Back to Main Page Back to Archive 2001

Index to weather maps

Hangola April 27-29, 2001

Although it was windy at High Rock on Friday, I decided to check it out in the afternoon. I arrived about 5:30 and was surprised to find no one there. Winds were 15 to 25mph, so I thought, why not set up? I waited for conditions to mellow a bit, then launched around 7pm (in a lull) and found the lift to be abundant and smooth. The lift band extended well beyond the ends of the ridge and out over the railroad tracks. I floated around for about 30 minutes and landed, wanting to get back to the top before dark. As I hiked towards Emma's, a car approached. A spectator had come down to retrieve me!
Short flight, but sweet.

'Spark

p.s. the grass in the LZ is getting a bit tall

With a North forecast and a day full of chores ahead of me, I opted for an early morning sled with the GTR 210. Winds were light at the top and pretty much North cross. I decided I probably didn't want to self launch and was preparing to leave when Bob Gillisse arrived and offered to assist.

It was a typical sled-ride, but a great way to start the day, thanks (again) to Bob.

'Spark.

Really nice day at Highland yesterday. Bruce S and a pilot from Ohio were till taking the Tandem Clinic and Geoff M was there as well . Started out with light winds from the west and Ric N launched around 1:30 or so, dropped down to 800' over Chad and Sunny's house, climbed out, and then left going east. Rich Green and Dale (sorry, I don't know his last name but he is a Windrider) towed up around 2:00, sledded in and then relaunched. By this time the wind was 20 mph with higher gusts so I decided to wait until evening..

Rich and Dale found some lift in the same staging area east of the Highland crew's house for a bit but finally both landed in the first big field east of same. I drove Dale's van down to them and went to get Ric who went 20 or so miles to Greenwood, De. He landed on the playing fields of a Mennonite school. The gym teachers brought their classes out so that Ric could give them a quick lecture on hang gliding. Ric also had me bring down a bunch of Highland brocures.

I got in a couple of sleds from 5K in the evening in some very light sink. On the second tow a rain squall over the bay that the Highland boys warned me about decided to grow up and become a thunderstom. I saw the first lightning just as I got off tow and kept an eye on it as I was coming down. Luckily it was very small and still a good 15 miles out although I did pick up some pretty strong wind from it as I was was going from 3K down to 2 K.

Sea helped me tear down and the rain crossed the airfield by the sailplanes as I was driving up to the office.

Joe McManus

I stopped by the LZ about 4pm and learned that Brian Hardwick and Marc Fink had already flown. Brian flew his new topless. Kelvin Pierce flew a bit later and had an extended flight, then Marc flew Susan's Falcon 170. Folks reported it a bit turbulent and too cross from the north. I'll bet the Sac was good today

'Spark

Great day at High Point yesterday despite N/NE conditions - Mark went 26 miles to Augusta, WV, Marvin went 24.2 miles past Burlington, WV, Jim Rowan went 17 or 18 miles before Burlington, Dan Tomlinson (on his first visit to the site) and L.E. Herrick landed in Zirk's LZ and Doug Wakefield landed in the Holiday Inn field.

Sheila

Great day at the SAC on Saturday. Arrived at 10A+ and nobody home. Winds were cranking at 15 - 20 MPH straight up the slot. John Dullahan arrived minutes later. Called Joe Gorrie on the cell phone to check on what to do, since the protocol has changed since the last time we flew the SAC. Joe and Karen came up and instructed us on the correct protocol to follow. John and I set up our gliders while Karen acted as protocol cop for the arriving pilots and Joe negotiated with the landowner for the possible use of a new setup area. Ed Reno and who but Mitch Shipley arrive. Mitch is now based in State College, PA. Ed, Mitch, and John help me launch. Turned right and stair-stepped my way up to above the ridge. Went east to my customary remote start point before starting the ridge run. The air was very turbulent with booming spring conditions of lift and sink, resulting in roller-coaster rides every so often. Got to 1.5K over in a thermal and started the run west. Got to Klingerstown Gap, climbed in a thermal to 1K over and jumped the gap. Not much lift on the ridge so I pressed on to the Pillow Gap. Found a thermal halfway down the ridge and gained a few hundred. Pressed on to the Pillow Gap. Found good lift right at the gap and climbed in it and jumped the gap. Lost down to ridge level and had to hang out on the ridge for a while and gain a few hundred before heading west again. Got to the third "gap" (which is a saddle in the mountain) low and found major sink that scraped me off the ridge and forced me to land in the same LZ that I've landed twice before. Honking on the ground coming in to land. Had a nice wire slap at 30 feet off the deck. Tiptoed onto the ground with the strong surface winds. My driver arrived about a half hour later. Saw John Dullahan flying towards us. He made it over the 3rd "gap" easy and down to the river. He radioed that he was going OTB so we packed up to fetch him. John landed near Rt. 25 just east of Millersburg, PA for 24 miles. My distance was 16.8 miles.

