1st flight - after continuing to look for the lift band and getting much too far below launch, I set out for the LZ. It was touch and go altitude-wise, but with a few pops I was enough to clear the power lines with some room, but didn't have the clearance to DBF, so I stuffed the bar and landed straight in; strong flare and an an okay landing.
2nd launch - paying particular concern to my altitude relative to launch, I set out for the LZ after coming back down level with launch, but LO! didn't make it to the primary LZ. When I realized I wasn't going to clear the power lines I 450'd right down into the upper field below me and landed downwind, slightly downhill, and although I attempted a flare, going upright didn't bring me down as quickly as I needed to, and I was heading for the fenceline, so I went back down to the control bar, stuffed it, and rolled in safely in very short corn stubble.
Analysis:
A) too gung how and think I know what I'm doing.
B) first launch - didn't judge the angle to lauch well, everyone said it was very easy to get to LZ and instead of analysing my particular circumstances, I was flying on generalities.
C) Also, without realizing it during the flight, I was flying too slow (probably min sink rather than max glide). I had been too concerned with avoiding some of my earlier mistakes of flying too fast to stay up in lift, and ended up flying too slowly as a consequence. My observer, and those in the LZ who watched my flight informed me that I had been flying too slowly.
D) departed from right of launch to LZ, when, due to the left cross, I should have departed from the left so I wasn't so much into the headwind.
E) second launch - departed for LZ at appropriate altitude and from appropriate direction (it was crossing from the left). However, without realizing it, I was again flying mcuh too slowly. I was fairly surprised that it appeared I was not going to make the LZ this time, since I had set out with enough altitude - but I still did not realize I should make the correction to my flying speed.
F) Made the incorrect decision that the wind was blowing directly into the mountain when I decided which way to turn to land in the upper field and was thinking that it would be a 90 cross either way, instead of having processed the fact that everyone who'd been flying to that point was drifting to the right due to the left cross, and consequently I landed downwind.
G) Although I didn't mind rolling in because my knee hanger had snapped loose immediately as I launched and I wasn't sure how that would affect my flare so I'd already considered that I would use rolling in as an option, I should have stayed on the downtubes rather than attempting to flare because of the proximity of the fenceline at the end of the field, and because of the downwind, downhill landing direction I'd ended up selecting.
My thanks to all who politely handled my imbecility and offered insights into what the various poor decisions I had made were.
Sat at Jacks - review of my mistakes
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
Re: Sat at Jacks - review of my mistakes
Hey Linda, I agree with all of your points except this one!breezyk1d wrote: My thanks to all who politely handled my imbecility and offered insights into what the various poor decisions I had made were.
Understanding what your glider is capable of, figuring out min sink vs max
glide, picking up on how the day's conditions will affect your flight plan....
You don't get an intuitive feel for all this stuff after just a handful of
mountain flights. You are learning. You are not an imbecile.
The day was a valuable one and it seems to have taught you a lot, and
this is good
--mark
Sat at Jacks - review of my mistakes
Roger the part about flying too slow, but does anyone else think you
might be being victimized by that raggedy glider? - Hugh
On 20 Mar 2005, at 11:02, breezyk1d wrote:
> 1st flight - after continuing to look for the lift band and getting
> much too far below launch, I set out for the LZ. It was touch and go
> altitude-wise, but with a few pops I was enough to clear the power
> lines with some room, but didn't have the clearance to DBF, so I
> stuffed the bar and landed straight in; strong flare and an an okay
> landing.
>
> 2nd launch - paying particular concern to my altitude relative to
> launch, I set out for the LZ after coming back down level with launch,
> but LO! didn't make it to the primary LZ. When I realized I wasn't
> going to clear the power lines I 450'd right down into the upper field
> below me and landed downwind, slightly downhill, and although I
> attempted a flare, going upright didn't bring me down as quickly as I
> needed to, and I was heading for the fenceline, so I went back down to
> the control bar, stuffed it, and rolled in safely in very short corn
> stubble.
>
> Analysis:
>
> A) too gung how and think I know what I'm doing.
>
> B) first launch - didn't judge the angle to lauch well, everyone said
> it was very easy to get to LZ and instead of analysing my particular
> circumstances, I was flying on generalities.
