Gary Osoba <<wosoba>>
writes:

This morning dawned in Zapata with nice winds and cumulus forming
up by 8 am. At 9:23 I launched in the Electro Silent to check lift and winds
aloft, switching off the electric propulsion system at about 800'. Cloudbase was
1900' agl with light but consistent lift. I was able to maintain and work upwind
in a height band from 1200'-1700' until things switched on better about 9:45,
when
Attila launched in a Distance to Goal attempt with Garden City, TX as his
goal.

 By 10:00, thermals were 500 fpm in the cores and all of the clouds were
working. I did two downwind runs at about 100 mph groundspeeds, and the dynamic
pullups in the downwind thermals regained lost altitude each time. The Electro
Silent has surprisingly good high speed energy retention for the mass and span.

Glen Volk followed Attila, then BJ Herring and Jim Yocum. Robin Hamilton,
current US National Flex Wing Champion, came in overnight and assembled his
Swift for a launch around 11:00. No reports of pilots on the ground as of 11:30
am.

Here's video from OK Price, son of legendary early hang glider pilot Chris Price
who along with the Wills Brothers, innovated many advancements in the early
years. I haven't seen Chris for years, but being in his son's presence provides
a vivid genetic reminder. The video shows Mike Bilyk with some radical RC
helicopter moves, BJ on landing, and one of OK first tows and flights here at
the WRE.

http://youtu.be/eWs4MLq7OOA