Locked in Combat - Day 6 of East Coast Championships

I was orbiting at 5300' in the start circle under the big BLUE sky, floating in and out of the top of a thermal without a cloud in sight.  I was closely watching all the gliders struggling below; some landing back at the airport, one in a field under me a mile or two from base, and many more scratching and clawing for any lift they could find.

It was now day 6 of the East Coast Championships at Highland Aerosports in Ridgely, MD.  Blue skies were predicted for the day along significant wind speeds.  I was doing better as the week progressed, but I had still only made goal 1 time.  In the grand scheme of things I was doing well for my first Open Class comp, but I wanted to do better.

Twenty-Five minutes prior, I was in the line-up waiting for my turn to launch.  Bruce and Steve pushed me out onto the runway after going through the safety checks, I thanked them for their help and Bruce hooked me up to the tow plane being piloted by Zach.  I gave the go sign and the tug roared to life.  As I sped down the runway my glider became airborne and I eased the base bar out of the cart and rose into the air.  

The tow was smooth and a good speed, some minor turbulence but relaxing compared to some of the other days that week.  We turned 90' to the runway and hit some turbulence coming out.  Still, nothing substantial.  I already had grim hopes for the day after seeing the forecast, a smooth tow was not a good sign.

We continued on and soon hit some bumps in the air.  I was looking around the sky as we were towing, noticing all the pilots that were airborne, stuck in the same place at the same relatively low altitude, and not climbing fast (if at all).  Another bad sign.

As we were heading downwind of the runway Zach flew through something that I knew was good.  NOTE: I can't see my instruments when I'm towing, so all I have is the audio to go by which is tough because the plane is towing you up, and the audio on the variometer is saying you are climbing all the time anyway.  Zach and I don't recall what altitude we were at when he waved me off, but we certainly weren't close to the 2500' that the tug pilots normally release us at.

He gave the signal and I pulled my release.  I turned into the lift and began sniffing for a climb.  I was getting 20fpm to 50 fpm up, but nothing substantial.  Then, I felt the surge that is usually followed by the nice core of a thermal waiting on the other side.  Sure enough, I hit the wall of ascending air and cranked the glider up on the tip, not daring to turn too flat - a mistake I made the first day this week in similar conditions.  I was climbing over 800fpm and rocketing away from the earth.

Within seconds I was at the same altitude as the hovering pilots I had seen moments before.  I passed them with the blink of an eye as I raced skyward three more turns.  Then I saw them darting toward me in hopes to join in the fun.  It would not be.  They came in under me searching, scouring, all in vain, but could not link up with it.  Paris later told me he had found that "small ratty thing" below, but couldn't bank up inside with all the other gliders around.  I had hoped everyone would connect with it, but part of me was grinning in satisfaction to be at the top of the stack.

I climbed out to 4500' and then the climbs slowed to 50fpm.  I kept drifting with it and worked it up to 5300' where it topped out.  I then sat in orbit watching the start circle show.  Some clouds began to appear and then disappear, but this was a good sign since even short lived clouds would help mark the thermals on course.  I saw a cloud 4 miles out but kept my position to be safe while I edged closer to the start circle border.

Roughly 10 minutes had gone by and I noticed a gaggle eastward, at my altitude, nearing the border of the start circle!  A group to fly with!  This was a good thing.  Unfortunately they were 4 miles away approaching that cloud I had seen earlier.  I cranked the VG and the CG and went gliding off to join them.  I came in under them by 500 feet and started searching for the thermal core so I could climb quickly to meet them.

As I approached the gaggle (Paris Williams, Mitch Shipley, Greg Dinauer, John Simon, and Rich Cizauskus), they all left and headed back toward the runway.  What!?!?  Where was everyone going?  I looked at my instruments and saw that I was now 'outside' the start circle, and the next clock was about to go off.  I could go back with everyone else and tag the next start clock, or I could get to cloudbase and just go.  I made the decision to ignore the clocks (as I had been all week) and to keep my position and use it to get a good jump.  My goal was to stay with the lead pack again today.

Earlier in the week, I had become separated from the pack, and spent the rest of the flight on my own trying to complete a 50 mile triangle.  I made goal, but it took me almost 5 hours to do it.  Everyone else was there in 2 to 3 hours.  I knew if I went back to get the clock, I'd be behind everyone trying to catch up.  I came here to fly with the big boys so I could learn and that was what I was going to do, clock or no clock.

I stayed where I was and finished my ascent.  I pulled on the cords and went on glide to a nice cloud to the east leading out.   Three quarters of the way there I looked over my shoulder and saw Paris in pursuit.  I sped up and as I neared the cloud, I noticed a large Osprey circling in a thermal.  I quickly joined him and used him to center on the most excellent core that awaited us.  As I took a full turn, I noticed another Osprey, the two of them started screaming at me...stingy birds.

