Saturday, the last day before Green Swamp Sports Klassic competition. The last opportunity to practice. The event organizers scheduled a pilot meeting in the evening, so Crystal and Ilya didn't want to go on a long XC flight - too many things to worry about. I suggested that we do a small triangle. This way, even if we land out, the retrieve would be a short one.
Crystal decided not to fly at all. She wasn't happy with her landing on Friday and wanted to give some rest to her shoulder before the actual event. Ilya didn't mind going on a little adventure. I loaded Google Earth on my laptop, and started looking at the waypoints around Quest. I was going by the forecast I pulled from XC skies in the morning. It showed winds from the south the whole day. Thus, I set the first leg of the triangle going upwind/crosswind - SE, then WSW, and then N - back to Quest. We loaded the route into the instruments, and then waited for the conditions to pick up. It was a high pressure day - works better later.
In the afternoon the winds were indeed from the south. But turned almost straight west by 2PM. I have zero experience setting up routes, so I paid no attention that route needed to change as well.
We launch by 3PM, and conditions were unbelievable. Lift was abundant. It was strong and soft. I launched first, and was easily sitting at the top of the lift waiting for Ilya to get up. Ilya got delayed on the ground for some reason. And then his radio started to malfunction. He fixed his PTT button the previous evening, and his fix shorted out - making PTT button stuck and his radio constantly transmitting.
Crystal was monitoring the channel, and she saved the day by running all the way to the east side of the field to unplug the failed wire (Ilya didn't realize he was polluting radio waves). The crisis was averted, but that meant we had zero way of communicating in the air.
I assumed that Ilya could at least hear me, so I was broadcasting all my intentions and also his actions that I could see. I was following him from the moment he launched until he finally climbed out, and we started to circle together. I asked on the radio if he could hear me - I saw an enthusiastic thumb-up from the red glider. We were in business! Half way, but that's better than nothing.
When we topped out the thermal we were in, I said that I was going on a long glide to the east to check what was there. From 5000 feet MSL, I had plenty of options.
A few minutes and a few miles later I stumbled into another thermal. Halfway to the first waypoint. I waited a couple of minutes to make sure I can consistently climb in it, and then called on the radio that I was in a solid climb. I hoped Ilya would decide to join me.
Circling in strong and easy lift was a joy. I was considering my next move, as I saw a red glider getting into my thermal. Yeeehaaa! Ilya heard me and kept me a company. Let's the good times roll!
We circled together in a close proximity for a couple thousand feet, until lift started to disappear around 5600 feet MSL. I radioed that it was probably time to move on, and saw Ilya turning away from the thermal - getting on the course line.
We got to the first waypoint pretty quick. I got confused at some point and went off course. By the time I got back I was a few hundred feet below Ilya. We turned to the next waypoint heading west. And I immediately realized my routing screw-up. We were going upwind. Oh well, that's why it was so easy reaching the first waypoint - it was downwind of our initial location.
No matter. It was a practice run, maybe we could make it work. Unfortunately, our path went through some swamps and forest, no lift there. No clouds to help with thermal markers. No birds circling.
I finally felt some lift around 1800' MSL. Very weak. Gained another 200 feet and lost that burble. I continued on the glide to the second waypoint, hoping for another chance. There were wide farm fields ahead, close to route 33, so at least LZ was taken care off. In retrospect, I should have paid more attention to thermal triggers, and tried to glide downwind for a bit to stay aloft. That's why it was a practice run - I needed a refresher on flying XC.
Anyway, going straight upwind didn't take too long before I was in a landing mode - harness unzipped, boxing wide empty field next to a lonely house. I lost track of Ilya a few minutes ago. I caught a glimpse of his glider above me, but didn't have time to look up for long.
A couple of circles over the field showed no problems with it. I verified wind direction with my instrument. It confirmed what I could feel on the glide. Good. Let's try not to screw the landing this time. I dove in, good transition in the ground effect, gentle flare - no stepper landing. Like a bird! I was extremely happy. I got my mojo back.
