Reports from Los Banos?

[surfimp]

So the 12th annual scale aerotow is going down at Los Banos this weekend, any preliminary reports from day one? A bunch of guys from down here went up, but unfortunately I wasn't able to join them. Would appreciate any updates!

Steve

[Michael Heer]

Hi Steve:
It was aerotowing in the morning and the wind came up a bit in the early afternoon and there was about a half hour of slope flying that was ok but not great. It started to sprinkle and looked like a small squall was heading in about 2:45 so I left. I trust that after about fifteen minutes the rain stopped and flying was resumed but I can't be certain. Saw a number of nice tow flights and a couple of minor crashes on take-off and landing (especially by the slope on landing.) despite the cloud cover my face got rather sunburned. most people had a good time at least while I was there. Mike

[Hutch]

I left this afternoon, and it was good to reasonable slope flying most of the morning. Mike, yesterday after you left there was some maginal slope lift, and thermals started popping up everywhere and the air was pretty good, and then about 6:00 or so the wind started blowing 18-20 right up the wind tunnel. Some awesome sloping until dark. I'm just looking at my pictures from the weekend as we speak. There's always next year steve!! neener neener :)

-hutch

[Capn Crunchie]

With Sun. morning greeting us with loads of sun and practically zero wind, Al the Bag Lady and I were able to get off a couple of Park Flyer aerotows with my HL/Scorpio styro-Habicht. What a kick in the pants for something that costs so little! Learned a little bit about optimum tow release location and towline length but not at the expense of any aircraft. Can't wait to get my vintage Krajanek sailplane assembled for the next round of Parkfly aerotow funsies. Specking out on tow - at the altitude of about 200 ft.!!! :^))) Gotta luv it............ :D :D :D

Oh yeah, - neon nite flyin' under a bright full moon last eve!

Blue skies,
Capn Crunchie

[Tawg]

ive been there done that and have a t-shirt to prove it ;)

I had planned on staying all weekend but ended up leaving Saturday night. Looks like aero towers were geting the most flight time and my freaking knee was killing me, not allowing me to carry the usual smile I have.

I am sure those that stayed had a great time today and hopefully my sacraficial leave brought much wind for the slope today.

Tawg

[TFLG]

Just got back 5 minutes ago after the 5 hour jaunt back to SoCal.

Friday....sucked, great wind but it was coming from the only direction that is unflyable at Banos.

Saturday.....Aero towing all morning and light slope light in the afternoon puctuated by rain sqwalls. We flew to about 6pm and then left. I heard it got really good around 7pm.

Sunday.... Aerotowing early but by 10:30 the slope was on. by noon it has swung into the main bowl and was getting good. By 12:30 it was honking real good and the lift was great. I even got the caravelle up for a short flight before I bailed out. We left at 1:30 and it was still getting stronger when we left.

Pics later ;)

TFLG

[Tawg]

I am sure those that stayed had a great time today and hopefully my sacraficial leave brought much wind for the slope today.

Tawg

kewl, sounds as if it worked! :cool:

[TFLG]

Piccy time

[TFLG]

more..

[TFLG]

Really.....you want more :rolleyes:

[TFLG]

Now the last batch has some of the best shots....my plane of course. The DG-1000 flies great. Me and timmig had a great time flying pumps and doing slope racing with our scale ships! Great fun :D

[dgliderguy]

Can't wait to get my vintage Krajanek sailplane assembled for the next round of Parkfly aerotow funsies. Specking out on tow - at the altitude of about 200 ft.!!! :^))) Gotta luv it............ :D :D :D
Blue skies,
Capn Crunchie

Hey, Capn,

Tell us more about your Zlin 24 Krajanek-- I've been wanting to build one of those. What's the scale? Kit? or a roll-your-own? Got any pics?

Thanks,

Dgliderguy

[Hutch]

Man, thanks for the pics TFLG. That was my first trip to the Los Banos fly-in. I gotta bring something I can aerotow for next year. A lot of great planes and great pilots there this weekend.

Although I could probably pass on the rain and 30 mph winds at night (friday) My poor little tent won't take much more of that. I thought I was going to have to get out my ruby slippers..... there's no place like home... there's no place like home.

