Flying Plans: Sat02Aug

[markc]

Hmmmm.... Kind of a tough call for the weekend.

Looks like it might be a bit on the strong side tomorrow as the front pushes
through, but hard to predict if/when the clouds and rain will move on out.

And then perhaps light NW for Sunday... But will it be too cross at (say)
the Pulpit?

Regardless, the glider's on the truck and the camping gear is packed.
I'll take advantage of whatever comes our way! Let's fly!

MarkC

mobile: 301-807-5414

[markc]

Is anyone up for a late flight at either Woodstock or High Rock, provided
that the front pushes through as predicted?

Comparing the current map with four hours ago, it does seem like
things are moving pretty good.

WInds aloft forecast maps are strong, which implies that it might
be too strong for the Rock. On the other hand, the surface casts
seem a bit light for Woodstock.

I guess with a frontal passage, the better bet might be Woodstock...

MarkC

[RedBaron]

I'm up for it.

[dbodner]

I'm out today, but I'm hopeful for Woodstock on Sunday.

[tdilisio]

I'm up for it. What time? Meet in the LZ? My car only carries one glider....

540-869-28nine-three

[mcelrah]

I'm in - High Rock or Woodstock? when? - Hugh

[Joe Schad]

The sky has finally cleared after 4-5hrs of rain and thunderstorms. It is blue now but clouds are forming to the west. Looks like we may get one more line of thunderstorms. The wind directions seem more like Dickeys early and swinging northwest later this afternoon. My guess is Sunday will be good.

Joe

[tdilisio]

Woodstock works for me... whenever. High Rock... not too sure about, never launched there before. Either site I need an observer present.

[markc]

What a dilemma.... Doesn't look like the front will punch
through at Woodstock for quite a few hours, and I have some
doubts about the wind strength. Things will go through much
sooner at the Rock, but it already seems on the strong side:

Camp David:

Latest 11 AM (15) Aug 02 70.0 (21.1) 63.0 (17.2) 29.79 (1008) WNW 12
10 AM (14) Aug 02 68.0 (20.0) 61.0 (16.1) 29.79 (1008) W 9
9 AM (13) Aug 02 64.9 (18.3) 60.1 (15.6) 29.78 (1008) WNW 15
8 AM (12) Aug 02 63.0 (17.2) 60.1 (15.6) 29.8 (1009) W 10

Maybe head to the Rock and hope that things calm down by
late in the day???

MarkC

[mcelrah]

Tony,

I'm an observer. Come on out to High Rock, if the consensus holds for that. If not too strong, I think you will like it!

- Hugh
301 980-6381 (cell)

[markc]

The noon observation from Camp David:

Wind from the NW (320 degrees) at 12 MPH (10 KT) gusting to 23 MPH (20 KT)

And from Hagerstown:

Wind from the WNW (300 degrees) at 5 MPH (4 KT)


Shall we go where we know that there's some wind, and
simply hope that we'll have some launchable conditions
by late in the day?

--mark

[markc]

Ok, enough waffling, High Rock it is. Janni, Matthew, Karen, Hugh, and I are in.
Janni's working on Glen. Looks like Tony wants to try. So we should have a pretty
good crowd, and we'll just hope that we get some good conditions! Woo-hoo!

MarkC

[tdilisio]

High Rock was a nogo for the day, so Mark, Janni, Hugh, Matthew, Karen and I decided to head to the Pulpit. It was a little strong for a H2 (me) to launch when we first arrived. After visiting the Primary and secondary LZ then setting up the gliders, conditions turned doable. Mark and Janni had good launches in the stronger conditions.About 6PM it calmed down enough to launch the H2. Hugh, Matthew and Karen were the wire crew (thanks folks). Launch was uneventful into about a 7-10MPH head wind. My flight lasted about 15 minutes. Apparently I was too far in front of the mountain to benefit from the ridge lift.... so at about 800 ft, I headed out to the secondary (Primary was full of those huge bails of hay and knee high corn). The walk thru the secondary LZ seemed pretty straight forward. Kinda reminded me of Woodstock... as far as the landing uphill thing goes. I was shown the setup pattern and where to be when.... apparently my brain dumped that info when it came time to land. I got to the field with plenty of altitude, and circled a couple times to lose altitude. On my base leg, I realized I was too high, and rather than do a figure 8, the bonehead in me decided to do a 360... a slipping one at that. Bad decision. Things kind of went fast... so I don't know if it was one, or 2 360's... but either way... like I said it was a slipping turn. I felt I was getting too close to the ground to be in that position, so I had to pull out of that turn. When I came out of the turn I wasn't heading the way I wanted to be heading... and to me... it didn't seem like I had the altitude to make a low level heading correction (in Hind sight, I probably did). When I came out of that turn.... there was a big ass shed and a frickin apple tree.... and I was headed right between them. I was damn lucky, and someone upstairs was watching over me during that landing... My left wing tip clipped the shed (Matthew/Karen have the dent pic... thanks for immortalizing that moment guys). After flying between the shed and apple tree, I landed on my feet, in what looked to be a recently harvested tomato patch. Need to check for damage on the left wing tip... after I figure out how to get in there... or take it in to get checked. So... The day was great, the people were great, the instruction was great... my landing setup/decision sucked. It'll take me a while to get off my own ass/stop giving myself a hard time about it... so if you see me, and I look pissed.... it's not you.

