Friday 3/23

[mingram]

With low pressure approaching this weekend, Laszlo and I are hoping for an afternoon flight on Friday. Too early to tell where yet. I'll bring my PG gear to work in case we decide to make a move.

Matt

[jmcclave]

I can bail out early tomorrow and I'd like to tag along if you guys head somewhere. Post on the forumn and/or text to
571.331.1626

Thanks,
Jim

[mcgowantk]

I am most likely headed to Ridgley today. Forecast looks promising.

Tom McGowan

[mingram]

Looks like PGs are heading to Bill's Hill. Some are already on their way. I'm planning to leave around noon.

[jmcclave]

Thanks for the update Matt. Bills' Hill looks good but a proposal review is going to get in the way of my going. I'm heading to Utah in the AM for several days of skiing and maybe a bit of flying. I'm looking forward to flying with everyone next weekend.

Jim

[Taita Falcon]

Hi guys

WherE can I get directions to Bills Hill? Didnt see it listed in the members section.

Ben, P2

[mingram]

It's in the site guide, which is in the member's section. Let me know if you still can't find it. General location is 30 minutes passed the Pulpit.

Matt

[mingram]

Sweet day at Bills. Mostly straight in with good cycles to launch in. Wind in the LZ was east until the end of the day. Laszlo and I both took 4 flights and both of us top landed twice, my first time at Bill's! It would be on and then we'd sink back to launch and then fly again!

I got about 1:30 total. Jono had a 3 hour high flight! Jim got to cloud base. Ben, Krista, and Peter also had several good flights.

High cirrus had Laszlo cursing at 2pm after a sledder, but that bled off and the cumulus popped out slowly. Thermals were easy to core at first, but got more bullet and snake like as the sun popped out. Wind on launch got stronger and more SE later and everyone was gone before sundown.

I downed a beer and a Mercersburger at Flannery's. Satisfied!

Matt

[Taita Falcon]

My first flight at Bills and it was great ! Will definitely plan to get there earlier next time!

Ben

[mcgowantk]

We had a great day at Highland too. I had two flights - One just over 2 hours and 4300' but sunk out and a second just under 2 hours but landed because I was tired. Spent most the second flight above 5000' with a max of 6300' - but short of cloud base. Very light winds under later in the days when an East wind started to build.

Tom McGowan

[Lostgriz]

Tom,

Glad you got some good flights. I looked at XC Skies this morning and it was showing top of lift at 1000' at Ridgely and 4000' at Blue Sky. I had a good time with the guys there, but just got extendos of the truck. I made the wrong call. Dang........

Matt

[mingram]

Sweet flights Tom! Who showed up a Highland?

Matt, was cirrus shutting down the lift at Blue Sky?

[Lostgriz]

Matt,

It was there, just a very narrow window to get into it with not much wind and low tows. Two guys hooked up and each got close to an hour. If the tows are low, you gotta hook something quick. It was crazy how hot it was already. I was sweating like crazy setting up at 12:30. Nice to be out though.

Matt

[mingram]

Got more specifics... I'm not sure how high cloudbase was, but Jim was 5250 ft over launch! My GPS says launch is 1835 ft msl, which means Jim got up to 7k ft msl which is his highest flight ever! His 15 second averager hit 1200 fpm, or 6 m/s! Jono's max was 4740 over! No one else came close. Conditions were sweet if you could catch them or stick with them. Jono also mentioned there was an alarming amount of sink, dispaportionate to the lift.