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Hangola October 17 & 18, 1998

you all have been so quiet lately...
I haven't received any list mailing the last few days. Wondering if there's a problem on my end.
So... here's a test.

Btw, towed yesterday at Manquin flight park. Was a lot of fun. Got over a thousand feet off tow. No thermals for me yet though. :-( Greg (don't know last names, but this is the Greg that flew across America 10(?) years ago) had a 2 hour flight. Some other pilots were doing really well, too: Ray, Juan, Dave and Lyman (sp?). Lyman taped his flight. Is he on the mailing list? I'd like to see his tape.

The ultralights were a hoot to watch, too.

-- ellis

E46kim@aol.com wrote:

> you all have been so quiet lately...

That's because we've all been out flying last few days.

> Btw, towed yesterday at Manquin flight park. Was a lot of fun. Got
> over a thousand feet off tow. No thermals for me yet though. :-(
> Greg (don't know last names, but this is the Greg that flew across
> America 10(?) years ago) had a 2 hour flight. Some other pilots
> were doing really well, too: Ray, Juan, Dave and Lyman (sp?). Lyman
> taped his flight. Is he on the mailing list? I'd like to see his tape.

> -- ellis

A great day at the Towfarm yesterday, very light wind and light thermals. Hours of soaring had by many to about 2500. I test flew Jackie's CSX, he flew my K5, I landed his perfectly, he pounded mine. Marc Fink got his bridle caught on his basetube mounted instruments and had to abort early, landing in a cloud of dust in the wheat field. Another argument for mounting on the downtube. The usual crab dinner followed.

We tried again today, conditions were 15-20+ on the ground. I towed up to 700 ft. before releasing in a strong headwind and unrecoverable turn. Geoff got to about 1200 and a similar fate. Smooth air near the ground and no crops made for easy approachs. Hung around for a little while longer and called it a day. MC

"landing" is putting it a bit mildly, slamming in at 30+ mph in a locked dive into very forgiving soft tilled dust is more like it. Miraculously, no damage to myself or glider, but all the straps and lanyards connecting my vario to the basetube were torn to pieces. Absolutely the scariest thing that I've ever experienced hang gliding, and I've had a few hairy ones.

Just as I will never again fly without hooking in my harness first Aussie style, I will NEVER again tow with any obstructions of any kind on my basetube! Please don't learn these things the hard way, as I have.

Marc

At 04:18 PM 10/18/98 EDT, you wrote:
>you all have been so quiet lately...
>
Wind still wrong for working on H3 so I decided to try to get rated on truck tow with Steve Wendt. High winds kept gliders down for the most part. Four short flights by experienced truck tow pilots -- none for wannabe's. The Flight Park was hosting an ultralight fly-in. Decided if I can't beat 'em, then join 'em. Paid my $5 and got a ride in an ultralight -- I like hang gliding better!!
Chuck

No flying for us this weekend; went to Seneca for a day of climbing on Saturday and ended up climbing again at Carderock late Sunday. Got a phone call from Dave Johnson on Saturday night and he, Keith Ford, Craig MacBlain, Spoons and a few other PA pilots had multiple sleds and extendos at Jack's on Saturday.

> A great day at the Towfarm yesterday, very light wind and light thermals.
> Hours of soaring had by many to about 2500. I test flew Jackie's CSX, he
> flew my K5, I landed his perfectly, he pounded mine. Marc Fink got his
> bridle caught on his basetube mounted instruments and had to abort early,
> landing in a cloud of dust in the wheat field. Another argument for
> mounting on the downtube. The usual crab dinner followed.

The Fusion managed to claw its way up to 3300 or so at the height of the day. 2+00 in somewhat disorganized but widespread lift surrounded by sparser but considerably better organized sink. Unusual air, but breathable.

To top it all off, I landed my glider properly.

Had to miss the crabs to go home and deal with my stolen Camaro Z28, which I just happened to notice parked along Kenilworth Ave in front of a junkyard on the way to the Towfarm that morning. No S%$t! Now I got two friggin' cars.

-- Joe

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This page last updated October 26, 1998