Paris came in under me and the two of us cranked up our Combats and screamed upward at 800fpm +.  I watched Paris as he was 25 feet below me, locked in tight, as we whirred and spun round one another in an amazing sight.  We got to base...errrr....I should say, I got to base (6200ft.), and Paris had already left.  I quickly chased after him and started what was to be an exciting journey down the first leg of our course.  I had NEVER flown as fast as we were flying.  I was amazed at how far I was pulled in, and how tired my arms were getting after a few long glides like this.  We were flying speeds up to 57mph at times, never getting below 4000'.

As we approached the first turnpoint jumping from cloud to cloud, Paris skipped a climb and shot for the turnpoint.  Mitch shot past me chasing after Paris.  I stopped for the climb and to tank up, unsure of what lied ahead.  As I took a few turns, Rich, Greg, and John all passed over my head, I continued to work on my own. 

Mitch got low at the turnpoint and I ended up racing with he and Greg for the first 1/3 of the 2nd leg.  The same thing ended up happening again, I stopped for a climb that no one else wanted, and was again on my own.  I remained as such for the rest of the flight.

I carried on working toward the second turnpoint, and ended up getting low (for the day).  There were no clouds here and I was out in the blue and on my own.  I scraped around looking for climbs down around 2000' and under where things were a lot tougher.  I worked and worked and finally found a decent enough climb 2 miles from the turnpoint.  I was drifting away from it (still with no idea where it was since it was only a GPS point in the middle of a road somewhere) but scraped together enough altitude to get there.

I arrived at the turnpoint and found a thermal waiting for me there.  Nothing special but a climb was a climb in my situation.  I gained enough altitude to see that I had goal by 300ft.  I wasn't comfortable with 'going for it' on those tight margins, and really wanted one more climb to get me an 1100ft. window.  I flew toward a cloud line that was setup all the way to the southeast coast, but I found my climb in the blue before getting there.  I turned and turned and quickly gained enough altitude to have goal by 1600ft.

I cranked on the cords and went on glide toward goal...which was somewhere out there, but I had no idea where or what I was looking for.  Normally I look up these things on google earth before the flight, but with the Landing Clinics in the mornings, making breakfast/lunch, setup, pilots meeting, etc., I had little time for that.  No matter, I'd find it.  I didn't fly fast, only 33mph (best glide) in case I needed altitude to find goal once I got closer.

As I flew the courseline, I hit climb, after climb, after climb...I started speeding up.  I pulled in, and started flying 43mph and was still climbing at 400fpm.  I was unknowingly in another convergence.  I was within 2 miles of goal and still couldn't see it, it was supposed to be a small airfield. Where was it?!?!  I was now within 1 mile, still no luck.  I swore the other pilots would have made goal.  Did I pass over their heads on the ground?  Did they hit goal and fly to the beach in Ocean City?  BEEEEEEP!!!!  My vario made that beautiful sound it makes when you arrive at goal.

I smiled, still a bit confused.  I looked everywhere for gliders on the ground and found nothing.  I then looked straight down and what did I see?  4 gliders parked next to one another next to a grass strip.  HA!  I looked at my altimeter - 3300'.  OOPS!!  Damn, I did it again - arrived a goal with way too much altitude.  Better than the opposite I suppose.

I burned off my altitude and landed with a perfect no stepper on the runway.  Rich, who had been helping me in the landing clinics, was full of cheer.  Everyone was happy to see me and quite welcoming, offering up much congratulations.  I was the 5th pilot in goal.  Mitch got held up down low near the second turn point and landed a short while later.  I was feeling pretty special until a total of 9 gliders ended up in goal for the day.  Ah well, I made it, and I got to race with the big boys.  FUN STUFF!!!

I set a new personal distance record, and my driver was waiting for me when I landed.  Thanks Cindy!!! Oh, and that start clock business...that cost me 4th place for the day and put me in 6th instead.

Highlights of the day:  Orbiting alone at the top of the stack in the start circle.  Racing on the first leg under amazing clouds with strong lift.  FAST!!!  Thermaling with 2 Ospreys and Paris Williams (National Champion).  Racing with Paris, Greg, and Mitch.  Making Goal! 

Course:  Ridgely to Georgetown to RD 49 to BUNTI.  Double Dog Leg.

Flight Time:  3hrs 3min
Distance: 64 miles
Max Alt. - 7300'

NOTE:  I was very busy on this flight and did not have time to take pictures.  I should have taken some while burning off altitude at goal but I completely spaced it in my excitement. 

