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Sunday, 7/5/2015 [Weather] and [Flight Articles] by [Sundowner] and [Jonathan Dietch]
Plus Jonathan's [Photos] and his Google Earth [KMZ File] plus his [IGC Data File]

Flight 1 / Elings Training Hill / 45 minutes to an hour, getting to 1K MSL (about 700 over launch) / 2 PM to 3 PM
Flight 2 / Wilcox Solo / about 45 minutes / 3:30 to 4:15
Flight 3 / Wilcox Tandem with Joel Paule / about an hour and a half 4:30 to 6 PM
total airtime for 3 flights, 3 hours plus
Niviuk Icepeak 6 Solo and Bantoo Tandem

Sundowner's Flight Report, see also [Weather Archive]

The past several days had been stating pretty calm and overcast, but the wind along the coastal cliffs had been pulling in as the sun broke through in the early afternoon.  Was tempted to fly Bates on Friday and Saturday, but I finished my chores too late.  On Sunday I was committed to give Sam and his girlfriend Odessa a ride to a movie on State Street, so I made tentative arrangements to give Franky (one of Sam's friends) a tandem ride at Wilcox.  The early morning marine layer was thicker and wetter than the previous few days, so clearing was looking questionable around noonish and Franky's participation was unconfirmed by our 1:10 departure from Carpinteria, so I loaded my solo IP6 also.

The plan was to drop Sam and Odessa at the theater, fly, and then return a few hours later to pick them up, but when Odessa heard I was planning to fly, she made arrangements with her parents for a pickup on the back end, so I was no longer committed to kill a few hours.  The day was still looking pretty thick and there wasn't any movement in the trees downtown, so I considered simply heading home, but the southbound traffic looked ugly on the way up and I figured it was worth a look as long as I was in town.

A little more movement near the beach, but the ocean had big glassy sections and Wilcox looked too weak for high tide.  Pulled into the Training Hill, which also looked light, but someone was staying up a little over launch so I headed up, stopping to give one of the students a boost back to the top.  By the time I walked over to launch there were multiple gliders getting several hundred over.  Stopped for a short chat with Marty-T who was changing Maya's diaper, but I was anxious to get going while it was working.  Laid out pretty quick.  Didn't carry my gear bag with water and extra stuff to lighten the load some because I'm normally loaded on the heavy side.  Did wear my flight suit and flew with my old Flytec 4005 vario.

I was somewhat in the back trying to find a clear spot with minimal line snaggers.  On my way toward the front the glider lifted off and started climbing well back from the typical liftoff zone.  I was 25 over by the time I passed the edge.  Fell out of the lift and got below launch a couple of times, but finally figured it out and joined the crew getting 3 or 4 hundred over.  It continued to get better.  Eventually tagged 1K MSL a couple of times (about 700 over launch).  Flew 3/4 of way to Wilcox from 800 MSL and came back, and then on another attempt I reached west across Cliff Drive with 1K MSL.  By now the wind on the ocean was building and Rich had launched at Wilcox, getting a little over the trees.  I considered getting on the bar and trying to clear the point on the cliff to More Mesa, but the upwind glide looked marginal so I turned back again.  I had a couple of opportunities to go downwind OTB, but I couldn't see any probable connections from my altitude.  There are days when you can get much higher.

Rob and Kevin were getting up with tandem passengers, but I don't think I could have made it work on my tandem glider.

It was initially overcast with glass on the water, but the clouds cleared and the ocean filled in with small white caps a ways offshore.  Toward the end the lift deteriorated as the thermals were broken apart by the building breeze.  I had one last chance to reach for Wilcox, but I opted to come back and top land so I wouldn't have to deal with the logistics of getting back to my car.  Last one to touch down about 3 PM.  Walked over to my car and stuffed the glider in the back seat.

Got the front parking spot at Wilcox under the shade of a tree on the west side of Selrose Lane.  Walked the gear out and took a look.  It would have been good for a tandem with Franky, but I didn't have time to drive back to Carpinteria to pick him up so I called Joel Paule who lives in Goleta.  Joel had expressed an interest about 6 months ago.  I invited him a time or two during our last local mountain season, but our schedules didn't coincide.  Joel picked up right away and said he would get on the road ASAP.  I laid out to launch with the intent of flying solo until Joel arrived.

The launch conditions was a bit brisk.  The velocity was in the low teens, but cross from the west.  Took 3 pull-up attempts to get off.  On the 2nd attempt the canopy twisted upside down and I got knocked over and dragged a short ways.  The nose was over the cliff in the bushes, so I had to get out of my harness.  I'd gotten some grit in one of my leg strap buckles and couldn't unlatch, so I had to step out of the left loop.  Finally got it all sorted, but was never able to clear the grit, so I had to step back through the leg loop.  This time the canopy to come up straight for an clean departure.

Couldn't get very high despite the healthy breeze, maybe 300 over the beach at best.  Probed around pressing against both ends of the course, and ventured out to the kelp beds a couple of times.  Made a few phone calls to check in on Sam, but he opted to stick with plan B and get a ride from Odessa's parents.  Joel called for approach vectoring and arrived a little past 4 PM.  Did one more lap and came in for landing just after Desmond.  Walked the solo gear back to the vehicle and stuffed it in the back seat.

We were going to need some assistance to launch tandem in the wind.  It wasn't blowing real hard, but too much for me to muscle the big canopy on flat ground without some tractor assistance.  Fortunately Rob Sporrer showed up as were swapping gear and offered to assist.  He proved deluxe service.  While I was watering the brush Rob got my canopy laid out and Joel harnessed.  Rich assisted at the canopy and Rob took charge up front for a clean pull-up, giving a little ground and applying full brake to arrest the surge.  Pretty nice haveing Rob for launch assist.  Almost like being a student and conceding control to him during the pull-up.

After a few passes I transferred steering control to Joel.  Had to get him out of potential trouble a few times early, and eventually progressed to pitch and pendulum control.  After a half hour he was mostly on his own, and after an hour I let him go where he wanted and make his own decisions about where and when to turn.

Beautiful day with a relatively calm ocean so the visibility through the water and the kelp beds was good, and as noted earlier, the pelican patrols were out in full force with a group cruising through every 5 minutes or so.

A little disappointed I missed the connection with Franky, but it was good to finally pair up with Joel.  The training hill was especially fun.

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