Some Pictures from Texas

It's a bit of a download but a nice slideshow

Here's the link

Day called due to weather

Day 7 Big Spring to LaMesa

Day 6 Big Spring to Little (127 mile task)

Jeff Chipman on tow (cracker 2)

Larry Chamblee on tow with his "bird"

Chris Smith on tow (cracker 1)

Day 5 88 mile task Big Spring to Town (short of Lubbok)

A few photo's from the air.

I now have a whole new respect for the amazing aerial photography that Johnny does. On Tuesday (Day3) I got straight up to cloud base off of tow and had approx. 45 min to waste before the 1st start clock. What an opportunity to get the camera out and take a few pickies. I found out just how difficult it is to fly one handed (camera in the other) while thermaling, and having 10 other gliders to contend with. I did manage to get a few snaps off, but it sure wasn't easy to get some good shots. Although I was using the 7.2M pix, they still came out a little blurry. I guess I'll just have to practice a little more!!

Sunflower Audience

When I landed and looked to my right, it felt like I had an audience...

I had a nice flight on Wednesday. I landed in the only sunflower field in Martin County according to Mr. Taylor the local farmer who stoped to talk to me; he said the guy who farmed that land just "got tar'd of growin' cotton." He also said that he had read in the paper the day before about the space shuttle landing, and in trying to make a joke asked if I was some kinda "left-overs." I laughed and shook his hand. As he drove away I could'nt help but think - man, I wish I had a tall glass of ice cold sweet tea.

Day 4 62 mile Triangle Task

Day 3 Task (David Cutter)

Task #3 8/9/05
Straight downwind to BROWN
Total mileage 75.9mi. Duration: 2:00
My Total mileage: 18mi

I finally was ready in my usual early position in the launch line. I think I launched in the first ten pilots. Tow was uneventful. It felt smoother than yesterday. I pinned off at 4400ft MSL. I was at the bottom of a gaggle. The lift wasn't great but it was working. It seemed to get inconsistent and there were still people circling. I started looking up at the main gaggle and trying to get positioned under them better. I was starting to get worried about having to land again.
I started to get up finally and the gaggle started to get intense. I saw Phill just above me and then he got away from me. I saw Andreas right behind and below me and we kept that position for two turns. There were at least 5 other pilots at my altitude. There were a lot of other pilots circling above and below me. It was still going to be another half hour to the first start gate.
I see Phill head off toward a flat bottom cloud to the east. I see Andreas head upwind. I decide to stick with Andreas because I can see people turning where he's going. I hit the lift and finally get up to cloud base. It's about 10 minutes to the start gate. I'm trying to get all the way zipped up. The new zipper isn't as easy to close as the old one.

It's 3 minutes to the start gate and I haven't gone anywhere but I'm I've lost a, 1,000 ft just messing around with my zipper? I try to get under the gaggle but I can't find any thing. I start heading back up wind so I don't lose the airport. I hit some decent lift in the middle of nowhere. I'm going to miss the first gate and probably all the leaders will go at the first clock. My position is about 2.5 miles north of the airport. The start circle is 3.11 miles in diameter so it won't take me long to get to edge of the circle. I get back to cloud base. and now I have to kill about 4 minutes because I figure it's only going to take 30 seconds to glide to the circle.

There's about 8 guys above me by 300ft. who go on glide and I go with them at 2:15, the second start gate. My line turns out to be better and soon I'm even in altitude with the other pilots. I hit some really good lift and take 5 turns in it. Now I'm 500 ft or higher above the people I'm with. This first glide, the lift is great under these clouds and we are hardly losing anything. Four of the guys were heading northwest of course line. decided to head straight north and stay under the flat bottom clouds. As I continued I could see pilots circling under a cloud up ahead and headed straight for them. While gilding I thought most of the people are ahead and I'm going to have to jump gaggles to catch up. I was getting a great glide under these clouds.

There's 3 gliders ahead of me that are stopping to turn and I come in with them. The orange glider seems to be the best pilot. We're even in altitude and we do a few turns alternating who's higher. with both trying extending our circles looking for the better lift. Later I find out that this was the better lift. Finally I head more northeasterly to what look like better clouds leaving behind my friends. I do need to jump gaggles so that strategy seems to be working.