While I was breaking down, I heard a yell from the sky and saw a red dragon landing into my LZ. I always appreciate the company! Made the retrieve easier too :-)
Natalia, the best retrieve in the world, showed up a few minutes later. We were just 5 miles down the road. We broke down the gliders, and were back at Quest right in time for the pilot meeting.
Excellent day, excellent way to brush off that winter rust and ease into XC flying.... Oh, and my landing was perfect. I am so happy!
Here is a video of this flight:
Flight stats and tracklog:
http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/1904514#
Crystal decided not to fly at all. She wasn't happy with her landing on Friday and wanted to give some rest to her shoulder before the actual event. Ilya didn't mind going on a little adventure. I loaded Google Earth on my laptop, and started looking at the waypoints around Quest. I was going by the forecast I pulled from XC skies in the morning. It showed winds from the south the whole day. Thus, I set the first leg of the triangle going upwind/crosswind - SE, then WSW, and then N - back to Quest. We loaded the route into the instruments, and then waited for the conditions to pick up. It was a high pressure day - works better later.
In the afternoon the winds were indeed from the south. But turned almost straight west by 2PM. I have zero experience setting up routes, so I paid no attention that route needed to change as well.
We launch by 3PM, and conditions were unbelievable. Lift was abundant. It was strong and soft. I launched first, and was easily sitting at the top of the lift waiting for Ilya to get up. Ilya got delayed on the ground for some reason. And then his radio started to malfunction. He fixed his PTT button the previous evening, and his fix shorted out - making PTT button stuck and his radio constantly transmitting.
Crystal was monitoring the channel, and she saved the day by running all the way to the east side of the field to unplug the failed wire (Ilya didn't realize he was polluting radio waves). The crisis was averted, but that meant we had zero way of communicating in the air.
I assumed that Ilya could at least hear me, so I was broadcasting all my intentions and also his actions that I could see. I was following him from the moment he launched until he finally climbed out, and we started to circle together. I asked on the radio if he could hear me - I saw an enthusiastic thumb-up from the red glider. We were in business! Half way, but that's better than nothing.
When we topped out the thermal we were in, I said that I was going on a long glide to the east to check what was there. From 5000 feet MSL, I had plenty of options.
A few minutes and a few miles later I stumbled into another thermal. Halfway to the first waypoint. I waited a couple of minutes to make sure I can consistently climb in it, and then called on the radio that I was in a solid climb. I hoped Ilya would decide to join me.
Circling in strong and easy lift was a joy. I was considering my next move, as I saw a red glider getting into my thermal. Yeeehaaa! Ilya heard me and kept me a company. Let's the good times roll!
 |
| Ilya is joining in |
 |
| going up together |
No matter. It was a practice run, maybe we could make it work. Unfortunately, our path went through some swamps and forest, no lift there. No clouds to help with thermal markers. No birds circling.
I finally felt some lift around 1800' MSL. Very weak. Gained another 200 feet and lost that burble. I continued on the glide to the second waypoint, hoping for another chance. There were wide farm fields ahead, close to route 33, so at least LZ was taken care off. In retrospect, I should have paid more attention to thermal triggers, and tried to glide downwind for a bit to stay aloft. That's why it was a practice run - I needed a refresher on flying XC.
Anyway, going straight upwind didn't take too long before I was in a landing mode - harness unzipped, boxing wide empty field next to a lonely house. I lost track of Ilya a few minutes ago. I caught a glimpse of his glider above me, but didn't have time to look up for long.
A couple of circles over the field showed no problems with it. I verified wind direction with my instrument. It confirmed what I could feel on the glide. Good. Let's try not to screw the landing this time. I dove in, good transition in the ground effect, gentle flare - no stepper landing. Like a bird! I was extremely happy. I got my mojo back.
While I was breaking down, I heard a yell from the sky and saw a red dragon landing into my LZ. I always appreciate the company! Made the retrieve easier too :-)
Natalia, the best retrieve in the world, showed up a few minutes later. We were just 5 miles down the road. We broke down the gliders, and were back at Quest right in time for the pilot meeting.
Excellent day, excellent way to brush off that winter rust and ease into XC flying.... Oh, and my landing was perfect. I am so happy!
Here is a video of this flight:
Flight stats and tracklog:
http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/1904514#
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