Woodstock Sunday October 17th

[XCanytime]

Looks good so far. KFRR here we come again . Anybody interested in XC to Front Royal Airport? Bacil

[RichH]

Im keeping an eye on it..Hope it stays NW ...Rich

[XCanytime]

Monday is looking good too at Woodstock. Bacil

[RichH]

Forecast for Sunday at Woodstock is looking good after 2pm.305 degrees at 12 mph on the ground. Sunset is at 6:37pm so that gives us a 4 hour window. Winds die off significantly after 5pm. Right now I'm hoping to launch between 2-3pm..Rich

[wmelo]

I am planning to be there after lunch.

[XCanytime]

You may be waiting all afternoon for it to back down if you get there too late and the launch window closes due to strong conditions on launch. Shane and I look to land again at KFRR after launching by 10A (should be ridge soarable by then). Hope to do an out and back from The Knob to KFRR. Bacil

[markc]

An early-launch plan has merit, but to be honest, I don't believe the forecasts yet.... I'll make my decision on Saturday, after the front blows through. Cautiously/hopefully optimistic, as we always are!

[RichH]

Im seeing wind speeds in the 25 mph rang at takeoff from 11am lasting all the way through until evening. If anything the wind forecast has ramped up since yesterday. Its 8am now Im going to see how the morning goes but Im leaning towards letting this flying day pass me by..Winds look like they are forecasted to sustain into Monday as well ..

[markc]

The gust factor in the sfc forecast is a few mph lower than yesterday: NW10 G21 .

But the ADDS 3k forecast is solidly 20-30kt blue, all darn day. So that's got me on the fence....

Will load up the glider and wait a few hours for late-AM updates to the maps before deciding.

[markc]

I'm bailing. Gust factor doesn't subside in the sfc forecast until just 30min before sunset, and the ADDS 3k forecast "fills-in" (20-30kt) after sunset. Between those two factors, and the length of the drive, and a workday tomorrow...

Hope to hear that the gamble pays off for Gary!

[Eric]

Hope all are good. Can't wait for Smithsburg to open up! -- Eric L.

https://www.nvdaily.com/nvdaily/no-inju ... rg78GNBkug

[XCanytime]

Since no early birds were signed up, I stopped by KFRR around 10:30A+ and found Danny Brotto by his rigged sailplane. He had migrated from MASA, thinking it might be blown out for the majority of the day at Fairfield. Danny planned to launch around 11:30A. I left just after 11A, but not before hearing over the Unicom that an airborne pilot had already contacted wave at 5500' MSL! At Woodstock launch it was breezy, but not blown out. By 12:30P it was outta hand. It stayed that way for about an hour, then backed off slightly for a while. Gary was the only pilot to show (around 2:45P, bringing strong winds ), and it didn't take long for both of us to remember that we were flying tomorrow. So we bailed around 3P, but not before old time pilot Carlos Weill showed up with his wife and young son. I stopped back by KFRR on the way out, and Danny was derigging his glider after a 3 hour tour of the Shenandoah Valley. Heard that a pilot got to 17K' MSL in wave , and an 8A launcher at MASA almost made it to KFRR. The pilot landed out just short of the airport. BTW, tomorrow at Woodstock looks awesome. Bacil

[krryerson]

Very interesting!
Thanks for posting.
Knut

[XCanytime]

Just checked the Holfuy windmeter log. Just as forecast, it backed down nicely after 5P, save for a strong cycle at 5:45P. Bacil

[Danny Brotto]

That report linked in Eric's post was Bacil's "MASA launcher who almost made it to Front Royal." The article describes a Hang Glider pilot crashing into trees and who carried out his hang glider in pieces. The MASA pilot (Paul) on his way to Front Royal was flying the low hills off of 66 when he decided to land in a field. The motorists driving on 66 must have interpreted this as an aircraft down and called authorities. Seven police and some paramedics showed up. The paramedics were bummed because there was no one to tend to. The police actually helped Paul disassemble and put the glider "pieces" into the trailer that was driven down from Fairfield buy Paul's retrieve crew. No harm, no damage. It was a big nothing-burger; nothing to see here, please move along .

Makes you wonder about the validity and accuracy of any other report you read!

Danny Brotto

[Eric]

So glad to hear that. The story was kind of weird. Thanks for the clarity!

[XCanytime]

A sail plane flight to just below Class A airspace last week at Front Royal: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... 0154407271

This is the pilot's account of ascending to just shy of Class A Airspace (18,000' MSL!) this past Sunday from KFRR. WOW (Wave Over Woodstock)! Bacil