Memorial Day Fly-In in Alamogordo, New Mexico

[Bill Cummings]

For an excellent video summary of this year's fly-in go to Finis Miller's website, Splododyne. It's about the most comprehensive take I've ever seen of this annual event. Here's the site:
https://vid.me/Splododyne

Enjoy!
-Robin

Photos by Velma Woodcock.

Nominated for the GOLDEN HAMMER AWARD..JPG (34.66 KiB) Viewed 9775 times

Too good for GOLDEN HAMMER AWARD. Shucks..JPG (23.76 KiB) Viewed 9775 times

[Bill Cummings]

For an excellent video summary of this year's fly-in go to Finis Miller's website, Splododyne. It's about the most comprehensive take I've ever seen of this annual event. Here's the site:
https://vid.me/Splododyne

Enjoy!
-Robin

Photos by Velma Woodcock.

Be it ever so humble--.JPG (35.54 KiB) Viewed 9766 times

Looking like a pilot gathering..JPG (46.57 KiB) Viewed 9766 times

[Bill Cummings]

For an excellent video summary of this year's fly-in go to Finis Miller's website, Splododyne. It's about the most comprehensive take I've ever seen of this annual event. Here's the site:
https://vid.me/Splododyne

Enjoy!
-Robin

Photos by Velma Woodcock.

Totaling the score sheet..JPG (50.9 KiB) Viewed 9739 times

Hiding in the shade..JPG (31.69 KiB) Viewed 9739 times

[Bill Cummings]

For an excellent video summary of this year's fly-in go to Finis Miller's website, Splododyne. It's about the most comprehensive take I've ever seen of this annual event. Here's the site:
https://vid.me/Splododyne

Enjoy!
-Robin

Picture by Velma Woodcock.

George W. and Lee B..JPG (55.37 KiB) Viewed 9710 times

[Bill Cummings]

For an excellent video summary of this year's fly-in go to Finis Miller's website, Splododyne. It's about the most comprehensive take I've ever seen of this annual event. Here's the site:
https://vid.me/Splododyne

Enjoy!
-Robin

Photo by Velma Woodcock.

Setting up for the flour bomb drop.JPG (16.58 KiB) Viewed 9691 times

[RobinHastings]

An update on Finis Miller's Fly-In video: He had to put it on a new site, so go here to see it, www.vimeo.com/splododyne
-Robin
January 17, 2018

[RobinHastings]

THE DRY CANYON MEMORIAL DAY FLY-IN, 2018:
This year's fly-in, thanks to a busy May schedule on my part, was a lot more laid back than usual. No contests or trophies this time, and the publicity was low-key. Nevertheless, we had a good turnout, with about 20 pilots coming to Alamogordo to camp out, visit together and fly. Josia from Colorado, Charley Glantz from San Diego, and Chris Chaney from West Texas were our most far-travelled guests. The conditions were sometimes windy, but every day was flyable. On Friday, May 25, Patrick Harvey-Collard had a 9-hour PG flight (featuring a low save from 200 ft over the Cox Field LZ) that landed him about 6 miles short of Vaughn, New Mexico - a distance of about 115 miles. (Mario Manzo gets the Hell On Wheels award for picking him up.) Finis Miller was a tireless driver and videographer, helping out anyone who needed it at both of the Dry Canyon launches. There were morning flights, and glassoffs every evening, which was a great introduction to the site for a few new visitors, and reassurance for a couple of folks who'd had bad launches in recent times. Bo Frazier was back into the air, 5 straight days. Best of all, there were no blown launches or injuries, and only one guy (me) had to land out. (I had a lovely glassoff flight the next evening, though.) We had some great times visiting in the LZ cabana every night - a lot of that due to Lee Boone parking his RV as a windbreak on the west - and had a very pleasant barbecue on Sunday evening, featuring Lee's family and mine in cameo appearances. We had to bid farewell to expert PG pilots Jan Zschenderlein and Patrick Harvey-Collard, who will be off to Europe next month; they have sure left their mark on the flying community out here. I got to talk with Tommy West, too, who was a driving force in the RGSA in the 90's along with his late wife Cindy. In summary, pilots came, pilots flew -the flying was good! - and pilots left with some big smiles on their faces. What's not to like about that? We send our thanks to the City of Alamogordo and to the Lincoln National Forest for helping us to make this annual event what it is. Fly safe this summer, everyone, and keep the Columbus Day Gathering in mind, this October!
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

A couple of pictures from the 2018 Dry Canyon Fly-In.

Mitchell Graham in his first flight at Dry Canyon - about 2 hours, in his Wills Wing Sport 2.

MitchGraham_at_DryCyn_May26_2018.JPG (16.63 KiB) Viewed 9015 times

Josia from Colorado on final approach in his Predator, May 28, 2018. (Last pilot to land!)

Josia_on_Final.JPG (55.57 KiB) Viewed 9015 times

Cox Field LZ at sunset, May 26, 2018.

LZ_at_Sunset_May26.JPG (31.58 KiB) Viewed 9015 times

[Bob Kuczewski]

Good work ... having fun!!

[RobinHastings]

Hi, everyone. We had a pretty low key fly-in, but it was pleasant and relaxing. Everyone who came to fly, got to fly - despite the winds on Saturday afternoon, we had great flying in the evening. Sure felt like a glassoff to me! Steve Ford and I flew our hang gliders 30 minutes, Steve Crye and Wyatt Lines had similar flights in their paragliders. The air was warm and smooth and clear. Nancy Hastings, Keith and Rena Campbell were in the LZ waiting with video cameras as the sun was setting on Saturday. By the time we were all packed up it was getting pretty dark, and since we had feasted earlier on Terry Cummings' Calico Bean Casserole and her Berry Cobbler - well, going to Applebees (where there was light) seemed all the more sensible. Finis Miller, our intrepid and experienced driver, was the guest of honor, and the meal there was a pleasant one. This morning (Sunday) was already too windy at 9:00 am for Wyatt to fly, and Steve and I had left our HG's down at the field. Since the conditions were forecast to only get worse on Sunday and Monday, we declared victory and headed home. Turnout was light, this time, but the company and the glassoff were exemplary.

I think we owe Alamogordo $108 for the field reservation, and Chaparral Sanitation about $80 for the PortaPotty. $60 was found in the donations can. Let's look ahead to better turnout at our next event, the Columbus Day Gathering October 12-14. As weekends go, this was a good one!
-Robin