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http://naughtylawyertravels.blogspot.com/



Wills Wing pilots - Jeff O'Brien, Jeff Shapiro, Dustin, Zac Majors



http://rich-lovelace.blogspot.com/



http://skyout.blogspot.com/



http://gottafly.blogspot.com/




Scores on-line:
http://soaringspot.com/2010rk/



With a NWS local forecast for a thirty percent chance of thunderstorms after 1
PM, it would be tricky to call a task. The forecast for light winds would
indicate that we should come back to the Florida Ridge, but the forecast for
thunderstorms said don't come back. The RUC/Dr. Jack forecast showed a
convergence with very light winds to the west.



Jeff O'Brien, who was on the task committee today, suggested going west then
straight north for a 105 km task. We also came up with an out and return task in
case we decided to call that. I am trying something different, with a new task
committee of three pilots every day, a total of twenty one pilots on the task
committee. They also meet one day on the safety committee. So far it has worked
out well.



The sky was blue at 10:15 when the task committee met with a few low level cu's
forming around us. It looked like a thoroughly pleasant day, and we would feel
that way too if it wasn't for the forecast of thunderstorms.



As we got ready to launch at 12:15, the cu's were thickening up especially to
the west. You could also see some vertical development in them. I had added an
additional start time at 1:15 PM, just to give us more options and to get people
launched as they had waited around on the first two days. Launch still took a
while to get going. I was again the first flex wing off, with only two rigids in
front of me, and I was off at 12:35.



There was plenty of lift, better than the previous day, and it was easy to climb
up to cloudbase. Jeff Shapiro was soon up with me and Dustin as well, although
we couldn't hear from him. It soon became an issue of staying out of the clouds
at 3,200'. The lift was weak at 120 fpm but consistent.



I followed a Olli and Jim in their ATOSes to the northwest to get over the
highway (80) and found weak lift near the edge of the start circle, something
just to hang out in until the start clock showed 1:15 PM. Shapiro and then half
a dozen other pilots joined us hanging out and waiting.



When it is time to go I'm the first to leave the gaggle at 3,000', which of
course on a weak day can be a pretty dangerous move. All the pilots behind can
follow your track and if it looks like you aren't doing that well, they can take
a different line. Jeff shades to the left as I search under a cu. He finds 200
fpm first and I come in 400' below him finding only 125 fpm. He'll quickly work
this advantage into a five kilometer move ahead of me as I struggle in the weak
lift for the next few thermals.



The cu's to the west have thickened up and now much of the ground is shaded,
although still sunny where we are. It is clear that there is OD in the vicinity.
Still no rain nearby and the air in mellow.



We race west and I find some good lift working thermals with other pilots and
getting back up to over 3,000', then to over 4,000'. We are on a track south of
LaBelle over orange groves. We are plenty high so there is no need to be
concerned about possible landing areas. The orange groves are shaded, there are
solid cu's almost every where and as we head west we can see rain to the south
far enough away not to be a concern.



We race down the Caloosahatchee canal finding lift under the dark clouds. The
turnpoint is just ahead just as the river opens up into the bay at Fort Myers.
We head north westerly to get the turnpoint at intersection of highway 31 and 78
away from the dark clouds that have been mostly just to our south as we raced
west.



Jeff O'Brien and Zippy caught up with me before the turnpoint and Shapiro was
still about five kilometers ahead. They had taken the second start time at 1:30
PM and got a better start than I did. We had all been in communication so they
also knew what Shapiro and I were encountering and where so that they could jump
gaggle to gaggle.



O'Brien was flying smooth and mellow, just taking it easy as he looked about for
the best lift and the best line.



Out north of the turnpoint in the sun we come in under Shapiro and a few others,
probably Dustin and Jonny. They are topping out over 4,000' as we search for the
lift down below that they were just in. With about ten pilots you would think
that we would find it but we don't. We flail around for a few minutes before one
pilot is willing to take the risk and go north a bit and suddenly there it is.
We climb at 400 fpm to 4,300'. The lift is getting stronger.



There are a good number of pilots around now as we race to track down the front
runners who are only a few kilometers ahead. Zippy and O'Brien will track them
(Carl, Jonny, Dustin and Shapiro) down before the goal. We are flying over large
tracks of Cypress swamp with little to no landing areas so we are grateful for
the good lift when we get to it. Everything down below is of course soaking wet
from days of rain.



Thirteen kilometers out I find 400 fpm with Derrick and Alex Cuddy. They are
just above me and head off first. Using them as a gauge to the sink and lift in
front of me, I go on final glide fast with a slight head wind. We all land in
the field next to the former air strip, which has been sold and has a power line
through it. Eighteen pilots make goal. Jeff O'Brien won the day. Jeff Shapiro is
in first place over all.



The Sport Class had a goal at our first turnpoint. They had more difficult
conditions given the black clouds on the course line. They were there a little
later than we were. Mark Bolt made goal in a Wills Wing U2. A number of pilot's
in Sport Class had their personal best flights.



A bunch of the rigid pilots made goal also. Campbell Bowen is in the lead in
that division. At one point half way up the last leg  I was flying with
three ATOS pilots and no other flex wings. Seemed like I was able to stay with
them as they weren't pouring it on.



It rained heavily back at the Florida Ridge, so it was good that we didn't try
to do an out and return task.

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