Southern Arizona Hang Glider Association
The long-range forecast on Soaring Predictor http://www.soaringpredictor.info/phoeni ... Canyon.htm looks as if there might be some reasonably good soaring days at Miller Canyon next week.
Provided the forecasts pan out I plan on going there with Tom Morrison to check the place out and hopefully fly. Not Monday or Tuesday, but from Wednesday on I could make it.
Anyone else interested in some weekday flying?
Also, Tom and I will be on the training hills in Sonoita Sunday morning. If anyone else is interested is brushing up on launches, please let me know.
John
520 444 8105
Miller next week? (Friday is on, report added)
Moderators:ioan, John Wolfe, aaroncromer, jlowery
Last edited by jlowery on Fri Apr 20, 2012 6:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.
It looks like Friday might be the day. Updates as the forecast evolves.
Update 1 - Wednesday's Soaring Predictor forecast has:
Friday, NE9 through 11 AM, N8 through 11 PM, soaring ceiling 15000
Saturday, SE2 through 11 AM, NW 3 through 5 PM, soaring ceiling 18000
Sunday, SE7 through 11 AM, W 3 through 11 PM, soaring ceiling 16000
Monday, SE5 through 11 AM, SW 7 through 5 PM, soaring ceiling 15000
Fair warning, longer-term Soaring Predictor forecasts flop around a lot. But it does look very promising.
I've got vacation from work Friday and Monday so am available all four days.
John
520 444 8105
Update 1 - Wednesday's Soaring Predictor forecast has:
Friday, NE9 through 11 AM, N8 through 11 PM, soaring ceiling 15000
Saturday, SE2 through 11 AM, NW 3 through 5 PM, soaring ceiling 18000
Sunday, SE7 through 11 AM, W 3 through 11 PM, soaring ceiling 16000
Monday, SE5 through 11 AM, SW 7 through 5 PM, soaring ceiling 15000
Fair warning, longer-term Soaring Predictor forecasts flop around a lot. But it does look very promising.
I've got vacation from work Friday and Monday so am available all four days.
John
520 444 8105
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John Wolfe
- Posts:996
- Joined:Fri Aug 12, 2005 6:08 pm
- Location:Oro Valley (NW Tucson)
Re: Miller next week
The forecast is holding for this weekend, Friday through Monday.
Thursday's forecast:
Friday, N9 through 11 AM, E7 through 5 PM, soaring ceiling 16000
Saturday, SE5 through 11 AM, N through 5 PM, soaring ceiling 17000
Sunday, SE8 through 11 AM, SE13 through 5 PM, soaring ceiling 16000
Monday, SE5 through 11 AM, SE8 through 5 PM, soaring ceiling 15500
Tom Morrison and I are meeting around 7 AM, arriving Miller LZ by 9 AM. Looks like it's launchable all day, but would rather wait on conditions than miss them. I believe my son will be coming along to drive.
I don't know whether I'll be out Saturday or not (Tom won't) but I think we'll definitely be out tomorrow and Sunday.
Whitney, if you'd like to ride down with us any day I'm going, you're welcome to - just give me a call.
John
520 444 8105
Thursday's forecast:
Friday, N9 through 11 AM, E7 through 5 PM, soaring ceiling 16000
Saturday, SE5 through 11 AM, N through 5 PM, soaring ceiling 17000
Sunday, SE8 through 11 AM, SE13 through 5 PM, soaring ceiling 16000
Monday, SE5 through 11 AM, SE8 through 5 PM, soaring ceiling 15500
Tom Morrison and I are meeting around 7 AM, arriving Miller LZ by 9 AM. Looks like it's launchable all day, but would rather wait on conditions than miss them. I believe my son will be coming along to drive.
I don't know whether I'll be out Saturday or not (Tom won't) but I think we'll definitely be out tomorrow and Sunday.
Whitney, if you'd like to ride down with us any day I'm going, you're welcome to - just give me a call.
