Santa Cruz Flats - Day 6

A fun and challenging task was called today. A triangle to the west, with an upwind leg late in the day to make goal.

The launch line, with Alex Cuddy in front of me

I had a minor tow hicup today and it prevented me from flying. Currently two of my battens are curing after being wraped in fiberglass. Hopefully the fix will hold and I will be able to get back in the air tomorrow.

I went up on the roof and watched as pilots made the long glide back to goal.

Pilots landing back at the hotel after completing the task

Santa Cruz Flats - Day 5

Today was a very difficult day for me. East winds sent us to a local airstrip where we could avoid the rotor put off from the hotels golf course. We set up quickly and started launching around 12pm.

Todays taks was a downwind dog leg to the east. Rather than our typical exit start cylinder, where you have to stay within a given cylinder until the race start time, we used an entry start cylinder that you have to stay out of prior to the start time. This works if you don't have a waypoint to use at or near the launch area.

I launched early, maybe about 10th. It was turbulent on tow, and when I pinned off I found nothing but sink. My sink alarm screamed at me until I was back on the deck only a few minutes later. I got back in line to launch again, but now I was at the very back end and had to wait in the heat until everyone else launched.

On tow we flew through some lift and I saw Chris circling to the north. I pinned off, veered to the north and circled in light lift. Chris went on glide to the south, but I could not see what he was flying to, so I stayed with my light climb hoping it would turn into more.
I was low and did not have enough altitude to really start searching for lift. So I stayed with my climb and hoped it would turn into more. It didn't and I now found myself downwind of where I wanted to be, and still below 4k'.

I looked on the course line and saw a field that looked like a good thermal generated. I pulled on vg and flew towards it. Arriving around 800' AGL, I looked down and saw another glider already landed in the field. Great, someone else clearly thought this was a good field, and look what it got them.... I searched and searched, but was soon on the ground commiserating with the other pilot.

Chris flew quite a bit better, and made it near the first turnpoint.

Ben, Alex, and James rocked it and made it to goal in good time.

Tomorrow!

B

Santa Cruz Flats - The Days Off

With 2 days of no flying, 13 of us decided we needed to find some other way compete. Cart racing turned out to be the most dangerous activity of the week with lots of bumping, a few wall slams and one or two pile ups.

Kraig Coomber took the day with Alex and myself close behind.

Is it odd that the cart racing place has a bar inside where you can drink while waiting for your next race?

Santa Cruz Flats - Day 3 & 4

Cancelled due to high winds from the East. Off to rent some ATVs for the day.

Santa Cruz Flats - Day 2

Todays forecast was similar to yesterday. A bit hotter, with similar thermal potential and light winds.

Each morning starts with a pilots meeting. Results are given from the previous day, weather forecasts are discussed, and the days task, start times, and other info is given.

Today we had the pilots meeting inside to avoid the attack squadrons of mosquitoes

The task was the Francisco Grande, to Sunland, to Houser, to RedRock, to RC. Sort of a zig-zap course with the bulk being downwind, with one cross/upwind leg.

5k Start Cylinder, launch opens at 12, the start times are 1:15 and 1:45, and total distance is 112km

I got ready early and was in the first half of the launch line. Pilots were struggling and I heard a team member land while I was on tow. Once I released from tow I found myself directly over the hotel with no lift. 3 miles to the south east I could see a gaggle of pilots climbing. I knew I could not make it to them and back to the launch area if I didn't find lift. So I committed to either finding a climb out there, or landing.

My gamble payed off and I was rewarded with a solid climb to 6,500'. The gaggle was medium size with just enough traffic to keep it interesting. Probably about 12-15 gliders. We had 40 minutes to go until the first start clock, so we would drift with the thermal outside the start cylinder, and then punch upwind back inside the cylinder and repeat.

Gliders in the gaggle

We were not in a good position for the first start gate, so as the second start time approached, most of us made a dash upwind the get back inside the start cylinder and get the later start time. From there we headed out on glide to Sunland.