I can see one guy heading due west to a good looking cloud. I continue toward the gaggle up head. When I get there the lift isn't great. I try to work it but I'm averaging less than 100 up so I decide to continue. I'm still well over 5K. I see more turning gliders up ahead but all of them were by themselves. There was no gaggle. One guy was really low. and turning. I aimed for one glider that was at a medium altitude and going up. I didn't find anything strong and decided to continue on. I can see a few gliders sprinkled on the ground.

I'm starting to get down into the slow zone. Less than 4600ft. There's no one around and I head for a down wind corner of a field. I find something averaging 100ft up. and do a few turns in it. I see a large pond with a sizable cloud over it. That might work I head west to it. I can feel the glider accelerate. Looking good......... There it is. It's over a 100ft average for a few seconds.. For a couple turns it feels like it's going to work. Then I lose it or it shuts off. I try further upwind. Nothing. I run and head downwind to my LZ. I decide to zag diagonally across the cultivated field and a barn to get to an open field. On the way I feel strong lift . I 'm down to about 600ft AGL. I do a turn and climb a good bit. It feels good , I take another turn. The down wind drift is severe. I take another turn and I lose it. I turn on my downwind approach over the power lines. Not too far past the power lines. I think I'm too high but I don't like being behind the power lines. Turn to final. Why am I going so fast in ground effect? I flare (a little to early) Balloon up, parachute down and that's it.

Mistakes
Go to the flat bottom cloudsDown shift when the lift seems to be getting weaker and you start seeing people on the ground. Even if you're killing time before the start gate, pay attention to staying high, despite whatever equipment issues are going on.

Day 3 Task

Flying Song of the Day w/Bonus Pic

Day 2 Task Cancelled

Day 2 started out a bit slower since our pilots meeting was set for 11 am. This gave most of the pilot time to take care of the little stuff that they needed from stores. Sunday didn't really allow for that since most of the stores are closed or close early on Sunday.

Checking the weather it looked OK (7k day with maybe 9k later in the day). I was checking the weather at about 7 am. NWS was calling for 40% chance of TS in the vicinity but isolated. With everything charged up battery wise for me all I needed to take care of was the T2's tuning. Rob Kells from Wills Wing said he would help and we should turn down the sprogs and he could help with the right turn. Most everyone elase was already set up so by the time I was setting up there was plenty of space to be had. I got to setup right in the middle of the hangar right after Rob tuned the glider. One would think that being in the hangar would be nice, and generally I would agree until you factor in the humidity. Humidity just makes everything that much less enjoyable.

At the pilots meeting they announce we gotta hump all our gear to the south end of the hangars. That's a long way. Since it's into the wind I decide I can walk my stuff all the way down there (bad idea). It was ok but exhausting, and I still needed to get my harness so I had to shlep it again.

Then the long wait, for tow. In line, I'm sweating, it feels like I just jumped out of the pool without the cooled off feeling. While I'm there volunteers are coming by with water. I will definely stay hydrated today. The news crew from last year is here with the same reporter "J-Lo", affectionatly named because of her rear. As I was standing in line the news crew comes over and interviews me (cool, "hey Dayna, I'm gonna be on TV". I was the very next morning).

I'm right behind Chris Smith as the trike pulls up. Chris declines the trike and it's my turn on the slow climb. I take it and make a nice takeoff. The trike tow is going well till he waves me off at 3800! Why, I thought, is he waving me off so early. Everyone else is getting off at 5000. I try and make a few turns but it's sinking everywhere. I run to the N end of the airport to see if I can salvage the tow and get a low save. No chance and I make the decision to re-light. Another light wind landing and I stick it right in front of the news crew (but they are not watching). I get a dragonfly on the next tow and it goes well until about 200' where we get tossed around I look at the release thinking about pulling off. Somehow I salvage the tow and get pulled right into a 500' up thermal. I'm going up really good but I'm not getting in position for a good start. I climbed to cloudbase and set out on course 5 minutes behind all by myself. The T2 is finally handling nice and it's not wrapping in as it was before. Speeds look better and the glides are somewhat better.

