Skyport March 4?

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Skyport March 4?

Postby Chris G » Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:30 pm

31 degree spread, L&V through 6k, 5k BL height, 6k cloudbase...Should be a good day. Lets hope tonight's forecast holds.
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Re: Skyport March 4?

Postby Dean S » Fri Mar 03, 2006 8:19 pm

It does look tasty! Can anyone else besides me hear the Bonanza theme song playing for tomorrow...of course, not in a Brokeback Mountain kind of way.

How about Parma 9:30, early bird gets the worm!
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Re: Skyport March 4?

Postby Parma Chris » Sat Mar 04, 2006 8:50 am

Eagle crew Parma 10 AM too as of 8:55
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Re: Skyport March 4?

Postby SharonSweeney » Sun Mar 05, 2006 7:48 am

OK, I’ll start the posting but only as an incentive for you guys to complete the story. 9:30 AM at Parma looked like a parking lot. Both sides of the road were completely filled with the vehicles of eager pilots. Chris called for a 31 degree spread, Dean set the time and everyone responded. Cycles started coming up and Dean Stratton and Ron Meyer started the show. Chris Grantham flew and landed at the by pass reporting some really weird air. I can’t recall all the pilots but to name a few – Paul, Magic Mike, Dave (Carp), Ben, Gary, Ojai John, Ron Faoro, Benson, JD, Marty, Robb, Irene, Ojai Mike, Bob P., MaryAnn, Allison, Joe, Randall, Robb Milley….you guys fill in the blanks for me. A special treat was Tony Deleo introducing Herb, another legend of the sport. Eddie was NOT doing chase – he was flying a hangglider! Lots of hangies were out – JR, Roland, Bob Anderson, Aaron, Scotty, Hammer, Tony, Herb, and I thought I saw Skippy.

But back to the story. I launched early but had the speed bar and stirrup somehow twisted together so when I settled that I tried to get up at launch but it was too late. So, I opted for getting over the power lines and working out front. I haven’t flown my new wing at Skyport so I was into checking it out. Right after the power lines I experienced a full frontal and I lost some more altitude. During my flight I lost pressure, experienced collapses and felt like a cork being bounced in the air on a string. No one was complaining on the radio, except for that report by Chris and I thought something was wrong with my flying. So, I hung out for a while trying this and that and just working it. I was disappointed as I wanted to do cross country but I didn’t feel safe enough. Next time.

I landed at Parma only to find out from Bob P. and Gary that they were kissing the ground and glad to be alive. They should post their experiences. I drove Gary back to get his car, gathered Dave at St. Mary. At launch Ojai Mike and Irene were digging out from below launch. Irene seemed to be in great shape with a couple of helpers. JD was in the snakepit trying to get his wing out of the tree. Steve landed in the snakepit too. Allison was driving down, off to More Mesa. Another pilot was about to drive Gary’s car down. Rob Sporrer did a tandem and reported some major sink but got to the beach.

Talked to JR as he landed in Carp. He said 3 paragliders were by the power lines when he left, Tony was through the pass, Scotty was in Fillmore….Anyway, now it’s time for y’all to finish the story……..
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Re: Skyport March 4?

Postby oj » Sun Mar 05, 2006 9:37 am

Skyport to Canalino School in challenging air. Dean took the day in the PG class, nice job Deano.

Vario log: 920 fpm up, 760 dn, max alt. 4340, 11 miles in 1 hr. 57 min.
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Re: Skyport March 4?

Postby Guest » Sun Mar 05, 2006 11:15 am

I had never seen so many pilots at Skyport and what fun we were going to have! Some of the most active air I've been in. It was so good that after recovering from a huge wack (good to see that yellow handle so easy to reach) over TF, went right back after it. Made several trips from TF to AF and back. All in all far better than any thing at Magic Mountain. Down in Parma the comments were similar "Yeehaa, Scary, Active,and Glad to be down." I was happy to hear that everyone made it down safely. Look forward to the next time!
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Re: Skyport March 4?

Postby Ron M » Sun Mar 05, 2006 11:59 am

Flight 1 - Skyport to Chismahoo Road for lunch.
Flight 2 - Relaunch Point to Foxtail Field

Launched second among 173 pilots at Skyport. Fought a 5 to 8 mph SE flow to Thermal Factory and benched up with Robb Milley and Bob Peloquin. Robb and I left for Montecito with 4200 or so and teamed up down the range, marking lift for eachother. Deano was a mile or two in front of us.

Remarkably the SE flow eased up from Montecito eastward. 4200 seemed to be the thermal top for the most part and Robb and I arrived at Castle Ridge healthy and high. Occasional draw but little to no wind in the air.

