Woodstock Tomorrow (1/10)

Post by **hang_pilot** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 11:47 am

Looking good. I'm planning to be there. Any other takers? ~Daniel

heaviek · Post by **heaviek** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 2:42 pm

Daniel, I was just logging in to post the same thoughts! Looking at the weather I am 95%. I am planning on an early start.

Kev C

mikel · Post by **mikel** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:11 pm

Dang it !!!! I went and burned a sick day today.......

Maybe next time....

'til then, Mike

Post by **Joe Schad** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 7:04 pm

Going to be cold cold cold and possible a bit strong. But I may give it a go.

Joe

Post by **hang_pilot** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 7:43 am

I'll be at the lz around 1pm. ~Daniel 301.275.6584

Post by **Joe Schad** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 8:24 am

One O'clock looks good to me also. Should be backing off as the day progresses.

Joe

heaviek · Post by **heaviek** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 9:26 am

I am going to have to play the wimp card. The sounding shows temperatures at launch too far below what my gear can handle. Sorry to be a flip flopper.

Kev C

Post by **Joe Schad** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 9:36 am

Bruce and I are going to be in the LZ at 12:30. The road is open.

Joe

Post by **hang_pilot** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 12:28 pm

It’s been a while since I’ve flown my hang glider -- grad school takes up most of my time right now -- so I showed up early, set-up in the LZ and did several practice runs. It was breezy enough to give me some ground handling work, too. Noted there were 3 feed-troughs in the LZ at the crest of the hill pretty much right where I like to land. Still plenty of room but it’s something to be aware of.

I was expecting it to be honking at launch and that I’d have to chill for a while waiting for my late afternoon flight. When I arrived at launch, I was pleasantly surprised to find mostly 7 – 12, with a south cross and frequent straight-in cycles. Bruce, Nelson and Joe were nearly rigged and ready. Gentleman Joe volunteered to go last, meaning he offered to wait for me so I would have a wireman…very nice.

I flew for 90 minutes and made the run up to Signal Knob and back. All of the south faces were working. I got 2500 over on the first finger but soon realized I could maintain around 500 - 1000 over where it was warmer just by dolphin-flying and didn’t try to get high for the rest of the flight. The wind really accelerated around the Knob (¾ VG and 5 mph ground speed flying upwind) and I got low on the start of the return leg. Thought I might have blown the flight trying to tag a goal but found some buoyant air and climbed out again.

I think Bruce got 4500 msl. Nelson was looking for wave, got cloudbase but maybe not the ride he was wanting? Joe flew out to Rt. 11 before he started going down. Everyone flew until they were cold. I’m not good and out of practice, so it was pretty brain-dead.

We all got snowed on. I guess you call it snow: ice crystals here and there, lovely little specks of light. I kept seeing them zoom by but never felt one on my face.

I entered my approach high and hit lift. To lose altitude I did 2 sloppy 180’s inside the treeline: I put on speed for the gradient but then didn’t want to turn at that speed, let out and climbed out before each turn. Got turned off the wind (to the north) on final and whacked. I said I practiced launches not landings. I need to work on my landings. The only things I did right were to let go of the downtubes – which survived – and somehow dodge the cowpatties.

Joe provided beers, sodas, snacks and a place to defrost and decompress…again, very nice. Both Bruce and Joe gave me some good pointers. It was a great day, you should have been there.

Post by **hang_pilot** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 12:31 pm

heaviek wrote: The sounding shows temperatures at launch too far below what my gear can handle.

Your flying gear or your baby-making gear?

It was pretty cold but my Blue Sky bar mitts did a great job. Next time, I'm going to insert a hand warmer pack in each one. I was only wearing thin leather gloves underneath and was comfortable for about an hour with temps around 27-30F.

Post by **XCanytime** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 6:33 pm

Hey Daniel,
I'd fly all night and all day if I could but my work and my wife wouldn't take it very good, so I fly when I can, work when I should (name that tune

). Glad you flew and expanded your horizons at Woodstock. The best is yet to come this spring there.

Bacil

Spark · Post by **Spark** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 7:14 pm

I'm enjoying reading about the Woodstock flying ... flying is not happening around here. Temps at my house are 20 and we are expecting near-zero by the a.m. I'll be surprised if the car starts.
'Spark

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