| May 30, 2009 |
1. What else can we say? No one flew because Loyal's tow plane was out of annual and we didn't know it until the day before. We had hoped to call in another tow pilot and plane, with J.R. being the best available choice. But his being here depended on the fog clearing at Oceano County airport, and by noon, it had not. A last minute call to him confirmed that he would not be flying to Avenal. So we were denied any flight today, much to the chagrin of many. Not deterred, most of the members opted to take care of things that otherwise would have had to wait until the flying was over. The Orange Crush got a much-needed washing and waxing. The GAPA was pulled out of its box and cleaned up, inspected and may return to service soon. That should be fun for those who enjoy sitting out in the open while soaring. The Blanik had its annual inspection completed by Mike Schoenau and Joe Anastasio. 2. Jerry Smeltzer bought a Nugget sailplane and brought it to Avenal today. A very nice looking ship and one that should bring Jerry many hours of fun flying and cross country attempts. Seems to be in really good shape and has very nice, smooth lines as it sits there looking like its already moving. We'll be watching Jerry when it comes time to fly it. So far, he's just making sure he gets really familiar with it before first flight. He always does well in the 1-26 and we expect him to do even better in the Nugget. 3. We had several pilots come from a long way off only to be disappointed at there being no tow plane available. Steve Schery came from the Bay area and Art Sanders came from the Newhall area. It is tough to come from such distances only to find out they can't fly. Next week should rectify that since Dan Gudgel will be bringing his Cessna 150 to Avenal for towing. 4. On top of all this, the soaring would have been excellent. The formation that was building all day over the Coalinga mountains was most impressive. We're not sure the source of the lift but it was definitely powerful compared to anything else around that day. 5. We did get a bit of training done with Julie Butler and Jack Wiegand, both of whom are nearing their checkrides and needed to brush up on the oral and flight procedures they can expect that day. Other than that, it was a slow day with a lot of waiting for something to happen. more info |
| May 23, 2009 |
1. Chris Karapostoles brought a dathúil Irish Lad and a álainn Lassie out to Avenal for their first glider rides. Ken O'Leary and his sister, Jane, born in Ireland, brought here to brighten our land with their Irish smiles, had fun aloft. Ken is an FA-18 pilot at Lemoore (as is Chris), and Jane, who now lives in Orlando, was here just for a visit. Sorry, but I'm a pushover for that wonderful Irish accent. I could listen to it forever. I am a bit prejudiced, however, since my grandparents were born in Ireland. Back there in the auld sod, it was O'Gallagher without pronouncing the "g". Anyway, it sure was nice having them around and hope to see both of them back here again "before the devil knows they're here". It's an old Irish sayin', modified somewhat. :- )) 2. Chris had one launch, and even with the good lift, came back too soon. After we all pounced on him, he took off again and wasn't seen on the ground for a very long time, having himself one great flight. Good going, Chris. Ken O'Leary flew for about one hour off tow, did very well on tow, and familiarized himself with the in-flight maneuvers quickly. He promised to come back again soon, join the club, and earn his glider add-on rating. We'll hold him to it and expect him back again very soon. Jane also flew the glider, wasn't nervous at all, had fun, laughed a lot, and overall enjoyed the time aloft. 3. We had two other guests early this fine day. Jim Mellick and Dave Baxter drove in on their motorcycles, beautiful machines they were indeed, and went for their first glider rides. The lift wasn't too strong at that time of day but they enjoyed the experience anyway. It is possible they may be back to join the club and work on a glider pilot's license. 4. The lift in the middle of the day was so turbulent that we had to stop all student flying for awhile. It was so rough that Yutaka had a rope break on his tow just about 200 ft. agl, and was able to return to the runway with no difficulty. Seems that the tow plane went through a very strong thermal and when Yutaka hit the same thermal it drove the glider so high so quickly he had no chance to release before the rope broke. That was the incident that prompted us to close off student flying. Later in the day, the rough air calmed a bit and we could resume student flying. 5. After most of the rough air had subsided, Julie Butler and I went up in the Orange Crush. She released in a very strong thermal and in no time we were hitting 6000 msl. After that we just roamed around the area looking for new thermals, every now and then returning to the "elevator" to resume the heights she had achieved earlier. Her thermaling skills are really improving rapidly. 6. After Mario and Morgan had exhausted their searches for consistent thermals, enough to go cross country, Morgan returned to the area and thermalled with Julie and I for awhile, long enough for some good air-to-air shots (not the FA-18 kind) that turned out nice enough to show here. Morgan reported reaching 9000 msl over the mountains, a nice height for the day, and Mario remained aloft longer than most. 7. Jerry Badal flew his Libelle in the mountains, up near Castle Peak and around the Black Mountain area, reached 8000 msl, and roamed freely in the area. He returned to earth, then he and brother David took the Blanik and headed aloft. They seemed to have been up all day but he says only about two and one-half hours and up to 8600 msl. He described the lift the same way as all of us were experiencing. Very strong in the same places all day, and deep sink in all the same places all day. Not organized at all and didn't encourage cross country soaring for most of the day. 8. The Blanik was also flown by Bart Klusek who traveled down from UC Davis to fly at Avenal. 9. Dan Solis and I went up in the Orange Crush to review some of the maneuvers in soaring. We finished early and returned to the field because the air aloft was getting worse by the minute. b and I will go again next time he's at Avenal. 10. On Sunday, a group worked on doing experiments with auto towing. They apparently got reasonably good at it using both the 2-33 and the 1-26. Heights weren't great but with no tow available from Loyal, that was the best alternative. Mario, Alex, Jerry, Morgan, and Julie all were figuring out how to get the best height from the limited towing by truck. 11. Later in the day, Morgan's Dad, Jim, brought friend Jennifer and her daughter, Brook, to Avenal. Jennifer is a CFI at Hawthorne in Los Angeles and maybe we can convince her to try her hand at soaring. Then again she might get hooked on gliders, leaving Hawthorne more often for glider ports in the Southern California area. And there are many. more info |
| May 16, 2009 |
1. Nathan Bertoldi, a good friend and wonderful artist, brought a group of friends out to Avenal, first for his lady's birthday, and then just to be rewarded with a glider flight, something none of them had ever done before. Not only did they fly, but they partied, and slept and roamed around, and before all this, went into town to sample the world's greatest hamburgers at Debbie's. A fun-filled day to be sure and one that none will ever forget. Who knows? Maybe we'll see one or another of them return to take up the sport of soaring. Welcome to all of you: NATHAN, GERI, KABZAUG, CHATA, SHAUNA, NATALIE, AND DANIEL. 2. Here is what Morgan Hall said about the weekend: "It took work and a commitment to going over the back of Black Mountain into the Parkfield area where the clouds were at. Alex made the jump early and got up, it took me a while to go for it and finally was rewarded with lift to 13000. From there it was a pretty easy run to the South end of CA valley where I dove across to tag the turn point at New Cuyama. Getting back was a whole different story. I was late in getting there and westerlies had filled in. I was down to 5500 East of CA Valley on the temblor range looking at hopefully making Blackwell or Lost Hills. Thankfully nabbed a thermal back to 8000+ and poked home as carefully as I could. Of course the Avenal effect was in full force and at 25 miles out everything was buoyant and although I could have sped home, I took it easy to ensure I made the glide. Alex and I hooked up 16 miles east of Avenal at about 6:45 and glided almost all the way to Coalinga before turning around and returning to Avenal. I think I landed at 7:15 after 5:51 in the air. Alex landed shortly thereafter. Ramy and Matt out of Hollister flew all the way around Tehachapi and up to Mt. Whitney before gliding across the Sierra's. Matt landed at Reedley and Ramy landed at Harris Ranch. Amazing flights. Morgan My OLC trace: http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=828361 Alex's trace: http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=828829 A few pictures that I haven't put comments on yet. http://picasaweb.google.com/morhall/Avenal516Weekend" 3. Alex Caldwell also had a great flight and part of it was with Morgan. Here's what Alex wrote: "We had some fantastic flying on Sunday May 17. Morgan Hall, Rich Miller and I were out there along with Paul Hanson. Morgan had been watching the Dr. Jack blip maps for several days and was predicting excellent soaring on Saturday, and even better on Sunday. Saturday was good, with a strong convergence way to the west of Avenal, between Parkfield and Paso Robles, and marked by cumulus clouds. The guys from Hollister were running south on it at high altitudes over 12,000 ft, but none of us could reach it from Avenal from a 2000 ft tow, so we spent the day from 4000-5000 ft. in weak lift, and never getting to the good lift in the convergence line. I had walked out of the house without my handheld radio, and my glider battery was dead, so had no communications, but Morgan generously loaned me a battery pack that would keep my PDA running long enough for a long flight. Sunday, however, produced an even stronger convergence (shear line) with a very high cloud base of over 14,000 ft. The shear line was again way to the west of Avenal, between Parkfield and Paso Robles, but the general lower level lift in the area near Avenal was much better than Saturday. I got to 6000 ft over Castle Peak which was enough to get to the Shear line, which was again between Parkfield and Paso Robles. I was committing myself to landing either at Parkfield or Paso if I did not contact the shear. Not to worry, there was 10 kt lift under the clouds in the shear line. Morgan chose to go north towards Coalinga where the shear line was closer to the valley, which seemed a good choice and I thought about doing that also. But he eventually ended up coming back to the Castle peak area and contacting the shear in a similar manner to what I did a bit earlier. We both ran south once we contacted the shear and were quickly up into the 11500 - 14000 ft. working band. The clouds were lined up like a freeway going south. You could fly slowly and not lose any altitude, just slowing down in lift and speeding up in what little sink there was. I flew kind of lazily, not wanting to get low. But a higher X country groundspeed could be achieved by flying faster and then stopping to circle only in the very strongest areas of lift which were often 8-10kts. Morgan was a ways behind me because of his later start, but we met up over California Valley as I was coming back north and again at the end of the day near Blackwell and flew together for the last part of the flight and landed close to the same time. http://www3.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=828829 The Avenal RASP made a very good prediction of the position of the shear line. This image shows the "Cu Cloud base where Cu potential is greater than O", for 1300 PST, or 1400 PDT. Translated from "Dr. Jack speak", it shows where to expect Cu's and what the cloud base will be. It corresponds almost exactly where the clouds were actually located and the cloud base was almost exactly what the RASP predicted. http://alcald.homelinux.org/RASP/AVENAL/2009_05_17/zsfclclmask.curr.1300lst.w2.png I also recorded these Satellite images from the U.S. Navy's "NexSat" web site for the time frame between 1200 and1800, so you can see how the shear line with it's fantastic cloud street developed that day. Some of the clouds marking the street were very small and wispy, so they don't show on these images. It's an animated .gif, so if you view it in a web browser, it should cycle the images. http://alcald.homelinux.org/NexSat_2009_05_17.giF/ also uploaded some pictures of flying the shear line here: http://picasaweb.google.com/alcald/Soaring20090517 Alex Caldwell" 4. Everyone else had a great time on Saturday doing what makes Avenal the best gliderport in the West. more info |
| April 25, 2009 |
1. As the photo caption says, everyone had a really good flight today. The thermals were cracking-strong, the visibility was excellent, the clouds marked the lift which was often above 1000 feet per minute, and one could travel almost anywhere. A really great fun soaring day. 2. Morgan flew the ASW-20 for several hours, then turned it over to me for a nice flight, interrupted by having a student waiting on the ground. As I flew, Morgan and Julie took the Blanik and had fun as a couple, trading flying and photographing, going up above Castle Peak, then northwest of Coalinga, and just wandering around 15-20 miles from Avenal giving Julie an idea of what it is like to be that far away from the gliderport. They took most of the photos at the end of this story from the Blanik. 3. Early on, Julie went aloft in the 2-33 and after thermaling for awhile, and getting low, she headed back to the field. Entering the pattern, she snagged a thermal and went right back up out of sight. That was a great save and probably the first time she did that so successfully. From then on, she thermalled at will, and finally landed thinking that someone else might want to fly the 2-33. Great flight, Julie!! 4. We had a motor glider visit today. Actually is was the second time it showed up. Called a Lambada, it has a nice L/D, a quiet engine and might be a nice craft to have if one isn't interested in learning to go cross country via Mother Nature. 5. Our great friend, club member, corporate stockholder, and all-around superb soaring pilot over the years, Al Leffler, visited with his BRAND NEW Cubcrafter S2, the light sport version of Piper's venerable Cub. He was on his way home from the factory after having just purchased it. Wow, what a difference from the original Piper Cub. 6. This from Rich Miller:
Hi Harold, 7. Frank Owen and his fellow Engineering Prof from Cal Poly, Hemanth Porumamilla, better known as HP, were flying the Blanik and took a great shot of Jerry Smeltzer in the same thermal. At least, Frank thinks it was Jerry, although it may have been Jeff Lowe, or, someone else. Anyway the shot is excellent, thanks to a timely action. more info |
| April 18, 2009 |
1. Yutaka Buto soloed today. He is an accomplished commercial pilot flying for Ameriflght out of Bakersfield. It didn't take him long to get the hang of the glider and now all he needs to do is practice, practice, practice, then study, study, study. Pretty simple, eh? CONGRATULATIONS, YUTAKA !!! 2. Chris Karapostoles brought fellow pilot, Ted Reeves, to Avenal for a nice demo ride. Ted did well on tow, off tow, and would likely solo rather quickly if he decides to join the club and get his add-on rating. WELCOME, TED !! 3. Dave Pilati had a big lunch, then a long flight, enjoying both completely. 4. Joe Anastasio took Kim Grosse for a ride in the Blanik. Kim is from Germany and just completed her private license in power. Turns out she is the youngest girl in Germany to accomplish that feat. Congrats, Kim. 5. Kim is an exchange student, here for a year of high school. She flew over in Cory Pfau's nice Cessna, along with Al Honorat, a student at Cal Poly. Al tried a glider ride but shortly into the flight he opted to return to earth where he felt much more comfortable. At least he stayed on through 1000 feet. 6, Julie Butler decided to learn how the Blanik differs from the Schweizers so she went up with me for some aerial maneuvers. I think she's planning on flying dual with Morgan one of these Saturdays and wanted to get a jump on how to control a higher-performance glider. 7. Andy Reistetter had a nice long flight today, satisfying to him and sharpened his cross country skills. 8. Morgan Hall flew the ASW-20 into the mountains and spent the better part of the afternoon roaming northwest and southeast. 9. Daniel Solis landed out in the 1-26. I didn't see it but apparently he got into some difficulty near the IP and landing out seemed like the best option. No damage to glider or pilot except perhaps a bruised ego. We had to take the wings off to get it through the fence, but fortunately the 1-26 comes apart easier than most other gliders. 10. Jerry Badal and Mario Crosina were out today flying with the excellent thermals that lasted most of the day. 11. Bob Stroup, the epitome of a patient man, waited until nearly everyone had gone up. Finally, in late afternoon, we flew in the Blanik because it seems to be easier for him to get in and out of that compared to the 2-33. more info |
| April 11, 2009 |
1. Great day to fly. Markers everywhere, lift strong, cloud base near 8000 msl and rising during the day, especially over the mountains. Only points out that we need another 2-33 and on some days like today, two tow planes and associated tow pilots. 2. Frank Owen brought the newest Mechanical Engineering Professor at Cal Poly out to introduce him to the wonderful world of soaring. Here is Frank's account of the day and his three-photo contribution:
The thermal switch was turned on in Avenal
on Saturday. I had two check-out rides with Harold in the Blanik before
going up with a new colleague at Cal Poly, Hemanth Porumamilla, for a third
ride. And boy what a ride it was. Lift everywhere. Puffy clouds all over the
place. We were on tow to 2000 feet AGL, and Loyal dropped us off right under a
cloud. We actually didn't get lift right away but then it came, and came, and
came. We got about halfway between the airport and the hills and started going
up, up, up. We got into 4-5 m/s lift that kept going up. There were plenty of
flat-bottomed clouds, and we'd picked a good one. Up to 6500 feet, right to the
bottom of the cloud. We would have gotten sucked up on into the thing had we
not deployed the dive brakes and flown out from under it. By this time, Hemanth
was referring to the cloud as "that beast". So we went on out over the
Kettleman hills, just leisurely, just zooming through the sink and stopping for
the lift. We lost very little altitude and covered a lot of ground. Who needs
an engine? We kept just floating around, burning up altitude back down into the
3000s. Then back toward the prison, a little to the northwest of it, again an
express elevator up. We saw the 2-33 at our elevation in another thermal to the
north of us, but ours was better. We jumped up and saw the 2-33 abandon its
thermal in favor of ours. From the back seat lots of glee and again references
to "that beast". At 6700 we were again scraping the bottom of a flat-bottomed
cloud that wanted us up in it. Dive brakes, fly out from under the thing. We
felt like we had to come down to let people waiting have their chance. So down
we went. Without the dive brakes, it was hard to go down. What'll we do, find
some sink and negatively thermal in it? Harold never taught me that maneuver.
So it took a while to get down. Over the IP we were still up in the 3000s,
circling slowly and trying sometimes unsuccessfully to come down. I told
Hemanth, "Let's do a 360 and see how much altitude we lose in one circle." So
after 360 degrees were were 200 feet higher than we were when we started! Too
good to be true. So finally we pulled the dive brakes and got down, despite all
the attempts of Mother Nature
to prevent us from so doing. The result: a great experience and the hook set
in a prospective club member. 3. Morgan had a great flight in his ASW-20, over the mountains, and everywhere else. I think he was up more than three hours and had a wonderful flight. 4. Bruce McJunkin continues to prepare for his checkride, doing both flight and ground studying and training. He should be taking his checkride soon enough, when he feels comfortable with the oral portion and a few smoothing edges on the flight portion. 5. Mario enticed Morgan Hall and Don Van Wyk to go with him down towards California Valley. It was a nice flight, long and challenging, but good to get completely out of sight of Avenal. In the process, however, Don landed out in a grassy field, but Mario and Morgan managed to make it back to Avenal. Mario retrieved him but it took all day, so we didn't see Mario or Don for the remainder of the day. 6. Morgan and Julie brought one of Morgan's hang glider buddies to Avenal. Perhaps, like Morgan, Mike Simpson will decide that flying with Morgan at Avenal in a closed cockpit, and faster as well, will appeal to him more than hanging out, literally, beneath a fabric wing. Let's hope so. 7. Paul Hanson flew the 1-26 for his long flight, remaining aloft as long as he wanted and returning only so someone else could use the glider. 8. Jerry Badal and brother David used the Blanik to head over towards the mountains and, like everyone else, had a great flight, working the strong thermals, and going up as high as cloud base wherever they flew. 9. Jerry Keeler flew once today with Morgan, or Alex, I don't recall which. But Jerry has been out here before and seems to like the flights and the club atmosphere. 10. Julie Butler and Jeff Lowe traded flying the 1-26 all afternoon. Jeff also flew the 2-33 and both had rides they enjoyed. 11. Bob Stroup waited patiently all day long, in spite of my trying to get him aloft sooner. We launched in the Blanik trying to make it easier to not only get in the glider but to manage the controls. It seems that the Blanik is more suited to Bob's flight handling than was the 2-33. We'll continue to work with the Blanik with the hope that it will be easier for Bob to solo in it. 12. Mario finally got the Alby to Tehachapi on a great flight from Avenal. Here is what he reported and where the complete story is found.
Hi Everyone,
We finally got Alby to Tehachapi on the 2nd attempt. The
pictures look better at 130%
Here is where you can find about Alby's voyage.
Mario
|
| April 4, 2009 |
1. I appreciate the story provided by Morgan Hall who keeps providing so many other things for the club, we should be embarrassed by now that many others of us have been a bit lax keeping up with Morgan's contributions. Here is his story:
Hi Harold,
I figured I'd give you the recap of the day. I will have to see what I can collect as far as pictures go. I only took a couple, but my friend Mike came out and he took quite a few. Maybe I can get him to put some on a jump drive and then I can sort them out and send a few your way. (And Mike did provide the pictures) Saturday was a pretty busy day at Avenal. We had a visiting pilot, Todd Robinson who normally flies out of Williams and Crazy Creek. He came down with his ASW-20 to visit me and give Avenal a try. Todd, my friend Charlie and I camped out in the clubhouse on Friday night for a little more social of a weekend. Saturday morning was crisp and clear with calm conditions. These filled in a bit out of the NE, but nothing like the winds seen in the previous two days with morning winds generally less than 10mph. Alex's RASP maps were calling for lift in the 4-5 knot range and the top of lift at around 5000 in the valley and 7000 over the mountains. By 10:00 people started showing up. Jim Burgess, our officer of the day was present bright and early as was Alex. Todd and I were busy replacing the Mylar on the horizontal stabilizer of GD. While I soak and scraped my way through years of adhesive, Todd set up his ASW-20F, TR. A nice guy by the name of Yutaka Buto came out to join the club. I was busy cursing the fortitude of the adhesive on my stabilizer and didn't get his complete story. From what Alex told me, Yutaka is a commercial pilot flying smaller transport and cargo runs from the Bay area to Burbank. Hopefully we will see him out more regularly and get to know him as he is our newest member. Later in the day he had a couple of flights with Alex and did great, taking the whole tow on the second flight. Apparently he has a bit of time in gliders from years back, but is very solid. Frank Owen and his friend Christoph from Munich came out in Frank's Cessna 150 and they went up in the 2-33. Julie drove out a bit later and brought another friend of ours, Mike Simpson with the hopes of getting an introductory flight. By noon we had light and variable winds and some dust devils rolling through. Another potential club member came by. Candice lives over in Visalia I believe. She's retired and just a few months ago got her glider add-on down in Arizona. She's looking to join the club and learn to soar. Additionally, she is interested in towing. We talked a bit before I launched, I hope she got the information she needs and will be joining us soon. Frank and Christoph were the first to go up in the 2-33. I'm not sure how high they towed, but they worked some light and disorganized lift, staying up for at least a 40 minute flight or more. Steve took his Discus and disappeared for the rest of the afternoon. Julie flew the 1-26 and worked some lift for a few hundred feet but the non-round thermals gave her a bit of trouble and she came down all too quickly. Todd took the next tow and was surprised when Loyal took him off to the right instead of out towards the mountains. Over town they hit a solid thermal and Todd released at about 1200agl which he quickly cored out and began working his way towards the mountains. Bart was next up in the Blanik, launching around 1:30 or so and was doing very well. I slipped in the launch line after Bart and took the next tow. It was a bit rowdy down low, but there was at least lift. After dancing with Loyal for a few minutes I released around 2700 to sniff out my own lift. I quickly found the last thermal we'd bumped through and began to climb. Nothing too strong, but solid all the way around at 2-3knots or so. Bart and Todd were working in the same area and we all worked our separate cores up through 5000. Todd headed to the mountains and Bart seemed to head toward the Kettleman hills. Julie took another tow and last I saw was crossing underneath me on the way towards Tar Peak. Todd and I worked toward Black Mountain, appreciating the legs that our ASW-20's offered. The lift in the mountains was a bit ragged, but a few climbs to 7000+ were possible, most topped out in the 6700 range. Todd and I got separated and although I loitered for a bit, he eventually returned to the valley to head towards Coalinga. I stuck to the mountains and had something of a repeat of last week's flight. I pushed across Priest Valley and up the Diablo Range north of Coalinga to about 7 miles shy of Hernandez reservoir before turning and heading for home finishing with a 36 mile final glide from about 6600. Todd made it most of the way to Coalinga, working lift along the highway to about 5k. From what I understand Bart continued to work and climb in the vicinity of the airport finally succumbing to responsibility and pulling the dive brakes in order to return the Blanik to Alex for more training flights. He apparently found this "Avenal Effect" I keep hearing about and was only able to achieve about 3 knots descent with full dive brakes and a slip. Too bad he won't get that lift back some day when he will really need it. Alex took Daniel Solis up for a flight in the Blanik. I'm not sure if that was Daniel's first Blanik flight or not, hopefully he enjoyed it. Late in the day, just after I landed, Mike Simpson got his first glider ride. Mike is another hang glider pilot and did very well. Alex put him into a late afternoon thermal and they climbed out to over 5000 after 5pm. On the way down they did some stalls and slow flight. Alex even let Mike land and it was a fantastic landing. I joked that "Mike must be landing" because it was too nice of an approach and landing for it to have been a first timer. The joke was on me. Alex took another flight, possibly with Yutaka and then Bart took the last flight of the day and had a nice flight in the dwindling hours of daylight. Overall it was a nice day and everyone had fun and probably learned something new. more info |
| March 28, 2009 |
1. It was definitely a busy day today. Although we had two landouts, Mario landed out after nearly completing his goal of flying the Alby sculpture all the way to Tehachapi. The Alby, named after one of the greatest soaring birds of all time, the albatross, is seeking to be carried by glider all the way across the United States and back again. You can follow his adventures by linking to his website: http://albysvoyage.blogspot.com/2008/06/albys-story.html and see how far he's been traveling. He carries a spot satellite receiver/transmitter to have real time information sent back to his web site as he is being carried to the next destination. Here is Mario's story of his attempt to reach Tehachapi: Hi Sergio, I had been watching the 3-day forecasts everyday and Saturday was looking good. Driving to Avenal from Fresno the sky looked very hazy, without clouds, not your typical good looking soaring day. We assembled early and I intended to be in the air about 1 PM. I was hoping I could get to Tehachapi early so I could fly back to Avenal. The RUC forecast showed that at 2 PM conditions could be good in the valley. The two pilots who had flown on Friday said the forecasts had been too optimistic and where skeptical of this one. However when Steve Schery got off tow around 12:30 he called that he was climbing through 5300' msl. I took off at 12:46 and took a 2000' tow then climbed to 4600' msl in my 1st thermal and by this time Steve was at 7000'. The day looked very promising. I headed out toward the southeast, a little to the right of the course line at 1:08 with an altitude of 5900'. I wanted to check how the air was between the mountains and the valley. I found a thermal and went up to 5800'. And while cruising my netto showed we were in a convergence. Things were looking good and the forecast seemed to be right on. When I found my next thermal I was going to turn toward the east and head for Tehachapi but I continued sinking and found nothing until I was down to 2000' agl with Begrudge off to the west. Here I climbed slowly back up to almost 3900' msl. This was beginning to feel like a day when you are in this area where you have to stretch your glide to get away from the green fields and make it to the barren dry areas near Elk Hills. Once you make it past the fields below you head for Elk Hills for about 10 miles going SE keeping your left wing looking at green fields and the right one looking at barren dry ground. Usually you will find a shear line, and if not, at least a thermal along this line. About 3 miles out I again was down to 2000' agl until I found a thermal and slowly climbed back to about 4500' msl. The mountains 30 miles off to the S and E looked terrible and I decided to continue going SE to Buena Vista, a man-made lake about 3.5 miles long with a combination of bare hard ground to N and cultivated fields to the S and E. Again, a shear is usually lurking here somewhere even on the weakest of days. I arrived at at about 2300' agl and the shear got us back to 4000' msl. We now headed E and glided about 6 miles to I-5 Freeway getting down 2500' agl. None of the fields gave any sign of lift and so I turned SE and flew down the freeway slowly losing altitude for about 4 miles until I finally caught a thermal where we crawled back to 2300' agl. While climbing I had noticed some small dust devils close together about 2 miles to the SW and went for them. They got me back up to 2700' agl. I then headed W again toward the 99 Freeway 4 miles away and climbed in a thermal to 3200 agl along the way. At the 99 we only found a little bump so we continued on. At this time the air felt less buoyant. Looking at the NAM forecast after the flight it shows here is where I would be going into an area of reduced lift. (I will have more respect in the future for NAM) I glided down going to the ENE 10 miles toward the town of Arvin and landed there at the J and J Crop Duster strip at 3:27. I looked at Bear Mountain looming down on me to the east with Tehachapi hidden behind it. I was 20 miles short, and I will have to try again. Over the years it has always been a great adventure trying reach this goal. It is indeed possible. The 1st time was in my Blanik when I thought anything was possible, then the Nugget and the ASW20 when I knew better. The crew at J and J were very friendly and hospitable, and I could not had made this attempt without the assistance of my crew, Don Van Wyk, who gave up a day of flying at Avenal where they were topping out at 8300' msl. Mario P.S. There is a possibility that Alby wants to spend a little more time with soaring ravens of Avenal. 2. The other landout was Rich Miller who, after touring the mountains north of Avenal all day, got low near Priest Valley and picked a nice pasture to set down his LP-49. Here are two stories of the day and the retrieve. First Alex's story of March 28 and 29: Hi Harold, I flew on Saturday with Jerry Keeler. He had ridden out to Avenal on his motorcycle to go gliding after seeing the website. He actually grew up in Avenal. His father owned the Tomer Drugstore, so he knows the area very well. He had flown in a Cessna a few times but did not fly at Avenal airport when he was growing up. He was most excited about viewing everything around and in Avenal from the vantage point of the glider. He said he wanted leave handling the controls to me this time, but he may try it the next time. We did get a good ride, with a climb to about 4800 ft. Then we caught a couple of other smaller thermals and stayed up about 35-40 min. I didn't have a camera with me to take his picture, I hope you got one. Later, Joe Anastasio and I flew the Blanik. We had to work pretty hard for a while with 1-2 kt lift, but then worked our way back over the mountains and finally were able to get into the convergence zone where there was a long cloud street of cu's developing heading northwest along the mountains. Once we got in that, we shot up at about 5-6 kts to 8400ft and then were able to follow the cloud street northwest to almost even with Coalinga, but we were further west than Coalinga, over the spine of the Diablos. We could go straight for most of the way without losing any altitude and only had to stop for the very strongest lift for 2-3 turns and would then be back at cloud base. At the end, we made a long glide down to Highway 41 and back to Avenal where we landed after a 2hr 10min flight. I'm attempting to attach a screenshot of a Google Earth view of the flight trace that I uploaded from my flight recorder to the OLC. You can see how we had to circle a lot at the beginning, but once we hit the shear line and the clouds, we flew a long ways without circling very much at all. The other exciting event of the day was Rich Miller landing is LP-49 in Priest Valley. He took off early heading north. He hit the convergence and got to over 7000ft and was heading north along the spine of the Diablos. There were some early clouds starting to form along the convergence line and he saw some north of highway 198 as it crosses the Diablos. He was about 20miles west of Coalinga and realized he was not going to be able to make it to the clouds he had seen and still be able to get to a safe landing site if he did not contact lift. So he elected to land in the Priest Valley. I have flown over this many times but had not really checked it out from the ground. After Joe and I retrieved Rich, I can say there are quite a few fields there that will accommodate a glider, even the Nimbus. But there are cattle and barbed wire fences and wires in the area, so one would need to be very cautious, and have the ability to put the glider exactly where you want it. But it is a reasonable place to mark as a potential landing area. Joe and I had just gotten the Blanik ready to fly when we heard Rich landed, so we naturally decided to take our flight and then worry about retrieving Rich after we landed. This meant we got of to a bit of a late start, but fortunately, we arrived in Priest Valley just before dark and could see the glider in the field by hwy 198 and then spotted Rich sitting in a folding chair the ranch family had loaned him. They also gave him water and some cookies. We were able to drive Rich's trailer towed by Joe's truck right out into the field and disassemble the LP-49 in the dark with 2 flashlights. We then had a pleasant drive back to Coalinga where Rich bought Joe and I dinner at Perkos. The Perkos lady was closing but she felt sorry for us and stayed over a bit later to feed us. I hope Rich left her a nice tip. The drive up 198 to Priest Valley was beautiful with everything green and wild lupine growing on the side of the road. It was quite cold up there once the sun went down, and I had neglected to take a jacket. However, lifting the wingtips on the LP-49 generated enough body heat to keep me from getting hypothermia. Unfortunately, I didn't have a camera to record where Rich landed. But I can show you on Google Earth. On Sunday, Bart Klusek came down from Davis. He had already soloed in the 2-33 and the Blanik, but it was extremely windy with crosswind from the right on Sunday, so we just did 2 dual 3,000ft tows to get some experience in the conditions for him. There was some 0 sink, but we were not able to climb. It was quite rough on tow. The wind was out of the North. There may have been some ridge lift by Tar Canyon, but we were afraid we might not be able to glide back into the very strong wind from there, so we didn't try it. We thought we might have been able drift backwards over the ground when flying into the wind, it seemed that windy, but we were still moving very slightly forward over the ground with an indicated airspeed of 40 mph, so the wind was probably in the lower to mid 30 kt range at altitude. Lemoore NAS was reporting steady 29kts wind with gusts to 39 kts. It didn't seem quite that windy at Avenal. There was a lot of dust blowing off several farm fields up by Coalinga. Bart did very well handling the X wind take off and landing and got to experience the effect of the wind gradient, which is accentuated as you get down low on final approach with the right Xwind at we had at Avenal, because of the turbulent wind coming over the trees and buildings along the right side of the runway. He will be coming out again soon, and is ready to fly as often as he can and make the push towards getting his license. Alex Now for Joe Anastasio's narrative of the day: Harold, I feel pretty foolish for not taking pictures of the
retrieve. First of all, it was beautiful out there, secondly, it was kind of
fun. Joe Anastasio
3. Yes, there were other people flying today. Two men traveling around the western U.S. decided to go for a demo ride. Steve Harris from New York City and Jamie Lipman from the United Kingdom arrived at Avenal hoping to go aloft. It took awhile because it was that busy here today, but we finally got them both aloft. Their flights weren't too long but enough for them to enjoy the time in the air. 4. Jeff Lowe, Jerry Smeltzer, and Julie Butler all flew the 1-26. Norm Lambert flew the 2-33 getting closer to his solo day, while Bob Stroup also flew the 2-33 working toward his solo as well. Julie and I flew the Orange Crush for a refresher flight and a renewal of her solo privileges. Morgan Hall flew the ASW-20 for several hours and arrived early evening. No problem since he and Julie were planning on staying overnight anyway. 5. Alex and Joe Anastasio flew the Blanik high and long, returning late afternoon in time to retrieve Rich Miller from Priest Valley. Steve Schery flew his Discus and was aloft more than four hours.more info |
| March 21, 2009 |
1. Late Friday afternoon, Dave Pilati and friend flew the Blanik out past the West Ridge. Ooopps!! Sink, no lift. So they headed in the same general direction as did Dave Johnson two summers ago, and it turns out they were only about a mile from where Dave touched down in the 1-26 on 9-2-7. It actually turned out to be a very nice area, with much room for disassembly. Trouble is, the Blanik is trouble ... to get the wings off. Took forever ... frustratingly so. Finally all of them returned to the gliderport some time after 1:00 pm, having left for the retrieve about 8:30 am. Then, assembly of the Blanik took so much less time than disassembly, and finally the sailplane was at rest in its tiedown area. 2. Mario Crosina, our resident expert on Blaniks, assembled a crew and some tools and with Dave Johnson's four-wheel drive Chevy Tahoe they headed off into the mountains. Later on, Joe Anastasio and Richard Walker worried about the integrity of the trailer they used, and decided to hook up Richard's Schweizer 1-35 trailer to Joe's pickup truck and find the landout site. They did, and had enough material with them to strengthen the first trailer. They all got back safely and with no incidents on the highway. 3. Bob Stroup and I stayed behind to watch over the place, and do some training. Turns out the flat and the West Ridge weren't working but the Kettleman Hills were booming. Lift to 10 knots, heights to 7600 msl. Bob and I went up once, then I suggested Alex fly with Bob for some different approaches to teaching from Alex to Bob. They had a great time, and soared up over 6500 msl, highest Bob has been in his training cycle. Bob continues to work hard at getting to solo and progress is steady. 4. Karl Kunz arrived mid-afternoon in his Cessna 180 and after some prodding, he "reluctantly" agreed he probably should fly the 1-26. Here is what he told me in his email, along with the two photos he sent:
Harold, you left early so I missed you when I returned in the 1-26. Thanks
for pushing me to go soaring, it was a great flight. I had 5-10 kts lift and got
as high as 7600' over the Kettlemans. The wind came up in the late afternoon
which produced some beautiful lenticulars and got the tumbleweeds blowing. Here
are some photos taken with a cell phone. See ya soon -
5. Chris Karapostoles came out again this weekend and flew two flights. Seems the strong lift hadn't yet begun so he didn't stay up too long. And he took only two flights so perhaps next time he'll be here when the thermals trigger strongly. 6. I'm not sure whether the crew that retrieved the Blanik did any flying today. It was mid-afternoon when they finally got the Blanik assembled, then headed for lunch at Debbie's. If they did fly, the lift was still good over the Hills and they might even have gotten into the wave that blew on into evening. more info |
| March 14, 2009 |
1. You may recall that two weeks ago Chris
came out to Avenal from Lemoore NAS for the first time and took a demo ride. He
liked it, and decided to join the club and work for his commercial add-on rating
for gliders. So he came back today and we were able to get all the maneuvers
done in three flights at which time I felt very comfortable allowing him to solo
the 2-33. He is quite competent in the glider probably as a result of his
training in the Hornet (very similar to the Orange Crush, of course) and the
other ratings he's accomplished over the past few years. CONGRATULATIONS,
CHRIS, AND AFTER A FEW IN THE 2-33 YOU'LL BE ELIGIBLE FOR FLIGHT IN THE 1-26.