I can hear Chris out on course 7 miles ahead and things seem to be going well. I figure I can catch up. Reports of lightning over the first turnpoint and rain are coming over the radio, and it looks like the weather is getting worse. I cross the start cylindar around 5800 and shortly after hear someone say that the task has been called (cancelled). After hearing this several times I contemplate turning around right away. I think I get it but I'm not sure I'll make it. I decide to take the thermal I have and gas up to make it easier to get back. As I struggle with the slow climb I'm in I see the "airforce" coming back high. After seeing this I decide to take what altitude I have and go. One the way back I'm getting drilled with 1000' / min down for a loong time. I pull the bar in to fly faster in effort to escape this downward progression to the earth. I reach decision height and opt for the field across from the airport about 1 mile short. Nice landing although a bit fast. Ben is there before I can even begin to breakdown. Many pilots make it back. Nice for not having to breakdown.

Day 2 Task

Task 1 (Dave Cutter)

Task #1 8/7/05

Triangle: Start to T38 to 2100KN and back to start.
Duration: 2:48min
Total mileage: 29mi

I was doing good with my staging timing until I went back to the motel to get my back up Tangent for Chris. That put me behind schedule and I was at the end of the staging line. I got my harness on fast. I was able to get in the launch line and still be in the first third of people launching. Towed OK but thought I was in good lift and pinned off in barely 100 up. I ended up sinking out. Landed good.

Got in to the end of the line and still half of the flex wings were still on the ground. I launch again and this time I'm not going to pin off no matter what. I went a little higher than the first time but again was convinced I was in good lift. Pinned off and again it was not great and I sank out..again. Good landing again. Now there's only 5 gliders still in line. I get back on tow And just before I get hooked to a tug, I heard a crash behind me and wreckage sliding on the ground behind me. I cringe and then it stops. I look back and ouch. A dragon fly landed and the wingtip hit the wingtip of a sail plane called a silent. Both aircraft did 90° ground loops and the damage didn't look bad..(Later I heard the sailplanes winglet was broken and there was some pretty good abrasions done on the trailing edge.) Then I was hooked to a plane and pulled out there right of f the dolly. I see the dragonfly's left wing dip. and them my left wing dips and the glider drops back down to about 5 ft off the ground. Then I climb out. Whew.

I take the tow until Bobby waves me off. I'm in much better lift but still it's sort of weak and I think I might have to land again. Everyone is gone. It's starts getting better as I get nearer to the prison. I go on glide at 4800ft heading just upwind of course line. It's 3:45pm. It's 45minutes after the last start time. Pathetic. I'm alone and I have to go fast just to have enough time to get around the course. Not to mention catching people. I'm eyeing a decent looking cloud and I see a few ponds which are good ground triggers. On glide I spot another pilot a bit lower but by the time I get there he will be higher. At least I'm not alone anymore. I come in under him, climb past him and go on glide at just over 5K. I'm heading toward another cloud. and sure enough it works. I'm alone again although the other pilot I saw earlier is following me but he's too low to think about.

The lift is getting better I get back to 5400ft and continue gliding slightly upwind of course line against a 6-8mph headwind. It's actually a cross wind. We are heading WNW 20miles to the first turnpoint. About halfway I haven't seen anyone in the air. I know Larry is 4 miles ahead of me and George is at the first turnpoint. I start getting lowish and I see gliders on the ground. I'm about to have my first save. Not real low but definitely down in the slow lift zone. I find some decent lift and as I get about 5500ft it turns on and I zoom up to over 7K. Lift averaging 600fpm.I glide toward the turnpoint and I'm thinking I should head for this good looking cloud up ahead and since I'm only about 4 miles from the turnpoint, find the lift under the cloud and then go get the turnpoint and come back to the lift. As I'm gliding I realize that I'm close enough and still high enough that I should just grab the turnpoint and then go to the cloud. I see guys turning under the cloud. I get the turnpoint and I head south toward the cloud which is a little upwind of the course line.

I'm starting to see lots of gliders around now. I think good job going fast and catching people. I see a yellow and black glider. Yeah, I caught up to either Phill or Kraig. I'm climbing under them but the lift starts to peter out just above 6K. I go on glide There's a couple gaggles to choose from. I head towards one of them but the lift is gone by the time I get there. I keep heading upwind of course line. This leg of the course is another 20mile straight into the wind. It's about a 16 mph headwind. I'm starting to get a 1000fpm down so I zag to the right 45° to get onto less of sink line. It seems to help. There's good clouds ahead and guys are climbing under them but I can't seem to get there in time. I'm starting to get in low territory and I see gliders on the ground (Later I learned that Rick landed in this area, George and Chris did also I was down to about 800ft over a field that one person had landed in when I finally hooked something decent. There was another pilot at my altitude who circled with me (Later Chip said he came in under me but that he was at 300ft and tried to get the thermal but ended up landing. I outclimbed the other pilot I was circling with to the point that when I left I was over 1000 ft above him.

