Elizabethville/Pulpit Sunday Dec. 13th

[XCanytime]

Anybody up for either of these? Bacil

[XCanytime]

Most likely flying at Elizabethville Sunday. Bacil

[1otIII2007]

I am up for flying Elizabethville. Looks like it is too much wind for the Pulpit.

Allan B.

[XCanytime]

It is confirmed. Charley and I are flying at Elizabethville Sunday. Ward and Anthony are interested. I already texted the winery owner and got clearance for us to land there Sunday, if any of us decide to do so. It will be soarable, and it is top landable. There is a huge field behind and below launch that allows for top landings. I hope to top land, making retrieval a non issue. Bacil

[Ward Odenwald]

Early evening Elizabethville forecasts for tomorrow afternoon’s wind speeds (at 330 ft plus above) and the predicted surface gusts are outside my comfort zone, especially since I’ve never flown there. So, barring any significant changes in forecasts, I’m out.

Ward

[A.Lloyd]

I'm out as well and will be at Smithsburg in the afternoon with 2 H2s

Anthony

[XCanytime]

Smithsburg windspeed and direction looks great after 3P. Bacil

[XCanytime]

Got to launch around 9:20A. Already soarable, with conditions straight in to WNW. Set up and waited for other pilots. A lone raven entertained me, frolicking in the air, folding his wings and diving like a bullet. Also spied a bunch of swifts eating insects carried aloft by the rising air. Allan showed up ~ 30 minutes later and started setting up. In that half hour it got stronger, and freight trains started cycling thru the forest to the south and north of the launch slot, making a lot of noise. The sky looked turbulent upwind, w/ some nasty looking wave clouds to the WNW. William Hynla showed up just before 11A and started setting up. By that time the conditions abated a bit, and the sky changed hue to a more friendly look. Joe Gorrie showed up around 11:30A, and by that time conditions had abated even more. So I got Joe, Allan, and Bill to help me launch. Had a good launch in a moderate cycle just after a pair of mountain bikers showed up. They got treated to their 1st witnessed hang glider launch. Went right up to a couple hundred over and checked the air out south of launch, where the mountain curves to a more WNW facing direction. Experienced similar conditions to the Pulpit flight 15 days ago, but not mile wide chop . Found a max headwind of 24 MPH from the WNW. A top landing was out of the question, and Joe warned us about chop in the main LZ by the winery when it's WNW. So I committed to gaining enough altitude to make it out to a huge, wide open field that we have landing privileges at. Poked upwind, and found a lift line that gave me 100'. Then I ran into light, very smooth lift midway between the mountain and the target LZ. It felt like a small wave was forming. I tried to explore it laterally but lost it, so I continued upwind, seeing that I had the field easily made. So I just essentially pointed the glider to the WNW and blistered down to the ground. Had some chop that may have been amplified by flying fast, but got thru it and rounded out. Some activity on the ground occurred, but kept it straight and level, and a moderately aggressive flare parachuted me gently down to the ground. Parked the glider quickly and unhooked. The wire crew came down and gave me a body ride; Allan dropped off his truck as well. Back at launch ran into Monte from Grantsville, PA loading up his 2 year old colt Boone after a nice ride thru Weiser State Forest. As we chatted, Allan launched into much smoother air but the headwinds were still strong; Allan later stated he registered a top headwind of 22 MPH during his flight. By the time I got to the LZ Allan had just landed a minute earlier into smooth headwinds. I helped him pack up, and visited the landowners' house to thank them for the landing privileges. Looking forward to returning to Elizabethville. It is a perfect site to fly when it's too west and light at Woodstock, and too strong at the Pulpit. Bacil
https://ayvri.com/scene/z15y60z0jx/ckin ... 6g6dw1eesv

[Danny Brotto]

"It is a perfect site to fly when it's too west and light at Woodstock, and too strong at the Pulpit."

Sounds like High Rock.

Danny Brotto

[XCanytime]

Is west good at High Rock? Bacil

[Danny Brotto]

HR will take a west with caution especially in the LZ where a west presents a bit of a left cross. HR takes a NNW well. Wind velocity there is between Pulpit (where it tends to be stronger) and Woodstock (where it tends to be lighter.)

The half dozen times or so that I've flown Elizabethville have been on the turbulent side except for the magic evening where I top landed. Assigned LZ was rolling hills right below launch but sounds like there are other options now. Launch was easy and wide open. Turnaround was long and through the woods.

Danny Brotto

[XCanytime]

The last time (the 2nd time) I flew Elizabethville was April 26th, 2009, which was an epic day (95 degrees!) there, as well as at Avonmore PA, where Pete Lehmann got to 11,002' MSL on his way XCing to McAlevys Fort. The launch is the most friendly slot I've seen locally, save for the launch slot at Big Walker Mountain in Dublin, VA. The main (closest) LZ, by the winery, is very restricted. The secondary LZ I landed in is huge. Joe Gorrie is currently working on establishing landing privileges at a 3rd field just north of the main field. Bacil

[dbodner]

I rode the motorcycle to High Rock that day. It was (to my rusty biological anemometer) 12-15 mph with a wicked gust factor. No freight trains, just super punchy.

David Bodner