"Harold,
3. Jeff Lowe also flew the 1-26 twice today and had two nice flights. He's getting close to working on his license and will have to be switching to the 2-33 soon because that's what he'll be taking his checkride in. 4. Joe Anastasio flew the Blanik, up as long as he wanted, enjoyed his return to Avenal for the first time in over a month. He was refueling the reactor at Diablo Canyon (well, not him exactly, but close enough) for the entire month and was glad to get back into soaring. 5. Bob Stroup was here today as well, learning more, getting better at controlling the glider on tow as well as off. We're going to work hard at seeing him solo on his next birthday if at all possible. Stay tuned. 6. After the CCSC Board meeting, the members headed out to their gliders as part of the group of twelve that were aloft all afternoon. It was a fun day for everyone, even for those on the ground who were content with watching gliders all over the sky, back and forth, north to south, and returning. I hope all of you around the world who watched the activity on the field video cameras enjoyed the day as well. 7. Michael Savaria provided his usual excellent assistance for all the glider pilots, hooking them up, running the wing, conveying messages to his Dad in the tow plane, and just being an awfully nice guy to have around. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP, MICHAEL, FROM ALL OF US. more info |
| March 7, 2009 |
1. Approaching Avenal from Fresno I was impressed by the sky and clouds in the distance. Beautiful white, puffy, cumulus clouds, deep blue sky, warm sun, and light wind. Seems like a recipe for great soaring. And indeed it was. Everyone who came out to Avenal had a great flight. Most of the high-performance sailplanes were aloft over 4 hours and some over 5 hours. It was hard to make oneself come down from that wonderful scene because in order to lose altitude you had to open the dive brakes and stick the nose down. Otherwise the lift kept you up almost wherever you flew. As you can see from the photos, it was a classic, picturesque day, one for the painters and their canvases. 2. Alex Caldwell was out early, knowing in advance the soaring would be great. He didn't know how beautiful the sky would be but that was just the icing on the cake. He assembled and was aloft in no time. I believe he was up over 5 hours and probably could have been there 6 or 7 hours. 3. Mike Savaria had a friend visit him, named Glen Cannon (Glen Canyon?) who lives in Eureka, CA. He had driven down for the weekend to visit with Mike and Loyal and was driving back on Sunday. He wanted a nice long flight, "no matter what the cost". So, up we went as the first sailplane aloft (sniffer). Indeed we found lift everywhere, with cloud bases at 5000 msl early in the afternoon, just past one o'clock. And up we stayed for about an hour and twenty minutes. He wanted to go again after my students so we set off the second flight for a few hours. Later on, the lift started going away as early as 4:15 pm and Glen decided to come back again another day, a good decision considering he already had a nice long flight to remember. 4. Jerry Smeltzer flew the 1-26 and was up for well over an hour, up over 5200 msl, and came down only because he thought someone else might want to use the glider. 5. Mario Crosina and Jerry Badal arrived together, assembled their gliders, and both launched within a few minutes of one another. Again, both pilots were aloft nearly five hours, and the only thing that brought Jerry back was a high speed dash for the gliderport, prompted only by the lack of any more bladder capacity. He made it, although he left his glider on the runway as he ran for the bathroom. 6. Doug Staudmeister took the Blanik and went aloft just about 1:00 pm. I left at about 4:40 pm and Doug was still in the air. Here's what Doug had to say: "Great day as you mentioned. Up for about 4 hrs, max alt 5200' MSL, spent most of the day between 3500 and 4500, max lift 400 fpm (most thermals were 100-200 fpm), ventured about a mile south of 41/33 along Reef Ridge before working my way back upwind along the western edge of the Kettleman Hills. Shared a few thermals with the Glass Pack (Mario, Jerry and Alex); the Blanik held her own in the climb but was no match when they sped off to the next thermal. Practiced entering/exiting thermals, speed to fly between the cumulus, straight/banked stalls, slow speed flight (worked the smaller thermals with 1/2 flap)". 7 Stephanie Southworth is a Kings County Deputy Sheriff who came out to the gliderport on her break. She talked to me about glider demo flights and after the conversation she called her Mom in Exeter and told her to come out to Avenal right now, for a demo ride. Not too much later, Mom-Cherri and Dad-Steve, arrived on their Harley's. Steve almost decided to take a flight but at the last moment thought Cherri should do it alone. So, up we went, and Cherri had a nice time aloft, not particularly interested in anything other than some sightseeing in a very quiet environment. After that, they rode together back home and who knows if we'll see them again any time soon. But perhaps they'll get the bug and come back for more. We hope so 'cause they seem like really nice people and excellent prospective club members. more info |
| February 28, 2009 |
1. We welcome Chris Karapostoles, a FA-18 Hornet pilot from Lemoore NAS. Chris did his first instructional flight in a glider and did exceptionally well, handling most of the flight with no difficulty. I expect Chris to move quickly to his Commercial add-on rating. His aviation experience is quite varied having flown or made ratings in a variety of aircraft from helicopters to seaplanes. He attended Annapolis, the Naval Academy, and is currently stationed at Lemoore. So he's nearby and can get to the gliderport with ease. 2. Bob Stroup continues his training, moving closer to the day when he's back in the air solo. His limbs seem to be up to the challenge getting more movement each time we go aloft. He needs no encouragement because he has become a devoted soaring fan. Watch his progress over the next few months. 3. Norm Lambert was on hand again, continuing his training, getting ever closer to solo. Just smoothing out a few rough edges and he'll be ready. Norm is certainly dedicated to achieving his Pilot's License and we are going to help make that dream come true. 4. Daniel Solis keeps his skill set current with continuing flight activity. Today he was scheduled to fly the 1-26 but opted instead to fly the 2-33 since it was already preflighted and out on the launch line. Daniel is a fine pilot who will excel at almost anything he attempts. We're happy to have him as one of us in the Club. 5. Doug Staudmeister was on hand today, not to fly, but to go over the knowledge material in preparation for his oral exam that is not too distant in the future. With a few practice flights, and more oral prep, Doug will be ready to take the Private Pilot check ride for his add-on rating. He's already made some pretty long flights in the Blanik and does well at thermalling. more info |
| February 21, 2009 |
1. A gray day to be sure, but fun anyway. Not too many showed up but those that did are part of the faithful that seem to be there regularly. And some in training heading for solo or for their licenses. 2. Norm Lambert continues his quest for his solo rating. It should be soon since we have very little left to accomplish according to the FAR's and his skill level. That day should be fun for all of us. 3. Julie Butler was soloing in the 2-33 from the far end, which I believe was the first time she had taken off in that direction, nearly over the clubhouse, close enough to keep an eye on her. Who can blame us?? 4. Jeff Lowe flew the 1-26 early, then flew with me for a refresher flight later on in the 2-33. He was a bit rusty on the maneuvers but that happens to all solo pilots without periodic reminders from a flight instructor. Later, when those maneuvers are embedded in their skill set, the rust takes much longer to set in. When Jeff and I flew, there was a wave aloft as evidenced by the two long rows of lenticulars shown in the photo of Jeff keeping the wings level. 5. Morgan Hall came out specifically to work on his ASW-20 and did so all day, earning a sore back in the process of leaning into the cockpit too long at a time. But he made the insides of the glider as good looking as the day it arrived from the factory. Thanks, Morgan. 6. Bob Stroup flew with me and continues to improve his skills. His left foot, once thought to be useless on the rudder pedals, found new life and can actually move the pedal nearly as strongly as the right foot. Now that's a great form of rehabilitation. Let's keep that going and maybe soon his left arm will gain back it's lost strength. Don't bet against him these days. 7. Daniel Solis went flying today in the 1-26 and just maintained his currency, rather than any sort of intense training. He's recovered from his cloud encounter and feels good about what he learned. 8. Richard Walker was here today as well but didn't fly, just worked around the clubhouse improving the appearance and fixing some items that needed attention. more info |
| February 14, 2009 | No flying today, weather too iffy. |
| February 7, 2009 |
1. As you can see from the photos, it was a very convective day. Widely scattered rain showers didn't affect our soaring too much. Once in awhile we'd get a little rain over the field but most of the time, the rain missed us. The various cumulus clouds gave us moderate lift strength underneath and occasionally moderate lift between the clouds. It couldn't have been more picturesque for soaring above and around the magnificent cloud forms. Every so often the clouds would overdevelop but even with that, the lift didn't go away appreciably. The fiberglass sailplanes were up as long as they wanted to be, or their bladders could hold out. The students who flew were very satisfied with their performance and the amount of time they could stay aloft. And at the end of the day, the sun and clouds made for spectacular sunsets that changed each minute, making photography both satisfying and somewhat frustrating because every minute there would be another great shot to take and store. I've included here only a fraction of the sky scenes I took near the end of the day. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did taking them. 2. Morgan Hall and Mario Crosina flew their racing sailplanes, staying up quite long, well over two hours and likely could have remained aloft all day. The only difference was that cloud bases were low enough to keep them from getting higher but still could easily go from Avenal to Coalinga to 41/33 intersection and back again while losing only a small fraction of the altitude they gained. 3. Alex Caldwell found the 1-26 idle after my sniffer flight so he decided to go aloft and check it out for himself. Like the rest of us, he found good lift, stayed up awhile, and came back in time for Julie to fly the 1-26. 4. Julie Butler also flew and was aloft at the same time as Morgan. They flew together for some time and I was able to photograph them together from my ground location. Some of the shots of Julie appearing high above the grandeur of the cumulus formations were definitely keepers. Julie did very well making sure she had all the lift needed but remaining clear of areas where she might have been sucked up into the base of a cloud. 5. Daniel Solis also flew the 1-26 and had a similar flight to Julie's. But he got a bit too close to cloud base accidentally and found himself in more cloud than he anticipated. He reacted as he was trained to do, and was able to get to the side in the clear where he found even more lift that took him up to the highest altitude of the day, at 5400 msl. I'm sure he now has the greatest respect for the increasing strength of lift near cloud base and how easy it is to misjudge one's distance from murky clouds. 6. Thanks to Morgan having assembled and flown the ASW-20 earlier in the day, and urging me to take it aloft, I did fly in mid-afternoon "and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air" (J. G. Magee, "High Flight"). Most of the time I just sat there in the air-tight silence of the sailplane's cockpit in wonderment at the awesome scenes everywhere around me. If you've never experienced such beauty and breathtaking vistas then you must investigate flying in a glider on these types of days. I never got very high in altitude but I got more than high in mind and emotions. 7. Late in the day, Morgan installed another video camera to be pointed at the launch end of the gliderport where most of the activity takes place. However in doing so, and so late that it was quite dark, something occurred when hooking it up to the computer and the Internet that disabled one of the cameras. That should be fixed next time we are at Avenal. For the time being, the camera pointing northwest will have to do. more info |
| January 31, 2009 |
1. The turnout for our Annual Meeting was the best we've seen in years. There were a total of 38 people on the field, most of whom were club members there for the meeting. No need to go into details. The President will probably formalize the notes from the meeting and we'll post them here in subsequent pages. Thanks to everyone for showing up at our Meeting. 2. Morgan Hall enjoyed his first flight in the ASW-20. Right after the meeting he began assembling it and with Mario's input, he got quite a few lessons in the assembly and operation of that glider. For those of you who recognize it as my glider, Morgan Hall is now an equal partner in the glider and I am really happy to have him fly it and help maintain it. Since I rarely get to fly solo, it didn't make much sense owning the glider alone. And when Morgan decides to fly it, and assembles it, I will likely have a better chance at flying it than I might have otherwise. Morgan's takeoff was smooth, no significant oscillations and he remained aloft much longer than I thought possible with the very weak conditions. Finally he reappeared and his first landing was smooth and uneventful. He did acknowledge getting quite a kick out of flying it. No doubt it's a huge difference from the 1-26 or the Blanik. I am looking forward to flying much more this season knowing the glider will already have been assembled and ready after Morgan is finished flying for the day. 3. Grandpa Nunez brought his grandson, Noah, out to Avenal again today. You may recall he was here on January 17th for Noah's first glider flight. Today, Francisco brought his wife, Yolanda, to Avenal for her first glider flight. She really enjoyed the thrill and the smooth quiet of glider flying. 4. Jeff Lowe flew the 1-26, and like most of us today, didn't find much in the way of positive lift, other than some zero sink. But at least he flew and stayed current. I expect Jeff will pursue his license with fervor now that the weather is beginning to clear up with spring thermals on the horizon. 5. Peter Sahlberg flew the 1-26 as well, found no lift, and returned no quite disappointed. For the remainder of the day, Peter stayed around and like a good club member, helped out those on the launch line who needed assistance. 6. Julie Butler flew once with me to review her skill set. She did quite well especially boxing the wake, a maneuver most students don't practice by themselves, so they get rusty and a bit sloppy when asked to perform it. But Julie surprised me with her competence on the task. The rest of the day she spent photographing her honey, Morgan, who was intent on the ASW-20 and hardly noticed anyone, except perhaps Mario Crosina, who was there from assemble to first flight and disassembly. Morgan and I really appreciated the time and effort Mario put in to help out with this important event. 7. Bruce and Polly Patton arrived in their RV-6, a beautiful aircraft that Bruce built himself. We haven't seen Polly for many months so it was nice that she could accompany Bruce to Avenal. 8. Harlow Voorhees brought his son, Tom, and friend, Tavar Zawacki, out to Avenal for some time in the Blanik. First, though, Harlow needed some refresher flights and we did three, including a rope break at 200 agl. Then Harlow took Tavar up first, and when the returned Tavar had quite a smile on his face. Harlow's son, Tom, an excellent pilot himself, took his turn in the Blanik and it would be nice to see Tom come back and earn his add-on rating. Harlow thinks that might be possible so we'll be looking for them both sometime soon. 9. Bob Stroup came out to Avenal with me this morning and by mid-afternoon he was ready for his two flights. Bob is determined to get his glider add-on rating and based on his performance to date, I'm sure he will. If it was up to him, he'd be flying seven days a week just to get it done. Perhaps we can accelerate his training cycle a bit more than just on Saturdays. 10. Luke Owen went up with me for a nice flight. Luke took the controls in flight and did quite well, handling the stick smoothly and confidently. If he decides to get his license, I have no doubt he could do it with no difficulty. 11. Paul Hanson went up for a short flight, again because of the almost nonexistent lift everywhere in the area. 12. Steve Schery and Frank Owen flew the Blanik with the same result. Nice smooth flying, no good lift. But spring is nigh upon us and that means vertical development, with booming thermals. 13. Kurt Colvin and friend flew to Avenal in separate aircraft. I know Kurt's was a Husky and I think the other aircraft was the same. Not sure, tho. 14. Daniel Solis arrived for his weekly flights in the 1-26. He's still enjoying the great feeling of transitioning from the 2-33 to the 1-26. But one of these days, we'll have to get him back into the 2-33 in preparation for his Pilot's License. 15. Stay tuned. We may have a second camera installed to show all of the launch area all day long. That's really where the most action is during our busy days. The current camera will still be in use but pointing slight to the right where it's null position will be pretty much towards Black Mountain. more info |
| January 24, 2009 |
1. For those of you who joined the CCSC and began your flight training before 8-30-08, take note. That's the day Morgan joined and today he's our newest Private Pilot. So, it can be done in just a few months and Morgan proved it for all our other students. All one needs is: money, time, dedication, discipline, and a partner like Julie Butler who is competing for her own license and breathing down your neck weeks on end. All that helps and all we can say is: CONGRATULATIONS MORGAN, WELL DONE !! By the way, he also scored a 97% on his written exam, a bit of an overachiever I confess, but his success should be an inspiration for our other students who need to get moving towards their own licenses
2. Hi Harold, ... I thought I'd send this picture of Virgilio Tayong from Fresno in the 2-33, in case you want to use it on the web page. He came out late on Saturday with some of his family after you left, but it was too late to fly. They had gotten lost on the way over and the sun had just set when they arrived. His daughters Cori and Marilyn had wanted to buy him a glider ride for his 71st birthday. I felt bad that they got there too late, and he really wanted to fly, so I agreed to meet them there on Sunday. Virgilio came out with daughters Cori and Marilyn and her husband Sunny. Virgilio went up first. The others were a bit apprehensive, but Virgilio loved it. So then Cori decided to go up, we got a little bit of zero sink for a short time on both flights. ... Alex 3. 3. Pete Suddjian drove out to Avenal with me on Monday and went flying. Pete's been a power pilot for many years and we belong to the same organization I had given a presentation to a few weeks earlier. He decided to see what our club was all about and did quite well on his first flight in our 2-33. Perhaps Pete will join our club and get his add-on rating. He'd make a fine club member and would join Bob Stroup and I on our journey to Avenal on Saturday mornings. more info |
| January 17, 2009 |
1. The wonderful story is that Bob Stroup used to fly hundreds of hours every year. He owned several power planes, most notably a P-210, a pressurized Cessna single engine, six-place aircraft. But somewhere past, he had a stroke and that cost him his flying, and his driving. He thought, as he probably was right in thinking, that his flying days were over. But, January 9, I gave a presentation to a group of high-time power pilots and Bob was there. I guess it was the first time he realized that, just maybe, soaring would be his path to flying again. So, today, Bob drove out with me to Avenal, and indeed, he flew again from the front seat of the 2-33. I can assure you he did well, doing all the four fundamentals of flight in a smooth manner. He wasn't at all afraid of steep turns even though he had virtually no prior experience in flying engineless aircraft. He was smooth on the controls, not hesitant to fly the glider from the moment of release until touchdown. And the second flight he took much of the tow, making mistakes like any new pilot to the idea of being on tow behind a power plane. His landing the second time was unassisted from about 50 feet on down to a touchdown which he accomplished with the dexterity he probably had when he was flying power planes. So we hope he continues his training in gliders and soon will fly again, solo, in the bluest of skies. Yes, he has some limited use of his left leg and left arm but we can overcome that with clever ideas and his persistence, of which I have no doubt he possesses. Oh, and just a side note; he said he scored a double header today. He flew for the first time in years, and drove for the first time in years. Right away, as soon as he got to Avenal, I had him driving the golf cart and towing the gliders to the launch area. Yes, he did fine, and we might just make him the Official Driver of the Avenal Golfcart. NASCAR has nothing on Bob. 2. Steve Schery arrived from the Bay Area just for one flight. He didn't spend much time at Avenal before heading back home to the peninsula. Before he left, however, he did sniff for us and reported back on the absence of lift. 3. Joe Anastasio was here today doing some work on the gliders and just generally having a nice time in the warm sun. I don't know whether he flew but if so, it would have been in the 1-26. 4. Jerry Smeltzer came out today and flew the 1-26 reporting he found no lift at all. That pretty well jibes with what others found in their searches. But there were some weak (50 fpm) thermals over town that cycled on and off. 5. Francisco Nunez brought his grandson out to Avenal for their first glider rides. Francisco lives in town at the east end, and Noah Nunez, five years old, lives in Lemoore. Noah was up first and after piling the seat cushions high enough, we strapped him in and launched. He did well, enjoyed the scenery and most surprising of all, he directed me to his grandpa's house, recognizing it from the air. Not too many people could have done that. I was a bit skeptical it really was the right house until I took Grandpa Nunez aloft and he confirmed it was his house. They both really enjoyed the flight and Francisco assured me he would bring Noah back another day soon. We'll look forward to having them both here at Avenal, even if just to watch the flight operations and enjoy the members who are present. more info |
| January 10, 2009 |
1. Somehow Daniel Solis likes doing his first solos late in the afternoon so that by the time he's done, darkness has settled in. It was the same with his solo in the 2-33 and again for the 1-26. But in both cases Daniel was nice enough to put off his flying solo until someone else had completed their flights. Actually late in the day is a nice time to solo because most of the turbulence has subsided and the air is smooth aloft. Daniel did well as I expected him to and now he is able to solo both the 2-33 and the 1-26. 2. Joe Anastasio flew the Blanik this afternoon and finding only a little lift, still had a nice time aloft. And, he was maintaining currency in all the club's gliders, something all the members should do during the year. 3. After having achieved a 97% on his written test, Morgan Hall is now close to his checkride. So today, we did the required three practice checkrides and the next step will be for him to schedule time with Dan Gudgel for the license. We look forward to Morgan getting his license, an accomplishment that I hope all our club students can strive for in the early months of this year. I know it is tempting to just continue on as a solo pilot but if you have soloed and have achieved a substantial amount of flight experience, then the logical next step is to prepare for, and get your Private Pilot's License. 4. Julie Butler flew the 1-26 as she continues to stay close to Morgan in her quest for her Private Pilot's License. With the two of them working together and being together it makes the task much easier for both. If you are a student pilot and not necessarily inspired to work on your license, get someone close to you, friend, neighbor, family member, relative, to sign up in the club and begin their project towards their license. Working together is most serendipitous with each pushing the other, and studying together. 5. Jeff Lowe is also about at the progress point where Julie Butler is and they might consider working together on the study portion of the written exam. Or Morgan could counsel them both because of his high score on his written exam. Either way, both Julie and Jeff could be the next after Morgan to get their licenses. That would be just great for them and for the club. 6. Just another beautiful day at Avenal. The lift wasn't so good, but the clear sky, warm sun, and good camaraderie all make for enjoyable Saturday afternoons. more info |
| January 3, 2009 |
1. Scott Naumann flew here in his Cessna 180 and brought along his friend Tom Ronay. Scott joined the club, checked out in the 2-33 and took Tom for a few launches. Scott is a long time glider pilot and flight instructor who also happens to be a pilot on the 777 for United Airlines based at SFO. We welcome Scott and Tom, and perhaps as things go forward, Tom might also join the CCSC. WELCOME TO THE CCSC, SCOTT !! 2. Morgan Hall and Julie Butler were here today as they have been visiting regularly for the past few months. Morgan was flying the Blanik more in anticipation of his moving up into the ASW 20. Julie didn't fly but had fun helping Morgan get launched, and just being around the field. 3. Joe Anastasio was working on the maintenance issues as well as flying the 1-26. Not much lift but most of those who launched did so into a very clear sky with views in all directions. Joe, like the rest of us, enjoys even a non-lifting flight. What's the saying? "A non-lift flight in a glider is better than an hour in a power plane." Or something like that. 4. Daniel Solis came out, flew a few flights, and stayed around to help out others in their launches. Daniel will likely be soloing the 1-2 soon since he has been gaining experience with multiple solos in the 2-33. 5. Jerry Smeltzer came out to see what was happening but decided not to fly based on the lack of lift available. I guess he's never heard of that saying quoted in (3) above. more info |
| December 27, 2008 |
1. Hanna Marlette came back from the Air Force Academy on leave for the holidays and was moved to visit us here in Avenal. She looks great so I guess the discipline and hard work at the USAFA is good for her. She managed to overcome some virus attacks (the medical kind) and isn't any the worse for wear. She flew the 2-33 today with me and hasn't lost any of her glider flying skills. Back to the USAFA she goes on or after January 4th and again we wish her great success in her future at the Academy. 2. Jeff Lowe's friend, Chris Gray, had some previous power training some years ago but has never flown a glider. So today, he had his first introduction to hanging on to the stick while on tow, and working hard with his feet on the rudders off tow. I think he'd do well if he decided to take up the sport and might be nice for he and Jeff to travel together to Avenal on Saturdays. 3. Morgan Hall and Julie Butler decided to build a concrete pad for one of the gliders and that's the first order of business for each of them. As we said before, neither Morgan nor Julie let anything stop them from making great contributions to our club and its facilities. Thank you both on behalf of all the CCSC Club Members. 4. Jeff Lowe went aloft twice in the 1-26, had fun, didn't set any duration records but enjoyed the unlimited visibility and the smooth air. It's a good time for everyone to practice maneuvers to see just how well one can perform them in the absence of bumpy air. Maneuvers like boxing the wake, steering the tow plane, straight and turning stalls, MCA, steep turns rolling out on predetermined headings, forward slips to a landing, etc. 5. My son, Harold III, went for a glider ride today since he didn't get to go last week when his kids went up. This was his second or third flight and I think the last time was back in May, 2002. He enjoyed the experience but probably won't be flying gliders on his own any time soon. With two young kids, and based at Ft. Lewis, Washington, he won't have much chance to get started on such training. 6. My grandkids, Sara and Andrew, went up again today. Sara liked it as much as last week, but Andrew wasn't as impressed this time. I think the only reason he went up is because his older sister went up. 7. Morgan Hall and I went up in the Blanik specifically for spin training. We were able to get four of them done with a 4000 agl tow. That means he did them exceptionally well, recovered quickly, regained some of the lost altitude and spun it again. We did two from the traditional straight ahead stall and two from the common thermaling bank stall. It was fun and instructive for Morgan and not altogether unusual since he has been flying hang gliders and was used to doing spins in them. This time the spin was a bit more adrenaline-producing but his skill at entering and recovering from the spin was both his own ability to do well at anything in-flight as well as his experience at spinning the hang glider. 8. Bart Klusek and Alex Caldwell were using the Blanik at lot during the afternoon, doing various maneuvers including spin training. Bart will likely be signed off in the Blanik as he has been in the 2-33. Alex has been giving him some very good training in the Blanik as well as good tips on beginning cross country flying. 9. Daniel Solis arrived mid-afternoon and went up for a few flights after waiting for the grandkids to have their turn. Daniel keeps adding solo flights to his log book and will be soloing the 1-26 quite soon, perhaps even next time he visits Avenal. He announced he's also taking power training at the same time so I'm sure his glider skills will really help him master power flying. Soaring is the foundation of power flying. 10. The day was slow and uneventful, with beautiful but cold weather. We had a half dozen visitors all of whom opted to come back some other time. We continue to attract visitors and that's great because often they are the next full time club members. more info |
| December 20, 2008 |
1. Andrea and Jacob Mersino accompanied me to Avenal today. Jacob is on leave for the holidays from the Air Force Academy where he just finished his first semester. He's been doing well there, as has Hanna Marlette and I know it was nice for him to get home again after being gone for seven months. Jacob flew the 1-26 while Andrea flew a refresher flight with me to 3800 msl. She did fine, hasn't lost her skill at glider flying and perhaps one day she'll opt to go for her Pilot's License. 2. Morgan Hall launched in the Blanik, solo, because the clouds were too low to get enough tow height to practice spins. He managed to eke out even the smallest amounts of lift and there were some like that in spite of most of us who went aloft to find nothing. 3. This was Julie Butler's day to solo the 1-26. She has amassed enough solo flights in the 2-33 to qualify for shifting over to the 1-26. After the presolo test and ground discussion, she executed a nearly perfect takeoff with no discernible PIO. She stayed aloft not too long then landed without incident, but chastising herself for not making the perfect landing. Overachiever? Yep, I guess that's what you'd call her. But she works at being perfect. 4. Bart Klusek from Davis, CA, came out again today and flew once with me in the 2-33. He has had training in gliders from some years ago, in England so his training here amounts to not much more than getting used to a different glider and the surrounding area. 5. Peter Mersino and Roy Norman flew in today just in time to get Andrea launched on her solo flight in the 2-33. Naturally she did fine and managed to get into enough lift near the field for us to watch as she circled for what seemed like a nice long flight. 6. The Gallagher contingent arrived mid-afternoon and I took my granddaughter and grandson for their first glider rides. Sara was quite excited about the flight and managed to comment almost continuously as the flight progressed. We found enough lift to remain aloft sufficiently for her to identify tiny houses, cars, and other objects of interest. My grandson, Andrew, on the other hand, was enthusiastic while seated in the glider on the ground. Then was a bit skeptical aloft at first, finally settling down to enjoy the scenery below him. Harold III and his wife, Tomomi, will likely go aloft next weekend if they can make it out to Avenal. 7. Bart Klusek went aloft again in late afternoon at a time when the gliding is smooth and the vistas impressive. He drives a long way down from Davis but seems to enjoy being at Avenal when he could be at other soaring sites closer to his home. 8. It wasn't a great day for lift. Weak thermals were around if you could find them and remain within them. Most of the time, it was a tow aloft and a glide down. But the weather was so nice and the visibility so good that everyone enjoyed the day. |
| December 13, 2008 |
1. The cold front passed through and the soaring was excellent all day. There were a few spots around Avenal where the lift wasn't all that good. Some reported that over the Kettleman Hills the lift wasn't doing much. But everywhere else the lift was more towards 1000 feet per minute than lower. And Loyal reported one student releasing in what Loyal pegged at 1400 feet per minute. Cloud base was initially at 7500 msl then rose to over 8000 msl as the day progressed. It was a most satisfying day for experienced pilots and for all of my student who showed up today most of whom had the best soaring flights of their careers. As most will tell you, it sure is satisfying to be circling in a thermal that is going up at 1000 feet per minute. The altimeter winds up as fast as the second hand on a clock. Lots of fun for all. 2. Since it has been sometime since Peter Sahlberg flew the 2-33 it was time to renew his solo privileges (every 90 days for student pilots). We flew one flight and his skill set is intact and working properly so he gets a sign-off for another 90 days. We didn't get much lift at that time because it was early and the thermals hadn't triggered by then. But Peter stayed around and did launch in the 1-26 later in the afternoon with a good flight and good height. 3. Morgan Hall and I went flying, with Morgan snagging a very nice thermal, going up at times as fast as 1000 feet per minute. We arrived near cloud base rather quickly, leveled off, headed for another cloud base that was a bit higher, remained aloft as long as we wanted, and finally headed back down because I had students waiting for me. That's always tough for a soaring pilot giving up altitude, but in this case the height was so easily attained, it didn't matter too much. Morgan just went back up again and found even better lift. 4. Julie Butler went flying, climbed to 4500 msl, was able to thermal in good lift, remained aloft for 45 minutes, and remarked afterwards that it was the first real solo soaring flight she has ever made. That's great and a nice confidence builder for the future. And besides, it's all a lot of just plain fun. 5. Daniel Solis did three flights with me, and needed to demonstrate how well he's doing so that soon he'll be flying the 1-26 alone. We smoothed out a few things that got a little rough around the edges but that's normal for his level of training. He'll be alone in the 1-26 in no time. 6. Jerry Smeltzer flew the 1-26 over the Kettleman Hills and reported weak and practically no lift in that area. As we found out the lift was all west of highway 33 and especially strong at Tar Canyon, hitting the 1000 fpm mark for many of those heading out that way. 7. Jeff Lowe had a great flight. Here's what he said about it: "Towed to 4K agl. Reached 7.8K the last time I looked at the altimeter. Lift was pegged beyond the 1K variometer limit for the 1-26. Found major lift southwest of the prison. I was exhilarated and had a bit of a nervous ( but controlled ) adrenaline rush when I approached cloud ceiling at 7K agl and continued rising quickly into the cloud base even with 1/2 dive brakes open. I opened the dive brakes to full and still continued to ascend, so I pointed the nose down about 20 degrees while full dive brakes open, in order to get out of the clouds as they continued to pull me upward. It was a rush - especially at my level of experience. I remained calm and focused, thanks to your training skills. I felt good about my decision making and reactions. I can't tell you how much fun it was for me! I was up for about 75-80 minutes and could have stayed up much longer." Later on in the clubhouse, Jeff treated us to a new song he composed, sang and played on the guitar. 8. Morgan and Mario Crosina flew together using the Blanik and did a bit of cross-country soaring. North to Coalinga, south to Reef City back again circling the area. Morgan did well thermaling when necessary and they both had big smiles after the flight. 9. Finally, Jerry Badal got a chance to fly. Mario had convinced Jerry to head to Avenal because of the great lift. They arrived and Mario promptly went flying with Morgan for about two hours or more. There weren't too many members around when Mario and Jerry landed but I believe the lift weakened considerably by the time they launched. more info |
| December 6, 2008 |
1. The Club recently purchased a Cessna 150 for towing at Avenal. We know that Loyal is selling his plane and will be relocating somewhere else. So our plan is to use club members and other pilots to provide towing services. We won't be paying the tow pilots so the value to them is to learn to tow gliders and fly free. That was enough to entice 12 attendees to our first annual tow plane pilot seminar. Dan Gudgel conducted the session and did exceptionally well covering a lot of material in the two hours we were there. Probably after New Year's Day, we'll gather the pilots again and at that time put them in the Cessna with gliders attached, and Dan Gudgel in the right seat instructing. Those attending were Dan Gudgel, Loyal Savaria, Harlow Voorhees, Kevin Krauter, Dave Johnson, Doug Betts, Durval Freitas, Doug Staudmeister, Alex Caldwell, Peter Mersino, Steve Schery, and yours truly. 2. Julie Butler continued her training in the 2-33 getting closer to the number of flights needed to solo the 1-26. I have no doubt that when she is ready, her flight of the 1-26 will be smooth and confident. That might be a weekend or two away but my guess is no later than December 20th. 3. Morgan Hall continued his Blanik training with a series of straight and turning stalls. His recovery was excellent and he is more comfortable each time he flies it. Next chance we get, we'll do the spin series so he can understand what happens to a higher performance glider during and after the spin. Compared to a power plane spin, the glider is a bit more exciting. When the recovery begins and the stall is broken, the glider accelerates much more quickly pointed at the earth than would a power plane. The reason is that the windmilling propeller on the power plane acts as a barrier of high drag preventing the higher acceleration gliders experience. 4. Daniel Solis was out again continuing his flights in the 2-33. He's really anxious to fly the 1-26 and his goal is to get the required number of solo flights in the 2-33 that will qualify him for the single seat glider. I have no doubt he'll do it soon based on how much he's been flying lately. more info |
| November 29, 2008 |