The glide was fun. I was with the lead group and able to optimize my lines by watching the pilots around me and seeing who was sinking more/less. Near Arizona City we got low and a little spread out. Some pilots headed for a nearby mountain. I chose to work the fields and found a solid climb which took me to 8,500'. At this point I was feeling very good, knowing I was in a great position, making good decisions, and out with the front group.

From Sunland we turned North East and headed to the second turnpoint, Houser. I was slightly behind the lead gaggle while on glide and got low near a cool mountain called Picacho Peak. I stayed patient and worked some light lift which eventually turned into 500 fpm up and got me back up to 8k. I had been drinking a lot of water and found this to be a great opportunity to release some ballast.

On Course. Looking North West, Launch is several miles beyond the small mountain range in the top center of the photo. The first turnpoint is off camera to the top left, second turnpoint is to the right.

Looking South East across Picacho peak and towards goal

I pressed on to the North across I10. This was a cross/upwind section of the course and though I made a decent glide through it, I did not find much lift. I saw one pilot ahead of me getting a good climb and made a dash for him. I searched but could not find the thermal so I pressed on to the turnpoint.

I arrived low, around 4,000' and switched to survival mode. Course line went over a small mountain range to the East, but I was not high enough to venture into the range. I needed enough margin to get back out into the headwind to a landable area if I couldn't get a climb. There was a nasty inversion at about 4,200' and it was hot below there. I worked ratty, broken lift for about 30 minutes, drifting back towards the mountains only to lose the thermal and have to punch back upwind. Eventually I lost the battle and put it down near the second turnpoint about 32 miles out.

It was a really rewarding flight and a good learning experience. One mistake got me low in a tough area.

Chris kicked some booty also and landed a few miles from Houser.

Tomorrow looks a little cooler (100... hurray!) but possibly windy. We'll see what the day brings.

Did I mention the mosquitoes are huge?

Santa Cruz Flats - Day 1

Hot. Stinking hot.


30 something pilots at this meet, and we eagerly set up in the hot dusty desert. We've only got three tugs, so it takes a while to get everyone up in the air. Launch window opened at 12pm with the race start at 1:30. There is a 5k start cylinder, so you want to have enough time to launch, climb, and get in a good position just at the edge of the cylinder when the race starts.


I got in line late and when I finally got up to altitude found myself a couple miles behind the main pack. Lift was spread out and it was hard to make progress on my own without other gliders to help search for good climbs. I worked my way to the first turnpoint and circled low in zero sink with several other gliders. They were about a quarter mile away from me when I saw two nice looking dust devils right on the course line. I pulled the VG tight and dove to them at 60mph.


What happend to those dust devil? Hell if I know. My sure ticket up turned into a sure ticket down as I blasted over the dusty to find absolutely nothing. I searched for the core for about a minute and then had to land.

About 8 pilots made goal

I'll call this a good learning day. Tomorrow I need to get in a better position before the start.

It's lonely in the desert...

Total Flight Time: 1:30

Total Distance: 20 miles

It's On!

Arrived in Casa Grande for the practice day. Opted to take the afternoon for relaxation and mental preparation rather than fly. Tomorrow it begins and I can't wait. A dust storm blew through just around dusk, and made for a spectacular sunset. The desert is amazing.

I got me some new toys just in time for the comp and I can't wait to play with them...

Mmmmmm, shiny

Ben and Chris will be blogging too. Check them out at
aerochris.blogspot.com
westcoastbrit.blogspot.com

Time for some desert

Loaded up and headin out for AZ. Will be competing in the 3rd Santa Cruz Flats Hang Gliding Comp. This will be my second time at the comp. Last year at this venue was my first experience with a large race to goal type race with all the top pilots there.

Miss T will be driving out with me. She'll stay for the first day of the comp and come back for the last. My dad will be flying out to drive for our team during the week.

I'm still saddened by the tragic news of Alex's mom. We are thinking of you Alex, and we will miss you in Casa Grande.

Mission Fun

While the rest of the Bay Area is up at Indian Valley, Chris V and I headed out to Mission. It was above average for a summer day, with several light inversions, but strong thermals to around 3,500'. To top it all off we had the place to ourselves. I bubbled along down to Ed Levin and had a nice fast glide back into the headwind.

Too much fun.