[Flight Articles for Presidents Weekend 2012]   Weather Archive for [Friday 2/17/12] & [Monday 2/20/12]

Bo Criss
Sunday, 2/19/12

Skyport to Bates
13+ miles from launch to landing
1 hour 45 minutes airtime  /  launch ~ 11:45  /  landing ~ 1:30

Article copied from http://scpa.info/bb/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2434#p7421

by Bo Criss » Posted Sun Feb 19, 2012 9:08 pm

Completely surprised by the LaCumbre Peak stating calm winds after earlier forecasts had predicted 10-20 from the north with gusts to 35. Clouds in the mountains, sun in the flats, no wind - not a bad prospect for good winter flying in SB. Cloudbase was low and the clouds were filling in pretty good, but launch was always visible when we met at Parma at 10:30. Waiting on stragglers we didn't start up the hill till after 11. As we arrived, Hammer was about to launch and I asked what kind of flight he was looking for, he said "a good safe one". I pried a little more, where do you think you might head? He replied that he had flown down to Bates a week or two ago. I guess it was in the back of my head the rest of the day. I probably launched around 11:45 to a shadowed Rattlesnake Canyon, and cloudbase out front about even with launch. Good lift at the Antennas up to cloudbase and decided to catch up with Aaron over at Parker's. We bopped along with Aaron leading every departure, and eventually Hammer was with us at Montecito Peak spine for a big whoohoo! Cloudbase was too low the whole day to ever see the ridge line so my goal was to touch cloudbase at every front/mid point in hopes of having a chance at the next bump. Some bumps were slow to trigger and some were cracking as soon as I got there. The further east I went the more clouded in we got making for lighter and lighter lift harder and harder to find. Aaron split off near Romero and Hammer had glided on, so I took my time and pushed on. I got 3 points past the castle at castle ridge and I just wasn't going up. I hung there for 10 minutes and decided I didn't want to push my luck any further with so much shade and being so low. Going straight out that spine put me up behind an orchard, some huge mansions, and maybe Toro Canyon. There was sun out front and this back bowl was poppin and when I reached cloudbase, I pushed on to Snowball. I arrived 20 feet above Snowball Peak and if I had flown straight, I would have had no choice but a top landing, so I split to the right and pushed away from the terrain a bit. The air was mixing and not as butter smooth as the whole flight had been up to that point, but I hung on and eventually a cloud started to form around me out of the blue. Bates was calling, but it's a long glide from there at 2,800 feet. There are landing opportunities along the way, so no stress, just the desire to make Bates. I came into Bates with about 60 feet and had a comfortable top landing at 1:30. A few pilots were hanging out waiting for the winds to pick up, but I never saw anyone launch. Wayne picked up Hammer who had flown to Mussel Shoals and eventually Aaron came to retrieve - THANK YOU Aaron! Fun day flying with Hammer and Aaron.

Hammer and Aaron

Hammer, Aaron, and Bo at Upper Bates

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