[mcelrah]

Let the record reflect that we have a new and very strong candidate for the restricted landing field award. Watching while airborne on the ridge, it looked to me like Tony made a turn about a pylon (the barn) at close range - how close, you have to walk the ground to see. The dent is evidence of the flimsiness of contemporary construction. In any case "that which does not kill you, makes you stronger". Tony learned and we can all smile because of our own close calls/hard knocks. Don't let it keep you from getting back on the horse, Tony! - Hugh

[markc]

We were sure bumming when we got to the Rock, and saw a rain storm
drenching Smithsburg to the south. And it just *sat* there. The lack of
movement was what finally convinced us to give The Pulpit a try.

And for a change, chasing the wind paid off! Initially some gray clouds,
and a pretty good cell that was skirting by southward.... But upwind there
was blue skie, and the Q's didn't look mean and nasty. So we set up and
figured we would give it a try.

I launched off the old ramp, into about 15 or so. Things were definitely
swirly/gusty/post-frontal, but with the help of Janni, Matthew, and Hugh
my launch was clean. Thank you guys!

Flew for a couple hours, got 7 or 8 hundred over a couple times. Finally,
a day in the mtns, definitely needed that! Janni headed south down the
ridge, but I had Hugh and Matthew for company later in the day. It went
way cross out of the north close to sunset, and after fighting for a while
at treetop level I finally headed for the LZ. Matthew and Hugh followed
shortly after.

Put it in the secondary (to the north, on final), which I'd never done before.
Was a bit concerned about cresting the hill, but things went well, me happy

Planning to fly again tomorrow/today.... Looking like the Rock at the moment.

MarkC

[RedBaron]

I had one of my better flights today. Ran the ridge due South all the way to the bowl, never got higher than a 1000' over except for one thermal taking me to a very short-lived 2000' over. I was hoping to find some convergence there with the wind crossing as much from the North as it did, but that turned out to be wishful thinking. Still, smooth as silk and when I shared the sky with 7 turkey vultures it was truly magic. We danced in the sky together and they were at one point just 50 feet away. After 2 hours I landed out in a very nice field, much better than any of the crap in front of launch. Had to hike 5 miles on 522 until finally a nice gentleman by the name of Jeff picked me up and drove me back to launch.
Sorry to hear about your mishap, Tony. Hope your glider is okay.
Cheers

[hepcat1989]

Make sure someone talks to the landowner about his dented shed. Don't want any hard feelings. I like landing there.
Shawn.

[tdilisio]

After I landed, the owners came down to see if I was OK.... They heard the wing whack. I told him I dented his shed and he said not to worry about it, glad I was OK. I offered several times.... to no avail. Maybe if someone from an official capacity contacts them, might be a good gesture. I'm willing to pay for any damage I caused.

[hepcat1989]

Good Tony... Good Deal. Glad you didn't get hurt. We just had a hang2 get busted up pretty good on approach.
Be careful out there...
Shawn.

[mcelrah]

As soon as the 14-year-old wakes up, I'll get him to help me post the pictures of the 2" x 3" inch dent in the aluminum corner piece. It's not often that a hang-glider collides with a solid object and actually inflicts damage... - Hugh

[tdilisio]

It's not often that a hang-glider collides with a solid object and actually inflicts damage... - Hugh

Like I said.... "I was damn lucky, and someone upstairs was watching over me during that landing..."

BTW... Hugh... a Public thank you for offering to be my observer. Thank you. I hope to do the Pulpit again with a better landing approach next time.

[mcelrah]

Don't beat yourself up too much. You learn from your mistakes - and preferably from the mistakes of others - best of all codified wisdom in instructors brains and textbooks. I bet you won't make THAT mistake again. Glad you didn't have to pay for this leap in knowledge with contusions and abrasions. I think the most dangerous/difficult time in a pilot's progress is the novice phase - need to be young/fit enough to heal up from the probable boo-boos. Robertson's Rules of Risk Management say that your risk increases with the number of new things on a flight. Yesterday you were dealing with a new site, first ramp launch, LZ that had a contour feature - and you are still in single-digits for mountain flights. Obviously we strive for perfection - and aviation is unforgiving of mistakes. As you work off the new things, others will crop up: weather will be different, other pilots on the ridge, distractions from spectators. There is simply no substitute for experience, and the only way to get it is to take that first flight at a new site - and the second, third etc. Sorry for the lecture - but you get my drift... - Hugh

[hepcat1989]

Well, I guess i'm gonna be the bad guy. Hugh, if anyone needs lectured it's you!For all the reasons you listed about the hang 2's skill level. Come on man! He hit a building! You're taking a pretty cavalier approach to observing aren't you! Hugh! This is serious shit! Observers, MAKE SURE your 2's are ready to fly a site, don't just put them there for experience and hope it comes out allright. Steve Z. is paying a high price right now.
Damn!
Shawn.

[mcelrah]

Bah! Tony has had the best of training from Steve Wendt and John Middleton. We walked the LZ. Once he was airborne in eminently appropriate conditions for Hang 2, he was on his own. When a mature adult hits a building, he KNOWS he screwed up. If anything, he needs morale support and some philosophy. What do you want me to do? Beat him up some more for hitting the building? Take Pedagogy 101 (look it up).
- Hugh

[hepcat1989]

Hugh, I don't want to beat Tony up..... I don't. I'm glad he is allright. I wasn't there!!! It just sounds like he wasn't ready and that falls on your watch. Keep em safe. That's your job El Presidente.
Shawn.