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Hangola March 31 & April 1, 2000

It was a good afternoon at the Rock. Richard Hays finally had a high flight on his new (to him) XC. He had been worried that it may be too light. I told him that the thermal forecast was really good. But there may be one of those shut down cycles around 3-4:00 before it turns back on for the end of the day. He launched at about 3:30 and flew for about 20 minutes. Sure enough-- flush cycle. The rest of us waited for about a half and hour and it clicked back on. Except for Mike C. who never really recovered from a dive out at launch, everyone got up. Allen, Karen, Mark C. and HR Bob each got about an hour and 7-800 over. Craig got about a half hour. I got 1.5 hours and 1100 over. The magic air never appeared. But there were plenty of really fun thermals to work and some occasional poooosh out ridge lift areas to the North. I can't really describe it other than to say it was just really fun air.

We went to Rocky's for pizza afterwards. If you go, avoid the new waitress. I went up to the counter and ordered as usual. But Mark was waited on and never got his food. We took pity on him and fed him some of our appetizers. The waitress also brought him the wrong beer because the bottle was the same color. And Karen ordered a glass of red wine only to receive a mug of pale liquid. When Karen pointed out that it wasn't RED wine, the waitress responded that the cook had told her it was the red wine. But after explaining the concept of red wine actually being red, Karen received a mug of something red. It tasted more like grape juice with alcohol though. Pizza was good.

Matthew (looks like a good Ridgely day, of Karen and Matthew)

There was actually another H2 pilot that day, the undersigned.

Although Matthew offered to be an observer that day, after watching 2 gliders getting toppled that day in the setup area, and one pilot launching too close over the trees for my comfort, I decided not to fly at all that day.

I got my pay back on Thursday with my first soaring flight at Ridgely.

Since I had a 5 day weekend (had to take last years vacation days or loose them...) and most local folks are not available during weekdays, I was planning for Lookout mountain but after careful study of the weather maps I decided go North to Ellenville, after soliciting Paul Voight's help.

Walked the LZ at 5:30 AM, back at the setup area at 6:00 (frost on my HG bag) and launched at 7:15 AM for my first mountain flight. Boy what a difference from the no trees close by, plenty of space Ridgely airport.....

Made another late afternoon launch and watched with envy the guys after me fly the "magic winds". Hot air rising out of the valley as the sun descends. By the time I broke down the glider and was back up it had all but died off. On my third flight I made 2 passes on launch height and then back to the LZ,after I hit some big sink.

Loved Ellenville for it's nice 3 launch areas W, NW and NNW, good slopes to launch even in no wind conditions. Nice grassy setup area, even a John, picnic tables for wives/drivers, closed gate with numberlock, so no unwanted spectators (HR incident)!, big LZ and optional fields like the nearby golf course, with wind indicators on very hole!!! The NY-ers worked hard at their site and it shows. Tony Covelli told me at one point they had 3 bulldozers building roads and launch areas.

Assisted Harry launch his Millenium with seat and landing gear, wow!

First mountain sled ride and 2 more with short tastes of soaring conditions and the other side of it: big sink.

Well worth the drive. Thanks Paul, Thanks Ellenville,

Rolf Goedhart

Mediocre day at Ridgely. A bunch of sleds, extendos and 30-45 minute soaring flights. A had one flight of 33 minutes topping back out at 2450 agl and one extendo with a couple of 50' gains. It was fun climbing up through the sailplanes though on my first flight. Geoff managed 1:45 and Mike C. had the flight of the day with 1:30 and 14 miles. Joe, Christy, Doug, Judy-Judy, Bruce Satatis, Richard Green, Craig Williamson and again a bunch of pilots who I don't know all flew. I wish there were some way of getting these nameless Delaware pilots and other mysterious tow-heads in the loop. Steve Crichton had a weak link break at 300' feet on his first flight and nosed over in the cart on his second attempt. He's okay but he took out a base tube. And Sunny and Chad were booked all morning and late afternoon with tandems.