>
> C) Also, without realizing it during the flight, I was flying too
> slow (probably min sink rather than max glide). I had been too
> concerned with avoiding some of my earlier mistakes of flying too fast
> to stay up in lift, and ended up flying too slowly as a consequence.
> My observer, and those in the LZ who watched my flight informed me
> that I had been flying too slowly.
>
> D) departed from right of launch to LZ, when, due to the left cross,
> I should have departed from the left so I wasn't so much into the
> headwind.
>
> E) second launch - departed for LZ at appropriate altitude and from
> appropriate direction (it was crossing from the left). However,
> without realizing it, I was again flying mcuh too slowly. I was fairly
> surprised that it appeared I was not going to make the LZ this time,
> since I had set out with enough altitude - but I still did not realize
> I should make the correction to my flying speed.
>
> F) Made the incorrect decision that the wind was blowing directly
> into the mountain when I decided which way to turn to land in the
> upper field and was thinking that it would be a 90 cross either way,
> instead of having processed the fact that everyone who'd been flying
> to that point was drifting to the right due to the left cross, and
> consequently I landed downwind.
>
> G) Although I didn't mind rolling in because my knee hanger had
> snapped loose immediately as I launched and I wasn't sure how that
> would affect my flare so I'd already considered that I would use
> rolling in as an option, I should have stayed on the downtubes rather
> than attempting to flare because of the proximity of the fenceline at
> the end of the field, and because of the downwind, downhill landing
> direction I'd ended up selecting.
>
> My thanks to all who politely handled my imbecility and offered
> insights into what the various poor decisions I had made were.
>
>
>
>
>
might be being victimized by that raggedy glider? - Hugh
On 20 Mar 2005, at 11:02, breezyk1d wrote:
> 1st flight - after continuing to look for the lift band and getting
> much too far below launch, I set out for the LZ. It was touch and go
> altitude-wise, but with a few pops I was enough to clear the power
> lines with some room, but didn't have the clearance to DBF, so I
> stuffed the bar and landed straight in; strong flare and an an okay
> landing.
>
> 2nd launch - paying particular concern to my altitude relative to
> launch, I set out for the LZ after coming back down level with launch,
> but LO! didn't make it to the primary LZ. When I realized I wasn't
> going to clear the power lines I 450'd right down into the upper field
> below me and landed downwind, slightly downhill, and although I
> attempted a flare, going upright didn't bring me down as quickly as I
> needed to, and I was heading for the fenceline, so I went back down to
> the control bar, stuffed it, and rolled in safely in very short corn
> stubble.
>
> Analysis:
>
> A) too gung how and think I know what I'm doing.
>
> B) first launch - didn't judge the angle to lauch well, everyone said
> it was very easy to get to LZ and instead of analysing my particular
> circumstances, I was flying on generalities.
>
> C) Also, without realizing it during the flight, I was flying too
> slow (probably min sink rather than max glide). I had been too
> concerned with avoiding some of my earlier mistakes of flying too fast
> to stay up in lift, and ended up flying too slowly as a consequence.
> My observer, and those in the LZ who watched my flight informed me
> that I had been flying too slowly.
>
> D) departed from right of launch to LZ, when, due to the left cross,
> I should have departed from the left so I wasn't so much into the
> headwind.
>
> E) second launch - departed for LZ at appropriate altitude and from
> appropriate direction (it was crossing from the left). However,
> without realizing it, I was again flying mcuh too slowly. I was fairly
> surprised that it appeared I was not going to make the LZ this time,
> since I had set out with enough altitude - but I still did not realize
> I should make the correction to my flying speed.
>
> F) Made the incorrect decision that the wind was blowing directly
> into the mountain when I decided which way to turn to land in the
> upper field and was thinking that it would be a 90 cross either way,
> instead of having processed the fact that everyone who'd been flying
> to that point was drifting to the right due to the left cross, and
> consequently I landed downwind.
>
> G) Although I didn't mind rolling in because my knee hanger had
> snapped loose immediately as I launched and I wasn't sure how that
> would affect my flare so I'd already considered that I would use
> rolling in as an option, I should have stayed on the downtubes rather
> than attempting to flare because of the proximity of the fenceline at
> the end of the field, and because of the downwind, downhill landing
> direction I'd ended up selecting.
>
> My thanks to all who politely handled my imbecility and offered
> insights into what the various poor decisions I had made were.