1. We haven't seen Steve Ballard at Avenal in a few years. When he was based at Bakersfield and doing power instructing down there, he was a regular at Avenal both flying and flight instructing. Then he signed on with FedEx, first flying a 727 and now, finally a Captain on the MD-11, photo to the right. Although he's based out of Anchorage, Alaska, he might just be coming out to Avenal more often. I know, that's hard to believe, but these airline captains have an interesting commute to wherever they are based, and Steve is no exception. It has been a long time since we've seen him here and we welcome him back maybe even as another Flight Instructor. 2. Jeff Lowe arrived back again after some time off and took right up where he left off, first flying a dual flight for a refresher, then flying the 1-26 in which he soloed some months ago. 3. Julie Butler continues her quest for her license. She's amassing solo flights in the 2-33 enroute to her being checked out in the 1-26. That may be soon depending on how many flights she does in the 2-33. Stay tuned. 4. Scott Naumann flew here in his Cessna 185 from San Luis Obispo (SLO) and is thinking about joining the club. He's currently a United Air Lines captain on the 777 out of San Francisco as well as a licensed glider pilot. He would be a nice addition to the club and we look forward to his decision to join us. 5. Doug Staudmeister flew the Blanik today a few times. He maintains his currency in that glider particularly and might even take his checkride in that same ship. 6. Daniel Solis continues to get better at flying the 2-33 particularly since he soloed. His confidence level has improved significantly and he will continue to get better as he works toward his checkride. 7. Juan Rivera and Cassy Cantu arrived today and Juan decided to take his first glider ride. We thought Cassy might want to as well but not today. Perhaps she'll make that decision sometime in the future as she sees how safe and beautiful the flight can be. Juan really enjoyed the flight and took the stick for at least 15 minutes of the flight. Maybe one day he'll consider becoming a club member and working towards his license. 8. Morgan Hall is practicing turns and stalls in the Blanik in preparation for his transition to a high performance glider. He's already demonstrated his talent for finding, then remaining in, even the weakest thermals. He's also shown us to be one of the most valuable club members we've had here in years. As you know, he set up the gliderport camera in record time and didn't wait for anyone to form a committee to get it done. See the November 22nd story. He's also working on a new and very improved website that will be easier to maintain and more interesting for our club members since they'll be able to contribute to the site each week in a very convenient way. Other features of the site are planned or already available when it goes live. more info |
| November 22, 2008 |
1. It was a day for cleaning up around the gliderport and a whole lot of people pitched in and got it done. Mario was the key guy in this effort since he worked around the field before with Dennis Mast and others. Richard Walker oversaw and worked with the crews. This time, he and Jerry Badal, along with Jim Burgess and his grandson Daniel, Morgan Hall and his Dad, Jim as well as Julie Butler, Andy Reistetter, Joe Anastasio, Steve Schery, Paul Hanson, Frank Owen, Doug Staudmeister, and Alex Caldwell all were on hand for the big pyrotechnic show. The place looks so much better now. Trees and bushes are trimmed for better growth and more spaces between them. More watering done for the roses, especially, and ground dried grasses and weeds were burned off. A much needed change for our gliderport. Thanks to Everyone for all the Great Help !!! 2. Norm Lambert went up for another of his series of instructional flights and did so much better this time compared to the all the flights before. His tow was confident and smooth and I believe he has now crossed that threshold and "got it" for towing. His first completely unassisted landing was also quite acceptable so I now envision him moving more rapidly to solo flight. 3. Doug Staudmeister and I went aloft and did spin training in the Blanik. We spun it out of the more traditional straight ahead stall, then spun out of the less well-known thermaling banked turn. He did well on both and can now fly the Blanik solo for his practice flights. 4. Julie Butler continued her flight activities going solo in the Orange Crush. No, there wasn't much lift but practice is easier these days with the smooth air aloft. She gains her skill level increase even though no thermals to chase. Soon she'll be moving over into the 1-26, a ship she will really like 5. At the end of the day, with the sun painting the evening sky a beautiful pink, and the bonfires still glowing bright red, all we lacked were a few marshmallows and some good chilled wine. more info |
| November 15, 2008 |
1. It was a no-lift day, so Mario and crew decided to help out by starting fires all over the field in hopes of providing the pilots with lift. It didn't work very well. Thermaling in smoke isn't a good idea because most of the soaring pilots don't have an IFR Rating. Other than that, the day was fun and work for most everyone. Mario, Jerry Badal and crew did most of the work clearing brush, trimming trees and starting brush fires. The place continues to look better and better, and next week we'll have an official member work day replete with a barbeque lunch offered by our Pres, Richard Walker. 2. There aren't many details to cover since most of the trips aloft were sled rides right back down, usually at about 150-200 feet per minute. But Doug Staudmeister and I had work to do in the Blanik and after two good maneuvering flights, Doug flew well enough to us to engage in the next checkout maneuver, spin training. That will be the topic of next week's training for him. Today, he did very well controlling a touchy glider. 3. Our newest member, Bart Klusek, drove all the way down from Davis, CA to fly gliders at Avenal and liked the atmosphere so well he joined the club today. Bart and I flew two flights to orient him inside a 2-33 as well as field orientation here at Avenal. His experience came from flying gliders in the U.K., more specifically the K-13, a glider that Rodney and Anthony Squires flew at Lasham in England last time they were together in there. Bart will be a good addition to our club, and since he's already soloed a glider in England, we expect him to be soloing here in Avenal the next time out. 4. Julie Butler continues her training for her Pilot's License, doing solo work in the 2-33. No thermaling but good practice on tow and setting up for pattern and landing. Naturally her landings were more than just good, as usual. She's really a show-off at heart, but backs it up with performance. = ) 5. Because of heavy aircraft scheduling, Toy Marlette and I took the Blanik aloft. I thought she'd struggle with that glider, but in fact, flew it better than she has flown the 2-33. Not sure why but I won't argue with it. I was more than impressed with her confident approach to handling the controls once off tow. Even on tow, she did well. Now she doesn't want to fly the 2-33 any more. But later in the day, we did have a chance to fly the 2-33 and with the recent Blanik comparison, she did much better in the 2-33 than before. 6. Morgan Hall flew the 1-26 several times, and like the rest of us, found only small amounts of lift in various meager places. But, it was a beautiful day for flying so no one who launched was entirely disappointed. 7. Doug Betts flew out with his friend, Al (I think that's his name) and wanted to fly a demo flight but with the tight scheduling we just couldn't accommodate them today. I trust they'll be back again in a week or so. Sorry, guys. 8. Daniel Solis came back today after soloing one flight last weekend, to finish up his remaining two solo flights, get his shirttail cut off, and then have fun with a high tow on a nice smooth flying day. His smile was still there hours later when he finally left Avenal still wearing the backless T-shirt. He had fun, we enjoy having Daniel as a member, and look forward to many hours of flying in thermals, and sharing laughter on the patio. 9. Guy Ashby, and long time ago club member, was here today along with a friend of his to take a demo ride. Again, because of glider scheduling problems, the Blanik was the only choice. Giving Mario a break from his pyrotechnics, he took Guy's friend up for a ride and they actually did encounter tiny bubbles of lift in various places. 10. It was a fun day for all, and who really cared about the lack of thermals. Most of the time, our fun comes as much from our own club members and fun on the patio as it does from soaring. I have never been associated with a club with as fine a membership as we have in the CCSC. I've said this often to everyone who will listen and I believe most of us now agree everyone is a pleasure to be around, to talk with, to laugh with, and to share stories. Mario is good at story telling so that the newer members can be sufficiently scared as to bring more honor to the older members for their courage and tenacity in the face of constant danger. Hmmmmmm ..... more info |
| November 8, 2008 |
1. Two ambitious young people, Julie Butler and Daniel Solis decided a couple of months ago that they wanted to become soaring pilots. Daniel began on July 26th and Julie began on August 30th. Julie was able to come out on a very regular basis while Daniel had a few weeks between some of his first glider lessons. But they kept at it, and today, both enjoy a level of achievement not enjoyed by most of the population. There are 590,349 registered pilots in the U.S. of which 21,274 are glider pilots. So we already make up only 3.6% of the pilot population and a mere fraction of the entire U.S. population. Only 1 out of every 12,222 people in the U.S. is a glider pilot. Indeed it is a rarefied level of achievement to say the least. What's really nice about our club members is that every one of them is happy when new members solo. Egos are put aside and all of us welcome our newest solo pilots into the fold. No non-pilot can imagine the thrill of being thousands of feet in the air, piloting an aircraft 26 feet in length with a wingspan of 51 feet, and weighing 1040 lbs. And doing that all alone. You can't think of how to relate that to someone who has never flown solo. It's just too unique a level of achievement. CONGRATULATIONS JULIE AND DANIEL. WE WELCOME YOU TO THE WORLD OF SOARING PILOTS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING THERMALS WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE. 2. I wasn't sure Julie would be ready today and she wasn't terribly anxious to solo. She was telling the truth when she remarked that when she's ready she'll probably know it. So today, after a few shakeout flights, and refreshing a few maneuvers, I knew she was ready. And just like a few students before her, she did far better on her solo flights than she ever did with me in the glider. Hmmm, ... not sure what that says about my instructional technique. But it's always a thrill for me to see my students do far better on solo because it confirms my belief that soloing early is the best boost one can get in pilot training. Confidence and command of the aircraft are the prizes for soloing and both Julie and Daniel's flight techniques will never be the same halting, unsure moves they made while I was along for the ride. Whether I'm in the back or not, their attitudes about their own command and control have changed for the better forever. 3. No reason to go into the details of Julie's flight. Morgan did an excellent job of that on a website he controls. If you're interested go to http://landseaandsky.blogspot.com/2008/11/julie-pilot.html and have fun looking at the great flights Julie made. Low launch, wings level, nice descent rate, good sharp turns downwind to base to final, smooth touchdown, and best of all, she managed the energy of the glider well enough to roll all the way back to almost the perfect point where she launched before. Now that was an impressive demonstration. 4. Doug Staudmeister was here today and originally scheduled to fly the 1-26, then changed to the Blanik when it seemed that the 1-26 wouldn't have its annual completed in time. But sure enough, Mike Schoenau and Joe Anastasio conspired to get it done before lunch time. That was great news and so instead of the Blanik, Doug flew the 1-26. 5. After lunch, Daniel Solis and I made two flights to check on his preparation because I thought Daniel might solo today as well. I wasn't totally sure because we had a few minor issues with turn method and stick rudder coordination. But those two flights after lunch confirmed that Daniel had gained proper control over those skills and we stopped after two flights in order for Daniel to take the presolo written exam, as did Julie earlier in the morning before her solo flights. 6. While Daniel was agonizing over the test, I took Lisa Dixey for her first glider ride. She didn't anticipate going because she and her sister, Amanda, were there to let Amanda's son, Anthony, go for his first ride. But, at only 7 years old, he wasn't quite prepared for the ride, and decided, after being strapped in the back seat, that he should be back with his mother, and not in some engineless aircraft way up in the sky. So Lisa went for Anthony's ride and really enjoyed the thrill of being aloft and flying without an engine. 7. As you can imagine, the day was wearing on, and getting later and later. By the time Daniel was ready to solo, the sun had nearly set behind the West Ridge. But I really wanted Daniel to solo today so off he went. He did great, and not only landed beautifully but rolled up just abeam of the tie-down area so we could put it away for the evening. It was so late that another flight was out of the question for today. Next time he comes out to Avenal, we'll finish the other two solo flights and get rid of his shirttail as well. 8. It was a fun day, and one of accomplishment for our two new solo pilots. Next time, we'll see Julie flying alone, and Daniel completing his two remaining supervised solo flights. Then he can join other members aloft, perhaps as high as 3800 msl, searching for thermals, free of the constraint of a loud and demanding flight instructor in the back seat. more info |
| November 1, 2008 |
1. It was indeed a crazy wavy day. In the morning the wave looked classic. When Norm Lambert arrived we launched into the wave and in laminar flow air, rose smoothly in 3-4 knot lift up to 4500 msl where we exited the wave because we had maneuvers to perform. We easily could have gone higher because as we rose the lift strengthened. I estimated the largest lenticular height at about 9000 msl. But as folks showed up at Avenal, the wave began to change, breaking up for awhile, then reforming, then breaking up. So one's lift experience depended on when the launch took place. The wind aloft at 4500 msl was just about 35 mph or so because as we pointed into the wind, we moved forward very slightly. The troughs and crests were perfectly formed when we launched but later on, no one could guess exactly what was happening. Sometimes we watched broken thermal clouds form, then dissipate, then the wave would come back again clearly in evidence. The towing was rough and most of the flights were made by students in order to experience turbulent clear air. One effect was the spectacular formations almost minute-by-minute across the sky. 2. Butch and Shirley Wright from Coalinga came back again. They were here two weeks ago trying to get a demo ride, but you may recall that day was crowded with training flights and demo flights and no time was available for another two demo rides. This time, they really enjoyed their time aloft and Butch in particular inquired about the possibility of taking soaring lessons. Maybe they'll be back for more in a few weeks. 3. Toy Marlette, Hanna's Mom, continued her training but because the air was rough her one flight was mostly to experience what those weather conditions are like. We weren't up long but enough to show her that on some days, the towing can be a bit difficult to handle. 4. Julie Butler and Morgan Hall also showed up. Julie decided to go up once to experience the towing and did exceptionally well hanging in there and controlling the glider regardless of the turbulence. Morgan originally came out to build concrete pads for the main wheels of the gliders, but couldn't resist the awesome sky as it beckoned to him to come up and join the fun. He launched in the 1-26 but like most of the rest of the pilots today, didn't find the wave even though the lennies were up there all day. Anyway, he had a nice flight and later on worked hard putting concrete pads in the ground. 5. Joe Anastasio flew the Blanik and since he was going alone, Julie asked him about going along for the ride. Joe quickly invited her and they went up looking for the wave. They found enough lift to remain up there for awhile but reported they couldn't find the wave form as Norm and I had earlier. 6. Just about the time we all quit and decided to head to Debbie's for her famous hamburgers, Mario and Jerry Badal had already shown up and were already at Debbie's when we decided to go. They were just about to launch when we finished lunch and got back to the gliderport. Off they went, didn't find the wave, found only a bit of lift, and landed again. Since they were going to try once more, they left the Blanik out, which made for a nice photo of it sitting there under the huge lenticular clouds formed by the high level wave. more info |
| October 25, 2008 |
1. It wasn't a great day at Avenal but satisfactory for most because even with the weak day, flights were aloft long enough to make it worthwhile to launch. Early in the morning it was quite hazy, thus keeping much of the sun's energy from reaching the ground. Later on, the clearing began southeast and proceeded to the northwest allowing some increase in thermal strength. The good news is that is turned out to be a very good training day for my students who did well both on and off tow. That helped get them some additional experience and confidence. 2. Steve Schery was already aloft in the 1-26 when I arrived but even taking a high tow and looking everywhere, there wasn't any lift to be found, and he simply glided back down. He was our sniffer who sniffed nothing. 3. Daniel Solis trained today, doing the simulated rope break and several high tows. We needed to accomplish them in order for him to begin working towards his solo flights. That's all he has to do from this point forward and he will then solo. That might actually happen next time out. We'll see. 4. In between flights with Daniel, the high performance guys took to the air. Joe Anastasio launched first in the Blanik and he, too, got enough lift to stay up for awhile. Mario was next in his Ventus 2AX, followed by Dave Pilati in his Schweizer 1-35 with Andy Reistetter in the Russia launching last in that group. They all had enough time aloft to make it worthwhile but none got much higher than 4000+ msl. 5. Doug Staudmeister flew the 1-26 after Steve Schery and enjoyed the flying even though the day wasn't all that good. But working weak thermals and remaining aloft under those circumstances helps build skills and flight experience for future cross country flights. 6. Julie Butler and Morgan Hall arrived so Morgan took the 1-26 and managed to stay aloft a reasonable length of time, given what weakness existed out there. He's good a finding and extracting lift out of weak thermals from his hang gliding experience. 7. Julie is also on track to solo very soon. We did the last of the maneuvers today including boxing the wake, and the simulated rope break. So, if all goes well next time we'll be doing only the pattern tows in anticipation of solo flight. No hurry and she'll be safe and competent when I turn her loose but she's getting close. more info |
| October 18, 2008 |
1. It was a beautiful day for soaring. Lift easily topped 10 knots at various times, but it could be found everywhere. So it was easy to take demo rides, of which we had four and could have had six had there been enough time to take them all. Cloud markers made it easy to find the lift, but once in awhile the lift wasn't in the same spot five minutes later. Most of the time, it was where we expected it to be and everyone aloft had great fun. 2. Andrea Mersino and I arrived early at Avenal and since it had been some time since she flew, we took a refresher flight. Her skills hadn't deteriorated so off she went solo for a nice flight. Now all we have to do is get her studying for the written exam and a Pilot's license will be hers soon. 3. Morgan Hall and Julie Butler arrived at noon so Morgan launched in the 1-26 for a one plus hour flight during which he reached 6200 msl. He came down only because someone else had the glider scheduled next. Morgan is doing well on his progress towards a glider license. Keep going, Morgan!! 4. Julie Butler is also doing quite well. Her skills are improving rapidly and today marks a time when we can see her solo flight just ahead. She thermalled up to 5300 msl and worked good strong lift all the way. There was no use going any higher since we needed to begin work on her solo patterns. So, reluctantly we opened the dive brakes and headed down. I think we easily could have topped 7000 msl because we were still in 4.5 knot lift when we exited the last thermal. 5. Mario and Jerry Badal flew together today. Mario launched early and headed for the mountains. Jerry launched later, and joined him there. At the beginning of the flight, Jerry said he needed to be down by 4:30 pm so both agreed to end the flight in time. Mario landed at just about 4:30 pm and Jerry was nowhere in sight. By about 5:30 pm we decided to launch a search and rescue mission. One of our tows took us far northwest, then back southeast along the West Ridge, all the while looking for a downed glider. We just knew for sure Jerry had landed out since he never would have missed an important date with his wife. The end of the story is that he finally landed back at Avenal and I guess the official reason is that he got caught in a strong thermal and couldn't get out of it for an hour past the time when he should have been on the ground. That happens sometimes so I hope his wife wasn't too angry since Mother Nature intervened to keep Jerry from his important date. What else could he do? 6. Paul Hanson flew his SZD-59 today. Not sure where he went or how long he was aloft but with the lift everywhere he could have had a great flight. 7. Carl Kunz landed his Cessna 170 about noon just in time to help Jerry Badal launch. He also was present when our four demo riders arrived. In fact, Carl knew Ed Thornhill from the past and so it was a reunion of sorts. 8. Ed Thornhill, Margaret, Eva, and Caitlin all came out for a glider ride. Ed was the Air Force Office who interviewed Hanna Marlette during her evaluation days prior to her being accepted into the Air Force Academy. So Ed decided to surprise his girlfriend, Margaret, and the girls, Eva, and Caitlin. I took both young girls up for a nice ride. Eva loved every minute of the long flight we had. And Caitlin really enjoyed it as well, although the flight wasn't as long as Eva's. Then I suggested that Carl take Ed Thornhill up for his glider ride and off they went. After a nice ride, they landed and Margaret was next. We headed to where Loyal said there was really strong lift, and he was right. We got off in 10 knots of lift, and headed up towards 7000 msl. It took only a few minutes to get there but it was definitely cold at that altitude. Instead of climbing any higher we decided to tour the area and finally after a really long demo flight we landed. It was fun for everyone. 9. Richard Walker launched ahead of Margaret and me so he was in the air when we left the strong thermal and decided to tour the area. That gave me a chance to photograph Richard and his Schweizer 1-35 and the photos came out very nice, as you can see on this page. 10. Daniel Solis was ever so patient waiting to fly. Because of the fill-in of the demo flights, it pushed Daniel's lessons back over an hour. He sure was nice about waiting for his turn. Just one more reason why we need another 2-33 in our fleet. Daniel is doing well, improving his stick and rudder coordination, and moving well toward his solo flights. I expect to see him soloing in the next couple of weeks, or sooner. One unknown is how long it will take for the Orange Crush to have its annual inspection accomplished. But otherwise, Daniel flies well, and seems to really enjoy the training. 11. Butch and Shirley Wright showed up today hoping to take a demo ride. We asked them to wait around and hopefully we'd find time to take them up. But the day was filled with flying both scheduled and otherwise so by late afternoon it appeared they wouldn't be able to wait any longer. Fortunately they agreed to come back on November 1 for their long-awaited flight. 12. At the end of the day, Andrea wondered if it was too late to fly. Although the sun was nearing the top of the West Ridge, it would be light enough for at least a half hour flight. So she launched and probably was up for nearly that long. She knows how to thermal when the lift is there. You may have noticed her beautiful smile because just awhile ago she had her braces taken out and she sure does look great without them. more info |
| October 11, 2008 |
1. Well, it was likely someone would land out during the day. It just happened to be the very last flight of the day, and Jerry Badal got the honors. The wind was strong all day, averaging 14 knots with gusts up to 20 knots. Most of it right down the runway, perhaps a bit of a right crosswind. My students all took only one flight to see what could happen in that kind of wind. The tow, especially below 200 agl, was very turbulent. Even off tow, the strong wind made for some dicey situations aloft. The wonderful part of Avenal is that not making it back to the gliderport carries with it almost no penalty in terms of scratched gliders or bruised bodies. Instead it teaches a great lesson better than hours of warnings from a Flight Instructor. Usually one learns the lesson quickly, far more quickly than during a training lesson. In this case, it took a bit of hard work from a whole lot of people to get the glider back onto the field, but other than that, a lesson well learned. 2. Norm Lambert was out here today and because of the strong wind and difficulty in controlling a glider on tow, once was enough to get the idea of what effect such a "breeze" can have on glider flight. 3. Julie Butler also took one flight, learned a lot, hung onto the tow as best she could and when back on the ground, agreed that it was a day when even a licensed pilot might opt to come back another day. 4. Daniel Solis was here for training as well. He, too, took one flight and learned how interesting it can be both on tow and on landing. The real lesson came not from their Flight Instructor, but from watching Jerry Badal land in the soft dirt in late afternoon. And, with the exception of Norm Lambert, all the rest of the pilots here today were involved in the retrieval of the glider. That alone is worth it's weight in Flight Instructing. I couldn't have shown it better myself. 5. One of the valuable exercises I like to ask students to do when the wind is that strong is what I call Flightless Wing Leveling. It means that you get in the glider that is parked on the runway and by virtue of the strong wind, you can actually raise the wings to level position and try to keep them there with stick movement only. It sounds easy but if one tries to look at each wing to accomplish it, that won't work. One must use the pitot tube on the nose of the glider to determine wings level, and that's valuable because in flight one must use that same clue. So it's a great way to practice level flight without paying for either a tow fee or a Flight Instructor's fees. 6. Doug Staudmeister opted to fly the 1-26 in these strong winds and when he found out what it was like, he parked the glider after only one flight that he described as quite turbulent and difficult to control both on and off tow. Nice lesson learned for Doug and for everyone else. 7. Morgan Hall came out today with Julie planning to fly the 1-26 but decided not to try it today. I thought his decision was most thoughtful and correct given the conditions and his time in that glider. That's the mark of a careful pilot. Remember, not only do we preflight our gliders but we must also PREFLIGHT OURSELVES. That's what Morgan did and set a great example for all the other students on the field today. 8. Actually, Jerry Badal's landout flight wasn't his first of the day. He took his brother Dave for a flight in the Orange Crush and in spite of what we thought might be a bad day for soaring, got into some sort of "thermal" or shear line, and stayed aloft for an hour at altitudes upwards of 6000 msl. We're still not sure what caused the lift since the upper air was quite strong and surely would have erased any form of thermal. A shear line still is a possibility. more info |
| October 4, 2008 |
1. The Vintage Sailplane Regatta was a success measured by how many sailplanes showed up this year compared to last year. Paul hardly announced the event, and not much in advance, but the group was here on time and ready to fly. It didn't hurt matters when the soaring weather turned out to be excellent. Here is what Paul Hanson had to report on the event: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That was Cam Martin's LP-49, and the color blue is actually called "Laister Blue", as it was mixed in large batches for Jack Laister (the L in LP-49) who of course designed the ship and produced the kits. The slight differences between the two ships is mostly that they have free blown canopies and custom turtle decks to match the individual canopy, lending them rather different profiles if you view them side by side. More info on Cam's LP and the other ships/participants below. Ian Cant
SCHWEIZER SGS
1-26A
N3829A
Aircraft Serial Number: 96
Aircraft Year: 1959
LYNN ERICKSEN
SCHWEIZER
SGU 2-22EK
N2727Z
Aircraft Serial Number: 181 Aircraft Year: 1964 Cam Martin
LAISTER SAILPLANE PRODUCTS LP-49
N7003
Aircraft Serial Number: 12 Aircraft Year : 1968
Richard Miller
LAISTER SAILPLANE PRODUCTS LP-49
N49VS
Aircraft Serial Number: 40 Aircraft Year : 2006
N17925
Aircraft Serial Number: 535 Aircraft Manufacturer: SCHWEIZER Model: SGS 1-26E Aircraft Year: 1972 Owner Name: CCSC, INC Type of Owner: Corporation Registration Date: 19-Sep-2002
N701JB
Aircraft Serial Number: 2012 Aircraft Manufacturer: AB SPORTINE AVIACIJA Model: GENESIS 2 Aircraft Year: 1999 Owner Name: JEFFERY G BYARD Our Saturday night activities included pizzas delivered to the field, beer and other snacks, and of course the 'Avenal Theatre' was in full swing, opening with footage from the 2007 Independence Day Regatta where a 200 ft diameter VSA logo was very accurately mowed into the field's tall grass (very impressive, you'd appreciate it. I'll send pics when I find some). Once everyone's attention was focused, we watched our 'Feature Presentation', Disney's "The Boy Who Flew With Condors", with excellent extra behind-the-scenes narration by Jeff Byard, long time Tehachapi resident and friend of Fred and Goldie Harris (the 'then' owners of Holiday Soaring so prominently featured in that Disney title, which of course led to Tehachapi's current Mountain Valley Airport where world class the glider op is now) Once that was over and discussion died down a bit, I threw in some old 29 Palms Army Air Corp WWII (color!) footage set to swinging big band greats and again expertly narrated by Jeff who has made a special study of this time and place since the he owns TG-2 that attended the regatta in 2007 which was stationed at 29 Palms and he refinished it in traditional Air Corp livery. All and all a fun filled and historically rich experience that really brought back the good ole days, even if just for a while. Looking forward to next year... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thanks Paul, for the update and a few of the larger photos were provided by Paul. Everyone out at Avenal today had a wonderful time and enjoyed the good soaring conditions most of the day. There were periods when the overdevelopment shut off some of the thermals but not all of them. 2. I got out to Avenal early and with the clouds already present as I drove along the Avenal cutoff towards the gliderport, I decided to launch early to check the strength and consistency of the thermals. It was as I suspected, strong and turbulent thermals all the way up past 5000 msl where I cancelled my flight to get back on the ground for students showing up. It proved to be a challenge for some of the early time students but all measured up to the task of hanging on in the tow and doing well off tow. 3. Morgan Hall and Julie Butler were here today and Morgan took the Orange Crush up for a flight. We had planned on getting Morgan soloed in the 1-26 so after his 2-33 flights, and before his solo, we administered the pre-solo written exam, and went up with Julie Butler. Julie is working well on her flights and although she did poorly on her first tow, her second tow was exceptional. So much so, that afterwards, Loyal remarked to me that he thought Julie was a bit dangerous on tow but Loyal was sure glad I did the second tow. Now that was a compliment he didn't intend for Julie but an honest one that Julie couldn't claim was me just trying to make her feel good about the second tow. It was indeed that good. 4. Of course, while all of our training was going on, the Vintage folks were flying their gliders constantly. They sure do light up the Avenal gliderport with their colorful paint schemes as you will notice in the photos. 5. Jeff Lowe took a flight or two in the 2-33 to keep his skill set nice and sharp. I pondered over whether to solo him in the 1-26 but up until about 3:00 pm the crosswind was too strong. I thought I'd wait until later to make that decision. 6. Now it was Morgan's turn to solo in the 1-26. After a few instructions at the launch area, he was on his way. No PIO evident in his takeoff and all looked very well. In fact, he had several flights in it, and enjoyed the new feeling of a different kind of glider from the 2-33. 7. Joe Anastasio decided to fly the Blanik and with Jeff Lowe standing by Joe took Jeff for his first ride in that sailplane. They were up long enough for both to have had a good time. Jeff actually came back smiling even though he was in the back seat and I was a bit worried about motion sickness for anyone cooped up in that narrow silver tube. But Jeff had no such indications and said he enjoyed the "heck out of it". 8. It was near the end of the afternoon when the wind finally slowed a bit and the crosswind was no longer a concern of mine. At first it seemed like it was a bit late to solo Jeff Lowe, but after being around all day and helping everyone else out, and knowing his skill level could handle the current winds, we decided to turn him loose. He had already taken the pre-solo written just in case, so he was ready to go. And go he did. No problem on takeoff and a steady hand allowed no PIO's to occur. He did fine and now has two choices of sailplane when he comes back to Avenal. 9. It turned out to be a fine day for all here at Avenal. The clouds made for great pictures and the lift was enough to keep everyone happy. Yes, it was a bit chilly but overall a wonderful day to be alive and at Avenal. more info |
| September 27, 2008 |
1. The 1-26 was well scheduled today, and the thermals were building early. However, fate had other plans and the flat tire on the 1-26 pushed the flight schedule back an hour or so. But, as has been happening lately, some really conscientious members stepped forward to help and the 1-26 was flying again relatively quickly. Thanks especially go to Peter Sahlberg and help from others including Dave Pilati made the project go faster. Once back in the air, the flying was fun. 2. Norm Lambert was back again for continued training. This time his performance on tow was the best he's done so far. With that achievement, he can now move more quickly toward his solo flying. He's not pushing to do that, but it is a milestone when one can finally "get" the idea of being on tow. It was bumpy today but even through the bumps, Norm held on and maintained good position. 3. Dave Pilati and Mario Crosina assembled their gliders and sometime after lunch they launched into a sky full of thermals. Both had satisfactory flights for the day. 4. Daniel Solis was back again continuing training. He's catching on quickly and I expect him to be ready to solo in a couple of weeks. He's a smart young man who gave up learning to fly power planes after his first demo flight in a glider because he thought it more valuable and more fun than worrying about engines, propellers, fuel, RPM's, etc. Later on I'm sure he'll return to powered aircraft after his glider license. For now, though, he's enjoying learning how it feels in pure flight. 5. Alex Caldwell was here today giving rides in the Blanik. He brought his nephew, Freddie Alvizo, to the gliderport, and mid-afternoon they went flying towards the mountains. Alex has no trouble staying aloft even in what seem like very light conditions to anyone else, me included. 6. Doug Staudmeister has been getting a lot of experience flying the 1-26. When Peter Sahlberg was finished flying the 1-26, Doug was scheduled after him. So Doug went aloft and stayed there for quite some time. Doug is a licensed power pilot working on his add-on rating. 7. Julie Butler came out today, without Morgan Hall, because she wanted to maintain her track toward solo and didn't want to lose a weekend of flying. We worked on all the normal maneuvers, especially getting better at staying on tow. That is, for Julie, like it is for everyone who tries it for the first time, an initial difficulty that later on turns into a non-event. She is doing well and I look forward to her soloing sometime soon. 8. Some of you who follow our website may remember Audrey Peterman who visited us for the first time back in November, 2007. She is already a licensed glider pilot, stationed at Lemoore NAS, and, I believe, is a Weapons Systems Officer in an FA-18. This time she brought her friend, Joe Heyne, who had never been in a glider before. He did very well, stayed on tow in good position and, if he chooses, could get his add-on rating with no difficulty once he does the paperwork for his civilian license. Joe is a Super Hornet Pilot in VFA-147 at the base. more info |
| September 20, 2008 |
1. Well, as I suspected, it didn't take all that long for Morgan Hall to solo a glider since he's been flying hang gliders for years, high up and long distances. So, welcome to our gang of solo pilots, Morgan and CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SOLO FLIGHT !! He had no difficulty with the flights and touched down each time smoothly and confidently. I'd like to think it was because of his talented instructor but the real reason is that he has excellent hand/eye coordination and a skill set from hang gliding that served him well in the 2-33. Julie Butler came out with Morgan, but wanted him to have the necessary flights to hopefully get to solo. There wasn't time for Julie to fly but she was most unselfish and let Morgan have all the media time. Thanks, Julie !! 2. Harlow Voorhees brought out a good friend, Larry Mennuci, for Larry's first, and perhaps only, glider flight. Along with Larry were his brother, Don and good friend, Jerry Karabian. Both Larry and Don are retired Fresno firemen, and Larry is especially involved in aviation because he builds and flies model airplanes. Larry loved the flight but indicated that it was just what he wanted to accomplish and nothing more. That's OK with us. We ask everyone to take even one glider flight just to see what it's like. If people like it well enough, they'll come back for more. But at least they take one flight. Thanks, Harlow and Larry. 3. It was one of those nice days when there were sufficient markers to immediately find a thermal. Bruce Patton wasn't going to wait as long as everyone else so he launched early. The other side of that coin is that it was clean-up day at Avenal and those pilots who did help out, like Jeff Lowe completely cleaning the inside of the clubhouse, weren't able to fly until later on in the afternoon. Bruce had a very long flight up and down the Temblor Range and arrived back in mid afternoon. 4. Toy Marlette was back again continuing to train for her glider license. She progresses nicely and naturally she'll be soloing one day soon. That will be a moment for Hanna, back in Colorado Springs in the Air Force Academy. A cheer from afar. 5. Alex Caldwell was busy taking people for rides in the Blanik. He brought a friend out to Avenal and they were first up in the Blanik. Then, a friend of Frank Owen, Claus, went for a ride with Alex touring the mountain area. All had a good time. 6. Jack Wiegand had a great flight in the 1-26, up for over an hour and high at over 5000 msl. Let's hope Jack gets going on his written test because he is so close to getting his license, the plastic is almost in his hand. 7. Jeff Lowe finally got a chance to fly the Orange Crush after his cleaning marathon in the clubhouse. It's as clean as I ever remember it, so thanks from all of us, Jeff !! His flight in the 2-33 was high and long, probably as good a flight as he has ever had solo. If he keeps up these good flights in the 2-33, we'll move him into the 1-26 where he will likely want to stay for months at a time. 8. Joe Anastasio finally took his turn in the 1-26 and like everyone else, had a wonderful flight chasing the markers and getting into some ferocious lift. 9. Frank Owen flew out in his Cessna 152 along with friend, Claus (can't remember his last name). Not sure if Frank flew at all but was around helping out and making sure that Claus got his flight before he went back to Germany. 10. Jerry Badal and Mario Crosina were here today but I don't know whether they went flying. It sure was a nice day but perhaps their cleaning time took up all their flying time. more info |
