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Hangola April 7-8, 2001

Who would want to go to Jack's on such a day?

For starters, it rained most of the way up. Adding to our encouragement, every wind indicator showed north. Amazingly, we got to launch and it was blowing straight in at 10-15mph! At the LZ to drop a vehicle and a windsock, it was NE.

Ed and I were the only pilots there. Cloudbase varied from several hundred above launch to several hundred below. A vulture came along soaring the downwind side of the hill, then crossed and soared the front side. ? hmmm...

Well ... should at least set up. Ironically it looked good but was actually marginal. I launched first and was unable to stay up for more than a few passes. Ed (in his Falcon), went north along the ridge about a mile and bailed to an alternate lz.

Kinda weird ... once in the air, winds seemed north, but why straight in at launch?

Back up top it was socked in, so we decided to shuttle a vehicle and wait to see if conditions improved. At about 4:30, the winds in the valley began to shift SE and improved noticeably on launch. Cloudbase lifted, Ed launched first and stayed up easily. With the aid of a few spectators, I soon joined him.

The lift was abundant, but the cloudbase prevented gains of much more that 400' over launch. Ed disappeared into the haze on another northward trek. I explored a bit but never strayed far from launch. Cloudbase dropped to launch level. Condensation moisture began to bead first on my mylar LE, then on my forehead. I flew out over the valley still near cloudbase and blew off altitude to land at about 35 minutes. Cloudbase lifted and Ed returned, landing after about an hour.

Back on top to retrieve a car, winds were honking. We ate dinner at the White House, (not far from Jack's) south on rte 522. I tried the stuffed flounder - very good and inexpensive.

'Spark

Harrummphh. Cloud base at 500'. (No, I didn't miss a zero). Wind 13 on the ground, 20 higher up. Didn't fly.

Well, I never made it down to Manquin, but I was pleased with my training hill day. The forecast 5-10 SW to WSW became 0-4 SSE to SSW. John Middleton held class with four students, two new and two returning. Jose, H2 whose last flight was November took three flights on his Falcon to get out the cobwebs. Dan T had a couple of flights, and I got in three.

When we first arrived, John and I had a chance to visit with Mrs. Taylor. She remarked that no one had been down in a while. I think she missed us and was glad to see springtime training has returned.

Did anyone go tow?

Cragin S

Call this weekend a lesson in meteorology. Alan related the events at Jack's. I have never flown in those kinds of conditions before, it was kind of fun dodging clouds near the ridge line. I flew the Falcon and I got to re-experience how much fun that thing is to fly, I guess I'll have to hold onto it.

I spent the night at Cove gap hoping Fischer would be flyable today. I spent the morning making cell calls across from the Pulpit in a total white out, with rain and thunder churning all around me. "It'll get better!" I thought ................................................. nah....I headed for Ridgely and waited till about 2 when it finally did clear up.

Mike Chevalier and another pilot were there along with a Tandem student. This was my second lesson in meteorololgy for the weekend:

http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/goes/soundings/skewt/gifs/kdov18.gif

We went from needing sweaters on the ground to needing tee-shirts above 1200'. It was a truly spectacular inverson. I am glad that I had a chance to see it........I.....guess.......

So feel better, no XC potential, or really any real flying weather went unused this weekend.

Pilot and weather scout
Ed Reno

Went to Ridgley on Sunday leaving the house around 1 PM after it started looking like a nice day. Ed Reno and John Hope were there, Mitch Shipley and Fred Carter showed up later. No lift to be had but we all found the biggest inversion we'd ever seen. At about 1800 ft. the temperature jumped about 15 degrees (maybe more) going from comfortable to too hot. Wind on the ground was light NW, above the inversion was W at about 25.

Mitch Shipley was there to pick up his new Aeros Target so he can compete in the Falcon class. The new tug is in operation, I got climbs of 1300 fpm dropping to 1100 above the inversion. The tow feels about the same but more of the tug's wing is visible.

MC

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This page last updated April 15, 2001