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Hangola May 3-6, 2001

Here's a quick synopsis of our paragliding training trip to Point of the Mountain in Utah.

Saturday-- BLOWN OUT!

Sunday-- BLOWN OUT most of the day. It backed off by mid-afternoon and we spent a couple of hours kiting and then we each took a soaring tandem with our instructor, Scotty Marion, followed by a sled on our own.

Monday-- Got up well before dawn to fly at 6:30am before winds got too strong at the South facing launch. I had 3 flights and Karen had 2. I got about ten minutes on the 2nd and 50 minutes on the third. I was on top of the stack the whole time on the last flight and only landed because Scotty didn't want me up there when the winds picked up. The rest of the day it was blown out until about 6:00pm. We went back and kited for about 40 minutes. It was HOT! With all of the sweat in my helmet, I felt like I had my head in a soup can. Karen called it a day and I took 3 flights from halfway up the hill at 150'. It was blowing 5-10 on the ground and 35+ at launch 300' up-- Freaky!!!

Matthew (a more detailed report will be in the newsletter, of Karen and Matthew)

Arriving at the field a little after 1400, I was greeted by Steve Wendt who said flying conditions had been great since last Sunday, when a whole host of pilots were treated to multiple gains over one mile. Today could be the last day in the long run of good days @ MFP given a strong cold front is forecast to cross the flight park tomorrow afternoon. The frontal passage will herald the on-set of strong NE winds and then some much needed rain on Sunday.

Roland dragged me into the air @ 1505. A smooth lift-off from the cart was followed by a smooth stable ascent to about 1K', where the abruptly tug popped up during the first turn and I was summarily dunked into the prop wash. Full mush mode couldn/t get me back into position and the momentum from the left hand pattern turn had me banked acutely to the outside, so I thought it prudent to abort the tow.

At 1200' over the south end of the field, I spied a good size kettle of ~20 TVs circling up over the adjacent farm and flew over to join them. The group of us circled together to 4K' where I was abandoned and left to my own devices. The broad, smooth, but not particularly strong lift averaged ~250 '/" with an occasional small core that doubled the rate of climb. Because the winds aloft were so light, the drift was very slow. I was still over the farm's NE fields when I topped out @ 5300'.

As I float back to the field, I spot 'Sky Moose' Bruce taking off behind the tug. He flys to the farm but arrives while it/s recharging and finds nothing but his large shadow on the ground. I too am having trouble finding lift and think maybe that's the reason the birds aren/t out flying anymore, either. Just in time, a few TVs launch over the LZ and we swoop in to steal their thermal. After stowing the rubber elbows, we both climb out and lazily drift to the NE. Near the end of the climb @ ~4500', I looked down to see Bruce @ ~3500' soaring with a bald eagle. I obliged them both with complementary upper surface inspections.

Bruce sunk out after ~40 minutes while I continued to boat and blunder over the western fields. There were few thermals markers. The stronger thermals were popping scrawny Q but they would quickly decay and were out of range for my Reagan-era wing. Low flying birds are hard to see from 4 grand and the field grass isn/t yet high enough to reveal ground swirls.

By now it/s ~1600 and even a blind weatherman gets the forecast right sometimes, and with that, more lift was served up to my waiting arms. I knew this was likely to be one of the better thermals b/c of the small developing Q overhead. The climb started @ 3500' and ended ~15 minutes later @ 6700' where the air temperature was a very pleasant 50°. When the climb was over, the cloud was gone, and so was I. Steve later said that I looked real small. I think all he was really able to see of me from that distance was my toothy grin.

See the real-time sounding (available through 4 PM Saturday) @ http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/goes/soundings/skewt/gifs/kric20.gif

On the sounding, note the steep lapse rate to ~8K' (750 mb ). Winds aloft at 5K' are 5 knots. The max surface air temperature was 87° at 1500. Minimum surface dew point was 57°. The 30° difference between the max air temperature and the minimum surface dew point suggests a Qbase of 6666'.

After all that, I landed and then went home.

