Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Bridgeport Fly In



A labor day weekend, east side sierras the Bridgeport Fly In was hosted by Pam and supported by the motherlode sky riders club. Terrific job. 


Around Bridgeport there are a number of sites, Saturday we launched Sweetwater, so many folks were sinking out, I threw off my jacket. That was a mistake, I went to16k where it was well below freezing!


Flying here always leaves an impression on me, so much diversity, so many possibilities, fantastic scenery.


Landing in Nevada can be lonely, no cell phone, no radio, no people. How was a found ? Well that was my flight plan direction, but it was the SPOT that got me found. I was too cold to make the jump to Hawthorne.
Monday we flew Copper, a beautiful launch. Overlooking Mono Lake on the backside of Yosemite.
 I've not had much luck here in the past, and this day was no exception.

A chased a dust devil around the LZ while sinking like a rock. A normal landing approach is downwind, base, final. This approach was downwind, downwind, downwind. I hate it when that happens! I left an impression on this site. Landing downwind at 7500ft is not much fun, the glider knocked me in the back of my helmet while we continued to slide through the soft (thankfully) grass. Had I done a left hand approach I likely would have gone up and been in a headwind.

The go-pro took this random shot mid-slide.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Dan Murphy Memorial Air Races at Funston

Catching up again. A few weeks ago, Fort Funston hosted the annual air races. The weather was about the most perfect one could have arranged with the weather gods. 
Much fun was had by all, 1st place was traded between Kenny Brown, Zac Majors and Brian Horgan. Zac ended up taking the title. Results Here : http://flyfunston.org/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1332&sid=4628af8d9ac10f61d8d9f30b1e3634bf#p3206
 The next Day we were treated to a really pretty day.
Funston can be a really beautiful place to fly.
 Even though generally speaking the best flying is when it is overcast.