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Hangola June 3 - 8, 2004

Flight Reports

Caucused with Tjadens and Kinsley, but Lauren was beat up from oral surgery and Steve decided to go to Ridgely (did you get to the beach?). I made an appearance at work, deposited some checks for CHGPA, made it to Woodstock at 1 PM to find Adam setting up. Light (6 with cycles to 12) fairly straight with lots of cumies. John Macalester and three PG pilots (Tom Ceunen and David, both from Belgium, and Jim, from Gaithersburg) showed up. (Tom had gotten my number from either Paul or Steve and had tried to coordinate vehicles in the LZ, but I had my phone turned off...) I launched first, dropped left wing on launch (Adam said I went to the bar too soon, not enough energy on launch run) but recovered and got 200 feet over initially, then started to sink out. Scratched as never before - ridge lift was negligible, it was all thermals, which got fatter and more energetic as the afternoon progressed. Motivation, I find, is the key: my car was still at launch and I didn't want to spend the afternoon in the LZ watching everyone else fly. After about an hour of thermalling up to 650 over, lift got more abundant (course Adam and J ohn didn't have any problem getting higher immediately) and I spent quite awhile up to and approaching 2000 over. The only fly in the ointment was that all the standing it on one wing in ~1000fpm lift (I didn't actually look at my vario, but the audio sounded great and one of the PGers said he saw 1200fpm) made me sick. Even after I swore off circling and continued to climb straight in abundant lift, eyes on the horizon, I was too nauseated to enjoy it. Saw the PGers 3000 over and one ridge back, but again, was too preoccupied to think of joining them. Went out to land and thought of the tall grass warnings, resolved to stick the landing (motivation again) and it was "perfect". 1 hour and 55 minutes. Does this mean all the times I dropped the control frame on the ground I was just being lazy? Tom, who is a competition pilot, went to Edinburg. Adam and John went up to Strasburg and back. Adam had beer for all hands which settled my stomach nicely. He also lent me and the PGers his truck to shuttle our vehicles down from launch. Thanks, Adam! This was a lot of concentrated thermalling practice with the ridge as "training wheels". Sweet day! - Hugh

Today Paul Adamez had an idea... "Hey man, let's go XC". Now anyone that knows me knows I'm not an XC guy. I tool around the flight park and maybe run up and down a ridge from time to time, but I always land next to my car. Never been XC, never felt the need to go. The local air's been enough to keep me fat dumb and happy so far. What can I say? I'm just lazy I guess. But I'd been talking to Paul about maybe going XC lately, and it was blowing West at 15 or so on the ground... sky full of cummies. Awe hell, why not?

Shortly after me and Paul get setup, a guy named Charlie shows up and then Steve Kinsley rolls in. These guys are all about XC, so they jump right on board. Man does it take a while to get all that flight gear in order! Shirt, gloves, shues, radio, cellphone, bags, vario, arg! I mean I haven't used my radio in forever and XC barefoot just seems like a bad idea. Normally it's just "vario -check-, ok let's roll". Turns out I didn't even remember everything... I think a camelback might have been nice.

Up up and away. Let's go East. That was the extent of my plan. The whole radio thing only worked out for me and Charlie (Steve's didn't work and Paul doesn't have one), which was just as well cuz we all wound up in differnt places due to the high winds. It was neat to be in contact with Charlie when the radios actually worked (which wasn't often). Even though I was out flying alone, I didn't get that "out in the middle of nowhere" feeling... even though I _was_ out in the middle of nowhere ;)

I think I lost sight of the airport a bit after crossing the river. Not really a big deal... the sky looks the same, you fly the same way. It was kind of nice in a way. I didn't have to worry about _having_ to be somewhere. I could go wherever looked best. I could work whatever lift I could find, weak or otherwise, because If I sunk out I'd just land. You have a lot more reach when you can sit in 50fpm up for as long as it takes to get high. (I'm used to judging lift vs drift vs glide back to the field).

So round and round she goes... the usual "there I was" flight story stuff. Truth be told, I was just having fun jumping from rock to rock, trying to avoid the big blue holes when I could. I didn't really care where I was, I just love to fly. I was happy that I could boat around so freely.

I'd been up for a while when I saw it.
Yeah, things got a little more serious. It was in the back of my mind the whole time. But now it was there, off on the horizon. Now instead of just boating around, I had somewhere to go. I wasn't heading directly there either. I was drifting a bit south, and I didn't have it yet. There was a bunch of water around and not much landable stuff, but man oh man, the beach does just suck you right in.

It was a bit of a fight to get the rest of the way, but I get to say that I flew over the ocean today. :-D

Landed some place called Betheny beach.
55 miles. 2&1/2 hours or so.
Lowest, 1500ft
Highest, 5k
Mostly, 3-4k
Lift, kinda broken up down low, better above 3k, 300fpm on average.

