May 2019 Flight Log

[wingspan33]

Hello All,

Today I was able to get my first flight on my (new to me) Wills Wing Talon 140. The flying site was Mt. Washington here in Steuben County, NY. Takeoff time was 5:59 pm and landing was at 6:06 pm. Not a long flight but I did gain out about my take off point. That's always nice! The site is about 600 AGL.

It was an odd day with scattered showers moving through. But the wind direction was good for the hill (NNW) with some minor variations now and then. I had a 1 1/2 hour clear opening during which I launched. The sky at the time was overcast so thermal activity was minimal. But I do think I encountered some thermal lift. It wasn't sink city for sure.

Below you'll find a couple screen shots from Google Earth that show my flight track as taken from my Garmin hiking GPS. I video recorded the flight but I can't post that until I retrieve it from the camera and post it to YouTube. That might take a while.

The nice part of the day was that a fellow named John was mowing the lawn of the property just WSW of the LZ. Since I was flying solo, I had planned to walk back up the hill to get my car - which I've done 4-5 times before. John had just finished his mowing and was nice enough to give me a ride back up the hill! Thanks John! So that sped things up a nice bit. All in all a very nice day! I can't wait for a really great day when going UP is not an option.

G Earth HG Flight Image2 5-15-19.jpg (217.1 KiB) Viewed 8173 times

[Bob Kuczewski]

Very cool Scott!!!

Please post some pictures when you can!!

SoCenNY HGA ... all the way !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  

[SamKellner]

Good job Scott !

[wingspan33]

Not really all that amazing. But good fun was had by all!

But I'll be posting later that I had another flight from the same site today. More or less a sledder, but still a second flight on a new glider. Yesterday I got above launch, but today I didn't. So 7 minutes yesterday and 6 minutes today. I felt some thermal bumps both days but it was also overcast on both days so the bumps were small and not very useful.

[wingspan33]

My second flight took place yesterday Thursday 5/16/17. The launch was Mt. Washington here in Bath, NY. The sky was overcast and the wind NW at about 6-8 mph. I had an extended sledder that totaled only 6 minutes (5:59 - 6:05 pm). My landing in the valley was okay but with the wind gradient (landing down wind of a small hill) I didn't flair strong enough and could not run it out. But the nose didn't hit - so no WHACK!

I've got some screen captures from a video I took but I'll have to add them a bit later.

Flying two days in a row!

[wingspan33]

Today, Friday 5/17/19, I had my 3rd flight on my new (to me) WW Talon 140. Once again, (for the 3rd day) I flew from Mt. Washington here in Bath, NY. This doesn't usually happen but when it does - go for it!

I still have to go over the flight data but I launched at about 7:15 - 7:20 pm and landed at about 8:05 pm. I go to 1,000 over launch and had a fine old time. My old Lytec vario was telling me I was going up most of the time, but I had just played with the "zero" adjustment before flying. I think it was beeping "UP" in zero sink and also when I was in mild lift. So I have to make some adjustments before I fly again.

But it was a sunny day and the wind speed was 10 - 15 mph out of the NW (and sometimes out of the WNW) with the two launches facing NNW. The second that I took my first step the glider lifted and I gained out pretty quickly. A much more soarable situation than the past 2 days!

Oddly, no other pilots were there to enjoy the day. It was probably flyable for most of the day, but the winds may have been a little strong in the mid afternoon. With a few PG pilots in the area the wind was definitely too strong for them (probably 20 mph at 1K over launch). And who can get off early from work on a Friday to go flying ?

The last thing I will mention is that I was able to top land in a field about 1/2 mile behind launch. I still had to take a hike to my car but it was a very nice early evening with the full moon rising and I saw 6 deer (running from me?) on the way. It was GREAT to have a longer soaring flight for the first time on a new glider.

[JoeF]

Soooo vicariously fun, Scott! Congrats!
Thanks for sharing the joy.

[wingspan33]

Here are some screen captures from a not-so-good video I took during this "first" flight with one of my Sony Cyber-shot that can take 1080 HD -

Just before launch

Flight From Mt Wash1 5-15-19 sm.jpg (72.44 KiB) Viewed 8083 times

Launch is toward the upper left

Flight From Mt Wash2 5-15-19 sm.jpg (61.77 KiB) Viewed 8083 times

LZ in the distance

Flight From Mt Wash4 5-15-19 sm.jpg (69.21 KiB) Viewed 8083 times

Setting up approach

Flight From Mt Wash5 5-15-19 sm.jpg (64.72 KiB) Viewed 8083 times

On final

Flight From Mt Wash6 5-15-19 sm.jpg (67.97 KiB) Viewed 8083 times

After unhooking

Flight From Mt Wash7 5-15-19 sm.jpg (59.91 KiB) Viewed 8083 times

It's clear that in landscape mode the camera could not capture me flying and the wing. I had it pointing a bit too high.

[wingspan33]

Here are some screen captures from my second (5/16/19) flight on my new (to me) Wills Wing Talon 140 -

Just before launch - checking the time on my GPS

Flight From Mt Wash1 5-16-19 sm.jpg (113.5 KiB) Viewed 8031 times

LZ is middle right

Flight From Mt Wash2 5-16-19 sm.jpg (99.43 KiB) Viewed 8031 times

Note basic terrain out ahead

Flight From Mt Wash3 5-16-19 sm.jpg (81.96 KiB) Viewed 8031 times

About 300 ft AGL

Flight From Mt Wash4 5-16-19 sm.jpg (87.38 KiB) Viewed 8031 times

Just SW of LZ

Flight From Mt Wash5 5-16-19 sm.jpg (77.99 KiB) Viewed 8031 times

Setting up final

Flight From Mt Wash6 5-16-19 sm.jpg (82.5 KiB) Viewed 8031 times

Upright on final

Flight From Mt Wash7 5-16-19 sm.jpg (73.8 KiB) Viewed 8031 times

About to flair

Flight From Mt Wash8 5-16-19 sm.jpg (64.27 KiB) Viewed 8031 times

I had the camera positioned a bit better this time! But very little lift so not that much to see, unless you don't know what green forests look like in north east US!

[wingspan33]

Here's some more for you Joe! Screen captures from Friday's nice flight.

This time I put the camera in portrait mode and got both me and the wing. For some reason the camera timed out after about 20 minutes while the flight lasted 28 minutes (exact launch time was 7:27 pm with landing at 8:05 pm). So no picts of the landing approach or landing.

Ready for launch

Begining my run

20 seconds after launch I'm 200 over - see launch in lower left frame (above my vario)

Now I'm SW of launch along the ridge looking NE. That's Keuka Lake in the center left. The big field about a mile(?) ahead is where launch is located. Just out of frame in the valley to the left is the Glen Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport, NY. Curtiss flew gliders from somewhere in that photo and the first "flying boats" flew from the exact part of Keuka lake that is seen in this picture.

I'm flying SW again and that's the valley LZ far below. I was able to top land - but no pictures of that. The camera timed out on me - maybe weak battery.