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Hangola April 10, 1999

Dan, Allen Sparks, Joe, Mike C., Craig, Marlin Savell, Ed, Karen and I all flew at the Rock on Saturday. Ed was first off and got right up to 1000 over. So we all scrambled to get our gliders together. But within ten minutes he started to sink out. Our repeated shouts to him that he was going in the wrong vertical direction failed to alleviate the problem and he was soon on the ground. Mike and Kevin followed with sleds. Karen was off next and found some thermals over the South corner of the LZ and climbed back up to launch level a couple of times but was afraid of drifting with the thermals and getting too far away from the LZ.

About 2:15 Joe launched and got up for about a half an hour. Since Joe was able to get up, I figured that I'd give it shot. :) I got lucky and found a nice thermal over the railroad tracks and climbed out to 1000 over. Once I was up it was easy to stay up-- max alt. 2500 over. Kevin launched again after about a half hour and he also got up and stayed up for 1:30. Sleds and extendos for everyone else with Dan, Karen, Mike and Craig each launching again and Ed taking 2 more flights.

Karen and I had planned to hike back up and get some cardio work. So after about an hour and a half (even though I was finding good lift all the way until I started my downwind leg) I came into land so we could do the hike. Allen and Joe joined us on our adventure through the woods. We never found the blue blazed trail to the top. Karen and I tried the white blazed trail but that didn't seem to go up and we ended up scrambling up a rock pile to the top. If anyone out there knows the best way to hike back up, would you please post the directions?

Getting up on such a hit or miss day, I thought I'd finally have (or at least share it with Kevin) the flight of the day. BUT NOOOO!!!!! We were getting all of this radio chatter from the Gardinator who was flying from Bill's to Hancock. I'm not even sure how anyone could have launched at Bill's since it was NNW all day at the Rock. Gotta love the Gardinator!

Matthew (how was the Sac and what else happened at Bill's? of Karen and Matthew)

Great day at the Sac! Dozens of pilots, many from south of the Mason-Dixon line, including Christy, Doug, Fred P, Bruce S, Steve Krichton, Bacil, Tom, Dave P, John McAllister. There were one or two sleds, but otherwise most pilots seemed to be staying up as long as they wanted. Apparently some went xc, probably down the ridge to the west, but I don't know how far anyone got. A bunch of two's got to fly at the end of the day in a nice late afternoon/evening glass off. Bill Buffam had his first xc.

1:30 for me, and 3K over. The first 15 minutes were pretty marginal. Several of us were scratching pretty close (to the ridge and to each other) and were barely staying up. I finally decided this was for the birds and left the ridge, prepared to land. As I was heading out I noticed another pilot circling over the lz. Sure enough, that was the ticket! For a while I was reading 500+ up on the averager. Got to 3K. Didn't stay there long, though. Most of the flight I was between launch level and 1K. There was plenty of texture to the air to keep it interesting. Landed because I was cold and tired.

Up until yesterday my flying record for 1999 has been rather sorry - 17 flying days for a total of 3 and a half hours of airtime. It was nice to get high for a change and to fly til I could take no more!

Seems like lots of pilots had good flights, though I didn't keep track of everyone's particulars. Hopefully they will tell their stories!

Judy

Road trip flash!!!!! Bacil predicts Woodstock will work next Saturday! Ask Doug, he has been a good weather prognosticator. Beautiful, steep, which makes it soarable in even light winds,1,100' NW site with 20+ miles of ridge to run facing lovely terrain (think Jack's facing prevailing winds). If it is working I'm there, as will many of our MD/VA /WVa. pilot friends. We spoke about a trip soon, why not Sat.?

Another installment of As the Thermal Turns:

As I rolled over launch at 1:00 and saw everyone lined up and ready to go, I was on radio w/ Fred and took off to retrieve Bacil who was downed at the 3rd gap. Got to Klingerstown in time to viz Fred making low save to ridge. But 2nd time wasn't charm and his game try found Mr. Sink.

Took me not long to rev the SAAB ( finally in its element as a proper HG vehicle) through the twistys in the valley in time to help Bacil pack. 16.5 miles. A good days work and the longest run of the day.

We picked up Bill Buffam, who was jazzed beyond words, after having made it about 1 mile past the first gap on his first XC. Plenty of time to do dbf and he landed in a very pretty spot to boot. Congratulations Bill! Thanks to Danny Brotto for getting Fred. Thanks to Bacil for the encouragement to go XC.

Another day like this for SAC Follies perhaps later in the year!

Gonzo Spring Tango at Mahantango Mtn., Did anyone use the primary LZ?

Most of the big dogs were playing early in some challenging air, for example Ken went from 400-1,600' in the space of 1 360, some cores were rockets.

