Thursday, 5/23/13 Flight Articles by: [Ron Faoro] [Aaron LaPlante]

Ron Faoro (The Spin Doctor)

Thursday, May 23rd, 2013
Skyport Bush Whack

Article copied from: http://scpa.info/bb/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2830

A Lesson In Patience
posted by Faoro_Ron » Thu May 23, 2013 3:38 pm

You are never too old to be humbled.

Bob Hurlbett and I arrived at Skyport at 11:30 AM to take advantage of an unusual low pressure day in May in Santa Barbara. There was a low cloudbase out front, but the day obviously had potential. Cycles were decently strong at launch and Marge and Kevin and another pilot were set up to go. The air was mixing a bit and there was a bit of east in it, making for a few unsuccessful attempts when people pulled up. The others got off; I spread out Bob and he had a perfect launch leaving me alone as the last pilot to go. For some reason, I thought I had a line-through on one riser and I did some acrobatics stepping over and through lines trying to get it straightened out without unclipping my risers or getting out of my harness. This only added to my impatience to get off and join the others going downrange in the great conditions of lift everywhere. Padaro Grill, here I come.

The lines looked OK and I pulled up. Like the others launching before me, the wing turned sideways and I had to bring it down. Now I was half way down launch with the wing facing west. Unwilling to do a pick-up and spread my wing out again at the top, I waited for the next cycle and pulled up on only one (high) side of the wing to get it inflated and straight. That worked out well and I turned to step off. But turning lost energy in the wing and I felt it slip off to the left and slightly in front of me. I considered my options. Since I was almost at the lip, I hated to kill the wing and have it fall forward into the brush below launch. I decided to slide left and pull like hell - that is, run to get under the wing. Well, that often works, but not this time. Now I was committed, but as soon as I stepped off, I came face to face with a large bush just to the left of the rock below launch. It grabbed me enough to delay me for a second and the wing turned sideways, facing east. Now I was a manzanita wrecking crew, snapping off two to three inch diameter charred remains from the fire. Fortunately, they were dead and brittle and they exploded as my legs snapped off one after another (I counted nine back to the rock from where I stopped). Now I began to think, "This isn't going to end well." I was sinking lower into the brush, but the wing kept pulling me forward. Finally, the manzanita caught my risers and ended the "flight." I was OK, barely a scratch. But I struggled to get to my radio to let Bob know I was fine. I unhooked and crawled up to look over at my wing. So, that was the popping sound: Dozens of broken lines looked back at me. No more flying today! Still, not too bad. Then I saw the large manzanita branch poking through the wing. A four inch by five inch flap laceration. And a lot of soot over everything.

Then the sirens started. I'm not sure, but a hiker must have seen the short flight and immediately called 911. Thankfully, within three minutes, Cormac called me and gave my status and phone number to the sheriff's department. They called me back and I patiently (now I had patience!) convinced the woman on dispatch where I was and that, yes, I was the only one involved and what my location was. Kabir also assisted in letting everyone know the search and rescue were standing down. Thanks, guys. Still, I watched the helicopter cruise around the Antenna Farm, Round House and points west.

It only took 10 minutes to get my wing out of the burned chaparral (broken lines help) and I could follow the path of snapped-off branches from Skyport back to my harness after carrying the wing up to the grass.

Kind of a new wing to treat with such disrespect. But I learned an expensive lesson in humility and patience. Still, why do these things happen on good flying days?

Twelve second flight. Zero up, zero down. Back in action soon, I hope.

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