Saturday Summary, August 31, 2002
Highlights:
Hello Everyone!
The weather was excellent, although it took until early afternoon for the thermals to break through the inversion layer. When they did, the heights rose quickly. Most were above 4000 msl with some at 6000 msl and higher.
 |
 |
Dave Kornberg arrived about mid-day and used his model glider to sniff for us. For an hour or so, we worried about the thermals that weren’t. But the signs began to form and with his model glider finally booming aloft in good thermal activity, the big brother gliders began massing at the launch area for a great afternoon of soaring.
 |
 |
Dave Kornberg needed a 90-day refresher flight and sign-off so we took the White Whale and headed to the mountains. At Tar Canyon we found mild lift and he worked it well. We concentrated on stick and rudder coordination, which by the way, many of us can use a refresher flight on. We started thermalling at about 3800 msl, lost some altitude initially, then began to milk some milder thermals, and broke through about 4000 msl. Our highest altitude was 4700 msl at that point, but we decided to experiment with lift farther north along the ridge. Turned out to be good experience for Dave who had not been in lift as strong as some of the thermals we encountered, at 7 and 8 kts up. During the flight, Reef Ridge looked so good I couldn’t help taking several aerial photos, included here. You can enjoy the Ridge firsthand … just come out to fly and head west.
|
|
|
|
|
|
When my backside began to signal we’d been aloft for nearly two hours, I suggested he take me back and go up solo to try for his C Badge. With good strong lift in the Avenal Effect, we practiced slips all the way to pattern altitude. Later, Dave did go aloft, and stayed there off tow for more than the required hour. Congratulations Dave, now we need to get your Private License, and on to the beginnings of cross country soaring.
Early on, we decided to wash the 1-26 we have now dubbed “Goldilocks” thanks to a suggestion by our new Club President, Jonathan Pitt. We included the Orange Crush in the wash cycle, and using Zip Wax wash compound, both came out looking great. Much more shine to them than we’ve seen in several years. So we’ll use that wash/wax from now on. In the meantime, there was some needed maintenance on the PW-5 which Joe and Loyal and others intermittently helped to accomplish. It finally flew and along with Don VW probably got higher than most others during the day.
Jonathan Pitt had suggested to a fellow worker that he take his first demo ride in a glider. So Nathaniel dutifully arrived, and was loaded into the Orange Crush after watching Dave fly his model sailplane, and getting a preview of what soaring is all about. They were in the air quite a long time. Finally, since it was his first ride, Nathaniel got a bit tired of making like a hawk, and they headed earthward.
 |
 |
I’m sure we’ll hear from Jonathan via email later on in the week on his guest’s after-flight thoughts. Sometimes, too long aloft will tax the guest’s patience because most new demo guests aren’t used to circling for an hour or more. I think Jonathan probably avoided too steep a bank knowing that might ruin an otherwise fun flight.
Later on, Jonathan launched in the Gapa and was still aloft when I departed Avenal. As he mentioned, it was a perfect day to fly the Gapa, but others declined, so JP went up.
|
|
|
Roque showed off his new parachute, then climbed in the 1-26 and headed up. He wasn’t aloft a long time but enough to try out the comfort level of sitting on the new chute.
Joe Anastasio finally finished the maintenance items, and took Goldilocks for a flight. In his first launch, he did what we’ve all done too many times. Booming through a strong thermal at low altitude, he released thinking he’d circle back and get into it. No such luck, as we could have told him, and he landed almost as soon as he took off. He mentioned to me in an email that “my second flight was about 35 minutes. I released at 2800 msl and climbed to about 4000 msl. The lift got more sporadic after that. I found a few thermals, and even soared with a hawk for a minute.” Sounds like Joe at least had a new experience with the bird.
After helping out on the line, and waiting patiently for the PW-5 to be finished, Jerry Smeltzer took it aloft and last I heard from him he was over next to Interstate 5 where the hills had burned earlier in the year at 6000 msl. He probably was up for over 2 hours and was still aloft when I left Avenal.
Don VW finally got DWV put together, and launched on his way to where Jerry was exclaiming loudly over the radio that lift was strong in his area. That’s likely where Don headed initially.
Cheers,
Harold
Gallagher