I went on glide alone from 7500ft. I didn't see anyone ahead at the moment. I headed up wind of course line. The clouds were starting to dissipate. It was blue hole city. It was already getting close to 5:30pmI dribble around looking for something. I see someone landing. Great. I see some one turning back on the course line. I head for that pilot and get there pretty low and under him. but there's some lift. but it gets weak and dies. The other pilot is about 500 ft above me and goes on glide. So it died for him too. I follow but I'm only now about 1,000ft AGL. I lose sight of the other guy. I catch a few more teasers but nothing that gets me anywhere. I'm over cultivated fields with furrows that run in every direction but parallel to the wind. I pick a road running directly upwind with a big tractor sitting on it. Avoid the tractor. Just before the tractor, there's a round patch of very green forested area. Less than 100ft across. As I cross it, I feel some decent lift. I try to turn it seems like it's going to work but no. After 3 turns I'm low enough to complete my turn onto final, over the tractor, and ground effect and flare into the 1 ft tall plants. Nice. All my landings today were good.

Brief from Winner

A very short talk from Kraig Coomber. This is just what happens when you're not prepared with questions. Good on ya Kraig!

Pool Side with the Kagelites

Jeff reports in from poolside where sadly once again the only one around is the Kagelites. What's up with these other pilots? Don't they like hanging around and swapping lies? Anyway, most of us had some good flying and had fun as most of the crew made it around the first turnpoint. Kraig Coomber wins the day. Gregg Kendall takes the Kagelites honor of going the furthest, somewhere past the second turn point (task was a triangle with each leg 60 miles.

Day 1 Triangle Task

Last night the cricket returned and sang his little song all night. I swear I'm going to pull his little legs off and make him listen to me snore all night. I need to find that little bugger!

When we awoke there was a large stratus layer that realy made for a tough call on the task. The Skew-T chart showed good lift to around 6.5k and a south wind around 5 all the way up. NWS gave it a 50% chance of TS activity, although isolated.

No more salty breakfast's for me, so I opted for breakfast at the motel (ceral and juice). Good enough to carb up but not too heavy. Breakfast is usually full of pilots and a few other guests. This morning it was mainly the Kagelites with a few others around. The motel doesn't look like it's nearly as full with pilots as last year and it showed last night (the first night) when no other pilot groups in the pool area (usually the party zone). But the week is still young.

Pilots meeting was set for 9:30. Once there, David Glover basically went over the do's and don'ts of the comp. Task committee's were agreed upon and the next pilots meeting was set. At 11:30 am we learned of our first task. A 60 mile triangle. Given the predicted thermal height of 6.5k. Each leg was 20 miles, for a perfect triangle. The ridged class had a longer headwind task than the flex wing guys. First launch time was set for 1:00pm but was later set back 30 minutes to 1:30pm.

Standing in the launch line was really hot. I suited up, helmet and all, way to early to make sure the radio was working well. Yeah I had good communications but sweat was pouring down my face and back. The tow was really inviting and cooled me off. The T2 tows very nicely and is rock solid behind the tug. The tug pilots are doing a superb job of leaving you off on a good thermal.

I started climbing right away once off tow, and caught up to Phill Bloom in a few minutes. I followed him up around the airport for awhile waiting for the start time but later decided to join the rest of the pilots going up on the north end of the runway. Chris Smith joined up soon after and we spent the rest of the time together. I didn't see Phill for the rest of the day. Chris and I hit the start time about the same time but we had to work it off the deck only about 3 miles out nearly at the start cylinder. I was working a steady climber but saw Chris coming up faster so adjusted to meet up with him. He radio'd he was climbing well and that was the ticket for both of us. We started 7 minutes late for the 2:15 start time but we had the altitude and we were going. We left on coarse line with 6500' (good call on altitude). Chris and I were pretty much together the whole way to the first turn point, with good radio comms between us. Ben Cross our awesome young driver was on our tail and quickly ahead of us waiting at the first turn point. We hooked up with a guy we later called our "buddy", and basically let him lead the way. Although he took us a bit north of course line (it would have been better to stay south of course line to stay upwind.

