Last time I had to deflate the wing quickly, I just yanked on all the lines on one side and reeled them in. That seemed to work, too.
-- ellis
Day 1 in Bulgaria
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
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pink_albatross
- Posts: 599
- Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2005 12:20 pm
- Location: Ellis from Arlington
Friday the 24th in Bulgaria
Thanks for the tips Sparky and Ellis. Sparky, Maureen and I are planning taking a road trip sometime near the end of June after I return. Her family lives in Colorado Springs and outside Denver. I was considering stopping by if I can get an invite.
Anyway yesterday we worked on spiral dives. I had three flights, the first two in relatively light winds with firm thermals. The idea is to thermal up high enough in order to be able to do several practice dives over the landing field. My first set of dives were relatively modest ones, enough to feel the increases in G forces and require controlling the glider on exit, including stopping the surge forward at the end of the exit. On the second flight I got bodacious high shortly after launch. Had a great view of the mountains to the east that I hadn't previously seen behind the high ridge immediately behind launch. I ever so reluctantly followed my instructions to fly out over the field to practice the dives. The thought of following the ridgeline to the east with a possible 100 km XC was hard to shake off. Anyway a few spiral dives including one that left me a bit light headed added another tool to my kit. I now know how to get down quickly should the need arise, and know that I can do it if I have to.
By the third flight the winds had picked up significantly. I thermalled up again but broke it off in order to avoid drifting too far back. I chickened out on doing the spiral turns in the interest of assuring that I got well over the field and with time enough to sense the wind direction and speed and set up a long clean final, which I accomplished. This time I managed to get the glider laid out parallel to to the wind. I set the harness on the upwind end and folded it up from the downwind side. That worked well.
Dan T
Anyway yesterday we worked on spiral dives. I had three flights, the first two in relatively light winds with firm thermals. The idea is to thermal up high enough in order to be able to do several practice dives over the landing field. My first set of dives were relatively modest ones, enough to feel the increases in G forces and require controlling the glider on exit, including stopping the surge forward at the end of the exit. On the second flight I got bodacious high shortly after launch. Had a great view of the mountains to the east that I hadn't previously seen behind the high ridge immediately behind launch. I ever so reluctantly followed my instructions to fly out over the field to practice the dives. The thought of following the ridgeline to the east with a possible 100 km XC was hard to shake off. Anyway a few spiral dives including one that left me a bit light headed added another tool to my kit. I now know how to get down quickly should the need arise, and know that I can do it if I have to.
By the third flight the winds had picked up significantly. I thermalled up again but broke it off in order to avoid drifting too far back. I chickened out on doing the spiral turns in the interest of assuring that I got well over the field and with time enough to sense the wind direction and speed and set up a long clean final, which I accomplished. This time I managed to get the glider laid out parallel to to the wind. I set the harness on the upwind end and folded it up from the downwind side. That worked well.
Dan T
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pink_albatross
- Posts: 599
- Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2005 12:20 pm
- Location: Ellis from Arlington
Re: Day 1 in Bulgaria
wow. you're getting some good experience! and a lot of flying 
i will be sad when there are no more Bulgaria stories
But hopefully you'll fly with us soon!
-- ellis
i will be sad when there are no more Bulgaria stories
But hopefully you'll fly with us soon!
-- ellis
Saturday the 25th in Bulgaria
Dark skies and strong winds made for a foreboding forecast. None the less our intrepid crew headed up to launch for one last attempt. Soon thereafter I was at cloud base and soon after that in the clouds and almost whited out, I could just barely see the ground beneath my feet. The clouds started spitting freezing rain and snow, was it ever cold. It didn't take long to tire of the cold and sleet and soon headed out for the calmer air and relative warmth of the valley floor. After careening down the mountainside and finally reaching the comfort of the valley floor, I looked up at the menacing cloud structure above and was thankful that this trip to the clouds was made as a passenger in Niks automobile.
Dan
PS It looks like rain today so I might have flown my last in Bulgaria. It's been a great trip and I've learned an incredible amount in a brief amount of time. I am told the conditions only get better as they move into summer. Ya'll should come!
Dan
PS It looks like rain today so I might have flown my last in Bulgaria. It's been a great trip and I've learned an incredible amount in a brief amount of time. I am told the conditions only get better as they move into summer. Ya'll should come!
Sunday the 26th, last day in Bulgaria
Today at my request we practiced reverse launches at a local training hill. This turned out to be a wise decision in part because the wind was blowing strong down the mountain after the rains stopped and there was no way anyone was flying there. In the other part it was wise because I basically suck at this particular skill. All of my high flights have been with forward launches so I haven't had much practice at it. Fortnuately I no longer suck as bad as I did yesterday.
Anyway I had a couple of successful reverse launches after a series of simple inflations. The hill is a little bigger than Taylor.
I've learned a lot in these two weeks. I am sure that some of what I learned would be taught later in the US, and some of what I didn't learn would be taught earlier, so I am sure that there is much work to do to gain a reasonable level of proficiency at the tasks that are relevant to the US rating system.
I look forward to seeing you all again soon, ideally in the air.
Dan T
Anyway I had a couple of successful reverse launches after a series of simple inflations. The hill is a little bigger than Taylor.
I've learned a lot in these two weeks. I am sure that some of what I learned would be taught later in the US, and some of what I didn't learn would be taught earlier, so I am sure that there is much work to do to gain a reasonable level of proficiency at the tasks that are relevant to the US rating system.
I look forward to seeing you all again soon, ideally in the air.
Dan T