Logan Walters
Friday, 1/17/2020

Reference: [IGC Text Data File] and [Google Earth KMZ File] or [Ayvri Web Animation]

Launch from the Skyport at 12:18:22 PST
Leg 1: to the Thermal Factory at 12:28:18 PST / 9 min, 56 sec / 0.7 miles
to Painted Cave at 12:56:11 PST / 27 min, 53 sec / 6.7 miles ~ 14.4 MPH
to Noon Peak at 2:39:14 PST / 1 hour, 43 min, 3 sec / 18.0 miles ~ 10.5 MPH
to La Conchita at 2:56:39 PST / 17 min, 25 sec / 7.1 miles ~ 24.5 MPH (glide)
to landing on La Conchita beach at: 2:59:47 PST / 3 min, 8 sec / 0.8 miles

Total 5 leg distance around 4 turn points ~ 33 miles in 2 hours 41 min 25 sec / ~ 12.7 MPH

Total SLOFD (Straight Line Over-flown Distance between 2 points) 21.8 miles
2020 LFSD score: 22

Article submitted by Logan via email on Saturday 1/18 (for Friday's 1/17/2020 flight)

Post frontal day but the inversion and lapse rate didn't look great.  I checked forecasted winds at surface level and they looked good so I knew I was going flying.  Normally I spend much more time forecasting but was preoccupied all the way up until the van meet time of 11.

We were definitely late to launch and saw birds climbing out as we got there.  I have a new vario (xctracer) that I wanted to Bluetooth to my phone which took longer than I thought (my technology skills are not great).  Once that was sorted I hurried off launch just behind Jason Lombard and we climbed out of the port.  Jason went to Holy Hills (or RR?) while I went to Thermal Factory to get ready for the start gate of the January task.  Getting nice climbs above ridge height, drift from the east was very noticeable, which I was hoping would back down for my return leg.

After starting the task I pushed back to La Cumbre even though I saw Garcia, Dylan and Lombard high out front.  I was hoping to get into the convergence and straight line to and from Painted Cave.  That didn't really pan out as I joined the rest of the crew out front.  They decided to continue west bound with the east wind while I turned around at the turn point.  I don't do a ton of into the wind flying but I have my first comp coming up in a month and figured it would be good training/ learning.  It was slow going and had to come out of the good lift a couple times for turn points.

I slowed down along Powerline Ridge even more and was worried the day might turn off, but looking at Noon Peak I was betting it would work.  Often we get high there and late in the day it has a beautiful slope facing the sun.  Sure enough it worked well but I still wasn't sure I had final glide to goal, so I tried to be very efficient and squeak out all the altitude I could (max altitude for the day) . Final glide ratio on the vario showed 8.9 and that was the best I could do into a light headwind.  Pointed to goal, tucked my arms in the pod and thought all the aerodynamic thoughts I could while snacking on peanut m&ms.  Made it with a couple hundred to spare.  Walked from la Conchita to Bates to catch the bus but SD showed up to give me a ride and talk about pulling strings.  Fun day out there.  It's fun to fly XC on the mediocre days.  So many more important decisions, technical and efficient flying needed.  So much fun, always learning.

Editor's Notes: as of Logan's Flight Article Submission, this flight is in [1st place] for the [2020 LFSD Challenge] with a score of 22 points

https://freeflightcomp.appspot.com/comps/sbhoedown2019
Logan completed the January Hoe Down Task (Task 5):
TASK #5 -Wonder Woman's Wang - January 2020
THERMF 500M EXIT
PTDCAV 700M
THE-T 3200M
EBEACH 4900M
LACON 1500M ES GOAL

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