Well, I need to shake off the rust ... my Falcon got inspected over the winter and I need to get it ... and me ... and maybe my Sport 2 too up in the air. Right now Sunday is looking like a very low wind / high thermal possibility, and I hope it stays promising and I get some air time.
Anyone else headed that way?
Valerie
No April Fools ... I hope! Sunday. Ridgely.
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
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rasmussenv
- Posts: 167
- Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2007 8:37 pm
- Location: Valerie in Northern Virginia
Re: No April Fools ... I hope! Sunday. Ridgely.
Look who came out of winter hibernation! Hi Valerie!
Matt
Matt
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rasmussenv
- Posts: 167
- Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2007 8:37 pm
- Location: Valerie in Northern Virginia
Re: No April Fools ... I hope! Sunday. Ridgely.
Great first day of flying 2012. Headed out early - lots of relatively low clouds in the sky and it did not look promising for soaring, but that was fine. My goal was to pickup my Falcon which Sunny had inspected / replaced wires over the winter, and get a few pattern tows in it and then in my Sport2 to refresh muscle memory.
I had both wings set up and was flying by about 10am. I got in four short flights, two in each wing. Great landings! First one of the year I flared a bit early, but held it - so dropped maybe 5 feet straight down to stick on two feet. The rest were really sweet and smooth. Good tows - did use the fin at the 1/2 way point. Read the article in the Magazine over the winter which recommended use of the fin for all tows regardless of pilot experience - as a simple safety precaution. May not be needed, but with less than 20 tows in my Sport2 I'm happy to be conservative. We had two wings flying with a fin at Highland - a Paul was there working with / learning the Highland Discus. He had a few flights while I was there - the last one I saw ended with a whacked landing and a bent downtube - he was fine.
Carlos and Jim (? from Penssylvania) showed up and neither took a first launch until I was packing up. I debated whether I should stay for another, probably longer, final flight. Ended up feeling good that I got what I was looking for, had four good short flights and will look forward to my first soaring flight later. While I was still there Jim got a little over 30 minutes and Carlos not as long, but I think somewhat extended flight. Another pilot showed up shortly before I left, and it started looking even better - on my drive home the skies really cleared up - so they may have gotten some really nice flying in.
Valerie
I had both wings set up and was flying by about 10am. I got in four short flights, two in each wing. Great landings! First one of the year I flared a bit early, but held it - so dropped maybe 5 feet straight down to stick on two feet. The rest were really sweet and smooth. Good tows - did use the fin at the 1/2 way point. Read the article in the Magazine over the winter which recommended use of the fin for all tows regardless of pilot experience - as a simple safety precaution. May not be needed, but with less than 20 tows in my Sport2 I'm happy to be conservative. We had two wings flying with a fin at Highland - a Paul was there working with / learning the Highland Discus. He had a few flights while I was there - the last one I saw ended with a whacked landing and a bent downtube - he was fine.
Carlos and Jim (? from Penssylvania) showed up and neither took a first launch until I was packing up. I debated whether I should stay for another, probably longer, final flight. Ended up feeling good that I got what I was looking for, had four good short flights and will look forward to my first soaring flight later. While I was still there Jim got a little over 30 minutes and Carlos not as long, but I think somewhat extended flight. Another pilot showed up shortly before I left, and it started looking even better - on my drive home the skies really cleared up - so they may have gotten some really nice flying in.
Valerie
Valerie
Re: No April Fools ... I hope! Sunday. Ridgely.
Way to go, Valerie! Hope to see you on the mountains again soon.
Jesse
Jesse