First XC of the Florida season

[Paul Tjaden]

Hi Guys,

It's beginning to look like soaring conditions are improving down here. Thursday I took Lauren for a fun ride in a G 103. It was a completely blue day but there were a few other sailplanes and birds to help mark lift. We topped out at around 4K but it was easy to stay up and we landed a little over an hour later so as not to run up the plane rental costs any higher. Another pilot in a higher performing glider went 120 out and almost back landing at an airport 20 miles to the south.

Friday, another blue day, several of us flew HGs at Quest. Lauren and everyone else chose to stay at home and had nice long soaring flights but after climbing quickly to 4,600' I decided to head north away from some encroaching high level clouds coming in from the south. I started out into a 6 to 8 mph head wind with several sailplanes pimping off of the lift I had found north of Groveland. Soaring conditions seemed to worsen as I went north but didn't get too bad until I found myself setting up an approach to a likely looking field just south of the Florida TP about 12 miles to the north of Quest. I was at 400 feet trying to figure out wind directions when I hit a bump or two and decided to try a circle. a couple of turns later I was at 450' and slowly managed to claw back up to 1,500'. From that lofty altitude I decided to try to make it home. The sweet lift I had found earlier seemed to have disappeared along with the sailplanes. I puddle jumped from each possible landing field to the next but could never get above 2,000'. After a long glide in totally smooth air I found myself low over the last bailout field before committing to Quest. My 5030 told me I would make the field by 150 feet but the trees, swamp and housing developements along the way offered scant acceptable landing alternatives. I had decided to land when I spotted a couple of turkey vultures circling near by. It wasn't much but it got me the extra 250 feet I needed to go on glide for home and I slid over the trees with 400 feet to spare.

Ok, so 24 miles aint much but it was the first of the season and had me working my butt off to make it home. To me, XC is what it's all about.

Come fly with us. It was 72 degrees yesterday!

Paul

[jclaytor]

Give me a week or so and I will be there to soak up the sun.
I hear that a few other "thermal pimps" are headed there soon.
The 18th can not come soon enough...
JC

[mcelrah]

Thanks for the encouragement and sample demonstration, Paul. See my post about today's conditions and activities. Them thar sailplanes are lookin' nice and warm and handle the strong conditions better, too. I'm headed to Albuquerque for work at the end of the month (local pilots said getting to fly then would be a rare gift), but I'm taking the PG and wedging out the weekend in central California (about the same on Southwest), so hoping for some luck. Cheers - Hugh

[John Simon]

You dirty rat(s)! I have for the last 2 or 3 years made 2 trips to florida over the winter.... it's looking tougher this year. I still hope to make one...maybe I'll see you and Lauren and I can get some of what it's all about! I love it!


Take care,


John and Heather too.