On Friday, I got a text from Rhett - "Forecast looks decent...hard to believe...tomorrow...". Perfect, I was definitely going. It's been almost a month since my last aerotow, and 3 weeks since my last flight at Wellfleet. Due to weather not cooperating on weekends, and life getting in the way, I didn't go flying all that time. I was a bit worrying if I got rusty.
I got to Tanner-Hiller around 10am, and was ready to launch by 11am. My first flight put my worries to rest. I still remembered how to tow and fly. Good! But I still could not find thermals or stay in them... Well, maybe next year.
First flight. Tom Lanning assisting with my launch.
My second tow later in the day was really bumpy. It made me happy that I handled it well. It was like riding a bike... just had to remember not to get complacent. Complacency kills in this sport.
In the afternoon, more pilots started to pull in. It's amazing how good this day was. Warm, sunny - summer like. Probably last weekend like this before cold weather rolled in.
My landings were adequate. I still struggled with a flare and proper hand placement, but there was some breeze coming in LZ and I didn't have to flare hard to land well.
A perfect day of flying in November. Great way to close my 2013 flying season. This season was a mixed bag, but I didn't hurt myself, my glider still flies, I learned a lot, met a lot of new people, and I had a lot of fun. I hope the next year will be even better.
Among all goals that I set for myself in 2013 was to do dune/beach flying. It is similar to ridge soaring that I've already experienced, but different in several ways. First, airflow from the ocean is laminar, and second, if wind is not strong - all flying is done pretty close to the ground. I felt confident that I could do it, but anxious, too, as I've never done that kind of flying before.
....
Wellfleet (Cape Cod) was finally open for flying, and forecast was perfect for Sunday, October 13th.
When I got there, my anxiety eased a bit as there were plenty of people, and some of them I even knew. I was sure I'd get plenty of help and advice.
I set my glider up, got ready, and Phil, Carlos and Mike Abdullah helped me to get the glider to the launch. They coached me through the sequence and off I went. I had that naive thought in my mind that if wind is there, there is no way for me to sink out. But, as I learned, there were still different cycles, and wind's strength varied.
I picked a not very good cycle, and I didn't turn aggressively to position myself in the lift band. I was sinking out... My brain, however, refused to accept it for some weird reason.
Here is a video from my first attempt, and as you can see I didn't even get my feet out until 3 feet off the ground. Wheels hit the sand, and I went right through the control frame, but fortunately didn't bend anything, and didn't hurt myself.
I needed a reset. I carried my glider back to the bottom of walkway leading to the top of dune. Mike helped me to carry the glider up so no need to breakdown and setup again.
I gave it another go. This time, I waited for a stronger cycle, turned sooner - and up I went! Exciting!
It took me some time to relax and stop being stressed about the ground being so close. Gradually, I was getting the hang of positioning glider in the lift band, and working my way around other hang gliders, and paragliders.
I started really enjoying the experience. People walking on the beach would look up and I would wave. Lovely.
After a few passes in front of the launch, I got tired of all paraglider traffic. It was a bit too stressful to pay attention to so many elements at the same time. I decided to see how far I can fly along the shore.
Flying north wasn't an option for me that day. Each time I would get to a gap, I wouldn't have enough altitude to cross it. I went south. A few miles and 40 minutes later I saw a lighthouse and much wider gap that I didn't know if any glider could cross. I turned around and made it all the way back to the launch. Then repeated all that again. Two hours later, I started to get hungry, and decided to land while I was still doing great. For the first time in my flying, I landed because I wanted to, and not because I had to. Excellent!
Great day of coastal flying. Cannot wait to go back.
Big thanks to Michael Abdullah, Phil, Carlos and a few others whose names I don't know, who helped me that day. You guys are awesome!
Video of my successful launch (courtesy of Natalia K)
I had my first mountain launch/flight earlier in the month. Kari Castle took us there but the flight was a sledder, and I still had no real ridge soaring flights. I wanted some guidance before I could fly there on my own. Needless to say, I was really excited when there was a chatter on a local email list about going to West Rutland. I emailed Tom Lanning asking him to be my observer. He agreed.
Tom lives 15 minutes from my place. We met at his house around 8am. Jeff Curtis and Krassi Kaltchev also joined so we all could share a ride. I volunteered to drive.
