Flying This Weekend

John Wolfe · Post by **John Wolfe** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 7:33 am

Where and when? I can be available either day.

jlowery · Post by **jlowery** » Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:52 pm

Eric and I won't be much help on Saturday, we're planning on doing some towing in Casa Grande.

Sorry.

John Wolfe · Post by **John Wolfe** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:13 am

Depending on which forecast you like, Miller could be about perfect for the baggers or blown out on Saturday. Sunday does not look good for Miller.
Anyone want to try Miller Saturday morning? I'm open to other ideas as well, but I haven't started looking at forecasts for other sites. Mustang? South Mountain?

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:40 am

John W.

I have scooter tow instruction to do in the morning- then 4 Tandems .
Wish I was going to Miller instead- then again-We have spent some time the last two weeks at Miller and it really hasn`t been very predictable other than ODing early.

Forecast looks like Box would work - if the thunderstorms don`t change the local flow. Who knows-

Good luck be safe, get high!

Eric

lewsmith · Post by **lewsmith** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 12:38 pm

My skills are still limiting me to Mustang and Box for local flying. (I still need more morning practice at Antelope Hills.) Box looks good -especially the upper launch- for Sunday. If the winds don't shift NW as predicted, Mustang might work. I will watch the forecast Sunday morning before making a decision.
Lew

morey · Post by **morey** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 1:26 pm

Miller looks pretty good Saturday. 10kts from the SE at launch and light on up. Getting lighter as the day progresses.

I could be convinced to fly.

Whitney T · Post by **Whitney T** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 5:22 pm

I'm going out to Hauser Rd. with Eric and the students - hoping for a nice afternoon tandem.

John Wolfe · Post by **John Wolfe** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 6:07 pm

I like the looks of the forecast. Morey, what will it take to convince you to fly? I've left voice messages for Fred and Terry. Andy has other commitments.

tlkowing · Post by **tlkowing** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 7:57 pm

I am interested in flying Miller tomorrow, weather permitting, and have talked with John W about meeting at Houghton & I-10 at 8AM. Anybody else interested?

Terry Kowing
(408) 310-2672

morey · Post by **morey** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 8:08 pm

What would convince me? That's easy. A driver.

Saturday morning update: You're right, no excuses. I'm on my way.

Gunter · Post by **Gunter** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 10:06 pm

You've got a driver - me (Gunter). I'll be in the lz around 9 a.m. Someone bring a key. No excuses now Morey!
Gunter

John Wolfe · Post by **John Wolfe** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 10:31 pm

I will collect Terry from his house at 7:30 and be at Houghton and I-10 around 8:00 to collect Morey assuming he joins us.

morey · Post by **morey** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 11:00 am

Real time report from Miller via blackberry.

Conditions on launch were light with puffy clouds when we arrived at 10:15. Rain started at 10:35 and john, terry, gunter an I have been sitting in the car watching it rain for almost a half hour so far.

Nice and cool up here.

Update: Sun came out for a bit, then it started raining again. Waited 2 hrs. eventually cleared. Then lightly blowing down. Drove home.

Gunter pealed out in first, and then got a good chirp in second as he left the LZ in his orange rocket.

John Wolfe · Post by **John Wolfe** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 4:50 pm

Thanks to Gunter for driving.
Here's an advance nomination for Gunter as Pilot of the Month.

jlowery · Post by **jlowery** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:30 am

Rafael, Debbie, Whitney and I met Eric Smth and three of his students who were doing scooter towing at Houser Road. They ran the scooter until the wind shifted from southeast to west and Eric's tandem student, Melissa, arrived for her lesson.

We set up the payout tow rig on the east end of Houser, and Eric took Whitney up first at around 11:30. She got a good one, probably 1200 feet, and they soared around for a little bit before landing. Next up was Melissa, and she got an equally good tow after which Eric found a thermal and worked it for about a 15 minute flight. Last of the tandems was Josh, one the students that had been doing scooter tow in the morning. Another great tow, and another thermal. I think they managed a 20-25 minute flight.

Last of the day was me. I took off out of the bed of the truck, but a few hundred up got some surging and broke the weak link. We set up for a second try, and this time I got a 1300 foot tow, my best ever at Houser. On the way back I saw a small dusty break off in the field below, so got overhead and found the thermal. It wasn't real strong but I was getting a nice, consistent 600 fpm or so, drifting southeast at a pretty good clip. I was climbing through 3000' agl over Sunland Gin road about a half mile south of Houser trying to call back that I would be going XC when I realized I had no comm. I found I had pulled my helmet plug at some point, but when I plugged it back in I had no PTT or mic. So I left the thermal and flew back to land. Even though I didn't get to go XC I still managed my best Houser Road flight to date, 1500 or so climb above tow altitude and about 20 minutes of thermalling.

Thanks to Eric, Debbie, Rafael and Whitney for a real nice flight. That stuff doesn't happen without lots of help.

I'll post some videos of the tandem flights later today.

John

Flying This Weekend

Re: Weekend

real time report

Houser Road report