Barely made the LZ
Barely made the LZ
A couple weeks ago I was over Magic Mountain at only about 6000Ft. Not the best position to be in but I figured I had a very little bit of reserve. Anyways I lost about 400Ft in less then a minute and there didn't seem to be any bouyant air around. So I went on Best glide back towards Kagel. Initially my glide wasn't so bad but it deteriated rapidly. So I was forced to change my direction towards the dam. The compeo was indicating a 16mph mostly head wind, and my glide was in the 5 to 6 range. By the time I aproached that spine that runs North of the Kagel launch I was below launch and preparing for the inivitable turbulance that I would have to pass through. I was rocked around somewhat but I have been in worse. I had to concentrate on keeping the glider really level because I knew that I needed to stretch the glide out to the max. A little ways pass this spine the sink got worse and I begane to scope out what appears to be sand North East of the lake. I was using my Compeo to calculate the best glide and I was constantly manually calculating where I was going to end up. Anyway I caculated that I would clear the dam so I kept going. As I got closer to the dam I could now see some of the baseball fields. Once in a while I could see all of the basball fields but not the Lz because I was to low. As I passed over the dam I could see the the life jackets in their little boat and all of their power lines. I kept a pretty tight turn around kagel mountain because I needed to keep my path short. The mountain looks so much bigger from down here! I quickly decided not to land at the dam since my manual calculation indicated I will barely make the Lz. So I stay on best glide aiming in a straight line just left of the last pole for the power lines. As I aproach Gavina I notice a dry grassy area on its North side. I make a final decision to commit for the LZ since this is my last chance to turn around and still be able to then turn into the wind for final just North of Gavina. I pass around that last pole slightly lower then the wires and line up a final towards the bottom of the hill leading to the H4 landing area. I get into landing position feel my lungs fill up with air and figure its a slam dunk now. I start sinking like a rock so here I go again manually calculating my glide. Anyway I turn right to shorten my glide somewhere short of the rocks that signal the start of the runway. I level off while over the rocks where the water flows though and glide to the beutiful flat ground. By the time I get past the rocks I don't have enough energy left to even think about a flare so I run it out without incident. Thats my scary story. Dont let it happen to you!
Just a thought:
There are landable fields just to the W of Magic Mountain. There are also landable areas to the NW and N of Magic Mountain. In fact, there are lots of areas to land back there if you aren't focused on "getting back". Once you get too low, though, options get bad very fast.
Not being there, I cannot say what would have been better, but that kind of bail-out should have at least entered your mind. Perhaps it did, and that fact didn't end up in your story. In any case, opening ones mind to other possibilities can turn a bad situation better. Having those choices in mind in advance makes it far more likely that you'll know what to do under the stress of the moment.
I was at the King Mountain Meet years ago and a guy died at least in part because he focused on getting back to the front of the hill instead of turning tail and running.
By the way, thank you for having the courage to post your story. We need that kind of information to improve safety.
There are landable fields just to the W of Magic Mountain. There are also landable areas to the NW and N of Magic Mountain. In fact, there are lots of areas to land back there if you aren't focused on "getting back". Once you get too low, though, options get bad very fast.
Not being there, I cannot say what would have been better, but that kind of bail-out should have at least entered your mind. Perhaps it did, and that fact didn't end up in your story. In any case, opening ones mind to other possibilities can turn a bad situation better. Having those choices in mind in advance makes it far more likely that you'll know what to do under the stress of the moment.
I was at the King Mountain Meet years ago and a guy died at least in part because he focused on getting back to the front of the hill instead of turning tail and running.
By the way, thank you for having the courage to post your story. We need that kind of information to improve safety.
Fly High; Fly Far; Fly Safe -- George
I agree that would be useful.
On the other hand, the fields I talked about are all visible from that altitude and location. They are clearly landable. And there are several near each other, so if one turns out to have a horse, or something in it, there are backups.