>
>
>
>
>
-
hang_pilot
- Posts: 662
- Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 11:13 pm
- Location: Tallahassee, FL
Sat at Jacks - review of my mistakes
Hi, Linda-
?
Ditto what Mark said and feel free to include in your next write-up the parts of your flight that kicked ass!
?
You wrote: G) … I should have stayed on the downtubes rather than attempting to flare
?
Not sure what you meant with that part. ?
?
?
Yesterday was a good day, soaring easily and sharing the ridge with friends. After the initial sleds, with a severe cross and dusk approaching, I didn’t think the day would turn on like it did.? If my car had been in the LZ, I probably would have gone straight home.?
?
It was also fun flying Jacks for the first time, hanging out with the usual cast as well as some folks new to me:? Spoons, Mark Dunn and Rich Bloomfield. Congrats to Rich for his first mountain flight in over a year!? I don’t think Cragin and Dan T have been out lately, so it was cool to see them taking to the air after making such a long trek.? After that 3 hour drive, personally, I was expecting to see Lake Erie from launch! ?Next time I go to Jack’s, I’m gonna buy me some cheap prescription drugs and a high flush capacity toilet. I did see hawks everywhere: are they in migration or was I just lucky?
?
Thanks to Spark for observing.? He comes to the mountain with Zaggi, PG and HG.? Whenever he takes time to observe, which he does practically every time he flies, I know he is taking time away from something fun.? ??
?
~Daniel
?
?
?
?? ??
?
Ditto what Mark said and feel free to include in your next write-up the parts of your flight that kicked ass!
?
You wrote: G) … I should have stayed on the downtubes rather than attempting to flare
?
Not sure what you meant with that part. ?
?
?
Yesterday was a good day, soaring easily and sharing the ridge with friends. After the initial sleds, with a severe cross and dusk approaching, I didn’t think the day would turn on like it did.? If my car had been in the LZ, I probably would have gone straight home.?
?
It was also fun flying Jacks for the first time, hanging out with the usual cast as well as some folks new to me:? Spoons, Mark Dunn and Rich Bloomfield. Congrats to Rich for his first mountain flight in over a year!? I don’t think Cragin and Dan T have been out lately, so it was cool to see them taking to the air after making such a long trek.? After that 3 hour drive, personally, I was expecting to see Lake Erie from launch! ?Next time I go to Jack’s, I’m gonna buy me some cheap prescription drugs and a high flush capacity toilet. I did see hawks everywhere: are they in migration or was I just lucky?
?
Thanks to Spark for observing.? He comes to the mountain with Zaggi, PG and HG.? Whenever he takes time to observe, which he does practically every time he flies, I know he is taking time away from something fun.? ??
?
~Daniel
?
?
?
?? ??
Code: Select all
************************************************The information transmitted is intended solelyfor the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/orprivileged material. Any review, retransmission,dissemination or other use of or taking actionin reliance upon this information by persons orentities other than the intended recipient isprohibited. If you have received this email inerror please contact the sender and delete thematerial from any computer. [ST:A234]************************************************Daniel: "You wrote: G) ? I should have stayed on the downtubes rather than attempting to flare
Not sure what you meant with that part. "
Oops - I meant I should have stayed on the basetube, rather than going to the uprights.
As for the parts of my flight that kicked ass - you mean about the part that I managed not to tangle myself in the power lines and kill myself? Or all the rest of those kick ass moments that if I take a real long time to think about, I might be able to come up with? But thanks for presuming there might be something worth crowing about!
Hugh: I now realize it will be quite some time before that bagged out glider can victimize me! I've got a lot of learning to do on it before I outgrow my faded and patched airgasmatron...
Mark: Yes, I did learn a very very lot, which definately makes it a worthwhile couple of flights for me, but your supportive comments are HUGELY appreciated. -Linda
Not sure what you meant with that part. "
Oops - I meant I should have stayed on the basetube, rather than going to the uprights.
As for the parts of my flight that kicked ass - you mean about the part that I managed not to tangle myself in the power lines and kill myself? Or all the rest of those kick ass moments that if I take a real long time to think about, I might be able to come up with? But thanks for presuming there might be something worth crowing about!
Hugh: I now realize it will be quite some time before that bagged out glider can victimize me! I've got a lot of learning to do on it before I outgrow my faded and patched airgasmatron...
