WEATHER
Visibility: Clear
Wind: Variable from NW and SE
Altitudes: 4900 msl, Alex Caldwell
Time Aloft: 2+ hours
Max Lift: 6 knots
Temperature: Cool and beautiful
Comment:
Tow pilot:
Jim Rickey, Dan Gudgel, Griffin
Here is
Richard Walker's flight description:
Thanks to everyone on the ground for assistance in getting a late afternoon tow. Our new Tow Pilot Griffin did the honors and dropped me off in 4 knot lift.
Gaining about 400 ft I went in search of additional lift. Found some North of the prison and generally worked lift in that area. I worked lift from hwy 33 to the hills. I didn't find much to the west and headed back toward the Barn and found some lift there. I was down to 2200' so it was find lift or land. After getting back up to 3,000' I went exploring again.
I saw Big Bird a little north east and tried to join them, but some moderate sink prevented that. They moved south west of me as I was searching for other lift to the west. Finding mostly a line of lift and sink I eventually retreated to the Barn area keeping an eye on ALex and his student in Big Bird. I got up to 4600 and Alex I think said he was at 48 or 4900 after I landed maybe higher.
With 4600' I set off for tar canyon as I was a couple miles south of there. I found a bit of lift and tried to get to Black only to make a retreat at about 3600' With 600' above glide seemed likely I would make it with the scattered lift I had going in. Found light lift again, but was a gradual down flight from there.
All in all an enjoyable 1.1 hr flight. Taking off at 4 pm I didn't expect much more than a 20 minute flight.
Thanks Griffin for a nice tow.
Richard
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjInsVXuosuBwZLYsgmR_Q1h0LTLJ6d-EOJGx0e_25427l7t2GFhwQF49ILbquIoyLzkgH0MtxkpqKTgGjLsptX32-DSYKSlGEuDPljCHF2EwL_HJO5VSlbfjxihWYSeGhHdMJ933n5Wscq/s400/Sep30-1.jpg) |
Dan Gudgel and student on short final for runway 31. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gtyBtRKGP95JkZZci7xc5piBu4wC0b4IkjxDUMdlLL9OrOo-1PkzGPamnAG6J5-MeFkTXqi0iD5CwBHRkGqNk5cGcUkmt5-UtKawAxySKRCnSnGESO_ji8rrhUGrNBVrsl7Qmt6ph4_h/s400/Sep30-2.jpg) |
That was a good flight and we should do another one. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFuqlEOj7hnfyq3IA6K_jL9Ks6PaS9-DDYsqv66miyBDj42XNC-_i3d_jqtZsPGloZl7RZCpYxvXaAyiE7vsv79l_0fFPT2auYSry5DOja3HU9iD5XCkFfB_ZzH-1ZkkL0HaIL2he39TXF/s400/Sep30-3.jpg) |
Down at the far end of runway 31, they launch again with Erich Harding running the wing. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibcC5YHodzbAMXkIMvmC9Lz4qGpRFcQ3bbDLQ3CIxi_2t4Vba7sHQS6xfyFwYb8Z-9GJt_qFHNqKF2dnru-DsDPQ3R8CzcSVo1xr_4O0XzNvK5y9nwBqiWnG1Z4GZd7utGFj0lRyStAvAp/s400/Sep30-4.jpg) |
On the takeoff roll, and a very dusty runway after Carlos smoothed it all out. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyB2edK5AlsC514yE49KYNORw1-2l8-kL9rQVAdLOrlDktB1xetiptBB7YuTp9JAQjI1wk3Vq2V3I7dBCY3TbudnlAQqoBfbTWms2rCtwq6PXr2HoGt-cxjygOCB7zqDuESWWxzwIr5R0D/s400/Sep30-5.jpg) |
All day today we were simply IFR, "I Follow Rope". |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDybORyUHIHruUTv758m0hmmnF6fJpZcD2O9c0zLolqXVvo0BqzZYTj6Dz0SVk2U0PYFI6VaihXuMk135tb_PJSYUcmq_V3ti1o1-dS-T8SjIyc2gRWXY7qCqa09E5rm-hrB7ycm9knST_/s400/Sep30-6.jpg) |
When they return, it will be Erich Harding's turn to fly. He's ready for it. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0pnsseem0amUb2PzArvfJh6NSWPRSk3r6tMwBA2sF9DTqS0ID0woHGUfAGBPFqQz9yePmtf5cUGxrOgrlLFgy7KWCg2RABxBtoc-JfZNsoHBqkbw8_vwdKVgktCXUarIRCQLjRoEKGgh/s400/Sep30-7.jpg) |
