Monday, November 30, 2009

More - nothing better on TV - Video

Well it seems that 15 to 20 of you have nothing better to do than watch PGs go round and round. -

For your viewing pleasure a 6 installment video of a flight from Baldy to Boylston Ridge in Eastern Washington. -

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Humm..... - That was Interesting!

After a long week or so of watching grandkids - doing turkey and only flying a sledder or two I was ready to bug out and fly as soon as the last little one was buckled into my daughters minivan.

Rick had called to give a heads up on Eagle - likely to be blown out, but anything to clear the head and get out with a chance to fly. On launch an hour later two hangs were thinking about folding up and Rick informed me that it just really started to blow 5 minutes prior.

We chatted and waited for the sun to set hopeing that the lack of sun would have a calming effect on the excess wind. This is a common scenario at Eagle and a 30 minute flight with a flashing light seemed in the offing. Just before the sun went down I had my wing kitting over head - except for some strange reason I was kitting away from the hill - 180 degrees over the back. - - Next moment a South flow got strong and I was hop hop hopping down the flats working c-ds as I had a good time high wind kitting in the "correct" direction. - Hmmm switchy winds. - Strong winds - What is wrong with this picture????
-
Off goes the wing into a bundle and further assessment - use your head and listen to the wind some more.

While I stood at the lip Rick was setting up and the wind simply calmed down slowly to a gentle 8-10 and held. - Rick is going to fly! - Winds consistent now - getting lighter now - Ok back in the saddle and let us see.

Rick is ready - wing over head - looks good - I pull up as he sets his down. - Good wing clean pressure - two hang buddies willing to pick us up if we bomb out (likely scenario as winds seemed to be dropping in route to calm)- - Turn and aggressive launch.

Clean launch - Winds from South South West - a bit of a problem at Eagle but if you push into them to get round the corner to the South face and it should be fine. - Nice lift - 150 over and out front - Big wind increase - still holding my own not getting blown back and no speed bar required, THEN Whack - wing tip - on the right - pump it out - Lift Lift Surge - Whack 20%er on the left - Push out a bit more - get further from the hill - Whack - Surge Back - big surge forward - Brake to Catch it - Almost frontal - Right left I am getting WORKED! - Push further out and now, I guess, run - But run from what?

I am not over the back really - This could be rotor from the south face but I am 1/4 mile out now and not in line with anything. -

Later analysis suggests that I was in the lea-side of a strong East / West convergence. Winds had been strong WSW at altitude and we were experiencing strong South to South East on Launch. - Out in the valley where I was now 2k over it was East vs West and I was in the middle. - The East was blocking and I just got thrashed as I flew away from the hill on a SW heading. What I was doing was flying along the convergence line but just in the lea - If you want turbulence do this it will work every time. - As I pushed further West/North I went through the blockage climbed strong and continued to get worked but less than on my SW heading. I made an initial efforts to get down via spiral but that failed (more about that later).

I pushed further West and it finally settled down just a bit and I was able to get I nice spiral started and got down. 400 over - push further out - still a bit rocky but under control - Nice big field with winds from 2 or 3 directions and a soft landing. - Finally on the radio "I am ALIVE."


14 minutes of high adrenalin and a few lessons learned:


1. Let your buddy launch first! -You will live longer.

2. Eagle can throw real curve balls.

3. If you kite in two different directions prior to launch - See #1 above, but consider cutting your buddy's lines as a second option.

4. If you are flying to fill an emotional need those emotions might mask the correct go-no-go decision.

5. I love my DHV-2; please never sell me a 2-3 or above.

6. Learned a wing control dynamic that was interesting: On my first attempt to enter a spiral to get down and through the turbulence it just wouldn't crank in. - I tried for at least 30 seconds leaning and pulling but it only turned and wouldn't crank over. - At the time I just figured the wind / turbulence were in control and I was at their mercy. - Later, as it smoothed out, I cranked in just fine. What was up? -

On the first attempt I had been and was still carrying a good amount of brake which I needed to have to have something to give back to control the big back surges I was catching. - When I tried to turn spiral left I was still holding right brake and the wing wouldn't crank in. - Lesson learned:if you are going to spiral to break through turbulence don't forget to let up on the outside brake. - Duuhhhh!!!! but - at the time - well that's what I learned.

7. Let me have it!

Dave.
nb: Rick had already learned #1 above and didn't launch but enjoyed the show.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Nothing To Do - No Good TV - Watch This

Last January I flew my brains out in Valle De Bravo - So much flying and so little time to process videos and stories.

As the winter sets in and plans to return ramp up I figured I better get something up from last year - soooo. - After watching a long video of a nice Rampart flight I figured I would grab a Valle flight and throw it up and see if anyone watches.

Youtube limits us to 10 minute videos so I split a 85 min video into 9 segments. You should be able to click through them in sequence as their names end in 1 - 9. You may need to click on the YouTube Logo and go to dnorwoodxx videos to see them all.



Hope this works - the first video is almost all on launch - Good memories for those who have flown and an introduction to the gaggle for those who haven't been. - Unfortunately the last 10 minutes of the flight are missing but so goes paravideo efforts.

Enjoy. P.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Beauty


Something about this video just gets to me.
Thanks for Shooting it Mer.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Bob's Bump in November

Saturday Bob and I went out and put in our time in High winds. - No Flying just an attempt to get draged. We were not even successful in being draged putting the wing away before it had a chance to win.

Sunday was the pay back for our showing on Saturday.

Winds were perfect S to SSW at 12 - 14 - Just what the bump loves.

When the sun was out we got extra lift from little thermic bubbles.
Back and forth and in the end we had a total of 5 flights between us one each lasting over an hour.
Great early turkey day gift.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Saddle - Flying in Fall

After a couple of very long weeks the schedule loosened up just when the winds shapped for a perfect Saddle Day.

XC-Skies winds at surface were NNE 6-8 in the AM and 6-4 in the afternoon clocking N. Winds at 6,000 were S @ 14 - this cross over raised my eyebrows but 6-8 NNE tends to translate to 12 to 14 on launch.

We got to launch at about 11:30 and flew till 3 or so.
Lots of Touch and Go's and Mer got a nice 5 mile out and back.