'Twas a tricky punchy day early and dried out making it all the more challenging in blue sky. Ken Church said he enjoyed a grand tour of the valley but later Zippy (his wing) got a tad case of the go for its and hit the pervasive sink and landed a few miles out.

Karen Gorrie said she was over 2,000 -2,500 for 2 hours! Shawn MacDuff went over the back but again got drilled at Hegins. Jeff Beyerle did yeoman retrieve duty. Who knows bit of luck and better day and you make it to Lancaster or beyond, maybe. But ya don't go if ya don't try. I salute you all.

25+ pilots, maybe 30 (anyone do a count) were there, spied Jackie Williamson in the air and many MD pilots almost a site takeover were it not for our strong local showing. (was Brian Vant-Hull there? he showed up on a day most locals stayed home and soared the daylights out of this site a month ago, ya gotta show when this place is working.)

Note to our Southern neighbors, when its N think SAC, better than kickin rocks elsewhere. Worth the trip!

The trailer was seldom used and most of those who did use it (15 minute turnaround set up to launch) got up for a second flight and soared. Lots of pilots got high 4,000'?

Not sure what the Keller Cast said but it was scripted almost perfect. Many power tools (8 weedwackers? )and club members with testosterone brought the SAC chute to its knees in 1:30+/-, now clean and as aero friendly as its been in many moons. Thanks to all. I even think I saw a new LZ sock so thanks to Tom I think.

I finally got into the air , after the helo flew launch, which was much later than planned. Scratched for a dozen passes or more to get above launch and then got 200' - 400' up to 1,900'.

Spent some time looking up at Roger "DarthVader" Fitzwater who got his 1st soaring flight at the SAC, 3 hours worth. And his alt, PR or 2,400' + Congrats PIG! Did I mention he whacked, oh, now I feel better. Kidding! No he really did whack , honest 4 on richter scale.

All flew without incident though Alana was bud pickin on the ridge and reacted instantly to get out of trouble, the mark of an improving pilot, good job.

Jeff Harper had his usual gaggle student pilots and did a tandem after a trip in the Fusion.

Heard Jim Carroll got a few hours on his new Fusion this week (midweek flying was good at Lizzy (Elizabethville our W site), but not sure he was at SAC this day.

Saw Doug Rogers, he was beaming more than usual about being able to fly high pain free after surgery, welcome back Doug!

Saw Randy in his UltraSport coming back low from the 1st gap as I tried to drive my Gemini there but found 5 minutes of sink and had to turn back before reaching it.

I did manage to take 1,600' with me out to the valley for a bit and explore upwind for awhile and got the farthest out then. On my second trip out with 1200' almost made the church, both times turned tail with 900' to safely get to ridge. Gives you an idea about my "Falcon Class" glide and the air I was in, very light, challenging burbles. Getting cold (went from 45-40 degrees at alt.) 20 minutes to sunset, time to land. A sweet 2 hour flight.

Problem was I might ought not to have taken off in the 1st place. Launch slot was not that rowdy, nothing I hadn't seen before, but I was fighting the glider and losing just to keep it somewhat stable, really was ticking me off.

As Tom G. pointed out later I had been holding the control frame on my neck, the perfect pivot point for no control! A first in the mistake department for me. Got the beast airborne, though at the very start I was vulnerable for a second to an errant gust, not good. Fortunately that gust never came as I picked a mellow cycle and I had a launch which was otherwise uneventful.

Once in the air had one of my most "wired into the wing" flights, and great fun although not too many pilots were still up by then.

Solution 1: Hold glider properly at launch, straps tight and arms in the right position, DO NOT let it rest on ones neck. I usually have damn good launch technique, so why did this happen?

I was very tired, had a bad week, little sleep, and in the excitement of the day never thought for a moment about not flying.

Solution 2: Crack open a beer and leave the glider on the car.

Better Solution: Insist on getting proper rest prior to flying, 'tis a sport which is unforgiving and having ones wits about is useful.

Realize that you might not even recognize this condition which leaves one more prone to pilot error.

At the end of the day I still had a blast though and learned much, drove retrieve and scouted lz's in the valley and had an enjoyable flight.

Firehouse Chili, cornbread, cookies and brew at the Gorrie Estate topped the evening, thanks to Joe and Karen.

Saw an article where we got some publicity in the local paper with Jeff Beyerle and Roger mugging for the camera. We shall try to scan this into the next Cloudbuster. (Joe please give a copy to Tom)

Sorry don't have more dish on the flying course the post would be longer still.

