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Hangola Juy 2-4, 2001

Thanks for the forecast Jim!

Yup STFI with typical 10 cross from left and right occasionally. Gusts near 20 kept us in the setup area till 14:30. I arrived at 11:30, launched at 14:30 and flew for 2 hours. For the first 30 min the lift was only peaking at 200fpm and I hit 950 above launch once usually maintaining 400. Weird air, as if I forgot how to fly. At about 16:00, just as Bob snapped his helmet buckle, the rest of the crew started jumping and scratching hard and I poked through 3000. Max lift 880 fpm up and 700 down but most of the time it was around 200 to 400 fpm. There was very little temp change from 1500 to 3000 and was a constant 55 (unless the response time was slow). I think the heighest gains were in the mid 4k's.

I forgot the most important observation - The Friends!
Bob and Cookie Beck, Jim Carrol, Ken Church, Doug Rogers, Shawn Macduff, Randy Buetler, Karen and Joe Gorrie and me.

Have Fun,
Tom

Saturday, Kennedy work party. Shawn and myself attended the work party last saturday along with T-bone, Stephanie, Robert, Ted, and Will who were hard at work when we arrived. We cleared about 1/2 way down the chute, mostly chain saw work with most of the wood being 2" to 4" in diameter. No bears or rattlesnakes were sighted although I shut my saw off at least 3 times because I thought I heard a suspicious rattle noise, turns out it was just the saw. For those of you who have never been to Kennedy, its an awesome site. Faces N, launch is like the sac only a larger dirt ramp and wider slot. I'm guessing its probably 1100' vert with Huge fields out front on the other side of the river, check it out some time. After the party Shawn and I went the superbowl where I had nice flight down the ridge just far enough to get upwind of a beautiful wide open L/Z then went in and landed, it was soarable but cross from the right pretty bad. Shawn decided not to fly and picked me up in the L/Z, then we headed over to Robert and Stephanie's for a dip in the pool and some pizza! Thanks Robert and Stephanie for your great hospitality and thanks for driving Shawn, I was beat!

Monday at the sac. Shawn, Cookie and I helped the early launchers get in the air and watched them get small real fast. Jim Carroll had a great low save to the right of launch as he drifted below the windsock but managed to hold on and show us all that he "don't need no stinking motor"! I got off in a good cycle and scratched my way above the ridge. Once you got up the lift was plentiful but getting up proved to be difficult as the day weakened and the winds got light. Randy Beutler launched himself back in the air for a most rewarding flight after being on the bench for nearly 3 months. I think he said he topped out at 4100' as he was rubbing his sore muscles in the L/Z way to go Randy! It was a good turn out for a monday, with Tom, Bob, Randy, Shawn on the new fusion sp, Karen/Joe, Ken C, Jim "mosquitoless Kramer", Cookie and myself. There was a nice little party in the L/Z as the evening approached and the sun got low. Some of the present pilots were on their way to Hyner for an extended Fourth of July celebration!

Doug

In LakeView OR at the Chamber of Commerce - borrowed PC - this'll be short.

July 3rd - Slide Mtn (Tahoe) - Bruce and I flew. Winds were over the back when I launched, so it was a rowdy ride out. Hooked one out front to 10'200, but it was O.D'n so I spiralled down to land before the approaching gust front. Serious, but fun. Gary backed off (good decision).

July 4th - LakeView, OR. We all flew Sugar Mtn earlier in the day. Bruce had the best flight with gains to near 10k, Gary got nice video footage. Later we flew Black Cap (overlooking LakeView) and all three got a nice evening glass-off, landing by our campsite.

May head to Salt Lake City or fly here.

'Spark

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This page last updated July 5, 2001