Great Glass off. Up at the launch by 5:15 pm. Four people comitted aviation this late afternoon. Gunter was the first to launch at 5:45 pm. Launched into a light cycle and then slowly benched up to the top, and then flew around for a while waiting for the official glass off to happen. Total flight time was 55 min's. Next to launch was Phil from Iowa? Colorado?, & Alaska (He gets around). Phil had a great launch and worked out in front of the hill for about 15 minutes to a great landing in the Lz. It was a great flight for him. (All smiles) Next off was Patagonia Alan. Had a good launch and worked the light lift really well. Kevin Pfister from Colorado was last to launch, (he and his wife have flown Box before). He launched just before sunset and also had a good flight milking the remaining air and lift until after sunset when everything shuts off. One knows when glass off hits; it's when you fly away from the top of Box at about 6400' and fly out towards the Lz, you just enter smooth air and just keep climbing. I got up to 6650' in glass off even though max alt. achieved before glass off was 6400' and sinking as I flew out front. Another interesting note was that just as Alan and Phil were over the Lz getting ready to land, a large helicopter flew directly the Lz, probably no more thean 200 - 250' feet over Phil.
Really pi##ed me off. I know they saw us but didn't seem to give a dam, (heading straight for us) or they must have been pretty stupid not to realize the detrimental effect the downdraft has on us PG's. Overall it was just another great glass off at Box Canyon during these sparse flying days in Tiucson. Gunter