Big Spring 2019

[mcgowantk]

I thought I could provide a short write up of my 2019 trip to Big Spring. Dave Proctor and Dan Lucaszewicz also were there. Dan was flying in the Sport Class and Dave flew in the Open class with me. I will let them add their stories separately.

The first three days were a little mixed for me. The first day was mostly blue. The open class did about an 80 mile cross wind dog leg task. I made the first leg but landed 7 Ks short of goal. The thermals were pretty good - maybe 500 up was the best I saw to about 8000 agl.

The second day turned on in an amazing way. I had several climbs to cloud base at 9000 agl with 800 up lift on the 20 second averager. Unfortunately, the air mass changed half way to goal so I managed to sink out after about 50 miles into the 90 mile task. Still, a great day of flying.

On the third day, the task was to an area of predicted OD. Given wind speeds and predicted weak lift, the plan was to launch early and get as far as possible before it OD’d. I needed two tows so was very late getting started. From what I could tell from climbing out at the airport, it had already developed pretty tall near goal so I just thermaled up and flew around the airport for an hour and landed. Lift was strong again, 700 up to around 6500 agl. Almost everyone made goal as the rain held off just long enough. Oh well.

The fourth day was disappointing for me as the conditions were light and I had difficulty on tow. The tug pilots were great but I let myself get out of position on the second tow and had to release early. The pilots who were able to climb a little and drift away from launch went on to have nice flights, but again minimum points for me from two short flights.

The last three days were good for me. Thursday we did a triangle. I did not finish it but the day looked super light and once again it looked like it would OD on the course. I flew around the airport for an hour looking at the big development along the course line, but then to my great surprise, the weather was clearing up along the course line instead of getting worse. After the last two days, I was just happy to get out on the course. However, as the day went on, conditions improved dramatically and I found myself high and making the first two turn points. But the weather finally aligned itself with the forecast and another cell developed close enough to the task that I decided to pass up lift to land well in front of any potential gust front. It was a fun day even though I was likely the only one to worry about the storm.

Friday was pretty much straight downwind for 99 miles or so. This was a classic Big Spring day. Once things turned on, it was epic. Many climbs with more than 600 up on the averager with my best climb of over 900 up (and it was butter smooth). Went on final glide 40 Ks out and made goal easily and may have set my all time altitude record there of 12,800 Msl. We launch at 2500 msl.

Saturday was a barbecue task. A short triangle that I was sure could not be done due to the 18-20 mph winds. It was a bit of a struggle as the rain the night before suppressed thermals - at first. We pretty much all made the first turn point by drifting downwind but started to find thermals of 600 up or better near the first turnpoint. Then flying into a crossing head wind, we found lots of streeting lift. I got low a few times but by flying upwind whenever I got 4000 agl, I was able to make some progress and made the second turn point. After that, I had to drift downwind away from the course line in order to find any available lift and stay up. Eventually, I found a house sized dust devil that got me high and with less than 10-1 glide into goal. Of course, with the head wind I got something like 5-1. Oh well. Landed 7 Ks short but a fun day.

I think I had close to 10 hours and 160 miles the last three days. While there were storms, they are easy to see and I had fun days by staying well clear of them. There were lots of great landing fields and winds were always southerly around 10 making good landing conditions.

If enough pilots sign up, they will have another meet in 2020. That may be 17 years of flying Big Spring for me.

Dave and Dan had some adventures of their own and were grinning on Saturday evening.

I hope to get out flying soon and see everyone.

Tom McGowan

[krryerson]

Tom,
Thanks for sharing!
Pretty sure I'll be going there next year.
Knut

[John Dullahan]

Tom,

Thanks for the great write up and congrats on your personal best altitude of 12,800 feet as well as doing very well against some of the best pilots in the US.

John D.

[Dave Proctor]

Big Spring was great again. I only had one short flight since Big Spring last year. I went thinking I would be happy if I was able to fly every other day. Sunday was good. I decked it 23 km short of goal, not because no able to make the cross wind leg. 3:26 in the air. Took off Monday to rest. Not so much from body pain, but more from lack of sleep. Hard to tell your body it no longer needs to wake up at 4AM. Flew Tuesday and made goal in a little over 3 hours. Good day. Topped out at 9500 23km from goal. Bailed at this altitude because I was pretty sure I had goal made. Arrived at about 2k ft agl. Took a second rest day on Wednesday. Flew Thursday thru Saturday. Almost made goal Saturday. Was close on numbers at about 16km from goal, and while there were some landable areas towards goal (oil well sites) I couldn’t be certain there were roads without gates to these fields. So I ran due south, perpendicular to goal path to stay near a paved road. Didn’t want to land 1/2 mike behind a locked gate. I endded up with 13-14 hours in 5 flights. I was totally happy with the week.