HIGHLIGHTS:
 

1. As you can see, it didn't take Jerry Badal long to experience the feeling of helplessness when one realizes that after turning final, you won't make it over the fence and onto the airport grounds. He made a good decision and landed safely in the field with both pilot and glider undamaged, except perhaps for some ego bruising. It was a windy day at Avenal and good for student training. Jerry did well on his first flight with me, then did quite well on his second by himself. But Jerry's third flight proved to be the one where more learning took place. It's actually good to have a student landout safely in order to break the ice of not landing back at Avenal. As he begins to go cross country he is not likely to do so with as much trepidation as if he hadn't landed out. So, it was a good flight and a learning experience.

2. The retrieval of the glider wasn't a learning experience, however. We've done that sort of thing before and it doesn't get any more interesting. Just a week prior, the farmer had plowed the once hard field into a soft, loamy sort of dirt pile that made walking and pulling the glider a real chore. We got it through the fence out at the boundary of the fence line and Highway 33, then wondered how we were going to get it back on the airport proper. Towing it along Highway didn't seem like the best option since we'd have to get the Sheriff's department to halt traffic for 20 minutes or so. But the other route had a drainage ditch that we didn't think we could navigate. But that was our only real option so we proceeded on blind faith. Finally after finding an old rug and putting it in the bottom of the ditch we were able to pull the glider safely across with no damage to the underside.

3. Jerry and I had traveled to Avenal on Friday assuming we'd be the only ones at the field. But surprisingly enough, there were others on hand, including Roy Norman, Steve Schery, Kathleen Morse and her new husband, Jeremy Zawodny. The lift was OK, not great, but those who did fly at least had a good time.

4. Kathleen and Jeremy had about four flights in the Blanik with Kathleen doing most of the flying. She has purchased an ASW-19 and was going to fly a few higher performance gliders before trying her first flight in the -19.

5. Steve Schery was here today and assembled his Discus. He took off and was gone for several hours up and down the mountains to the northwest and southeast along the Kettleman Hills. He had an excellent flight in time but not too high in altitude.

6. On Saturday the wind was still blowing but not as much as Friday. Richard Walker showed up to help out around the Club and ultimately fly his Schweizer 1-35. He managed to stay aloft a fair amount of time but the thermals today weren't very good and not very prevalent. Most of those here today had trouble finding the lift and staying up. The thermals were in evidence because of the dust devils, but finding them and remaining inside them proved to be elusive for most today.

7. Jerry Smeltzer and Roy Norman both tried flights during the day and were not successful in remaining aloft much time at all. It was a bit frustrating because the conditions seemed just right for good soaring, but it wasn't. Steve Schery seemed to think it was because of an inversion layer not too high above the valley. Perhaps that's the reason, but most didn't find good lift.

8. Curtis Modin came out to fly and after going aloft with me and doing well he tried a few solo flights. The last flight proved to be a bit more difficult since he carried too much speed and altitude on final to runway 13. His first touchdown was a bit hard and he bounced back up airborne again. Then he got into a PIO (Pilot Induced Oscillation) several times, and finally came to rest with plenty of runway left before the fence. It was rough for him because up to that time his judgment about altitude and airspeed was very good. I guess he was as surprised as anyone when he arrived down on the runway with so much energy left over. Then, trying to dissipate that energy resulted in an inelegant landing. But it was an important learning experience since at one time or another everyone has to recognize that energy management in a glider is far more important than the same energy management in a powered aircraft.

9. We had a visit from Kevin Rose? and his daughters. Kevin works and lives on the base at Vandenberg commanding a section there that I didn't get too clearly at the time I talked to him. He has been at Vandenberg for several years and didn't know there was a glider port at Avenal. But he's due to be transferred soon and won't get the chance to come out and go soaring.

10. It wasn't a great weekend at Avenal but the warmth, clear skies, good friends, and good food at Debbie's makes for an enjoyable day. Come on out and see for yourself why Avenal is the best place to be on any weekend.