We may not be flying (much) this time of year, but at least we can look forward to some social events.
We can expect the 2012 Breakfast Schedule any day now. I'll look for a copy posted at the local library. Our annual meeting will probably occur in early February, as usual.
The NESA party will be January 21 in Springfield.
There will be a combined birthday/Mardi Gras party in February, at an undisclosed location in Post Mills. Details to follow.
Rumor has it that one of our more handsome members is featured in the 2012 SSA Calendar. I'd like to get one, but I can't afford the postage. If anyone can think of an economical way to get a hold of a calendar or two, let me know.
Happy 2012!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Wright Brothers Day 2011
108 years after Orville and Wilbur ruined their best glider by putting an engine on it, a few hardy PMSC members celebrated by going flying. Andy, Rich, Rick, and Tim took off from Post Mills in various airplanes and headed for Springfield where the hardiest of all NESA members, Walter Striedieck, was preparing a gliding operation.
We flew the PW-6 (I1) four times, and Tim found a nice 2-knot December thermal that gives us the right to claim that soaring is a year-round sport in Vermont.
Meanwhile, Tony (7H) had almost as much fun on a 159km jaunt down in Florida. He must be practicing for his Diamond Distance flight later this Spring.
We flew the PW-6 (I1) four times, and Tim found a nice 2-knot December thermal that gives us the right to claim that soaring is a year-round sport in Vermont.
Meanwhile, Tony (7H) had almost as much fun on a 159km jaunt down in Florida. He must be practicing for his Diamond Distance flight later this Spring.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Near miss
At 1:50 in the video. You never know what you will find up there.
[Thanks a lot, Gregg. You can give the next club safety briefing. -Ed.]
[Thanks a lot, Gregg. You can give the next club safety briefing. -Ed.]
Monday, November 28, 2011
Friday, November 25, 2011
Ski season started today
Congratulations to Tim and Andy for getting into the air on skis today. Rick and Rich are in a tight race for last place again, what else is new?
Come join us this winter. It's an easy and fun way to stay in practice between soaring seasons.
Come join us this winter. It's an easy and fun way to stay in practice between soaring seasons.
Hemisphere shift
South of the equator, it's Spring, and once again, our friend Roy B is on his annual African Safari. He will be reporting his flying adventures at Bloemfontein for the next week or so using an unsophisticated blog-like thing called Google Docs.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Club Statistics for 2011
We had a slow year compared to last year...
Super Blanik L-23: 5 flts 8:30 hrs (Average 1:42 hrs/flt)
SGS 1-23: 39 flts 36:53 hrs (Average 0:57 hrs/flt)
HPH 304: 48 flts 86:31 hrs (Average 1:48 hrs/flt)
All club gliders: 154 flts 192:19 hrs (Average 1:15 hrs/flt)
For Comparison 2010 totals were:
All club gliders: 419 flts 309:00 hrs (Average 0:44 hrs/flt)Towplane Usage:
Tows to Club Members (includes encampments): 233 (including 26 tows by Stowe and NESA)
Tows by our Birddog: 234 (including 24 to non-members)
Altitude Towed by our Birddog: 654,300' (124 miles)
Busiest Tow Pilot: Andy L. - 127 tows
Most Tows Given in a Day: 13 (on 10/8/11)
Most Tows by a Pilot in a Day: Andy L - 13 (on 10/8/11)
Instruction:
Formal Dual Instructional Flights - 24
Formal Dual Instructional Flight Time - 17:14 hrs
Busiest Instructor: Rick - 24 flights
Number of First Solo: 1
Number of New Pilot Certificates: 0
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Double retrieve
Trailer retrieves are usually pretty easy. Sometimes, when two gliders land in the same field, a double retrieve is necessary. This is somewhat harder, but not usually a big deal. It gets really interesting when nobody in the crew is familiar with disassembling the two aircraft.
At the end of Wave Camp this year, we were faced with trailering home PI (our borrowed Blanik L-23) and our towplane, having put neither one on a trailer before. It was a 2-day ordeal.
On Friday, Mike and Andy put our Blanik trailer back on the road, which involved building wing stands in order to liberate the trailer saddles, and the usual struggle to get the trailer lights working.
The next day, a hardy band of volunteers (Andy, Andy, Bob, Christopher, George, Karl, Tim, Sonny, Walter) traveled back to Gorham and pounced on the L-19. After a couple hours of work, the fuselage and wings were lashed onto trailers provided by Bob and Karl (thanks, guys).
The team then moved on to the L-23 which went onto our old trailer without too much fuss, once they figured out how to remove the horizontal stabilizer.
By 2pm, the convoy was on the road for Post Mills, with the Blanik in the lead, followed by the L-19 fuselage, the L-19 wings, and Andy bringing up the rear in his rolling toolbox.
