Spring-like Skyport, March 3rd

[faoro]

It was a grand day at Skyport. Those who thought the weather would be marginal really missed it. Bob Hurlbett and I decided to take the nooner approach, waiting for conditions to warm up a bit, since the Montecito station was reporting 20 degrees warmer than downtown at 5 AM. The high cirrus clouds were a worry, but we could see some paragliders getting up above the Antenna Farm at 11:15 in the morning.

Chip was kind enough to give us a call at 11:30, just as we were about to head up. It reminded me of the old days, when pilots looked out for one another; a welcome call indeed. We met Chip and Parma Chris and grabbed SA and his brother (celebrating a birthday today) along with two other pilots and headed up to launch.

Bob got off first, but had both a knot and a stick affecting his lines on the left side (gotta love those comp lines). Still, he was able to get away from the hill and worked it - with the defect - high enough out front to get up and fly to the beach. He probably broke the record for fastest flight to East Beach.

I launched second. The house thermal wasn't working, so I went toward the Round House. But I got some weak lift out over the canyon and got the altitude to try for the Thermal Factory. It was doing fine there. The thermals were a little edgy, but I soared up with two hang gliders. Skippy followed me to the R&R. Topped out at 4,300 feet and left for La Cumbre Peak. I came in a little above the saddle and worked it back up top. The lift was the best of the day and it didn't take long to reach 4.5K. I was having trouble talking to Bob (you never know with Bob - is it just his radio or is it him?), so I pulled out a spare radio. He could suddenly hear me, but I fumbled with the antenna - lost it - and then took a 30% asymmetric in the process. That woke me up. I don't like to see the sharp edges of rocks come into focus in the Trango 2. I could see two hang gliders off to the West at the VOR. But the cirrus seemed to be thickening up some and I wanted to save some time to get to the beach. So I transitioned back to the R&R. Not much wind at all at altitude. With 4,300 feet, I took it back over Skyport - no lift - and the Thermal Factory - not much going on - and headed out front. The Antenna Farm boosted me back up from 3,400 to 3,600 and I joined Bob and SA at East Beach. Skippy gently reminded me not to land on the iceplant and we took the Eagle van back to Parma. One hour and ten minute flight. But if one had launched early, he/she could have flown for hours. A pretty Spring (almost) day.

[Parma Chris]

Twas a pleasant surprise to catch a late day that turned out to be so nice.(if you don’t go you won’t know)

Turned out to be a Happy Birthday flight for SA's Bro AKA Ty.

Nice write up Ron.. Keep em coming.

After SA left for the beach.. Aaron was hitting 5k over Montecito peak then took off east...I wonder where he and I think Scotty wound up?

The SB life... Isn’t it great!

C Ya tomorrow!?!!

[Skippy]

Awwww, that wasn't Scotty that was Tony DG. And it WAS a killer day out there. I thought it might have been good since it had been windy the last few days and this was the first day the wind had laid down. I spoke to one pilot before we drove to Parma and he said, "High pressure, wind and overcast, it's going to suck!" Ughhhhh, wrong, it was ON!!

Aaron, Skippy, Jim, James and myself with Roland and Jeff Becker coming out later. I told Aaron we were going for a lap and he did and I came close. It was killer over at the VOR getting in tight and climbing out together. It started turning on on the way back and West Bowl was fat with lift everywhere and we skied out higher and higher at each peak. It was really clouded in with high clouds and it was still going off. I got as far as Montecito peak and waited for Aaron to sky out and show me the light at Romero but it never happened. The wind picked up strong and was scrubbing every thing off down low. With Aaron being pinned at Romero and the sky getting darker and the wind picking up it was time to dash, or rather plod back to the LZ. I left with 4600 at Montecito to head to Parma which felt good, then 3400 at Parkers, yeah, no prob, then couldn't make it over the antenna farm. I got srcubbed with no forward progress but generous amounts of sink and ended up going over that dirt road out from the rock and got ridge lift along it in the due west enough to make it to lowers on a straight glide. Aaron finally left Romero and got a little ridge lift at Layer cake and managed to work his way back. Very nice. Yeah, you REALLY MISSED IT!!!
Tony DG (Using Skippy's account)

[Skippy]

Yeah, it was another fun day... Windy all week, but it mellowed out just in time for us weekend warriors. Few pilots, but we scored. I went back and forth between TF and the R&R, topping out at 4200, and keeping an eye on Ron Faoro as he was headed out to La Cumbre Peak. I decided otherwise, worried the high clouds would shut us down. It seems that it actually got better... Go figure! Did a little dance with Parma Chris over the AF, as I headed out to the beach, which of course was as spectacular as usual...
Ya'll missed it...
Skippy