As I approached the Powerlines, cumi's were beginning form. Left for the Noon Peak spine low but caught a fattie there and benched to 4400 under greying clouds. Left for West Divide and thermaled up to cloudbase at 4650 between West and East Divide. Left feeling high, fat and happy toward White Ledge, sure Fillmore was in reach. Time 12:15 PM.

Arrived on the west side of White Ledge in trashy air. I suspect some North was spilling over the top so retreated to the south side. There I was bucking a 10 to 15 mile west wind and couldn't connect to anything meaningful. The lower I got, the stronger the west got and the lift just disappeared. At 40 feet agl, It became clear to me that it was as good as time as any to perform a Chismahoo road condition inspection, not because I had to, but because I wanted to. ;o)

Looked around, took a picture, had lunch, and then slung the wing over the shoulder and walked to the relaunch point. Relaunched and landed at Foxtail field where Tom Pipkin kindly picked me up. Thanks Tom!
Last edited by Ron M on Mon Mar 06, 2006 8:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Skyport March 4?

Postby RandallM » Sun Mar 05, 2006 12:48 pm

What a weird day. I hadn't flown the Skyport in about a year or so, but Saturday looked like the perfect time to reacquaint myself: strong lapse rate, light and variable, post-frontal. But people ended up scattered all over the landscape from below launch to Whiteledge like so much litter in the wind.

I got up right after launch, but fell out of the lift when I turned away to avoid another pilot. After scratching in front of launch for a few ineffectual passes I ended up too low to cross to the thermal factory or Round House, and found myself in the position I hate most: sinking down into Rattlesnake Canyon with a SE wind. I was sure it was St. Mary's for me (if I was lucky). Taking Chris' advice I limped over to the Holy Hills with the last of my altitude, and not much hope. I've never soloed over the Holy Hills before, and wasn't expecting much--but surprisingly, there was some decent lift and I was able to work my way back up to 3000 agl. What a great feeling to be back in the game!

I crossed to the AF, got higher in some incredibly ratty air, then left down the range with 4200. The rest of the way was pretty strightforward going, though the thermals were punchy and erratic and bullet-like at times and you had to work for everything--but there was always lift when I needed it. I got to my max altitude of 4500 in front of the power lines, but the clouds were starting to move in and I could see that it would be tough going to make it with these altitudes to Ojai, and I was happy just to have made it as far as I did.

I bailed out towards Carp, hoping for the beach, but realized with my glide I'd have to settle for the high school. I was a bit disappointed. Then, just before the high school at about 1000 agl I hit some lift and started turning slowly in it. Five minutes later I was at 2500 feet. Sweet! Headed out for the beach and landed gently just behind Ron Faoro in the grassy field next to the State Beach. First time out to Carp beach. What a great day!

Can't wait to hear Andy's story...
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Re: Skyport March 4?

Postby pengoquin » Sun Mar 05, 2006 3:56 pm

I was the earlier guest.
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Re: Skyport March 4?

Postby andy » Sun Mar 05, 2006 5:38 pm

What a day to cap off a great week of flying in Santa Barb. I rode the up in the Eagle van and saw Dean and Ron M climbing up over the thermal factory. As we got to launch I hustled to que up in a long line of anxious pilots. The SE was making things interesting, just as I was getting ready to launch Mike P fell out of the sky into the bushes below launch. I launched and grabbed my brakes to get into the house thermal but to my dismay the left brake was tangled in the B-lines, so after getting that sorted I was lucky to get up over the lines and climbed up the ridge to the top of the TF and from there to 41 hun. Left for Monticito and found a rocket at shadow that Randall and I climbed in together to 43 and then off to monticito. Shades of Colombia skying out with Randall. We Worked the points fairly close all the way to the power lines, and it was work at times, when Diablo and the purple/white Laminair climbed with me over Romero they were loving life and I was holding on for dear life. At the power lines Faoro, Milley and OJ were debating whether to go or not, OJ finally said the climbs weren't high enough and he headed out, I climbed to 4400 and set off. It was feeling good to cross the lines. Then it was feeling OK when Faoro wasn't following me, and then it was feeling skeptical when I didn't hook it right away and I started to work it away from the terrain. I had beedn finding closer to the terrain all the way there so why now did I think it would work away from the peak. I guess it was the flock mentality with all the other birds going out I should to. At first I thought I have the high school made then it was I have snowball made, then it was I have that road with the cows on it made. My glide during that sequence went from 9/1 to 4/1, the suck from all that lift in the hills pulled me down. Well after I scared the cows I put down on the road. Faoro called out and asked if I was all right and after hearing I was he said head east on the road. Which I did for the next couple of hours. The optimistic take on this time was that I finally adjusted that backpack which I had been putting off for so long. Ron Faoro retrieved me at the middle of Gubenador Cyn road where OJ and Chris had stopped by to make sure I was OK on there way back to Ojai. So all in all a good day, congrats to Dean for the long flight, and it sounds like Tom Pipkin is ready to start kiting after his recent progress with physical therapy!
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Re: Skyport March 4?