Respectfully submitted by your AWOL work party President,

Robert Sweeney

(by the way I'm also SoarXC on aol buddy list) yeah I know, what a poser, for now...

still racked w/ guilt and suffering manly power tool withdrawal....(yeah sure) I'll be on the tractor after work this week at Embreeville to make up.

Remember SAT. if NW = Woodstock!

As Robert already reported, I did indeed record my first XC on Saturday. It was a great day at the Sac, with 29 pilots by my count. The bush was truly whacked, and much aviation was committed.

After playing with my cool flight toys back at home, I feel compelled to report (okay, brag) that I did in fact make it *two* miles beyond the Klingerstown gap, for a total of 6.2 miles on the GPS.

A big thanks to Robert for a timely pickup, and a big thanks to Bacil not only for vectoring Robert in on me, but also for his sage advice, back on launch, on the finer points of gap crossing.

Man, I love this sport.

Bill Buffam, West Chester PA

-->> Volo ergo sum <<---

Is anyone gonna post the tale of Mark G's Saturday XC? Enquiring minds want to know!

Craig

(2 HR sleds Saturday, uneventful clean launches, very good landings, beautiful weather, great company, very fun day!)

I'm not sure, but I think the Gardinator is still up there somewhere.

Personally, I got a couple of semi-extended sleds from Bill's Hill -- one good landing and one "downwind, run-fast, can't-run-fast-enough, thank-goodness-for-wheels, what's-that-green-stuff-on-your-knees?" landing. BUT, the weather and company were superb!

The wind was initially over the back, but when Marvin volunteered to fool Mother Nature by pretending to pack up and head out for HR, the wind suddenly shifted and began to blow straight in. (memo to self -- don't stand near Marvin during the next lightening storm!).

Chuck

4-10-99

Great day at Bill’s Saturday! There was a cast of . . . quite a few! Most of the Pittsburgh and Cumberland crews (Pete Lehmann, Larry Huffman, Pat Brooks, Ric Niehaus, Jim Rowan, Marvin Presley, Will Jenkins and more) and a few CHGA stragglers (Marc Fink, Chuck Pyle, Dave Johnson, Mark G. and myself). We had to wait for it to stop blowing 10 mph from over the back but for some the wait was worth it. I’m not sure of the stats of the other pilots so I’ll only report on what I know for sure. Congratulations for the flight of the day goes to Mark Gardner. He’ll have to give everyone the details at the meeting but he landed about 5 miles northwest of Hancock across, and very close to, I-70. He said he could have kept going down the ridge but wanted to make retrieve easy and the fields were looking more sparse. Max of 3800’ over - 23.2 miles!!

I was happy with my little 20 minute soaring flight were I made it to a whopping 120’ over launch. Ended up with a no-stepper landing. I was going to take a second flight (since Mark was still in the air at that time) and even set up but once I saw more sleds I decided to head out on retrieve. When I picked up the Mark’s message telling me to pick him up on I-70 by Hancock I figured the flight must have made him delirious - I’ve never heard of anyone going that far from Bill’s/landing there! Needless to say - he was delirious, but also accurate :-) Just out of curiosity - does anyone know the site record for Bill’s? Most of the rest of the flights were sleds.

Many thanks to Ellis Kim who came out with her mom (in from Germany) to drive retrieve! (Fortunately, or unfortunately, the farthest she had to go was the primary LZ).

Sheila

Hi Sheila,

The Bills Hill Record is owned by Mike Neuman who in about 1986/87 flew 75 miles to the west, landing near Connellsville, PA at the foot of the westernmost Appalachian Mountain, Chestnut Ridge. On that day there were also flights of 70 and 45 miles. Gains were to 6,000 over launch with climbrates of about 600fpm. Not a typical Bills Day. There has also been a 37 mile flight to the northwest, landing in the valley north of Altoona, and a 25ish mile flight to the northeast (from an east site).

As far as I am aware Mark's wonderful flight is the longest one going south and using the Sideling Hill ridge as a lift trigger. Larry Huffman and I have been scheming to do something like that for a while, but with the added variation of hopping back to other ridges in the hopes of making it to Cumberland from Bills.

Congratulations to Mark on a helluva flight. I am green with envy.

Pete

Sounds like a good weekend everywhere. I went to Raven's Roost and came down on my own volition after 3000' over, a 600' save and 2 hours in the air. Nelson and I reached cloud base at 6000' msl. Nelson flew back to a cookout on the back side of the mountain after hitting a 10 mph head wind 10 miles north of launch. Matt, Vic, Rich Lawrence and Sean ? flew but didn't break into the upper air.

Terry Spencer wants me to tell everyone that he and Jonny Thompson got 4300' at Manquin and they flew until they got cold. Looks like spring flying is here.

Greg

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This page last updated April 12, 1999