Just received a report that Mitch Shipley went OTB to Pine Grove for around 12 miles, Tom McGowan went OTB for 29 miles, and Terry Spencer went OTB for 70.2 miles to Conowingo, MD!!! These guys are to be commended for going OTB on a blue thermal day and making downwind miles from the SAC. Going downwind of the SAC is a challenging proposition with long glides over tree-lined mountains before getting out over the Lebanon valley. I've been wanting to go OTB at the SAC for years but I want clouds in the sky to assist me in finding lift. These guys said the heck with that, we're going downwind! Great flights guys on a blue thermal day!!

Bacil

Jonestown Sat. afternoon. Conditions too strong for prudent pilots. Maybe not blown out, but low fun to risk factor. Conditions mellowed and flying commenced about 1715. Very nice air, 2300' over boat anywhere conditions allowed all pilots an easy XC to goal of 6 miles to land near the Savage Bar ( the name speaks for itself ) for beer, wings, beer, wings, and beer. (we left before the wet t shirt contest kicked in). TR Johnson, Jesse Faulkerson, Bob Beck, Shawn Macduff, Tom Gartlan, and Ken Church sucked it up.

Pilots in attendance:
Joe Gorrie
Doug Rogers
Bob Beck
Jim Carroll
Dave Brown
Jackie Williams
Tom Gartlan
Ken Church
Rich Green
Shawn MacDuff

Special Thanks to:
Randy Beutler - Randy and his family did a great job on Monday clearing the whole right side. Not much left for us!
Doug Rogers - For climbing the tree and putting up the windsock. The rest of us left our balls at home.
Tom Gartlan - making the windsock.
Rich Green - helping to clean out a site he never flew before!

Prompted by Bacil's predictions of great flying, arrived at the Sac at 10:20 am on Saturday to find Bacil and his driver Joe already there. Joe Gorey, the site contact, had told us the new property owner near launch had not yet agreed to let pilots set up on his land, and that vehicles should be parked in the LZ. Fortunately, while we were talking to Joe the property owner arrived and Joe successfully negotiated a set up area just to the right of launch on the same side of the road, and for a lesser sum than previously discussed (Joe and his club are considering a sticker system to pay the site use fee).

Bacil launched into 15-18 MPH winds around noon, and I followed about 30 minutes later. I quickly gained 1,000 over and went east to where Rt. 125 crosses the ridge (Mahantango Mtn.) before turning back west to follow Bacil towards the Susquehanna River. Although a little rowdy, there was ample lift to cross Klingerstown and Pillow Gaps and continue west. Bacil didn't have enough altitude to clear the last gap before the river and landed out front for 17 miles. I had enough altitude to make to the river, and worked a thermal to 1,600 over before going OTB to land outside Millersburg for 24 miles.

After Joe picked us up we celebrated with a visit to Hardees in Millersburg, where there is a long detour due to construction, and headed to the LZ to retrieve my car. Arriving at launch primped for a little appropriately-discreet gloating, we humbly toned down our flight accounts after discovering that at least three pilots had headed OTB for distant parts (Tom M. had already crossed Blue Mountain - about 16 miles downwind).

Bacil later told me Mitch Shipley had made 12 miles to Pine Grove on a single-surface Target, Tom M. made 29 miles, and Terry Spencer made it all the way to Conowingo, MD for 70.2 miles!!

They had apparently used excellent strategy, going in a 3 pilot gaggle, to fly extended distances over multiple tree-covered ridges; quite an accomplishment without a cloud anywhere in sight!

I look forward to Tom's, and especially Terry's, accounts of their great flights.

