U.S.A. Women's Team

  Linda Salamone is raising funds to compete in the 2010 Women's Worlds at Tegelberg Germany by selling commemorative t-shirts.

Purchasing a shirt will help the USA send a team to fly over Neuschwanstein Castle and help you look cool as well.

Does the team need a manager or gopher?  ;-)

Launches

I received requests for more video from the 1996 Morningside Glide Angle Contest after my post yesterday on landings.  Here are some launches from the second day.

Landing

Since the days are short and the nights long, I've been digitizing my old analog videos.  I came across a video I took in the late 1990s August 1996 during an annual Glide Angle Contest at Morningside Flight Park.  Well known pilots from around the United States and Canada used to come and see how far they could glide from the 250 foot (76m) launch.  It was always a fun event, even for non-pilots.  It was an aerial version of a horse or tractor pull; everyone could tell who was winning.

Manufacturers sent their top pilots to squeeze every bit of distance from their gliders.  Some pilots complained that the distances were not a true measure of a glider's glide angle (ratio).  Of course they were right, but they missed the point.  The real draw was the pilot skill.  Putting the maximum amount of energy into the launch.  Managing the most efficient turn around the pylon at mid-course.  Dropping into ground effect at the right time.  And of course, safely landing at the absolute last moment.

I learned much from watching and competing in those meets.  For example, I'm still surprised when I talk with pilots that freak-out when they discover they can't unzip before landing.  It's really not a big deal in many cases.  Land on your belly or land standing up in your harness.  I watched people regularly do that trying to get a better score.  Eventually I tried the techniques myself and still use them to this day.

I created two videos.  The first contains the raw material.  It includes flights from many pilots that inspired me during my early years such as Ken Brown, Curly Dunn, Rob Kells, Dennis Pagen, Tim Donovan, Paul Voight, and others.  The second video contains just the landings.  It highlights different variations and provides a range of typical landings.  The first video is too long to post on YouTube, so for now here is the shorter video containing just the landings.

A New Season

The days are getting longer since we've past the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere so its time to start thinking about the next flying season!  I've starting piecing together my competition schedule and will fit my usual winter XC and competition lectures between the snowstorms and spring.

The first meet of the season for me will be the 2nd Annual Rob Kells Memorial at the Florida Ridge, in La Belle, Florida, from April 17th to the 23rd.

The next meet, the 2010 Flytec Race and Rally, starts immediately afterwards at La Belle and runs from April 25th to May 1st.

Although I have not registered yet, I plan to compete at the 2010 East Coast Championship, at Highland Aerosports in Ridgely, Maryland, June 6th through 12th.

December Soaring

I had my first December thermal soaring flight in New England on the 4th.  I almost didn't go.  Peter offered to pick me up on his way to the Mohawk Trail since I couldn't carry gliders on my car.  I was hesitant to blow off hunting new clients for yet another day of ridge soaring.  Although it was a longer drive, Peter was game for trying West Rutland since the computer models hinted we might have usable thermals.

We got a late start which can be a joy-kill in December with its limited amount of daylight.  We met Art, Jeff, and PK in the soggy, muddy, cold parking area out front.  Even though the doctor forbid him from flying until his shoulder mended, Bob came along to shuttle us up the mountain and help us launch.  Major thanks Bob!

Bob

Did I mention soggy?  The mountains are normally snowed in by December, but warm heavy rains kept the snow away.  Waterfalls were transparent liquid instead of solid glittering blue and the fields below were reflective lakes instead of expanses of dry white.

Where is the ice?

LZ is the island along the highway!

No place to land in the gap either.

Although the wind was light when we arrived on top, it slowly increased to soar-able velocities as we rigged.  That, the cold, and the quickly passing day encouraged us to rig quickly.

Peter

Jeff

PK

Art was the first to launch.  Although the velocity was nice, the wind was blowing across launch at times and caught Art.  His right wing almost touched the ramp as he tried to level the glider during his run.  Needless to say, the rest of us were extra cautious and had clean launches.

Art on launch.

Note the right wing.  What happened?

The air was unbelievably smooth and buoyant.  It felt coastal.  There was just enough wind to ridge soar and the 1 - 1.5 m/s (200-300 fpm) thermals were big and as soft as pillows.  I had climbs to 1100m (3600 feet); about 150m (500 feet) below cloud base.  I flew upwind reliably connecting with thermals below dark clouds and circled in thermals with VG settings from full loose to full tight.  PK and I shared a couple runs upwind, including one were we zipped along at 80 kph (50 mph).

I grabbed some pictures of the low-on-the-horizon sun lighting up spots on the barren hillsides.

I was excited for Art and Jeff when they got adventurous and made long glides upwind as well.

Although it was still "mid-afternoon" I could tell it was time to land unless I wanted to break down in the dark.  PK and I started a long upwind glide to burn off altitude before running back downwind to land.  I watched Peter land in the sloped field behind Bird's Eye and decided to land there as well.  I arrived over the field about the same time Art did, so I threw in some dirty spirals to quickly lose altitude.  The smooth air allowed me to do a fast and tight approach along the power lines, over the house, and deliciously close to the trees before dropping into the field.  Ah, a sweet way to end a season of flying.

Flights: 1, Duration: 1:34