John
520 444 8105
-
John Wolfe
- Posts:996
- Joined:Fri Aug 12, 2005 6:08 pm
- Location:Oro Valley (NW Tucson)
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Tom Morrison
- Posts:38
- Joined:Mon Jul 20, 2009 6:25 pm
- Location:Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Looking forward to flying Miller tomorrow.
I think it would be a good idea that anytime we go to Miler to fly in the immediate future that landscaping tools (picks, shovels, rakes etc,) find their way up to launch. We have an opportunity to make improvements to this premier site. Everything we saw on Sunday that could possibly interfere with a launch is dead and should be removed. I'm sure if we spent 15 to 20 minutes before flying each time we could make a huge difference.
Tom
Sent from my iPad
I think it would be a good idea that anytime we go to Miler to fly in the immediate future that landscaping tools (picks, shovels, rakes etc,) find their way up to launch. We have an opportunity to make improvements to this premier site. Everything we saw on Sunday that could possibly interfere with a launch is dead and should be removed. I'm sure if we spent 15 to 20 minutes before flying each time we could make a huge difference.
Tom
Sent from my iPad
I'm in for Saturday at Miller. Have to be back in town by 5 pm though.
i.o.a.n -- m.i.f.t.o.d.e (P4 - SAHGA VP) - My DeLorme
Friday report
Tom Morrison, Eric Tucker and I flew, thanks to the support from drivers Raquel and Sean.
We patched a small section of road, the next to last switchback, before the parking for the PG launches. It isn't perfecdt and may not last, but it's a lot easier to get across that chasm than it was when we got there.
The forecast was fairly accurate. It was east when we got there at 10, crossed left and right a few times but basically E5-10 from 10 until 12:30, when the last of us launched.
Eric was off first, struggled low but got high over toward the LZ. Tom went off next and immediately got over launch, and made several passes until after I launched. I pretty quickly got drilled in big sink and headed for the LZ, getting a mercy thermal about where Eric did and finally getting up.
Tom passed under me as I was climbing, didn't find the thermal, but worked lift over the LZ before calling it quits after about 30 minutes.
I flew at altitudes of up to 9700, just higher than Carr and Miller, but was never able to get near to those peaks because by then (1:30) the canyon was becoming very turbulent. I had one over-the-falls that gave me a slack hang strap for maybe three seconds and then a truly jarring thump as I bottomed out. Eventually I tired of beating myself up in the wash machine and I landed after about 1 hour 10 minutes.
Eric followed me into the canyon/wash machine the last trip in, but lasted better than I did. Hi got to about 12000 over Carr peak, and then headed out XC, finally landing 18.75 miles out along Hwy 92 near Bisbee. Sweet flight, Tucker!
So it was a success all around three attempts got three nice flights, no patches needed on wings or pilots.
Please take care tomorrow, you PG guys. It was kind of rowdy up there today.
John
We patched a small section of road, the next to last switchback, before the parking for the PG launches. It isn't perfecdt and may not last, but it's a lot easier to get across that chasm than it was when we got there.
The forecast was fairly accurate. It was east when we got there at 10, crossed left and right a few times but basically E5-10 from 10 until 12:30, when the last of us launched.
Eric was off first, struggled low but got high over toward the LZ. Tom went off next and immediately got over launch, and made several passes until after I launched. I pretty quickly got drilled in big sink and headed for the LZ, getting a mercy thermal about where Eric did and finally getting up.
Tom passed under me as I was climbing, didn't find the thermal, but worked lift over the LZ before calling it quits after about 30 minutes.
I flew at altitudes of up to 9700, just higher than Carr and Miller, but was never able to get near to those peaks because by then (1:30) the canyon was becoming very turbulent. I had one over-the-falls that gave me a slack hang strap for maybe three seconds and then a truly jarring thump as I bottomed out. Eventually I tired of beating myself up in the wash machine and I landed after about 1 hour 10 minutes.
Eric followed me into the canyon/wash machine the last trip in, but lasted better than I did. Hi got to about 12000 over Carr peak, and then headed out XC, finally landing 18.75 miles out along Hwy 92 near Bisbee. Sweet flight, Tucker!