After all gliders were securely tied to a rack on my truck we set on a three hours drive to Vermont. Over those three hours I got tons of information on ridge soaring and on specifics of that site. Long drive seemed much shorted in a good company.
The road up the mountain is rather rough, a 4x4 truck is definitely a good thing to have for this site. It took about 15-20 minutes to get from the gate to the top. West Rutland is a west facing ridge with the ramp facing south west. To soar there, one usually needs to wait until 2-3pm in the afternoon for the slope to warm up, and for colder air mass in the valley to start pushing air up the ridge.
Since I needed to be observed I had to launch before Tom. Around 3pm wind was coming in nicely straight in, maybe not as strong as other pilots wanted, but it was about to get perfect any moment. I needed to launch first to make it less stressful for myself, even if that meant to have another sledder.
Tom and Jeff helped me out to the launch, and shortly after I was running down the ramp. I didn't get immediately up as I probably turned a bit late (tree landing was still fresh in my mind). I was barely maintaining altitude, but after turning back toward the launch, I felt a flow of air instantly bringing me up another 50 feet, 100 feet, 150. I was going up! That was a great feeling right there! Exhilarating even! As soon as I climbed above launch, I saw a line forming, and gliders started to float away one after another. In 20 minutes, there were plenty of gliders in the air, and I started to feel a bit uneasy. It takes time to get used to other people flying with you. And it was definitely pushing me out of my comfort zone. That is a good thing... That's how we learn, and advance our skills.
After flying for another 15 minutes, I gained 1700 feet. And in another 10 minutes after that, I lost 2000 feet. It was almost like airflow switched instantly off. Everyone was scratching the ridge looking for something to push them up. I wasn't going to do that. Not with my experience, and not with the amount of gliders at my altitude. After I got below launch, I made another pass, and I was still losing altitude. I turned and headed for the main LZ.
Getting High!
Traffic
I arrived to LZ with plenty of altitude. I guess, I could have tried longer at the ridge, but better safe than sorry. My landing was going fine until I had to flare over tall(er) grass. I have never done that before, and even though I knew what I had to do, it didn't work right. Fortunately, I didn't bend anything this time.
In the main LZ
...
My longest flight to date - just under one hour, and I went from 1800' to 3500'. Super cool! :-)
Launch and landings clinic was on 4th of July weekend. 4 days of practice and professional instruction - perfect. When I signed up, I missed that this clinic also included mountains flying. It was a good thing as we would go to West Rutland and that would be the first time for me flying in real mountains, but in the light of my recent mishaps, all I wanted was to concentrate on landings. Also, since Kari flies hang gliders and paragliders (and mostly paragliders now), clinic was bi-wingal. I wasn't quite sure how well that would work out...
Day 1
The first day, after all introductions, the whole group of about 15 people gathered at 250' launch. Kari put a cameraman in the LZ to film our landings, while she was filming our launches.
We started around 10 AM in no wind conditions. A really good run was required to launch properly. My first run immediately revealed plenty of things to work on. I got very good feedback on how to make my launches more consistent, and keep angle of attack under control. I got only 3 launches before a lunch break - it was just too many people, and a lot of waiting. Kari immediately commented on how fast I was flying. "Relax and slow down, you might enjoy it more", she told me later. But I preferred not to, not yet, my tree landing was just a week earlier.
Here is a short video of my second launch off 250 where Kari comments "you are flying like a freaking fighter pilot". I didn't care. The way I figured, fly fast - more control, less things to worry about... for now at least.
Later in the day we started the same routine but from 450' launch. With the launches, the goal was to run all the way to the bottom of the ramp, controlling nose position. I was pretty confident on launches before the clinic, but I was told that I still pop the nose up. Part of the reason was I would always have a jackrabbit start, popping nose slightly in the process, and not running all the way to the bottom of the ramp. Gotta work on that.
Here is my launch off 450. Kari was commenting on my launch so I could review the recording later. Very helpful.
Day 1. Sunset
Day 2
For the second day of clinic, it was decided to go to West Rutland. Somehow, the group that was going there grew twice in size. Quite a few people that weren't in this clinic decided to join West Rutland trip. We got a late start trying to figure out all the logistics and by the time we got to West Rutland, walked LZs and setup - it was around 4PM. The horizon didn't look good at all and we were wondering if a wiser option would be to breakdown and do it some other day, but we stayed and played wait-and-see. An hour in our wait that was the view from launch
Day Two. Rutland is not very friendly today.
