Weekend Flying

[kcarra]

Anyone else seeing a Woodstock day for Saturday???

Matthew

[Danny Brotto]

With a cold front blasting through on Friday evening, that will be your best bet for mountain flying this weekend.

Looks to be the first day of the Fall ridge season for sailplane drivers too.

Danny Brotto

[silverwings]

I am not going to Hyner so if the forecast holds, I am interested.

[jyoder111]

I'm interested! free all day.

-Jesse

[mcelrah]

Not that anyone seems to be thinking High Rock, but just so ya know, there's a NOTAM for the Camp David flight restriction all Labor Day weekend. - Hugh

[Ward Odenwald]

I'm also interested but right now, Saturday's winds aloft forecasts for Woodstock and the Pulpit are intense to say the least.

[Matthew]

That's why it's a Woodstock forecast.

Matthew

[Ward Odenwald]

Earl and its after-effects will be a dominant factor in Saturday’s weather. Any reduction in wind velocity from the forecasted 22+ kt breeze and higher above 2,500 ft, AKA “the Woodstock effect” will most likely be minimized. Plus, NOAA is predicting a W to WNW and back to W direction during the day at launch making for tricky conditions in the slot. Right now, my $ is on Sunday at the Pulpit as being the better of the two.

[markc]

Ok, on a completely un-related note:

Probably can't make it out for flying this weekend, but I happened to be looking at a certain stash
of pyrotechnic goodies, and realized that I've really GOT to get these things outta my house!

So.... I'm thinkin' that the Pulpit Fly-In will be a bit on the sparkly side this year, if the weather cooperates.
Just something to keep in mind.

MarkC

[Luis]

I will join

[Matthew]

They've back the forecast off for Saturday to 15-20. Will check in morning and make decision then.

Matthew

[Danny Brotto]

Buade Litt is our sailplane club's weather guru and he posts weather outlooks. This is his synopsis for Saturday. I thought it might be of interest. Of special note is the trend for the wind to actually increase a few hours before sunset! Let's pay attention to that!

Some of the gang are opting for an eary tow (8:30am ish) from Frederick likley to Harper's Ferry to run the ridge down to Front Royal and then onto the Massanutten and then onto ??? I'll likely opt to launch later in the day from Fairfield although I think with the forecast it might be a bit of a tough go especially with the TFR up; no chance to linger/climb around the airport!

Good luck to the Woodstock crowd and watch those winds!

Danny Brotto



>Have you seen those high Cu's somewhere? Not in DC for sure! I checked the
> satellite and saw some in the Chambersburg Valley, but how high? Here, we
> stayed under the high clouds from the hurricane all day with very little
> wind; but the cold front should still pass around 6 AM tomorrow.
> As you probably heard, Earl was a little faster and had a more easterly path
> than initially expected. The consequence for us will be a more westerly flow
> that will essentially favor the ridges south of Fairfield. Roanoke and Front
> Royal seems to be the best places to start and finish long flights, although
> they probably be limited to Snow Mountain to the north. The strength of the
> winds might have some of our ridges and the main ridge working, but it might
> be hazardous from at places with difficult angles and strong gusts.
>
> Thermal activity should be good but don’t forget to factor the high winds
> that will be disruptive especially at low altitude. Some wave is possible up
> to 11000’ MSL, but the wave structure I checked at Hagerstown is rather
> complicated and fluctuates rapidly from an hour to the next. Don’t count too
> much on it.
>
> 24 hours sounding forecasts give an early start with 4000’ MSL around 9 AM,
> climbing at 5200’ at noon, to top around 6800’ in the afternoon if the
> temperature reaches 74° at Hagerstown. Cumulus are present on all sounding
> all day long, with chances of spread-outs around 11 AM at Hagerstown, base
> at 4600’. More spread-outs should be expected towards the main ridge earlier
> and at lower altitudes. They should fin out and disappear in afternoon.
> Winds at 2000’ MSL at Hagerstown and York will start the day around 265°/25
> mph and will slowly turn towards 285° at sunset. Speed will get down around
> 20 mph in the afternoon, before increasing again 3 hours before sunset to
> top around 30 mph.
>
> For indication, winds at ridge level at Williamsport will vary from 264° to
> 282° around 22 mph before increasing the same last 3 hours of the day: too
> westerly!. Cumberland will see better direction with 280 most of the day,
> and higher speeds; but still a little bit too westerly. Roanoke will get
> 290°-300°/25 to 18 mph: very good. Blairstown will start the day with
> 270°/21 and end up the day with 270°/22. Pretty steady, but too westerly to
> my taste.
>
> I hope you can get something out of this day, especially Todd from New
> Castle. I’m still battling a bad cold, but I hope I can be present for the
> Picnic/BBQ at FFD Sunday evening.

