Distance-starved XC pilots were making plans first thing Saturday morning for Mount Ascutney. I had to find another crew to hang out with since I was still flying the Falcon while waiting for a couple T2C parts. I agreed to help Ilya "formally introduce" Max to Mount Ascutney and potentially wait for an evening flight if the winds were too strong. The vultures didn't wait long; even before I left the parking lot, Jeff and Peter "stole" Amy to drive retrieve for them. ;-)
The first order of business was showing Max the LZs on the other side of the mountain. Unfortunately, the trip was longer than normal since we had to venture up into the hills on dirt roads to bypass a closed bridge in Brownsville. After showing Max the "main LZ", "Africa", and "Kansas" we returned to the base to find a large crew ready to drive up. It was then we found out from the site director Jake, that for a variety of reasons, there would be no introductory flights that day. Although disappointed, Max still volunteered to drive Ilya and I to the top even when it wasn't necessary. Once we unloaded, Max drove back to Morningside to aero-tow while Ilya and I hiked into launch.
The usual crew were there, including Art, Doug, Ilya, JJ, Jake, Jeff B, Jeff C, John A, Peter J, PK, Stacy, Ross, Ryan, Todd, and possibly others I now forget.
The sky looked great; painted with white fluffy cummies. However, at times a blue hole would open directly upwind. Jeff C, the first to launch, took off into such a blue hole and valiantly fought his way to the LZ. Jeff's performance kept everyone firmly planted on the ground until John and I noticed the blue hole filling with clouds. We decided to go. John was up front and I was near the back. Somehow a line of 6 pilots magically appeared between John and I. Sigh. Pilots launched and stayed up. The line was moving relatively quickly until it was time for the pilots directly in front me to launch. The wind and thermals started blowing across launch, only offering rare tiny windows of safe conditions. Meanwhile, the pilots already in the air were climbing out to cloudbase in strong climbs. Double sigh. The pilot in front of me, Todd, finally had enough and backed off launch. Once I replaced him on the rock, I quickly found out what he was struggling with. I spent time on launch myself before finding a usable 5-second window of opportunity to launch.
LZ (square field in center, wind is from the right upper-right)
Remember the blue holes? While waiting in line, another blue hole had opened and I launched right into it. Just like Jeff, I was losing my battle with gravity. I even radioed Amy and Jeff I would see them soon in the LZ. It was time to get to the LZ when I stumbled into a climb that was just strong enough to maintain a safe glide slope to the LZ. I slowly climbed to launch height, postponed the pickup in the LZ, and started flying with Doug, the only pilot that didn't leave the mountain for parts unknown.
One thermal was coherent enough to lift me near 4300 feet (1300m) but still short of the customary 5000 feet (1520m) we use as a guide for safely flying over the rotor downwind of the mountain and reach good LZs. I plowed my way back upwind and bounced around at ridge height as more pilots ran into the air. There were enough small thermals for all of us to stay near launch height but nothing strong enough to reach escape altitude before being blown to far downwind.
The Falcon is an easy glider to handle and land, so I was tempted to leave low and take my chances with "Mr Rotor" and the small LZs on the backside of the mountain. A climb curling off the southwest spine gave me enough altitude to give it a try. Maybe I could "sneak around" the lee-side and if not, at least I was going to have an adventure!
I was surprised to see Ilya stay with the same climb, starting his first XC flight from Ascutney. I was even more surprised to see Stacy leaving below us. I peaked at 4000 feet msl (1220m) over a mountain that is 3200 feet (975m) high in a 14 mph (22.5 km/h) wind. I quickly sank into a mild rotor and was making a direct line to a field when I found a lee-side thermal at 2500 feet (762m). Ilya joined me in the climb as I watched Stacy make a good approach and landing in the field below us.
Ilya (left) and Stacy (lower center)
Ilya and I climbed and floated away from the mountain and topped out about half way to Morningside.
Ilya
While Ilya headed directly towards Morningside, I flew upwind to another small cloud and then due south towards a nice line of clouds that lead into the forest with little landing options. Should I go for that line of clouds and hopefully float at cloud base over the forest? If I missed the clouds I would be landing on the "wrong" side of the river for retrieve. I debated quite awhile before turning due west to land at Morningside and celebrate Ilya's "rite of passage".
Should I run that street?
I watched Max break a weak link on tow as I glided through trashy air above him. I landed short of Randy as he was getting ready to tow. He eventually made his way under that tempting line of clouds and later told me the thermals creating that line were weak and broken. Even with his better glide, he returned to the river valley instead of facing the forest. It seems I made the right decision to land at Morningside.
Randy getting ready to go
Meanwhile Amy dropped Jeff at the base so he could fetch Peter J who landed about 20 miles (32 km) to the south. Amy then drove back around to the LZ to pick up JJ, Ross, Doug, and others before returning to pick up Stacy and then driving to the top of the mountain. A couple pilots hiked in to help the last pilot, ARt, launch.
A flight from Mount Ascutney to Morningside is traditionally the first XC flight for New England pilots. This rite of passage is celebrated by a long-standing tradition of tossing the pilot into the pond. Ilya was a good sport and a large crowd was on hand to celebrate his accomplishment. Well done!
Ilya
Although the day looked great, no one went far. Max's day continued offering challenges as he broke yet another weak link on his next flight. Amy and I ensured his day ended well by treating him to drinks and dinner at Ramunto's with Peter, Stacy, and Ross. After dinner I returned to Morningside and Camp Rob for an evening of shenanigans around the campfire.
Here is video from that flight,
Ilya also posted an article about his flight. Morningside posted a video of the ceremonial dunking on their Facebook page. JJ also wrote about his day.
Flights: 1, Duration: 1:37, Distance: 9.6 miles
2 comments:
Great write-up Tom! Awesome photos.
You should share this on the XC Comp G+ page!
Great flying with you Tom!
Enjoyed the great blog and movie!
Loved seeing it from your perspective!
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