Fly

Saturday, March 10, 2012

3-10-12 Tekoa

High pressure was softening a bit. Winds were forecast to switch ESE to SW. In the LZ winds were 13 S, on top 23mph SSW and coming around. Again under called the winds…… its spring so what can you expect?

Started setting up & the winds got even stronger (but straight in)…… 30-37 mph, lulling occasionally to 23 ish.
Watched it for an hour or so & thought the lulls would be enough to launch in.
Myself & Mike Swift were able to get that window. Others on top reported gusting to 45 mph not long after.
We had about hour 30 min flights. I was showing 19-24 mph in flight.

I went to the airport after hearing that wind speed. (Its normally smoother there) A bit rough coming down but had a pretty smooth 19 to land in.
Mike landed in the normal LZ. He said it was a bit rough & almost went too long.

By sunset the wind was down to 18ish.

http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/562169

3-7-12 Tekoa

The canadians (Mike & Simon) came down for a few days to escape their winter blues. Forecast looked promising so 1/2 day off from work & I’ll join them.

A few para pilots showed up as well. Launch conditions were stronger then forecast but doable for the hangs. 20-25 mph. I was first off shortly followed by Simon & Mike. We had full cloud cover that started to break. That brought some decent thermals to work with some good sink in between. Couple of climbs to 5500’ (1700’ over) Later, it lightened up & the paras got to fly also.

2:20 later after the batteries died in the gloves my hands were frozen & I headed to the airport for a dry no mud area to break down. Pretty damn nice WED afternoon! (We only had a high of 37°, camel back froze in flight)

http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/561448

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Saddle mtn party 2-4-12

Following the days forecast it called for similar conditions as the prior day. Arriving on launch to find a few pars lightly scratching.

There was 20 people there. More hangs then I’ve seen in a long time not to mention at Saddle. Setting up conditions seem to improve. A good launch & light ridge & thermal mix to play in. Jorge launched & we went down the ridge to the E.

As soon as we hit the lower potions it got ugly. We were not very high to begin with & we tried to turn around. Sink city……

Followed Jorge to a nice spot to land. He had a good landing. I set up to come in to his left. On final he walked to where I intended to land thinking I was not landing yet. It worked out & I landed 15’ short of him. I managed to get it going just a bit right to miss the sage brush if I went long.

The others flying had multiple top landings & all the air time they wanted. We were the only ones to due a bit of XC.

http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/551470

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Better then expected Saddle day 2-3-12

Somehow wrangled 5 pilots (para, from Spokane if you can believe that) for a Saddle trip. Forecast was light so I to thought the paraglider would be the best choice……..

Got on top to find stellar conditions for both hang & para. (Almost to strong for para) The military was running some training flights though the area about 6 total this day. (scary to hear them coming while in the air)

My first launch was good….for about 2 sec, I had pulled up into a slight lull only to quickly find a thermal behind it. Up 15’ then backwards. A was too rusty to adapt quick enough, really should have got to the speed bar. Flew it backwards for about 20’ then came down. A reverse somersault was to follow. I & the gear were unscathed.

Next launch was better, I was less complacent & ready. 5-600’ over & top landings galore for everyone. A total of 8 para & 4 hangs flew this day. (Really missed my hang glider)
My second launch (flight) almost was identical to the first, up 15’ but then a hover. Slowly creeping forward.

Lots of firsts & bests for most of the guys!

It was a damn nice day.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Steptoe 1/8/12 ……. paragliding?

4/20/09 was my last flight on a paraglider. With no snow & light winds it was hard to get motivated to take a hang out. The day was to nice not to try to commit some sort of aviation. Borrowed my old gear from my brother & off I went.

6 other para pilots were there! Crazy for Jan & for the Spokane area. This many pilots constitutes a fly in! It was light with little bits of lift to to slow down in. Managed 5 flights. Forgot how easy it was to throw it out, not to mention landing. Glad it all came back, almost like I never left. (Not nearly the confidence to really snug up to the hill though.)

Everyone had a great time. Amazing we still have no snow in the mtns……..

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Early Christmas present 11/23/11

With no snow this season & a system moving through the stale air finally got moving & in the right direction. Off to Tekoa for a try. With temps in the teens this week, a high of 30° was going to feel warm.

4 paras & I got on top around 12:30 to find the XC skies forecast to be correct, 13-16 SSW. Robert was off while I was futzing with a new headset & helmet combo (ahhhh) Not realizing during this I did not buckle me helmet. Nothing came of it as I figured half way through the flight. (Wondered what that noise was….buckle hitting the helmet)

Got an hour & 40 minute flight out of it & managed to stay warm the whole time. Wind switched to a SSE & got sinky. The LZ had an E 3-5, odd it was 90° off from aloft. Pulled off a nice drogue chute landing.