JK

Those epic conditions did not make it further north to Ridgely on Friday. Sporadic areas of light broken lift resulted in mostly sled rides in hot humid air. Adding insult, the westerly wind really picked up in the afternoon making approaches difficult in my Falcon. Visibility was pretty low, but hey, more practice tows and landings are always good after a long winter...

Did anybody make it to Ellenville on Thursday? I couldn't get off from work.

john

MANQUIN, VA -- Sunday's hot, humid, hazy precursors of summertime conditions were strong motivations for a handful of pilots to try their luck at getting chilled by flying in some thick, prefrontal soup. The air temperature reached 88° and along with a minimum dew point of 66°. The 22 degree difference suggests a Qbase @ ~4900'. The max temperature was four degrees warmer than forecast. The cooler forecast temperature translated into large errors in the forecast for 'Height of -3 TI' soaring index. One of those days where IYDGYDK.

I had two flights for :20 and :45 after releasing from my highest truck tows height to date -- ~1300'. The better of the two flights reached 3700' but almost three miles south of the field over Rte. 360. There was a bit of a headwind getting back to the LZ, so I had to tack across the wind to make better mileage. It wasn/t too long before I was down to ~1500' and resigned to an out-landing. Steve later said he too had written me off.

Had it not been for my blundering into one last thermal coming from the cow farm beneath me, I would have gone down about a half-mile south of the south end of the field. Instead, I climbed back to 3K', but had also drifted another half-mile away from the LZ. The second attempt to reach the field fared much better. Penetrating upwind was much easier in the buoyant air exhaling from the fields downwind of the LZ.

Zelda took a lesson in the morning, as did one other new student who lives in the Richmond area. Joe had a few extendos but was unable to find enough lift to maintain nor gain. Ray took a couple flights but he too found the lift too elusive. Chris also flew twice as he continued to work toward his Hang II.

John Claytor earned 'flight of the day' as he flew around sucking up all the best lift on his way to topping out @ ~5300' during his chilly, hour-fifty flight. Wearing only a T-shirt when he took off, John was dressed for high-altitude success.

John and I may have soared in some weak 'frontal convergence' this afternoon. While comparing notes after our flights, John said he had flown upwind for almost five minutes while gaining altitude. I too experienced the same conditions which was around the time the Q were their most impressive in size and shape. These Q moved south of the field as the surface wind veered from N to NE following the frontal passage. Convergence along the frontal boundary provided a source of general, widespread lift that added a boost to the vertical motion which caused to Q to bloom. As long as the front isn/t too strong (it wasn/t) and it isn/t plowing into moist, unstable air (it was), then flying X-C in frontal convergence might be good for quite a few miles.

Flight Manifest: Zelda, Chris, Ray, Joe, John, and a new student.

Jim Keller
Petersburg, VA

Glen Rourbach (HG) and myself (PG) arrived at Ringtown at 4PM. It was gusting to 30 MPH. At about 6:30 about 18 with occasional gusts to 25 MPH but straight in so Glenn launches. Moderate turbulence but not bad. After about 1/2 hour (7pm) he reports it is smoothing out. He is about 1000' over launch. Winds are 15 MPH with gusts less than 20 MPH straight in so I proceed to get ready. At about 7:30 I launch and go to about 50' over. I maintain about 50' to 150' over launch for about 15 minutes then I headed for the LZ for a total of about a 20 minute flight. The wind was straight in at launch (North) but once in the air, the wind was almost East which, I assume, made the ridge lift less effective. Glenn had about 1.5 hours, maximum height-1200' over launch.

Brian Stoltzfus
Reading, PA

Looking for an excuse to skive off work, a small gaggle of Wind Riders (Rich Green, Lenko, Pete Vranesich, and me) headed to Ellenville. We threw Lenko off for an early sled, then kicked rocks waiting for things to get good. Finally, the ever-driven Rich just had to jump off as cumies started to form (though not close enough for us to use). Rich fought manfully, but in the end it was a very extended sled.

