The Guantlet

Unwelcome weather forecasts that included high winds, scattered T-Storms, and high cirrus clouds moving back in (block the sun from heating the ground), along with many pilots not being around for Mother's Day, kept me from wanting to invest my day in any of our New England flying sites except one - Hang-Glide New England (which is a little over an hour from my house).  If it didn't work out, it was easy to recover the rest of the day for other activities.

Kip and Matt setting up.

I need towing practice on my new wing for the comps this summer and the conditions were predicted to be a little rowdy on the runway so I thought it would be good practice.  My friend Kip was coming down from Maine to fly, and my friend Allen wanted to go along to get some much needed aviation exposure after a week in Florida having a series of extensive root canals...for fun.

Worcester

Allen and I met up in Leominster at 11:30am and headed south to Tanner-Hiller Airport sharing stories and catching up.  We met up with Kip at the local sandwich shop and arrived at the airport to be greeted by the friendly airport manager (Bob), who was excited to see us return again this weekend.  Kip and I unloaded gliders with Allen's help and we started to set up for Rhett's 2pm arrival.

Mount Wachusett

As we setup the gliders, some heavy thermals started lighting off as the afternoon heating started to really kick in.  I was conscientious of the wind conditions and a little hesitant that I wanted to be launching in such.  The only thing that convinced me to keep setting up, was the large lulls in the wind that would take place for 10 or 15 minutes in between.

Clouds were starting to form everywhere and the sky was opening up to allow the beams of sun rays to roast the ground.  The airfield was HOT and definitely did not feel like May in New England.  After finishing my pre-flight, Matt Carr and Tom Lanning pulled in.  Tom quickly started rigging his glider as I prepped for launch.  I looked at Tom at one point, and looked at the fleece pullover in my hand, and asked - "Think I need this?"  Tom's classic answer was - "if you don't, it will be because you'll be back on the ground with the rest of us."  I decided to wear it and was glad I did!

Louie (tandem pilot/instructor) helped me get set in the cart and Rhett came over to go through our pre-flight checks on the cart.  We finished up and Rhett fired up the plane and tightened up the tow rope to prepare for take-off.  3/4 up the runway I saw a bird circling about 50 feet up and climbing, I was concerned the next thermal was coming through so we waited a couple minutes to see what he did.  I did NOT want to be taking off in some of the thermals I had seen come through.

Quabbin Reservoir from Wachusetts

As I surveyed the field and the trees, I didn't see anything lighting off that would cause me to get rocked everywhere on the initial climb out down the runway.  I gave the go command and Rhett cranked up the engine and we rolled down the strip.  Everything was going smooth until we flew over the trees to the southwest end of the runway...that was why the airfield was calm.  There was a thermal kicking off over there and things got a bit rowdy for a few minutes.  I stayed on the bar and tried to relax.

Merrimack River and Nashua Airport in the distance

After 1500' Rhett circled in the lift and we started to really climb.  After one full circle I pulled my release and disconnected from the tow plane.  I turned into the thermal and started to try and center on it.  I cranked it up and found the thermal core, immediately ascending at a rapid pace - 800 feet per minute. 

At 6000' as I worked my way toward cloudbase, I noticed Rhett was back down but no one was coming out to launch.  I called Allen on the radio and said - "Hey Allen, tell everyone the lift sucks and they should just stay on the ground."  He passed the message along laughing heartily as Rhett added to the sarcasm and told everyone that it wasn't soarable yet. 

Steck Farm Airport

I hit base at 7700' and was already heading downwind from the airfield.  I didn't want to get too far ahead of Kip and Tom so I shot upwind to the next cloud and hovered under there waiting.

Tom was next up.  He pinned off in a climb and started to ascend toward me.  I noticed him struggling and couldn't figure out why but tried to offer help to better lift.  Little did I know that he was in the midst of dealing with a harness malfunction and trying not to turn his hang-gliding adventure into a skydiving disaster. Tom's blog post: http://skyout.blogspot.com/2012/05/slipping-out.html?spref=fb

I continued to cruise around watching for Kip to get in the air and waiting for Tom, I was drifting downwind again, and my cloud started to fizzle out.  Tom was still having problems that I didn't comprehend, and there was no sign of Kip.  The day was calling and all these beautiful clouds lay there in the sky waiting like cotton candy.  I had to go.

I turned and headed downwind toward the next cloud over some rather 'forested' terrain.  I knew I had Gardner airport on glide if the next cloud didn't work out so I continued on.  As I came in under the next piece of candy, I immediately found a climb and started to regain my altitude.  I went to base, which was now 8300' and rode the cloud over Mt. Wachusset heading toward Fitchburg.  Right over Wachusett, a white sailplane with black tips passed under me by 2000' and headed off to the East. 

Shortly after that I noticed the cloud growing overhead and tried to get out from under it.  As I shot for the blue sky, the cloud grew in front of me as I started to get sucked up and in.  A few moments later I popped out the side of the cloud to an amazing view.  I looked up, and there was another layer of the cummie growing 300' over my head.  I turned the glider climbing up next to the cloud.  AMAZING!!! 

After that, I rode around the perimeter of the cloud to position myself for a glide toward Fitchburg Airport; I didn't want to pass under the cloud as the cummies were starting to tower.  The last thing I wanted was to get sucked up inside and pop out at 12 to 14,000 ft. 

Paul and Linda Steck

As I moved to position, I took note of the obvious lack of LZ's to put down in; Leominster/Fitchburg is nothing but a large sprawl of concrete, asphalt, and buildings, in the midst of a sea of trees.  Fields are non-existent or too small to land in.  At least that's how it looked from 8000'. 

