Woodstock Monday 11/23

[XCanytime]

Looks pretty good so far. Or a good training hill day at Smithsburg. Walt it would be good to test fly your new S3 at Smithsburg. Bacil

[markc]

Last I heard, Gary and John McA were planning on a late-day flight at Woodstock today, and Joe S planned to swing by to help on launch.

I'm out : Some minor cold-ish (or just allergy?) symptoms, better safe than sorry/spreading .

[XCanytime]

Headed to Smithsburg instead of Woodstock. Got there at 1:30P and leisurely set up the windsocks and stayed warm in the truck. The conditions were 10 to 15 MPH with gusts up to 25 MPH at the top. A cloud bank moved in and the sky got completely overcast, and the conditions settled down some. Around 3P I set up the glider in anticipation of the arrival of Rich Bloomfield by 4P-. Rich got there around 3:45P, so I headed to the top. Conditions had lightened a lot by this time. 1st takeoff wasn't great; the gradient in the dip below the lip of the takeoff area robbed me of airspeed right after I got airborne. There was a good breeze at the top of the hill, but not much air was moving where the mid hill windsock was placed. The glider yawed a little to the right (north cross) before exiting the gradient area and planing out nicely. One might think that I would be a little smarter in picking a launch cycle that wouldn't involve the gradient in the dip. I place that windsock specifically in the center of the hill to indicate when a good time to go would be. But I chose to launch when that windsock wasn't showing much activity. Good landing, so I resolved to do better on the second hop. And I did, taking off when that windsock showed a moderate wind straight up the hill. But another local nuance was waiting for me at the bottom of the hill. After a good launch, I flew straight out to land, but when I got to the bottom of the hill, a BIG foot of sink stepped on me big time . I dropped like a stone and was fearful I would drop all the way to the ground . Luckily I flew out of the sinkhole and popped back up 15', continuing on to a good landing. Big thanks to Rich for coming out and helping me execute training hill flights. Bacil

[markc]

FYI: Heard from Gary that it was cranking at 2:30, totally clouded over, "felt like snow". Grappel? He and John decided to fly another day.

[markc]

"Graupel"