http://soaringspot.com/2010tsss/

http://westcoastbrit.blogspot.com/

We've learned a few things. Like don't launch before 2 PM. That the conditions
in Texas are light in the Spring and cloud bases relatively low. We've also
learned that pilots can indeed create their own IGC files either on their
computer or with the help of a friend and that this makes "pin in" time a whole
lot easier on every one (that means pilots also). Yesterday I didn't get back to
Luling until after 10:30 PM and when I got SeeYou setup with the task all I had
to do was open the email and do the scoring (and this can be automated, if I get
pilots to name their IGC files consistently). This is how things are going to be
with scoring from now on.

The forecast was for light winds on Thursday so the task committee called at
smallish triangle, 32 mile. The light forecast was for 500 fpm, but we rarely
see that, mostly it averages 150 fpm (+ 200 fpm for the sink rate of the
glider). Cloud base was supposed to be between 5,000' and 6,000'.

There were very few cu's in the morning unlike all the other days but they
appeared as the day developed:

The satellite photo at 2:45 PM. We're just south of the line that will turn into
OD. The cu's are sparse especially to our south.

We waited until 2 PM to launch as we had so many relights if we launched before
then. Gregg Ludwig was off first followed by Kent Robinson and then me just
behind him. Rodger let me off in a nice thermal near Kent and we thermalled up
together. Whenever I would get up to him in his Falcon 1895, I would get waked.
It was not what I wanted. It is amazing how big the disturbance is behind that
glider.

Kent and I climbed to 6,000' just south of the airfield and then went over to a
wispy cu over the launch area and climbed back up to the wisps again. I signaled
to Kent that we should head off. Chris Zimmerman who launched a bit later was
two thousand feet below us.

There was a nice cu four miles to the west along the course line and we headed
right for it. The Northwing Freedom 170 can go quite a bit faster than the Wills
Wing Falcon 190 with a light pilot. When we got to the cu there was no lift. We
had to go in search mode. Even with both of us looking it took nine minutes to
find the lift. We climbed out at 184 fpm.

We could see Chris Zimmerman behind us as climbed up. I assumed that he started
about ten minutes behind us (it was actually seventeen). I also assumed that
Kent was on the radio to him. My team mates (Joe, Ben, and Jeff) were behind me
in the start circle.

Kent and I glided to the next cu after climbing to 5,400' with Chris following
us. He was moving pretty fast with us in the lead. I climbed up on top to 5,900'
with Chris and Kent below. I then headed off for the turn point which at this
point was a little over two miles away. There were plenty of cu's on the second
leg heading north east to Lockhart airfield.

I came back up the second leg and again found almost 200 fpm to 5,000'. After a
long while Chris and Kent came in under me.  I went out in front again as I
was at the top of the lift that I could find and found weak lift along the
course line. I lost track of Kent as he got low behind me and then I saw Chris
below and hooked up with him about 500' over him.

About four and half miles out from the Lockhart turnpoint Chris and I went on
glide, me 600' over him. I went under a dark cloud and Chris went to the sunny
area to the west of me. He made a turn, but came back toward where I was. I went
over to where he had turned in the sun but went about 100 yards further west and
found 200 fpm 5,000' while Chris struggled down below. As I topped out I saw
Kent come in two thousand feet below me. As I left to go to the turnpoint he
started turning in 300 fpm a bit behind me. He would climb to 5,800'.

I got the turnpoint but was losing altitude fast. I headed south and then to the
southwest to get under some bits of cu's and over fields that looked like they
would produce some lift. I didn't want to keep going south as the fields in that
direction looked iffy and there was mostly forest. I found weak lift over a
plowed field at 75 fpm, but down to 1,400' AGL I took it and held on.

Twenty two minutes later I left with 4,300', 1,200' predicted for my height over
goal and 9.6 to 1 to goal. I had seen Kent heading south over the treed area
that I did not want to get over. He was at 2,900' as was I climbing at that
altitude. I doubt that he saw me. I saw him getting lower and lower as he
continued south and as I continued thermaling.

Down to 1,200' AGL Kent found 200 fpm. Six minutes later I left my weak thermal
two miles behind him and headed his way. I fell like a rock and when I got to
him not only did I not find any lift under him (and he was about to leave the
former thermal) but my 6030 said I no longer had any altitude above the best
glide line into goal.

Kent had 3,500' AGL 4.65 miles from goal. He was facing a 3 mph head wind. I
could see him just above and in front of me. I was at 2,000' AGL. Kent was
obviously flying at near minimum sink at best glide. It was clear that there was
no lift ahead and I needed lift to make it in to goal. Kent was just gliding
along as smoothly as possible.

I landed two miles short. Kent kept gliding and landed back at the airfield but
37 meter short of the 400 meter goal cylinder. He had to cross over a forest to
get to the airfield and he had to hop over a barb wire fence at the north end of
the grass runway.

About fifteen minutes after I landed Ben Dunn came and landed in the same field,
we were second for the day. Chris Zimmerman landed just south of the Lockhart
airfield turnpoint.

Check out the results at the Soaring Spot.

It looks like we have two more days of light winds.