I knew I could make Fitchburg Airport and started to head for a cloud over Leominster which was slightly away from the airport but still easy reach, and on my course line.  As I raced forward, the cloud behind me kept growing and growing, the shadow followed me across the earth below as if I were being chased by a giant leviathan in the sky.

Steck Farm Airport

I hit the next cloud and sure enough there was another climb.  I went back to base and looked down on Allen's car that we had left earlier in the day in Leominster.  With the lack of landing fields available, and still having tons of altitude, I headed back on course to Devens (Moore Army Airfield) where I took my first flight physical before entering the Army.

As I flew over Devens I found another climb in the blue.  I climbed for a bit as I surveyed possible landing fields in Ayer, Groton, Shirley, and then I looked down on my apartment.  I flew off course to a cloud that was nearby and positioned myself for the next climb even though I didn't need it.  I thought about landing in a bunch of places around here to make an easy retrieve; Allen last heard me say I was approaching Fitchburg Airport before we lost comms, I was on my own.

As I soared around Groton, I pulled up Tom's house on my waypoints...5 miles away.  I eyed Littleton looking for places to land.  From 7 to 8000' and 5 miles out, I didn't see too many that I liked but I remembered driving by fields day after day that I thought were big enough to land in.  I went for it. 

Clouds still winding down

As I came into Littleton I then thought of landing at Kimball's Farm in Westford where I could get an ice cream while I waited for my ride.  I was in another climb though, practically over Tom's house, and still getting 7000' and climbing.  I rode the thermal into Westford and right over Forge Pond.  I was looking for LZ's but having trouble finding any downwind if I wanted to keep going.  I looked at Lowell and Chelmsford and saw NOTHING!!!  I looked toward Nashua and again, saw nothing.  I then spotted a field 17 miles out that was in Pelham, NH - Steck Farm, I had my goal.  There was a large opening in Dunstable that I could land in if things didn't work out so I went for it.

As I approached Tyngsboro on glide, I wasn't losing any altitude to speak of.  I was following a good line and still climbing most of the time.  I snagged another thermal and circled in that as I drifted downwind over Route 3.  I looked down and noticed the backup field I had chosen in Dunstable was actually a landfill...that wouldn't have been good.  I didn't even come close to needing it.  I went on glide toward Steck Farm Airport in Pelham, NH and arrived with 6200' altitude and in the midst of another climb. 

As I surveyed the land further downwind, I was eyeing the coast and the Atlantic Ocean.  I saw it within my grasp, less than 30 miles away, but I didn't see much in the way of places to land on the way there.  I decided to give up the idea of going further as it was now 6pm and even though there was lift everywhere, the clouds were getting fewer and starting to fall apart.

Nate and Paul coming in for a landing

I boated around trying to get down but couldn't, everything was lighting off.  I'd find sink and fly through it, try to turn in it and the damn glider would go up; she wants to FLY!!!! :-)   I knew Jon Szarek lived near here and hoped he was around to see that I landed in his neighborhood and accomplished the flight he said HE wanted to do from Tanner-Hiller Airport a few days before. 

I set up my approach and enjoyed the sunset as I slowly descended to the earth.  As I approached 700' off the deck, I spied two shortwave radio towers in the trees east of the runway, and right in my approach pattern.  I decided to extend my glide out and around them and completed my downwind leg.  I turned on base and saw I was cutting it close over the tree tops.  I turned on final and came over the trees by about 10' and found that the beginning of the runway was actually a fairly steep downhill...Uh Oh!! 

I now thought I was going to take up the entire runway and hit the other downhill portion.  I popped out of the harness to create more drag and went from the prone position to upright.  I pulled the base bar in and flew fast into ground effect.  The air in the field was smooth as glass and blowing 5mph down the runway.  I smelled hay and flowers as I slipped through the air wisping toward the ground.  I transitioned to the uprights, let the glider go to trim, waited for the flare window, BAM!  Nailed it.  Best landing yet in the Combat - no stepper! 

I walked the glider off the grass runway as the owners noticed I was there and came out to greet me.  Paul and Linda Steck (brother and sister) that both own planes and fly, and their father John who was riding his vintage Harley Davidson three wheel golf cart.  They were extremely pleasant and full of questions.  We chatted for a while till their friend showed up to take Paul and himself up for a sunset flight.

I continued to pack up and wait for my ride.  I called Jon to let him know I was in his town, he thought I was at home on Google Earth looking up fields and pulling his leg.  He and his wife Toni and daughter Sienna showed up 30 minutes later to say hello on their way back from Mother's Day festivities and give their congratulations.  Thanks!  

Jon's daughter Sienna is quite the up and coming photographer...at 4 years old!

Allen, Tom, and Kip showed up after picking up Kip from Dunstable for his 38 mile flight.  Allen was our gracious driver for the day (THANKS!!!) but Tom was excited about how things turned out and decided to tag along too.  We loaded my glider and headed off to dinner in Nashua and shared stories as I soaked in the glorious day.  After dinner I drove Allen back to Leominster to pick up his car, then proceeded back to Tanner-Hiller Airport in New Braintree to get Kip back to his truck.

I finally made it to bed by 3:36am.  GREAT DAY!!!

Total Airtime:  3hrs and 15min.
Total Distance:  55.4 miles.  47miles dead reckoning.
Max Altitude:  8300'

The lowest I got the entire flight was 4100'.  It was a get high and stay high day where every cloud was working.

Tracklog Image courtesy of Tom Lanning