| September 13, 2008 |
1. Jerry Badal started the quest for his license a number of years ago down in California City with Cindy Brickner's group. Later on, he found out about the CCSC in Avenal and moved his training site here. We're glad he did because, like the rest of our members, we're really glad to have him as a valued member. So now, after all these years, Jerry earned his license. It wasn't that he didn't know enough to pass it. It was the time available outside of job and family priorities. In fact, Jerry passed the written exam with a great score of 98. So, from all of us to you, Jerry, we offer our heartfelt CONGRATULATIONS!! 2. Andrea Mersino came out with her Dad to renew her solo privileges and did so with no difficulty. Now she's legal again for another 90 days. I hope she continues her quest for her license because she is an excellent pilot who deserves to achieve that goal. 3. Pat Perry is another dedicated pilot-in-training who really is working hard to get that license. Pat's progress is excellent and I expect him to be soloing soon. We'll look for that achievement. 4. As you can see from two of the photos, the thermals were everywhere and strong, as well as quite perfectly formed. That made for some great soaring all day long. 5. Doug Staudmeister came out again to continue flying the 2-33 solo with plans to move to the 1-26 when enough flights have been accomplished in the 2-33. He's close to that goal and I would expect him to solo the 1-26 in the next one or two weekends. 6. Jerry Badal surprised us all by coming out again today so soon after getting his license yesterday. But he couldn't stay away from our wonderful soaring site and I think he just wanted to revel in the feeling of having achieved a level of flight most people just dream about. 7. Julie Butler and Morgan Hall arrived today for their second set of training flights. Both are doing very well, with Morgan a bit ahead of Julie because he has been flying hang gliders for many years. And from our Club experience we know that those pilots really make excellent soaring pilots. Morgan is already taking the entire tow with very little difficulty so I expect to see him solo quite soon. 8. Jerry Smeltzer was out again this weekend. Seems he is becoming a more regular attendee since his retirement from Sears. He is most helpful around the club and we're happy to know that he's now retired and can devote most of his free time to club activities, isn't that right, Jerry???? more info |
| September 6, 2008 |
1. Now that Hanna is on her way toward her future and flying career, Toy Marlette has decided to learn to fly. Truth is, she has always wanted to learn but as mothers often do, subjugated herself to her daughter's career. Not any more. Now it's her turn and I'm sure she'll do really well. Our first formal lesson was a hint at things to come, with her doing very well handling the glider off tow maneuvering throughout the range of the four fundamentals of flight. We'll look forward to seeing Toy solo one day soon. I'll keep you posted. 2. Jeff Lowe was back out at it again soloing and building up time toward his solo in the 1-26. That should come soon as he flies more solo flights in the 2-33. I'm sure he'll do well in the 1-26. 3. Peter Sahlberg also flew the 1-26 and is continuing to build time in the air prior to his checkride. He's studying the ground material and with his already good flying, his License should be rather straightforward. 4. Justin Munk came out with Dan Munk and Toy Marlette and wanted to go for his first glider ride. We had a fun time, he enjoyed weightlessness and depending on his time at home and his access to Avenal, Justin might take an interest in learning to fly gliders. 5. Pat Perry from San Luis Obispo area was again working on his rating. Pat's progress is excellent and he is likely to be another solo pilot sometime soon. A good fellow and a welcome Club Member. 6. Speaking of club members, Julie Butler and Morgan Hall joined the CCSC today. WELCOME TO THE CCSC, JULIE AND MORGAN !! These two over-achievers (mountain biking, hang gliding, etc etc.) have decided to join and learn to fly gliders. So today we went up formally for the first time. Amazingly so, Morgan got the tow almost from the very beginning. I guess his hang gliding experience has helped somewhat, but he's got a lot of natural coordination and talent as well. Julie also did very well, but off tow as compared with Morgan. Both are going to be excellent CCSC pilots and I expect both to solo rather soon. Perhaps Morgan is a bit ahead of Julie but I have no doubt Julie wont' be far behind. 7. It was a long day of flight instructing but as the sun dipped down towards the West Ridge, two young ladies arrived at the gliderport for a demo ride. Kathy and her daughter, Charity, looked forward to flying today even at this late hour. So, Charity went first, had a good flight, there was still some lift available, and then, Kathy decided to go for her flight, although that wasn't her initial intention when she arrived here. Both had a nice time, with the air smoothing out at the end of the day made for a quiet, smooth, and serene sightseeing flight. more info |
| August 30, 2008 |
1. Now this young lady was determined. She wanted to fly, and fly often especially up to solo and that's just what happened. Erin Parsons decided to get her pilot's license before her driver's license and it looks like that will happen. She wasn't satisfied with the number of her flights on Saturday, August 23rd, and wanted more. So we met at Avenal on Tuesday, August 26th and continued her series of flights. I wasn't sure she would solo because trying to pack more than a few flights into one day. But we started anyway, and she did so well it was obvious she was ready. So, out I went and her three flights were excellent. Her father was there to watch, just as proud as any father would be. Now Erin joins the elite list of young people who have soloed at Avenal and are on their way to a Pilot's License. Our CONGRATULATIONS FROM ALL OF US, ERIN !! 2. Erin came back out the following Saturday, August 30th, along with her Dad and Mom, to watch as she went aloft, taking a high tow each time. That was a thrill for all of us since it marks the time when her solo flights are all her own rather than supervised as the first three were. Yes, she did very well and appeared to enjoy the time aloft. Finally they celebrated as a family by going to Debbie's for the famous hamburgers. 3. Jack Wiegand and I flew out to Avenal in the Cherokee 140. Jack needed a refresher flight since it had been awhile after his last flight. We took a 2800 msl tow and he did fine. So, later on, after helping out around the field as he usually does, Jack went aloft in the 1-26 and was up for just over 2.5 hours. A great flight and as I was taking students up at various times, we say Jack doing a great job of thermaling. At one point, we were in the 2-33 quite high above Jack in the same thermal. In no time, he had passed us and we were then looking up at him. Nice flying, Jack. 4. Julie Butler and Morgan Hall were out today for demo flights both determined to gain their Pilot's Licenses. Morgan isn't new to flying, having spent a number of years as a hang glider pilot. Julie isn't new to flying either, but her previous tasks have been to follow Morgan via car, if possible, and rescue him when he lands far from home base. Just like all the other crew members we have welcomed over the years to glider flying. They are both dedicated to learning gliders and their determination showed in their first few training flights. WELCOME TO THE CCSC, JULIE AND MORGAN !! 5. Julie was catching on very quickly demonstrating good stick and rudder coordination right from the very beginning of her demo flight. She will definitely make a good pilot, and look forward to her soloing in the very near future. Julie and I didn't find a lot of lift on her flight but enough to get a good idea of thermal flying. Morgan did exceptionally well considering he had never flown a full-sized aircraft prior to today. It was quite amazing how quickly he took to the tow, doing all of it by his last flight of the day. Yes, he had a few tows during his hang glider days but on tow in a full-scale glider is different from hanging back there on tow in a hang glider. The more amazing part of the flight was his performance off tow. We fortunately got off in good lift and Morgan, with a bit of coaching from the back seat managed to thermal us up over 7600 msl !! That may have hooked him and he did exceptionally well thermaling as most good hang glider pilots do when they get in a glider. 6. Doug Staudmeister was back out again today, flying more solos and as the number of 2-33 flights increases, I'll be ready to solo him in the 1-26. He should enjoy that and we can use the 2-33 time freed up. One of these days we might see another 2-33 on the field, but in the meantime, we'll have to do with the Orange Crush only. 7. Mario Crosina flew again today. Seems he is out more at Avenal lately than he has ever been. This time he soared hours and gained altitude up over 10,000 msl. It was that good a day for soaring and he took advantage of it. Great flying, Mario !! 8. Joe Anastasio was out again, flying the Blanik. As I recall, he did very well, remained aloft for a long time and got back quite elated for the height and duration of his flight. 9. Jerry Badal was here, wanting to train for his upcoming flight check ride on September 12th, but the lone 2-33 we have was taken up by other students. So Jerry flew the 1-26 and he also was up over 2.5 hours until late in the afternoon/early evening. 10. Another great day at Avenal with promise of two new students in Julie Butler and Morgan Hall. They are both really nice people and would make great additions to our club. more info |
| August 23, 2008 |
1. CONGRATULATIONS TO JEFF LOWE ON HIS FIRST FLIGHT SOLO !! This young man really worked hard at making his dream come true. He worked especially hard because he had a few motion issues to deal with. At one point, I thought I had lost him as a student because once or twice he really suffered when back on the ground. But he's tenacious and was determined to become a licensed pilot so he fought through those issues and came out on top. We are all proud of you, Jeff, for how well you stayed with your goal in spite of the difficulty. Now, as a real pilot, you will probably not suffer those kinds of issues any longer. Regardless, we welcome you to the ranks of the elite in aviation and will continue to follow your progress all the way to your license. His lovely wife, Margo, was here today to witness her honey's great day. And she was as happy, perhaps more so, than Jeff. A great supporter of Jeff's goal in life. 2. Jeff got top billing today but Doug Staudmeister's solo is equally prominent. The difference is that Doug is already a licensed pilot and this will be for his add-on rating. Nevertheless, his accomplishment, in a very short time, was excellent and worthy of CONGRATULATIONS !!. It really is nice to have new solo pilots in the club because of the serendipity of them comparing notes and progress and wishing each other good flights from a solo perspective. 3. Royson Parsons brought his daughter, Erin, to Avenal for continued training towards her license. Erin, like Hanna before her, is determined to get her pilot's license before she receives her driver's license. And at the rate she's going, that will likely be soon. She hadn't finished her flying for five minutes today and asked if she could come out next Tuesday for continued training. How could I refuse such a dedicated student. So we will be back out again next week for more flying. In fact, she has progressed so well that it wouldn't surprise me if she flew well enough next Tuesday to solo. 4. Jerry Badal came out today to fly with me in preparation for his newly scheduled checkride with Dan Gudgel on September 12th. But with all the commotion of solos and early student training, I really didn't have the time to work with him. So he took the 1-26 up for a flight and didn't come back for more than four hours. Now that was some good thermalling. As I recall he was up above 7000 msl near the mountains. 5. Jerry Smeltzer flew the 1-26 before Jerry Badal but he struggled with finding good lift and his flight was cut shorter than he anticipated. But that happens to us all, and usually Jerry is an excellent thermaling pilot. I'm sure he'll make up for it the very next time he launches. 6. Mario Crosina was here today, flew his Ventus 2AX for many hours in the mountains up and down range just having fun. 7. Dave Pilati also came out and flew his neat and clean Schweizer 1-35. He, too, had a long flight and was gone for several hours. 8. Joe Anastasio flew the Blanik and had what he characterized as a great flight. I wish I had gone along with him. We would have had some fun going cross country because that's how great the conditions were today. more info |
| August 16, 2008 |
1. On Thursday, Richard Walker and I flew a few flights in preparation for his checkride on Saturday. No one was there, of course, in the middle of the week, except Loyal. Finally on Saturday morning, Richard Walker passed his checkride for his Commercial Glider License. CONGRATULATIONS, RICHARD !! 2. Norm Lambert continues his quest for his first solo flight. That may be a few weeks off but the experience he's gaining is valuable. We used one of our two flights to cover up the instruments and I showed Norm how he's been developing a data base of knowledge regarding both altitude and airspeed. So I had him guess how high we were at one point and he guessed 1500 agl. Removing the cover, it read 2330 msl, which is only 50 feet off his guess. We did the same with airspeed several times and most times he was within a few miles per hour of the actual airspeed. It's a valuable lesson and gives the student the necessary confidence to look out the canopy instead of focusing on the inside. Norm continues to improve with each lesson. 3. CCSC had it's Board Meeting today and covered a variety of topics including the decisions regarding the future of towing at Avenal. As you may know, Loyal is leaving for Hawaii and selling his Avenal assets. So the club will take over the responsibility for owning a tow plane and having members take turns doing the towing. It will work out well. If you are already a power pilot and would like to take your turn doing the towing especially on a Saturday, contact Dan Gudgel and put your name in the hat. We hope we have enough pilots so that no one pilot should have to sign up for more than one towing day per month or even per two months. 4. Daniel Solis came out again today and although we flew only once, it was a good one. We were up for 1.3 hours and Daniel did very well getting into a very strong thermal and working us up over 6800 msl. At various times we were in 10+ knots of lift. Daniel is going to do well as he continues his glider training. 5. Jerry Badal came out again after a few weeks absence. Jerry bought his own glider, the Libelle formerly owned by the late Dennis Mast. It is a fitting tribute that Dennis' glider should fly on at Avenal after him. And Jerry is about one millimeter from finishing his license and I'm going to bug him forever until he gets it done. Oh, and we had a very good flight up over 6000 msl, and 1.3 hours aloft. 6. Jeff Lowe is right there, about to solo. I expect that to happen next Saturday and he'll be there early to avoid the heat that has been plaguing him throughout his training cycle. He has done quite well and should be ready for me to exit the glider. He's bringing his honey, Margo, out next Saturday to witness his achievement. 7. Mike McClellan arrived mid-afternoon from Felton to have his Biennial Flight Review conducted. We flew the required three flights, did the hour ground time, and he passed quite satisfactorily. Mike went flying near the end of the day, and I wasn't around to talk about his success in finding thermals that late. They should have been mostly over the bare rocks at the foothills as they usually are in late afternoon. 8. Mario was out today as you can see from the photos. He flew one flight but I have no information about it. 9. Joe Anastasio flew the Blanik and did quite well, as shown by the aerial photo of him over the foothills. He also brought out our golf cart from the hangar at the southeast and we used it for the first time towing gliders. I knew we had the cart, it has been here for at least a year or more, given to us by Jerry Smeltzer. We just needed batteries and a charger and Joe got all that taken care of. So, hooray, we can tow rather than use muscle power. Now, those of us who used to provide the motive power, must renew our memberships in our local gyms. 10. Paul Hanson and dog showed up for his weekend tour of Avenal. Not sure if he flew but I'm certain it would have been at some time over the weekend. His glider was assembled and he could have flown today but I was quite busy and didn't see him aloft. 11. Dan Gudgel and Harlow Voorhees flew in the Blanik, for Harlow's refresher flights. Their first flight was a good one, thermaling for a nice long flight and up over 5000 msl. They took another that turned out to be a real rope break at about 3-400 feet agl, but they made it back with no trouble. That's a very good reason for all of us to remain vigilant about rope breaks that can happen at any time. 12. The barbeque turned out quite nicely with hamburgers, chips, drinks, etc., for everyone. Thanks to Richard Walker. I don't know if he was celebrating his License, or just thanking everyone for coming to the Board Meeting, or showing off his cooking skills. 13. Durval Freitas flew his Cessna 140 to Avenal, stayed awhile, then had to head home for family stuff. I believe he towed two or three times today. 14. Don't forget to vote for your favorite photo at the bottom of all the photographs. I'm not suggesting that either one is gallery quality, I'm just interested in how each comes across to everyone. They're similar but different enough to cause you to stop and think about composition, color, etc. Don't forget to vote. more info |
| August 9, 2008 |
1. The weather at Avenal has been just beautiful these past few weeks with clear air, hot sun, good thermals, and marker birds. What more could anyone ask for in soaring? 2. Andy Reistetter arrived early as did Mario, both to work on getting Andy's Russia glider through its annual. That went smoothly and now Andy can fly once again. He's getting close to needing a BFR and that will be the next event for Andy. 3. Peter Sahlberg arrived again today, the second weekend in a row. Amazing !! He's taking advantage of being a bachelor for a few weeks while his wife enjoys her vacation. So Peter is getting some good soaring time in and that is both fun and valuable for moving towards his add-on rating. Welcome again, Peter. 4. Erin Parsons went back to work on her glider training after having been away from Avenal since April. She is determined to get her pilot's license before her driver's license just as Hanna Marlette did a couple of years ago. I know Erin and Hanna talked and that must have impressed Erin to achieve the same thing. We wish her luck and her performance this weekend would certainly indicate her goal is well within reach. She flew Saturday afternoon till late, then was up early Sunday morning before 8:00 am to fly again. Her dad, Royson, has been a wonderful supporter of her flight goal, and was around over the weekend photographing her activity with his professional-sized Canon single lens reflex. Should be some nice photos headed our way so look for them on this site. 5. Richard Rix came back to Avenal today for another round of demo flights. He was here some months ago and really enjoyed his first demo flight. This time he brought his Marine Corps buddy, Paul Azgour, because Paul had never been in a glider before. Paul and I went aloft in the Orange Crush and had a nice long flight with Paul manning the controls in the thermals and doing quite nicely, I might add. After a break, Richard decided to take his demo ride in the Blanik and we waited until Joe Anastasio returned from having a good time aloft. We headed to the West Ridge and released just at the base of the mountains at 2800 msl. Finding not much, we headed back towards the airport and encountered almost nothing all the way back to the field. A few turns in weak lift and very disappointingly entered the pattern for landing. It wasn't what Richard had in mind since his only other demo flight was an hour or more. He hoped that would be the case today, but Mother Nature and his pilot didn't come through. Oh, well. That's the life of a soaring pilot. One minute the lift is great, the next minute it leaves in a hurry. 6. After helping Andy with his annual, Mario assembled his Ventus 2AX and went aloft. Naturally he stayed aloft as long as he wanted both because of his skills and because there was just enough lift in the area to make flying the Ventus nice and easy. A few times he circled around the Orange Crush when Erin and I were flying but not often enough for any close-up photos. 7. Sunday morning after Erin finished her training, Doug Staudmeister arrived to join the Club and begin his training for an add-on rating. Doug works for an aerospace company in Paso Robles and lives in Pismo Beach. He's a transplant from back East working his way through the various levels of management on a fast track to higher executive levels. In the meantime, he's enjoying the challenge and spirit of soaring and will be a good member to have as long as he's out here on the West Coast. Congratulations and welcome aboard, Doug !! more info |
| August 2, 2008 |
1. On one of the clearest days in months, George Powell and I left Fresno headed for Avenal, and immediately could see Black Mountain from the downtown area of Fresno a distance of 66 miles. No smoke, no clouds, no dirt particles floating above the farms on the West Side!! 2. Daniel Solis has decided to join our club and work on his glider rating. Daniel is from Dinuba and had begun power flying, amassing about 20 hours. But now he says he's hooked on gliders and will go all the way to his license. Welcome to our Club, Daniel !! 3. Peter Sahlberg was here early and helped everyone he could. Then he flew the 1-25 a few times to enjoy the lift and the clear air. Thanks for all that help, Peter. 4. Jeff Lowe was out getting his Student License so George, Peter and I had time to wash both the 2-33 and the 1-26. Now all we have to do is convince someone to add a coat of wax on the upper surfaces of both gliders and that will make them shine, and be more aerodynamic. Any volunteers? 5. For those international viewers of our website, you can come to the U.S. and help out as long as the Euro is so much higher compared to the Dollar. A nice inexpensive vacation, coupled with valuable community service and a chance to soar in America. So make those reservations now and let us know when you'll arrive. 6. Jeff Lowe is getting ever close to his solo, likely this month. His last few tows were excellent and indicative of someone who has locked on to the skill and made it instinctive, rather than thoughtful. 7. Alex Caldwell brought his friend, Patrick McFarland, out to Avenal for his first glider flight. They had a nice time aloft in the Blanik, staying up, probably as long as both bladders held out. 8. Phil Decker from Lemoore NAS brought his buddy, Kevin Watkins, out to Avenal for his first glider flight. They took the Orange Crush and had a nice long flight in the area (after the first premature release). Perhaps we'll get Kevin to start on his glider add-on rating. 9. Peter launched again and reported a 2.5 hour flight all over the area. Excellent flight because it was the best he's ever done in his early soaring career. 10. Durval Freitas showed up in his nice Cessna 140 just to enjoy the beautiful day, and relax, which he did. 11. Loyal's Aerobat has been overheating lately and between several tows, needs to be cooled down with a blower pointing into the cowl. Let's hope the engine is OK from all that hot oil. 12. Near the end of the afternoon, George Powell and I decided to take the Blanik up and enjoy the day. Unfortunately there wasn't too much lift from the West Ridge all the way back to the field and our expected long flight didn't materialize. But any flight at Avenal on such a clear day is nice to enjoy. more info |
| July 26, 2008 |
1. You may be wondering what a meeting of two United Air Line pilots would cause it to be the headlines in today's weblog. Well, the first time these two met at Avenal, they both just happened to arrive on the same day. Neither had seen one another for several years even though they are based out of SFO. This time, Cliff told me in Fresno that he hadn't been to Avenal in so long, he needed to get out there to fly some refresher flights. So we drove together. Cliff had joined the CCSC on April 12, 2008. Two weeks later, Cliff just happened to be at Avenal when Carl Kunz showed up. Neither had seen one another for a good long time. So here we are again. Both had been absent from Avenal for a few months, and both decided to show up on the same day. I think they both have GPS ankle bracelets on that are location coordinated for Avenal. Anyway, welcome again, guys and we hope you come out more often. Even together !! 2. Andy Reistetter had his elevator linkage fixed and was determined to fly his Russia sailplane. Steve Schery helped out and he did get launched. Everything worked OK and while he returned rather quickly, he later went up for a longer flight. We're glad to have you back, Andy. 3. Norm Lambert was here again today, continuing his flight training. This time we practiced stick and rudder coordination, in shallow and steep turns. His coordination is remarkably good for being in such an early training cycle. Sometimes that happens while other phases of flight take longer than normal. He's on his way to good things with such excellent coordination, since so much of soaring involves good coordination. 4. Daniel Solis attended the Father's Day Fly-In and Air Show at Chandler airport on June 14, 2008, saw my glider and we got to talking. He decided to come out and go for a demo ride. Because the tow plane has been down for weeks, this was his first opportunity to fly. We went up for a nice flight, released at 2800 msl and had fun with what little lift was evident. But he got hooked, and wanted to fly again. So, waiting an hour or so, we went again and this time the lift had developed even more. Out demo flight lasted nearly an hour. On the ground again, Daniel bought a glider log book, and I expect to see him back again to join the CCSC and begin in earnest his glider training. Come back soon, Daniel !! 5. Carl Kunz took the 1-26 and headed for the mountains. He found good lift and was up for an hour, attaining 5200 msl for his efforts. Because he needed to be back at Monterey early, he left while Cliff Stone was flying the Orange Crush. 6. Cliff Stone waiting until mid-afternoon, found good lift as well over the mountains and attained 5300 msl, beating Carl's altitude by 100 feet. For a guy who doesn't soar regularly, Cliff does very well. We need to have him on our staff of Flight Instructors as soon as possible. He'd be great at mentoring young people just starting their training. He always provides detailed explanations for so many aerodynamic issues, he's a veritable walking aviation dictionary. more info |
| July 19, 2008 |
1. Jack Wiegand and I arrived in Avenal on Friday via the Cherokee 140 so he could get some power training as well as renew his solo privileges. After we flew together, each of us flew individually,. he in the 1-26 and me in the 2-33. There really wasn't much lift when we launched and we couldn't wait a few hours for the lift to develop, which I'm sure it did based on the soundings. But we had fun, and then headed back to Fresno in the air. 2. Peter Sahlberg came out early on Saturday morning expecting to fly the 2-33 but much to his surprise, I strongly encouraged him to fly the 1-26. He's easily beyond the skill level for that aircraft and so he gave in with some reluctance. After a thorough cockpit checkout, he launched. Did well, no PIO's (Pilot Induced Oscillations) but was a bit low after liftoff, apparently not realizing that Loyal could climb more easily towing the 1-26 than a loaded 2-33. But other than that, he did very well, and managed his energy well enough to nearly return all the way to the starting point. I'm sure he'll get a kick out of flying it, and did it again in the afternoon. 3. Jeff Lowe continues his training and is doing quite well. He fights a bit with some motion uneasiness but manages to deal with it, partly with pills and partly with opening the canopy when he feels the need for a blast of fresh air. Jeff is nearing solo and the next thing he needs is a Student Pilot License. One of these days you'll see him smiling from the front seat of the Orange Crush after solo. 4. Joe Anastasio was here today and flew the Blanik. I believe he had a good flight but don't recall the details. In fact he might have flown twice today but I can't verify that. He sure does enjoy the Blanik for mountain soaring. 5. Norm Lambert has been waiting a few weeks from the time he joined the club until today because no tow plane has been available. But now he's on his way to a glider license and doing very well his first two times aloft. In fact, on his second flight, we released at the West Ridge in good lift, at 3000 msl and with very little instruction, he managed to soar all the way to 6000 msl. Quite a feat for someone on their second official instructional flight. Looks like Norm will be a great student and follow through all the way to his license. Nice thermalling, Norm !! 6. In between flights with Norm, we let Phil Decker take his wife Tara for a flight out to the West Ridge. They were up a nice long time, got good altitude, and finally returned. We were in no hurry to get the Orange Crush back but I guess they knew that another couple, friends of theirs, would show up soon. So by the time they landed, Chris and Lauren arrived hoping to fly at least one flight. I apologize to them because Norm did such a great job flying in that thermal at the West Ridge up to 6000 msl, that the time got away from us. By the time we landed, there wasn't enough time available for Chris and Lauren to fly. We hope they come back again with Phil and Tara sometime soon. Sorry everyone !! 7. Dave Johnson, of mountain landout fame, arrived in his Bellanca hoping to get his solo privileges renewed since it has been awhile. Fortunately Alex Caldwell arrived about the same time and after a refreshment break, they went aloft in the Orange Crush. 8. Paul Hanson was around over the weekend and after chatting with the Keen's for some time he took his SZD 59 up for a nice flight. The lift was there, it was even better after 3:00 pm, and most could stay up as long as desired. In fact, as I pointed out to Norm, we could have easily flown to Coalinga from our 6000 msl altitude. As his training develops there will be other good times to demonstrate cross country soaring. more info |
| July 12, 2008 |
1. Bill Deviny started his flight training on July 11th and flew solo on July 15th. His goal was to get it done before he returned to the North Slope where he works two weeks on and two weeks off. So we concentrated our efforts and sure enough, he soloed on the 15th. His training took less time than someone starting off since this is an add-on rating for him. A power pilot and aircraft owner, Bill needed some challenging diversion from flying those easy aircraft with the iron thermal up front. CONGRATULATIONS, BILL !! 2. Jerry Smeltzer showed up on Saturday and flew the 1-26. Not much lift when he launched but it was fun day nonetheless. He is a regular at Avenal and when not flying he helps out around the field. 3. Loyal's Aerobat is back (maybe you didn't know that we were without a tow plane for more than four weeks) but not exactly OK. Seems he's still wrestling with the overheating problem and an electrical glitch. He can tow twice, but then needs to stop and attach a blower to the cowling to get it back down below redline. The plane is for sale and I hope he is successful in selling it since it is more than he should have to deal with at this time in his life. If you come out to fly, be patient and you'll get launched, not quite as fast as before but better than no plane at all. more info |
| June 7, 2008 |
1. Not a spectacular day for soaring but a good one for training. Both Jeff Lowe and Peter Sahlberg were there to improve their skills and the steady strong wind almost down the runway proved to be good for judging how far not to go on downwind. 2. Norm Lambert, a neighbor of Mario Crosina's decided his long-time ambition to become a licensed pilot had been put off too many times. So he contacted Mario, and both came to Avenal today to get Norm started on his training. First up, though, was a demo flight by Mario and both had a nice long flight showing Norm how much fun it is to fly a glider. WELCOME TO THE CLUB, NORM !!!! 3. Jeff Lowe continued his training and had the chance to see what a strong wind does to glider operations. He did well, didn't go too far downwind, aimed for the middle of the runway and landed safely each time. Nice going, Jeff. You're getting close to solo. Now you need an FAA Student license, and a T-shirt you can be proud to see hanging on the wall of the clubhouse. 4. Peter Sahlberg needed a renewal of his solo privileges and got it today. It was also a good time to practice strong wind landings and he did well. We have a number of pilots in the club nearing their check rides. Peter is one of them, Jerry Badal, Richard Walker, and Jack Wiegand. Sure would like to see all of them get licensed before August. It can be done, so let's all work hard, pass the tests and be proud getting that nice lifetime Pilot's License. 5. The high performance guys were out flying today. Mario Crosina, Steve Schery, and Paul Hanson all launched and were gone for a good while. It was a nice day for soaring, especially in a high performance ship, getting up into the mountains, and working either the shear line or the thermals out of the canyons. 6. Joe Anastasio flew the Blanik today. Didn't remain aloft for too long but had a nice flight. That, after he works on the equipment on behalf of the club. There aren't too many folks who work harder on behalf of the club than Joe. Thanks, Joe 7. Peter Mersino did a "Mud Run" and Lemoore, had time to get to Avenal, then after flight operations ceased Peter and family, and I headed for Harris Ranch for a bite to eat, then they went swimming in the resort pool. Nice way to end the day. more info |
| May 31, 2008 |
1. Joel Brandon, wife Abby and son all came to the gliderport to take their first glider rides. Unfortunately they had to wait a bit long but in the end at least Joel was able to go flying with Alex Caldwell. Abby put off her flight for another time. We're sorry they had to wait but at least Alex gave Joel a nice long flight with plenty of lift to demonstrate what flying gliders is all about. Joel and Abby live in Avenal and have always seen the gliders soaring over their home. Finally, they decided to see what the fuss was all about. They are both school teachers here and it sure is nice to see Avenal residents come out to go flying. Let's hope they spread the word about our glider activities and how an aircraft without an engine can stay up for so long. 2. I arrived today with four young people. I call them the United Nation's contingent because Seva is an exchange student from Russia, Hendrik is an exchange student from Hamburg, Germany, Hanna is a high school student from the province of Auberry (a real foreign land up north), and Jack is a high school student from an island in the middle of Fresno called Fig Garden. Hendrik and I went aloft first and had a great time with the lift. We'd thermal to 4000+ msl, then he'd fly the glider. After losing altitude, we'd thermal again above 4000 msl and repeat the process for about an hour. At the end we did a quick stint of weightlessness and that got his hat floating above him in the cockpit. 3. Seva and I flew at the end of the day, and took only a pattern tow that resulted in a rather short flight because the thermals weren't all that prevalent at that time of the day. In fact, we were just trying to reposition the glider back to the tie-down area from its position at the launch area. Trying to eke out some lift, I got low and we landed shorter than the tie-down area. At least it gave the young people some exercise. 4. The high performance guys were aloft nearly all day. Mario Crosina launched first, then Steve Schery, and finally, David Pilati. All were gone most of the day and had not returned even when we left at 4:30 pm for Fresno. They must have been up four or five hours. At one point we heard Mario saying he was at 8200 msl and perhaps they got even higher. It was indeed a good day for soaring. 5. Andy Reistetter came out to go flying, and while assembling his glider discovered a link in the elevator connection was broken. That ended his chance to fly his glider, but he was quite happy to have discovered it then rather than later in flight. So he took the 1-26 and had a nice flight after all. 6. Jerry Badal arrived later on and went flying. Here is his story: Harold, I had a great experience on Saturday. I learned a lot, got to see some beautiful sights, and had great fun. I was up for just over three hours. Loyal did a very nice job of towing me into strong lift. In fact, at around 3,000 indicated, we hit two thermals that nearly put me through the top of the canopy. For a while things were pretty busy in the cockpit as I frantically tried to fly the 1-26 through strong turbulence and cinch down my shoulder straps at the same time. I learned from that experience that I can cinch them down a lot more than I have been and not be uncomfortable. I released at 3,800 feet and continued my right turn right into a nice thermal. I don’t know if the vario in the 1-26 is accurate, but it was showing around 5 knots. I climbed in this first thermal to over 5,000 feet. That set me up for the rest of the flight because it gave me time to look for more lift. When I began my flight, conditions were very favorable, with good lift being relatively easy to find. Shortly after climbing to 5,000 feet, I found another thermal and went to 7,000. From there I lost some altitude in sink, but eventually contacted another thermal that took me to almost 8,000. I made it over 8,000 feet several times, with my highest altitude being just short of 8,300. That put me just below cloud base in some visually spectacular settings. I took some pictures, but they didn’t turn out. The instrument panel came out great, but the scene outside the canopy was completely washed out. I’m going to need to learn to use this camera better. Most of my time was spent between 5,500 and 7,500 feet above the hills, just west of the airport. I found good lift when I needed it, but more frequently encountered strong sink. I would thermal up in 2-5 knot lift, painstakingly working my way to altitude, and then almost immediately find myself running from 4-5 knot sink. The lift decreased in strength and frequency as the afternoon wore on. After the first hour, I was working hard to keep altitude. Thermals were harder to find and easy to lose. I found I had to be very vigilant and make constant adjustments or I could easily leave a thermal and have a hard time contacting it again. Even when I stayed in the thermal, the rate of climb was lower than during the first hour. While I would have loved it if conditions had remained strong, I’m sure I learned a lot more from having to work hard. I focused on flying efficiently and making well coordinated turns, and learned to dial in to every movement the plane was making. The day’s highlights included getting over 8,000 feet and working near the cloud base. I had no idea how much happens to clouds when lift is working underneath them. They were swirling and roiling and shredding apart. It was a very impressive sight, when viewed from up close. Another was learning very positively that when a cumulus cloud is over-developed, it very definitely has the potential to be a sink bomb. Several times I flew under a dissipating cumulus cloud hoping for residual lift only to find serious sink (which would cost me dearly). Another highlight was when the three high-performance ships came by me. They were flying together and a few times came by me at impressive speeds. The glass ships were sometimes below me one minute and above me the next. Other times they were just passing by me on their way to a cloud somewhere I had no hope of reaching. It was really fun watching those beautiful planes flying in such scenic surroundings. The three ships were Mario (in a Ventus?); Steve Schery, in his Discus; and David Pilati, in his 1-35. Thank you for your kind words. I sure don’t feel like I’m very good at thermaling, but I’m trying to learn. I listen to everything you tell me and try to put it into practice. I would love to fly with you in the Blanik to improve my skills and learn about cross country flight. I am now thoroughly hooked in soaring and can hardly wait to become a competent pilot. This is an important week for me. I really need to make progress this week in preparing for my written test or I may have to wait until July. Wish me luck. It’s shaping up to be a tough one already. Thanks for your great instruction. I have learned a tremendous amount from you and will never forget how much you’ve done for me. Thanks for the nice photo. JERRY BADAL 7. I'm not sure why, but I can't understand why we aren't seeing more pilots out there on Saturday. The lift has been great these past months and altitudes over 6-7000 feet have been routine. The skies are severe clear, and clouds often marking thermals. What could be better for soaring pilots? These are the days when flying gliders is better than any other form of recreation, no matter. So, use your membership and come flying. Even if you haven't flown lately a quick refresher flight with an instructor is probably all that is necessary. Don't miss out on this fabulous weather. more info |