After kicking a few more rocks I decided to give it a go. Wind was W, crossing slightly from the S, and not strong enough to sustain ridge lift. After scratching in the non-existent ridge lift for about 5 minutes I caught some ratty thermal activity and worked it. Eventually got into a core that I took to 3730' over, drifting way the hell back and North with it. I left it because it was weakening, getting ratty, and taking me back into no-man's land. I couldn't see over the back because of the deep haze, so I decided on a ridge run North. By the time I left the thermal I was over Resnick Airport. I worked another one for 700', tried to squeeze blood out of a zero sink stone (failed), and finally resigned myself to landing.

As I went into the pattern on downwind, I flew through strong lift at 250' AGL. Yeah, I've read about stories like this. But the lift, though strong, was disorganized, so I lost in the back half of the 360 what I'd gained in the front half. Anyway, a better pilot than me would have worked it somehow and got back up, but I just didn't have the combination of skill and balls it would have needed. There were big trees under where this lift would have taken me, and I wasn't confident of getting up and making it over the trees to the next field. So I put it sweetly on the deck for a very satisfying 11.7 miles. Lenko retrieved (thanks buddy!). Yeah, I know it sounds pretty lame to a lot of you guys, but hey! - that's a personal record (beating 10)! Here's the barograph: http://www.bigfoot.com/~buffam/barograph.jpg

Meanwhile, Rich had repeated his extendo, various others copied him. Scott Jewel was the only other pilot to get up (to 6k - but of course).

I threw Lenko off again for evening magic, where a few pilots were boating around a couple hundred over. He had an extended sled, which I copied when I finally got off again, in splendid isolation after the last traces of magic had faded.

When I finally hit the sack, it had been 21 hours since I left it. A long day well spent.

Man, I love this sport.

Bill it's-blown-out-today-so-I-had-time-to-ramble-on Buffam

Nice day for the site work party. A fair sized crew showed up and we got the chute almost completely cut and the new set up area partially groomed. It's a very nice area, actually better than the old one being out of the wind. It will need more work and probably another work day. Even three Virginia pilots pitched in and helped. Real nice gesture, I thought. Even though the Sac isn't a prime PG site Jerry D. put in as much effort as anyone and more than most. Another very nice gesture and one that goes a long way.

The pilots that did show up were amply rewarded for their efforts by the WX gods. Although forecasted to be blown out, the first launches commenced about 1530. By 1700 most of the trash had been wrung out of the air and although a touch on the strong side still coughed up plentiful smooth thermals that went straight up topping at 4400'. By 1830 it was 2000 above boat anywhere air. Real nice. Air times ranged from 1 to 4 hours. There were NO sled rides. ( A first for the Sac?)

Pilots cutting were Jeff/Elana, Bob Beck, Shawn Macduff, Joe Gorrie, Lenko, Tim (from N.J.) Jerry D., Bill Buffum, Christian, Tom Gartlan, Jack Williamson, Jack's and Tim's kids on brush patrol, and the three VA pilot's Tom, Terry, and Pete.

If I overlooked anyone, my sincere apologies, I'm doing this from memory. ( Enough said about that ). Cheers.........Bob.

Manquin Saturday 5/5/01
John Claytor

Pinned off of my second tow at 950' agl at 1:30 pm. Began the flight by searching for lift on the east side of the flight park, hooked up and began circling and drifting to the east-southeast till I lost the thermal at 2800'... ...searching for lift on the south end of the park- found a thermal at 1600' and hung on for the free ride to about 4300'. At that point I decided to beat upwind to the north-northeast to the north end of the park (2.3 miles) and bounced through the cores that i really didn't care for along the way. After about 1:10 (2:40 pm) of flight time I was on the north end of the park at 1050' agl and searching. Crossing the park, drifting southwest, and trying to stay clear of the glider/pilot on platform tow, I hooked into a nice one at 700' agl. circling and circling through 3000' is paid out a solid and broad core of 600' per minute, to top me out at 5430' agl. After this I scrambled back to the northeast finding sink at 850 per minute to core and get down. A great flight for me!