Postby Guest » Sun Mar 05, 2006 6:12 pm

Judging by the number of post it must have been a good day :-) First HG off after 3 or 4 PGs. Up at launch, if not terribly high and then over to the Factory and the already reported trashy air. Up to 4200 ft and the race was on. As seems to be always the case for me a bit of a struggle on the west spine of Montecito and so over to the east side. Quick climb back to 42 and then east bound to chase down Dean who was already on his way to Castle Ridge. Other than one tester behind Mobile Point and another at Noon Peak I made it to the Pass pretty easily. Up to cloud base eventually at Noon and again out in front of West Divide and then over to White Ledge where I finally was able to catch up to Dean.

For what it's worth, twice now I have been with pilots climbing out above the the actual ledge of White Ledge. On both occassions where I stayed west out above the front point the other pilot has stepped back along the spine below the peak. Where I got up and over the two pilots never connected and had to scoot around the front to the far east point.

Anyway, I think I got to 5800 above the high point and then it was east bound to Bump Three. Actually got a nice boost right above 33 that got me easily over to the point before the Pyramid. Nice climb out there and another one just short of Nordoff and then over to Twin Peaks (nothing at Three Stooges so I came in below the ridge). Quick climb to cloud base and then over to Boyds, passing both West and East Repeater without stopping. Boyds wasn't its usual self so I fudged over to the next spine (forgot the name) where I climbed out to cloud base again and then headed over to Santa Paula Peak. I didn't get up above the ridge of Santa Paula until the far east side. Left for Fillmore with 5600ft. And from there it wasn't anything more than a series of extended sled rides to just short of Piru, 49.3 miles from launch. There I had to sit and watch as not one, but four other pilots (one being Dean) fly overhead. To take the sting off I kept on telling myself that if my LZ was goal I won the day by at least a half an hour. Of course, Hammer being the first over my head, probably flew down to Santa Ynez Peak first. Maybe I can just say five of us landed in and around Piru :-) Anything to stroke the ego.

John
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Hell of a Day!

Postby Dean S » Sun Mar 05, 2006 7:06 pm

What a great day for most, for some it didn’t sound like fun at all. I can’t remember a day when we had so many incidents, thankfully nobody was seriously injured; just a few bruised egos. Saturday’s conditions were very strong with higher pressure and we all know what that produces…strong sink. With so many pilots in the air it doesn’t surprise me that a few ended up in the washing machine, I certainly know what that’s like.

As I bounced down range it was clear that it wasn’t going to be a leisurely stroll, it was hands-on the whole way with a little SE head wind to boot. From Skyport to Noon Peak heights ranged from 3500-4600’. I got up to 4700 at West Divide, down to 3600 at East Divide and came in low at Whiteledge. Fortunately it was working and I was up to 4700’ and turned the corner into Ojai. John Scott caught and passed me at Whiteledge and I could see another Hang cresting West Divide heading my way. Lots of sink crossing the 33 and I connected at the Nut House at 3k. All the front points worked well and I got up into the low 5’s. I intersected Chiefs spine mid-way up in the mid 4’s and finally got a view of the hang that was on my tail at Whiteledge. It turned out to be Bob Anderson and he had intersected real low on Chiefs spine. Unfortunately he came up empty and eventually flushed into East Ojai. Pressing on I decided to take a different route to Santa Paula peak than I usually do. This time I went deeper, maintained good altitude and cruised right in front of the Topa Bluffs. I’ve never flown near the Bluffs before and I couldn’t have picked a better day to do it. Snow capped and green, cumi’s popping over it and several waterfalls in view; it was an awesome sight. I took my time to take it all in before heading off to Santa Paula peak. Sorry, no pictures of the bluffs close up, my fingers were frozen solid.

