WOW (wave over woodstock)

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hanging3
Posts: 100
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 11:13 pm

WOW (wave over woodstock)

Post by hanging3 »

First time I wished I was on the ground...guess I should have kept heading out into the valley. Brain freeze.

Took off after 5 expecting lift to about 2500 over, then strong lift above that. Decided to stay around 2000. Not low enough. Stuck between 1800 and 2200 from ridge to the 3rd farm out in the valley. I got to practice flying real fast with full VG for awhile. Then multiple spiral dives with VG on and off. Amazing that you can make a diving 180 turn full VG, all the way stuffed and over and hear you vario beep up! Below 1500 baby butt smooth!

Lesson learned: Dress for the worst. I was expecting a 30 minute rigde lift sunset flight. If I had to go up I would have been real cold. Re-learn the proper exit procedure and mentally go through it. I just fought it straight down for 20 minutes. Up and Foreward or acoss might have been better. I"ll reread the book.

Matthew the wave master had a fantastic flight.

Pulpit tomorrow???
joe b
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Matthew
Posts: 1982
Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2005 1:10 pm
Location: Tacky Park

Not the Wave Master

Post by Matthew »

I'm not the wave master today. And I didn't have a fantastic flight. Mark C., Dan T. and Gary S. are the wave masters who had fantastic flights. And Bruce Engen got up to 9600msl!!! I had a fairly unimpressive flight. I launched around 3:20, flew straight out beyond the LZ, climbed to 2K over and turned left. I continuted to climb as I boated down the valley and past Edinburgh, topping out at 3K over. Hit a sink hole near the end of Short Mountain and got down to 1K over. I searched around near the cliffs on the ridge at the end of Short Mtn and out again in the valley for something to take me up and over to Kearn Mtn. But I just kept gradually losing more altitude. At 1500AGL, I turned south again and landed 3 miles south of Mount Jackson near Cedar Grove Church. I never had the big lift or strong air others mentioned. I flew with half VG (what I always do) and flew at trim or min sink-- never got pinned on the ridge or hit any significant turbulence or had to stuff the bar to get down. It was like magic air out in the valley.

Karen had a nice 90 minute flight with bigger lift but she too had to stuff the bar to get down.

Matthew
XCanytime
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WOW (wave over woodstock)

Post by XCanytime »

Were there any wave clouds to indicate wave when the overcast started breaking up?? Often wave sets in near the end of a fine soaring day and grabs some folks by suprise.? Often a harrowing experience for those not prepared for it.? Sounds like some were.

???????????????????????????????????????????? Bacil
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Scott
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Location: Shepherdstown, WV

Post by Scott »

Though I wasn't at Woodstock, Holly and I saw plenty of wave clouds earlier in the morning around Winchester/Martinsburg---long, smooth, round on top, and paralleling each other.

Scott
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hanging3
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Post by hanging3 »

I did not arrive till after 3pm and then it was clear.
Earlier there were clouds. On the way through H-ferry and Winchester I only saw cummies and they were breaking up fast. Best indication was Kelvin saying above 2500 you'll be going up fast!
joe b
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carweill
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Post by carweill »

Saturday I arrived late when most people were set-up.
I heard on the way up to launch that a glider with VG having penetration problems, once at 2K over.
My plan was to stay under 1800 over and remain vigilant.
I launched at around 5:00 PM, thanks to Dave Bodner and Joe B. While staying in front of the ridge I played around a little, the vario did not stop beeping. I could not see the vario against the sun. After a few minutes I just turn the vario to see 2300 over. OK do not want to climb anymore. Tried to move up-front by pull in, no progress. Tried to turn some, but that only got me further behind, but still in front of the ridge. I pulled in and extended my arms, staying us prone as I could be, I was higher than before. Around 4500 now. All this time the vario did not stop beeping. I figure I was 30 minutes before sundown. I had to make a decision. On the radio I got a hold a Matthew and Marc and told them my plan to land behind. Mark was trying to cross a gap, and Matthew had landed.
I crossed the second ridge at still 4500 over and checked for a few potential LZ?s. On the south side could not see, then I crossed a thin layer of turbulence as I started to go down.
Finally the vario stop and even beeped down. I could move north where the better-looking field was. I checked for fences and power lines. There is a gap on the second ridge that lets some wind come thru, but once 500 over it there is no effect. On the ground, it might be a long walk, who cares. I called on the radio, and got Karen who was at launch, on her way to pick up Matthew. She was kind enough to divert and pick me up.
I?ve flown here a few times and when the wind gets strong I don?t because of gradient. When I fly and gets stronger, I stay low and move up-front, always checking my ability to move around. I few minutes of distraction put me in this predicament. Hopefully I learned something.

Carlos
Matthew
Posts: 1982
Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2005 1:10 pm
Location: Tacky Park

WS Retrieve

Post by Matthew »

Oh sure. My wife picks up you Carlos. Must be nice. I had to hitch a ride back using my "Hang Glider Pilot Needs Ride to Car" sign. I stood on the side of Route 11 for almost 40 minutes before a couple picked me up and I rode in the back of their truck. They were actually kind enough to offer to take me up the road to launch. We passed Joe Schad going down the road from launch and I transfered over to Joe's car. The farmer of the LZ where I landed requested that pilots landing in farm flieds use the gates and not climb the fences to get out of fields. He says this has happened at his field in the past causing damage to his fence. So please make a survey of the field after you land XC and figure out the exit point to avoid damaging farmer's fences.

Matthew
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CraginS
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Re: WS Retrieve

Post by CraginS »

[quote="Matthew"]Oh sure. My wife picks up you Carlos. Must be nice. I had to hitch a ride back using my "Hang Glider Pilot Needs Ride to Car" sign. >snip<Matthew[/quote]

Whine, whine, whine, Matthew. Your lovely wife picked me up, too. She even brought my truck to me. Thank you, Karen.
You got a ride? So did Dan T. I had to walk from my LZ all the way through Woodstock on 11 to the road to launch. (OK, it was only 2 1/2 miles, and a beautiful afternoon for a walk.)
I had no ride offers at all, so I walked the whole way. Of course, I did not have a fancy sign like you. I also was not carrying a $5 bill in my ride-thumb hand like Dan T did.

cragin
carweill
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Post by carweill »

Karen and Matthew,
Maybe I'll have a chance to return the favor to you both

Carlos
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