So it was a success all around three attempts got three nice flights, no patches needed on wings or pilots.
Please take care tomorrow, you PG guys. It was kind of rowdy up there today.
John
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John Wolfe
- Posts:996
- Joined:Fri Aug 12, 2005 6:08 pm
- Location:Oro Valley (NW Tucson)
Saturday report
I rode down with Eric Tucker and Racquel, and we launched around 11:45. I was first, Eric followed about 15 minutes later.
It was nicer lift than yesterday. I immediately found a thermal near the point and got up to 10k. Eric worked a bit at launch altitude and then was right up there with me.
There was some turbulence in the canyon like yesterday, but not as severe. I still couldn't get up over Carr and Miller, but when it started to get rowdy around 12:30 I headed for the valley and found some lift over 92, getting up to about 12000.
I headed for Palominas, but didn't find much lift after that. I ended up landing along 92 near Palominas, and Eric landed in a nearby field. Not epic XC but around 8 miles from the mountain with maybe 1.5 hours in the air, and no aluminum bill, so a win all around.
Another very nice Miller day. Thanks to Eric and Racquel for the ride down to Miller, and as always big thanks to Racquel for the wire crew and chase crew assist.
It was nicer lift than yesterday. I immediately found a thermal near the point and got up to 10k. Eric worked a bit at launch altitude and then was right up there with me.
There was some turbulence in the canyon like yesterday, but not as severe. I still couldn't get up over Carr and Miller, but when it started to get rowdy around 12:30 I headed for the valley and found some lift over 92, getting up to about 12000.
I headed for Palominas, but didn't find much lift after that. I ended up landing along 92 near Palominas, and Eric landed in a nearby field. Not epic XC but around 8 miles from the mountain with maybe 1.5 hours in the air, and no aluminum bill, so a win all around.
Another very nice Miller day. Thanks to Eric and Racquel for the ride down to Miller, and as always big thanks to Racquel for the wire crew and chase crew assist.
Sunday plans
Tom and Jeanette Morrison, Rafael Ramirez, Whitney Todnem and I plan to be in the Miller LZ around 9:30 Sunday morning for another flying day.
My truck will be full with 5, but I believe Eric Tucker and Racquel are planning to come down to fly as well.
The more the merrier...
John
520 444 8105
My truck will be full with 5, but I believe Eric Tucker and Racquel are planning to come down to fly as well.
The more the merrier...
John
520 444 8105
Tom and Jeanette Morrison, Eric and Racquel Tucker, Rafael Ramirez, Whitney Todnem and I went to Miller Sunday.
It was L&V on the southeast launch, just cycles, but launchable and as it turned out, soarable.
Tom was off first, went around to the PG launches and got up, soaring over the launches, and then hit some sink and headed toward the LZ. Rafael went next, and followed pretty much the same path, heading toward the LZ after soaring a bit in front of the PG launches. A little later we saw both of them soaring over the ridge to the LZ well above launch altitude.
I went next, hit a big one at the point of the reef and got up to maybe 10k in pretty short order. Eric waited a while, needing to charge his radio, but as I passed through 12k over launch I saw him take off and start working the lift around the launches and later over the ridge to the LZ. It seemed to take him a while before he found his ride up to altitude, but as I started to drive out toward the valley he was back up over launch working hard.
I saw Tom and Rafael in the LZ around that time too. I hear they had good flights. I hope they'll post the details.
About 1 PM the clouds were starting to pop and we started seeing lift in the valley. I left too early on Saturday and sunk out, so I waited until I was sure today. I believe there was some convergence lift at that time because I was flying a straight line along Ramsey Road going up for several miles. I was at 15000 when I passed coppertop school headed for the bird sanctuary. At the river I got back up to 13k and made a beeline for Tombstone airport. I got ahead of the lift at that point and started to sink. I found a small thermal over Hwy 80. It was drifting east and I was thinking I should probably land, so I got just high enough to leave and head north to land at Tombstone airport for 1:30 hours and 22.5 miles.