Erich is doing well on his training and likes to fly with two hands on the stick. So do most. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-wsk3esNFgdyTbtB8L1dv_BTw7-pfFP67IsEGTgsR4BajN_3_UDzEfbltnSH-9BI8prtMsbgCJ6ndFrPu5GCLlf0w44EGYAxhpQBX__yskyWbi00LSwbuIqwcH0S_5qxt-oohgG_D_gE/s400/Sep30-8.jpg) |
He is trying to decide whether to fly one more time or just end it at that. He decided to fly. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXVrQJtC-bHot8HCMe4Z2TMk2VoeFu-p-5lCOmhOWIPZhRDqgBAJnUOknSxZHDr5FM-Cu2Hf7gylLkfPK5EX0cdQn-_2oYj3CLLumEPA6fG6tyeEhyphenhyphenWntUGxeCQ5-YxXXLGxKIoipb0Gs/s400/Sep30-9.jpg) |
His second flight was so much better than the first, including an unassisted smooth landing. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjxZBMG6FiGrMvrmdwlIHe3sHtjhmtMM3G4mG2of4aDRmSAzDpledNDiySUZ7fypcI78Wzu8G1FIZEE27Y5s-pUq-YynxEi2niF5Iz6oCVkWrhauGWvP_nu5nn4ReMAJd8rOuNVBHQxgBA/s400/Sep30-10.jpg) |
Erich is a much happier young man after that excellent second flight. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1IZN8kE_m3fYAvDz1kQux-YbPBJ36rh4IKgTMVFdnwscYpRESjNa3EDmR3ejgJzCMcnNBwUq8kJ5_z3YEIMiigndP2VxTH6sWhFmATJw9akQ04eJDDIdAmu4xzp7HtETeaMIadQdDAGk/s400/Sep30-11.jpg) |
A typical mid-afternoon gathering on the patio. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQEtaoG3KMWi1MmcekYKAUJBgtOmFAt4baJmQYfxK8Rw-74AYddvGLBqRfqwKB4Oajmn0r9NIrUBgH2RraoIyA2PeZxZS3BOioou22VxThWRj2jkfFVIxwvYN23u1xTbaumgMOlzwOLSZ/s400/Sep30-12.jpg) |
Dan Gudgel is holding court with Jay and friend. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIELbqkFPvYU9VARtPY2r4tPgEl7eGfK6HvOCz7s1YWEBMpsHMZTTnxnQ4z0jxsx-4X5RvvVPgAVeQjBqK4_vdC41v49ISaY4KgxdssSI1YU4ZcPJM3fz5-HRPUxGWVjGFjpq97BABEqB7/s400/Sep30-13.jpg) |
Don Flinn explaining flight info with Troy Wollman and Bennett Diamond. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTVi6d16Z9p1MEjMJdspsWZurVln345l9IbEopzUkYcLiPfWeTpI4Qqs2eZbZ9oLSRLuBBtjhRLZxV2hUyqXbMFOvK4jfQ4B0ZrKfdKzKYK9Jj3kXDtwLlRTyI7xX_0z6RD6oF29KGuVgJ/s400/Sep30-14.jpg) |
Things are slowing down a bit at this time of day. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmw7V2-1ddktGG7DI-ZUvXvgxaNqriZkrAMcdKlyV28i9vDbHrsBh8VfMZxr3tw4UNjeTUDhF0cczfpNY3yxysvcQHBG8MIxrY9p6cfg-UYpRS8RHLCqIV-HdJFkP4X3ZI7BKQdc199xiR/s400/Sep30-15.jpg) |
Alex Caldwell seems to occupy that seat on the back bench most of the time. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0vdd7drokrGsNSrdOyxUshWnrECBT-thZA7BNEg8HbxQGWyT5VdC2yROWqDIGCyG5lydM4BImJRGDHzZYzHMzoXptlGNyJMbn04H7jPl1fz_wOOuYrzrzqBaT2it-Kx9t74p97aBL0eiz/s400/Sep30-16.jpg) |
The PW-5 and the Pipistrel behind it are nearly ready to fly today. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFVFlUfAjV6DaIZp4JFZF17FmzOFIO_J5ufVijmiHI-PX9NeE_pq5hXG76gIaxaQD1l5MBcx70CJnrRyCBvWt7pIrXKaxvKSUJT7atY1wMVZw-RQXl2lSRKBJa4yWsCFW04FnH3SfkGQw8/s400/Sep30-17.jpg) |
Joe Anastasio finishing assembly of the PW-5 while the Pipistrel only needs a horizontal stabilizer. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqdsmnrspf6JSCjihSF3T_vf9wVsI7sMCv0cNfCyTa-YJUSGVzOPi25ae68za-TMbDHrxX12k9E9Sa-BopZXm2z85qinfPLaD9BaRbG_HOa9FZWGWHygyp5vjePiAmpgczvzDWDVgJP_xd/s400/Sep30-18.jpg) |
They're probably chatting about the potential for a good flight based on current lift conditions. |