Thanks to Paul for getting me out of the field, Charlie for breaking up the silence and a big thanks for Steve for picking us all up!

Cheers,
Jim

Way more X than I thought it would be. Shawn and I both soared briefly in no fun air and went in to land. TR opted to wait for evening magic about 1800 when we soared in mostly smooth 600 above slightly X air. Looked like it would be soarable till dark.....Bob.

It was a spectacular day. Great flight Jim. Wish I had gone. ( I tried. Harness blew up on the first attempt. Landed to fix it. Tried again. Blew out again. Decided it just wasn't my day.)

Shawn and I visited Pulpit yesterday in the rain to clear some trees and obstacles so a dump truck can get in there easily.

I went back today and bagged two flights in the PG. Light NW and W winds. Barely enough to launch a PG. Dave Tymms was there too and made a decent extended thermalling flight. The grass in the PG LZ is tall. Fornuately, landing a PG in tall grass is pretty easy. From launch, the grass appreared to be tall in the HG LZs too, but I didn't go to check them.

Before we left, we laid down over a gallon of brush killer between and around the ramps. Scoped out a possible plan for a retaining wall for the PG launch.

'Spark

Well, Tim (Spot) Eggers does it again. He consistently hits the spot on his landings. His first was close but his second was within 4 feet. Of course he learned everything he knows about landing from Chris Cioffi (way back when :o). Congrats. Tim.

Cragin, it was good to see you back out at MFP again. Good to see you out too John.

flight time 54 min(a PB @ MFP), max alt. gain 1700, and max alt of 2.8k.

Rance

Stopped by Fisher's Road on my way back from Buffalo today and found thermals bringing the wind in at a launchable pace. Set up my falcon and got a twenty minute soaring flight starting at 5:30pm. Had to scratch 100 to 200 above launch for the flight but it was still enjoyable.

Anna was surprised to see anyone flying and said she has not seen anyone there for quite some time. She asked that we give her a call the next time a group of people intend to fly so she can call her relatives who would like to see us fly. Here is her home phone number: 814 - 735 2901.

Anna appeared in good health although she has lost a lot of weight since the last time I saw her last year; sixty pounds to be precise. She is a petite 120lbs now, but spry as ever. Anna was kind enough to give me a ride back to the top to get my car.

Joe

Well, I guess you coulda said that Sunday at Ridgely sucked like a perk hole in the Sahara. The sky was overcast though the wind was light. You would have had a better chance of finding lift in your car. But the day proved to be productive. Sunny noticed in one of my obsessive preflight visualizing sessions that I was "flaring" with my elbows bent. He suggested I throw my arms up straight, instead. Coupled with Paul's suggestion to keep my legs back behind me, I began to correct the details that have flawed my landings. Funny how it works great when you can remember everything.

Mark K had the only flight of the day to altitude. He circled his way through a blue hole in the clouds, but landed with a grin plastered across his face. And Alex and Daniel worked on towing and approaches. Looking good, guys! And then we ate chicken that Sunny grilled. We played with the ferret and Sea taught me how to play poker. Slept without a twitch on my air mattress. The tent didn't collapse, either, so I guess I set it up OK.

But today -- Monday -- was the day. The wind died to almost nothing, and switched direction according to its mood. Cumulous clouds built and I dragged Ginny out to play. Adam and I flew together, me on Ginny, him with his beautiful Stealth. The ceiling was below 3000 (max altitude form me, 2861), but lift lurked below many clouds. I have rarely flown in cloud conditions. Most of my good flights, for some odd reason, have been on blue sky days. I have developed a healthy fear for clouds, and though many times today I flew high enough for the world to become misty, I was careful to edge close to an escape path into the clear air. But I think I could have found better lift if I had aimed at the middle of the clouds sometimes. I need to define that line between chicken and brave, in the smartest spot.

We had all had a conversation earlier about what you actually feel going into a thermal, and I tried to be super-aware of what happened to my body and glider as I approached lift. I would be very proud to be able to fly efficiently without a vario, but for now, I need all the help I can get.

I became exhausted after an hour and 20 or so, and landed. I felt sooo happy to produce the best landing of my life; maybe I am finally absorbing the lessons. Broke Ginny down, but then Sunny suggested I fly a tandem with Adam. I fly my approaches with very square corners. Sunny explained that gliders (particularly higher performance wings) tend to slip in that kind of turn, and he wanted Adam to show me how to fly with a steadier bank angle and softer corners. I was worried that I would screw up flying with Adam because I admire him so much, but he said he was only a little scared to fly with me. The tandem was actually unbelievably educational. I had to bolt to drive home to get my horse turned out before dark so I had to leave before we could finish the lesson. Next time.