Unfortunately at that point my Jeep's drive line blew up on Rafael and Whitney and they were stuck at a convenience store on Fry Blvd. Eric Tucker was MIA, having been in the air for about an hour when his radio died (someone needs a spare battery pack) and no word other than his preflight declaration about heading toward Tombstone.
Racquel, Tom and Jeanette drove out to pick us all up (thanks, guys!). As they drove out for me they heard from Eric, who had landed in Elfrida. So Tom took Whitney home and Rafael and I went with Racquel to retrieve Eric.
It turns out that Eric did his 40.1 miles the hard way. He had flown ESE about 20-25 miles to Bisbee, decided to head north from there and gone another 20-25 miles NW from there to Elfrida. Bank shot! He was in the air for about 3 hours, as near as we can figure at altitudes of up to 16,000 MSL.
So Eric got three personal bests on one flight: Distance, altitude, and duration! Definitely the flight of the day. Congratulations, Eric. And my compliments on your patience and support, Racquel.
I got an AAA tow on my Jeep and got it and me home by 9 PM. Not too bad, I highly recommend AAA tow insurance.
My thanks and apologies to everyone for the support, the retrieve and the patience with my sick Jeep on rewarding but more-difficult-than-average day.
It was L&V on the southeast launch, just cycles, but launchable and as it turned out, soarable.
Tom was off first, went around to the PG launches and got up, soaring over the launches, and then hit some sink and headed toward the LZ. Rafael went next, and followed pretty much the same path, heading toward the LZ after soaring a bit in front of the PG launches. A little later we saw both of them soaring over the ridge to the LZ well above launch altitude.
I went next, hit a big one at the point of the reef and got up to maybe 10k in pretty short order. Eric waited a while, needing to charge his radio, but as I passed through 12k over launch I saw him take off and start working the lift around the launches and later over the ridge to the LZ. It seemed to take him a while before he found his ride up to altitude, but as I started to drive out toward the valley he was back up over launch working hard.
I saw Tom and Rafael in the LZ around that time too. I hear they had good flights. I hope they'll post the details.
About 1 PM the clouds were starting to pop and we started seeing lift in the valley. I left too early on Saturday and sunk out, so I waited until I was sure today. I believe there was some convergence lift at that time because I was flying a straight line along Ramsey Road going up for several miles. I was at 15000 when I passed coppertop school headed for the bird sanctuary. At the river I got back up to 13k and made a beeline for Tombstone airport. I got ahead of the lift at that point and started to sink. I found a small thermal over Hwy 80. It was drifting east and I was thinking I should probably land, so I got just high enough to leave and head north to land at Tombstone airport for 1:30 hours and 22.5 miles.
Unfortunately at that point my Jeep's drive line blew up on Rafael and Whitney and they were stuck at a convenience store on Fry Blvd. Eric Tucker was MIA, having been in the air for about an hour when his radio died (someone needs a spare battery pack) and no word other than his preflight declaration about heading toward Tombstone.
Racquel, Tom and Jeanette drove out to pick us all up (thanks, guys!). As they drove out for me they heard from Eric, who had landed in Elfrida. So Tom took Whitney home and Rafael and I went with Racquel to retrieve Eric.
It turns out that Eric did his 40.1 miles the hard way. He had flown ESE about 20-25 miles to Bisbee, decided to head north from there and gone another 20-25 miles NW from there to Elfrida. Bank shot! He was in the air for about 3 hours, as near as we can figure at altitudes of up to 16,000 MSL.
So Eric got three personal bests on one flight: Distance, altitude, and duration! Definitely the flight of the day. Congratulations, Eric. And my compliments on your patience and support, Racquel.
I got an AAA tow on my Jeep and got it and me home by 9 PM. Not too bad, I highly recommend AAA tow insurance.
My thanks and apologies to everyone for the support, the retrieve and the patience with my sick Jeep on rewarding but more-difficult-than-average day.