And then it started to rain... However, it looked like all this ugliness would blow by in an hour or so. We kept waiting. By 6:30pm sky cleared enough for everyone to start gearing up and getting ready to launch. It was an overcast, no wind and no ridge lift, but flying down seemed like a better deal than driving. Obviously, we had a few people who would take the vehicles down. Mostly non-pilots, but Kari, after watching everyone to launch, drove down, as well. I don't think she was too happy about it.
On my launch, I had a good run but probably kept angle of attack too low as the glider was getting ahead of me slightly. I tripped, recovered, the ramp ended and I floated away. Not the most graceful launch, I guess.
My flight was ok. I decided that in the conditions as they were, there was no reason for me to try anything but fly straight to LZ. I arrived there with at least 800' AGL to spare. I had to make a few circles to lose altitude. Then I didn't place myself correctly for a nice final and to correct that I had to do a rather low figure-8. It's a good thing that Falcon is such a forgiving glider, I had no problem to get wings level and land. Flared too late and landed on my belly with a thump. No landing style points for me.
When everyone was done packing, it started raining again.... Last cars finally arrived when it was already getting dark, we loaded hang gliders and paragliders up and drove back to Morningside.
....
Here is a video from my first mountain launch:
And a couple of photos from that day:
Day Two. West Rutland (photo by Vitaly Pogrebnoy)
Day Two. Leaving West Rutland.
Overall, a long day but yet again a day where I got to try new things and meet new people. Life is good.
Day 3
After all the excitement of mountain flying, we returned back to practicing launches and landings. Again, 250' in the morning and 450' in the evening. I was working on a new technique that Kari suggested, to keep hangstrap tight on launch to minimize nose popping up. I really liked this one, it gave me a better feedback from the glider on launch. It might not work as well with more advanced, heavier gliders, but it worked great on Falcon.
In the evening, Kari was soaring in her paraglider. I haven't even attempted to do that. I left this for another day. Launches and landings were more important to me this time. You see what a little tree landing can do to a man?
I had only 6 launches that day due to increased traffic of hang gliders and paragliders. Conditions were perfect and everyone wanted a piece of that.
Day 4
We followed format of the previous day, but this time Kari was in the LZ, filming our landings and recording her feedback. I only had time for 3 flights.
Here is a video with a couple of landings. The first one from day 1, it was pretty good with a good flare. The second, flare started to fall apart as I tried to concentrate on another element. My conscious brain cannot process 2 things at the same time :-)
Kari wrapped up the clinic with a video review session in the afternoon. We all had a chance to critique each other and see what we needed to work on. This was a very useful exercise as well.
Day 4. Review.
Conclusion
My overall impression of the clinic was very good. It was one of the most useful instruction/lessons I got since I started solo flying. I learned a lot and had fun. Kari was very helpful and approachable. She gave everyone personalized feedback and list of things to improve upon. And tips how to improve certain things. My goal for the clinic was mostly to improve my landings. I didn't think I was needed much for launches, but my launches probably benefited most. Mountain launch was also a great, comfort zone expanding, experience.
The only thing I wish was different, I wish it was a hang gliding only clinic. It would have kept things more focused, I think... Anyway, I highly recommend this clinic. Money well spent.
After my mishap at Tanner-Hiller, as promised I spent a few weekends at Morningside. The first weekend was great. I had a chance to experience an assisted launch from 450 in 10-15mph winds and, for the first time, I experienced ridge soaring. Just a few times back and forth on that small ridge, but I really loved it, and wanted more of that goodness. Probably wanted it too much as I got myself in trouble yet again.
I did not forget to work on my landings, concentrating on basic things like looking at the horizon, and keeping wings level. Things were looking pretty good, and consistency was improving.
A week after that, I drove to Morningside to find yet another great day with soaring potential. I immediately forgot about "practice landings" goal. I wanted to fly. I launched once and didn't soar. After reviewing GPS tracks, I noticed that I moved away from the ridge rather quick on each turn. I thought, I could work on that next time. Well, there were more important things to work on, like keeping airspeed where it should have been, but some people can only learn from their own mistakes...