[Ward Odenwald]

Wow Danny, really entertaining and informative - maybe? Based on Buade’s assessment, I’m keeping my wings folded tomorrow. Until now, I was on the fence about tomorrow but that bit about “it might be hazardous from at places with difficult angles and strong gusts” really did it for me.

I'm headed to the Pulpit on Sunday.

[Danny Brotto]

Ward

Not trying to disuade any HG flying tomorrow but rather to present an assesment/forecast. Baude's bit about lack of CU on Friday had to do with his previous day's forecast that there would be high CU and lift to 9,000 ft. That didn't pan out... oh well, forecast/guesscast!

I'm at the Fairfield gliderport right now. At 7:15 pm, it was calm. At 7:45, it was blowing a steady 10 to 15. It's now 9:45 and the camper is shaking with the gusts. Could not get local consensus to trailer down to Front Royal for a Saturday morning launch onto the ridge but that would be the e-ticket ride for tomorrow.

I suspect that WS may be HG doable tomorrow with care however according to Baude's "forecast" we'll need to pay attention to winds ramping up at the end of the day.

Let's hear the reports 2morrow!

Danny Brotto

[silverwings]

My guess is it is going to be too windy today. Darn.

[mcelrah]

Matthew, Karen and I are bailing on flying today - Richard is going to shuttle us to York PA so we can blow downwind on our bicycles on the northeast railtrail back to his house. - Hugh

[uplandann]

Went to Long Hill training site (or is it Long's Hill?) Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Got 4 flights Friday, 2 Saturday, and 8 Sunday (14 total). Real proud of myself for landing on my feet all 14 flights! Boy did that feel Great. Really needed that. What a beautiful day with winds 5-10. Feel like I have buns of steel from carrying my glider up the hill fourteen times! Even got to see a thermal triggered by a tractor in a cut corn field, complete with little dusties getting triggered inside the thermal. It slowly swirled and moved north, which signaled that the west winds were finished for the day.

Hope to see other 'epic' flying stories.

Ann

[mcelrah]

Good on you for doing the requisite training hill work - you are no doubt well prepare for flying - next weekend at the Pulpit/HR/Fischer's Road/Bill's Hill/Jacks fly-in?

Lessee, it was blown out yesterday - except the sailplane guys who got to 18000 in wave at Front Royal. Today, Ellis flew her paraglider 30 miles from Dickey's Ridge to north of Winchester.

Sallie and I did another bike ride, then got in a sailplane at around 5:30 and flew for 45 minutes with a 2000 foot climb.

And there's still another day of weekend to go! - Hugh

[mcelrah]

Doh! The fly-in is 17-18 September - means we have another fall weekend to fly!

Interesting that it was north cross up at Pulpit and southwest down at Dickey's...

- Hugh

[uplandann]

It's the 18th and 19th right? I'm getting there... would still like to get someone to observe some of my flights though. Anyway, I will work on planning to be there... will see what pans out. Might have to close on my mom's house, but might get lucky and do it before or after the fly-in. Taking the day off today to let my muscles recover.

The sail plane sounds fun, I think I flew one once (w/instructor) but my hang training didn't seem to transfer as well ...
Congrats Ellis on your flight from Dicky's!


Ann

[silverwings]

Taught at Kirshners with 3 students on Sunday to fair conditions and mowed some, stopped by the pulpit on the way home where it was a bit north cross and had a nice 2:10 flight at Ridgely on Labor day and bit of PG kiting practice. Pretty nice weekend.

[Dan T]

Ann,

As I am sure you know, Long's Hill is not the easiest training hill you will ever see in the part of the country. It's a pretty good bet that half the pilots on here have never seen it much less flown it.

Anyway 14 flights from Long's Hill is an impressive landing record, not to mention the hike back up the hill. I'm very impressed as should the rest of the pilots be, (including you observers!). Connect with one of them and let's get that first mountain flight in your log book. If I remember right, you have a fair amount of towing experience at Manquin. Is that right?

In my opinion Bills Hill and High Rock are our best first flight candidates. Historically many people would have questioned High Rock, but it has as good a safety record as any of our sites. In my opinion it's safer than Woodstock. All it requires in the right conditions is good timing and one good step with nose pointed at the horizon and wings level. It has a huge landing field you can easily reach and hit.

Bill's hill has an immense landing field but it can be a bit of a reach in a single surface glider in some conditions. Bills hill often turns on just before dusk so if you go there don't get over anxious to leave if conditions aren't suitable during the mid-afternoon.

Dan

[carweill]

Ellis congrats on your flight, I think it takes more skill 1 mile PG than 1 mile HG.

Carlos

[stevek]

Notable flights: Carlos flew from Ridgely to Massey (25 miles or so) on Monday. He got down to 4k a couple of times but always managed to pull it out and get back up.