Sunday, 9/16, Late Boat to Fillmore / Tandem with Evan

[sd]

Link to SD's log for Sunday
http://paraglide.net/log/14/03-16/1_skyport_westbowl_fillmore_tandem.htm
Evan Warren's first PG flight, Skyport to Westbowl to Fillmore
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Sunday Morning: 8:30 update: (ramble)
The lapse rate is looking slightly better in SB, but still a bit weak. Looking strong in both Ojai and Fillmore. The east wind may linger a little longer than last night's forecast predicted, but the onshore flow eventually pulls in to cool temperatures down in the afternoon near the coast.

Fillmore looks like it may have good potential based on the NAM, but it is currently draining out both rivers (Santa Clara and Ventura). The winds aloft forecast for this morning is showing some flow from the east, but by this afternoon it goes light and variable in SB and clocks around from the west elsewhere, including the eastern regions and the Santa Clara River. Expect a Sea Breeze Front to push up the Santa Clara River this afternoon, with possible convergence potential.

If I was solo, I'd hike the Nuthouse and try to do an early west bound leg and then fly back to the Santa Clara River, but... I've got a tandem passenger, (an excuse not to hike?), so I'm still on track for 10:45 at East Beach for EJ's. Fly Above All has a 9:30 meet at the T (for the VOR or The Alternator?). Not sure I'd recommend either with early morning east flow, but a convergence may set up in front of the Alternator (behind Westbowl) a little later. I think Chris likes to launch students early from The VOR because it's a straight shot to a big LZ and he can watch them all the way out. No posting from Eagle yet, but I suspect they will run a bus from Parma.

Unlike Saturday, which worked late in SB, expect cooling near the coast later today when the ocean air pulls in, which will likely kill the already weak lapse rate. It will likely be warmer in town mid-day than at 4 pm. There were some small white caps out in the channel Saturday, but they didn't pull in to the beaches.

The surface temperatures are warm to hot, but it is also warm at 6K.
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Friday Night Posting:10:45 at the Chromatic Arch (East Beach) on Sunday for EJ's launch. Bret Warren is in town with his son Evan looking at colleges (yes little Evan is all grown up). Bret isn't flying, so he will crew a vehicle down the hill for us and I'll give Evan a tandem ride, hopefully out toward East Beach.

The lapse rate looks better further inland and off to the east, but my objectives are more social. Saturday worked good late, but more of a sea breeze is forecasted to pull in Sunday afternoon as the Santa Anna event fades, so it may work better earlier rather than later in Santa Barbara.

Fillmore looks like it may work early, showing the best lapse rate on paper, but I got skunked by the east wind last Sunday so I'm not inclined to drag the tourist out to the far end of the course for a better lapse rate, and the chance of making it all the way back to Santa Barbara against an afternoon sea-breeze is slim.

XC potential is appears limited. If you can get past Carpinteria from Santa Barbara, you can likely reach Fillmore, but I suspect SB will be a bit weak, so the getting past Carpinteria part looks sketchy. Pilots reported 42 on Saturday, but I think that was the exception rather than the norm. Ojai is sporting a robust lapse rate that should make it easy to get to Fillmore from the Nuthouse, but with an onshore flow in the afternoon, it will likely be upwind going west toward Santa Barbara.

[Dave Turner]

Wow, awesome flight Tom. Well done.

[craig]

Awesome Tom, thanks for taking Evan, not many people get to experience flights like that, the legend continues

[DeVietti_Marty]

Fantastic flight Tom! Now THAT'S a tandem.

[Dizzy]

Next time when

XC potential is appears limited

we all should consider tandem with Tom, just to experience first hand what's possible.

We flew from the VOR Sunday and it was windy with little thermal activity especially down low. When Tim flew to the T from Skyport and confirm conditions was windy and turbulent I could not believe to this line in Tom's report at first:

Leg 3 ~ Westbowl to Fillmore (Vons) ~ 47.5 miles (longest leg)

Ohh, well, sky is the limit. Thanks for showing the way Tom.

Alex

[Aaron]

wow! so much for all my high tech cutting edge flying gear. just goes to show "it's not the arrow, it's the Indian". nice flyin tom and evan!