18.9 km Race to Goal. Day 2 dawned overcast and twenty degrees fahrenheit colder than yesterday - a chilly low sixties rather than the balmy temperatures in the eighties from the last two days. Plus a stiff breeze blowing. Most of the pilots were not particularly optimistic about the days task being able to be held at all.
But by 10:30, the cloud was breaking up and cloudbase had lifted to above launch, so we all piled into the buses for the trip up. Once on launch everyone got out their down jackets, extra gloves and long pants - a far cry from the beach clothes on launch the previous days. Task for the Sprint went from a big exit circle around the Squirs turnpoint, to Rabies across the valley into wind, over to Burnt, then another long upwind leg to Jacksonville, then turning down the valley 10km to the goal
Before the race briefing three US Team members gave a flying briefing. The Sprint event that I'm in is all about learning as much as possible, so the daily mentoring sessions and advice is invaluable. The Sprint task announced was less ambitious than yesterday, probably in light of the conditions which still looked windy despite growing patches of Sunshine.
Then the Race pilots took off into the clearing weather. They were soon zoomed into the sky, scattered in two groups as they needed to be five km away from the start, and then come back into Squirs, tag it and then race off again.
Not wanting to make my mistake of the last days, I got the in queue early to launch, and took twenty minutes climb as high as possible before the start at 2 pm. Then it was all on, with full speed right across the valley into the wind. A little top up of height at Rabies, then across to Burnt, where gliders were scattered around in different spots, trying to figure out where the best climbs were. It didn't take long to find one, then it was a screamer right up to cloudbase.
The lift was so strong I stopped circling and just went in a straight line after climbing 500m in less than 5 minutes. I climbed another 500 vertical meters in a straight line, then noticed someone else a little higher doing big ears, and I suddenly realized this was a big wide cloud, I was right in the middle of it, and I was being sucked up into it. I had a few scary moments while I steered around with big ears on and speedbar pushed halfway, but still climbing at 2-3 m/s into the cloud. Eventually I steered towards the edge and the cloud suck let me go, but not before the knot holding my speed system had unravelled and sent me on some more wild gyrations as one side of the glider suddenly slowed down . Whew.
I reknotted the speed system (try tying a knot with gloves on, 1000m about the ground under a cloud that is trying to suck you up), and pushed full bar, weaving between the clouds this time to avoid a repeat cloud suck experience. Even into wind, on full bar, my glide ratio averaged 13.9 for several kilometers, so basically there was lift all the way. Clipped the turnpoint, then turned and zoomed downwind 10km to the goal with even bothering to look for lift again. According to my GPS, my max speed was 83km/h...which means the tailwind was almost 30km/h. Along the way I had the amazing experience of passing three Race pilots on their different but overlapping course going exactly the opposite direction at the same altitude and just 30 meters away.
I ended up in 18 place out of 48 pilots who finished the task and a field of 90. For only my second ever competition task, and the first where I got to goal, I was thrilled!
Leonardo Flight Log
But by 10:30, the cloud was breaking up and cloudbase had lifted to above launch, so we all piled into the buses for the trip up. Once on launch everyone got out their down jackets, extra gloves and long pants - a far cry from the beach clothes on launch the previous days. Task for the Sprint went from a big exit circle around the Squirs turnpoint, to Rabies across the valley into wind, over to Burnt, then another long upwind leg to Jacksonville, then turning down the valley 10km to the goal
Before the race briefing three US Team members gave a flying briefing. The Sprint event that I'm in is all about learning as much as possible, so the daily mentoring sessions and advice is invaluable. The Sprint task announced was less ambitious than yesterday, probably in light of the conditions which still looked windy despite growing patches of Sunshine.
Bundled up for flying tips from the pros.
Some of the Race pilots climbing out.
Not wanting to make my mistake of the last days, I got the in queue early to launch, and took twenty minutes climb as high as possible before the start at 2 pm. Then it was all on, with full speed right across the valley into the wind. A little top up of height at Rabies, then across to Burnt, where gliders were scattered around in different spots, trying to figure out where the best climbs were. It didn't take long to find one, then it was a screamer right up to cloudbase.
The lift was so strong I stopped circling and just went in a straight line after climbing 500m in less than 5 minutes. I climbed another 500 vertical meters in a straight line, then noticed someone else a little higher doing big ears, and I suddenly realized this was a big wide cloud, I was right in the middle of it, and I was being sucked up into it. I had a few scary moments while I steered around with big ears on and speedbar pushed halfway, but still climbing at 2-3 m/s into the cloud. Eventually I steered towards the edge and the cloud suck let me go, but not before the knot holding my speed system had unravelled and sent me on some more wild gyrations as one side of the glider suddenly slowed down . Whew.
I reknotted the speed system (try tying a knot with gloves on, 1000m about the ground under a cloud that is trying to suck you up), and pushed full bar, weaving between the clouds this time to avoid a repeat cloud suck experience. Even into wind, on full bar, my glide ratio averaged 13.9 for several kilometers, so basically there was lift all the way. Clipped the turnpoint, then turned and zoomed downwind 10km to the goal with even bothering to look for lift again. According to my GPS, my max speed was 83km/h...which means the tailwind was almost 30km/h. Along the way I had the amazing experience of passing three Race pilots on their different but overlapping course going exactly the opposite direction at the same altitude and just 30 meters away.
I ended up in 18 place out of 48 pilots who finished the task and a field of 90. For only my second ever competition task, and the first where I got to goal, I was thrilled!
Elated after finishing the Sprint race in 18 place - my first ever finished competition task
Leonardo Flight Log