The Wednesday afternoon slackers showed their respect for our chief towpilot and were ready to go right on time at noon. Andy towed everybody and went back home to finish his workday. Other than a brief pause when we thought we had lost the towrope (false alarm), Andy made nine tows without shutting down.
It was indeed the best weather of the week, as Tim predicted. However, it wasn't all that straightforward. And it was hot and humid. There were clouds over the mountains, with a westerly wind aloft. Some of the clouds got out of hand, causing rainshowers and blowoff. The wind down low was from the south, which put us square in the middle of weak valley conditions, with the cloudfields to the east and west, just out of reach.
The trick was to leave town early, and Greg (JD), Tom (2W) and Tim (BU) did just that. They made it to the clouds on the Vermont side and followed them all the way to Island Pond, returning via the clouds on the New Hampshire side. You could not have done any better than that.
Evan (T8) and Rick (LEL) struggled to get away, with Evan making at least three desperate returns to Post Mills before climbing back up. At least he didn't land. Rick needed a relight. They both headed for home when the lightning started.
The day ended early with a ten mile diameter shadow due to blowoff. Luckily everyone saw it coming and we made long smooth glides into the darkness to land by about 1600. Evan managed to stay up the longest of all. After that the sun came back out. Typical.
Keith (BA), Dennis (DC), and David (505) were all trapped at Post Mills by the big shadow. Dennis set a record for circling, and David got his first flight of the season in the 1-26.
Thursday, May 28, 2020
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Weekend report May 22 - 25
PMSC finally got underway at Post Mills this weekend, thanks to all the work on the towplane performed by our chief towpilot and chief mechanic. It's never obvious how much work the two Andys do in order to keep us flying. It's a lot.
We did a pretty good job of observing our amended COVID operational rules.
Under our new (hopefully temporary) rules, every day is a Slacker Day. This isn't great for our primary students, but it makes it easier for our instructors and towpilots to fly on the weekends. Don't let them tell you that they aren't enjoying this.
Another consequence is that our first weekend of the season was also our first 4-day weekend.
Friday
The conditions were blue with light west winds. The day started with thermals to 5000 feet, rising to 7000 feet by late afternoon. Evan, Tim, Dennis, and Eric flew out of Post Mills, and Rick launched at Franconia. Tim and Evan flew nice round trips to the White Mountains. Eric did that as well, but was a bit more ambitious. He wound up landing at Claremont after rounding his final turnpoint at Springfield. Rick also landed out, conveniently, at Post Mills.
Dennis was the hero of the day, driving down to Claremont to pick up NT, bringing Eric back to Post Mills, then turning around again and driving home (not that far from Claremont). He walked into his house at about midnight - and was back in Post Mills the next morning.
Saturday
Technically, Saturday can be called Assembly Day, since the 2-33 and 1-26 went together, thanks to the efforts of David, Peter, Karl, Andy, Don, and Karl's buddy Dave from Florida. That leaves the Blanik, which suffers from lack of pilots so far this season.
The weather was strange. It wasn't blue, but it might as well have been. High bands of stratus and a few altocu didn't help at all. Thermals were sparse and difficult to center, but with patience, they could be worked up to 6000 feet. The wind was southeasterly, which was disorienting.
All flights were local. Kari probably had the longest flight, with Evan and Peter not far behind. Dennis had a short one, and Rick couldn't even stay up. David flew the 2-33 twice and is back on track to get his license early this year.
Sunday
The day dawned clear, but a thin overcast moved in just before launch time and hung around for the rest of the day. From the appearance of the sky, you wouldn't have thought there was any lift at all.
But this is May. The airmass is so good that it doesn't take all that much sunshine to get things going. Tim (BU), Peter (505), and Greg (JD) all had local flights. Peter's total time in the 1-26 this season is 5 hours already. He got to 4800 feet and was the last to land.
Monday
Nobody flew. But before you deny that this was a 4-day weekend, thank Tim for standing by to be the towpilot all day Monday. The overcast was solid, and the slackers gave up early, as they always do.
There are 12 trailers on the field now (including HK, which just arrived from Florida).
We did a pretty good job of observing our amended COVID operational rules.
Under our new (hopefully temporary) rules, every day is a Slacker Day. This isn't great for our primary students, but it makes it easier for our instructors and towpilots to fly on the weekends. Don't let them tell you that they aren't enjoying this.
Another consequence is that our first weekend of the season was also our first 4-day weekend.
Friday
The conditions were blue with light west winds. The day started with thermals to 5000 feet, rising to 7000 feet by late afternoon. Evan, Tim, Dennis, and Eric flew out of Post Mills, and Rick launched at Franconia. Tim and Evan flew nice round trips to the White Mountains. Eric did that as well, but was a bit more ambitious. He wound up landing at Claremont after rounding his final turnpoint at Springfield. Rick also landed out, conveniently, at Post Mills.
Dennis was the hero of the day, driving down to Claremont to pick up NT, bringing Eric back to Post Mills, then turning around again and driving home (not that far from Claremont). He walked into his house at about midnight - and was back in Post Mills the next morning.
Saturday
Technically, Saturday can be called Assembly Day, since the 2-33 and 1-26 went together, thanks to the efforts of David, Peter, Karl, Andy, Don, and Karl's buddy Dave from Florida. That leaves the Blanik, which suffers from lack of pilots so far this season.
The weather was strange. It wasn't blue, but it might as well have been. High bands of stratus and a few altocu didn't help at all. Thermals were sparse and difficult to center, but with patience, they could be worked up to 6000 feet. The wind was southeasterly, which was disorienting.
