Thursday PG Flying

Gunter · Post by **Gunter** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 7:02 pm

Fellow PG Pilots,
It looks like it could be a good flying day at Sonoita - Mustangs, (as of 7pm Wed report). Right now winds are expected out of SSW/SW/WSW at around 7mph in the valley, maybe 10-12 at launch. Box looks to mild. Tenatatively I'm planning to be in the Lz around 1pm, at launch around 2pm, in the air by 2:30 pm. But let's see what tomorrow am's forecast looks like.

Gunter

Gunter · Post by **Gunter** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 8:03 am

We'll, so much for weather reports. As of 8am. it looks like a light Box afternoon. Winds are now forecast at wnw/nw at 4 mph between 2-5pm. Translates to about 7-8 mph at the lower launch. I will be in the Box Lz at 1pm and at the lower launch around 2. Hope to see you there.
Gunter

morey · Post by **morey** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 8:36 am

Not that I can go anyway, but according to the NWS weather site, the Soundings FSL sites for Tucson as well as Ft. Huachuca, and ADDS aviation- are all saying light SW.

Where do you get your weather report Gunter? Must be from that small rag-tag group of meteorologist PG pilots who live near Box Canyon.

ray-sherry · Post by **ray-sherry** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 9:04 am

Gunter,

Thanks for calling us last night. sorry i didn't respond until now... the idea of flying today sounds wonderful

but right now, we are waiting for Ray's boss to call a meeting "sometime" this late morning/early afternoon. So i'm not sure if we're going to be able to go or not

we'll keep you posted.

Gunter · Post by **Gunter** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 9:05 am

Morey, I get my "accurate" hr by hr forecasts from "Accuweather". Please note that the name itself implies accurate forecasts. (so much for names)!! Actually we agree. It's expected to be SE till 2pm, then turn W/NW after that.
We'll see what will actually be going on at Box later.

ray-sherry · Post by **ray-sherry** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 11:44 am

Gunter,

I (Ray) am still waiting to hear from work and think that we won't leave the house for another hour which will put us at Box around 2 to 2:15 if we can get there at all. Hope to see you there but can't make any promises for now, sorry. We wish you GREAT flying weather and hope to join you.

Later,
Ray and Sherry

morey · Post by **morey** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 11:51 am

Does Accuweather report winds at altitude, or just surface winds?
Often in the winter, Box is sandwiched between the two.

Every afternoon with solar heating, once the ground inversion burns off, and as long as there isn't a strong forcing function due to frontal movement, the warm air near the surface tries to rise.

For air to rise in the Tucson basin, it naturally flows uphill, which happens to be towards the SE (or from the NW). The reverse catabatic flow happens nearly every night, which is why we get the SE flow every morning. Ground is tilted. Higher in Sierra Vista to the SE. Lower in Phoenix to the NW. This layer tends to be very thick in the summer, and thinner in the winter.

Allan · Post by **Allan** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 7:28 am

We got up to the lower launch at Box at about 3:00pm and got to witness some of the characteristic wind switches there. By about 4:00 it was more consistently NW. Red, Irena (sp?), Ray, Sherry, and I got sled runs or "extended" sled runs. The wind switched before Chaz got off so I believe he had to hike down in the dark. My sympathy goes out to Chaz.

I special thanks to Gunter who so kind enough to just be our guide and not even fly!!

ray-sherry · Post by **ray-sherry** » Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:29 am

Yes...thank you Gunter

Irina · Post by **Irina** » Wed Nov 17, 2004 6:06 pm

Gunter, thank you for help on V-day. It was great day for all of us. I wrote message earlier but could not post it....
Irina

Thursday PG Flying

accuweather

Thank you Gunter!

thanks