| May 24, 2008 |
1. It was a dark and stormy day. No, actually it really started out as a beautiful day and overdeveloped by mid-afternoon. In spite of the thick cloud base, the lift remained strong and widespread. We seem to have that sort of phenomena at Avenal quite often. Must be the geography or the type of cells that develop around the gliderport. In fact, in late afternoon, the strongest lift was just next to a rather well developed rain storm over the Kettleman Hills, as seen in the photo to the right. 2. Jeff Lowe was out again continuing his flight training. It's going well and he'll be a solo pilot in a matter of weeks. We look forward to that and I know he does, too. We flew one in the morning, then retired to lunch, then flew again in the early afternoon. His coordination is coming along nicely. BTW, you really need to get to know Jeff. He's an amazing guy and has talent to spare. He plays guitar quite well, does magic tricks, sleight of hand, has flown model gliders, has a RC pickup truck, not so small, and a whole host of other talents and skills he keeps showing us each week. I keep wondering what else he can do or has done in the past. I'm sure we'll eventually find out. 3. Gene Thompson came back to California for a visit and had enough time to come back with me to Avenal. We really had time for only one flight and so we took the Blanik since the Orange Crush was scheduled for its annual. Gene like the Blanik and we had a nice long, nearly one hour flight getting quite high towards cloud base. 4. Hanna traveled to Avenal with Gene and I and helped out a lot around the field. She was especially helpful to Joe Anastasio and Mike Schoenau who were doing the annual on the Orange Crush. 5. Jerry Badal brought his brother, David, and David's daughter, Kailey, to Avenal to fly gliders for the first time. David went first and we were both disappointed at the lack of lift in the area. We landed with only a few weak thermals to show for our efforts. I mentioned to David that some time ago, the same thing happened to a demo flight, and the very next demo found great lift. Well, wouldn't you know it. I took his daughter, Kailey up and we found lift everywhere. Our flight lasted nearly an hour and we were up for as long as we wanted to be. We took photos of Jerry thermalling in the 1-26 and in general, just had fun climbing and flying around, then climbing again, for most of the flight. I sure wish David could have experienced that same flight but by the time we got down, it was late afternoon and they needed to return to Fresno. Sorry, David, and I promise the next time we'll hit those thermals we missed today. 6. Jerry had a nice flight in the 1-26, experiencing more than 10 knots of lift several times. Most of the time, he was well above us as Kailey and I circled in his thermal. Once in awhile we got lucky and out climbed him, but that wasn't the norm. We both had fun, sharing thermals, and finding great lift. 7. It was a successful day of soaring with good heights and if one was flying a glass ship, some long distance was possible even with the overdevelopment. more info |
| May 10, 2008 |
1. The CCSC club meeting focused on how to go forward with the towing based on the fact that Loyal will be leaving in the next few months and we need to find another source for our gliders. We didn't resolve much in the meeting but Richard Walker seemed to indicate that at least the topic is seriously being looked at now by all the members. More on this as it develops. 2. Jeff Lowe continued his flight training, this time concentrating on stalls, and more of the stick and rudder practice in the form of finding and staying in thermals. Every once in awhile, Jeff likes a cold blast of air so he opens the canopy and we enjoy the cool air aloft. In case you're wondering, yes, the glider flies quite well with or without the canopy open. 3. Hanna and her prom date, Brad Miranda, were at Avenal today. Hanna flew the Cherokee 140 out to Avenal with Brad in the back seat as passenger. He video taped the flight and therefore Hanna had to demonstrate her skills with a perfect landing at Avenal. They flew together in the Orange Crush after lunch, then had to return to Fresno to get ready for the evening dinner and prom. It was earlier than I wanted to return so Peter Mersino obliged and flew back with them in the 140.. I stayed on at Avenal hopefully long enough to fly my own glider. 4. As mentioned, the Mersino family (well, almost all of them) drove out to Avenal both to fly and so Peter could return with Hanna and Brad. While they were here, Jacob and Andrea flew several times in the Blanik, had some fun aloft, didn't remain up there for too long, and generally helped out where necessary around the field. Then at the end of the day, Jacob drove Andrea and I back to Fresno where I picked up my car. 5. The reason for the switch was my intention to fly my glider for a change. I haven't flown it in months and I need to remain current in high performance sailplanes. So, in addition to it being a necessity, it was also welcome fun. I flew for an hour and hovered around 5000 msl out in the mountains. Not a great flight but good to be alone in such a beautiful ship. 6. After the CCSC meeting, Mario and others went to the runway launch area and began staking the numbers on the ground for the Soaring Camp that starts next Wednesday. They carefully measured out enough positions to handle the expected entrants. 7. Andy Reistetter flew the 1-26 after the meeting and actually went up several times, reporting not as much lift as I had experienced earlier in the day with my student, Jeff Lowe. 8. Steve Schery went aloft and I was planning on joining up with him for some cross country flying. But as usual, I didn't get aloft until very late, and about the time I launched, Steve was on his way back to the field. So we never connected but Steve did have a nice long flight, I believe over two hours. 9. Roque Serpa really did show up. Don't faint, it's true. He's alive and well and just might show up again to continue his interrupted soaring career. It would be nice, indeed, to see him back in a glider soaring over the mountains. 10. Jerry Badal also was on hand and flew the 1-26, not finding much lift. Of course, in the 1-26 one cannot venture too far without finding lift so the search area is a bit limited compared to other higher performance sailplanes. 11. Royson Parsons and his daughter, Erin, attended the club meeting as a wonderful show of interest in all things connected to the CCSC. They then both went out and helped Mario layout the launch grid for the Soaring Camp. Erin decided not to fly today but she and her Dad will be back again soon. more info |
| May 3, 2008 |
1. One of the big objectives of the day for Joe Anastasio and Richard Walker was to get the wind-destroyed superstructure down from its precarious position half-way up in the air. They finally accomplished the task with help from Loyal's tractor and heavy chains hooked a portion of the steel. Richard also brought his torch to cut some of the steel beams in order to disassemble it for moving it out of the area. Thanks, guys, for all that help. 2. Jeff Lowe was out again today and is on his way to a license. He's a very determined fellow and I'm sure will be a solo pilot in no time. His rate of progress is excellent and he really understands the maneuver stuff. It's a pleasure teaching him and for the CCSC he'll make a very good club member. We flew twice and he took most of the tow, doing markedly better on tow the second time even though by that time, the bumps had become more numerous. 3. Once Jeff's training ended, we all had lunch at the King's Video store because Debbie's was closed for the weekend. Seems that Avenal was celebrating Old Timers Day and had a parade in the morning. So some of the stores closed because folks couldn't get to their stores until after the parade. 4. After lunch most of the pilots launched. There were no gliders left on the ground, except for the deteriorating Lark. Jerry Badal used the Orange Crush while Carl Kunz used the 1-26. Joe Anastasio and Alex Caldwell used the Blanik, and Richard Walker launched in his Schweizer 1-35. 5. Just about 30 minutes after Jerry Badal launched in the Orange Crush, Andrea and Jennifer Mersino arrived. You may recall that Mother and Daughter soloed together on the same day back on February 24th, 2007. They haven't been out very much since then, but today they arrived and wanted to go flying to renew their solo privileges. Trouble is, the Orange Crush is the only 2-33 we have and it departed shortly before they arrived with Jerry Badal piloting and thinking there was no one behind him waiting for the glider. At first the girls didn't mind waiting but after the HOURS rolled by it was clear that Jerry was having an excellent flight. So, three and one-half hours later Jerry landed and we only had time for Andrea's flight because they had to get back to Fresno. Maybe next time we'll organize a bit better. 6. Next weekend the club needs to take a vote and decide on how to mover forward with the tow plane issue. We need to do something because Loyal plans to move to Hawaii sometime in the next year, according to him. We used to think it was imminent but the last conversation with him led us to believe it may not be so imminent after all. Time will tell. more info |
| April 26, 2008 |
1. The Board of CCSC met today to discuss some important issues. One is the idea that we may, after all, conduct a "contest" of sorts this year, but call it a Camp instead. It might be too late for any large scale attendance but let's hope we get a few interested pilots. Mario will be conducting the Camp but not flying because his foot is still healing. Those attending the meeting today were Richard Walker, Joe Anastasio, Loyal Savaria, Dave Martin, Paul Hanson, Jerry Smeltzer, Mario Crosina, and Don Van Wyk. 2. Carl Kunz joined the club today and he's a really great guy to have on board. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEWEST MEMBER, CARL KUNZ !! Carl is a United Pilot on the Boeing 777 based out of San Francisco. He's been a glider pilot for many years, early on up at Sky Sailing in Fremont, CA. While his CFIG has expired we may be able to convince him to reinstate it and become part of our Flight Instructor group. We need CFIG's less in name only and more in being onsite to help with building the club. 3. William "Bill" Deviny came out again today and went for his first glider ride. He said he really liked the feeling of soaring and might just become a member and learn to fly. He works on the North Slope in Alaska two weeks on and two weeks off so his training will be in two-week spurts. He's another good guy we'd like to have onboard and hope he makes that decision. He's promised to fly again when his next two-weeks off occurs. 4. Jack Wiegand and I flew out to Avenal in the Cherokee 140 and spent the day mostly helping others. Near the end of the day, Jack and I flew in the Orange Crush but got off early, then fought the turbulent wind all the way back to the field. It wasn't one of Avenal's better days for smooth and high-lift flying. 5. Steve Schery flew today and was up a fairly long time. While he didn't get too far cross country he did manage to remain aloft for as long as he wanted. 6. Carl Kunz had fun flying the 1-26 for the first time in many years. He did well, no PIO's on takeoff, and managed to find enough thermals to have fun and some good time aloft.
7. Bruce Patton assembled his HP-18 and also went
flying up into the mountains both north and south. But he's an experienced
soaring pilot, especially here at Avenal and knows the terrain quite well. So we
would expect him to be more successful than others today. |
| April 19, 2008 |
1. Indeed it was a fun day for all who managed to get out here. You know the old cliché, "You shoulda' been here today". Well, that was true in all respects today since anyone who wanted to get high or go far could have done so. In fact, three pilots actually achieved Silver Badge altitude, getting up to 8400 msl after starting low. Silver gain is 3281 feet above your lowest altitude. But to claim the badge they needed to have either a data logger or a barograph trace, neither of which they carried with them. But that's OK since the achievement is what counts. The Badge comes later. 2. Jerry Badal and Cliff Stone both hit 8400 msl. It was the highest Jerry has ever soared in a glider and it was the highest Cliff has been in a glider in over 25 years. So CONGRATULATIONS TO JERRY AND CLIFF !!! 3. Steve Schery also hit 8400 msl but I believe he has been doing that any time the conditions are right. He flies often at Avenal, and during the week, so he can take advantage of the great lift conditions when they occur. Still, a gain of that magnitude isn't to be made light of. Nice going, Steve. 4. Richard Walker soared a long time and gained to 6300 msl. Depending on how low he got before he arrived at that altitude, he also might have gained Silver Badge altitude. It would seem that way if he just got lower than 3000 msl. before climbing to 6300 msl. 5. Rich Miller in his LP-49 had a wonderful flight. He got to 7200 msl, a sure Silver Badge gain, then flew 75 nm and was up for 2.5 hours. He headed north to Harris Ranch, then along the Kettleman Hills, then south to the intersection of 41 and 33, then back north again, just flying around with all that nice altitude to spare. 6. Meanwhile, Jeff Lowe started his flight training in earnest today. We took a high tow, then started doing basic maneuvers. When we got low, we'd thermal back up again to around 4500 msl, then do more maneuvers. Then after another loss of altitude, we'd thermal up again, and kept that going for a nice long training session. He's coming along fine and is more than dedicated to getting his license. Stay tuned for Jeff because his first solo won't be too far in the future. 7. Kathleen Morse was here today training in the 1-26 in preparation for her eventual flight in her recently purchased ASW-19. She's gong about it in the right way, getting solo time in both the 1-26 and the Blanik and gaining the right kind of experience for her ASW-19 solo day. Keep up the good work, Kathleen. 8. Joe Anastasio and JB Jones were out today and both just enjoying the beautiful weather and quiet of our wonderful gliderport. 9. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HANNA !!! Yes, it is Hanna's birthday today and for her birthday, her parents bought her a chance to defy gravity. But gravity won and she came back down to earth, most of the time at terminal velocity. A skydiving trip to Taft, CA, with Mom and friends, and would you believe it? Her Mom jumped out of a perfectly good airplane as did Hanna. Hmmmm. Not sure of the genetics there, they both used to seem like normal humans, not mental patients, but after Saturday morning at Taft, I'm no longer sure about their mental stability. Nice to see they survived and showed up at Avenal in the afternoon just to let us enjoy a MOST DELICIOUS chocolate cake baked my Hanna's Mom, Toy Marlette. Wow, was it GOOD !!! Later on, early evening, we stopped at Harris Ranch for a celebration dinner and then headed home in the dark. It certainly was a long day for the two of them but they held up under the strain quite well. 10. Loyal is still towing and may be doing that for the rest of this year since he has no imminent plans to move to Hawaii. Durval showed up in his Cessna 140, helped out for a time, then headed home mid-afternoon. more info |
| April 12, 2008 |
1. Cliff Stone, one of our power instructors who meet on Friday mornings, came out to Avenal for the second time and was greeted by an old friend he had flown with out of San Francisco, Karl Kunz. Both of them are Captains for United Air Lines, based at SFO. Karl flies the Boeing 777 and Cliff flies the Airbus A320. Turns out that Karl is an experienced glider pilot as is Cliff and meeting one another at Avenal was quite a coincidence. We're happy they did and hope that meeting will cement Karl's intentions to join our club and start showing us less-experienced guys how it's done. Welcome you two !!! CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEWEST CLUB MEMBER, CLIFF STONE!! 2. Karl and friend, John Craver, flew to Avenal in John's beautiful, shiny Cessna 170. But that won't be for long since John has already committed to selling the Cessna. Seems Karl also flies his own 170 and perhaps that will bring them both back to Avenal for fun and soaring. 3. Frank Owen brought two friends with him, Chuck Jennings and David Shelton. They went flying with Frank a bit and later on Chuck flew with me as his first official flight instruction. I hope he continues towards his rating since he did well on our flight. We were up quite a long time and he got all the thermalling he wanted. 4. Jack Wiegand and Hanna Marlette flew out in the Cherokee 140 with me and they each took turns flying different segments. At Avenal both flew but Jack did more flying, thermalling in 10 knot lift up above 7000. Hanna flew with me but this time in the back seat and did the photography while I flew from the front, an unusual position for me. 5. Cliff Stone and I flew in the Orange Crush, and while I sat in the back and did nothing, Cliff thermalled us up just beyond 6600 msl. A very nice flight and demonstration of how little skill Cliff lost during the past 25 years since he flew gliders regularly. Nice flight, Cliff. 6. Karl Kunz and I also flew together. As with Cliff, I sat in the back and watched the show while Karl displayed his glider flying talents. He did so well that if he decides to join the club, he'll be on his own immediately. 7. John Craver and I flew a demo flight but didn't stay up very long. I just picked the wrong areas to look for lift and although we did do some thermalling, most of the flight was either zero or sink. I had hoped to get John back in the air for a longer flight but he and Karl had to get back to Monterey early. Perhaps another day and I'll get John aloft for more of a flight. 8. Alex Caldwell was flying the Boy Scouts all morning in the Blanik. He does this nice community service several times a year and I'm sure they all appreciate his contribution. And for us, it exposes more of our central valley residents to the fun at Avenal. 9. More of our club members were out today. Richard Walker flew his Schweizer 1-35, Jerry Smeltzer flew the 1-26 (I think), Don Van Wyk feeling much better these days and coming out to Avenal more after his recovery. Paul Hanson flying his SZD-59. We appreciate all our members and hope to see many more of them as the weather warms up and the thermals get much higher. more info |
| April 5, 2008 |
1. "The Gang" came out for demo flights, organized by their leader, Jeff Lowe. They had flown gliders previously, at Santa Ynez and decided to try Avenal's soaring conditions. None are gilder pilots but Jeff is determined to become one. They were a fun group, and gave is all reason to smile. That, combined with the surprise party for Hanna, made for an enjoyable afternoon for everyone. Jeff and Margo Lowe, Bettye and Mike Landino, and Kristin Brown, 17 years old, all from Los Osos except for Kristi who will soon reside there. The lift was good enough to keep all of them up for nearly an hour each flight. 2. Even before "The Gang" came out to fly, Ron Marlette wanted to surprise Hanna with a party on the CCSC Patio in honor of her acceptance into the Air Force Academy. But we were having a difficult time trying to figure out how to get Hanna in the air in order for Ron and family to arrive and get the party set up. Finally we decided that Alex Caldwell would take Hanna for a glider ride as congratulations from him for her achievement. But before we could get that one figured out, Ron and crew arrived in the town of Avenal and called me about Hanna. We gave him a 15 minute delay, then got Hanna into the air, and Ron descended on the patio. When Hanna got back on the ground, she noticed nothing at first. Then remarked that there seemed to be an unusual number of people at Avenal for a Saturday. At this point she was out at the launch line having just arrived there. And the crowd was beginning to walk out to her glider. Then she recognized one of the group, then slowly another one, then finally realized she knew the entire crowd. Even then it didn't seem to dawn on her what the group was all about. But that didn't take long to sink in. She says she was completely surprised by the party, had no idea, and was quite pleased. All of her family were there, and they set about cooking a barbeque of hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, chips, etc. Good fun and a great congratulations party for Hanna. Unfortunately I missed it all, being in the air for about 3.5 hours with demo rides. And they were fun, too. 3. Joe Anastasio needed a BFR so Alex Caldwell obliged with three flights and the ground session. They used the Orange Crush later in the afternoon when all other flights had been accomplished. 4. An historic event took place today. Hanna Marlette, a licensed pilot at 17 years young, took Jack Wiegand, a solo pilot at 15 years young, for a glider ride. They are very good friends and have talked about flying together for many months. Finally, there they were ready to launch on a flight no one could have foreseen two years ago. Naturally Hanna and Jack flew exceedingly well, stayed up for a nice flight and landed quite well all the way back to the launch area. Great going, you two!!! 5. Royson Parsons and his daughter Erin, arrived at Avenal so that Erin could begin her flight training. She had her first lesson March 27, but that was primarily to see if she wanted to continue her training. She decided to go forward and get the license and we're happy to have her as out new Club member and newest training pilot. She did very well on both flights, has a nice touch on the controls, listens to directions carefully, follows them faithfully, and I expect her to solo long before she thinks she is ready. Keep up the good work, Erin, and thanks go to her Dad, a power Pilot, for supporting her great interest in aviation. 6. Steve Schery in his Discus, had a nice four-hour flight today. It was just one of those days for lift in a wide area. Fun for all, and staying up wasn't a problem for anyone. more info |
| March 29, 2008 | Story to Follow ... more info |
| March 22, 2008 |
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. more info |
| March 15, 2008 |
1. Well, what can one say about lift at and above 1200 feet per minute? It was just a whole lot of fun all day long. Fortunately the rain didn't hit us much at all. A few brief showers but they barely dampened the runway. Then they'd leave and we go booming again in and around the weather. It was that much fun and that much lift. There were enough of us at Avenal today to enjoy the soaring and the camaraderie, including a trip to Debbie's for The World's Greatest Hamburgers. 2. Phil Decker, FA-18 Super Hornet Pilot based at Lemoore NAS, was awarded his Commercial Add-On rating by Dan Gudgel. Phil and I flew three flights early, then he and Dan began the oral portion. Worrying about the possibility of being rained out, they interrupted the oral to do the flight portion of the test, then went back for the remaining oral exam. CONGRATULATIONS PHIL. NOW WORK ON YOUR CFIG !! 3. Jerry Badal hasn't been to Avenal since July, 2005, when he soloed. He says life has been quite busy for him over the past 30 months but now he's determined to get the license non-stop. We're glad to see him devoted to going forward for his Private License since he was an excellent pilot when he came here to solo. Now he just needs to keep after himself until the License is awarded. We'll help him do that. 4. Jerry and I flew four flights, the first and last we took the time to thermal and had a lot of fun. The first flight produced ONLY 8 knot thermals. We soared to just short of 5000 msl, then had to descend in order for Dan and Phil to use the Orange Crush for Phil's checkride. It was tough to give up that altitude because not only was the lift strong but we had not gotten even close to the lift weakening. It was 8 knots right up until we opened the dive brakes and pushed the nose down to descend. Later, after two pattern tows, he was ready to solo once again, but couldn't because he didn't have his license with him. So, we took another tow to pattern altitude, snagged a booming thermal of 1200+ feet per minute, and went back up to 4000 msl. We played around the weather for awhile, then descended so that others could use the 2-33. That's the only problem with having only one 2-33. On great days, it gets heavily scheduled. 5. Steve Schery was out here today, and took his turn flying the 1-26. He had plenty of time aloft and smiled a lot when back on the ground. 6. Jerry Smeltzer also flew the 1-26 and reported an altitude of 6200 msl, mostly restrained by the cloud base. 7. Richard Walker couldn't resist and later in the afternoon decided to fly his Schweizer 1-35. He, too, had fun with the lift and flew mostly below cloud base since the weather tended to overdevelop on a cyclic basis. 8. Richard Miller, a new member who intends to fly at Avenal until summer when he then travels to Minden or Truckee. Today, he assembled his LP-49 and although I didn't see him flying it, he might have sometime after I left. He had planned on staying at the gliderport over the weekend, and I know he flew the next day, Sunday. 9. Paul Hanson arrived Friday night and Saturday morning early was out with his weedwacker cutting down all the overgrowth around the area. As you can see from the accompanying photos, he mowed every area down to a nice level. It looks just great and it took him nearly five hours to get the job done. Thanks, Paul, for moving forward with that effort without anyone pushing you. That's the mark of a club member who believes in contributing his time and effort. 10. Late in the afternoon, the clouds kept beckoning us aloft, so giving in reluctantly, Alex Caldwell, Hanna Marlette, and I went soaring. Alex promised to sniff for us although that really wasn't necessary since one could blunder into strong lift without looking. We got off tow on the edge of some rain, and found lift enough to get us higher. We were thermaling for awhile and then spotted Alex ahead. We joined his thermal and stayed there until Alex decided to head east towards I-5. Not sure what he had in mind, we followed him and he took us all over the Kettleman Hills. Finally we decided to break away and find our own thermals. In the air at the same time was Richard Walker and after soaring for some time, we and he headed for the pattern at the same time. He turned on final for runway 31 just ahead of us, so we lingered until he was safely ahead, then we turned and landed. And with that, our soaring day ended. 11. Allen White was here today, helping out, and just visiting with friends. On his day off from towing for Tehachapi and Hollister where does he go?? To a gliderport, of course, wouldn't we do the same thing?? You betcha'. SUNDAY, MARCH 16, 2008 1. Today, there were a few members present. Mike McClellan arrived with three friends who all wanted to go for a glider ride. Alycia probably was the best sport since she was a bit terrified of flying but went anyway. Once back on the ground she kissed the earth in gratitude for having returned her safely. Justin Maher and Brendan Ford both took their turns flying with Mike. And all had fun in the Blanik, Mike's favorite glider. 2. Rich Miller stayed overnight, then using an auto, towed down the runway to test rudder work he had been doing on his LP-49. 3. Paul Hanson flew his SZD 59 for three hours using mostly ridge lift. 4. Roy Norman and Rich Miller flew the Orange Crush and had what they reported as being a "decent flight". 5. It sure was a more beautiful day, Sunday, but apparently the lift wasn't quite as good as Saturday. And the cloud markers weren't as prevalent as the day before, but any day at Avenal is a good day. 6. Paul Hanson and Rich Miller, as good members, went out and fixed our wind sock that had been damaged earlier from high winds. Thanks, guys. more info |
| March 8, 2008 |
1. Hanna Marlette and Jack Wiegand flew the Cherokee to and from Avenal today. It was such a beautiful Saturday with the hills all green and the weeds not yet too obnoxious. While the lift wasn't great, the sky was clear, and air mostly smooth. A good day for training and we did get a bit of that done. 2. Frank and Luke Owen also arrived via power plane and it was Luke's chance to continue his flight training started just three weeks ago. Since he did so well last two times, I wanted to stretch his skills and we did the flight with as much control as Luke wanted to exercise. He began by flying the tow, then we did more elaborate maneuvers aloft. Pushing him to do more, he then flew the pattern and landing. It was not a walk in the park for him because I wanted him to take on a lot of early responsibility for the flight. I trust he won't be too discouraged later, because, on tow, he struggled, as most students do. Once past the tow, all is usually well with the student and flight moves on easily. 3. Jack bought a kite at some gas station we stopped at and although it didn't look substantial enough, it actually flew quite well. Jack, Hanna, and Luke had the kite as high as the string would allow and it stayed there with surprising stability. That was probably the most exciting flight all day. 4. Frank Owen put in a lot of work fixing the tires on all the bicycles that had flats, and most had them. Now we have a fleet of bicycles to use running out and back to the launch area and other important destinations. 5. Jack and Hanna were distracted early in the day with the local farmer harvesting carrots in the field to the northwest of the gliderport. So they just had to go and see for themselves whether the harvesters got all the carrots out of the ground. They reported back that there were many carrots still imbedded in the soil and they brought back a dozen or so as proof. They were delicious. 6. With time out for lunch at Debbie's the afternoon was taken up with Jack and I flying a refresher flight. 7. Durval Freitas flew in, stayed awhile, then left for home. There weren't too many members here today so the towing was spotty. 8. Alex Caldwell decided to video his Nimbus 3 flight just to see whether his technology was sufficient. He added the video to You Tube and here is the link to that flight:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=N3vUNPfdAUU
He used a simple still camera with the video feature on it, strapped to the brim of his cap. It turned out pretty good. I think pilots would liked to have seen inside the cockpit more, showing the variometer and altimeter. But otherwise it should be enjoyable for most viewers. more info |
| March 1, 2008 |
1. It wasn't a particularly busy day at Avenal. But the weather was great, the hills all green with eye candy, and on hand were a few members whose company we enjoyed. This is one of the best times of the year for photography of the hills and mountains in and around Avenal. Even though the lift isn't great, one can stay up fairly long with 1-2 knots of up-stuff. And the scenery is worth the trouble of struggling with meager lift. 2. Hanna, Jack and I drove out to Avenal because the winds blowing at Fresno Chandler were up to 25 knots and forecast to be that throughout the Central Valley. So the training each would have received had we flown would have been difficult at best. But with the two of them in the car, there was never a dull moment during the one hour drive from Fresno Chandler Airport. 3. Peter Sahlberg needed a refresher flight for renewal of his solo privileges so we went aloft in the Orange Crush. He liked the first well enough to want a second flight to get all the rust out of his skill set. With a little studying, Peter could earn his add-on rating in a shot time. His flying is fine, but he needs some concentrated ground time to be ready for the oral exam portion of the flight check. 4. Jack and Hanna didn't fly today but they helped out around the gliderport. Jack particularly worked hard mowing the lawn that was high enough to qualify for Steven Spielberg's next Jurassic Park movie. Mowed, it looks great and a nice place to sit and watch the glider operations, or sleep on the hammock. Of course they both had time to play hat-catch but that's what young people do who have an excess of energy and time. 5. Steve Schery was here today and flew his Ventus up into the mountains for more than an hour. He worked the thermals well, even though there weren't many of them and most weren't too strong. 6. Paul Hanson drove in the night before and was looking over his new SZD-19. I don't think he flew, so perhaps it was just a chance to look it over after a long cross-country drive from back East where he purchased it. more info |
| February 16, 2008 |
1. Our CCSC Annual Meeting was held today to elect new Board members and discuss several critical issues facing the club after our damaged gliders and facilities. It was quite well attended and there may have been more in attendance than we've seen in a few years. 2. Jack Wiegand and I went flying for his refresher flight. Nothing wrong with Jack's skill set for soaring. He just needs to begin flying more as the weather now starts to improve for soaring. 3. Hanna Marlette and Frank Owen went flying together and I'm not sure who did more of the flying, Frank or Hanna. But it seemed that she did the takeoff so at least Frank let ladies go first. 4. Anthony Squires visited Avenal for the first time in many months. He lives in San Diego and once in awhile gets up to Fresno for a few days and makes sure he gets to Avenal to maintain his glider skill set. He is a licensed glider pilot and has soloed in power planes enroute to his add-on rating in power one of these days. 5. Curtis Modin, our recent senior solo pilot, came out for two refresher flights so that he can begin to log solo flights enroute to his license. Curtis just needs to fly more often because his skill set is very good but rusts more easily than the younger generation. 6. The "Boot Caper" occupied Jack and Hanna for the better part of an hour. They were determined to unlace, then retie Harold's boot laces around both ankles without him waking up. A few times they got a scare when either Harold "snorted" loudly or Loyal walked up to the patio. But true to "Mission Impossible" they accomplished the feat (no pun intended) and when Harold woke up, his feet were tied together. Nice work you two. Just goes to show you what kinds of interesting and academic things young people occupy themselves with when they have too much free time. 7. Jack Wiegand played monkey a few times jumping from the trees next to the patio without breaking an ankle. Lucky or skilled??? 8. We just found out that Jacob Mersino has been accepted to the Air Force Academy located in Colorado Springs, CO. He has been waiting for word about his acceptance for nearly a year and finally it came. We are thrilled as much as he is to see him progress in his flying career because it all began at Avenal with his early solo on August 23, 2003 at age 14 years, one month, then his license on his 16th birthday, then his power flying solo, and now this. WOW !! We will be seeing him fly the F-22 Raptor one of these days and we can say, "We remember him when he was too small to reach the rudder pedals". Great accomplishment, Jacob, now we'll have a reason to fly the Dakota to Colorado Springs a few times in the next four years. 9. Sherri Demsky visited us for a few minutes late in the day. She has been working in Fresno, and living on a farm in Lemoore. Busy is the word for her life. Matt Demsky has been traveling all over the U.S. while Jon Demsky still works on water projects for Granger Water Supplies. Welcome back, Sherri. more info |
| January 19, 2008 |
1. It was a nice day for training. Frank Owen and son, Luke, flew out in Frank's Cessna 152 and spent the afternoon aloft. Luke apparently liked his flying enough to go for a second launch. His flying was very well done with unusually smooth control input throughout the two flights. Perhaps he might even continue his training and someday soon be sharing a thermal with his Dad over the mountains west of Avenal. Meanwhile, since Frank is already a licensed power and glider pilot, he just wanted a refresher flight before taking Luke aloft for a fun time between Father and Son. 2. Curtis Modin also came out for a refresher flight and accomplished two in mid-afternoon. He's already a solo glider pilot and continues to improve his skill set while looking ahead to getting his license. We'll help him do that. 3. Hanna and I flew out in the Cherokee 140 as she continues to learn power flying enroute to an add-on rating in powered aircraft. She was her helpful self all day long with everyone on the launch line and at the tie-down area. 4. Joe Anastasio was here today and paid most of his attention to inspecting the gliders for any hidden damage from the windstorm. He did some routine maintenance on the Orange Crush and the Blanik so that others could enjoy the sunny flying day. Thanks, Joe. 5. Alex Caldwell was present bringing his model glider with him. It is beautifully constructed, quite large and I would like to see it soar when the thermals start really popping in the next few weeks. He loaned it to me for use in my gallery show if I needed it but I was able to assemble my full-scale glider in the Art School courtyard so his model wasn't needed. Thanks anyway, Alex. 6. The hard-working member of our club, in addition to Joe Anastasio, is Richard Walker. Among other things, he added our shower for us and that alone will make him famous among especially visiting glider pilots. But he didn't wait for kudos on the shower and dove into the repair to the patio roof, fabricating a cross beam at home, then bringing it to Avenal to be fit in place. So next time you sit under the shade of the patio, thank Richard for his determination not to let any more time lapse between the damage and the repairs. Thanks, Richard, we all appreciate how much you have done for the Club. more info |
| January 4, 2008 |
The following narrative was provided by Joe Anastasio who was one of the team of members to assist after the storm. Other team members included Mario Crosina, Peter and Jacob Mersino, Paul Hanson, Loyal Savaria, and Roy Norman.