John Dullahan

I showed up at the Sac around 11, and got waved down by Kate so I wouldn't drive past launch because Joe was in the middle of negotiating the use of a set up area. It went well, the owner sold the Windriders the right to set up in an area on the same side as launch and just to the right. He also allowed us to clear the area some, which prompted an immediate work party. The new setup area is actually larger than the old one. So that went well, although the Windriders are paying for the right to use it so donations for use are appreciated by them.

So anyway, John Dullahan and Bacil were setting up down the road, shortly Mitch Shiply, Tom McG, Terry Spencer, and Bruce Engin showed. We all launched into rowdy air. Bacil and John ran the ridge somewhere. The rest of us blue sky OTB'd except for Bruce.

I went High and short 5100 over launch and 10+ miles, Mitch went about a couple of miles further. When Tom and Terry were approaching Lebanon, Tom zigged and fell out but Terry zagged and flew somewhere deep into Maryland. He had Bruce to chase him. Tracey retrieved us using Mitches laptop GPS, I was third and was told Terry had just landed: Fifty miles or something........ (Yippee! The pressure of first place is gone!).

Back at launch, Kate, Joe, Alona, Jeff and one other had soared. Rowdy on the ridge but nice nice flying OTB.

Bruce Engin and I met at Purcelville, Va and carpooled to Sacramento. As soon as we arrived, Tom Mcgowan offered to take us to the LZ and give us the standard LZ briefing. Neither of us had flown the site before. After setting up, Joe Gorrie gave us a quick brief on launching in the strong conditions. Seemed like I waited 15min. with it blowing 20+. I took a light cross cycle. It was a little squirrelly.

I turned left. Big mistake. Well below launch, I thought that I was gonna sled. I kept going west thinking that I would at least be closer to the LZ. Another mistake. That LZ is for a NE, I'd be landing in a strong 90 degree cross. Luckily, I got a good pop that got me a couple hundred over the ridge. I started to head East. (towards the correct LZ)

Mitch Shipley had launched earlier and had returned after his first attempt to go over the back. Tom had launched just before me. The two of them were heading east too,(at a pretty good clip). Ed Reno launched and went right up. The four of us went down the ridge, with Mitch leading the way, Tom right on his heels, Ed and I were at least a half mile behind. I saw Bruce launch behind us, he got off clean and would have a good flight.

Mitch hooked one and proceded to speck out. Tom latched on a thousand feet under. Ed and I were still a ways off. When we got there, it was still pumping! I banked up and was immediately getting 800fpm all the way around! Ed flew out into the valley and did not get the climb rate. I stayed with Mitch and Tom. They had a 3000ft head start... I closed to within 200ft., that was the best that I could do.

Mitch and Tom were swapping lift info and strategies. I could receive but not transmit. We fanned out and went on glide. I don't know how Tom's glide was going but Mitch and I were getting 800fpm sink! Tower City looks like a knarly place to put in and I was getting worried! Being 500ft below Mitch and maybe a grand under Tom, I was a little more desperate. I turned crosswind and started searching the Lee Side. All I could find was 1-200fpm., but I wasn't leaving it! Mitch spotted me turning and called Tom in on it! Tom flew up wind to get it! Must of been the only thing in the Valley! Mitch quickly reported 3-400fpm... I just had to find the meaty part of the thermal. I never did. I was all over the place and nothing seemed to work. Tom and Mitch were climbing out and I was getting further behind! Their drift was significant and I was sniffing in sink. At 1to1 over the back, I made one pass further up wind looking for the next train. I lost. Looking downwind, Tom and Mitch were doing well. I didn't have alot of altitude but I had three ridges to cross nothing but trees. I could make it with no lift or sink. I went for it! I found a thermal coming off a knob on the third ridge! Turning in that, I gained a grand!

My ride started to peter out, and it was a narrow valley to glide across. It was time to get under Mitch or Tom and catch back up! While screwing around with my radio, I yanked my VG full tight, (it only takes one long pull). I dunno what happened but I was in a spiraling 360! Lost at least 300ft. Rats!! By the time I got leveled out and headed accross the valley, Mitch had lost half of what he had and was losing the other half before my eyes!! No need to go that direction. Tom was further West and turning. His nose was getting popped so I knew that he was on to something good.

I came in low, maybe 1500ft. I flew between Tom (a grand or better above me) and a tractor working the field. I drove right into it! I gained on Tom quickly! He was busy trying to work the retrieve for Mitch. Tom was turning right and I ONLY turn left! We made a couple of close passes, I was hoping that Tom would change directions. He didn't. I did. Immediately, I lost on Tom. I thought that I was screwed. I know that I've got learn to turn right but I always plan to do that later.I had 5 grand, I was going downwind.