Jim flew a wonderful flight, too, and Jason and John showed up for some late day soaring.

OK, and this is REALLY cool. Cindy and George gave us an ultralight. It's a Phantom, a little 16 foot, one seater plane. It's in really great shape, though, and Paul and I will drive down in the next few days and pick her up and drag her up to our friend's hanger. She is white and has green and yellow stripes adorning her wings. So I will finally get to learn how to REALLY fly a plane, too, not just harass all my buddies who happen to be pilots. Can you believe how lucky I am?

See you at the fly in next week. I'll bring the olives.

Lauren Tjaden

Here is a couple of flight reports balled up in one. After some f-ed up flight delays I got to the alps a few days ago. Conditions were prettz marginal so I took the opportunity to nail down mz first PG high flights. 2 days and 4 flights later I had some soaring time under my belt. Conditions were relatively light. I never got above launch but was grinning ear to ear through it all. Its fun to see the air from a different perspective.

Yesterday the Womens and Rigid worlds opened to AWESOME conditions. I test flew my borrowed glider after all the competitors got away. Everyone was bundling up big time and their example tricked me into overdressing. Felt like I was flying in the desert. The sky looked great but I struggled off launch. Finally I got a strong tight lee side core back in one of the canyons. Amazing how quick your fliying attitude can get readjusted haha. One minute I am cursing at the VG line that slipped into the DT, melting, wrestling with a testy glider, grumbling and bitching. Next minute Im beaming up with a blacked out vario scale reaching up for cloudbase. As I climbed out of the canyon the peaks didnt appear, they exploded into view! The alps ROCK! What a freakin view. BOOM massively rugged peaks for as far as the eyes can see. Alternating stripes of sheer rock with white glaciers in between. Deep valleys with spewing waterfalls. Breathtaking to say the least.

Comp pilots reported strong flying conditions and areas of white knuckle turbulence (my drawers can confirm this). The rigids blasted out over 200k I think. Climbs at 600-1200. I ran from one core that blacked out my display, then whited it out, then started to fill in some more black. I didnt have time to do the math on that one...i just ran!

Hopefully some more great days ahead.

Kev C

Got in 12 half-way decent tows on the scooter (and recouped my dignity after last Sunday's wretched performance that I had to bail on early). Miro was there towing too, but had a day similar to my last Sunday lesson (feels like gremlins have control of the kite) so he bailed a little early. Mike was having success, and made it to the twelve mark also.

Jimmy Zell, my instructor from 20 years ago when I was in college down in Blacksburg showed up at Blue Sky to see what has been going on in the sport lately. He's been flying for Eastern Airlines but is thinking about getting back into hang gliding.

John Middleton showed to test and trim a new Sport 2 for a client. I wasn't able to stay to hear how that flight went, but Jason flew Steve Wendt's Sport 2 and was heard, upon his landing after a good soar, to pronounce the glider handling as quite nice, as he hurriedly scrambled to take it up again.

Hi Kevin,

I'm in Belgium right now and we also enjoy the high pressure over West-Europe. Taking off from a 800 feet hill we also experienced good lift and a cloudhopping 4h flight with almost no wind. I must admit that Europe and even tiny flat Belgium flies better than Region9 (snif snif).

Indeed the alp views are very spectacular (Morzine,Annecy,Mont Blanc,Fiesch,...) I personally love Switzerland,....Although Annecy-Grand Bornand with the Les Arravis is also great!

Where are you exactly?

Fly safe

Tom Ceunen

I'm driving home and noticed that finally, we have some S wind. Maybe 10mph. It's enough. So I hike the tall grass hill with my over-the-shoulder-bag-wing. In less than 5 minutes, I'm airborne, turning riight ... making a soaring pass down the ridge, around the tree. The wind decreases ... I land near the top ... kite my wing a few steps back up ... relaunch, turning left ... down the ridge and landing on the side of the hill again. Standing there, flying my wing overhead, feet on the ground, feeling the wind in my face. I repeat this familiar cycle until it is time to go. I launch one last time, down the hill, over the fence - landing just next to my car. I stuff my wing in my bag and head home. 20 minutes have passed and the weary work day is long forgotten.

PG fun.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/139147482/139151083MhvgCE

'Spark

Tom Ceunen writes:
> Where are you exactly?

Right now we are in Greifenburg Austria. I will free fly here a few more days and then we head down to Millau France to compete. This weather is really spectacular! There is a north wind here that has some people complaining but I didnt think it was too bad yesterday.

No Region 9 is not the alps but it still holds a special place in my heart. I cant be in DC without getting air horny to fly the stock or the rock on a beautiful sunny day. I get goosebumps everytime I come home just hoping for it.

Kev C

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This page last updated June 10, 2004