Mark: Yes, I did learn a very very lot, which definately makes it a worthwhile couple of flights for me, but your supportive comments are HUGELY appreciated. -Linda
-
Paul Tjaden
- Posts: 398
- Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2005 10:28 pm
Sat at Jacks - review of my mistakes
In a message dated 3/20/2005 5:48:12 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, lbaskerville@wba-arch.com writes:
Linda,
I think the thing that you did?best was that when you realized that didn't have the altitude to make the LZ, you were flexible in your thinking. You were smart enough to solve the problem. You did not continue to fly straight and cook yourself, brain locked in a panic. You stayed thinking. You chose a different landing field. Very good!
Of course you should think through possibilities before they occur, because when a pilot is inexperienced, sometimes he or she forgets other important factors (like the wind direction) when they become overwhelmed with a huge decision. But you will always remember to think about the wind direction before you launch, for every flight you ever make again. So really it was a wonderful, cheap lesson, because it made a big impression.
?We are the Sky Goddesses!
Lauren
As for the parts of my flight that kicked ass - you mean about the part that I managed not to tangle myself in the power lines and kill myself?
Linda,
I think the thing that you did?best was that when you realized that didn't have the altitude to make the LZ, you were flexible in your thinking. You were smart enough to solve the problem. You did not continue to fly straight and cook yourself, brain locked in a panic. You stayed thinking. You chose a different landing field. Very good!
Of course you should think through possibilities before they occur, because when a pilot is inexperienced, sometimes he or she forgets other important factors (like the wind direction) when they become overwhelmed with a huge decision. But you will always remember to think about the wind direction before you launch, for every flight you ever make again. So really it was a wonderful, cheap lesson, because it made a big impression.
?We are the Sky Goddesses!Lauren
-
silverwings
- Posts: 1243
- Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 11:29 pm
- Location: Bethesda, MD
- Contact:
Sat at Jacks - review of my mistakes
Linda, sounds like a good learning experience. I would like to comment about the sound decision of rolling in on the wheels (when the surface will allow it) and you may overshoot and/or going down hill. A great way to stop in a short distance and something I pass on to all students getting their hang 2 from me.
john middleton (202)409-2574 c
Sat at Jacks - review of my mistakes
The only comment I have to add is that H2's forget speed to fly varies with
conditions and distance from the ridge. On a thermally day it's very
difficult to evaluate your glide angle, so H2's should spend some time on
smoother days picking targets and getting used to finding the best glide
angle at various wind speeds and amounts of ridge lift. You have to
constangly re-evaluate during each flight. Then on more
confusing days you'll have some base knowledge to work with.
Glad you were able to change you flight plan under stress!
Brian Vant-Hull
301-646-1149
On Sun, 20 Mar 2005, breezyk1d wrote:
> 1st flight - after continuing to look for the lift band and getting much too far below launch, I set out for the LZ. It was touch and go altitude-wise, but with a few pops I was enough to clear the power lines with some room, but didn't have the clearance to DBF, so I stuffed the bar and landed straight in; strong flare and an an okay landing.
>
> 2nd launch - paying particular concern to my altitude relative to launch, I set out for the LZ after coming back down level with launch, but LO! didn't make it to the primary LZ. When I realized I wasn't going to clear the power lines I 450'd right down into the upper field below me and landed downwind, slightly downhill, and although I attempted a flare, going upright didn't bring me down as quickly as I needed to, and I was heading for the fenceline, so I went back down to the control bar, stuffed it, and rolled in safely in very short corn stubble.
>
> Analysis:
>
> A) too gung how and think I know what I'm doing.
>
> B) first launch - didn't judge the angle to lauch well, everyone said it was very easy to get to LZ and instead of analysing my particular circumstances, I was flying on generalities.
>
> C) Also, without realizing it during the flight, I was flying too slow (probably min sink rather than max glide). I had been too concerned with avoiding some of my earlier mistakes of flying too fast to stay up in lift, and ended up flying too slowly as a consequence. My observer, and those in the LZ who watched my flight informed me that I had been flying too slowly.
>
> D) departed from right of launch to LZ, when, due to the left cross, I should have departed from the left so I wasn't so much into the headwind.
>
> E) second launch - departed for LZ at appropriate altitude and from appropriate direction (it was crossing from the left). However, without realizing it, I was again flying mcuh too slowly. I was fairly surprised that it appeared I was not going to make the LZ this time, since I had set out with enough altitude - but I still did not realize I should make the correction to my flying speed.