Wind was WSW that day. On my second launch, I waited for a good cycle, had a good run, and floated easily away from the hill, upwind to the south. Two other gliders were already in the air, soaring. I turned back north pretty quick trying to stay as close to the ridge as I dared. What I didn't realize while turning downwind that my airspeed dropped dramatically. I had a camera rolling and you can see in the video below that I am not pulling in, flying probably at trim speed, very slow. The ground rushed below me pretty fast, but airspeed is what counts.
In the next couple of seconds, a realization that I am heading right for the trees with no altitude to turn around, started to trigger all sort of alarms. I panicked, tried to turn... Too late. I pushed out. Glider floated up, got me over the first row or trees, stalled and rushed right down into the trees. It was over in a second. I was comfortably hanging 20 feet up, with the glider supported by tree branches. By that point, all rush of panic was gone, and I was rather calm - just hanging there.
There was no better place for a tree-landing than at a training facility. Yes, everyone could see my oops, but I got help in no time. I was out of the trees in 20 minutes thanks to all pilots and Morningside folks who rushed to my rescue.
Amazingly, there was no damage to me or to the glider. TJ inspected and tested the glider the same evening, and I flown it off 450 the next morning. I also aero-towed it in the afternoon. I wasn't about to quit only because of my fresh H-Tree rating. However, it definitely affected the way I started to fly - extra speed everywhere, even if not really necessary. Better safe than sorry, eh?
Here is the video of that short flight:
TJ inspecting my glider after the tree landing
Touch and go
The following week at Tanner-Hiller, I barely avoided another landing oops by letting the bar out too late. Wheels slightly touched the ground, glider bounced up, and I recovered and landed on my feet. Doesn't looks too bad in the video, but it was just a split second from yet another disaster. I need to start paying way more attention when flying. Next month is Launch and Landing clinic... I hope to fix a few things there.
Next couple of weeks after my first flight off 450 at Morningside, I went back to Tanner-Hiller as the weather at Morningside didn't look promising. I could use some thermalling practice.
Thermalling didn't happen and my flights were extended sledders at best. Not because thermals weren't there, but rather because someone couldn't find them, or stay in them. Staying in something that is totally invisible is a skill that doesn't happen overnight...
Landings were less than perfect, too. I was about to promise myself to go back to Morningside and concentrate on landing practice, when my glider's bendability was tested...
Not sure what led to it, slowly sliding into complacency or just being distracted by more turbulent LZ than I was used to... On my 3rd flight I forgot to unzip until I was less than 300' AGL. I managed to get out of my harness in time, but the rest of the landing went to hell. By that point, I most likely was too tense to properly handle the glider. I made every mistake there was to make. I basically let the glider fly me. I landed through the control frame, bending both downtubes.
My ego and my wallet got bruised, but otherwise everything was ok. Rhett gave me spare downtubes and ordered new ones.
I took a break from flying for the rest of the day and used the downtime to complete H2 (Hang Glider pilot rating 2 - novice) written test. That also allowed me to sign up for Kari Castle's launch and landings clinics at Morningside. ... I need to spend way more time on a training hill. I obviously need more practice.
How fast can I setup my glider? I am rather slow and this glider is pretty easy to setup comparing to more advanced ones. But anyway, just wanted to shoot a timelapse of the process. Took me about 40 minutes with pre-flight and putting instruments, tow setup and camera on. This is at Tanner-Hiller airport hangglidenewengland.com.
I got to Morningside as soon as they opened for 2013 season. I wanted to get cleared for a launch from that magical 450. I was so determined and ready. Very reasonably though, I was told to demonstrate a launch from 150' first, then from 250, and only then 450, if all goes well. Patience... right.
I've done all that, but had to wait long time to launch off 150' as conditions were not good. Then 250 was pretty easy, and finally a flight off 450.
Launching from 450 was the most fun. It is hard to describe feeling when you do something you haven't really done before :-) ... It was so exhilarating to finally launch from a more or less real mountain that I almost screwed up my approach on landing, but I recovered and landed fine. It was actually one of my best landings. I still had no feel how far the glider would go, mostly overshooting my intended landing target. That is another skill to work on.
Overall, it was an excellent day! I was really excited and couldn't wait to have more flights off 450' launch.
Here is a short video of my first flight off 450' launch at Morningside taken by Krassi Kaltchev
