Thurs 8/27/15, Pine NS to Victorville / 115 miles

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Thurs 8/27/15, Pine NS to Victorville / 115 miles

Postby sd » Tue Aug 25, 2015 9:27 pm

Greg Marks crewed for Tom Truax on Thursday, taking Greg's 1991 Volvo to the north launch at Pine Mountain. Pine worked good with a max altitude of 16K near Matu Flats. The desert was hot (triple digits), but it was about 25 degrees F at 16K. Landing on the artificial grass football field at Riverside Prep High School in Oro Grande, near Victorville. Launch at 12:41. Land at 5:49. Average straight line ground speed 22.5 mph. Straight line distance: 115.5 miles. Actual flight path distance including circles: 156 miles. Average ground speed over actual flight path: 30 mph. Total vehicle miles door to door from Carpinteria, 360. Greg's 1991 4 cylinder Volvo averaged 24 mpg. Mark Stucky joined us for dinner on Route 66. Home about 10:40 PDT.
Flight Article, Weather Archive, Track Log, and Photos pending.
_______________________________________________
Workweek Pine Alert / Late August 2015

Expecting to launch around 1 PM. I'll turn on my Delorme inReach tracking 10 minutes prior to launch.
For flight tracking (10 minute intervals), click on the following link:
https://share.delorme.com/TomTruax
__________________________
Thursday 8 am Update
10:15 meet at Ash Street in Ventura for Pine North Side Launch.
The 9 am meet was scrubbed due to lack of enthusiasm for the North Side Launch. The day still looks ballistic from a lapse rate and altitude perspective As of now, just myself and crew, so check in if you want to go.
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Thursday Moring Pre Dawn Update:
The 9am meet at Ash Street has become uncertain as pilots realize flying Pine on Thursday will most likely require using the north launch. Jonathan and Alex have opted out. I'll conference with Max after sunrise.

The best potential was likely Wednesday. Pilots flew from Pine, but used the south launch and got on course late. The wind has clocked around to the north at launch altitude. Decreasing some up high, but forecasted to be too much for a south side launch on Thursday. The wind direction over Edwards does look favorable on Thursday, but getting there would be problematic.

It looks like a good day to use the north launch and jump OTB to the south. A skip will get you to Ojai, and then Fillmore, and if you can tag cloudbase over the Sespe, then likely an easy glide back to the beach.

Thursday's altitude looks good. Likely 13 or 14K at Pine. Ojai also looks good with the lift going quite high. Santa Barbara might work above the inversion on Thursday.

The wind direction looks more favorable on Friday, but the lift doesn't go as high. Still strong down low, but only going to 11 or 12K.

I'll update after determining logistics. We have crew, but not sure if we have a truck.
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Wednesday night update:
9 am meet at Ash Street in Ventura for Pine on Thursday.

On board in Max Hogan's truck is Edward for crew plus David Teal (HG), Jonathan Dietch (HG), Alex Gagarin (PG), Tom Truax (PG) and possibly Greg Marks as a 2nd crewmember.

Might need to launch from the north side. Pilots flew on Wednesday, but launched late and were scattered between Lockwood Valley and I5. Midday Wednesday the wind aloft was from the north and the convergence clouds were reportedly pushed out toward Hwy 33. Sometime around 2ish the convergence line pulled in above launch and everyone got off from the south launch in a narrow window.

Thursday is calling for the direction to be more from the north, but the velocity isn't forecasted to be similar. Ronda is gusting to 20 from the north tonight but will likely be less during the day. The skew-t charts are calling for 5 to 10 from the north and the winds aloft forecast is calling for a bit more, into the low double digits. More from the north toward the west end of the course and more from the west off to the east toward Edwards. The seam will likely be south of Lockwood Valley, perhaps over Matu Flats and Alamo Mountain. If we can get to Hwy 14 we are likely to skirt the south side of the airbase.
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Tuesday night look at Wednesday - Friday

The skew-t charts indicate Pine should be good with possible 100 mile plus potential on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 8/26-28. The weekend may be ok, but it is forecast to start cooling on Saturday.

The altitude looks good up to about 14K with some monsoon moisture and cloud development. The wind at altitude is mostly light from the WNW, more from the west on Wednesday and Friday, and more from the north on Thursday. The wind is weaker on Thursday with more of an offshore push from the north. There should be more wind toward Edwards, but not as much as a couple weekends ago, and whenever the thermals are strong, there will be localized horizontal surface draw feeding the rising air.

The peak heat days are Thursday and Friday due to more development forecasted for Wednesday (providing a little shade). Ojai is forecasted to hit 105, a tad more than the desert, so Ojai might work good enough for the Devils Heart route early before Lockwood starts drawing in the early afternoon, but with a north component to the winds aloft, the line from Pine looks good so there's no need to brave the deep route.

Numerous pilots are contemplating, but not sure who will actually show up. Max is planning to take his truck on Wednesday and Thursday with Edward for crew, plus Diablo is planning to come out on Thursday also. I'd like to fly all 3 days, but I'm not physically fit to do multiple long days even if I had the time. I have commitments on Wednesday, so I'll shoot for Thursday.

The distance potential may actually be better on Wednesday and Friday, but it looks like the anxiety factor for landing near Hwy 14 is lower on Thursday due to lighter wind. I'm not choosing Thursday because I think it looks better, but rather because the logistics look doable for my schedule.
Last edited by sd on Thu Aug 27, 2015 11:42 pm, edited 6 times in total.
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Re: Workweek Pine Alert / Late August 2015

Postby DeVietti_Marty » Wed Aug 26, 2015 8:04 am

Thanks for the "Heads UP" update Tom. It is always appreciated, but I can't always take advantage of your generous invitations for epic flying conditions. Nonetheless, please keep the posts coming...who knows?

Cheers
Marty
"I don't know if we each have a destiny or if we are all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze."

-Forrest Gump
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Re: Workweek Pine Alert / Late August 2015

Postby gracecab » Wed Aug 26, 2015 8:58 am

I'm taking off at Noon on Friday, from Carp. I'd like to fly maybe Pine glassoff, landing locally only. :)

Other option is to get up to SB Mts for a late day whatever if the wind stays kinda low Friday. :x

This weekend is open for me so far and I'd take what I can get at Pine regardless of less epic conditions...
Chris Ballmer aka gracecab
Ventura, CA
UP Kantega XC2 / Gin Verso
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Re: Thursday 8/27 10:15 at Ash St in Ventura for Pine

Postby Fast Eddy » Thu Aug 27, 2015 9:41 pm

well I heard TOM has Busted another good one. to just past the the old base. I am guessing about 115 to 116 ish miles.

So Tom how far was it???
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Re: Thurs 8/27/15, Pine NS to Victorville / 115 miles

Postby DeVietti_Marty » Fri Aug 28, 2015 7:40 pm

Well done SD!

Cheers,
MD
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