Pulpit/Smithsburg weekend 1/7 - 1/8
Moderator: CHGPA BOD
Pulpit/Smithsburg weekend 1/7 - 1/8
Mountain or training hill. IBM presents you make the call. Bacil
Re: Pulpit/Smithsburg weekend 1/7 - 1/8
Looks good at the Pulpit. Planning on an early arrival. Bacil
Re: Pulpit/Smithsburg weekend 1/7 - 1/8
I'll be at Smithsburg from 3 to 4:30 today.
Re: Pulpit/Smithsburg weekend 1/7 - 1/8
Direction was great and not gusty. Could have soared with a Condor but flew the Sport2.
Re: Pulpit/Smithsburg weekend 1/7 - 1/8
Eagerly/vicariously awaiting flight reports, I hear that WStock delivered today! 
Re: Pulpit/Smithsburg weekend 1/7 - 1/8
Woodstock delivered for sure!
I got to launch at 3PM and after unloading the glider helped Bacil launch. It was blowing between 10-15mph and Bacil had a smooth launch.
After that I setup and launched, just when I was launching I saw Bacil heading towards the LZ. I launched at 4PM in +15 mph winds climbed 200 even before I could exit the slot. The air was smooth, smoothest I have experienced. After 4K I entered the wave and left the ridge and kept climbing past Woodstock town and maybe half way to I88. I kept the Woodstock water tower on I88 as my turn back marker so turned back from there to head back to LZ. The tail leg was super fast with minimal bumps here and there. I did a few spirals over the LZ to loose attitude but the lift was everywhere so I pulled in and headed to Woodstock town again. This time I was below 4K so turned around as only 15 minutes were left to sunset. Kept the bar in and reached LZ with 3K to burn
Landed a minute or two before sunset. It was one heck of a flight and one heck of a cold one!
I got to launch at 3PM and after unloading the glider helped Bacil launch. It was blowing between 10-15mph and Bacil had a smooth launch.
After that I setup and launched, just when I was launching I saw Bacil heading towards the LZ. I launched at 4PM in +15 mph winds climbed 200 even before I could exit the slot. The air was smooth, smoothest I have experienced. After 4K I entered the wave and left the ridge and kept climbing past Woodstock town and maybe half way to I88. I kept the Woodstock water tower on I88 as my turn back marker so turned back from there to head back to LZ. The tail leg was super fast with minimal bumps here and there. I did a few spirals over the LZ to loose attitude but the lift was everywhere so I pulled in and headed to Woodstock town again. This time I was below 4K so turned around as only 15 minutes were left to sunset. Kept the bar in and reached LZ with 3K to burn
Landed a minute or two before sunset. It was one heck of a flight and one heck of a cold one!
Re: Pulpit/Smithsburg weekend 1/7 - 1/8
Woodstock was great yesterday. Spent Friday night in Morgantown, WV w/ my sister and brother-in-law at their condo by the football stadium, after driving down to Woodstock Friday afternoon to fly w/ Bari. We scrubbed the flight on the drive down after observing the angry sky. I went ahead to the launch to ensure streamers for the planned flights on Saturday. Gary Smith joined me and we caught up, as sleet pellets fell from the overcast sky. Headed towards Woodstock from Morgantown early Saturday morning.
On the way decided to add an hour to the ETA, since the forecast showed light winds until the afternoon. Got to the Pulpit launch at 10:30A. It was blowing in nicely and soarable. 2 hours later I arrived at the Woodstock launch to find multiple PG pilots watching Syrus sky out while very light on launch. Randy Weber launched and found the house thermal on the SW face of the spine left of launch and climbed out. Joe Schad did the same. Tom Ceunen found a thermal closer to the mountain and climbed out. As did John Dorrance. Krista launched and got up immediately. As did Josh Mazza. Now it's blowing 5 to 10 MPH straight in. Definitely soarable.
