Seems we have a number of active Orange County (California) folks that tend to chat in just about every other thread, so we thought it was about time to start our own thread. Seems like the slope section could use it's own sub category for all the local regions that now have active threads.

-Wayne

A listing of some of our local flight sites:

Gazebos is site that works in Santa Ana Winds. It is located off of Golden Lantern. Take G.L. toward the beach, turn left on Serenity and follow it up to the top. The street changes names to Knob Hill at the top. Walk the trail and stay to the left. You can fly facing North and sometimes fly facing the freeway. When it's really strong it is good. If it is a weak SA then it's just so so. Here is a KMZ file for this site.

Reserved for future use.

Reserved for future use.

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OK - how about some brief introductions. Tell us a bit about you, where you tend to fly, what you like to fly and if you want to post up directions and details about slope sites in or around Orange County. Pictures are always fun too.

My name is Wayne and I have been flying on and off since the mid 80s. I have a wide mix of planes ranging from a Hobie Hawk, DLG, some twisty wings, some old thermal planes, Fox, wings, and recently picked up a 3.5 meter molded ASW17, Typhoon and a Salto. I seem to have a sweet spot for vintage thermal and slope ships. You know, the stuff I dreamed about when I was a kid. I recently picked up a Sig Samurai, CR Contender and the Salto; all of these planes are probably 20 or more years old. I enjoy rebuilding some of these old planes and hopefully returning them to flight line status.

With the light lift conditions we tend to have in Orange County, most of my planes are on the light side. I have a couple of heavier planes, but they sit around most of the time waiting for lift.

Some of my favorite flying sites are:
Long Beach - Bluffs (not in OC, but fun on a Summer afternoon) I have had so much fun flying this site. Cool group of folks there and easy going. Site rewards a clean plane set up to fly in the light lift. If the lift is bad you can always drive a bit more North and check the Palos Verdes sites. (Pt Fermin, Bluff Cove, Lanada Bay, etc.)

Glider Point - a bit of a walk, but a great place for the bigger planes as it has a nice big landing area. Can DS here also.

Oakley Hill - This is a hill up behind the Oakley corporate office. It is a mix of thermal and slope. It is usually very light, but is the most consistent site I know of. Be warned that this site requires an aggressive but short hike, and certain times of the year it is easier to throw away your shoes then to pick the thickets out of your shoe laces. It also gets very hot here in the summer.

Ortega - Also not in OC (or is it on the boarder?) This is a really nice site though it is a long drive and can get very hot in the summer. The view is great, and the lift tends to be very strong. Best of all you can land on a little used road if you have a plane with a wheel (like my Fox).

Kite Hill - I don't fly here all that often as the lift is so light, but I do enjoy hanging out with the guys up there from time to time. Great place for a floater. Recently it has been a bit over run with electrics.

Lilly - I plan to fly this site soon. You gotta have AMA and a permit to fly this cool site.

Laguna - Perhaps my favorite local site. Not for the faint of heart as the landing area is tricky, and only for experienced pilots as the site is surrounded by EXPENSIVE homes. The lift is good, but if the wind really picks up, this site just seems to get blown out. Best flown with light-ish planes, not a PSS site! Please do not combat at this site ever!

That is about it for now.

-Wayne

Great idea Wayne! I'm continually surprised by how many posts I read from so many people all over Orange County. All of Southern California is truly the home to many slope enthusiasts.

From Laguna Beach,

-Keith

Well, after we had an OC discussion going in a classified ad for the Contender I bought as well as in the Bluffs thread, I thought it was finally time to start our own thread.

My name is Keith Peevyhouse. I've started flying gliders and power planes back in the mid 80's when I was a teen. I stopped flying in about the mid 90's due to college and life in general. I got back into RC about 5 years ago, and have been amazed by everything from all the new technology to building materials and techniques.

My true love is sloping, although I've done a few electrics. I have really taken a liking to making molds and scratch-building my own stuff, especially PSS models. Sometimes I think I prefer building over flying.

My home slope is in Laguna Beach, at Top of the World. But I also like to fly at Point Fermin in San Pedro, El Salvador & Watertower in San Clemente, and of course Cajon Pass for the PSS Festivals. I will soon check out Lilly Shappel in Aliso Viejo, and Torrey Pines in San Diego.

-Keith

I was also considering starting a general OC thread, I guess Wayne beat me to the punch!

ok, my turn...

My name is Jordan and like most of us here I really enjoy sloping. I started out with paper planes when I was 5, which eventually lead up to the discovery of slope soaring.

Because I was 8 at the time and having a limited budget, I didn't buy a plane to learn on, but instead made my own designs from foamboard, carboard, tape, and many other random materials around the house and rode my bike to the slope and taught myself to fly. I eventually aquired a Raider and honed in my skills. I now have a nice fleet and also cut my own design EPP kits which can be seen on my website www.slopewings.com.

My home slope is El Salvador in San Clemente, but I've been to other slopes such as...

The Water Tower
Lilly Shapell
Top of the World
Lake hills
Norco hill
Little Mountain
Dave's beach
Bill's Hill
Mt. Zion

and hopefully many more !

Yeah, I kept waiting for someone else to start a thread.

I wish I had a home slope. I often times do not know what site I'm going to until after the car is packed and ready to go. I then pull up the weather for a few sites and see what looks best - or just go where my buddies are going.

Speaking of buddies - if you have flown with me, chances are good you have also flwon with Miro and Shadow. Neither of them are very active on the internet, so I'll do a quick introduction for them. Shadow (yes, his real name) is an easy going guy with very good flying skills and amazing eye site. I'd say he is a bit of an artist with the sticks. He likes to make the planes "fly pretty" and enjoys smooth aerobatics and an occasional bump in the air. I really enjoy flying formation with our Foxes or wings. He is also very good with combat thanks to his amazing depth perception. (I think Jordan is one of the few that has better depth perception and combat skills.)

Miro likes building planes, or modifying them. He is a mechanical engineer and some of his designs really show this. He can't just build an ARF, he will actually modify and tweak them to his own style. He likes to float around and fly planes way far out and test limits. He always has something interesting to say and usually has something interesting on the build table. And he is just fun to mess with.

-Wayne

Great Idea Wayne;

I am at work so will do the into thing later when at home, but now that I am searching out more flying sites, this is a great idea. Not sure why it has not been done earlier
Keep this going

Oletimer/Jeff

We all need to do a big Ortega day. That site is really nice, and a HUGE lift zone. Make a picnic day of it.

W-WSW at 8mph here in San Clemente, I may go to El Salvador today...

Does anyone know of any good Santa Ana spots in OC?