Sat14March : Potential practice day at Smithsburg?

[markc]

It has been a VERY long time since I've posted anything here, almost a year! Things were pretty crazy in 2024/2025, and I simply fell out of the habit. Not good...

I took a major step back and was flying my Falcon last year. Just four or five flights. But I'm motivated to move back up, and had a (somewhat) productive day at Smithsburg two weeks ago on my U2. But it was wicked-west-cross, so just ground runs and small hops.

I definitely want/need more than that, at least a couple of flights from the top. The forecast is looking somewhat promising for this coming Saturday, and if it holds then I'm totally in! Chatted with Anthony earlier, and he is on-board as well.

So.... This could potentially be a good opportunity to shake off some rust and get back into the flying mindset. Maybe there are others we can coax out there who want to spread their wings?

Cheers,

MarkC

[markc]

The forecasts have definitely picked up. Now hoping that conditions by late afternoon will be doable on Saturday, allowing for at least a couple of flights. Totally depends on how quickly things move through...

Will post tomorrow when I head out, and if I hear that others are still motivated. Fingers crossed!

[markc]

Looks like there's some potential for a couple of decent hours at SBurg today : I'm aiming to be there around 3-ish, and Anthony is in for 4-ish. Maybe the winds will cooperate....

[A.Lloyd]

Hi All:

I'll be up there this afternoon with the Condor 225 Steve sold me.

[markc]

Things worked out ok!

I arrived earlier than planned, about 2pm. Set up streamers top and bottom and conditions seemed really good. Texted Anthony that the winds looked unexpectedly sweet. And then.... Yeah, it pretty much ramped up from there.

I purposely did not check KHGR because I knew it would be bad. Did so once I got home and I think the 2pm reading was G37, something crazy like that? Plenty of 'doable' cycles on the hill, and at Hagerstown, but the darn gust differential was just too high for my comfort. Sure, you can get in the air in those lulls. But no thanks, I don't need that level of drama at this point in my life.

Anyway... Lots and lots of waiting and watching and pacing and getting behind the wing to duck out of the cold. But finally, after 5pm, things started to back off a bit.

That surface prediction for a two-hour window of still-mostly-NW, no gust factor, starting around 4pm?

Never happened of course. Good reminder : Ya get what ya get, forecasts are just forecasts.

All that said, both Anthony and I got two flights. I think he was happy with his, and I was super-happy with my second flight: Fully intentional flight plan, burning it in with one hand up one down, landing to the north and a no-stepper. That made the day.

Pulling in back home: "Learning To Fly" by the Foo Fighters on the radio, had that one cranked up with a smile on my face.

Cheers,

MarkC