Flying possibilities

[Bill Cummings]

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14th: Bill and I met Taro Nihonyanagi about 10:45 in El Paso, and soon were at the base of the Anapra site. Lo and behold, the only other vehicle we spotted was a blue Corolla, driven by our up-and-coming PG pilot Steve Crye. He guided us up to the launch, helped us to set up, and fed us the vitally important wind speed data we needed. The gusts got as high as 35 mph, the lulls down as low as 13. (Steve had already had a bumpy sled ride from the site in his PG, and was heading home when he met us.) We set up our Wills Wing gliders: My U2, Bill's Sport 2, and the Falcon 195 for Taro. Eventually, only the U2 was still assembled; the winds looked to strong to Taro and Bill. I finally launched into 23 mph east winds at 2:20 pm, MDT. I turned right, but not soon enough; I was right out of the lift band, as I cruised along the ridge to the Border Wall. I turned there, and without enough altitude for another pass, I just went out to the landing area. I had an excellent landing. Bill, Taro and Steve soon joined me, as I put away the glider, and so did a nice Border Patrol agent, who had a great time learning about PG's and HG's from us. We said goodbye to Taro about 3:30 and he drove back to his home in El Paso; Bill and I reached Las Cruces about 4:15. It was a pleasant day with good friends, and a fun flight even if short. Who am I to complain?
-Robin

For the video and still pictures click on the BACK arrow (top left) and go to the, "ANAPRA, NM along the Mexico fence." Topic.
Or try the link below and let me know if it actually took you there or I goofed up and you were misdirected.
http://ushawks.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=2576

[RobinHastings]

Saturday, August 20:
Well, for a weekend in which not a glider was launched, it's been pretty busy so far. On Thursday evening, just before my first class session in Anthony, I met Lee Boone and loaded up a UP TRX-160 hang glider on my truck. The next morning I drove to Alamogordo and met Mike Ellsworth there, and transferred the TRX to him. After that, later in the day, I went to Dry Canyon launch, with my driver Jameson Mott. Unfortunately, by the time I was ready to fly, the sky was not ready to let me. Thunderstorms, gust fronts, and White Sands dusting up were what I could see, and so we packed up the U2 into the bag again. Good decision - just as I was zipping it up is when the gust front reached the launch, at 40 mph. As I was departing Alamogordo a while later, at sunset, the wind was 20 mph out of the east. And gently raining, too. So there was a big consensus among the natural elements that Robin really didn't need to be in the air on Friday. On Saturday afternoon Karl Richter of Midland, Texas came on by, attending a birthday party in El Paso. He's a brand-new Hang 2 pilot (aerotowing, so far) but eager to fly with us, and he wanted to see the local sites. I took him to Mesquite Dam and to Matt's Mountain, and he was quite impressed. The winds were coming in at Matt's Mountain perfectly, about 15 mph out of the southwest. Did I have my glider with me? No I did not. Aarrgggh! It would have been good, for sure. We got back to Las Cruces just after sunset, and I sent him on his way back to El Paso, with a promise to fly with him this fall when he's got his foot-launched skills up to speed. Sunday is supposed to be rainy, so I imagine that the flying window is pretty much closed down now - nevertheless, I came darned close to getting some airtime. We'll see what the week ahead may bring, though.
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

Taro and I plan to fly at Dry Canyon tomorrow, Saturday Aug. 27. We'll meet in the Cox Field LZ at 9:30 am. Come and join us if you can! I'll be the driver, if I can't find one.
-Robin

[JanZ]

Hi Guy's,
Ty anr myself are going to fly Dry Canyon on Friday afternoon. Meeting is ~1600 @ the Cox field.

[Bill Cummings]

Hi Guy's,
Ty anr myself are going to fly Dry Canyon on Friday afternoon. Meeting is ~1600 @ the Cox field.

How did it go on Friday? Any pictures or video?

[JanZ]

Any News about the Columbus Day Weekend?
Are we going to do the usual thing this Year?

[JanZ]

Hi Guy's,
Ty anr myself are going to fly Dry Canyon on Friday afternoon. Meeting is ~1600 @ the Cox field.

How did it go on Friday? Any pictures or video?

Friday went well.
We had to wait for the winds to die down a little bit but everybody still got to fly the glass off till sunset.

Friday


Wednesday

[Bill Cummings]

Any News about the Columbus Day Weekend?
Are we going to do the usual thing this Year?

I think so! I'm going on second hand information but I think that weekend will be October 7,8,9,and 10th.
I haven't heard anything official but I expect if things go as they have been lately there will be no entry fee collected and only a donation bucket to cover things like the BBQ, Port-a-Jon, -- oops -- no, wait,-- I said I would cover the cost of the portable out house this time. If I hadn't just reminded myself I would have totally forgotten

[JanZ]

Hi Guy's,
I'm planing to fly Dry tomorrow afternoon (Oct. 02.)
Meeting would be around 1600 at the Cox Field.
Let me know if you're coming.

[RobinHastings]

I saw this too late, Jan. Arrgh! Well, I'll be looking ahead to flying next weekend. But man, it sure looks good today... Thanks for the invitation!
-Robin