I tanked up to 6k+ on the SE end of the Bluffs and took aim for S.P. peak. Off to my right, on a more direct line, was Hammer. We were about the same height and he blazed on by me…I hate that! I’ve got to get more horsepower! I came in below S.P. peak just under 4k and started my search for an elevator. I wasn’t there for more than a minute when I was joined by another hang. This time it was Scott Angel and we square-danced for a bit before he bolted for Fillmore. I topped out at 5800’ over S.P. peak and headed off to Fillmore as well. I intersected the foothills on the East side of Fillmore around 2200’ and found a weak one that drifted me back up to 4k. Just before Piru I found another one that took me to 3500’ and I cruised comfortably over Piru to the lower foothills on the East side. Winds were 10-15 out of the West and they were shredding the weak thermals down low. Up ahead a mile or so I saw one of the hangs on final just as I put in down next to hwy. 126, just over 53 miles from Skyport. After balling up the glider I looked across the street and thought I was seeing a mirage. So I rubbed my eyes and looked again... I couldn’t believe my luck. Just across the street, not more than 50 yards away, was a fruit/snack stand. This isn’t real significant unless you know me. Those of you that do know me know very well that when I’m not flying I’m usually eating. I couldn’t pack up my stuff fast enough, the buffet was waiting! I connected with Hammer on the radio and he and Scotty were just down the street from me and offered me ride back, another bit of luck. Since it would be awhile before Scott’s wife picked us up I started in on the snack stand. While I was sitting on the wall outside the snack stand, shoveling in my 3rd course of goodies, I heard John Greynald over the radio. What do you know, I looked up to see him circling over Piru and heading our way. He put it down next to Scott and Hammer and about 45 minutes later they scooped me up. Of course, that gave me plenty of time to put down a 4th and 5th course…life is good. 45 minutes later we picked up Bob Anderson in Ojai and the rest of the drive was left to swapping tall tales until we got back to SB.

HELL OF A DAY


Saturday’s Pics (just a few):
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/fllspdahd ... 56&.src=ph

We flew today (Sunday) but it was uneventful due to the high clouds. I was able to get some shots though:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/fllspdahd ... .dir=/9e82
Last edited by Dean S on Tue Mar 07, 2006 9:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Hell of a Day!

Postby MikeP » Mon Mar 06, 2006 3:46 pm

Hell's the word for it depending on your viewpoint. Last year a friend told me "...nothing worse then being in the bushes watching your buddies fly over".
Except for gettin' OUT of the bushes!
Gained 300+ feet after launching then lost that and more over the canyon to the left of launch, moved back out front into lift so I turned to crab back up towards launch. I came out of the lift into sinking air and the bushes started coming up fast. It was going to be close, so I decided not to flare hoping I could skim off them, momentum being the key word. Well I guess if you weigh 128 lbs there isn't a lot of kinetic energy, so instead of "skimming" I "plowed".
I was sitting rather comfortably actually. A nice way to spend a Saturday sittin' in a swing under a shady tree. Looking at a thicket that doesn't seem to have a cubic foot of space is the only drawback. My vario says -120'. Time: 11:00.
That's when the 128 lbs started working for me. My wing was fifteen feet over me in a canopy of manzanitas, so I had to go out on some small limbs to get to it. I fell a few times when they broke but never hit the ground From my sometimes precarious perch I looked down to see a wing in the trees at the snakepit and another on the way in. A lot of instructional talk during all the action, but slowly the chatter died away as the pilots moved downrange and the radio finally fell silent.
Retrieving the wing took three hours. Then it was on to a lesson in tunneling. Make a twenty foot long hole, go back for the rig, drag it up, clear another ten to twenty feet of branches and sticks, and so on. Turns out having a flight suit, helmet, glasses, and gloves aren't just for flying. They're also great for wing-retrieval and clawing your way through dense underbrush! And having a full 100oz CamelBak came in handy during the five-hour workout also.
I finally got to the spine and was able to get the rig on my back. Working my way up I started to see encouraging signs: beer bottles and other litter, sawed-off branches. Knew I was gettin' close. Around 4:00 I found myself walking back out onto launch.
Flight time: ten minutes
Distance: 289 feet
HELL OF A DAY…


MikeP
Last edited by MikeP on Thu Mar 09, 2006 6:36 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Hell of a Day!

Postby Chris G » Mon Mar 06, 2006 4:13 pm

Fly long enough in these mountains, and eventually you'll have to pull your gear out of some manzanita. Welcome to the club!

After the first 6 times I ended up in the shrub I went out and bought a pair of ratcheting pruning clippers. It'll cut your extraction time down dramatically. A saw is great for the big thick stuff or if your wing is in a 30+ foot tree, but it's that nasty springy flexible stuff that really grabs hold of your wing and it doesn't cut well with a big saw. If you can get that stuff out of the way the wing will come out easier.
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One More Thing...

Postby oj » Mon Mar 06, 2006 5:18 pm

With conditions getting better we are seeing more pilots on the weekends so I thought it would be a good idea to post a reminder on the Skyport/Eliminator house thermal etiquette. There are subtle differences in the following scenarios so please read carefully.

The Official Skyport/Eliminator House Thermal Two Minute Rule: Two minutes after your launch you will find yourself in one of the following situations. I have listed the appropriate action for each.

A: Above launch=You leave.

B: Even with launch=You leave.

C: Below launch=You leave.
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