Everyone had a really good time.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

11-25-11 fine Nov flight

Leaving town with SW winds gusting over 30 mph to what's forecast to be lighter to the north of town again. (Worked last time) Arrived in the LZ to find NNW 3-5…… well… lets go up and take a look.

Steve, Jimmy, Clint were at Parker (NE of where we were going) since 8 am looking for soaring conditions. Having a mixture of light & cross they managed 2 sled rides. Rick & I were able to make it to the top (12” of snow a week earlier, not much snow left ) to find 15+ straight in. Called to boys to let them know it was on here. They were headed over, but upon retrieving the last rig from the top they said it was starting to come in and would stay. With another sled ride they should have came over.

We set up & I was 1st off. (This was my 2nd flight from this new site we just opened. 2nd time being flown as well) Lightly soarable but soarable. Rick was not impressed with conditions & the fact he had to pull my left wing down on launch.(We are learning that you need to move to the right as this tends to happen) Add the fact we had no driver he opted to watch & ultimately break down.
Was able to squeeze an hour flight out of it. This was for better then the first time Jorge & I flew it with a 4 min flight. Really nice Nov flight.

Nice Nov flight

What the site looked like during clearing. Its come a long way.

Friday, November 18, 2011

11-13-11 lite thermal flight

Left Spokane with 20-30 mph winds. Forecast called for lighter to the north so I headed to Inklers for a try. After a Tekoa run the day before to find 35-40 mph winds and 30° I was mildly optimistic.

Couldn’t muster anyone else to go as the wind was blowing & forecast to blow. The LZ had 10-12, launch was showing 12-15 cycling in. Set up & off I went. Light ridge with light cycles mixed in. Worked an hour and 15 min flight out of it. 2 bald eagles joined me for a few minutes.

Towards the end of the flight reaching my highest altitude, I ran into what I think was shear. Forecast called for upper level winds to be strong and 90° to surface. I got tossed around pretty good. checked the reserve handle a couple of times. Few hundred feet lower it was better. Was not a pleasant felling. But a good flight for sure.

Sure did not look or feel like mid November……..

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Late Oct day

Forecast did not call for what was to be a very special day to me. Light winds, late Oct….expected a extended sled ride at best. The day was so much more then that.

In the LZ is was ESE, (wrong direction for launch.) I was here might as well go up. On top it was coming in fairly straight. Clint (para pilot) was off first. Light cycles coming in. Gave it a few, he got low then found some stuff to work. Looking promising now. Took the next cycle & off I went.

Epic cloud play

For the next 1:45 I was playing with the clouds.

The wind picked up to strong for the newer paras that were waiting to get some. Joaquin showed up and launched his Falcon He had his longest flight to date 2:15. He only landed because he was frozen.

Been a very long time since I have updated this. So hard to keep on it. What prompted me to give it a go again now…. not sure.

The summer was spectacular. The Atos really help rack up the X-C miles. Broke a lot of personal bests thanks to Martin & Mia, & Michele & Jorge.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Canadian invasion! Day 2

Late start after messing with gear. Checked Tekoa... too SE on to Steptoe.
http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/309060

Conditions were perfect. Good SE cycles. Set up fast & launch. There were 5 hangs there.... and all flew.
Couldn't tell you the last time there were that many there or in the air.

Conditions were not that great & we had close to the hill and each other scratching. Lift was light and broken. Got a few that were enough to turn in and got 1000' over. 328 fpm was my max climb for the day.

Simon, Denise & rick were already down, after an hour it was time to come in. (Shoulders were sore, and I had my fill.)

Canadian invasion! Day 1

The Canadians are here...... now what....lets go flying!
http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/308825

Haul ass out of work and get to the hill. It was blowing all day, but we hoped it would settle for the classic
Tekoa glass off.... oh yeah it did!

20-30 mph as we set up, but during that time it backed down to a manageable 20+ ish. Jorge was off first, and then I followed shortly. 700' over launch almost that fast. then an easy 1000' over. Mike one of the visitors gave it awhile then launched. Vince launched almost at sunset.

I was 1000' when I headed to the north spine.... bad idea. No lift to be found, as I headed back the was the sink. Floored it headed to the lowest spot I could hope to get over. Track log showed my fastest airspeed was 62 mph. I was coming in low & wasn't sure if I was going to make it over. If i turned away now I thought the rotor could get ugly & a retrieve tough.

