On 21 Sep 2005, at 08:01, Lauren Tjaden wrote:
>
> Yesterday was a beach day at Smyrna with Kevin and Bo and Paul. We
> had LOTS of fun. Ridiculous fun. The wind was a honkin', thanks to
> Rita! We dragged down these old gliders from a hangar until we
> found a couple that we thought would work - I will have to get Paul
> to fill you in on what they actually were because I have never seen
> anything like them. One was Moyes and the other an Airwave.
> We had to sit in the truck while it poured for awhile but then we
> set up. Bo was the first to fly. Paul and Kev ran down the beach
> with a line hooked to Bo to tow him, while I stood on top of these
> little rocks on a dune and wrestled with the left wing. It was
> weird as sh#*. You should have seen Bo pop up, though! Just like
> cliff launching. With a man-tow.
> When Bo released from tow, Paul fell down and pulled a muscle in
> his hip really badly. The day was over for him then; I mean he
> cannot walk, only crawl like a bug. We all felt grateful he was the
> sacrifice who got hurt.
> Bo soared the hotels for a long time. It is actually very complex.
> The marine air feels smooth, but it was cross from the south. The
> lift band is extremely narrow. In front of it, you will drop
> quickly, behind, it is bad news. It is easy to turn in the band,
> but if you fall out of it with one wing, it can be difficult to
> turn to say the least.
> Bo told me there were 2 rules, never ever get behind the motels,
> because the rotor will hurt you bad, and don't land in the ocean,
> even in half an inch of water, because you can drown easily. It was
> really hard to not land in the ocean because Smyrna Beach got
> washed away in Ophelia, and the small bit of sand that is left
> slopes steeply down to the water -- even at low tide.
> You should have seen Bo land. The trick is to fly parallel to the
> water along the strip of sand. However, you are in the lift band
> there so the glider will just keep flying forever. But if you turn
> towards the water you may well not stop because of the downhill
> slope. So you have to drag your feet (no kidding) while you are in
> ground effect going sideways, and when you have lost enough speed,
> let the glider yaw a little towards the water and flare. Bo skidded
> along sideways for awhile through the sand and then landed perfectly.
> Kevin was next. He flew for over an hour. Really cool. I filmed Bo
> and Kevin, the raging ocean, the hotel -- we hung out in on a beach
> level hotel patio that was unclaimed -- and the groupies cheering
> for Kev as he made passes by their windows. Bo and I swam for
> awhile, maybe 45 minutes, while Paul drank beer and iced his leg.
> It was funny how far you would get washed down the beach if you
> didn't pay attention.
> Kevin said the flying was VERY challenging, particularly in the big
> old glider-- he called her a "Ho", though Bo felt sorry for her and
> plans on adopting her and having the rip in her sail fixed. Kevin's
> landing was more interesting than Bo's but he did stay dry.
> Bo said it was not a great place to learn (I had been figuring this
> out watching, and hearing Kevin talk about how difficult it was to
> avoid becoming part of the hotel convinced me further. Obviously
> both Kevin and Bo are hugely experienced pilots with big
> reputations). But I had to do SOMETHING.
> So Kev and Bo hooked me into the glider and I did flat launches
> down the beach. It was hard to get enough airspeed unless you
> turned towards the water but that was a big no-no. However, it
> worked well launching with Kevin and Bo sprinting beside me. I got
> about 2 feet in the air and could fly for as long as the boys could
> run. Funny, they got tired of the game before I did... Actually
> they were pretty wonderful, making sure I got to share in the fun
> and get airborne at least a little.
> I tried launching myself a few times. Bo warned about my right wing
> stalling since I had to run parallel. Anyhow I told him of course I
> knew how to fly but I nearly met Ms. Turtle once. It was more fun
> when the boys ran with me because I could just step into the glider
> when I wanted and fly like a princess.
> Kevin should have some good pictures on his blog later; he might
> have a video, too, once he sorts through all the bad filming I did.
> Lauren
> PS. I gotta go up to Kitty Hawk and fly the dunes there -- this is
> apparently the hep place to learn, hep meaning I might live to see
> dinner if I learn that way
>