2 PG pilots were left to launch. The 1st got airborne briefly and then dropped back to the ground from 10' AGL. Scary to see that. His 2nd attempt was successful. T.C. was the last to launch. He had a good launch and was up and away. By this time it was around 2P, and conditions were great. So I waited for Bari to arrive. He did at 3P. I launched w/ his assistance 10 minutes later into moderate to strong conditions on launch. Launch was not linear. After getting airborne the glider yawed right, then hit a hole before stabilizing. Flew out of the slot fast and got up quickly. Dolphin flew to just shy of Waonaze Peak before turning around. A friendly hawk joined me along the way and surfed my wake just 10' behind me for about a minute, then disappeared.
My goal was to land at Front Royal Airport. I got to halfway between launch and the Strasburg Reservoir at 4P, flying in what seemed like a light wave that got me to 3900' MSL. No turns. I was looking right down the runway at KFRR from that altitude, due east. I thermalled up to just over 4K', drifting OTB into Fort Valley, and considered my options. It was getting late, and I didn't want to break down in the dark wherever I landed. Plus my United Airlines pilot buddy was not home at his private airstrip if I decided to land there halfway to KFRR. So I chose to fly back and land at the main LZ. Had a nice DBF approach and another trip/gentle belly flop.
Did not see Bari anywhere in the air on the approach to the main LZ. Called Joe Schad and procured a ride up to launch. T.C. joined us on the ride up. At the main LZ Bari had just landed and his father and children had just pulled up. Bari's hands were frozen from his adventure to 5700' MSL in wave. Helped him detension his glider, then dropped by Joe's house in Strasburg for a lite dinner and pleasant conversation. Then back home by 9:45P. Put 700+ miles on the truck in 34 hours. But it was worth it. Bacil
On the way decided to add an hour to the ETA, since the forecast showed light winds until the afternoon. Got to the Pulpit launch at 10:30A. It was blowing in nicely and soarable. 2 hours later I arrived at the Woodstock launch to find multiple PG pilots watching Syrus sky out while very light on launch. Randy Weber launched and found the house thermal on the SW face of the spine left of launch and climbed out. Joe Schad did the same. Tom Ceunen found a thermal closer to the mountain and climbed out. As did John Dorrance. Krista launched and got up immediately. As did Josh Mazza. Now it's blowing 5 to 10 MPH straight in. Definitely soarable.
2 PG pilots were left to launch. The 1st got airborne briefly and then dropped back to the ground from 10' AGL. Scary to see that. His 2nd attempt was successful. T.C. was the last to launch. He had a good launch and was up and away. By this time it was around 2P, and conditions were great. So I waited for Bari to arrive. He did at 3P. I launched w/ his assistance 10 minutes later into moderate to strong conditions on launch. Launch was not linear. After getting airborne the glider yawed right, then hit a hole before stabilizing. Flew out of the slot fast and got up quickly. Dolphin flew to just shy of Waonaze Peak before turning around. A friendly hawk joined me along the way and surfed my wake just 10' behind me for about a minute, then disappeared.
My goal was to land at Front Royal Airport. I got to halfway between launch and the Strasburg Reservoir at 4P, flying in what seemed like a light wave that got me to 3900' MSL. No turns. I was looking right down the runway at KFRR from that altitude, due east. I thermalled up to just over 4K', drifting OTB into Fort Valley, and considered my options. It was getting late, and I didn't want to break down in the dark wherever I landed. Plus my United Airlines pilot buddy was not home at his private airstrip if I decided to land there halfway to KFRR. So I chose to fly back and land at the main LZ. Had a nice DBF approach and another trip/gentle belly flop.
Did not see Bari anywhere in the air on the approach to the main LZ. Called Joe Schad and procured a ride up to launch. T.C. joined us on the ride up. At the main LZ Bari had just landed and his father and children had just pulled up. Bari's hands were frozen from his adventure to 5700' MSL in wave. Helped him detension his glider, then dropped by Joe's house in Strasburg for a lite dinner and pleasant conversation. Then back home by 9:45P. Put 700+ miles on the truck in 34 hours. But it was worth it. Bacil
Re: Pulpit/Smithsburg weekend 1/7 - 1/8
Thanks for the flight reports! Wasn't able to fly on Sat, so they were encouraging and fun 