Southern Arizona Hang Glider Association
Miller looks ok for tomorrow (Saturday), ADDS predicts L&V AM but light SE in the PM. Soaring ceiling (-3) around 14k, predicted thermals 700-800 fpm. Not sure how it would be for the PG launches but it definitely looks like the SE launch will be usable for HG.
I talked to Eric Smith and we're planning on meeting at his place at 7:30 AM. Anyone else interested?
John
520 444 8105
Miller Saturday?
Moderators:ioan, John Wolfe, aaroncromer, jlowery
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John Wolfe
- Posts:996
- Joined:Fri Aug 12, 2005 6:08 pm
- Location:Oro Valley (NW Tucson)
Re: Miller Saturday?
I would like to go.
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John Wolfe
- Posts:996
- Joined:Fri Aug 12, 2005 6:08 pm
- Location:Oro Valley (NW Tucson)
Re: Miller Saturday?
Work is again impinging on my flying, so I will pass on this weekend's amusements.
Please consider setting and flying a task. Send me the description of the task and the track logs, and I'll score it. I'm pretty sure I can score open-distance tasks as well, so feel free to just send me a pile of track logs.
Have fun, and be safe.
Please consider setting and flying a task. Send me the description of the task and the track logs, and I'll score it. I'm pretty sure I can score open-distance tasks as well, so feel free to just send me a pile of track logs.
Have fun, and be safe.
Re: Miller Saturday?
Eric Smith, Orrin Smith and I all flew. PG pilot David (sorry, I don't know the last name) arrived as we were setting up on the southeast launch but as far as I know didn't set up or fly.
The winds were very light as predicted, but the cycles on the southeast launch were substantial and mostly straight in.
Eric took off first around 11:45, and immediately got high. I followed at noon and got about 1000 over in short order. Orrin was last off, and joined me in a thermal or two - it was fun flying on opposite sides of the same thermal at the same altitude, although I think he was staying well out of my way.
Eric had to leave the party early because of a glider problem. It had a vicious turn that requred full-time high-siding. He landed safely in the LZ but exhausted. The problem turned out to be that the outer leading edges had been pulled the previous week to facilitate hiking it out of the Whetstones on a difficult retrieve. When re-installed they went in reversed. Oops.
I landed in the LZ after about 45 minutes, having grown tired of hanging out between 8500-9000 and never finding a thermal that went any higher. I didn't find a scrap of lift in the valley or LZ, so ended up on the ground. Also pooched the landing by not holding enough airspeed through a surprisingly brisk gradient - 30 indicated on approach, just barely moving over the ground. No damage, just embarassing.
Orrin showed me the error of my decision by hanging out in those same conditions, finally getting high enough to go XC, heading for Tombstone at altitudes of up to 11000' MSL, then turning back and flying to his house in Vail at altitudes of up to 14000' MSL! He got to his house high enough, and fresh enough, to fly around for another hour before landing a few feet from his back gate. He had 5 hours 12 minutes in the air, 23 miles to Tombstone and over 45 miles back to Vail. Dang, he's good.
As always, a big thanks to Whitney for wire crew and driving help, and to Dave for wire crew assistance.
John
The winds were very light as predicted, but the cycles on the southeast launch were substantial and mostly straight in.
Eric took off first around 11:45, and immediately got high. I followed at noon and got about 1000 over in short order. Orrin was last off, and joined me in a thermal or two - it was fun flying on opposite sides of the same thermal at the same altitude, although I think he was staying well out of my way.
Eric had to leave the party early because of a glider problem. It had a vicious turn that requred full-time high-siding. He landed safely in the LZ but exhausted. The problem turned out to be that the outer leading edges had been pulled the previous week to facilitate hiking it out of the Whetstones on a difficult retrieve. When re-installed they went in reversed. Oops.
I landed in the LZ after about 45 minutes, having grown tired of hanging out between 8500-9000 and never finding a thermal that went any higher. I didn't find a scrap of lift in the valley or LZ, so ended up on the ground. Also pooched the landing by not holding enough airspeed through a surprisingly brisk gradient - 30 indicated on approach, just barely moving over the ground. No damage, just embarassing.
Orrin showed me the error of my decision by hanging out in those same conditions, finally getting high enough to go XC, heading for Tombstone at altitudes of up to 11000' MSL, then turning back and flying to his house in Vail at altitudes of up to 14000' MSL! He got to his house high enough, and fresh enough, to fly around for another hour before landing a few feet from his back gate. He had 5 hours 12 minutes in the air, 23 miles to Tombstone and over 45 miles back to Vail. Dang, he's good.
As always, a big thanks to Whitney for wire crew and driving help, and to Dave for wire crew assistance.
John