1-17-2014 Great day at Skyport!

[Dave Turner]

Awesome conditions today, again. We took the Eagle van up to Skyport, with a van full of pilots and students.

Conditions seemed ideal at launch once we arrived, and no one delayed in order to take advantage of the day. While everyone got ready, Tom & Dave arrived back to launch, after an EJ lap earlier this morning. Everyone got off just fine, and it was quite easy to stay up if you wanted to.

Aaron boated off into the distance to the west for a while, only to pass us back up on his way back east to Montecito Peak; and then yet again, and again. He was flying circles around us! The day was on, and people were getting high with very little effort. Tom (a very recent Eagle graduate) flew for 3 hours and 50 minutes, flying up and down the range on his seventh high flight.

I hit 4,200 feet a few times, but I dont think much higher. It looked like people were getting higher as the day went on, but I eventually went out to land and meet up with the crew. Not a bad day at all.

The temperature difference between Montecito station and La Cumbre was 17 (!) degrees, which generated some nice thermals through a stiff lapse rate. It was still high pressure, but it wasnt too sharp or bumpy.

Tomorrow looks amazing again. See you at Parma? Looks like a 10 a.m. start, but check the Eagle website to be sure.