http://ozreport.com/wre.php

Gary Osoba<<wosoba>> writes:

The El Nino phenomenon originates in the Pacific and depending
upon particulars for the year in which it occurs, has a variable effect on the
Continental United States. Here are the outlooks for temperatures and
precipitation from your preferred source for the summer months of 2010, when the
Zapata WRE will be held.

Unlike the last El Nino which ramped up the monsoon effect for the regions west
of the Continental Divide and spilled over into the southern coastal plain of
Texas where we fly, we have a very different outlook for this year. The effects
in South and Central America are altered significantly, but the projected effect
for our area is not so. Notice that both temperature and precipitation forecasts
are normal for our flight paths. Read that very good. Additionally, notice that
the temperature outlook to the west and paralleling our flight courses is higher
than normal. This is a plus for the dry side of our convergence trend-line. In a
complementary fashion, the precipitation outlook for the southern
mid-continental region is higher than normal, on the plus side of the
convergence trend. So if these projections prove to be true, we might see a more
exaggerated effect with both lift and wind patterns along our ideal flight path.
Particularly late in the day when someone might have the chance to be the first
human in history to shatter the 500 mile barrier in a hang glider.

The 2010 WRE is the 10-year anniversary event for the location that has provided
more distance world records than any place in the world. It is the premier venue
for long distance flights for all categories of foot launched flight, and all
distance tasks- whether free distance, distance to a goal, etc.

One of the things that we have seen in recent years is just how enjoyable the
event can be for people flying a variety of gliders with highly varying
performance, and pilots of varied experience level. Reasonably competent pilots
with the normal sign-offs have been able to set personal best distances, never
swinging for the big fence of world records. It is not unusual for someone who
has never flown more than a hundred miles to pop one off over 300. Other pilots
of keen skill who have never flown truly long distances have been able to score
the world records.

The other thing that has become so obvious during the decade of WRE history is
how good non-distance, local flying is during the WRE on non-record days. These
days (the throwaways) have provided afternoons where pilots have set closed
course speed records with relative ease (such as Dustin Martin and BJ Herrin's
speed triangles last year). This lift is so good, and so reliable, that you just
wear out on logged time if you choose to fly every afternoon. BJ had some
interesting observations in that regard last year.

We are really looking forward to this year, and the final mix of pilots that
will participate. For our 10 year anniversary, we are also looking at the
possibility of bringing in a paragliding contingent as in some year's past.
Since numerous paragliding distance records have previously been set from
Zapata, it will be interesting to see if someone can capitalize on the big
performance gains of paragliders which have occurred in the past few years. We
are presently looking for a qualified group with a payout winch to organize that
effort around.