All flights were local. Kari probably had the longest flight, with Evan and Peter not far behind. Dennis had a short one, and Rick couldn't even stay up. David flew the 2-33 twice and is back on track to get his license early this year.
Sunday
The day dawned clear, but a thin overcast moved in just before launch time and hung around for the rest of the day. From the appearance of the sky, you wouldn't have thought there was any lift at all.
But this is May. The airmass is so good that it doesn't take all that much sunshine to get things going. Tim (BU), Peter (505), and Greg (JD) all had local flights. Peter's total time in the 1-26 this season is 5 hours already. He got to 4800 feet and was the last to land.
Monday
Nobody flew. But before you deny that this was a 4-day weekend, thank Tim for standing by to be the towpilot all day Monday. The overcast was solid, and the slackers gave up early, as they always do.
There are 12 trailers on the field now (including HK, which just arrived from Florida).
COVID update II
In accordance with the latest Vermont COVID guidelines, we have decided to allow some limited (very limited) instructional flights. We will be doing Flight Reviews and annual check flights for pilots who request them. There are new cockpit sanitization procedures, and, of course the decision to go dual rests with both pilots equally.
Our operational rules have been amended to reflect this change:
Other dual flights such as student instruction, rides, etc., are still not allowed. But we are hopeful.
Please read the amended document, and if you have not already done so, email a copy of the signed last page to the club Secretary (or bring it to the field).
Monday, May 18, 2020
Weekend report May 16 - 17
The season got off to a modest start with three local flights by club members at Springfield.
Evan (T8) reported that it wasn't as good as forecast, but he got to 5500 feet in thermals and wave. Tim (BU) and Dennis (DC) also had shakedown flights.
Our towplane is still hors de combat; Andy has stopped making predictions when it will be back.
Evan (T8) reported that it wasn't as good as forecast, but he got to 5500 feet in thermals and wave. Tim (BU) and Dennis (DC) also had shakedown flights.
Our towplane is still hors de combat; Andy has stopped making predictions when it will be back.
Friday, May 15, 2020
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Online success
We conducted our first online spring checkout last night. David and Peter patiently tolerated Rick's first Zoom meeting as host. All we need now is a plan to assemble gliders without getting too close to each other.
Zoom works. We are planning to do more of this.
Zoom works. We are planning to do more of this.
Thursday, May 7, 2020
COVID update I
We will fly this year!
PMSC Operational Rules During COVID-19
All members have received these rules by email, and we have all been asked to sign a statement that we have read them. Wait, make that "required," not "asked." This is serious.
These rules are sensible, conservative, and we hope, temporary. They are in accordance with the Vermont state guidelines and the Governor's latest Executive Order.
The synopsis is that we will start with solo flying only. The spring checkrides will be skipped, but not the ground school talks that go with them. Please talk with an instructor before flying, choose a day with benign weather, and stay local at first.
We will also try to keep the "gatherings" small. No rides (even for family members), no new members, no encouragement of spectators. No cookouts, phooey.
Obviously, we will monitor the situation closely, and we will relax the rules as soon as it makes sense to do so.
The BOD has worked hard to come up with this plan to get some gliders into the air at the earliest possible time. They deserve our thanks and cooperation.
Annual Meeting
The first official event of the 2020 season was the Annual General Meeting, which took place last night on the screens of 22 digital devices.
We heard the startup plan for the season, which will involve solo flying only, at least for now. Greg presented the new, non-negotiable, COVID procedures.
There won't be any dual checkrides, and everyone is encouraged to talk with an instructor before the first flight. The towplane isn't quite ready, but it should be back in the air soon. Flying days will be arranged individually, like Slacker days.
We spent some time talking about how there's really no good solution for getting a retrieve. The major takeaway is that we are all responsible for our own retrieves, and that the normal pressure we put on club members to volunteer to be a crew has been removed.
Tim presented the Treasurer's report, which led to a discussion about how to pay for the painting of the towplane, scheduled for the end of the season.
Our July 4th encampment at Franconia is cancelled, with an unlikely chance that it may be revived at the last minute. No commitment one way or the other on Gorham.
It was really good news to hear that all of the current members of the Board of Directors were willing to serve in their positions for another year, and all were re-elected by acclamation. Thanks Greg, Mark, Tim, and Eric!
Thanks also to Eric for being the ZoomMaster. We should meet like this more often.
We heard the startup plan for the season, which will involve solo flying only, at least for now. Greg presented the new, non-negotiable, COVID procedures.
There won't be any dual checkrides, and everyone is encouraged to talk with an instructor before the first flight. The towplane isn't quite ready, but it should be back in the air soon. Flying days will be arranged individually, like Slacker days.
We spent some time talking about how there's really no good solution for getting a retrieve. The major takeaway is that we are all responsible for our own retrieves, and that the normal pressure we put on club members to volunteer to be a crew has been removed.
Tim presented the Treasurer's report, which led to a discussion about how to pay for the painting of the towplane, scheduled for the end of the season.
Our July 4th encampment at Franconia is cancelled, with an unlikely chance that it may be revived at the last minute. No commitment one way or the other on Gorham.
It was really good news to hear that all of the current members of the Board of Directors were willing to serve in their positions for another year, and all were re-elected by acclamation. Thanks Greg, Mark, Tim, and Eric!
Thanks also to Eric for being the ZoomMaster. We should meet like this more often.
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