I woke early this morning at
Highland Aerosports in Ridgley MD after a nice cool evening in my tent. After a quick shower, I took some pictures of a pilot getting checked out as a balloon pilot. The sky was clear but the wind was a little stronger than the balloonist wanted. He had a good launch and soon drifted over the horizon to the southeast.
After breakfast we decided that the first task of the East Coast Championship would be short 30+ mile crossing downwind dash to the southeast. The clouds were looking good everywhere except overhead and to the southeast along the course line. Many pilots were concerned about the wind (15 mph) and the possibly weak lift (100 – 200 fpm). Davis launched early and then reported the lift was good (400 fpm) and the clouds were better looking further along course line. So I saddled up and launched. I fumbled around for a few minutes and then found a nice climb to cloud base.
I tried to push upwind to stay within the start circle but couldn’t find another good climb. I finally joined a group of pilots that included Buba, Davis, and Greg D in an agonizingly slow climb that drifted us to the start circle but off course line. The timing and the position for the start was good but we crossed a couple thousand feet below cloud base.
After getting back to cloud base I worked my way back to the course line and slowly lost flying companions as I clung to the course line. I finally noticed another glider further to the east off course line heading to goal. I was about 1000 feet above a glide path to goal, so I raced off to beat the pilot. I was gaining on him until I started encountered turbulent air associated with a line of thermals. I had to slow down to 50 mph to keep myself and the glider from rattling apart. I just could not convert the altitude into speed so the pilot beat me in. The pilot turned out to be Marcello, who was the first flex wing into goal after Davis. I crossed the line about a minute later. (The flight is available
online).
I had a fun ride back with Davis, Belinda, Marcello, Claytor. We stopped for some fresh fruit; I bought a quart of fresh field-picked strawberries. I hope tomorrow remains dry.
I woke early this morning at Highland Aerosports in Ridgley MD after a nice cool evening in my tent. After a quick shower, I took some pictures of a pilot getting checked out as a balloon pilot. The sky was clear but the wind was a little stronger than the balloonist wanted. He had a good launch and soon drifted over the horizon to the southeast.
After breakfast we decided that the first task of the East Coast Championship would be short 30+ mile crossing downwind dash to the southeast. The clouds were looking good everywhere except overhead and to the southeast along the course line. Many pilots were concerned about the wind (15 mph) and the possibly weak lift (100 – 200 fpm). Davis launched early and then reported the lift was good (400 fpm) and the clouds were better looking further along course line. So I saddled up and launched. I fumbled around for a few minutes and then found a nice climb to cloud base.
I tried to push upwind to stay within the start circle but couldn’t find another good climb. I finally joined a group of pilots that included Buba, Davis, and Greg D in an agonizingly slow climb that drifted us to the start circle but off course line. The timing and the position for the start was good but we crossed a couple thousand feet below cloud base.
After getting back to cloud base I worked my way back to the course line and slowly lost flying companions as I clung to the course line. I finally noticed another glider further to the east off course line heading to goal. I was about 1000 feet above a glide path to goal, so I raced off to beat the pilot. I was gaining on him until I started encountered turbulent air associated with a line of thermals. I had to slow down to 50 mph to keep myself and the glider from rattling apart. I just could not convert the altitude into speed so the pilot beat me in. The pilot turned out to be Marcello, who was the first flex wing into goal after Davis. I crossed the line about a minute later. (The flight is available online).
I had a fun ride back with Davis, Belinda, Marcello, Claytor. We stopped for some fresh fruit; I bought a quart of fresh field-picked strawberries. I hope tomorrow remains dry.
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