Back home, they unloaded the wings so Karl could take his trailer home. In all, the double retrieve required 35 man-hours of work, and it isn't over yet. Winter is coming and we still have to move all the bits and pieces of our fleet into their final storage and work spaces. Don't forget to volunteer, especially if you weren't part of the fun last weekend.
At the end of Wave Camp this year, we were faced with trailering home PI (our borrowed Blanik L-23) and our towplane, having put neither one on a trailer before. It was a 2-day ordeal.
On Friday, Mike and Andy put our Blanik trailer back on the road, which involved building wing stands in order to liberate the trailer saddles, and the usual struggle to get the trailer lights working.
The next day, a hardy band of volunteers (Andy, Andy, Bob, Christopher, George, Karl, Tim, Sonny, Walter) traveled back to Gorham and pounced on the L-19. After a couple hours of work, the fuselage and wings were lashed onto trailers provided by Bob and Karl (thanks, guys).
The team then moved on to the L-23 which went onto our old trailer without too much fuss, once they figured out how to remove the horizontal stabilizer.
By 2pm, the convoy was on the road for Post Mills, with the Blanik in the lead, followed by the L-19 fuselage, the L-19 wings, and Andy bringing up the rear in his rolling toolbox.
Back home, they unloaded the wings so Karl could take his trailer home. In all, the double retrieve required 35 man-hours of work, and it isn't over yet. Winter is coming and we still have to move all the bits and pieces of our fleet into their final storage and work spaces. Don't forget to volunteer, especially if you weren't part of the fun last weekend.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Wave Camp
Great wave camp. There were wave flights on all weekend and holiday days (5). My three flights went to 12K, 26K and 18K msl. How did everyone else do?
Tim
Thursday, October 6, 2011
T8's Wx Links for Mt Washington
I put all of these in a folder on my toolbar called "Mt Wash WX". Then all I need to do to get all the weather I need is click on the folder and select "Open All in Tabs".
There: I just saved you about three minutes a session and at least one case of carpal tunnel syndrome at the margin.
To use these, create a new bookmarks folder, then select the following list of bookmarks (as text) and copy into your new folder.
http://www.drjack.info/BLIP/ETA/NE/FCST/wfpm.curr.18z.png
http://www.drjack.info/BLIP/ETA/NE/FCST/blwindkt_blwinddeg.curr.18z.png
http://www.drjack.info/BLIP/ETA/NE/FCST/hft.curr.18z.png
http://www.drjack.info/BLIP/ETA/NE/FCST/sfcsunwm2.curr.18z.png
http://www.mountwashington.org/weather/cam/ravines/index.php
http://weather.yahoo.com/united-states/new-hampshire/gorham-2412336/
http://aviationweather.gov/adds/satellite/displaySat.php?region=ALB&isingle=multiple&itype=vis
http://aviationweather.gov/adds/progs/
http://aviationweather.gov/adds/winds/
http://www-frd.fsl.noaa.gov/mab/soundings/java/plot_soundings.cgi?airport=bml&start=latest&n_hrs=16&data_source=MAPS
I don't have an opinion on which sounding model is "best", let alone for what reasons. In addition to forecasting possible wave, it's useful to get some idea of temps aloft and forecast possibility of extensive clouds (alt., depth, timing). Maybe someone can chime in here if they have researched this.
Additional useful links solicited.
-T8
There: I just saved you about three minutes a session and at least one case of carpal tunnel syndrome at the margin.
To use these, create a new bookmarks folder, then select the following list of bookmarks (as text) and copy into your new folder.
http://www.drjack.info/BLIP/ETA/NE/FCST/wfpm.curr.18z.png
http://www.drjack.info/BLIP/ETA/NE/FCST/blwindkt_blwinddeg.curr.18z.png
http://www.drjack.info/BLIP/ETA/NE/FCST/hft.curr.18z.png
http://www.drjack.info/BLIP/ETA/NE/FCST/sfcsunwm2.curr.18z.png
http://www.mountwashington.org/weather/cam/ravines/index.php
http://weather.yahoo.com/united-states/new-hampshire/gorham-2412336/
http://aviationweather.gov/adds/satellite/displaySat.php?region=ALB&isingle=multiple&itype=vis
http://aviationweather.gov/adds/progs/
http://aviationweather.gov/adds/winds/
http://www-frd.fsl.noaa.gov/mab/soundings/java/plot_soundings.cgi?airport=bml&start=latest&n_hrs=16&data_source=MAPS
I don't have an opinion on which sounding model is "best", let alone for what reasons. In addition to forecasting possible wave, it's useful to get some idea of temps aloft and forecast possibility of extensive clouds (alt., depth, timing). Maybe someone can chime in here if they have researched this.
Additional useful links solicited.
-T8
Monday, October 3, 2011
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