1. The Blue Whale is a total loss. We moved
it from across highway 33 to the former shelter framework area. The
instrument panel is in the clubhouse, along with the horizontal stab.
One wing was curled, the other was missing some sections. The struts are
tweaked. The fuselage is bent and broken from nose to tail. I will need
to remove the interior so we can use it in the other 2-33. Also of
salvage value will be the seatbelts, tail wheel, vario, ASI, tow hook parts,
and other interior trim. We need to be sure that we salvage anything we
can prior to taking it to the dump.
2. Paul's Sisu is a write-off. It ended up
on its back, north of Loyal's enclosed hangar, about 500 feet from where it
was parked. One wing is broken, the cockpit is smashed.
3. The newly constructed shelter frame is badly
damaged. If we had the roof on it, it probably would have ended up in
downtown Avenal.
4. The patio has a large central open skylight.
It will need to be re-roofed. One of the frame members broke free so we
will need weld repair too.
5. The clubhouse and shed are ok.
6. The south hanger doors are caved in and bent.
The hangar is not secure anymore as several panels were ripped off the doors.
We removed the compressor, mower and contest supplies to the shed. The
doors will need to be repaired and siding and roof need to be fixed. The
interior is quite a mess.
7. All of the remaining aircraft had lost their
aileron locks. Please perform a careful inspection of the ailerons and
their controls prior to flying any club ship!!!!!!!!! All locks were
replaced.
8. The Blanik appears to be ok, The rudder
lock was broken on one side. In addition to verifying aileron function
prior to flight please be sure the check the rudder controls! The push
rods could have been damaged. Loyal added extra rope to keep it tied
down during the storm.
9. The 1-26 was found by Loyal and Dave to be
"flying in place". They added rope to hold the nose down. We have
upgraded the tiedowns and put a piece of concrete under each wheel.
We also added a chain to hold the tail down. Rope breaks.
10. The
glider controls need to be checked prior to flight.
Mario, Paul and I straightened out the trailers
(none appeared damaged!). We also relocated the 1-35 to the old
tie down for the whale and secured it with chains and with Paul's tie
downs. It is amazing that it did not join the Sisu is cavorting across
the runway. Mario and Paul were adding extra tie downs to the other
planes when I left. We got the Sisu into its trailer, too.
My pet theory as to how the whale came loose is
that it was probably hopping up and down for some time. The wheel
excavated a deep pit in the soil. As the wheel dug a hole the glider motion
would have become more severe. Eventually one of the carabineers let go.
The other one straightened out completely. The rope on the tail broke.
Loyal's mobile home is ok, but both verandas were
ripped off by the wind. His small trailer was pushed partly over but he
got it vertical. Dave had fence damage, but no roof damage. There
were lots of damaged steel roofs and west facing fences and walls in town.
Joe
|
| December 29, 2007 |
1. CONGRATULATIONS, CURTIS !! This young (72) man was determined to solo and has promised to go on and get his Pilot's License. There was a few weeks lull while he went to the FAA and got his Student's License in order to solo. He might even have soloed in late November had I not forgotten to tell him about the need for a Student License. But now, the solo was a nice Christmas present and a great start for the New Year. 2. Curtis and I launched on four flights, the last three to pattern altitude in preparation for his solo. I wasn't sure all the cobwebs were going to be erased from his skill set since his last flight in November, but he quickly showed me his pre-solo skills were quite intact after all. It was an easy decision for me to get out of the glider since he did so well on the previous flights. Then, the three solo flights were very well done with not a glitch in any of the launches, releases, and patterns. His landings have always been nice and gentle, so he really deserved the accolades for his first three solo flights. 3. Perhaps if Curtis doesn't mind me telling his age of 72, it will inspire many more seniors over 60 to come out and enjoy the thrill of learning to fly. Gliders, of course, are not nearly as dangerous as powered aircraft in spite of the common belief that flight without an engine is seemingly impossible. And being aloft in the quiet and serenity of glider flight is an experience worth working for. So, for all those of you reading this story who have decided that you're too old for any such dangerous nonsense, just come out and try it once. You might even get hooked on this great way to fly. And then what a story you'd have to tell all the folks at the local nursing home !! 4. Joe Anastasio was out today as well, and flew once in the Blanik searching, in vain, for some reasonable lift. He found some zero sink, but that's not much to enjoy for any length of time. As usual, he then set to work on repairing and improving our glider fleet, for which all of us owe him huge thanks. Many of his projects go unnoticed because we have come to expect maintained and flight-ready gliders even though at various times, they are not so until Joe goes to work on them. Thanks again, Joe, for all your wonderful and unselfish contributions over the past years. 5. Durval flew out in his Cessna 140 and did a few tows for us. Other than that, he simply enjoyed being at Avenal and having the chance to fly as often as possible. As Loyal said, "I don't know of anyone happier to fly than Durval". 6. The bad news is that Loyal is thinking about moving to Hawaii. And the process is a lot farther along than I imagined. I don't blame him, the weather is nice and mild throughout the year, and he won't have to tow any more. But if it happens we'll miss him greatly while being happy for him that he is pursuing another of his goals. Stay tuned. more info |
| December 22, 2007 | No reporting for this Saturday. |
| December 15, 2007 | No reporting for this Saturday. |
| December 11, 2007 |
1. Since I missed the two Saturdays at Avenal, December 8th and December 15th, because I went to Chicago to visit family, I thought you'd be interested in a side trip I took to the Air & Space Museum at the Dulles Airport in Washington, DC. 2. The building is so huge it is difficult to get a proper perspective. An Air France Concorde was turned sideways and still didn't take up much room. Inside are some very historic aircraft and you have to see it to appreciate its beauty and size. 3. If you go there, it is easy to take a shuttle bus (50 cents per person) from Dulles airport to the museum, a 10 minute ride. And there is no entry fee at the museum. Acres and acres of aircraft. In addition, there are four flight simulators, one of which is full motion, including inverted. The cost is reasonable. Three of the four are similar to the Back to the Future ride at Universal Studios. 4. You need more than a few hours to appreciate all that's there. Museum shop, restaurants, classrooms, and a control tower. But there is much more and you should access the Internet at http://www.nasm.si.edu/udvarhazy/ for information on what to see when you get there. It is magnificent and we should be proud as Americans that we have built this for all to see. When I was there, groups of Europeans were wandering around in amazement. 5. There won't be much reporting on Avenal activity for the month of December since most of us are spending time and money on other things. But we'll continue to keep you informed as activities develop. more info |
| December 8, 2007 | No reporting for this Saturday. |
| December 1, 2007 |
1. Joe Anastasio had told me via email that he would be unable to come out to Avenal today. So, with my Gallery Show looming in the not-enough-distant future I figured I'd stay home and work on my sculpture. But as luck would have it, the day opened bright and what looked like a great soaring day. I stayed home but Joe didn't. What follows is his summary of what took place at Avenal. Joe's Stuff
2. Let us start with that fact that I was
wrong, I was able to come out to Avenal this past Saturday. I bet that
the TIP forecast was wrong, that there would be lift. What did I base
this wishful thinking on? The clouds of course! Serious looking
clouds were forming north of
Paso Robles, so I decided to give flying a try (or two). I
arrived at Avenal at about noon, to find Jerry and Loyal telling stories about
motorcycles, sailplanes and other important stuff.
3. Watching the clouds forming over the hills and the west side of the valley, we decided to forgo lunch and get into the air. I launched first in the Blanik. Towed to 2900 MSL and released over the power lines in what seemed like light lift. After scratching for a few minutes the lift disappeared. I began retracing the tow, since it had seemed that we had passed through several bumps on the way out to the power lines. As I sank lower and lower, I was passed by Jerry and Loyal heading for the clouds. No bumps.
4. When Loyal returned I tried again, this time
towing out a bit further and higher. This time was was able to find some
0 to 0.5 knot lift. What seemed to work was to run a bit upwind of the
clouds, but the lift was such a narrow band I could never seem to stay in it
for long. My second flight was more than a sled ride however, id did
manage to climb a few hundred feet.
5. When I returned Steve Schery had arrived,
Jerry had landed the 1-26. We agreed that something must be holding
the clouds up but Jerry had determined that it was very slender thermals.
Jerry and I went to Debbie's for lunch, while Steve got ready for a
flight. When we returned with our burgers, we could see the 1-26
(with Steve) high above the gliderport. We were surprised when Steve
landed, about 1/2 way through our Ortega/bacon burgers. It turned
out he had not done much better than we did, he had just taken a higher
tow.
6. So, maximum heights were on or just off tow. The best lift was 0 to 0.5 knots. The clouds were deceptive. The flying was a lot of fun. I took a few pictures with my cell phone. Happy Flying Joe Anastasio more info |
| November 24, 2007 |
1. We in the CCSC are thankful for: A wonderful club of very nice members. A great tow pilot who is always available. A dedicated and safe gliderport to soar in comfort. Members who care about the surroundings. Members who contribute their time and money. Laughter and camaraderie among us all. Members who willingly retrieve us when we land out. Shared stories of those who thermal higher than we do. Barbeques and balloon-bombing contests. Families who support the training of our student pilots. The way Loyal maintains the runways for us. The hangar that is going up and soon to be completed. The continuing excellent maintenance on our gliders. The wonderful weather at Avenal and the Central Valley. Visitors who enjoy just being with us on the Patio. Avenal city administrators who appreciate our presence. Avenal residents who take pride in having us here. A small but nice fleet of gliders. Shirttails that tell their own story over the years. And on, and on, ... Thank you all for being a part of our Club. 2. Anthony Squires, Hanna Marlette and I traveled to Avenal this morning and were surprised to find no other members except Loyal and later on, Durval Freitas. We're not sure why the lack of interest because it was such a beautiful day, but perhaps the holiday weekend had folks doing other things. No, there wasn't much lift. I went up for about 40 minutes and worked a bit on staying aloft in 1-3 knot ragged lift. Otherwise it was an uneventful day of nearly gliding down after the tow. It was one of the clearest days we've seen in many weeks, however, so that balanced things a bit. 3. Durval, Anthony and I each took one flight in the 1-26. Anthony's was more productive since he hooked up the wireless video camera on the wingtip of the 1-26 and recorded his flight for later uses on DVD's he's planning to sell on Ebay. 4. Hanna Marlette did her homework, helped attach the video equipment, and ran a wing. Otherwise she was there for the beauty of the day, and the peaceful moments on the Patio. more info |
| November 17, 2007 |
1. Well, it was a rather unusual day for mid-November. We had more visitors than even a few warm summer days thanks to both Lemoore NAS and Steve Schery. The NAS folks included Ashley Bower and Audrey Peterman, both FA-18 pilots stationed at Lemoore NAS. Audrey is already a licensed glider pilot and Ashley was experiencing his first glider flight. We have been fortunate to have had visits from quite a number of Navy personnel, including those who have joined our club. So perhaps Ashley and Audrey will join and become part of our fun times here at Avenal. 2. Steve Schery had a nice contingent come out for their glider flights. Those in attendance were Barb Milet, Jim Porzak, Simon Porzak, Wolfgang Weber, and Al Amsbaugh. Steve flew all the flights in the Blanik while we flew the Blue Whale. So it worked out well and Loyal had enough tows to make it worthwhile. 3. After towing all the gliders to the launch area, Jack Wiegand finally got to fly in late afternoon. We went aloft to refresh his procedures and make sure no bad habits had crept into his skill set. He did well, and although only a little lift was available he still managed to enjoy the air time. 4. Jerry Smeltzer flew the 1-26 and came back reporting no lift available. That was essentially true except for some weak lift over and around the newly planted fields northwest of the gliderport. 5. Joe Anastasio was around all day helping out, changing canopies, and repairing tail wheels. Thanks for that Joe because you keep the fleet available for training and demo flights. 6. Richard Walker was at the gliderport again today and once more took to the air in his lovely sailplane the 1-35. He also reported no lift but had a great time flying his glider. He is much more comfortable with each flight and will soon become the resident expert on Schweizer 1-35's. 7. This is the time of the year when training is best. Smooth air, clear skies, very little traffic, and beautiful sunsets. So for those of you who have been putting off your training, now is the time to begin again. Call, email, or just come out for some nice training times. more info |
| November 10, 2007 |
1. Timothy Ables came out to Avenal last Tuesday just to look around and perhaps take a demo flight. He got hooked, not because glider flying is so great, which it is, but because in his short flight in the Blanik he really showed me a smooth hand on the stick, unusual for someone's first flight and even more so in the Blanik. That smoothness carried over into today's three training flights. Once in awhile he got carried away and tried too hard, over controlling the glider. But the majority of the time, his stick and rudder work was excellent. On the second flight he snagged a thermal and continued to work it and others he found for 48 minutes. Quite amazing considering it was his second flight in a glider. But he takes direction well and it paid off with altitude gained on an otherwise very light lift day. He joined the club and we're happy to have him aboard. CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME, TIMOTHY!! 2. Phil Decker, a Super Hornet FA-18 pilot from Lemoore is back off sea duty and now will pursue once again his commercial glider add-on rating. Phil had soloed earlier and just one refresher flight proved his skill was still in evidence. Now that he's back the process of acquiring the rating should go smoothly and quickly. 3. Curtis Modin came out today prepared to solo the 2-33. When I asked to see his student license, a blank look overtook his normal smile. Seems as though he'd never heard of the student license even though he has flown at other gliderports in search of his Private Pilot's License. So, we couldn't let him go solo today and instead flew two flights to pattern altitude in preparation for next week when we know he'll be here with the student license. 4. Irene Wiegand brought her father, John Ruch, out to Avenal again along with Jack. Jack flew several flights but this time John rested and just watched the activity. You may recall from last week that John fell and bruised his left leg. So he just wanted to watch today and enjoyed the time at Avenal as we all do in such a peaceful surrounding. 5. Hanna Marlette drove out with me today and in late afternoon had a chance to fly a glider again. She hasn't lost her skill set and flew quite smoothly and confidently. It was nice to see her aloft again at Avenal because lately all her flying has been in preparation for her solo in power. That solo is only a week or so away. Stay tuned. 6. Last but not at all least is the great news that Richard Walker finally took his neat little Schweizer 1-35 aloft. He brought it out to Avenal on a trailer back in June of this year. And he hesitated to assemble it because he thought it would take too many people and when he's there, most members aren't. But some weeks ago we convinced him to put it together. So it was just a matter of timing to fly it, and this Saturday proved to be the day. He loved how it flew, had no trouble with the flap system, thought the whole issue was a non-issue regarding flap versus dive brake, and is hooked on his wonderful 1-35. Congratulations, Richard, on your purchase of the glider and your first flight. May it be one of many enjoyable flights over the years ahead. more info |
| November 3, 2007 |
1. Irene Wiegand brought her father, John Ruch, out to Avenal today for his first glider flight. John and I went up over Black Mountain towing to 5300 msl and had a very nice, smooth flight over the mountains until it was time to head back to Avenal. Earlier in the day, John tripped over a concrete wheel stop at a local gas station and injured his leg. But that didn't stop him from climbing aboard the glider and having a nice ride. 2. Sean Smith brought his wife, Leda, and daughter out to Avenal today to give his wife a glider ride for her birthday. She easily boarded the glider and we had a nice time aloft where she photographed the surrounding area, and took time to be just a tourist viewing the beautiful countryside. 3. Curtis Modin worked hard on his four flights and is preparing for his solo flight which might take place next week. His final pattern flights were quite good and I suspect he may be ready for the big event next Saturday. 4. Joe Anastasio thankfully repaired the Blue Whale's canopy that had cracked when the cable holding it tore away. Joe did a nice job and although the crack is all too evident, at least the repair is strong and safe. THANKS, JOE. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6th, 2007 5. Our good friend, Christoph Maurer and his lady, Ulla, flew to the United States from Munich, Germany last Saturday and had to at least fly once at Avenal while they were here. So they chose Tuesday and I met them there. We began with lunch at Debbie's and then headed back to the gliderport for Christoph's three flights in preparation to carry passengers. Once done, he and Ulla took a high tow and went over Black Mountain for some great views and a smooth flight. Ulla was impressed but I don't think too terribly excited about glider flying, at least for the moment. 6. During the day, a young man showed up from Lemoore and wanted a demo flight. Timothy Ables and I went aloft in the Blanik and I was quite surprised at how smooth he handled the controls. I was sure he had prior flight experience, but he assured me this was the first time he has ever tried to fly anything. By the end of the day, Timothy decided to join the Club and we welcome him to the CCSC. He should be an excellent student. CONGRATULATIONS, TIMOTHY!! 7. Because Richard Walker sometimes comes to Avenal on the weekdays, he was there today and it was a good chance for him to try and land the Blanik without using the dive brakes. His newly purchased glider is a Schweizer 1-35 that has very effective flaps, all the way to 90 degrees, but no dive brakes. And he plans on flying the 1-35 this coming weekend. So we tried three flights and couldn't get the Blanik down properly without using the dive brakes at the last minute. But since the flaps on the Blanik and the flaps on the 1-35 are different enough, it didn't seem to be any problem for his coming first flight in the 1-35. more info |
| October 27, 2007 |
1. After eight years, one month and two days, finally someone hit the target with a water-filled balloon. And our long record of hitless scores comes to an end. Our new, and only, Champion is J. Sidney Lee from San Jose. Sidney joined the club this year and has taken a few soaring lessons in between his business trips to the Far East on behalf of his employer, Seagate Technologies of Scotts Valley, CA. In fact, the irony is that Sidney tried reaching me on my cell phone to tell me he probably wouldn't be coming to Avenal because of the uncertain weather. Since he couldn't reach me, he decided to come down after all. Good thing he did. 2. I was the lucky pilot when Sidney dropped his target busting balloon. The first two balloons were wide of the mark, and on the third, I actually cautioned him not to drop the balloon because I thought we were past the target and I was going to try for another pass at it. Good thing he ignored me. His prize money amounted to $40 and paid for his tosses from the glider. CONGRATULATIONS TO SIDNEY LEE FOR DOING WHAT NO ONE HAS EVER DONE SINCE BOMBING BEGAN IN 1999. 3. Because of the weather, we weren't sure if many people would show up. Finally, we did get a nice crowd with about half involved in bombing with balloons and the other half just enjoying the spectacle and the dinner afterwards. 4. Roy Norman worked hard to prepare the dinner and make sure all the fixings were there. The dessert offerings were outrageous and I know a few people who had more than one of the offerings. Maybe everyone had more than one. Linda Town's pumpkin squares topped by chopped pecans were a BIG HIT. 5. As dinner progressed the rain got heavier and after dinner we all moved into the clubhouse for a nice social gathering while listening to Mario's "Never Again" stories. The rain didn't damper anyone's spirit and right up until everyone left, there was laughter almost non-stop. 6. Sure, we wish more had shown up to enjoy the contest, the dinner and others who attended. But maybe next time we'll see more here. As you may know by now, the contest and dinner were fund raisers for our club. Every little bit helps us do things around Avenal that we might not be able to do without a bit of extra money in the kitty. So, THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE CONTEST OR DINNER OR BOTH FOR HELPING THE CLUB RAISE MUCH NEEDED FUNDS. 7. Andy Reistetter flew his Russia earlier in the day on several flights. In addition, Lance Edmisten came down from Modesto to continue his glider training and had at least one good flight before he then flew as a bombardier in the Blue Whale. 8. The contest teams included: Harold Gallagher and Raphaela Cervantes Harold Gallagher and Lance Edmisten Harold Gallagher and Toy Marlette Harold Gallagher and Sidney Lee. Lionel and Julie Smith Alex Caldwell and Dave Johnson Joe and Becky Anastasio more info |
| October 20, 2007 |
1. Not much story to tell. The wind was blowing quite strongly in the Central Valley as we left Fresno Chandler and had picked up there by the time we landed at Avenal. Loyal and his son, Michael, were there and tried to warn us about the gusting crosswind but there wasn't any need to do that and the landing was tricky but uneventful. 2. Since no one flew a glider, the only other thing we could do was convince Richard Walker to assemble his Schweizer 1-35. He purchased the glider in June but had been reluctant because he thought it would take 4 or 5 people to help. But after lifting a wing, I determined that his glider was much easier to assemble than my ASW 20 so we got to work. It was easy. In fact I was surprised at how easy it was to assemble. I think Richard was surprised and pleased since he may very well be landing out soon. :- ) 3. The 1--35 has no spoilers or dive brakes but very effective flaps, all the way down to 90 degrees. So, learning to fly it is a matter of changing one's procedures to incorporate the flap descent angle instead of the spoiler angle. The big difference is that during a landing with dive brakes, the pitch angle varies hardly at all. All one is doing is spoiling the lift while keeping the airspeed (and thus pitch angle) the same. But with flaps, one must change the pitch angle as each additional position is increased. And being careful not to let the airspeed bleed off and have nothing left to round out with when about 3-4 feet above the runway. This technique can be practiced in the Blanik since the Blanik has both flaps and dive brakes and thus the landings can be made without using the dive brakes. In fact that should be the first attempt at landing with flaps only before one moves into the 1-35. 4. As you can see, the 1-35 is a beautiful glider, with graceful lines, and a whole lot of room in the cockpit. It should be a fun glider to fly and perhaps one day the Club will consider owning one of these nice Schweizer sailplanes. more info |
| October 13, 2007 |
1. The day didn't look too good as we left for Avenal since we had fog in Fresno for the first time this year. And it was an early date for fog compared to our normal first fog day. 2. At Avenal there were few members, I guess because of the bleak look of the sky early on. Jerry Smeltzer, Joe Anastasio, Steve Schery, Hanna Marlette, and I constituted the total sum of members on hand. 3. The low overcast kept us grounded until mid-afternoon. Then, Jerry Smeltzer, Joe Anastasio, and I flipped coins to see who would be the sniffer. Joe lost but Jerry opted to go up in the 1-26 to check the conditions. He came back much too early and felt there was little in the way of lift to go after. 4. Finally, the wait got to Steve Schery and Hanna Marlette and they decided to see if the lift conditions had improved since Jerry's flight. Sure enough, they found something to work and we wondered at their tenacity in remaining aloft. Of course the overcast skies remained and they were working something like the earth giving off a little heat combined with the cold air aloft, and that translated into lift. 5. Later on, Joe and I went up in the Blanik and we, too, found enough lift to remain up there for nearly 40 minutes. We gained nearly 1000 feet from our lowest point up to about 3800 msl. While we were aloft, Alex Caldwell launched in his Nimbus 3 and although he seemed to be coming over into our thermal, he never made it and we lost sight of him in the haze. 6. Sure enough, as we prepared to depart Avenal in late afternoon, the sky amazingly cleared up completely as though there never were any clouds around earlier. And that clearing took only about 5-10 minutes in what might have been a very large and dry air mass replacing the moist air mass. Oh well, another day at Avenal but nice to get out and enjoy the scenery. more info |
| October 6, 2007 | Story to follow ... more info |
| September 29, 2007 | Story to follow ... more info |
| September 15, 2007 | Story to follow ... more info |
| September 8, 2007 | Story to follow ... more info |
| September 2, 2007 | Story to follow ... more info |
| August 25, 2007 | Story to follow ... more info |
| August 18, 2007 |
1. Well, the fire's out, no harm done to persons or property other than a few hunter's shacks deep in the canyons. Now the forest can begin its own restoration. That won't take long, if the Mount St. Helen's experience is a guide. I would bet some small shoots are already pushing themselves up through the ash. And the ash itself will contribute fertilization to the land. Nature simply does a better job of managing the earth's resources than we ever could. At least that's how it has been for the last umpteen million years. Even though it seemed like a large fire last week, looking at the burned area this week showed it to be relatively small compared to the Temblors themselves. There are still huge areas of mountain along the West Ridge that weren't touched by the fire so the biking scenery will still be worthwhile. It was called the Tar fire but not a single spark hit Tar Peak, Tar Canyon, or Tar Creek. So much for relevant nomenclature. 2. There weren't too many people out today. I guess the last weekend of freedom for many middle school and high schoolers as well as fitting in the last weekend at the beach or in the mountains for families with kids in school kept most away. Regarding our young members, Hanna is busy with welcoming a Russian exchange student to America, Jack is busy getting ready for high school in Fresno, Dylan Boone hasn't been heard from for months, and Andrea Mersino is also starting high school this Fall. They certainly grow up fast, don't they?? And our young people from the coastal area where Frank Owen lives and contributes scholarship money, haven't been heard from in such a long time we might have forgotten their names. But Conner, Maya, and Chris come to mind. I think! 3. Loyal is still having some difficulty getting his Cessna 150, 31T to run smoothly. He's not sure what's happening, and it would appear neither is Mike Schoenau since the overhauled magneto still didn't seem to clear up the engine missing. They need to persevere since that's the only tow plane we have available. Good luck! 4. Ben Loper, an engineer with BAE Systems in Alabama is out here on the West Coast for at least a year working on projects in Santa Clara for his employer. Since he started working on his glider rating back at the Moontown (yep, that's the real name. Don't ask how it got named that, however), Alabama, airport, he is thinking about continuing his training here at Avenal. Ben and I went for one demo flight and since no one else was waiting for the glider, we snagged a few thermals and had a fun time. About 45 minutes aloft and Ben got more thermalling than he's ever had in the past. I think he would really enjoy being a club member and getting his add-on rating since he's already an ASMEL Pilot. He's thinking about it and will likely make a decision next time out. 5. Joe Anastasio was going to fly the Blanik but waited for Ben and I to finish, then a visit to Debbie's, and finally he thought it was his turn to launch. A magneto repair interrupted his expectations, and I'm not sure he ever got to fly. 6. Soaring should be a bit changed and interesting over the next few years in the immediate Temblors. The fire burned out most everything on the west side of the ridge yet the east side remains full of growth. So perhaps a strong shear line might develop right at the boundary between the two dissimilar areas. We'll keep you posted on what might become another excellent area for "house thermals". more info |
| August 11, 2007 |
1. WELCOME NEW MEMBERS !!!!!!!!
DAVE BEZINQUE
MARK NEAL
KEVIN O'SHEA
CURTIS MODIN
I think the new member story is more valuable to the CCSC than the fire. I believe this is the first time we've ever had four new members sign up on the same day. Welcome to all of you and I hope you will enjoy your flying experience at Avenal for many years to come. If you're not necessarily in a training schedule, come out often anyway to interact with other members of our club. We have the best club members of any soaring organization I know about. Come out and enjoy the beauty and serenity of Avenal, especially in the Fall months. Dave Benzique: Dave is a personal trainer in Hanford, owns a Silent motorglider, and will be basing his glider here at Avenal. Dave achieved his BFR today, and we look forward to seeing him often around here. Dave brought a lovely lady with him, Sylvia Casey, another fitness buff, and mountain bike enthusiast. They plan on exploring the Temblor's via bike during visits to our gliderport. The scenery in our mountains is well worth the effort. Mark Neal: Mark is from Fresno, flew out with his Dad, Don who himself is an accomplished power pilot and quite involved in aviation activities in the Central Valley. Mark has decided to earn his glider license, perhaps to take Don up in the mountains for soaring days, much like I'm sure Don has taken Mark up over the years. Mark did exceptionally well on his first flight and I would expect him to move quite readily through his training cycle. Kevin O'Shea: Kevin is starting from scratch on his Glider rating and his first flight was with Alex Caldwell. They were up quite a long time, mostly because Alex is so good at thermalling even the smallest updraft. At least that gave Kevin an idea of how we make use of the forces of nature without destroying the land and air. Kevin seemed quite enthusiastic about his ride today. Curtis Modin: Curtis recently worked for Roger's Helicopters (coincidentally among those working this fire) but traveled so much he could never accomplish some of his life's goals, one of which was to get a pilot's license. Now, he works steadily in Fresno and has decided it's time to pursue the license. We're happy he's finally settled down and available for training and just being a friendly club member. 2. WELCOME VISITORS !!!!!
