Mission 2.7.10 (Cloudbase)

Cloudbase with Mission Ridge in background...

The conditions Sunday seemed most promising for Mission Ridge, so that is where we all headed. We met at the parking lot, loaded up gliders, and headed for the top. The birds were circling in the air here and there as we stuffed battens into our gliders...a few paragliders launched first and appeared to be doing well.

I was about 4th or 5th in the air behind the first round of hanggliders. The air was buoyant, but one still had to be aggressive to stay in the lift. I was getting a little low just below launch when I found a nice bubble to work for a while. The core was elusive at first, but within a few minutes I was circling nicely almost up to cloudbase. Once above launch, the thermals seemed better developed and widened quite a bit which made it easier to stay up.

There was a fair amount of development, but nothing too intimidating. I made it up to cloudbase, then cruised around the perimeter of the development out toward the LZ meandering back and forth.

After about 45 minutes, I thought I'd head back to launch and top land, but that was not going to happen...there appeared to be a significant flush cycle and my attempt at a cold beer while breaking down the glider was dashed by Mother Nature.

I cruised down to RC Hill and thought I'd have a low save back up to launch, but couldn't pull it off...I opted to land in the LZ for a beer-free breakdown of the glider. I'll take a nice flight and a beer-free breakdown any day!

Flight Time: 51 minutes
Altitude: 3251' MSL

Fort Funston 2.6.10

I was expecting the Bay Area to be rainy all day Saturday. In certain parts that was the case. Funston had other plans for us, though, and those plans included some great flying.



The webcam was showing some gliders set-up, so I raced up to the Fort and had my glider assembled and pre-flighted in no time. The winds were NW at launch, so pilots had to be aware of rotor off the cliff face. This Funston Primer best describes flying conditions when it is strong NW conditions.



The lift band was extremely wide which allowed for plenty of space for gliders to cruise along. The air was just textured enough to keep you on your toes, but otherwise the conditions could not have been better. I flew around launch for about 15 minutes, then headed down to West Lake where the conditions were even better. Tom Low was practicing aerobatics when I arrived. I worked in a wing-over or two, but spent most of my time just boating around...it felt really good to just be in the air blowing out the cobwebs. I made the trek to West Lake about 3 times during this flight.



Saturday's flight re-calibrated my brain. I had not had any significant flights for at least a month or so. Now I'm good...this will be a good flying season.

The end of a great flight...Photo by Mark Lilledahl.

Flight Time: 2 hours, 18 minutes
Altitude: 1436' MSL

Tam 1.23.10

I've decided that Tam is now my Nemesis...a beautiful Nemesis that creates nice little rainbows.

Saturday, a group of us decided my Nemesis was the place to fly. I headed up with Wayne, and decided to set-up early. Urs, Dirk, Enzo, John, Gerry, and George were there as well as Dave and Phil and Phil and Judy...

The ceiling seemed to be dropping, so I set-up quickly and launched first...

In no time, I was able to find lift, but was whited-out...I'm not a big fan of not being able to see and headed out to other areas to work the ridge line. I was able to find a few bubbles here and there, but it just didn't feel like things had developed by the time I was in the air...

I did what I could, though, and had a good time...I had my camera with me and made a pretty cool video of all the landings HERE!

There had to be someone to catch the action on the beach!

My New Rotor Harness

I picked up my new Rotor harness this weekend and am extremely happy with the workmanship and sleek profile. Checking each measurement 1/2 a dozen times prior to sending in the order form really paid off. Right out of the bag, the harness fit superbly and is surprisingly lighter than my Z5 harness...

So far I've only hung in the garage as I had to do some minor tweaks to make it just right...



I cut up an old inner tube for my mountain bike to cleanup the hang strap / carabiner connection...



Then I added a little loop on one of the storage container zippers to keep the carabiner from dangling behind me...



The only adjustment I had to make was to let out about 1-inch on the leg straps so I could easily buckle them into place while putting on the harness...



I have plenty of room in the boot location for the shoes I normally wear and the length of the harness is perfect for getting the slider pulled back with my heels...



I'm getting used to the butt-lever pitch adjustment, as well. I had to bend the butt-lever a little more flat as I was pressing against it all the time...now it is adjusted perfectly. I think I'll really appreciate the ability to play with pitch adjustment while flying.



