Yosemite A Go-Go

Last weekend we went back to Yosemite. The falls were still huge, but this time the LZ was not under 3’ of water.

I was the monitor this weekend it was my first time actually monitoring here. Chris gave me a refresher on all the monitoring con-ops and I was good to go. We had 6 pilots (Wayne, Bruce, Steve, Chris, Joe, and me). It was a great group. I’m good friends with all these guys and it was a lot of fun flying spending time together.

Yosemite is always such a treat and I always feel so privaledged to be able to fly there. No other aircraft (except for emergency vehicles) are allowed to fly within the valley.


The flights were brief, as always, but they keep you satisfied all day long. Day 1 I flew my blade wing and took advantage of it to get over the Yosemite Falls nice and high. I was able to circle around close to the water and get some nice shots. A few people were standing on a lookout point about half way up the falls trail and I took the opportunity to buzz them close and fast. Because really, flying is just so much better when you know people are watching…


The LZ still had a few water obstacles, but it was mostly dry. Everyone landed safely and everyone left with a smile.


We fly early. The park is quiet and empty when we are in the air. Soon after we land it starts filling up and by 11am it is crazy. I was feeling a bit crowded so I hiked off trail a short distance up a small creek. About 100 yards from the trail I could no longer see or hear the crowds. I chilled some beers in the creek, put my feet in the water and spent the afternoon reading a book and staring at the cliffs thousands of feet above me.

Day 2 was just as good. I love flying here.


Till next time!

Flying: 5/29/10 Dunlap

Before going to the Owens for our spectacularly unspectacular Memorial Day trip, we stopped at Dunlap for 2 days. It was my first time to the site, and the highlight of the trip.

The first day was outrageously turbulent, and we all got down as quick as we could. But the second day was nice good air. There was still some thrashing, and a particularly nasty inversion layer, but after breaking through it things got great. The lift was abundant and climbs were taking me to 6,000'.

Looking South

To the East were the Sierras. It is only 40 miles in a straight line to from Dunlap to Lone Pine (our destination for the rest of the weekend), but driving there takes the better part of 6 hours and covers more than 200 miles! I'm sure I could have flown there if I had gone for it, but why miss a super long car ride?

Who's that sexy pilot?


I played around, flying up the ridge, checking out the new local. Took a tour of the valley and then came in to land after about 1 hour. I didn't have my head on straight setting up my landing approach and I came in too high. To make matters worse I got a strong pop from a thermal on final and started climbing. With the T2Cs glide, I new I was in danger of overshooting if I just kept pulling in the way I was. So I let the bar out, climbed and slowed. I kissed a stall at the top of the climb and then jammed the control bar back. This let me get into a much faster and steeper dive then I would have if I had just kept pulling in. The maneuver worked and I got down to ground level and shot across the LZ. I flared early at the end of the LZ, climbed 5' and planted it for a solid no stepper. Pure ACP style! BAM

Here's a video of my landing, taken by ACP John Taylor

Link

Skunked at Yosemite

The snow pack was huge, the falls were epic, and we got skunked.

The WOR crew headed to Yosemite this weekend for some epic waterfall flying action. Sure, there was forecasted flooding in the valley this weekend, but surely our LZ would be dry. Right….

Here's our "Landing Zone"

Things were just a little bit too epic and we found ourselves both mornings looking at a lake instead of a landing zone. We called off the flying for both days, and instead enjoyed the valley and the weekend. Saturday most pilots opted to hike the Yosemite Falls trail. It was well worth doing as the volume of water coming off the falls is amazing. All around the valley the falls are full, and there are even falls that I have never seen before.

We made sure to not have any ground fires in the lake...

The scenery was amazing, and even without flying it was a great weekend. I really wanted to get some aerial footage of the falls, but it wasn’t meant to be. Next time!

Ansel Adams Who?

The Lower Falls From Above

3 ACPs

This fall does not usually exist. I've never seen it before

Pilots on launch, but no gliders...