SCPA & SBSA Discussion Board

Meeting at Andy & Emily's LZ at 10:30 to 11:00. Got a truck and a driver. Have room. Call me a 805-795-7979 if you are interested.
DT

Change of plans - Ojai looks like crap for altitude, so we're heading to Kagel.
DT

Well rumors had it that Kagle rocked at 8500 to 10K on Sunday. Then Ojai turned around and set up the Big Kahuna convergence day as did Kagle on Monday. Ojai had three pilots reporting 11K and pilots at Kagle were rumored to be about 12.5k to 13k

I know Ojai was a Fact. Kagle is just what I heard through the grape vine. So it might be off by a little bit.

Talk about a Sunday and Monday not to miss Should of been Twistin them circles somewhere out there

Fast Eddy

Driving back to Santa Monica from SB on Monday, the cloud streets stretched from the San Gabriels to Simi Valley and beyond, looking to be well over 10k. It would have been a day to go from Kagel to the beach, imo. I've never seen clouds like that in those locations before.

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On Sunday, I got to 10,000 at Kagel (Big T). I tagged Lukens, then headed west and tagged West Towers. It was hotter than the dickens, but a great day for flying. Dave Cutter reports that people got to 13.7K at Kagel on Monday. I'm itchin to fly Pine....
DT

PIne on Thursday??? It's calling for Monsoonal moisture Thursday.... I'm available. Any takers?

Owens also was excellent 3 days in a row. We flew from Paiute along Whites:

NMERider,
I've personally flown Sylmar with a large group of PG pilots from Fly Above All on more than one occasion. I'd bet thousands flights have been made from Sylmar by PG. I was last there in 2005. All three of us topped out at 15k and went xc. That same day Diablo reported 17.5k in our local mountains behind Chiefs and flew 134mi.to Lucerne Valley. As fun as Sylmar is, I doubt Sylmar will ever come close to the XC distances or max altitudes that Pine or Chiefs dishes up every summer. I'd bet the Marshal group feels the same about their site.

Tom,

I think Jonathan was just talking about Monday.

On a side note: In the order of XC pontential I'd put Chief's below Sylmar.

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"What works is networking to share resources and information along with promotion and enthusiasm. What do you plan to bring to the party?"

Talk about coming out of left field...lol. Perhaps some meditation might help?

I like Jonathan's left field! tonic for our times! and Jonathan don't mind if I use your thoughts else where for their genius....get some great flights....push the record button...edit some video.....keep it coming because it is the best part of being human in the early 21St century. LEW

From the "peanut" gallery-I have to take exception to the statement that Pine Mountain has/is under utilized. We have been flying the "s__t" out of the site for over 20+ years with the "proof being in the pudding," within the United States(probably worldwide)" there is "no" foot launch site,(to my knowledge) including Walt's Point, where there have been more long distance flights(150 miles+) in that same time frame. I can't count on one hand the times when that the weather looked good and someone was not at Pine Mountain flying.

Regarding Mt. Laguna: your chances are "slim" if you want to fly over 100 miles let alone 150+, once again the proof is in the results. The instability associated with the "sub tropical" mosture makes that site work unfortunately Mount San Jacinto, San Gagornio, etc. historically "over" develop early blocking the course line(s) 2. if you should make it flying that direction has the potential of dumping you directly into 5 restricted airspaces(29 Palms, Edwards, Fort Irwin, Nellis as well as China Lake. 3. By the time you make into the Mojave desert there is a good chance that the southwest winds associated with the "stable" marine have pushed thru making the "odds" of crossing north/northwestward not very likely. One site that is "under utilized" is Black Hawk with its 300 mile potential. With a northeast flow no one flew Blackhawk Monday?

Best places to fly long distance: Walt's Point, Blackhawk and Pine Mountain. What seperates Pine Mountain from the other two sites is that you, generally, need a "high" performance wing to fly upwind to Tehacapi as well as to glide from Frazier Mountain until you get established in The Antelope Valley. The site knowledge is much more important at Pine Mountain. Neither Walt's or Blackhawk have these issues

I will second what Tony said. I have been out in that desert for Years.

Flying it and then driving it due to Health issues. You can be Air born as early as 1030 at Pine and Black Hawk on good days. You wont hit the west winds or get Drenched by the Monsoon by 3 pm for you have usually out run the collision points. It is about flying Before the Big rain days or the Switch days at these sights.

If you have a Good driver who knows their S**T they are out front of you and know right where to get your crew up to speed and when to leave the mountains and cross the valley's into different air masses. They know where the sheer lines are and call them out for the pilots who are lagging etc.

Its all about the when and the where. With who's on board and they're not worried about what time they are going to get home. Tony Deleo has made endless phone calls to pilots about X C flying. Most have be futile and he has gone alone. Setting many of his personal best records. NOT ALL but many have been alone. Sad to say that such Knowledge of the desert and when and where and How it works goes by the way side as he moves on into bigger and greener pastures.

Fast EDDY