Flying possibilities

[Bob Kuczewski]

As far as I know, it's the first 2014 HG flight in RGSA country, so I'm going to take what modest pride I can in it.

Go RGSA!!!         

[Bill Cummings]

RGSA,
I will show up at Robin’s tomorrow at 10:30 to throw my equipment onto his truck. I’m still waiting to hear back from Matt if we are to pick him up at 11:00. Robin was over with his homemade bread and we called Mike. Mike will be in the Dry Canyon (Cox LZ) in Alamogordo, New Mexico, USA at noon. I better call Lee Boone next. Be there or be square.

Edit: I just left a message with Lee's Cell phone.
8:56 pm

[Bill Cummings]

Matt and Lee just called before 9:45 and they are both a "G0."
Lee will meet us in the LZ at noon and Robin and I will swing by and pick up Matt. Matt says he will drive and take equipment along if someone shows up to bring the truck down.
We have enough pilots for a meet. We should sell hot dogs.
See you there.
OH BUT I FEEL GUILTY --- ALL US GOING FLYING AND THE WHOLE COUNTRY STANDING ON THE WOOD STOVE AND HUGGING THE STOVE PIPE---------------------NOT!

[Bill Cummings]

We flew Dry Canyon today.
It felt like 60 degrees or so.
No clouds in a high pressure situation but the expected horrendous sink out of thermals did not happen.
Thermals that I worked were mostly 200/fpm up. (January 11, 2014)
Max lift shows 520/fpm but I’m thinking that was partly a stick thermal.
Air time 50 min.
Just like Lake Wobegon -- Where all the pilots are perfect launchers and perfect Landers. Where the seasonal air time is above average. (5 pilots)
Home after 10:00 pm. If this was/were a job I would complain about the working conditions.
Robin will fill you in. Time for bed.

[RobinHastings]

Yes, it was a lovely day to be out hang gliding. (PG's would have worked well, too - balmy, mild conditions up at launch.) We had no driver, but everyone got to fly. The winds were hard to forecast, but we finally decided on Dry Canyon, which takes anything from west to southeast and brings it in (if only briefly) to the southwest-facing launch ramp. Bill and I made it up first, where we offloaded our two gliders and Mike Ellsworth's. Then I went back down the road partway to pick up Mike, Matt Hayes (our club president) and Lee Boone. Lee had just bought a 2014 Toyota Tundra, and clamped a rack to it temporarily. The clamps were more temporary than he thought! We transferred gliders to my Tacoma and went back to launch. I was planning to be the driver for everyone; after all, I had a flight on Tuesday. But spectators Robert and Caitlyn agreed to hang out until I was in the air, so I set up, too. Mike was first off, and soon got up to 8500 ft MSL (1500 ft over launch). Bill was next, flying his Sport 2, chasing Mike's U2, and followed soon after by Lee in his Exxtacy and Matt in his own U2. I launched my U2 at 4:15. The air was warm, pleasant, and full of thermals - just not very strong ones. I was at my highest when I stood on the launch ramp. Nevertheless, I had a very pleasant 15 minutes, and an excellent stand up landing in the Cox Field LZ. It turned out that Matt and Lee didn't do much differently, each having about 15 minutes and not much gain in altitude. But we all were smiling - on a day this nice, with perfect launches and landings, who could complain? We got our gliders packed by sunset, left Bill and Matt to wander the LZ as the stars (and the cold) came out, and Matt, Mike and I retrieved two vehicles. We got some food and headed home; I expect a windy day tomorrow, so I think we timed it just right. I hope that others, too, are enjoying some airtime this weekend. Come on out to New Mexico and join us, if you're not!
-Robin

[MattHayes]

A few pictures from yesterday

Setup at launch.

Mike getting sideways.

[attachment=0]photo 4.JPG[/attachment

[MattHayes]

A quick video of my sled ride yesterday, Lee launching ahead of me and visible below me after I round the west face. Bill and Mike dominated the day, working the light lift for all it was worth! Always great mentors!

[Bob Kuczewski]

Nice video Matt!!!!     

I enjoyed the video speed-up and slow down so it was possible to watch the entire flight in such a short span of time. How did you do that?

Thanks,
Bob

[MattHayes]

Thanks Bob, I used Windows Live Movie Maker and it has slow/fast motion options. Just split the clip where you want it to occur and apply it to that section. I'm using an older Contour HD camera that has been around the block a few times so it isn't GoPro quality, but good enough for me. First time I've incorporated the fast motion into a video and edited it in about twenty minutes so it could have been better, I think. I'm just happy I kept it under five minutes!

[Bob Kuczewski]

it isn't GoPro quality, but good enough for me.

Good enough for me too!!!

First time I've incorporated the fast motion into a video and edited it in about twenty minutes so it could have been better, I think. I'm just happy I kept it under five minutes!

It was a good job, and It's great that you can see the whole flight in such a short time.