Along the way I made sure to point out to Chris (who is flying a "pig sticker") that everyone he passed that was on the gound he was beating. "you're beating him, and you're beating him too". For me it's a little boost (not a boast, because they can't hear us!). It took about 50 minutes for us to make the first turn point, not too bad but definatly not setting any records either. From here on out it was a fight with gravity and the headwind. Eventually gravity and the headwind won out. Although as I sailed over Chris's head I made sure he knew I was beating him (not much of a claim since I am on a topless).

Ben was under us, and had us in the truck in nothing flat. FOr his first day he did exceptionally well. We're glad to have him.

Oh and an update on the cricket, I found him and pulled one leg off and threw him out the door so he could tell his buddies not to mess with the Kagelites. I am nearly certain there's a criket invasion coming my way!

Practice Day

After arriving in Big Spring at around 2:30am I knew we wouldn't be getting up very early. As I settled in to bed, I saw a cricket under my sheets and had to shoo him off (in hind site I should have caught him and let him out. Just about the time I was going to bed, Larry and his truck pulled in. Shawn rolled in around 4 (I think), so I figured we might be getting up around 8:30am. Well 9:40 was more like it and the sleep was needed for the pratice day to begin with.

The motel has free breakfast (but not to later risers) so I figured it would be the truckstop. Most of the guys were up, some had already been to the truckstop and others were still going. Breakfast was buffet style. I mads the mistake of asking for salsa. It should have been called salt-sa, cause it was REALLY salty. I won't make that mistake again.

Weather looked like it had over-development potential (looking at the clouds). The BlipSpot was calling for top of the lift around 6k and a bit better later in the day. NWS said 50% chance of TS and isolated showers

Around 10:30 we made our way to the airport to setup, while a few pilots went shopping at the Super WalMart (man you can get lost in that place). As soon as we arrived I was looking for Rob Kells to see if I could get a ride on one of the new T2's. He hooked me up and brought out a new 140 (smaller than my 150 (but he said I really should be flying the smaller one anyway). I figured I should try and setup my own glider as well. The night before we dropped the gliders off in the hangar, when we opened the door to the hangar it was like a bunch of big butterflies (the hang gliders) had infested the place. From the looks of things we were the last ones to arrive (although I knew this wasn't true). Dropping the gliders off we were getting crickets and grasshoppers jumping all over us (it was kind of eary). Well, when I was dragging my glider out of the hangar in the AM, many of those crickets were hiding under the gliders we stashed in the hangar. For awhile I had them crawling everywhere. Once the glider was in the sun they left.

The T2 was a dream to put together (new gliders are all probably like this). The sail is very flat and looks a lot like the Moyes LightSpeed from the top. Rob told me about a few of the refinements and noted that the glider was tuned to take a small turn out of the glider and showed me the adjustments that had been made. He also mentioned that the sprogs were at factory height.

I moved to launch around 1:00pm (I think). The T2 tows very nicely and I had no trouble with the handling on tow ) although I could hear something rattling (probably the VG pulleys). Lift was weak, but consistent so staying up wasn't difficult. I checked the speed range and found the glider pitch very easy (not like my Talon) and could easily pull into 55mph. I did have a slight right turn and the glider seemed to want to wrap in a thermal when turning right. Left hand turns we're ok.

I hooked up with Cutter and Chris Smith right away at the south end of the runway and we climbed to around 5400. Even though I was on a smaller glider (with a turn) I felt I could thermal right with both of them. I did a few glides with Cutter (although I was above him) and with Chris. Going for a cloud further south I lost more altitude than I wanted to and around 4400 I turned around and headed back to the airport where I saw Gregg Kendall and thermaled (or attempted to) with him. Cutter also joined in and I missed the climb. The lift was turning off but I struggled for another 30 minutes before giving up. I decided to call it a day with about an hour flight. Coming back towards the hangar I aced the landing and felt good that I didn't slam the glider in since it did't belong to me. Overall impression was very favorable.