I'll need to readjust my landing approaches with this harness at first to get the feel of the mechanics in getting upright and so forth. I think in a short period of time, though, I'll become accustomed to the higher performance characteristics this harness has to offer...

You can order the Rotor with a "Tight/Comp" fit option or "Loose/Normal" fit option. I chose the "Loose/Normal" fit and find the harness is perfectly snug with the typical flying clothes I wear. Since ordering the harness, I've gained about 8 lbs, so the Rotor will accommodate my usual weight fluctuation that occurs between hitting the gym hard and my Thanksgiving through Christmas gluttony...

Total cost, including new Lara Gold 175 chute...$2272.00.

I'll post a "flight report" when I actually try this thing in the air...

The Rains Got Me Thinking...

Photo by Ben Dunn

This year, I have a few goals I'd like to achieve with hang-gliding...

1) Fly more comps...I'm signed up for Chelan XC Classic and Santa Cruz Flats, but am considering Big Springs, as well, if I can...

2) Fly 100 hours...I was able to eek out 89 hours in 2009 and think I can break 100 in 2010...

3) Fly more XC...I'd like to give the Owens Valley more effort this year and Lakeview, as well...

4) Fly more evening flights at Funston...some of my best flights have been in the evening after work at the Fort...

5) Fly Makapu'u...

6) Fly further than I did last year...36 miles will beat that, but 100 miles would be much nicer (see #3 above)...

7) Fly more and spend less time on bulletin boards...

8) Fly 5 new sites...

9) Fly more aerobatics...

10) Fly, fly, fly...

The common theme to everything above is "fly"...you get the idea.

Ed Levin 1.17.10

If I had only woken up earlier...

Marginal Mark called me at 7:45 saying Ed Levin was already soarable...I already had my glider on the truck, but had a feeling we had already missed some sweet conditions given the rains were on their way. Anyway, Mark said he'd drive my truck up if I can hustle my way to the hill, so that I did.

Wayne Michelsen had the same idea as he could see Ed Levin from his roof top on the other side of the bay...we were both in the LZ at the same time and headed up to the top with Mark.

We off-loaded the gliders and set up rapidly and were ready to go within about 20 to 25 minutes. When it was time to launch, the rain had reached San Jose Airport. Winds at launch were 18 to 20 mph and smooth.

I was first to launch and had an elevator ride up to about 500 above launch in no time...Wayne was soon to follow. We boated around for a few minutes, then I saw Wayne making a beeline away from the ridge...there was lift everywhere and the rain had already presented itself, as well. I made one last pass above launch, then chased after Wayne. The wall of rain at the airport was working its way northeast toward us as another wall of rain made itself known just south and behind launch...there was also rain above Mission Ridge...my face shield had rain all over it...it was time to get down.

I stuffed the bar and made it through some textured layers of air with little hassle, then was on the ground in a calm LZ after only 10 minutes of airtime...Wayne was soon to follow.

At first I was kicking myself for pulling the plug so early, but there was a reason I chose to get on the ground so soon...it was raining!

The rain had subsided for a bit in the LZ, but surrounding areas still looked like a fair amount of development was going on. Within 1 minute of getting my glider tied onto my truck, the rains came with a little more force. Overall, I'd call that pretty good timing to have decided to launch, fly for 10 minutes, land, break down the glider and get it on the truck before really getting wet.

Flight time: 12 minutes

A lot can happen in only twelve minutes of flight time...

Ed Levin Sledders

Today was shaping up to be what looked like a great day, but Ed Levin delivered sledders to most of us unless your name is Enzo or Don Burns...Anyway, it was fun to hang out with a group of pilots and enjoy what Mother Nature had to offer. Dinner afterward was just as much fun as the flying...

Two Flights: Total 15 minutes...

Jealousy Defined

For the true definition of jealousy, click HERE!

Flying Cat: Training Progression

I just issued the Cat his Hang 2 today...he's making great progress in only 4 weeks of flying hang-gliders. This is probably a first in hang-gliding history (teaching a cat how to fly). He is quite adept at running out his landings in almost any wind condition. In fact, he insists on running out most of his landings other than when he purposely stalls his glider from 3 stories high, thus landing on all fours, a maneuver I've never seen performed by any of my hang-gliding buddies.



Tomorrow, I'll be taking the Cat up to the 600' hill at Ed Levin...stay tuned.

Flying Cats

I've been training this cat to fly hang-gliders...here's the little fella coming in for a nice four-point landing.