Saturday from Skyport

[bhurlbett]

Approx. nine pilots took the ride up to Skyport in the Eagel van on Saturday morning. Most of us were uncertain about what to expect from conditions--a beautiful clear morning, not much visual evidence of an inversion but no cloud development and increasing barametric pressure. As usual, Ron Faoro was first to launch at 10:45 or so in what appeared to be a good cycle--the first thermal he encounted, however, was above the power lines where he followed the ridge back up to the TF and about 3600'. I was next but 30 minutes later, just enough time for conditions to improve. I managed to ride the house thermal to 3500 over launch.

That started the treck down range with several of us toping out at 4100+ at the TF. From there we seldom saw 4000 again. A weak inversion at 3400 was often the ceiling, although from time to time we could punch through to 3800 or so.

Instead of strenthening down range, it seemed to weaken perceptibly until, at Castle Ridge, staying above the ridge line was a struggle. It was a gorgeous day to be in the air, however, less turbulent than is often the case. SA and OJ landed at the polo grounds, Ron, Andy Danesberg, Art, Dean, Tony Deleo and I landed at the Padaro Grill with Tom Pipkin driving retrieve. We were back to Parma in record time.

Thanks to SA and Tom Pipkin for the van. It's not often a retrieve vehicle is waiting at the Grill when the first pilots begin landing. Ron made a 3:00 haircut, some of the rest of us completed chores around the house that seldom get done on a flying day!

[Skippy]

Saturyday wasn't a high day, but a very fun day indeed. One of the highlights of my flight was actually coring it up with a PG on a tight turn over the TF, wing tip to wing tip. Not sure who it was (orange glider, Andy?), but that was quite fun (I have the bright yellow HG, with a red stripe). It's usually hard to have a PG and a HG thermal at the same time, but in this case, it worked out great...
Overall, just a fun fun day.
Skippy

[Skippy]

I just got a call from Lee Kahn, who was in fact the PG I thermaled with for a while. He also remembered that one as a fun thermal, and coring it real close to my glider. Nice job!

I had a video on my glider that day, and I got a few other pilots videotaped (I think Jimmy Maddox, and some HGs too). I'll do some editing soon and post it for all to enjoy...
Skippy

[Parma Chris]

Hey Hey,

Hangliders and Paragliders cant be mixed....... Hanglider Pilots are to crazy!

ohh wait it was Lee...... figures

[andy]

Skippy I don't know which one you remember, but you and I were making turns together, You looked at me and nodded and I nodded back at you, in fact I was asking who was on the yellow and red HG when I got on the ground because we did make a few good turns together.

Andy

[andy]

Sorry I kept getting some debug error message, and kept hitting submit not knowing the first one was submitted, and now I can't delete the xtras

[Skippy]

Sweeeeeeet...

[BobA]

I put a few stills together of flying last Saturday. I caught a few of you out there, particularly Andy P and Jim M...elusive shots of Hammer and Terry T as well...

http://bob-shots.spaces.live.com/?_c11_ ... PhotoAlbum

http://bob-shots.spaces.live.com/

Cheers,
Bob