I pushed on as I was 40-60' from the tress the rotor started in. Maintained just trying to make it over..... which I barely managed to do. That's when it really went to hell. The rotor got worse, throwing me at one point 90° zooming towards the hill. Started to PIO and knew I had to slow it down. Throw the VG full off then she zoomed nose up. A few more times of the nose facing the ground at 30' I got it pulled together. Back towards launch for some peace. That was dumb.

The lift was everywhere. 1430' over is what I got with only ridge lift. Jorge circumnavigated the globe flying out to the west past the road and back, then over Tekoa and back. It was a struggle now to get low enough to top land.

Mike got in a top landing in. I came in and gave it 4 attempts. It had gotten a bit chunky and turbulent and after earlier I wasn’t going to push my luck. Jorge gave it try and said screw it. It was too ugly.

Headed to the main lz climbing the whole time. The sun was down and it was getting dark. Even over the lz there was lift. Finally worked it down to find some chunky nasty turbulants. Lovely wind gradient.
We all got through it and landed safe.

What to do tomorrow.....?

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Not bad for the last day of winter. ~ Spangle towing 3-19-2010

Played hooky & took a half day. X-C skies said it should be a good day...... it was!

Jorge towed Vince (pg) he got a climb right off tow. Then I towed next. Great tow to almost 1400' agl when I pulled all the line off the drum! Michele just showed up in time to help get the line straightened out.

I was scratching back to launch @ 6-900' agl until I got a good climb. Climbed to 7858' asl. Vince landed due to the cold. (I showed 38°!!) I flew around 45 min until Jorge towed up.

I miss understood that we were going to try for Tekoa airport. I was almost 3 miles the wrong direction when I heard Michele say she was packing it up to head to Tekoa. There was a lot of sink between thermals & once we left spangle, the climbs were weaker and the altitude was less.

Thermals were rough & rowdy in spots. Broken at times & tough to track. Got low & was considering landing, and drove it towards a small knoll hoping it would produce something.... it worked!! She got rowdy on that one for a bit & the vario spiked ove 1000 fpm on the 3 sec average. 20 sec showed around 4-500fpm. A red tail hawk joined me for the rest of the climb. So cool when that happens. That was enough to get me to the NW shoulder of Tekoa just over the power lines where I found a bit of something to get my over, then another for the last thermal of the day.

The whole time I thought I was well behind Jorge, but at some point I had slipped past him to the NW. (I had no idea where he was.) He had his radio & vario died, but still had is GPS. It was the last climb at Tekoa when Michele announced she had a visual where he was. He was low but got up & over Tekoa & floored it to the airport.

It was mostly NW all day & I missed Jorge’s landing. I thought it was Nish & light and tossed the drogue. Got rolled right, turned it around & was set to land N. I didn’t notice Jorge was motioning to land SW. Came in fast & was going long & end up on the runway (or bldgs). Let the nose up & tried to mush it in. (That didn’t work so well) WACK! Better in the soft dirt the pavement. Nothing bent or broke.

My Flight
2:33 min flight, 7858 asl, 19.3 miles straight line distance.
http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/306707

Jorge's flight
http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/307294#

Matrix was much better for head down with spacer removed. Much warmer harness then the Rotor. (Possibly because there are not large air gaps?) Still a bit rough on getting upright.

Not bad for the last day of winter!!

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Spangle towing 3-14-2010

Late day start to what on paper looked to be good..... but it wasn't going to be that good. Very cold air, light switching conditions.
Finally made a decision on which road to tow from. Michele & I set up gliders while Jorge towed Vince on his paraglider. Took a long time to get the tow. Light & switchy don't work with a pg.

I towed next, pinned mid tow in a good one. Got high-stayed high. Jorge towed twice but conditions were changing. Vince landed N, Jorge landed E, I landed S, No wind. Got a little trashed when I was low coming in. Decent landing! Hands were absolutly frozen.... 38° at altitude.

Matrix is very comfy in flight, but still challenging to get upright. Its getting better. more flights should help this was # 3.
Removed the slider block to allow more head down. Well see if that helps the head down at high speed.
http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/305384

Eagle Butte 3-13-10

The wind blew every direction.... and not for that long before switching. Doc was on Red mtn & other various locations with the same results. End of day brought it in 5-25 by then we were frozen & only watched and waited for it to quit and switch, like it had all day. ( it only got better) Doc showed up, watched & waited for a few then launched.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

2010 1st tow

First tow of the season…. It was awesome!!! Didn’t look like a good day, not in a huge rush & got a late start. Saw a few cycles, set up & up in one tow! 6000' ASL. Shoulders were sore from either lack of flying or hanging to low.
http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/303759