Grinding the Triangle - Day 4 of the East Coast Championships

Day 4 of the East Coast Championships and I was on tow behind the Dragon Fly Tug climbing up under the cloud filled sky.  Gliders were climbing in the start circle, and some were orbiting at cloudbase.   At 1600 feet, I pinned off early thinking I was in a good climb, wrong.  I was kicking myself for getting off and sinking out instead of staying on tow to 2500' and getting in under the other gliders that were in a much better position than I.

The day's task was a 50 mile Triangle task, I had never done a triangle, and my longest flight to date was 55 miles.  This was going to be a challenge.

I scanned around looking for the lift, only finding scraps here and there.  As I searched in vain, I thought to myself - 'this is one way to kill time till the start clock goes off and the race starts'.  Around 700' I connected with a weak climb over the farm fields across the street from the runway.  I stuck with it, not wanting to land and relight.  As I circled and circled, hanging and waiting, the thermal started to slowly grow.

It took forever to get back to where I pinned off tow, but when I did, things turned on.  I snagged the strong core and hooked in.  I spun up on the wingtip and climbed fast.  As I peered out from beneath my wing, I saw a bunch of gliders rushing over to come in on top of me and share in the prize.  We climbed out and hit cloudbase, racing to the next cloud to join the lead gaggle.  Phew!

Allen doing some practice tows.

As I came in under the leaders of the pack, they left and headed to the next cloud.  The race was on.  I joined in the pursuit.  I was flying Best Glide speed (33mph) trying to keep up but everyone was leaving me in the dust.  I came into the climb behind and below everyone as they were circling up and getting ready to leave again.  I took a few turns in very good lift and then chased off after them again.

This went on for the next 3 clouds and I got further behind.  On the next glide, I decided to change course and go for a closer cloud than the lead gaggle.  Arriving under the cloud I found nothing and had to change 90 degrees from course-line to get to the cloud the gaggle was under.  They topped out and left before I was half way there.  Finding only weak climbs, it was taking me forever to get to base.  I watched as pilots were passing me by on course, and the lead gaggle was long gone toward the first turn point.  Currently only half way to the first TP, and in a head wind, I was on my own.

Allen leaving the cart into the sunset.

As I reached an altitude high enough to make another jump, I looked downwind toward the TP, a long glide in the blue to get to the next cloud was what awaited me; I didn't want to get low again.  It was there that I made a decision that may have saved the flight, but took me in the opposite direction from where I needed to go.

Back toward Ridgely I flew, for two miles to get under a big cloud line that was setting up on a course line toward the turn point.  The clouds were getting big here, shadowing out the ground underneath, but they were the best option I had.  I glided in under the clouds and hit some weak climbs taking me backwards from where I had to go, no strong climbs like I had been getting earlier in the flight.

Highland Aerosports Ridgely, MD

The lift was scattered, and I had trouble connecting with the climbs, in retrospect it was likely due to not being aware that the thermals were drifting the opposite direction than I thought.  After all, the first leg was supposed to be downwind today.  Once I reached base, I began running the clouds toward Massey, my first turn point.  Long glides and light climbs, but I was keeping decent altitude on the way there.  Four miles out from Massey, I found a good climb under the clouds that were now filling in, and rising up.

Drifting away from the turn point again, I climbed while watching a news chopper sit on the runway at the turn point, (Massey is an airstrip) at idle.  I was about to make a glide for the turn point, out into the blue, but I didn't know if I would get back up.  Having reached cloud base, but drifting a half mile or so further away, I left on glide.

As I approached Massey, I flew two and a half miles with no climb, or any indication of lift.  Landing at Massey was no longer an option because of that helicopter, so I surveyed the surrounding fields just in case I had to land.  Little did I know at the time, but the news helicopter was there asking about hang-gliders; another pilot had tried to land in a field of tall wheat, and his glider was sucked in and he crashed needing emergency services to the hospital. 

I had now been in the air for what seemed like forever.  I was tired, hungry, thirsty, and had to pee, BAD!  3/4 of a mile from the airfield my vario started chirping - LIFT!  I banked up the glider and hooked into a nice thermal.  Taking two full turns I marked the thermal and took off to tag the turn point.  The GPS squawked as I came in over the field, made it!

Turning back toward the last climb I found, I was staring straight down at another hang-glider on the ground, and a rotor system whirring round and round.   I quickly returned to the thermal I just took two turns in not moments before.  No luck, it was gone.

Looking at the track log from the flight, I now see that I didn't go far enough to account for the drift of the thermal in the opposite direction.  The objective now was to get as close to the second turn point as I could before decking it.  This turn point was 16 miles away.

The face of making goal.

Less than two miles into the glide, I found some scattered bits of lift over some farm fields below.  I scanned around searching for the core and finally snagged it.  A bald eagle joined me from below, and we climbed and climbed higher and higher.  I grinned from ear to ear, as I watched him, and he watched me. 

