We are currently having the Region 9 competitions at Turf and I'll write up some stuff on it. Today was the first contest day, and I flew in sports class (POST and I did over 300 miles; I think I might have won...).
More to come in the next couple of days.
-Arnd.
I've been soaring at the 15-meter nationals in Mifflin PA over the last couple of weeks.. Locals Bob Salvo, Phil Gaisford, and Mike Newman also attended.
I got one day of practice in at Keystone (Ridge Soaring) before the nationals - a nice 4 hour flight, toured the Nittany valley, did some aerobatics. Then the weather turned bad. Worked installing an SN10 for a customer, did a quick test-hop in his LS-8 (good thing, static lines were plugged with water). Headed over to Mifflin, where the weather improved for the 2 official practice days. Took Karl Striedeck's ridge tour down to Cumberland and back up to Ridge Soaring, which was a nice refresher and a chance to check out the fields along this route. Second practice day I did a solo run at higher speed (282 miles at 81 mph). Good to get back in practice, as I hadn't flown but once since the nationals at Hobbs last year !
Day 1 had us under strong thermals for a while, then under a shelf of heavy cirrus. Slowed down before poking under the cirrus, but should have slowed down more. Exited the cirrus area low and slow, finally got back up and had an OK day. A bunch of landouts day 1. 188 miles at 62 mph, winner did 68.
Day 2 ran us up to Lockhaven, down to Blair, then to Beaver Springs and return. Day started looking great, wind from south so no ridge except maybe the back side in some segments. Tight gnarly thermals and I dropped half the water after the first leg. Some guys dropped down to try the backside of Bald Eagle ridge, but I stayed up in the thermals. Thermals got horribly weak during the second leg, and I watched a few gliders land. Tip-toed in and out of Blair, then hung on in weak lift to drift over Mifflin. Back side of the ridge to Beaver Springs was working, but you need some height to get off the ridge to the turnpoint and back, which took me a couple of tries. Terribly slow run at 50mph over 200 miles, winner did 67, and half the field landed out.
Rain started and continued for 6 days ! That was discouraging to put it mildly. At least I got some work done on the SN10 manual.
Day 3 was a miracle considering the forecast. PST with mandatory first turn. I watched gliders land all through the first leg, and turned upwind to stay away from the over-development and rain. Very weak ridge fooled some pilots into early landouts. When I got back to Mifflin, I saw gliders running the ridge, and got greedy: I decided to tack on a quick ridge-run down to Mill Creek, and promptly fell off the ridge and landed. That was a 300+ point blunder ! 1/3 the fleet landed out day 3. And boy did I get the glider, crew, and myself muddy !
Day 4 was a fabulous ridge day. They ran on the ridges down to Cumberland and back up to Ridge Soaring, than cross-wind and cross-street to the turnpike tunnels and up to Mifflintown. Bozo here dialed in Mifflin instead of Mifflintown, and ended up having to climb back up and fly an extra 20 miles after realizing my blunder. 100+ point error (that knocked my speed down to 70 mph from around 80). Winner did 86 mph over this 294 mile task.
Glorious way to end the contest on such a truly great soaring day. Finished #21 in spite of my lack of practice and blunders.. Then, back to Ridge Soaring to get the LS-6b cleaned up, annualled, waxed, and delivered to its new owner. My new Ventus II CM 15/18 is arriving in fall, and I hope to fly it at Sterling!
Dave Nadler