Matthew (how did it go at Manquin and Fisher Road? of Karen and Matthew)

"Mediocre day at Ridgely. A bunch of sleds, extendos and 30-45 minute soaring flights. I had one flight of 33 minutes topping back out at 2450 agl and one extendo with a couple of 50' gains. It was fun climbing up through the sailplanes though on my first flight. Geoff managed 1:45 and Mike C. had the flight of the day with 1:30 and 14 miles."

14.1 miles to be exact. And every good XC flight has to have a low save, I had 2. Hit massive sink approaching Greensboro and got down to 800 ft. and made a beeline to the smoke coming from someone burning trash. Thank God for the politically incorrect, I found enough lift off that to get me another mile. I noticed a bunch of hawks circling and joined them at 700 ft. Took that one back up to 3200 ft. Landed in Felton DE after buzzing a flock of thousands of seagulls. Many thanks to Tracy who arrived before I was broken down and Tom for relaying the message of my location.

Later it was dinner at Sammy's in Ridgley where I found a tack in my salad. Neither the waitress or cashier seemed too concerned about it so check your food carefully next time you eat there.

MC

With a forecast of light winds going south I decided to go to Manquin for some yankin'. Very interesting day, though not much to do with outstanding flights.

Shortly after passing 495 on 395 a taxicab passed me doing about 90. Like a trout rising up to take a fly, a cop car popped out of nowhere and gave chase. For a brief few seconds I thought I was witnessing potential for "wildest cop chases" video as the foolish taxi made a futile attempt to weave and evade--but he gave up after a mile or so not finding an exit. Turned out it was police blitzkrieg day on the local taxpayers--I think I saw a police cruiser every few miles all the way down to Manquin--they even bagged John Dullahan.

My first attempt at towing was off of truck tow--a test flight since I put my fusion on maximum speed trim. Had to push out mightily just to get off the cart, decided pretty quickly that I would change it back to where I had it previously set. Thermals were just above min sink and required extreme concentration to even maintain, though I eventually felt the allure of terra firma after 15 minutes or so.

On my second truck tow I was climbing nicely, having reached 1000 feet and only two thirds the way down the field when the line popped and I cursed thinking that yet again a weak-link had broken. I very carefully concentrated on coring the first bug-fart that came my way, and I was very slowly climbing out when I felt "toink toink" tugging on my wrist release cord. This was odd, I thought, as I looked down and to my surprise I saw 1000 ft of spectra cord doing a nice spiral under me--with Steve Wendt on the ground tugging on the line insistently. Since he wasn't even making an attempt to run with the line I figured I had better release and I dumped the string in the middle of the field. Turns out the line had snapped.

I then decide to try my hand at aerotowing with a short v-bridle to the shoulders only--the preferred method of many long-time pilots flying higher performing gliders. Coming off the cart I immediately starting a very high rate of climb, stuffing the bar I couldn't stop it. Seeing that Roland wasn't getting off the ground because I was lifting the tug's tail I promptly dumped the line on him at 50 ft or so.

There were casts of thousands there, I'm to lazy to account for the rest--though two standout flights of the day stick in my mind: one was "Joe" a brand-spankin new 2 on I believe his first solo high flight who managed to core thermals and soar for what seemed to me to be at least 40 minutes--basically trouncing the entire field except for another "who is that guy?" pilot, one George Overton who on a Stealth took one all the way to around 4000 and stayed up for awhile.

Packed up and saw a bunch of cops on the way home too.

Marc

Hi all,

Just returned from a well needed rest and flying adventure at Wallaby Ranch.

Arrived at Orlando International on Saturday the 25th of April and began to have a sick feeling in my gut when I received all of my luggage at baggage claim except for my harness. That sick feeling quickly turned into rage when it was confirmed that United had no idea as to the whereabouts of my harness. Please God, anything but my harness...I don't need a change of underwear. I waited for the next flight which came in 2 hours later and thankfully it was there.

I quickly got my rental car and sped to Wallaby where upon arrival I found boo-wah conditions. Found my glider in the hanger (Thank you Bob Buchannon for driving my glider the 1600 miles to Wallaby) and was soon in line for cloud base. The lines where abnormally long due to this being the 2nd to last day of the Wills Wings 27th anniversary fly-in (good party that night).