STEPHANIE AND BRIAN ANNETT
BILL WOODY
SYLVIA CASEY
Visitors are always an important part of what we do at Avenal. Many of these first time fliers choose to begin working on their Pilot's License and perhaps today is no exception. Regardless of whether one continues training or not, I highly recommend that everyone try a glider ride once in their life. Not too much I can think of will equal a glider flight. Stephanie and Brian Annett: Stephanie and Brian are Fresno residents, although Brian works at Lemoore NAS. It was Stephanie who decided to see what gliders are all about and so it was Brian helping while Stephanie flew, actually two flights. I was flying both, and each time, we simply didn't find enough lift to remain aloft any length of time. Feeling badly about the shortness of the flight, I took Stephanie up again, but the second time wasn't any better than the first. She is considering earning her Pilot's License and hopefully the brief experience aloft won't discourage her from continuing in that direction. Bill Woody: Bill is a longtime aviator from Fresno who came out with friend and club member, Dave Johnson. Bill had never gone up in a glider so this was his chance with Dave going flying anyway. Bill did enjoy his flight and although he would likely earn an add-on rating smoothly, he's decided that the time isn't quite right just yet. That's OK, all of us have to create a set of priorities but we hope Bill will decide to visit Avenal again if only to travel with Dave Johnson and use the patio to enjoy the peace and beauty of our Avenal gliderport. Sylvia Casey: Sylvia, as we discussed earlier, is a fitness and biking enthusiast from Hanford. According to Dave Bezinque, we'll see more of both of them in the future as they take advantage of the Temblor Range for wonderful exercise and beautiful scenery. Of course, that's after they soar in Dave's Silent motorglider. 2. The Mersino family flew out today because Jacob needed a Biennial Flight Review (hard to believe it has been two years since Jacob earned his Pilot's License on his 16th birthday). He did quite well with all three flights, then took his Dad for a ride for the first time since he earned his license. Andrea was with them and she flew one refresher flight with me, then a nice solo flight under the smoke ceiling. 3. Jerry Smeltzer flew a nice 5000 msl flight before he found out that we had agreed with the Fire Dept to restrict our flights to the east of the IP. Most of the best thermals were west of the field early in the day before the smoke ceiling shut most of them off. There were areas of sunshine and some thermals available there, but mostly the remainder of the day had only weak lift to zero sink. 4. I don't believe Dave Johnson flew today since it was pretty busy with new members and visitors, as well as making sure his buddy, Bill Woody, took his first glider ride. They flew out in their Cherokee 180 and left in mid-afternoon but Dave has been doing quite well lately so missing one day of soaring won't hurt his skill development. 5. Loyal finally has a new home on a new concrete pad out where is other trailer home burned down. It looks good from the air and he sure is grateful to get back into something larger than 8 x 15 ft. 6. Richard Walker was there today, but I don't think he flew because of the fire and the busy glider schedule. 7. It was an interesting day, for sure, filled with lots of activity both on our field and in the mountains to the west. Perhaps now that the fire fighters would have used our field to greater advantage had the dust not been such a problem, we might appeal to some official organization for grant money to add sprinklers to the first 1000 ft of our runway in the event another emergency arises in which helicopters need to land and take-off with men and equipment. We could do without our field for a day or two in exchange for money to wet the first 1000 feet. Maybe someone knows how we can go about getting such grant money on the basis of need for a firefighting base. more info |
| August 4, 2007 |
1. Alex Caldwell, flying the Blue Whale, entered a shear line just at the West Ridge and rose to over 14,000 ft. His flight lasted 3.5 hours and could have gone on much longer but the sun was setting and he needed to get back to Tulare. 2. Here's how it all developed. I was flying some folks from Livermore to Tulare and called Alex to see if he wanted to fly out with me to Avenal. He accepted and we left Tulare on a very hot afternoon. On the way to Avenal, we began to see small cu's developing over the West Ridge but they were so high above the ridge that we discounted them, but not entirely. In fact, we wondered just how much higher they were and what was causing them. But being so high, we guessed they might be some upper level disturbance and probably not associated with anything we might be able to catch and soar in. That assessment was sort of borne out by the fact that as we approached Avenal we encountered no turbulence at all until we descended to about 2500 agl. 3. On the ground at Avenal it was HOT. And we were there for about an hour and a half, and no students showed up. So I began to think about getting back to Fresno. Alex and I vacillated about flying, one minute agreeing to get out the Blanik, the next minute, I'm remembering all the things I needed to do at home. This went on for about half an hour, and finally I decided that being hot, and not knowing for sure what was happening aloft, I guessed that just about the time we pulled the glider out and launched, those cu's would disappear and our flight would be a sled ride. What a terrible assessment that would turn out to be. 4. Some time after I left, Alex finally decided to test the West Ridge and pulled the Blue Whale out for what he thought might be a brief ride. As he tells it, once he got to the West Ridge, it was all straight up with no pause until he reached just about 14,000 msl. He estimated he could have gone higher but with no oxygen, he wasn't legal above that altitude. In fact, the FAR's state that oxygen must be used anytime one goes above 12,500 msl for more than thirty minutes and at all times above 14,000 msl. He was amazed at the height since he had never been that high at Avenal in all the years of flying there, particularly in his open class sailplane, the Nimbus 3. Here he was flying our venerable Schweizer 2-33 and looking down on the earth from that altitude. Little did I know what I missed until Alex sent me an email of his grand flight. There were several times during our conversation on the patio when I said out loud, "Maybe we should go up and see what that's all about". That was as close as I got to seeing Avenal from on high. 5. Alex, Dan Gudgel, and Walt Rogers are all trying to understand what weather conditions caused such a phenomenal shear line. When all the analyses are in from the experts, I'll post them on this site. In the meantime, all one can do is "wish you were there". Just think of how many soaring records could have been achieved by not just our licensed member pilots, but our student pilots as well. I can just imagine Hannah, Jack, Andrea, and the rest of the young people getting up that high. Now that would have been a thrill. more info |
| July 28, 2007 |
1. I arrived at Avenal just as Joe Anastasio was launching in the Blanik. It started out as a hot day and just got hotter. The peak temp was around 103 and perhaps a bit higher since I didn't read it again as the time struck 5:00 pm, usually the hottest time of the day. Thermals were everywhere but not necessarily easy to find. Our members did quite well, with most remaining aloft for over an hour each time. The longest flight of the day was Joe A who finally came back down after a good 2-hour plus flight. 2. Joe Phillips was down from the Bay Area this weekend and he flew two flights, both lasting about an hour each. On his last flight, his pattern was a bit lower than he planned and he made it over the fence with a bit to spare. So he and I went aloft to see how his pattern procedures were being followed and after two flights and an oral review, I think he's back to his good procedural flying in the pattern. 3. Dave Johnson arrived in his Decathlon and also flew two flights, both of which were excellent in both time aloft and height reached. Dave is progressing very well towards his add-on rating. He seems to be taking this thermalling stuff to heart and his achievements aloft prove that out. 4. Alex Caldwell was on hand but didn't fly a glider. He planned on flying the RV-3 late in the afternoon but most of us were gone home by that time. 5. It was a very good day for finding and remaining in thermals so those who have been frustrated by the lack of good thermalling in the past should have been here today. Well, the good thermalling weather is upon us so even though it's in the heat of the summer, Avenal is the place to be. more info |
| July 21, 2007 |
1.The Teel Family, Patriarch Oren Teel, his daughter, Toy (Teel) Marlette, Edgar Teel, Alexandre Teel, and Marshall Marlette all arrived at Avenal determined to not only fly in a glider, but experience weightlessness for the first time. And with one exception, all did just that. The real eye-opener is that Toy Marlette, who as you may recall from past stories, is Hanna Marlette's Mom, not only went aloft again but this time insisted on going weightless. A great sport, that lady. In addition, and perhaps even more amazing, is that Oren Teel took his very first glider ride, and first small aircraft ride in more than 20 years. I was shocked when he said he'd like to experience weightlessness just like the three others before him. Now that's incredible because he is undoubtedly the most senior passenger ever to experience that sensation. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE TEEL FAMILY MEMBERS ON THEIR FLIGHTS AT AVENAL ON JULY 19, 2007. 2. After the flights, we all adjourned to Debbie's for the World's Greatest Hamburgers, and then headed back to Fresno. Edgar and Alexandre are from Virginia where Oren's son is located. The boys are originally from the Dominican Republic and were adopted by Oren's son. So, along with their cousin, Marshall, they were enjoying 10 days here in California before returning to Virginia. You wouldn't believe the itinerary that was developed by Oren for the boys visit. Probably more structured than any of the current Presidential candidates campaign trail, listing events, days, times, etc. Nothing like a little structure to bring joy into one's life. Heh, heh, heh. Or as Hanna would say, LOL. Both Edgar and Alexandre are wonderful young men who anyone would be proud to have in their family. And I was most proud to show them around the gliderport and introduce them to the world of gliders. 3. It was so slow on Saturday, July 21, that only one member showed up. Artur Hernadi decided he wanted to go flying again after a long layoff. We did two flights, separated by a nice patio break. The first flight lasted 1.0 hours, the second lasted 1.1 hours. As each flight progressed, Artur improved his thermaling skill. On the second flight, it looked like we were going to have to land, but just nearing the IP, Artur snagged a nice thermal and got us back up to over 3000 msl. He enjoyed the day and so did I. It was too bad others didn't show up because the thermaling was excellent everywhere in the area. At times we experienced thermals of 8 knots. more info |
| July 14, 2007 |
1. At first, all Dave and I were going to do is launch, test the thermals, then descend. We did that, found out the thermals were abundant, and after climbing to about 3000 msl, we decided to return so Dave could thermal solo. He launched and for the next hour or more, we wondered if we were going to have to retrieve Dave from some farm field. But the time kept ticking away and no Dave. Finally, after an hour and a half after his second launch, Dave finally reappeared, landed and was most happy with the way his high and long flight developed. Seems he caught some great thermals, go high, descended, got high again, up to 5600 msl as I recall him telling us, then finally landed. Now that was a great flight for someone who just took up soaring a few weeks ago. Great going, Dave, and with that achievement, your thoughts should also turn to cross country soaring right after you get your add-on rating. 2. Joe Anastasio and I took the Blanik aloft and with Joe doing all the flying, we were aloft for over an hour. Joe worked the thermals quite well, and after losing and gaining altitude we finally topped out at 4700 msl. 3. Mike McClellan brought his friend, Adam Backlund, out to Avenal for his first glider ride. Mike took the Blanik and as his usual route, headed for the West Ridge. He loves working the ridge and is probably better at it than anyone in our club. In fact, Mike was still aloft when I left the gliderport for home. 4. Alex Caldwell flew the Orange Crush and, like others aloft, had a nice long flight between the gliderport and the West Ridge. This time he was alone, but most of the time he takes passengers with him to enjoy the sights. 5. Jerry Smeltzer flew the 1-26 and was aloft much like most others today. He gained excellent altitude and remained aloft for nearly an hour. more info |
| July 7, 2007 |
1. It wasn't a great day for soaring, but a nice day for taking one's first demo ride. That's the reason Bob Edmunds came to Avenal and for him, the day was a success. Bob, wife Keri, and daughters, Hannah and Hailey enjoyed their visit to our gliderport. Bob went aloft with Alex Caldwell and although the thermals didn't appear either numerous or strong, Bob liked what he experienced. Thanks for your visit, Edmunds, and perhaps one day you'll all come back out again. 2. Nearly everyone who showed up today went aloft but weren't rewarded with very long flights. Peter Sahlberg was helpful for all the flights but decided not to fly today based on his, and other's assessment of the flying weather. Neither did Jerry Smeltzer, for the same reason. At least they had a nice time interacting with other club members. 3. Most of us lunched at Subway and then those who dared, took on the task of finding and staying in, thermals. One could scratch and stay up for awhile, but the task wasn't an easy one. After a half hour or so, most opted to land rather than continue to fight the weak lift. It was a strange day since it appeared to be nearly perfect for soaring, but Nature didn't cooperate. 4. Jack Wiegand, Joe Phillips, Mike McClellan, and Richard Walker all flew, but none remained aloft for any length of time. Still, as they say, even a short flight is good for the soul. more info |
| June 30, 2007 |
1.CONGRATULATIONS, DAVE, ON YOUR FIRST GLIDER SOLO FLIGHTS !!!! It didn't take Dave long to go from no glider flying to solo. He's an accomplished power and aerobatic pilot and his skill showed. With just a few flights and the necessary maneuvers prior to solo, Dave flew three nice solo flights to earn his loss of shirttail. Last week he joined the Club and this week he gets a shirttail pinned to the clubhouse wall. Nice going, Dave, now come back often to gain experience in soloing flying and learn to thermal. You'll do just fine. 2. Jason Montgomery returned to Avenal after begin away for a year. He's decided he'll have more time now, after going at it hard and fast developing his new business as a Snap-On Tools representative. We wish him luck in his new business and we wish him more time at Avenal. Jason had no trouble flying safely today and earned his solo privileges again. It was a rather hot day and sitting in a cockpit at altitude in the intense sun made Jason a bit unsettled. But that won't prevent him from continuing on to get his Private Pilot's License in gliders. 3. Jason brought a good friend with him to Avenal, one Jim Alford. Jim and I flew a demo flight but when we launched the thermals hadn't quite triggered yet. Jim went aloft with Alex Caldwell later on and got his money's worth remaining aloft for more than an hour. Jim was quite excited and it would be great to see both Jason and Jim coming back to Avenal on a regular schedule. We'll see soon enough. 4. A young man named Herman, brought his Dad and his nephew out to Avenal today, while Herman went for a demo ride. He, like Natali Rodriguez in August, 2001, is a most precocious young man, articulate and confident, taking the lead on both the inquiries and the payment for his flight. We went aloft and much like Jim Alford's flight, the thermals weren't really strong enough, nor prevalent enough to remain aloft. Herman says he'll be back next week, so I'll look for him, and give him a surprise free demo ride. 5. Tom Mitchell, from Hanford, arrived today looking for a demo ride. Tom works at Avenal State Prison and has often thought about going for a ride. Finally today, he stopped by, waited his turn to launch and we had a nice long flight, snagging quite a few thermals so he could witness the way in which a glider can remain aloft or travel distances. Tom seemed quite impressed and indicated he might be back again for more training. With his work so close, and the gliderport nearby, it might be quite convenient for him to begin glider training. 6. Mike McClellan was back today, taking the Blanik out to the West Ridge and working the ridges for longer than I remained at Avenal. Mike has mastered the Blanik and the West Ridge so anyone wanting to learn how to fly the ridges just go with Mike, pay for the tow, and he'll show you all you need to know about that type of soaring. 7. Richard Walker was interested in determining how close he might be to passing his check ride. So we went aloft and did most of the maneuvers required on his checkride. He's quite close to passing and with some additional practice he will be ready. My guess is that if the knowledge portion is ready, the flight portion will be ready within 2-3 weeks. Let's look for a newly licensed glider pilot in that short time period. 8. Another former club member, Bruce McJunkin, came back to Avenal today and is interested in continuing his training for his add-on rating. First, though, we needed to check his skill level for solo flight and after a nice high tow, and the necessary maneuvers, I deemed him sufficiently qualified to reinstate his solo privileges. Now all we need do is get him ready for the oral portion, and after a few more practice check ride flights, he should have his Add-On rating. Keep at it Bruce. In fact, maybe his lovely wife, Geneva, will keep after him. She is also going to continue her training for her License, but it seems like she would rather Bruce achieve his before she gets more serious. more info |
| June 23, 2007 |
1.Congratulations to Sydney Lee and Dave Johnson, our newest CCSC members!! Actually Sydney joined last week and Dave joined this week but they were close enough to warrant a common day celebration. We're happy to have them as members and look forward to seeing them at Avenal many times. Sydney is traveling abroad for the next few weeks and Dave Johnson will be around, so I expect to see Dave now and Sydney in a month or so. 2. At the beginning of the WSPA Seminar, June 18th, Andrea and I went to Avenal where she flew on both Monday and Tuesday. As you note from the photo, Andrea did well thermalling, at one point well inside a 1000+ ft. per minute thermal. This young lady seems determined to achieve her pilot's license a bit quicker than her brother. That will take some doing since Jacob was awarded his Pilot's License on his 16th birthday. Andrea already soloed younger than Jacob, but getting her license earlier may be a stretch. It will all boil down to who was born at what time of the day. 3. Jerry Dean, a friend of Chris Collins from Avenal, who himself is related to George Powell's wife Diane, came out for a demo ride. His first ride was nothing much since the lift hadn't triggered yet, so he waited awhile. Then he went for another ride and the same thing happened. I hope he won't be discouraged and stay away. It's not always like that, Jerry, so come back soon and we'll go again, only better this time. 4. Naomi Wagstaff decided to treat her husband to a glider ride and they arrived about noon. Devin had not been up before in a glider and looked forward to soaring for some time. But as with Jerry Dean, the weather didn't cooperate and the ride wasn't as long as I had hoped for. Unfortunately they'll be moving to Utah soon where Devin will attend Law School so I suggested they look at Utah sites for soaring. 5. Dave Johnson flew two instructional flights and received ground instruction on preflight preparation. He did very well on his first two flights and I expect he'll solo soon. It will be an add-on rating for him. He owns a Decathlon and does aerobatics for fun and skill enhancement. 6. Jack Wiegand also came out today and was used as a perch by Paul Hanson's beautiful mascot, Isaac the Raven. If you haven't seen a Raven up close lately you must see Isaac. Paul won't be back at Avenal for a few weeks since he's planning on attending Oshkosh, WI, for the annual EAA festival. But as opposed to a crow, a raven is a much larger bird and a great soaring creature. There is much we can learn from those wonderful soaring ravens. Perhaps Isaac can teach us as we fly while he watches. One day maybe he'll fly off the patio where he makes his home during the day, and come up to show off his skills. 7. There were a few attendees at the WSPA Seminar left over on Saturday morning. Some were just taking their time before heading home, others were sightseeing in the area and along the coast before going east. Today, Dixie Neal reporter for the local newspaper, The Avenal Chimes, (http://www.chimesnews.net/01.pdf), interviewed Neita and Mark Montague about the Seminar, then was treated to her first glider flight. I imagine she's been looking up over Avenal all these years, perhaps wondering if she'd ever get a ride in one of those silent aircraft. Well, today was her day. 8. Mike McClellan and Paul Hanson decided to launch the Blanik and head for the West Ridge. There they flew for more than 2.5 hours, landing just as the sun disappeared behind the mountains. That was a picture perfect flight of how to work the ridges, and Mike in particular is a master at that technique. 9. Finally, after her refresher flight earlier in the day, Andrea Mersino decided to enjoy her renewed solo privileges and went aloft, having a great time by herself with no instructor to hassle her from the backseat. Now wasn't that fun, Andrea??? Oh, by the way, her dad also renewed his solo privileges and I am betting he'll go ahead full speed and get his add-on rating. Let's hope so. Then we'll work on Jennifer to come out more often. more info |
| June 16-17, 2007 |
1. On Sunday, Bob Lambert was surprised by his wife, Mary, receiving a glider flight as a Father's Day gift. He reported having a great time aloft and now all we have to do is get him to work on his glider license. Mary Lambert will be doing the catering for the WSPA beginning tomorrow and throughout the week. So it is a family affair and the Lamberts will be around all week. 2. On Saturday we exhibited my ASW 20/BL at the Fresno Chandler Airport Father's Day Fly-In and Airshow. Because the entry was free for spectators, there was a very large crowd attending. Hanna Marlette and Jack Wiegand helped out all day with the booth, explaining gliding, and answering questions about the glider on hand. We had T-Shirts to sell, DVD's for sale, and my book on Soaring. Unfortunately we didn't sell very many of each, but at least hundreds were exposed to soaring and most had never seen a glider up close before. It was just one of those seeding events that we hope will trigger a desire in many of those in attendance. In fact, the very next day at Avenal, one of those at the Fly-In showed up for his first glider flight. Thus, some of what we had to show must have sunk in for a least some of those attending. 3. Mike Green (aka Mighty Gorilla) arrived with his motor home towing a trailer full of a Duo Discus, the same model glider featured in the movie, "The Thomas Crown Affair". Mike plans on being around all week to train those interested in cross country flight from the ranks of the WSPA. In the past Mike has been a worthy competitor in our Annual Contests. 4. Sydney Lee came back to Avenal after last week's demo flight determined to learn to fly gliders. So today, we flew the first two formal instructional flights. He did exceedingly well at thermalling, keeping us aloft for nearly an hour on the second flight after a 45 minute first flight. He worked hard, concentrated on the correct bank and pitch angle, and gained about 4000 ft overall as we topped out one thermal after another, lost altitude, then gained it back again. He'll do very well flying gliders and I think he should abandon his power flying for the time being in favor of pursuing what seems more natural to him, soaring. 5. Anna G-G took Sam for his first demo ride. Sam, last name forgotten, (sorry about that, Sam) was at the Fresno Fly-In yesterday and said he'd be back out at Avenal soon. I didn't expect it to be that soon, but there he was. While I was flying with Sydney, Anna flew with Sam. 6. Paul Hanson's Raven, named Isaac, indeed has imprinted on Paul. He is as tame as any bird I've seen in years. Although he can fly quite well, he remained in and around the patio tables, squawking, and looking for handouts. Paul will be around all week for the WSPA which begins tomorrow, and thus Isaac will be around as well. I hope the ladies take to him kindly. He's a big, beautiful Raven, classic in his proportions, and as most of us are aware, the Raven is our logo and our Club mascot. With Paul's help, now we have a real mascot to enjoy. 7. The WSPA begins tomorrow and already the ladies are beginning to show up today. It looks like the Seminar will be a success thanks to the two chairwomen, Neita Montague and Kathleen Morse. It should be a fun week and we'll be reporting on the events in the next issue of our website. There will also be a special place on our site for all the photos I expect everyone to take during the events. more info |
| June 2, 2007 |
1. Joe Phillips launched and might have been the most surprised of all when he came back down two and a half hours later. Congratulations, Joe. That's the first half of your two 2-hour flights for your Bronze Badge. Great soaring!! 2. Paul Hanson rescued a baby raven that had fallen out of a tree next to the clubhouse. It may be that after feeding him and making sure he was OK, the bird might just imprint on Paul. That should be interesting. 3. Hanna Marlette brought her Dad, Ron, out to Avenal since she promised him the first passenger flight. Hanna has been holding off taking anyone so she could fly with her Dad. It has been a few months since her license and finally she was able to convince Ron to come out for his flight. They launched and were aloft for a nice long flight. In fact, there were three of us aloft at the same time, often sharing the same thermal. 4. I took time out to fly the 1-26 and had a nice flight up and over 4000 msl. But with a demo customer waiting on the ground I cut the flight short and descended with full dive brakes. There isn't much tougher than giving up altitude after having thermalled for about 30 minutes and continuing to get higher. 5. Sydney Lee, a San Jose resident, came out for his first demo flight at Avenal. We didn't stay up too long but enough for him to see how nice it is to fly without an engine. He's taking power lessons in the Bay area and thought it might be interesting to fly a glider at this time. Perhaps he will get the bug and join the club, solo, and get his license in gliders long before his license in power. 6. Richard Walker, a valuable club member who has been devoting his time to working on the inside of the clubhouse, took time out to go for a refresher flight in the 2-33 with me. His skills are up to date and his flying is smooth. No problem there. 7. A lot of activity has been going on around the gliderport because of the upcoming Women Soaring Pilot's Association Seminar June 18th to 25th. Improvements are being made all over the facilities including inside and out. Richard Walker has been working hard on improvements to the west lavatory and expects to finish before the WSPA Seminar. Thanks for all your hard work Richard, and thanks to those who have been devoting precious spare time making the facilities nice enough for the ladies' arrival in late June. more info |
| May 26, 2007 |
1. Normally I feature new demo flights as the priority but in this case, Bob and Mary Wise will forgive me if I toot the horn for both our young pilots, Hanna Marlette and Jack Wiegand. They both soared higher and longer than ever before, nearing or getting a partial bronze badge requirement. Jack was up at 7400 msl and Hanna soared to 6800 msl. At one point, Jack, Hanna, and my demo passenger, Mary Wise were all circling together in quite strong thermals. At that time, Mary and I achieved the height of 6800 msl while Hanna got there ahead of us. It was a fun day for soaring and had anyone gone over to Black Mountain the heights would have been even more impressive. Congratulations Hanna and Jack on your highest heights!! 2. Bob and Mary Wise from Lemoore came out today for demo flights. Bob is an FA-18 Pilot at NAS Lemoore and he only announced his destination to Mary when they were pulling up at the gliderport. Bob went up first, handled the entire flight including the tow, and got us up to 7400 msl. Quite a feat for someone who has little or no time in a glider. I suggested to Bob that he go straight to his add-on rating given that it won't be time consuming or difficult for him. During the flight we encountered 10+ knots of lift at least a half dozen times. Most of the time the thermals averaged 6-7 knots. Nice thermals. 3. Mary was next up for a demo flight and she was a great sport while I circled in the various strong thermals that got us up to 6800 msl along with Hanna and Jack. She took some nice photos of Hanna and Jack, and after reaching our altitude, we decided to straighten out, head for I-5 and relax from the constant circling. 4. Actually, beginning the day, Tony Bogarin and his son, George arrived at the gliderport where George took a demo flight. While we didn't get up high and stay up long, we did enjoy some lower level thermals early in the day that promised strong thermals to come in mid-afternoon. George was impressed with the flight, did well, was comfortable, and Tony indicated he might be back next week with up to four new demo candidates. Thanks, Tony, and we look forward to flying your friends, too. 5. Alex Caldwell and his son, Alex, Jr., took the Orange Crush and headed towards the mountains. They, too, had a nice long flight as did everyone who flew today. It was one of those days we all talk about when the thermals are so strong you have to open the dive brakes, and speed up to 65 mph just to get down. 6. Mike McClellan arrived in late afternoon and although he was bent on working on the footings, I convinced him that the soaring was good enough to put those plans aside temporarily and get high. He was up out of sight when we left for Fresno so I don't know how well he did, but I imagine he snagged a few thermals left over from the booming afternoon. 7. As a celebration, Hanna, Jack and I visited Harris Ranch on the way home for dinner in honor of their great soaring flights. Then a twilight flight back to Fresno and a chance to discuss once again all that had taken place during the day. Both agreed they could have gone higher but chose to fly around and enjoy the scenery when they got that high. That's what Mary and I did as we headed over to I-5 for a better view of the flight line buildings at NAS Lemoore.
All in all, it was a fun day, full of great stories and huge dust devils all afternoon, some of which amazed the onlookers for their size and strength. more info |
| May 19, 2007 |
1. Hanna Marlette, Jack Wiegand and I flew to Avenal so they could receive flight instruction going out and coming back. They have started on power as a logical extension of what they have already accomplished in soaring. On the way to Avenal we headed out to the coast to teach both of them how to fly over mountainous terrain, stay focused on the route of flight, determine hemispheric rule altitudes, and scan for traffic. While there Hanna was able to photograph Hearst Castle and part of the coastline before we all were heading back to Avenal. 2. Today, Jack flew longer than he has ever flown before. His first flight wasn't remarkable but on his second tow, he managed to stay aloft for two hours and eighteen minutes. That was his personal best and qualifies for the first of two flights for his Bronze Badge. Congratulations, Jack and we expect you'll be going Bronze shortly. 3. We had quite a few newcomers to Avenal today. Dave Johnson was here before but this time he elected to take a demo flight. We had fun, didn't remain aloft too long but enough to demonstrate the lifting capability of the thermals at Avenal. He arrived in his quite beautiful Super Decathlon which, as you note from the photo, literally leaps off the runway at takeoff. 4. Tony Farmer arrived with Ron Brown flying his Piper 235. Ron stayed on the ground while Tony had over an hour with Alex Caldwell in the air over the mountains. Perhaps both Tony and Dave Johnson will join the club soon to begin their add-on ratings. 5. Hanna didn't fly gliders today but I expect she'll do so next time we're out here. She's still waiting for her Dad to come to Avenal since she promised he'd be her first passenger since achieving her Private Pilot's License. more info |
| May 12, 2007 |
1. Susan Anderson was treated to her first glider ride, compliments of her husband, Gilbert. Gilbert attended my presentation at the Wings Weekend and decided a flight in a glider would be a great Mother's Day gift. While I don't normally visit Avenal on Sunday, I couldn't turn down such a thoughtful request. Susan was a great sport, enjoyed the flight, and even though the thermals didn't exactly cooperate, she agreed it was fun. Perhaps next time, Gilbert will be the one to go aloft at Avenal. We look forward to that. 2. On Saturday, Hanna Marlette and Jack Wiegand flew the Cherokee 140 out and back to Avenal, taking turns at the controls. While at Avenal, Jack flew several flights and was disappointed in his performance. He felt he should have done better on staying in the thermals he encountered. But that's normal and I am confident he'll strike it rich aloft one of these days. In the meantime, he's a bit hard on himself for what he feels is his inability to stay in the thermal once he found it. Time will erase those disappointments. 3. Anna Gunn-Golkin arrived today, back from the East Coast where she was on temporary duty. She wanted a refresher flight and we went aloft for one flight. Her skills weren't diminished with the trip east, so later on, she went solo and managed to stay aloft quite long. She's back now and available for instruction for those whose schedule and interests coincide with hers. Check the website Members List for her contact info. 4. Tony Farmer, another attendee at my Wings Weekend presentation, flew his Piper Colt to Avenal. He thought he'd just observe the operations and get a feeling for what it's like to launch, fly, and land gliders before he took a demo ride. He was there several hours, and promised to return next week for his demo ride. Yes, I think he will return and perhaps join the club for his add-on rating. 5. Jack's Mom, Irene Wiegand, thought this would be a good weekend to come back to Avenal and see how well Jack is doing with his flying. You may recall Irene was the one who tirelessly drove Jack to Avenal for his pre-solo flight training. Later, I was able to take both Hanna and Jack to Avenal with me making it easier for Hanna and Jack's parents to avoid driving all the way to Avenal, saving gas and time. 6. Earlier in the day, Hanna and Jack decided that a lunch flight in the Cherokee 140 would be a nice break from Avenal while gaining valuable cross-country experience in power flying to an unfamiliar airport. I agreed so they chose to fly to Pismo Beach for lunch. We saw our old friend JR there with his bright yellow Boeing Stearman. JR has towed for our contest in past years but because of the low number of pilots at this year's contest, we didn't need his services. The wind at Pismo was fierce and cold, with blowing sand in faces, noses, ears, etc. Still, it was sunny, and a different place to fly. Sadly, at least in this part of the year, most of the nice little restaurants along the road to the beach have been closed. One remained open, a Mexican restaurant, serving good food from a varied menu. 7. On Sunday, besides the ride for Susan Anderson, Durval Freitas flew in, having just gotten his 140 back with a recon engine installed. When the Blue Whale was available after Susan's flight, Durval took it aloft for an enjoyable time in the air. more info |
| May 5, 2007 Contest |
1. Other than the Saturday blowout, the contest was conducted without too much variation in the lift conditions. The first day we had several landouts but otherwise good soaring. Friday was a bit of a challenge, and Sunday was OK. 2. These photos are not the bulk of what was taken. See our Home Page and click on the link "Annual Contest" Photos for several hundred photos taken mostly by Roy Norman and Paul Hanson. I added a few but not as many as the two of them put together. 3. It was a long weekend beginning with Thursday flying at Avenal. I took my Uncle Carl for a ride and it was a very rough tow. Didn't blame him for getting upset. Carl is the youngest 85 year old guy I know so it hit him a bit harder than most. We came back again on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. 4. I made a presentation to the FAA and EAA-sponsored Wings Weekend warriors on Sunday at Fresno Chandler airport while exhibiting my glider and my new book on both Saturday and Sunday. It turned out well, got lots of good comments on the presentation which was how power pilot skills can be enhanced by taking soaring lessons. From that, two new folks have already arrived at Avenal with great interest. Perhaps more will come in the weeks ahead. My book, "Soaring -- The Foundation of Power Flying", sold 12 copies during the weekend and that hopefully, will result in more new members. 5. Jack Wiegand and Carl Benkert helped me during the day Saturday at Chandler and then we all and Raphaela headed for Avenal. Ron Marlette and Hanna joined us Saturday afternoon at the dinner after a lengthy session of SAT testing for Hanna in the morning. We were there for the evening barbeque which was about the only activity on the field since the day's soaring was cancelled due to high winds. 6. Since Alex needed two flights to complete his BFR, we went aloft in those strong winds. Just a reminder for all our pilots and students to be ready for such a wind when soaring. One turns base high and just near the edge of the runway of choice. Go much farther downwind and you won't get back to the runway. Joe Phillips also wanted to experience this condition and we went aloft for two flights. He did quite well considering he had never been exposed to such wind strength. Nearly every time, we were turning final at the end of the runway at about 600-700 feet above ground. Hovering like a helicopter was the rule rather than the exception. We needed a crew to hold the wings before takeoff and after landing. 7. We all enjoyed the dinner prepared by Roy Norman and Cati and most of us ate too many fresh strawberries. Boy, were they delicious !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hanna and Jack won the contest for eating the most strawberries, and as I recall, it was upwards of 50 apiece. Yes, they did turn red on the way home. The evening dinner was unusually relaxing because none of the pilots had to fly on Saturday. So, the beer and wine tasted especially good all afternoon. 8. On Sunday, after the Wings Weekend presentation, we took the glider back out to Avenal. Hanna and Jack went along with Carl and I and Jack tried soaring once more. He did much better this time compared to Saturday and was up for a reasonable length of time. Still, he was tough on himself for not getting higher and staying up longer. more info |
| April 28, 2007 |
1. A lot of work has been going on at the Avenal Gliderport in preparation for our annual contest taking place next week. The grounds are as nice as I've ever seen them thanks to our hard-working members and the time and tractor of Loyal Savaria. Everything looks neat and more work is being done on the clubhouse inside and out. 2. Mike "Smitty" Smith came out and went for a demo ride. He was impressed with flying a glider and may become one of our members. We hope so and look forward to training him in the fun sport of soaring. 3. Hanna and I spent a hot afternoon painting the wind tee. At least now it's easier to see which way it's pointed. It definitely needed painting. 4. Joe, Alex, Dennis, Roy, and Mario worked on putting the GAPA back in its box in preparation for the contest. Dennis, Mario, and Roy have spent countless days at Avenal making the facilities nicer for the competitors. And it will really help during the Women Soaring Pilot's Association Seminar in June. 5. Mike McClellan arrived mid-afternoon and went to work as usual. The footings are nearly complete and ready for the hangar to be constructed. more info |
| April 14, 2007 |