My personal highest 5430'
My personal longest 1 hour 55 minutes.
I love this sport!
Note to self - Next time wear more than a polo shirt and shorts.

John Claytor
Richmond

Pilots - Ray Mitchell, Jim Keller, Joe (Airline Pilot), Chris, Tex

I checked the weather this AM for State College. Some stations were calling E..some were calling SE...all were calling strong. Decided to go on a road trip.

The whole time I was driving all I saw was E and strong...very strong. Even at the base of the mountain on 322, it was crossed and strong. I got to the top and it was STFI around 10MPH. Go figure. The Pagans' were there along with Will Perez. I quickly setup. By the time I was finished, there was at least 25 pilots who showed up. Many from Pittsburgh, Maryland and West Virginia. Our own Rich Green showed up as well.

I was second to launch around 1:15PM. Mitch Shipley was first to go. He turned right and went on a ridge run. I launched and worked it in front for a while. After getting 2k, I headed east with a slight headwind. I flew with a couple of guys who I didn't know by their gliders. At one point, we all got very low (200) and they all turned back. I continued on and found a nice one to 3.6k and then another that got me to the airport with about 1.5k and made my 2nd airport landing in as many attempts. Nobody else made a decent attempt to the airport...I wish they would've. I think they made ridge runs to the West, downwind.

By the end, H2s' were being thrown off in strong, evening magic. I bet there was at least 30 pilots and I bet not one dogger.

Shawn MacDuff

Sparky, Bob G. and I got to Jack's at about 12:30 and the place was packed. We waited a short time to set up and then got going. Everyone had great flights. I don't know how long of where Bob went. I flew for about 2 hours and Sparky and I went and got the cars and Bob still hadn't come back. The whole valley was lifting. After landing a thermal came through and caught my glider breaking the tip batten. Oh well more funds for Richard's bonfire I guess.

There were a Bevy of Bagwings and HG's at Bills. It started great but OD'd. I got 1:45 and 1200 over. Mike C. got 1.??hrs and a low save from the tree line to 2700 over! All in ridge lift and thermals from nowhere. Bill's was it's usual fickle self. Some soared, sank or sledded. One Bagwing boated the others bagged it and blew.

Ed

And on the way back from Bill's, I ran into Brian Hardwick and John Middleton on I70 (not literally). We pulled off at the rest stop and exchanged hg pleasantries. ;-)

Anyway, they apparently had quite nice soaring flights at Fisher's and were the only ones to fly there. For more details you gotta ask them.

We then convoyed all the way back to DC.

-- ellis (who didn't get to fly)

Great flying. Convoyed there with Sparky and Doug Henderson with his son Evan. 4,200 over launch (cloudbase). 3 hours. Followed a cloud street upwind beyond the Juniata river. No step landing. (First flight here). Boo-Wah day! Nuff said.

I want to thank Dennis Pagan for all the wire assists. As he put it, it is an inherent duty of long time pilots to sacrifice their time occasionally for the cause.

Since I hadn't flown yet this season, I thought Bill's sounded like a good idea, especially since I didn't have an observer lined up. Got there around 1:00, to find a lot of pilots standing around, but nobody flying. Shortly thereafter, Tom McGowan showed up, and suggested Jack's, thinking that it wouldn't take more than an hour to get there (it took 1:05 - close enough). We left my truck in the LZ and drove up top, where it looked a little rought for a II, but I set up anyway, figuring it would come down later in the day. While I was waiting I wired off a number of pilots, and saw a few hairy launches. At 5:00, Sparks came by and said it was pretty good flying once you got away from the launch. He also recommended to a pilot that I was wiring to take 2 steps to the right, and as soon as he did, I could feel the glider settle down, and moments later the pilot took off with an easy launch. Thus inspired, I ran for my glider, pre-flighted, and moved to launch. I climbed over the guard-rail, and just about the time everyone got stable a nice lull came in. I heard "neutral" from both sides at the same time, and that was all the incentive I needed to take to the skies!