We gained a thousand feet and he left, continuing on his journey wherever that may have been.  I continued to climb, soaking every bit of lift I could from this thermal, and eventually reaching cloud base once more.  Making the 1st turn point, and watching this majestic bird, erased the hunger and fatigue I had been feeling, but I still had to relieve myself, or else.

The harness I now use, makes it quite difficult to do this while flying.  I fumbled with my pants, and position, for what seemed like an eternity.  I tried staying under the cloud as I did this to keep the glider in lift, but that turned out to be a fruitless endeavor.  The glider careened all over the sky as I flew with one hand, and attempted to relieve myself with the other.

Almost ending up in a roll at one point, and a spin at another, I finally gave up and left the turbulent lifty area and flew out into the sink.  It was there that I gained satisfaction!  Someone watching this whole thing from afar, probably thought I was drunk, or a really bad aerobatics pilot.

I returned to the cloud and took a few turns to regain my lost altitude.  Now feeling quite releaved, and having substantial altitude, I headed off on glide once more.

Passing Millington and gliding toward Sudlersville, I found a few strong climbs that I could take a few turns in, and be on my way.  This, in conjunction with some good glides, meant I was not losing altitude too quickly. 

Ten miles into the second leg, I found a strong and well connected thermal.  Between this, and one more that I found near Church Hill, I was well positioned for the second turn point and well into the third.  I tagged TP 2 and began jumping from cloud to cloud on the third and final leg.

Chesapeake Bay

My mind lit up as I peered at my instruments and saw that I was only 12 miles from goal!!!  I needed one more climb on the way and I had this.  I began to get excited and nervous at the same time.  I could do this!

Four and a half miles into my glide toward goal, I was passing under clouds and not finding any lift, but I wasn't sinking fast and I had a tail wind to boot.  I had goal by 300 feet according to my instruments, but this was too close for my comfort.

I was beginning to wonder if I was going to make it after all.  I really needed to get a little higher to be comfortable just going for it.  Reaching the 5 mile mark, I came in under a working cloud slightly off course to the west.  LIFT!  Plenty of it.  Just what I needed.

I climbed up with elation, watching my altitude grow and my glide to goal get more and more secure.  I didn't want to arrive at goal with too much altitude as it was a waste, so I got enough to give me a 1600' margin and went on my seven mile glide. 

I ended up porpoising my way along climbing under small clouds forming all the way home.  It turns out, I was now in a convergence and had no idea.  I rode the line closer and closer to Ridgely Airport, watching my altitude go up the entire way.

I was ecstatic!  Since I had so much altitude, I took some pictures as I made the final 3 mile stretch to home base.  Soon after, I arrived at goal with 5300'.  My FIRST GOAL in the Open Class, and FIRST TRIANGLE!  A 50 mile Triangle to boot!  My second longest flight (the longest being 53 miles).

My wing back at goal!

I boated around over the airport watching the sunset and soaking in the moment.  I then noticed a news chopper flying around but not getting too close.  It would stop and hover a mile or two from the airport in different positions.  I still had no idea what that was about, but I decided to give them a show of sorts.

I had yet to really practice wing overs in my Combat, now was a good time; especially since I wanted to get on the ground after slogging my way through the course all afternoon, why not burn off some altitude...

After playing around for 20 minutes, watching the news chopper move around, and a couple of tandems get pulled up, I was now coring sink to get down.  Low enough, I took a long downwind, base.  The base leg of my approach was over the tree line running parallel to the runway.  I came in low along the trees, turned on final, came in hot, bled off my speed, reached for one down tube - check.  Reached for the next downtube - MISS!!  Oh no!  I was not going to pound in, not now, not here!  A bunch of pilots had come out and were cheering as they saw me glide in.  I had an audience.

I wiffed a second time, gave up, with my right hand on the down tube, I started my flare, reached back with my left hand and grabbed the only thing I could find - the rear wires.  So I flared with one down tube and one rear wire managing to salvage my landing.  The crowd erupted.

I climbed out of my glider and looked up to see Sunny (the flight park owner) running toward me with a huge smile.  He grabbed me and latched on to me giving me huge congrats and praise.  I was in shock that I had made it, and full of good cheer.

We talked for a few moments, and I dispelled his misconception that I made it in just over the trees. ;-)  I told him I arrived with 5300' and he told me the sea breeze was just arriving and that I was in the convergence along my last leg.

I put my glider back in line for the next days flying (a great feeling to not have to break down), and ran in to turn in my track log.  I was the last pilot to finish, but met with gracious praise for making it after such a long day.

Flight Time: 4 hours and 42 minutes.
Distance: 50 mile Triangle.
Max Altitude: 5610'