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Hangola October 27, 29 & 30, 1998

Yes folks, "The Falcon has landed!", but not before carrying this pilot on his first solo altitude flight! It's been a long, and sometimes excruciating apprenticeship (I looked it up - my first flight at Kitty Hawk was in September '89), but I decided it was all worth it as a floated above those glorious fall colors at Bill's Hill yesterday. Steven Kinsley was nice enough to drive out with me (and put up with me chattering away all the way up to Breezewood) and observe me off the launch. Dave Johnson showed up too, providing us with an extra vehicle/driver so that Steve could get off one sled ride for his efforts. (Dave also got in one flight.) I managed 2 sled rides down to the fields; one was a higher-speed flight (at best L/D? I held slight back-pressure on the basetube for most of the flight; I guess Joe will explain this to me tonight.) In my second flight a pushed out a little, and floated very gently across the trees, with the sun shining over my shoulder... It was glorious! The launches seemed easy, and I had no problem making my approaches, which were both followed by clean, no-step landings.

Special thanks to Matthew (now I can finally get rid of the member database, of Matt and Karen) who e-mailed me to point out the upcoming weather conditions, and helped hook me up with Steve.

R2 (Ralph from Reston)

Ed and I converged upon the Truck Tow park near Richmond. No thermals working, quite overcast and occassionally very light rain. Was still reasonably fruitful. Ed got checked off on his "spot" landings with 6 flights and I got my tow rating and 5 flights.

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This page last updated October 30, 1998