>
> F) Made the incorrect decision that the wind was blowing directly into the mountain when I decided which way to turn to land in the upper field and was thinking that it would be a 90 cross either way, instead of having processed the fact that everyone who'd been flying to that point was drifting to the right due to the left cross, and consequently I landed downwind.
>
> G) Although I didn't mind rolling in because my knee hanger had snapped loose immediately as I launched and I wasn't sure how that would affect my flare so I'd already considered that I would use rolling in as an option, I should have stayed on the downtubes rather than attempting to flare because of the proximity of the fenceline at the end of the field, and because of the downwind, downhill landing direction I'd ended up selecting.
>
> My thanks to all who politely handled my imbecility and offered insights into what the various poor decisions I had made were.
conditions and distance from the ridge. On a thermally day it's very
difficult to evaluate your glide angle, so H2's should spend some time on
smoother days picking targets and getting used to finding the best glide
angle at various wind speeds and amounts of ridge lift. You have to
constangly re-evaluate during each flight. Then on more
confusing days you'll have some base knowledge to work with.
Glad you were able to change you flight plan under stress!
Brian Vant-Hull
301-646-1149
On Sun, 20 Mar 2005, breezyk1d wrote:
> 1st flight - after continuing to look for the lift band and getting much too far below launch, I set out for the LZ. It was touch and go altitude-wise, but with a few pops I was enough to clear the power lines with some room, but didn't have the clearance to DBF, so I stuffed the bar and landed straight in; strong flare and an an okay landing.
>
> 2nd launch - paying particular concern to my altitude relative to launch, I set out for the LZ after coming back down level with launch, but LO! didn't make it to the primary LZ. When I realized I wasn't going to clear the power lines I 450'd right down into the upper field below me and landed downwind, slightly downhill, and although I attempted a flare, going upright didn't bring me down as quickly as I needed to, and I was heading for the fenceline, so I went back down to the control bar, stuffed it, and rolled in safely in very short corn stubble.
>
> Analysis:
>
> A) too gung how and think I know what I'm doing.
>
> B) first launch - didn't judge the angle to lauch well, everyone said it was very easy to get to LZ and instead of analysing my particular circumstances, I was flying on generalities.
>
> C) Also, without realizing it during the flight, I was flying too slow (probably min sink rather than max glide). I had been too concerned with avoiding some of my earlier mistakes of flying too fast to stay up in lift, and ended up flying too slowly as a consequence. My observer, and those in the LZ who watched my flight informed me that I had been flying too slowly.
>
> D) departed from right of launch to LZ, when, due to the left cross, I should have departed from the left so I wasn't so much into the headwind.
>
> E) second launch - departed for LZ at appropriate altitude and from appropriate direction (it was crossing from the left). However, without realizing it, I was again flying mcuh too slowly. I was fairly surprised that it appeared I was not going to make the LZ this time, since I had set out with enough altitude - but I still did not realize I should make the correction to my flying speed.
>
> F) Made the incorrect decision that the wind was blowing directly into the mountain when I decided which way to turn to land in the upper field and was thinking that it would be a 90 cross either way, instead of having processed the fact that everyone who'd been flying to that point was drifting to the right due to the left cross, and consequently I landed downwind.
>
> G) Although I didn't mind rolling in because my knee hanger had snapped loose immediately as I launched and I wasn't sure how that would affect my flare so I'd already considered that I would use rolling in as an option, I should have stayed on the downtubes rather than attempting to flare because of the proximity of the fenceline at the end of the field, and because of the downwind, downhill landing direction I'd ended up selecting.
>
> My thanks to all who politely handled my imbecility and offered insights into what the various poor decisions I had made were.
The answer!
It's obvious! My observer and I have been racking our brains trying to figure out why I sank out so badly during my second launch off of Jack's on Sat.
It's gotta be the winter weight I've gained! I must now exceed the hook-in weight range (it's all parachute, it's all parachute, REALLY!) for my glider and I simply sand like a rock! Whooo hoo
o
o
o
ooo!
It's gotta be the winter weight I've gained! I must now exceed the hook-in weight range (it's all parachute, it's all parachute, REALLY!) for my glider and I simply sand like a rock! Whooo hoo
o
o
o
ooo!