-hutch

[timmig]

Aerotowing at Banos is the best!!! We had BOOMING thermals all three days-- so staying up after a tow was no problem. We could have used more wind in the afternoons-- but Sunday made up for it with BIG wind starting around 1:00pm and kept getting better until we left at 2:30. I think TFLG and I got the most air time on the slope-- very cool to see 4 and 5 meter scale planes slope raceing--and wing tip to wing tip in some big half-pipes! His DG1000 and my new SB9 from Soaring USA definitely can carve up some "big sky" and are a lot of fun to fly!! I hope some others can post pics-- the weather did rain a little on Saturday-- but all in all-- it was beautiful for flying! I'll be going back next year!! Great job to the SBSS guys!!
Timmig

[Old Bag Lady Al]

Wow! Los Banos Was a blast this weekend.. I arrived on Thirsday afternoon to sunny skys.. Friday was great till the after noon when the wind blew in from the South which killed the aero tow. The weather was quite interesting all weekend..
There was a little rain on Saterday, The wind was howling when I left at 1:30 P.M. Sunday everyone was tearing up the slope . Bummer!
All in all we had a Great time.. There were great thermals for the aero tow guys. The slope soaring was killer at times. Saturday eve slopen was awe inspering as the sun set. It was a beautfull site to see. Folks from all over Ca showed up..
We did some micro aero tow on Sunday morning which was a hoot! Saturday night flying was way fun! It was nice to see old friends and to meet new ones. Bruce De Visser, Lynsel Miller & the SBSS guys did a Great Job... Alberto from Hobby Club was there with a big van full of stuff. Thanks Alberto!! The Pilots raffel was great, this year the club tryed a new buy a ticket raffel which was way fun.. Everyone thought I was winning way to much stuff. hehehehehe, Thanks!
My 5 meter Ventus AX was grounded buy a charging problems.. But I still had a Killer time. See you all next year!
Al

[sailhigh]

Los Banos was really fun. Anyone interested in scale soaring should attend at least once. Al the Bag lady was a hoot to be around and he joined us for the traditional Woolgrowers' dinner Friday night, which added even more color. Everyone was waiting to see his big Ventus 2ax fly, but no luck this time.

Brian's (TFLG) DG flew really well in Saturday afternoon's light lift. And those photos look great. Which lens did you use?

I think the best part was Saturday evening when the wind turned on heavy on to the main slope and we flew whatever we had until it was getting difficult to see the planes anymore. I'll post some pics tonight. Overall lot's of fun. This event was 4 months in the making. Glad you could join us.

Sean

[TFLG]

Sounds like I went to dinner a little too early on Saturday. We stayed until about 6:30. Oh well there was plenty of great lift on Sunday to make up for the light stuff on Saturday.

I used a Canon 300D with a 70-300mm zoom for the pictures. That DG does stay up in really light slope lift. I still need to get it a little more dialed as far as CG, throw and set-up goes but it's getting better every flight. I had only flown it once prior to Saturday. So flights 2,3,4 and 5 were all at Los Banos this weekend. That Ventus did look sweet! I've spent the last two days trying to decide what I can sell to buy one of those :D

TFLG

[mmartin55]

Awesome pictures!

tm

[rocketman47]

Nice photos indeed, Brian!

I believe that the Beautiful 1-26 Gene is launching is in fact constructed of EPP!! A true work of art!
Hey Sean,
Isn't that your trusty old "B4". I still run across that old snapshot of Roger Hebner loosing his grip with that sailplane at the '96 event. Glad to see it is still around!

One of these years I'll make it down again. Come every April I get that same old craving...

Randy

[mtnmnstr]

The owner of the DFS-230 please come up the the customer service desk. I have a few questions for you.

[sailhigh]

Hi Randy,
We missed you this year. Yeap, that's the old B4. When you get to that snapshot next time, scan it and send it to me. I still haven't polished out the scracthes on top of the canopy caused by the launch.

Below is a nice evening shot when the lift really started to pickup. Shown is Lynsel Miller's TG-3 doing some low passes. Photo courtesy of Brian Chan.

[MAVA]

Slide Show of the event

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/eairplanejunkie@flash.net/my_photos


Enjoy

Martin

[RCheroske]

That was great! Martin!

[MAVA]

RCheroske,

You are welcome..

Those pictures were taken by Brian Chan with a GWS Slow Stick with a Pentax 5MegaPixal camera..

The aero-towing continues every month at Los Banos from the SBSS club.
I happens to be the first or second Saturday of the month.

To get on the email list contact

Walt Torgersen at wtorg@comcast.net


Enjoy,

Martin