Visibility:
Wind: Light and variable
Altitudes: 4000+
Time Aloft: Hour+
Max Lift: 400 fpm
Temperature: mid-Eighties
Comment: Lots of visitors from Lemoore NAS
Tow pilot: Julie Butler, Harry Davies, Harold Gallagher.
The weather was beautiful, the field was in great shape and I'm excited that now the days will be longer than the nights. Or did you forget that is the definition of Vernal Equinox. Just a reminder.
There were numerous observers out there today. Our member Chris, his lady Annalee, and another pilot, Sean, arriving in a Cessna 172. Another group arrived in a Piper Warrior including Steve, his wife Rebecca, a corporate pilot, and Jamie, another pilot.
Chris arriving in a Cessna 172 and flew several flights with friends Jamie and Annalee. |
Yes, the 1-26 is back on line, with a huge thanks to Martin Caskey and Jan Zanutto, and with the help of other of our members too numerous to mention. They did a fabulous job of repairing and refurbishing the 1-26 and it handles well having been test flown by Martin.
Martin Caskey is test flying the 1-26 after he and Jan and others worked hard to get it back on line. |
Alex Caldwell and Mel Council flew a series of training flights including one or two that involved some pretty good soaring based on what we could see from the ground and their time aloft. Yutaka Buto helped Alex and Mel where necessary and then flew the 1-26, or the 2-33, I'm not sure which.
Mel and Alex searching for thermals. |
Looks like they found a good one and stayed aloft longer than others. |
Julie and Morgan heading home in their Cessna 152. |
Early in the morning, Jeff Richardson and Larry Johnson headed to Harris Ranch for fuel since Coalinga is out of fuel and not likely to have any soon. They got back in time for Jeff and I to fly the necessary three flights to complete his Biennial Flight Review. On the first flight I thought I'd surprise him with a 200 foot simulated rope break but he was ready instantly, turning in the right direction and holding airspeed and heading right back to the runway, with enough energy to roll back to the launch area. Great flying, Jeff.
Richard Walker is at it again with his wonderful construction skills, this time preparing a trailer to haul the 1-26 since we expect our members to begin cross country flying in that ship. That trailer will be a big help to free the flights away from home base. Without it, going cross country is a real risk of landing out an no good trailer to get it back to Avenal.
Our newest member, John Morris, flew his second and third flights today and is just about ready to declare the tow skill has moved to his subconscious and therefore easy to control. I suspect he'll be soloing in just a few more flights based on completion of the required maneuvers for solo. Nice flying John.
Jim and Debby Rickey arrived in their Cessna 210 and while they didn't fly gliders, they helped out wherever necessary and then headed back to Hanford.
Jim and Debby Rickey in their Cessna heading back to Hanford or somewhere. |
No that's not a gear problem, just Cessna's way of retracting the gear. Not technically neat. But Jim loves his Cessna 210 in spite of the gear mechanism |
For those of you who travel the Avenal cutoff and are bored by the long, straight, flat, road of about 20 miles, here's another view of that road suggesting it isn't all that flat, straight, and boring.
The Avenal Cutoff taken from just east of I-5 at the beginning of the straight stretch. |
If I have forgotten anyone who was there yesterday and helped out or flew, sorry. I was busy training and towing and didn't take many pictures that otherwise would have helped me remember who was there and what was accomplished. See you all next weekend. The thermals are getting stronger each weekend.