I had somewhat of a rough tow as thermals where popping everywhere. Pinned off at 2200 and in true Wallaby style I was left in a nice thermal that took me all the way to cloud base at 6,200 AGL. In my haste to get into the sky I had forgotten that all I was wearing was a T-shirt and shorts. I was reminded of this immediately as temperatures dipped into the 50's. All I could think of was the fact that day in and day out I sit at my work desk getting list server messages of all the flying that people are doing. I wasn't going to let a little cold air stop me from enjoying myself now.

After an 1 1/2 hours of freezing my ass off I couldn't keep from shivering and now wanted down as bad as I had originally wanted up. Problem was I couldn't get down. I had finally made it down to 2,000 AGL and warmer air and was beginning to feel better yet I still wanted to land. Worn out from descending I slowed the glider to trim speed and thought I would just naturally sink out. Wrong. Beginning at the Dean Still Rd/Rt. 27 corner of Wallaby I flew at trim and followed the Wallaby property line tracing all 40+ acres. By the time I had made a full lap I had gained 1,000 ft. Holy S@#T... Eventually I had to fly south and do tight 360's over the swamp to get down and into the field. It took me a 45 minutes to get into the field.

After that I grab a beer and Nick Stammers led me to the villa with the swimming pool and jacuzzi that we were staying at for the week. If you plan a trip to Wallaby I suggest you get one of these villas. It was brand spanking new, 10 minutes from Wallaby and 15 minutes from Disney, 4 bedroom, 3 baths, full kitchen, living room, dining room, family room, etc for $50/night for each family.

On Sunday I drove to Tampa to pick up my lovely wife, Lesley, and most excellent son, Dylan. We came back to Wallaby to find blown-out conditions and spent the day just relaxing.

Lived through Magic Kingdom hell on Monday and Tuesday.

On Wednesday we arrived at Wallaby to find very light conditions. Excellent for towing. It was a blue sky day that promised to be more challenging than the previous Saturday.

On my first flight I pinned off at 2500' AGL to find a very light thermal (100 - 150 up). Most thermals this day were of that caliber. I had one that was 400 up which took me to 4200' AGL. Had a ball thermalling with Bob Beck, Doug Rogers, Raean and Fred (in their new topless gliders), Beard, Bob Buchannon, Nick Stammers, Ken Harrison and Mike Barber (in a sailplane). First flight 40 minutes, second flight 1 1/2 hours. Landed at Beer o'clock.

Thursday was blown out. Drove Lesley and Dylan back to Tampa to put them on the flight home and returned to Wallaby to sit, relax and drink beer.

On Friday I got on my plane and tearfully headed home.

It was a great vacation.

Hope to see you all in the air soon.

Steve Vogel

I know I'm kind of intruding with PG info on this server but I have no where else to go really - and we fly 'your' sites mainly so please bear with me. . .

Saturday at Daniel: Arrived around 2:30 there were 2 1/2 hangs set up on top (Bob, somebody, and that guy; I'm poor with names too, sorry) While they waited for it to build and we waited to make sure its wasn't going to the third hang finished setting up. Bob decided things weren't going to get any better and launched for an extended sledder. The other hangs weren't terribly eager so Fred Hoffman and I launched our bags. I found enough lift to stay up but it was pretty broken up - fizzy, and out towards the East knob I took a good slap - 50% or so. Meanwhile Fred was having some configuration trouble with his wing and headed out. We both landed and threw our wings in the truck to return to launch. While we were headed up the other two hangs launched and sledded too. Once back on launch the winds picked up considerably - gusts up to 16-18mph so the PG sat around telling lies while down below the hangs packed up thinking we had no wind.

Eventually we did re-launch joined by Nigel - British PG - and had nice glassoff-ish flights. Nigel and Fred both got around 1000 over. Fred almost made it out to the knob in front. The LZ must have been in the wind shadow of the knob out front + wind gradient form trees and rolling terrain as we all found it required a little active flying on final approach. All in all a great day!!

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This page last updated April 5, 2000