I thought that Tom would see me take off.. he was distracted by the radio though. I didn't look back and I never saw him again. I headed for a huge excavation site and after a long glide through sink, was rewarded with a ripper! All the knarly mountain stuff was behind me and in front was a wide valley! I was in a freight train going to 5700ft or so.. if I could catch a couple more, it'd be easy! I wasn't on glide very long before I plowed into another one... I made a couple turns and took off again. When I quickly hit another one, I realized that the whole frickin' place was going up! I could switch to dolphin flying and make better time! I maintained 4500-5 grand all the way across. As I approached the ridge, I aimed for a rock quarry. I figured that it'd get even better!! I was wrong! I had flown through all these thermals only to come up empty when I got to the ridge. How weird? As I turned out, this would be where Tom would go down!

I had just enough altitude to clear the Mtn if I didn't get any lift so I wasn't too concerned. I got only a few bumps going over and went on glide across the flats. There were enough thermals to keep going. I was dressed very lightly and suffering from the frozen finger thing, plus, my shoulders were aching.....I really wanted to land. I never topped out in anything, it was too cold. I just climbed to 5K, and glided to 2K. After a bunch of miles, I had had enough, I spotted a rinky dink town that looked like it might have some grub. It was about seven miles cross wind but I made it easily. At 4-500ft., I really didn't like the LZ. It was do-able, but when I blundered into a rippin' thermal, I was outa there! All the folks who had come out to see me land were dissapointed. All they could do was watch me speck out! I went, maybe another twenty miles in no time! It was still blowing! I could see the bay and knew that it was still early enough to go down the Delmarva (chasing Ric) But I was too beat and sore. I headed for a field as close to this little town as I could get! There had to be a restaurant there! Setting up over the Fire House, the flags where starched! The landing was a non-event! Before I could secure my glider, the land owner drove over and welcomed me to Conowingo, Md.!! 70.2mi. 5280ft over launch (didn't know what the elevation of launch was) 2:42hr. Yee Ha!! time to get a new harness

Terry

The work party at 501 was a great success, I can't wait to use the site with its freshly groomed face and new wind sock. I did make the road trip to Jonestown with the work party crew but did not fly. Jackie Williamson, Jim Carroll and I left for home a little before conditions got sweet. What a beautiful site, its gotta be 1000' vertical and very steep with 14+ miles of unbroken ridge!

Sunday I decided to fly Redwing. Ended up with two flights of around an hour each with my highest gain of 4300'. During one of my tows behind Bill, he got hit by a thermal that actually locked him out (the tug). It was an eye opener to say the least. I released as soon as I hit it, around 900' and eventually took it to 3300'. Pilots I can remember that were there: Ed and Jim M, Jim S, Norm, John W, Craig B, Bill U, Bob S, Tom C, Pimp, Jerry and Jim's friend Tom.

A very nice day for light winds, blue skies, and slow paced cross country. Bill Buffam, Danny Koch and I were the idendentifiable Wind Riders. If I missed someone I apologize. I got 9 miles. Bill about the same flying with Mike Chevalier. Tom McGowan and Steve Kinsley flew together to about 14. Probably 15 other pilots stayed at the field. I heard 5300 was high for the day and the bald eagles were out in force..

Most Wind Riders probably have not met Eric, a really personable super-man. He's a paraplegic who got H2 last season. He flew for the first time in his customized Target. Chad and Sunny set it up with wheels and modified wires so that he can wheel his chair under the wing and hook himself in. He got his first soaring flight ever with a 700 ft gain.

Danny had his Millennium out. Unfortunately I missed his flight(s).

Best Regards,
Richard Green

I was there with my giant umbrella. Arrived about 1:15. Keith Olena was also there when I got there and just about ready to fly. Before I left, Kurt Meyers showed up for an evening flight. Both Keith and I were up for a while (I got about 1 1/2 hours) but not at the same time. When I landed he was already packed up and gone. Not sure how high I got but I dont think it was much more than the tow (maybe 3000').