As soon as Phill Bloom came over to give me a hand he asked if I wanted to fly his glider, "sure, why not!", I said. I needed to drink some fluids since my camelback wasn't working all that well. I had to blow air into it and then suck really hard to get the water flowing. I'll fill it more tomorrow. After joking with a few people about destroying Phill's Glider I suited up again and jumped on the dolly. On the tow my feet hit the dolly as I came off otherwise everything else was fine. After gaining around 100 feet I realized Phill had no VG pulled on the glider which made the tow less than enjoyable (because of the pitch pressure). Once off tow his glider was a dream to thermal and when the VG was pulled and it was time to go fast, the lightspeed gave me a lot of confidence immediately. I was in the air around 1.5 hours when Erwin said that they were going to start serving dinner at the pilots dinner put on by the city of Big Spring. It was all the motivation I needed. Coming in I could see I was going to have a nice no wind landing and I could really see the gound spped was way up there as I pulled in to get down. At one point I thought I would have the landing go pretty well, but I flared a bit early and then dropped the nose pretty hard. Nothing broken but my pride. More later ........

Traveling to TX

The early morning meet wasn't that bad and most of the crew was in the LZ as I arrived. We briefly took a few pictures as we readied for departure and started to roll by 6:30 (pretty much on schedule). With no traffic to speak of we were at the Arizona / California border by 9:00am and rolled through Phoenix by noon. As usual nice clouds over the southern Arizona sky greeted us along the way to New Mexico.

Radio comms have been basically non existent and we are wondering if my radio rig is even working. At the moment the Trio is our only internet access and really proving it's worth. I've check email a few times and the blog. It's also the only way we've been able to raise anybody (other vehicles).

Just checked the weather from the Trio and already it looks like the first day is in jeopardy from threats of TS more wide spread than previous forecasts indicated. Have to keep a good look at this during the next few days. It's likely we'll have earlier tasks and possibly shorter ones. We were discussing the possibilities of getting caught in the rain and think carrying a big plastic bag for the instruments and harness might be a good idea. The glider is going to have to tough it out. Lightning strikes might also be a possibility, so reading up on reducing lightning strikes might be a good idea.

NWS is reducing the possibility of precipitation on Tuesday but their confidence is not that high.

George Stebbins Blog

George Stebbins Blog

I flew yesterday, and it was nice. We launched earlier (1:30 for me.)

I flew to LaMesa and 1/2 way back. Total distance about 66 miles. Only one other pilot flew away from the airport, most stayed nearby. I landed because there was a T-storm behind me and one over the goal at Big Spring Airport in front of me. I just glided as far as possible and ignored the lift.

I got my glider in the bag but not zipped up before the rain came. My glider and gear (and I) got very wet. My driver arrived 2 minutes after the rain stopped.

I had a great time, though!

Weather should be better by the start of the meet. No flying today, it is raining already. The forecast looks good for the meet except maybe the 1st day.

Stebbins reports in

Well actually I called him for an early report on the flying and driver situation. George has hooked up with Kyle (the driver we had on reserve), so that puts us at 3 local drivers and one Sylmar native (Erwin). Kyle is committed for the week and will drive George's truck.

The weather in Big Spring is producing isolated thnderstorms probably through the weekend. George reported that the airport manager delayed the HG pilots from taking off until 3pm which put the pilots right smack in the middle of the development for the day. Once in the air most of the pilots reliazed the task for the day was not safe and decided to fly back to the airport. The furthest pilots only got 15 miles or so. He thought that an early takeoff would have been much better. George said they planned on taking off earlier today to avoid the TS activity forecast for today. The BlipSpot indicates TS's have a good chance of developing. Top of the lift looks limited to 6k and then decends in the afternoon probably due to the TS activity.

George indicated that the conditions are much drier than the last several years so the thermals should be really nice (once the TS leave). The drive from California was not nearly as green as it was last year he noted.

Or maybe this one for the ole school guys!

Flight song of the day:

Meet time in LZ for departure

I've spoken to all the driving parties and have asked to have the initial meet time at 6:00am so we can load all the vehicles and make sure everyone is taken care of (rides and gear).

If we get out of Sylmar by 6:30am we should be rollin into Big Spring somewhere around 12 midnight. Phill and I did it in about 16 hours last year but we lose 2 hours going east. Although we were tempted to take a detour for margaritas in Juarez Mexico (across the border from El Paso TX).

I might suggest everyone validating their rooms the next couple of days(for the ones that reserved them).