Bear with the apparent off-topic powered-flying talk in the first paragraph - it all comes together, I promise:
Ellis and I met at Front Royal for a trike flight (on her first flight, her camera battery died). Kolie was out there with the combined MASA and Skyline sailplane clubs hoping to catch some mountain wave. Gassed up, preflighted, took many tries to start the cold engine and we were off - proudly sporting "N" numbers on the wheel pants (and using them as our aviation band radio callsign), as my partner and I completed the conversion from "ultralite" to Experimental-Light Sport Aircraft last Sunday. Kolie had warned of turbulence associated with the wave above 3000, so we were pretty cautious and turned back from our intended flight over Woodstock launch at the first bobble from ridge lift. Went downwind and took a look at the Dickie's launch, then back for a *perfect* landing on the concrete runway (wind was straight in, so no rotor over the trees on the south side as is often the case). Half hour flight due to cold fingers and feet (it was 35 on the ground when we took off).
Proceeded to the back of Woodstock (Gary had called and offered a ride from the LZ, so we wouldn't have to worry about shuttling) and I humped my PG up to launch. Tom had launched around 1 PM, Pete launched as we walked up about 10 minutes later, then Joe and Gary. We saw sail planes apparently parked high above, but HGs at around 500 above the ridge seemed to have plenty of maneuverability. Joe and Gary reported gnarly conditions with uncommanded turns and strong ups (and downs?). Laszlo decided to give it a go after it calmed down some. Seeing his apparent success (he later reported having gotten above 3000 over the valley), I laid out my wing but on my first launch attempt in what I thought was a lull, I got jerked off my feet (still reversed) and then set back down on my butt, but the wing was already out of whack. Ellis helped me reset, but the gusts kept coming, so we (literally) bagged it, hiked back down and went to dinner at Jalisco in Front Royal. Gorgeous day, Ellis' dogs had a good time, and at least the trike kept us from getting totally skunked. - Hugh
Woodstock Saturday 10 Feb
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
I arrived at the gate of the front road at 1:10. Hiked up on the snowy road. It was pleasant and sunny, saw lots of bear tracks, but no bear. Got to the launch at 2 pm. Three HGs were setting up, and the first one launched just after Ellis and Hugh also arrived (following their trike flight). The wind looked a bit west cross, occasionally gusting up to 17 mph. Hugh said that the sailplanes reported a wave above 3000 feet, and some turbulence associated with it.
I decided to wait till the remaining two HGs launch. They took off fine, and the occasional gusts seemed a bit mellower (about 15 mph). Hugh helped me to launch at about 2:45. It was easy to go up as well as forward. Hung around launch for a while, at 200-500 over, then headed out to the valley. Above the LZ, it started to go up everywhere, at a fairly decent speed. I was soon 1500 over (3000+ feet over sea level), and at that point (remembering the sailplane report) decided to pull big ears. After a while I managed to lose 500 feet, turned back toward the ridge, where it was strangely easier NOT to go up than over the valley. Later I did the same scenario again, ending up pulling big ears at 3200 over sea level, way out over the valley.
Most of the remaining time just boated around not far from launch, watching the HGs flying a bit closer to the back, and Hugh and Ellis at launch, and catching some nice thermals (but leaving them pretty quick since I did not want to get high). Never had to use the speed bar.
Unfortunately I had to land at 4:30 (I promised Magda to get home by 6 pm) -- I am pretty sure I could have stayed up for another hour. It was a nice day, not as cold as I expected.
Laszlo
I decided to wait till the remaining two HGs launch. They took off fine, and the occasional gusts seemed a bit mellower (about 15 mph). Hugh helped me to launch at about 2:45. It was easy to go up as well as forward. Hung around launch for a while, at 200-500 over, then headed out to the valley. Above the LZ, it started to go up everywhere, at a fairly decent speed. I was soon 1500 over (3000+ feet over sea level), and at that point (remembering the sailplane report) decided to pull big ears. After a while I managed to lose 500 feet, turned back toward the ridge, where it was strangely easier NOT to go up than over the valley. Later I did the same scenario again, ending up pulling big ears at 3200 over sea level, way out over the valley.
Most of the remaining time just boated around not far from launch, watching the HGs flying a bit closer to the back, and Hugh and Ellis at launch, and catching some nice thermals (but leaving them pretty quick since I did not want to get high). Never had to use the speed bar.
Unfortunately I had to land at 4:30 (I promised Magda to get home by 6 pm) -- I am pretty sure I could have stayed up for another hour. It was a nice day, not as cold as I expected.
Laszlo