1. CONGRATULATIONS HANNA ON AN EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE IN VERY DIFFICULT CONDITIONS. After attending a luncheon on Saturday Hanna and her Mom drove out to Avenal for last minute flight practice. The weather was bleak, and near the end of the day, it began raining quite steadily. We worked late (10:00 pm) that evening on her ground material and her checkride was scheduled for Sunday, 11:30 am. 2. Ron Marlette and Lorrie Lorenz drove Hanna out to Avenal Sunday morning and Hanna met Dan at the clubhouse at noon for the start of the checkride. She did well on the oral exam and around 3:00 pm the process turned to the flight portion. Although the wind continued to get stronger as the day wore on, it appeared as though Hanna and Dan would go ahead and do the necessary flights. At that time, it was Hanna's decision whether to complete the checkride on another day or continue with the flights. She elected to continue. 3. The first flight was in quite blustery winds, and Hanna fought the crosswind takeoff. At that time, the winds were about 20 mph out of the north for a crosswind of about 50 degrees. Pretty tough for a student on her checkride. But Hanna managed to control the glider even though, about half-way down the runway the surface turbulence kicked in and rocked and rolled the glider. She did well, maintained control, and they went aloft for the required maneuvers. 4. As you might appreciate, landing the glider in what turned out to be gusty crosswinds was difficult to say the least. Hanna did well, and with a few dips and drops, she still managed to touch down safely and smoothly, stopping a very short distance down runway 31. The next two flights were even more difficult and by the end of the third flight, both Dan and Hanna agreed that the checkride needed to be continued on Monday morning. At that time, I measured the wind at 17 mph gusting to 26 mph, with a 50 degree angle between the runway and the wind vector. Tough for anyone that day. 5. In fact, a tough day it was, not only for Hanna but Paul Hanson and Don Van Wyk went aloft and had quite a difficult time landing back at Avenal. Don in particular struggled with his Ventus in those unruly crosswinds and the surface turbulence that the town of Avenal produced under those conditions. He was relieved when he finally came to a stop after fighting those conditions half way down the runway. Ask him about it. 6. On Saturday, Neita and Mark Montague arrived from Reno, stayed awhile then left for the Bay area in rather cloudy, rainy weather. Mark Boyd also arrived in a Piper Warrior and flew numerous flights with Carlo Beronio, mostly in the Blanik. I flew with Carlo on one of those, searching for the wave at the west ridge. Lift was there but not much, and some lift occurred on the way back to the gliderport. Then it was Alex Caldwell's turn to fly with Carlo, and they, too, were disappointed with the lack of lift. Alex, Mark, Carlo, and I went to Debbie's and during lunch we worked with Alex bringing him up to speed on the latest in CFIG regs and procedures. Alex intends on renewing his CFIG rating, and that will help around the gliderport with another instructor. 7. Mid-afternoon, Mike McClellan arrived to work on the hangar footings, but before it got too rainy, took the Orange Crush, and with Paul Hanson as ballast, headed for wherever they could find lift. 8. Hanna and I left the gliderport as the rain intensified. 9. Sunday morning, Hanna's dad drove her to Avenal, then Ron and Lorrie bicycled up towards Tar Peak. When they returned they were quite happy with the path and the scenery, although vowing to bring better bikes the next time. 10. Paul Hanson and I flew one flight, releasing in very strong lift, then soaring for more than 30 minutes in various types of lift. It seemed a good day for the checkride for Hanna, but as we said above, the wind kept increasing in intensity. Paul did well landing in the gusts and crosswind, then he thought he might do well in his Sisu, so he went aloft about an hour later. 11. Don Van Wyk had launched a bit earlier than Paul, stayed up awhile, then returned for his landing on runway 31. Tough landing, gusts, crosswind, surface turbulence. But he got it down and all he needs now is a thorough preflight the next time to insure all is well with the glider structure. 12. Hanna's checkride resumed on Monday morning at 7:00 am. I doubt Hanna slept much Sunday night after the struggle in the fierce winds, and having to get up too early on Monday morning to arrive at Avenal in time for the scheduled checkride completion. But we arrived in time, and after a few flights in calmer winds, Dan congratulated Hanna on achieving her Private Pilot's License in Gliders. We all are happy for her and wish her well. Now the line forms to the right for those wishing to fly with Hanna as Pilot in Command. 13. Thanks also to Hanna's parents, Ron and Toy Marlette who supported Hanna throughout her flight training, not only financially, but also in the time necessary to bring her to Avenal, wait while she trained, then drove her home. It is no small trip from Auberry to Avenal and each time the parents were always encouraging Hanna, and happy to bring her there. THANKS RON AND TOY FOR SUPPORTING HANNA ALL THESE MONTHS. 14. Just a reminder that Hanna started her training on April 9, 2005 at the age of 14 and completed her training on April 16, at the age of 16. Quite an achievement, and as did Jacob Mersino, she now has her Pilot's License before ever getting her driver's license. 15. On Tuesday, Richard Walker was underway repairing the bathroom plumbing, and Mario decided to take Roy Norman for a ride in the shear line. When they finally did get aloft, it had weakened somewhat but they still enjoyed the ride. 16. As you can see from the photos, KISS was with us in spirit if not in person, always keeping track of our website to find out the latest. If he seems to look familiar he might be. Can you guess??? more info |
| April 7, 2007 |
1. Now that I'm back from my business trip to Italy and Germany, I wish to report that we in the USA should consider ourselves lucky to have the kind of freedoms to fly compared to what the European pilots are having to face. User fees, VFR charts that are required in order to avoid heavy fines for deviating from pattern altitudes and course, few rental planes, too much special use airspace, heavy user fees, etc, etc. If we let it happen, it could happen here in the next few years. But, WE CANNOT LET IT HAPPEN!!!! 2. I had a nice time visiting Frank Owen and Christoph Maurer, two CCSC members who have achieved their licenses at Avenal. Frank is due home in August, while Christoph lives permanently in Munich. But Christoph will be visiting us again in August for a week or two. Frank took a lot of his personal time to show us around the area. First we went to Konigsberg glider port to see how things are done. But the weather wasn't good enough so we wandered from hangar to hangar in a light rain, and chilly temps. Then Frank introduced us to Hans Dichtl who took us through the Deutsches Museum in Munich to see their collection of aircraft. 3. The Marlette family came out to lend support to Hanna who is getting close to her checkride. We flew several times and her technique is improving considerably. 4. Steve Schery was there today flying his Ventus. The second flight was quite a long one and he hadn't returned for some time after launch. 5. Dwight Kroll, a previous club member, flew out today in a Cherokee 140 and after Hanna's flights, she returned to Fresno with Dwight in the aircraft. 6. Peter Sahlberg flew a few solo flights today in the Blue Whale and once was able to snag a few thermals to remain aloft longer than even he expected. Good going, Peter, and practice makes perfect. 7. Mike McClellan came out today as he has so often in the past. He brought with him a good friend, George Whiting, and took him up several times, staying up longer than most today, and thermaling often. 8. On Friday 4/6/07, David Johnson flew in to our gliderport in his 1978 Bellanca Super Decathalon (N5030C). This is a beautifully restored plane that he keeps at Chandler Airport in Fresno. David has committed to bringing his plane for static display at our Vintage Sailplane Regatta in October. Also, he is willing to trade a flight in our 2-33 for an acrobatic flight in his plane. more info |
| March 10, 2007 |
1. Four hard-working guys came out to Avenal several days during the week of March 5-9th and cleaned up the place like I haven't seen it in years. Don Van Wyk took the excellent photos of the burning tumbleweed shown here and that tells only a partial story. They cleaned up almost the entire 92 acres of brush, weeds, tumbleweeds, and other growing unwanteds. Then, Mario and Dennis came out again today, and plan to come out again during the coming week. What a major effort accomplished by this team of workaholics. Thanks to all who contributed to this massive clean-up effort. Don't forget; you, too, can volunteer your efforts as I indicated in my email to all of you earlier in the week. 2. Peter Sahlberg soloed today. He had done so well last week that it appeared only a matter of the pre-solo test, and a simulated rope break, and I would turn him loose. That's exactly what happened. His flying was precise, and disciplined, and each solo flight was as good as the first. We did a few launches at the start of the day to prepare him, and to cover the one remaining maneuver required for solo. This is an add-on rating for Peter and he took to flying a glider as though it all was second nature. It was great flying for Peter. CONGRATULATIONS, PETER, ON YOUR SOLO FLIGHTS! 3. Gene Roberts, a friend of Jerry Smeltzer's, flew out to Avenal in his Cessna 150, and went for a demo ride. Then stayed around until the afternoon just enjoying the warm day and activity in the air. Gene might get hooked on getting his add-on rating, so we may see him again soon. 4. Hanna Marlette Jack Wiegand drove out with me to Avenal today and before flying, they helped out quite a bit driving the retrieve car while Peter soloed. Both were exceedingly helpful in the early part of the day, then both went flying later on.5. 5. There were thermals early, about noon or so, but seemed to be broken up by the winds over the Kettleman Hills. Joe Anastasio went flying in the Blanik but got off low, and didn't snag anything worth staying in, so he returned rather quickly. 6. Alex Caldwell came out with his young daughter and took her for a ride in the Blue Whale. Although she had to sit in the back seat for CG purposes, she was smiling as they launched. Alex found enough lift to stay up for awhile and when they returned, the little girl was quite happy. 7. Jack Wiegand flew his usual good flights, catching thermals over town and enjoying the scenery from above. Jack is getting better each flight with finding thermals and remaining in them. As each weekend produces stronger and larger thermals, Jack's altitude gain should reflect his improving skills. I expect to see Jack at and above 10,000 msl one of these weekends soon. 8. Hanna is adding to her flight record in order to meet the requirement for her checkride. So she soloed today, even though the wind was a bit breezy and slightly from the right all day long. She managed to handle it quite well. 9. Jerry Smeltzer was there, met Gene Roberts again (they had met at Sears in Visalia where Jerry works) and later on flew the 1-26, his favorite glider. Jerry always seems to do quite well in the nice glider. 10. Mike McClellan arrived again, from Felton, a mere 3-hour drive down from the Bay Area, to work on the hangar shelter footings. Boy are we indebted to Mike for all the time traveling, and the time working at Avenal, when he could be flying the gliders. He puts his nose to the grindstone so deeply that he barely notices all the glider activity going on around him. Thank you, Mike, thank you from all of us. 11. Finally, Mario Crosina and Dennis Mast were out again today cutting dead branches, repairing watering systems for the rose bushes and palm trees, and generally cleaning up more of what they've been doing all week. Thanks to both of you for not only doing so much work yourselves, but for organizing teams to get out and clean up the gliderport. more info |
| March 3, 2007 |
1. Not much happened today of note, but enough flying was accomplished to keep everyone happy. Early on, the ravens were up sniffing for us. There were thermals around, especially over on the west slopes of the Kettleman Hills. But you had to work at it to stay aloft. 2. Hanna Marlette and Jack Wiegand drove out with me this morning, then had a nice day flying solo a few times. Hanna is getting close to her checkride and Jack is learning to fly the 1-26 like an expert. 3. Andy Reistetter was here today flying his Russia. He did several launches, didn't find much lift, then put it away early. 4. Nisa and Wade King arrived to spend time looking at the operation and having lunch with Roy, Cati, and Wilton. They were introduced to Debbie's Fantastic Hamburgers. 5. Kathleen Morse arrived with a friend and went flying in the Blanik, most likely up in the mountains with a high tow. She enjoys that part of the area as much as anyone. And does well at using the canyons and ridges for good lift. 6. Dave Hernandez, a nurse from Coalinga, was here a few weeks ago and today decided to treat his friend, Daniel Axt, to a glider ride. Of course, then he took one himself. Dave might be leaning towards getting his pilot's license soon so we might see him again at Avenal. Daniel enjoyed the flight and cleared his mind of difficult times. We enjoyed having you guys here today. 7. I was sitting on the picnic bench, minding my own business (perhaps that's not possible) when all of a sudden my arm was dragged south towards my glider trailer. Not wanting to part with my arm at this time in my life, I followed it, and Hanna Marlette, to the trailer. Apparently it was Jack Wiegand's initial idea that I put my glider together and fly a few times since the day was so nice, and there wasn't too much activity. Momentarily resisting, I gave in (perhaps too easily) and went ahead with the event. Yes, it was fun, finally, to fly myself in my glider for a change. I flew it once, then it sat there for several hours because the activity ramped up more than anticipated. But, by the end of the day, it slowed, and I was able to fly it once again. This time, rather a short flight, followed by a low pass that was requested by Hanna and Jack. They enjoyed the sight from the southeast end of the runway and were too captivated by the sight of the glider approaching at 130 mph to take any photos. So you'll just have to imagine it. 8. As usual, Mike McClellan arrived after lunch from his home in Felton, CA, after a 3-hour drive. He has been coming each weekend to continue work on the hangar shelter footings so necessary to get the shelter up and in use. He always stays well into the dark, and then drives home again late in the evening. Now that's a dedicated contribution to the welfare of our club, and an example of how all of us should be when it comes to helping out here. 9. If you have a chance to help out at the gliderport, we have a lot to do to get ready not only for our Annual Contest, May 2-6, but also for the WSPA seminar in June. Volunteer if you have the time, or come out Saturday and do whatever is needed. more info |
| February 24, 2007 |
1. Back in August of 2003, Andrea Mersino, then 10 years old, watched her brother and father solo a glider. It is quite likely that she was already plotting to beat her brother's record of soloing in his 14th year and one month. No telling how long she harbored that goal, but it came true today. And not only did Andrea solo, but her Mom, Jennifer, soloed as well. That completes the amazing story of how four members of a family of five all have soloed gliders. Father and Son on the same day, now Mother and Daughter on the same day. Fabulous!!!! 2. Both Jennifer and Andrea have been planning to solo on the same day for several months now. Of course, that depended on both their progress in getting to a skill level sufficient to be signed off. It also depended on the weather. February hasn't always been too predictable and we worried about both wind, rain, and fog. And since no two people learn at the same rate, I worried about their progress taking place in enough sync to get them soloed together. All the marbles had to fall in place at the same time to make it happen. Well, they all did. Both ladies were ready, the weather was unbelievably clear, with virtually no wind, the runway was nice and hard packed and there were no other obstacles in their way. So, they soloed together!!!! CONGRATULATIONS TO JENNIFER AND ANDREA MERSINO. 3. The photos tell the whole story. Both did well, both had nice, smooth, safe flights, both heard me talking to them from the back seat, at least in the quantum world. Sure, they had some jitters, nervousness, moist palms, but didn't we all on our first solo? While they might not have slept too soundly the night before, I suspect they'll sleep like babies tonight. 4. Yes, there were other activities at the gliderport today. There was our CCSC Annual Meeting at which business was conducted, at least before and after the solo flights because the members all turned to watch the action on the runway and in the pattern. Here is Roy Norman's report of the meeting: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The 2007 Annual Members Meeting was held on 2/24/07. We had a great attendance. Ron Martin received a well-deserved round of applause as a display of the Club’s gratitude for refurbishing one of the 2-33s. We should consider ourselves quite fortunate for having two of the best looking 2-33s around thanks to Ron Martin for his work on the Orange Crush and to Joe Anastasio, Roque Serpa, Jonathan Pitt (and others) for refurbishing the Blue Whale. Kathleen Morse gave an update for the 2007 WSPA (Women Soaring Pilot Association) Seminar, to be held at our club June 18 – 22, 2007. This is a major event and will bring women pilots from all over the world. Kathleen was able to get several of our members to volunteer during the event. There are still volunteer positions so please contact Kathleen Morse at kathleen.morse@sbcglobal.net or Neita Montague at neitalibelle@aol.com to offer your assistance. Upon near unanimous approval, the Club has officially taken the position that the proposed MOA over and near the Avenal Gliderport should be opposed. As President, I will be contacting the FAA to voice our opposition. Every voice counts, so I will be contacting you soon to forward information on contacting the FAA with your own opinion on this issue. Mario Crosina gave an update on the upcoming Annual Contest, to be held 5/2 – 7/2007. At this point, we just need to get the word out about the Contest. Please tell everyone that will listen about the event. This event is a major source of income for the Club and we need as many contestants as possible. Peter Mersino, CPA, and Dave Martin reviewed the Club’s books for 2006 and reported that Don Van Wyk, our Secretary-Treasurer, has been doing a great job. They recommended, when presenting reports, the inclusion of detailed supporting journals. Peter and Dave gave Don a vote of confidence. Everyone expressed their appreciation for the work that Don has done for the Club. Don made a general announcement that he is available to share our records and answer any questions from the members. In addition, Don was re-elected to the position of Secretary/Treasurer. We now have an amendment to our By-Laws that allows members to waive the requirement sending notice of the Annual Meetings by mail in favor of receiving notice via e-mail. I encourage you to send your permission to receive the notice by e-mail. Please mail your permission to the clubhouse or e-mail your permission by clicking on “e-mail the Board of Directors” in the Members List portion of our website. I am very pleased to announce the election of Dennis Mast as our newest Board Member and Vice-President. Dennis stated that he is retired and wants to help the Club. He brings a vast amount of aviation experience as a former fighter pilot with the Air Force Reserves. Not that this experience helped much with his first official duty of picking up trash on the field along with everyone else after the meeting. Congratulations! Finally, I made a plea to the membership to help get the Clubhouse and gliderport ready to host three significant events this year. Quite frankly, the Clubhouse looks like a dump right now. We are the venue for our Annual Contest, the WSPA Seminar and the Vintage Sailplane event (exact dates to be announced by Paul Hanson soon). I will be contacting you in the near future for work parties. Please help me get the Club looking good! Roy Norman, President
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| February 17, 2007 |
1. Lots of things were going on today. Loyal had 27 tows on a day when the thermals weren't all that obvious. But there was work to be done by everyone to get ready either for solo, for a checkride, for fun, or for building the new shelter hangar. Hanna Marlette, Hanna's Mom, Toy Marlette, Jack Wiegand and I all drove out this morning together. 2. First up, Jack and Hanna needed a 90-day renewal of their solo privileges. They are both sharp and had no trouble with the review flight. Now they have another three months in which to gain more experience in soaring especially because these next few months will be excellent soaring. 3. Andrea Mersino, hoping to solo on her 14th birthday next Saturday, February 24th, flew five very nice pattern tows in preparation for solo. She has a nice touch on the controls and, depending on how well she does next Saturday morning with three practice flights, I expect she'll solo as she had hoped. 4. Jennifer Mersino also is preparing for her solo flight which she hopes will be with Andrea on Andrea's birthday. She doesn't have as many flights completed as Andrea so her skill set is a bit less, but we expect to bring that up to standard by next Saturday. 5. Jack Wiegand was his usual gregarious self, helping out everywhere then going for six flights, one with me, then five more solo. He sure loves that 1-26 a whole lot better than the 2-33. He searched for thermals, found a few, stayed in them for a few minutes, then lost the lift. But he kept going back up to try and be more successful with each launch. He's tenacious. 6. Hanna loves simulated rope breaks so much that she wanted to do three more today, even though she went through the process more than 18 months ago. But I am more than willing to oblige her wishes, so we did a high tow to practice rapid 45 degree banked turns, then did three simulated rope breaks in a row. She did perfectly on all three. It looks like she didn't forget her lessons from early in her flying career. 7. Joe Anastasio arrived mid-day, then actually went flying in the Blanik. For Joe, that's unusual because he's usually working on the gliders rather than flying them. He does take time out once in awhile but this was one of those rare times when he flew first, then worked on the roof of our small shed, replacing the tar paper on the roof. 8. Steve Schery and his friend, Ian Cant from Tehachapi, brought Steve's newly purchased Discus CS out to Avenal for his first flight. After about a 40 minute cockpit check, he launched. The takeoff was excellent, and he thoroughly enjoyed the flight. On his next, he did snag a few thermals and remained aloft longer than expected. It sure is a nice looking Discus, in beautiful condition, a Standard Class sailplane with about a 40:1 glide ratio. Steve should have himself some quite long cross-country flights this Spring and Summer at Avenal. 9. Our local mascot, Henry the Red-Tailed Hawk was out and about this morning looking for food from high up in nice steady thermals. He's a good sniffer and we rely on him to show us where they are, thermals, not food. 10. Mike McClellan arrived about noon and, as always, got right to work helping prepare the footing forms for our new hangar shelter. He just puts his nose to the grindstone and works continually. One of these days I hope he takes time to fly as he used to do some years ago. He's the guy who always used to land out at Harris Ranch, call Loyal for a retrieve, but hold him off until Mike had lunch there, then gets towed back to Avenal. If you're going to land out at Harris Ranch, see Mike McClellan for all the details; he's an expert over there. 11. Later in the afternoon, a nice couple showed up for demo rides. Rick and Ruth Motherwell were in the Avenal area, saw the sign out front, and decided to stop in. They had a wonderful time aloft, agreeing that a glider ride is a once-in-a-lifetime must do. Both were quite amazed at the quiet, the smooth ride, the feeling that one is hovering in the sky, and the easy touchdown. I suspect they'll be talking about their rides for some time to come. more info |
| February 3, 2007 |
1. For a day when the thermals weren't outstanding, and weren't even much present, a lot of folks showed up and Loyal had more tows today than he had in the entire month of January. But since December and January are the low points of soaring at Avenal, it's not surprising the tows have been less than stellar in the previous two months. Today, the tows were in the mid-20's and Loyal had a nice smile on his face. 2. Hanna and I arrived early and worked on her ground material in preparation for her written test this week. During the day we made substantial progress on those questions that seemed to be blocking otherwise high 90's scoring. 3. Anna Gunn-Golkin, our newest Flight Instructor, gave Don Van Wyk and Dave Martin their BFR's today, and all went well. 4. Joe Anastasio and Mike Schoenau worked on the Blue Whale's annual inspection, and finished that about mid-afternoon. Thanks Joe, for getting that glider back on the schedule with only two days unavailable. That was great work. 5. Jennifer and Andrea Mersino each had three flights, still determined to solo on February 24th, Andrea's 14th birthday. They're progressing well, and I see no obstacles to that accomplishment. 6. Jerry Smeltzer flew the 1-26, had fun but couldn't snag much in the way of thermals. He said he bumped through a few of them but wasn't able to get in long enough to make a difference. That probably was the story of the day for most everyone who went aloft. 7. Mark Boyd, our sometimes flight instructor, actually showed up today after many months away. He brought with him a friend, Adrian, a commercial airline pilot and perhaps Adrian will one day get the soaring bug. Mark regained currency in carrying passengers and flew a number of flights both in the 2-33 and the 1-26. 8. Kathleen Morse was here again, planning to stay the weekend and get some much needed practice in at the safest soaring site in North America. Today, in addition to Kathleen, we had Hanna Marlette, Jennifer Mersino, Andrea Mersino, and Lynn Savaria all present. Boy it sure is nice having the fairer sex around to brighten things up. I am glad we have had a nice increase in the number of females showing up at Avenal. Keeps the guys maintaining their gentlemanly demeanor and smiling a lot. 9. Steve Schery was on hand and shared flying in the Blanik with Kathleen Morse. Like the rest of us, they didn't find much aloft but as we all agreed, the views above the haze layer were spectacular. 10. Bruce Patton arrived today after a rather lengthy absence. Nice to see him after all this time. He came out to tow his glider back home to begin the annual update and replacement of items like wing tape, wiring, etc. That's a good sign that the weather is beginning to change for the better as we get farther into the beginnings of Springtime. 11. Alex Caldwell showed up today and lately he's been coming out more often. This time, though, he was here, not to soar but to test out his and Loyal's RV-3. He had a great time flying it and came back with a smile on his face. 12. Mike McClellan arrived sometime after lunch and began the intensive work he is noted for. If there was ever anyone who sticks to the task at hand and doesn't let anything sway him from it, it is Mike. He works all afternoon and right on into the dark when I am amazed he can see anything at all. His project, as it has been for many months now, is to prepare the forms for the shelter foundations. It is a complicated issue since leveling these must be as perfect as possible. Mike isn't fazed by the struggle and just keeps on working. 13. Late in the day, a nice gentleman from Coalinga called about a demo ride. David Hernandez showed up and not only wanted a demo ride but wanted a high tow, to 5800 msl!! It was a fun flight, late in the afternoon when the sun was starting to paint things a golden glow. We headed west over the mountains and circled above Black Mountain and Castle Peak. Then David took the controls and flew us back to Avenal, around the town a few times, and right into the pattern. Although he never had been in a glider before, his hand on the control was quite surprisingly smooth, and confident. It would be nice to see him pursue his pilot's license here at Avenal. Maybe someday ... 14. For all of those preflighters who have a hard time seeing the critical seven safety pins located between the wings and behind the rear seat bulkhead of the 2-33, I have included today a series of photos that show in more detail exactly what you need to be looking for. You've seen it by looking through the shoulder belt hole in the bulkhead, but now you are able to see it up close and personal. more info |
| January 27, 2007 |
1. It was a beautiful morning at the Clubhouse, with the sun shining, blue sky mixed with white cumulus clouds. Hanna Marlette and I drove from Fresno, and after about half-way, followed by Jennifer and Andrea Mersino in their van. Shortly after we all arrived at the gliderport, Richard Walker and Alex Caldwell showed up. Alex wanted to fly his RV-3 and Richard wanted to practice for his checkride. 2. Everyone got soaked to the skin. But I'm getting ahead of myself. We arrived about 9:30 am with Jennifer and Andrea Mersino scheduled for training until 12:30 pm. Because the runway was still damp from earlier rains, we decided to get some ground school in until it dried out. The sun was shining and it looked to be a pretty good day, with cumulus mountains to the west and north. 3. About 12:45 pm we decided to begin the flight training, with Andrea up first. Since she forgot to call out the emergency altitudes, I pulled the release and after a delay a bit too long, she began her turn back. It was an OK performance, other than the delay while the realization sunk in that the rope was no longer tied to the glider. 4. Next a high tow, then two more launches to pattern altitude where Andrea did very well on tow and the last two landings were nearly perfect. However, during the fourth flight, the raindrops began to fall. We did notice a wall of water to the southwest that appeared to be moving toward Avenal. As we landed the rain began in earnest. We sat in the glider for a few minutes thinking it might be a quick cell, but alas, no such luck. So we raced to the patio, leaving the glider in place. 5. Another few minutes and I realized that if we didn't get the glider tied down now, we wouldn't be able to move it in the mush-mud that was already forming. So, all six of us raced out to the glider, slipping and sliding, now full of mud and on the way to being completely soaked. We got the glider in place and tied down, and raced back to the patio. A lot of good that did since all of us were already completely soaked. 6. As we watched the runway turn to brown slurry, it was clear that no matter how much sun might appear, it wouldn't be enough to dry out the surface. So, away we went to Debbie's for hamburgers and a drier clime. 7. And the day ended for all. Rain, rain, go away!!! more info |
| January 20, 2007 |
1. The Annual Meeting of the CCSC was attempted but due to a lack of a quorum, the gathering settled into a routine monthly Board Meeting. Well, not exactly routine because we talked about the June WSPA Seminar and preparations for it, as well as the beginnings of a new shower for CCSC. The meeting was well attended, and while most stood outside because the temperature in the clubhouse was colder, it still was a lively meeting. The Annual Meeting will be rescheduled for sometime in February and we'll announce it on this site. Stay tuned. ... 2. WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS MARK AND NEITA MONTAGUE!! Neita Montague is going to co-chair the WSPA meeting with Kathleen Morse and so was in attendance to gather as much detail as possible on the gliderport and the surrounding facilities for the visiting women pilots. Much was discussed at the meeting, and Roy Norman graciously took Kathleen, Neita, and Mark for a tour of the area north to south showing what is and isn't available. As you can see from the marquee above, the WSPA Seminar will take place at Avenal June 18th to the 22nd. We encourage our members to come out, meet the members of the WSPA and participate in making the Seminar a success. Of course, we'll need help in all areas and anyone wishing to volunteer should contact Kathleen Morse by email. Her name and email address are available on this website under the Members List menu item. 3. Hanna Marlette was driven to Avenal in a crystal coach complete with footman. Not sure if her father views his role that way, but Ron Marlette and friend Lorrie Lorenz were going to the coast anyway and stopped by to see everyone and drop Hanna off. Hanna is now working quite diligently on her written exam practice and my guess is she'll be a licensed pilot within just a few weeks. We took a 4000 ft. tow today over the mountains looking for some lift, found tiny bumps here and there but not enough to remain aloft for any length of time. 4. Others in the group also flew in the afternoon but most found zero sink or at best 1 knot of lift. It appears that because the ground was still quite cold from the Central Valley freeze of the previous week, there wasn't enough energy left over to create sufficient lift. 5. It didn't take long for those involved to get moving on the shower for the clubhouse. Moving the refrigerator out, and building a wall was the first sign of progress on the shower. It will be an integral part of the westernmost bathroom along the side of the clubhouse. Roy Norman is planning on purchasing a beautiful fiberglass enclosure that will fit perfectly into one wall of the bathroom. I believe everyone will be quite happy about this addition to our clubhouse because it has been one of the most asked-for items since we've been at Avenal. We're not sure of the completion date for this shower, but you'll see it here first so keep tuning in to our website. 6. Joe Anastasio brought his chain saw with him today and began cutting down the dead trees around the shed that have been an eyesore for a long time. It sure looks much better and is part of the move to improve the look of the CCSC facilities not just for the coming Annual Contest and WSPA Seminar but for the ease and comfort of all our members. more info |
| January 6, 2007 |
1. A nice crowd turned out for fun at Avenal today. Not much was accomplished in the morning since most showed up nearing lunchtime. After lunch there was a steady stream of launches. 2. But first, Joe Anastasio was at Avenal early working on replacing the wood beams on the end of the beams. Dylan Boone jumped in and helped hold the other end, while Hannah Marlette and Jerry Smeltzer supervised. That got the morning off to a good start. When that project was completed, Dylan and I went for a refresher flight since it had been a few weeks since Dylan flew his wonderful solo flights. He did quite well after the layoff and is OK to solo again. 3. Richard Walker, working for his add-on rating, wanted just a review of his maneuvers since he's been practicing alone during the week at Avenal. So we went aloft and did most of the expected check ride maneuvers, and his progress is quite acceptable. I expect him to schedule a check ride soon, just after we have a chance to go through a practice check ride. 4. Because most of us decided to head to Debbie's for lunch, I haven't seen a bigger crowd there ever. At one point there were 12 people in line just to order. We rearranged the furniture so that all eight of us could be seated together. Hamburgers, as usual, were fabulous. 5. A guest, Peter Sahlberg, arrived from Santa Maria and after lunch, became a member. WELCOME PETER AND CONGRATULATIONS ON JOINING OUR CLUB!! It turns out that Peter and Anna live in the same town, work at Vandenberg AFB, both engineers. So it looks like a nice situation for car pooling and perhaps ground instruction at the same time. Peter has a power license and is going to get his glider add-on rating. We took one flight and there's no doubt Peter will acquire his add-on rating with no difficulty. In spite of his power experience, his touch on the stick and rudder was excellent. 6. After lunch, Jerry decided to fly the 1-26 and Kathleen Morse went out to help run the wing. Unfortunately not much lift in the area, a few bumps around the usual places, over town, but not much more. Still, those who flew enjoyed the clear day and beautiful scenery. 7. Andrea Mersino continued her flight training, determined to solo on her birthday in February. At the rate she is learning, that seems a likely event. While waiting for the tow plane to return, Andrea practiced keeping the wings level with the wind blowing at about 10 knots. As you can see in the photo, she did very well at that exercise. 8. After our flight, Joe Anastasio and Kathleen Morse decided to investigate the mountains for thermals deep in the canyons. Nope, they didn't find much but had a good time flying anyway. 9. Next up was Jennifer Mersino, Mom to Andrea. Jennifer is planning on her solo flight on the same day that Andrea solos. That should be great since Peter and son Jacob did the same thing two years ago. The SSA will be greatly interested in that story. Stay tuned. 10. Steve Schery was on hand this afternoon with a friend. They took the Blanik and headed into the mountains where he reported not much in the way of lift, but clear visibility and at least a nice day to glide. Sorry I didn't get his friend's name but seemed like a nice young man, and interested in flying with Steve. 11. Our very good friend and member, Mike McClellan arrived after noon and as usual, began his work on the new hangar shelter. Not only does it take Mike about 3.5 hours to drive to Avenal from Felton, but when he gets here, his thoughts are of working on the shelter and soaring later. But he had no chance to fly since darkness settled in before he was done working on the shelter footings. If he isn't one of the most dedicated and helpful members, I don't know who else it might be. Thanks so much, Mike for all the work you've put in on our behalf. Mike is what a membership in a club is all about. 12. Finally, Rudy Sheflett and daughter Alicia arrived so that Alicia could take a demo flight. Rudy's parents live in Avenal, and he came out several years back to take his own demo flight. Alicia lives in Arizona and doesn't get to Avenal much. So this was a good time to enjoy motorless flight, just as her Dad did earlier. I'm not sure who, but someone suggested she try weightless flight, and actually gave her a hat to put on her lap and watch it float. She was a good sport, and at the moment of weightlessness, she emitted a scream that took away a few decibels of hearing from me for an hour afterward. No, she didn't want to do it again, but simply wanted a little bit of roller coaster ride which we did, and that brought the smile back to her face. You're a good sport, Alicia, and next time you come back to see Dad at Avenal, come see us. 13. It was late when Hannah and I headed back to Fresno. As we entered main street at Avenal, I was impressed with the effort the administration at Avenal expended to light up the street for the holidays. It was quite lovely and better than the photo shown here. This isn't a wealthy town and the people in it work hard and largely in the farm fields. So, it was a nice gesture for the town to spend at least a bit of money on creating a festive atmosphere. Congratulations to all the residents of Avenal for being supportive of our soaring activities and making the town a nice place in which to live and work. more info |
| January 3, 2007 |
1. Jack Wiegand and I flew out to Avenal, where Jack flew three flights in the 1-26 and found virtually no lift at all. He did, however, try out his new handheld radio and new headset he got for Christmas. 2. The next day, Jennifer Mersino, Andrea, and Jacob all flew out with me in the Cherokee 140 intending to practice more. Now it seems that Mom, Jennifer, has decided to learn to fly a glider fast enough to be able to solo with her daughter on February 23rd. That would be quite a nice feat considering that Father Peter, and son Jacob both soloed on the same day two years ago when Jacob turned 14. This time, Andrea has a chance to outdo Jacob by a month or two since Jacob didn't solo right on his 14th birthday, rather a month or so later. 3. Jacob did his usual good flying in the Cherokee 140 to and from Avenal. He'll be soloing soon in powered aircraft. 4. Stay tuned for more .... more info |
| December 23, 2006 |
1. Hannah and I arrived at Avenal early morning, about 9:45 am and found no one there. Seems the holiday activity lured people to homes or friends, rather than out at Avenal chasing non-existent thermals. Don't blame them. I brought along a "TRUE" mirror I had constructed for the Art classes, and Hanna had a bit of fun not only looking at it, but trying to focus the sun's rays enough to start a tissue burning. Alas, the rays weren't focused enough to make that happen, so she switched to a pair of eyeglasses, and still didn't get enough concentrated heat to make any progress. Back to studying her soaring ground material. 2. Joe Anastasio showed up a bit later, then proceeded to begin replacement of the wooden beams at the edge of the clubhouse roof, mostly along where the corrugated canopy meets the roof. 3. Anna Gunn-Golkin arrived later on, and while Joe was working on the roof, and Hannah was working on soaring ground material for her upcoming written test, Anna and I checked out in the Blanik. Not much up there, but quite clear above the haze layer, showing the High Sierras in all their winter glory. 4. After our flight, Joe and Anna went up, giving Joe a needed break from all the work he does every time he visits Avenal. But, as before, there wasn't much at release in the Tar Canyon area, and nothing to soar in over town, so on landing, they parked it and that was the end of launching for the remainder of the day. 5. Mid-afternoon, Mike M |