Also, in going through all of my gear and cleaning out my flight bag I found an extra tip ferring for a fusion. I recall way back at the High Rock fly-in in october that I broke down next to another fusion where the guy was missing a tip ferring. I realize now that I must have picked it up inadvertently. If someone knows who this pilot might be (he's not a regular windrider - maybe Maryland or DC) please let me know who he is so I can attempt to make appropriate reparations.

Sunday's most asked question: "Hey!, don't you fly a fusion?"

Jim "Mary Poppins" Carroll

Ah, you flattered us Rich! I got drilled down to the ground from 4500' in 3 miles, sink alarm groaning *all* the way. That's about 3.5 to 1 (the glide of a rock!), even with the benefit of my speed-to-fly flight toys *and* a tail wind!. I felt a little better when Mike Chevalier landed in the same field 20 minutes later, having had the same experience. We made 6.4 miles. It started so well, too. My weak link broke at 1000' as I flew into a thermal and the tug hit the sink the other side, but I worked it until I got out of there from 3500'.

For the record, Erik (with a 'k') Johnson (who Rich talks about) is a card-carrying Wind Rider. Other Wind Riders showing up were Kurt Myers, Dennis Monteiro, Jim Carroll.

Bill "plummet" Buffam

Susan and I went to High Rock on Saturday and were joined by Rob and Chi Chi Millman, Brian Hardwick and Marc Fink. It was cross from the north and we all had short flights except Susan who decided just to enjoy the beautiful day and do some hiking instead of flying.

Went to Manquin on Sunday to try some truck towing for the first time in 8 years. Joined by Marc and Ellis, Terry Spencer, Greg Dewolf, Cragin and several others who I didn't know. Conditions were sunny and warm with variable winds at 5-10mph. 6 pilots aero towed up to 2500' and all soared to their hearts content at altitudes up to about 5500'. The truck towing went non-stop all day with most tows in the 600-900' range. I towed twice, once for about 10 minutes and the second for 20 minutes and about 1500'. Only Fred Briggs and Ellis were able to get up and really high off of the truck. Ellis did great with over 1.5 hours and over 5000'. Fred was one of the first to tow and got about an hour and was a happy guy when he landed. Susan had one tow for her first flight since last fall and did very well for late in the day. She towed up to 1000' and then found a thermal up to 1900' for a 20 minute flight. Marc and Terry both flew for over an hour and specked out. Marc reported being waked by a very close passing commercial jet. Cragin was very active with at least four tows from the truck for some extended time. Yesterday convinced me that I need to get my aero tow rating.

Kelvin

MANQUIN, VA -- Great soaring forecast numbers don't always translate into great soaring flights, but that certainly wasn't the case on Sunday, at least not for those pilots who enjoyed the return of aero towing to the flight park. For several days, numerical weather prediction models were advertising -3 TI heights between 6 and 7K and light winds, both surface and aloft. Sunday's weather conditions lived up to their advanced billing as pilots were able to soar for hours, gain more than a mile of altitude, and struggle to get out of the air and back down to the LZ.

Several pilots were launching from the truck, but I was first in line to aerotow at 1355. Lift-off from the cart was a little early resulting in a ground swoop was followed by an unnerving swerve off to the right, then business as usual. Approaching release altitude to the east of the LZ I caught a pungent whiff of bovine cologne and immediately knew we were in for a good day of flying. First thermal off tow took me to 5200' in a 500 '/" core with barely a detectable drift toward the south. Over the course of the next two hours, I enjoyed several more rapid climbs to 6400' where the temperature was in the upper 20s. It was too cold to stay at that altitude for very long, so I spent most of the flight around 3K'. With a light N wind at altitude, penetrating upwind was easy, as long as you stayed out of the alleys, which as the day wore on became less of an issue b/c there was lift just about everywhere.

Thermal snoopers: Jay, Billy, Terry Spencer, Steve Valdez, Greg DeWolf, Marc Fink, Susan, Ellis, Cragins, Chris, Tim, Fred, and a few others.

Jim Keller
Petersburg, VA

I gambled on High Rock Sunday, and it paid off pretty well... A bit over an hour, maybe 700' over, and the skies to myself. Had to train a couple old biker dudes for wire crew, and answer a gazillion questions from kids.

Strong, bullet thermals zipping out of the north, maybe even a little northeast. I've got (no kidding) two blisters from holding onto the basetube so hard... that's a first.

--mark c.

	previous page	back to top	next page

This page last updated May 1, 2001