I did the ridge thing for about 15-20 minutes, before I actually caught an honest-to-goodness thermal, and went zooming up at 600fpm; next thing I new I was breaking through 3000, and a minute later I was actually looking down at the tops of some of the other gliders! SO Kewl! I might have made cloudbase, but I was pretty skittish about drifting past the ridge, so I bailed at that point and moved myself further out front. (Not easy in a Falcon - I'm glad I moved when I did.) After 45 minutes of flying, I was ready to land, and it still took me 15 minutes to get down to the LZ; there was so much lift further out in front of the ridge, that I actually found myself *looking* for sink! The landing was poor, I hit rotor and a wind-shadow as a went to flare, and 3 pointed my landing (2 wheels and my belly); on the plus side, I landed in alfalfa, and not cow-manure. <g> I wasn't the only one to land that way though, so I didn't feel too bad (and I DID walk away from it, without damaging my glider!)

Results: 1:00, 1800 above launch (PR), 600 fpm climb (PR) - first time to transition from ridge-soaring to thermalling!

MANY thanks to Tom McGowan, who let me follow him from Bill's to Jack's (which I never would have found on my own), and who offered to observe for me (which made it worth my while to head over that way), and to Sparks, who actually did observe me off, and wired for me as well!

R2

PS: For the record, it turns out it IS possible to carry 6 pilots and 3 gliders back to launch in an Isuzu Rodeo. :-)

Saturday ended up blown out. Yesterday Bill U and I went to Jack's after stopping by Bill's hill which had a 30 degree cross. I launched 1st at 4:30p and Bill about 25 minutes later. I got 2hrs 25 minutes and Bill and I both ran the entire ridge about 36-38 miles to the north getting as high as 6600MSL or about 4500 over in lift as strong as 978fpm up. We landed in a large field Bill 1st , boy it's nice having a wind talker in the field and Pam found us about 1/2 hr later. I'm off to Kirks today

Norm

I just figured out I have the wrong WRHGC address on my home computer so my posts are going nowhere. We can't all be gifted.

Great assessment of the day Shawn! It was the most fun I've had in a long time. I saw friends I haven't seen in quite a few months, and the weather was great!

I launched 5th, just after Shawn dissappeared from launch down the ridge. I had intended an XC but my ridge phobia was there big-time. I made the decision to stick close to home within a second of making that first left turn off launch and seeing a never-ending sea of tree-tops. Luckily the ridge lift was strong enough to carry me over the top on one long glide with no turns. I was not within 200 ft or more of the trees for the whole glide but I had the willies for the whole time anyway. If I'd had to turn at that time I would have sunk out for sure, same as I've done my last few mountain flights.

I was low for 20 - 30 minutes, sometimes below launch. I was one of several gliders trying to pimp off each other but no one was getting more than about 400 over and the street on that side had dried up. I needed that to get comfortable. I finally fell into a gnarly core and stuck with it for a few minutes. Next thing I know I'm in the biggest gaggle I've ever flown in with six other gliders. I normally avoid anything more than one or two at most, but I was not leaving that thermal. I eventually got may face wet at 5400 MSL (3400 over?). I was flying there for a few minutes with one other glider, a Fusion (Pete Leaman?) until the lift started to give out.

After that I flew on my own except pimping off a sailplane once. I got face-wet twice more and got close a few times also. I flew up-wind in a street until I was a little past the next ridge, Blue Mountain. The launch stayed in the alley just about the whole time. I crossed the alley from one side to the other a total of three times, getting low each time and popping back up in the streets on both sides. After 3 hrs, 10 min, 5800 MSL max, and sore upper arms I flew down from base and landed. (I gotta get rid of the habit of doing pushups whenever I'm trying to fly a core) If I could've handled five hours it was there for the taking.

Here's hoping my ridge-related-impotency takes a back seat from now on, but speaks to me when I need it.

See you at the SAC!

Best Regards,
Richard Green

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This page last updated May 9, 2001