Best mid-winter thermal day in 20 some years of flying

[flystoolow]

2 degrees C this morning, winds light and variable, sky clear.

Thermalled into cumulus cloud 3000' above launch from a hand toss.

Couldn't ask for a better day! :)

[tinkrerpilot]

Awesome!!!! What are you flying? All well worth the hobby for something like that . That has got to be some satisfaction.

[aeajr]

Fantastic! How long was the flight? And yes, what were you flying?

I have had my longest flight in January in NY. Cold weather seems to bring out the big lift.

[dmt]

And where are you flying?

Details, man. We need details! :)

[Ray Ray]

I will tell them, Flystoolow was flying a GL. He gave my $500 DLG a good schooling in thermaling. It was a great day 10 launches 9 thermals pretty good time. He did make his plane fade into the clouds very cool. As his plane faded into the clouds I got very uneasy and freaked out, I don't know what thats about but I like it. Pictures to follow.
Ray Ray

[Ray Ray]

Great Day

[flystoolow]

Darn, those pesky eagles again...always spoiling the view! :rolleyes:

Great photos Ray Ray.

Hey, that's the first time I've launched without hitting the back of my head with the stab!



.

[aeajr]

Looks like you are slope soaring.

[Ray Ray]

I did not think you could climb to 3000 feet on a slope, but yes it was on the top of a hill.
Ray Ray

[aeajr]

So the intial boost was from slope lift. No doubting there was eventually thermal lift but the statement about "hand launch" is a little different when there is a slope involved.

I have put my Zagi wing up to near ver high, working on a 14 mph wind on a 100' hill. I would estimate that it was up in the 800'+ range and I would say with confidence that it was all slope lift. The wing is heavy and I don't think I have ever gotten it into a thermal.

Anyway, still a great flight.

[flystoolow]

So the intial boost was from slope lift. No doubting there was eventually thermal lift but the statement about "hand launch" is a little different when there is a slope involved.

No "slope", nor any wind to slope with. We stand there in the calm on the side of a gently sloping rounded hill, and wait. You have to launch directly into a thermal, or fly out to an area you think there may be a thermal, sometimes you find one 100' below launch, but half the time you land in the trees or bushes. Plenty of very tall trees below launch...it's do or die if you delay landing.

More on sloping a round shallow hill. It is at times possible to hold steady 10 or 20 feet above launch if the wind is 15 mph or greater....however, it is no fun and we try to go to this site in wind speeds of 0 - 3 mph.

Loads of fun and good for a few laughs, especially if you agree losing your glider out of sight in tall trees is fun!!! :D

[Ray Ray]

Wow I love being called a lier. Don't be bitter if this never happens to you its probably Karma, for the rest of you it, was a great day take it for what it is.
Ray Ray

[rdwoebke]

Ed,

It sounds like these guys are doing something more akin to "alpine soaring" than slope soaring as you and I know it.

I have always wanted to do alpine soaring. Of course, not much in the way of mountians in Indiana! :-) In fact, I don't know that I have ever flown a RC airplane when I started above perhaps 1000 feet MSL.

Ryan

[aeajr]

If you have some room behind the hill, you could put out a hi-start and get a high launch out over the valley and have an even better chance of catching lift before you get down to ridge height.

An up-start would need about 150 feet of space. and give you a 100-125 foot launch above the ridge edge.

[Bryan Quick]

R2-
I used to fly off of a hill at Cal State Hayward until I left Ca. It was about 50-50 slope/thermal. There were days where there wasn't any slope lift and the thermals were great. I wish there were a few slopes worth flying off of around here though.

I went out Saturday, it was a balmy 35 degrees and about a 13 mph wind. Took a couple of minutes to set up the winch, then it was game on. They're building a Wal-Mart to the south of the field. The ground is black, bare earth with thermals popping off of it every three or four minutes. I got in five 10 minute flights. It was a great day. Always fun to get in a good thermal day when you least expect it.

Man, I yearn for the days when I was within 15 minutes of a slope...

Bryan