Learning to scope an LZ from the air is a necessary skill if one is to fly anywhere except from Launch to Landing Zone. But as one is in the process of learning, help as you suggested is a good thing.
And upgrade. Google Earth is wonderful. Just remember that all of the pictures aren't current....
On the other hand, the fields I talked about are all visible from that altitude and location. They are clearly landable. And there are several near each other, so if one turns out to have a horse, or something in it, there are backups.
Learning to scope an LZ from the air is a necessary skill if one is to fly anywhere except from Launch to Landing Zone. But as one is in the process of learning, help as you suggested is a good thing.
And upgrade. Google Earth is wonderful. Just remember that all of the pictures aren't current....
Fly High; Fly Far; Fly Safe -- George
Adam's Emergency LZ-Northeast of the bridge.
<B> Adam's Emergency LZ </B>
Once I was not going to make it back to the LZ, heck, I was going to land in the power lines over the bridge! I made a u turn to make it back to the base of the dam, but I wasn't going to make it to that LZ either! A quick glance to the right and I realized that the slope was uphill and the plants were of the appropriate color*. I made a quick 90' right, came upright, buried the bar, and landed safely-no walking/a good plop down. I highly recommend landing there-just walk it first.
*Plant color-when u go to buy new sunglasses, buy the kind that only make the plants darker-not glasses that will make the plants a different color. On your way up the hill in the truck, look out the window @ the plants. Consciously notice which plants are dark and 8' tall and which plants are grey and 3' tall. Then from the air u will know the height of the plants just by their color/shade. Then go land in the lightly shaded ones. Also, walk the LZ first, and practice landing there too. That's my practice landing out LZ.
adambein@hotmail.com 714-856-7772[
Once I was not going to make it back to the LZ, heck, I was going to land in the power lines over the bridge! I made a u turn to make it back to the base of the dam, but I wasn't going to make it to that LZ either! A quick glance to the right and I realized that the slope was uphill and the plants were of the appropriate color*. I made a quick 90' right, came upright, buried the bar, and landed safely-no walking/a good plop down. I highly recommend landing there-just walk it first.
*Plant color-when u go to buy new sunglasses, buy the kind that only make the plants darker-not glasses that will make the plants a different color. On your way up the hill in the truck, look out the window @ the plants. Consciously notice which plants are dark and 8' tall and which plants are grey and 3' tall. Then from the air u will know the height of the plants just by their color/shade. Then go land in the lightly shaded ones. Also, walk the LZ first, and practice landing there too. That's my practice landing out LZ.
adambein@hotmail.com 714-856-7772[
adambein@hotmail.com 714-856-7772
Adam's Emergency LZ-Northeast of the bridge.
<B> Adam's Emergency LZ </B>
Once I was not going to make it back to the LZ, heck, I was going to land in the power lines over the bridge! I made a u turn to make it back to the base of the dam, but I wasn't going to make it to that LZ either! A quick glance to the right and I realized that the slope was uphill and the plants were of the appropriate color*. I made a quick 90' right, came upright, buried the bar, and landed safely-no walking/a good plop down. I highly recommend landing there-just walk it first.
*Plant color-when u go to buy new sunglasses, buy the kind that only make the plants darker-not glasses that will make the plants a different color. On your way up the hill in the truck, look out the window @ the plants. Consciously notice which plants are dark and 8' tall and which plants are grey and 3' tall. Then from the air u will know the height of the plants just by their color/shade. Then go land in the lightly shaded ones. Also, walk the LZ first, and practice landing there too. That's my practice landing out LZ.
adambein@hotmail.com 714-856-7772[
Once I was not going to make it back to the LZ, heck, I was going to land in the power lines over the bridge! I made a u turn to make it back to the base of the dam, but I wasn't going to make it to that LZ either! A quick glance to the right and I realized that the slope was uphill and the plants were of the appropriate color*. I made a quick 90' right, came upright, buried the bar, and landed safely-no walking/a good plop down. I highly recommend landing there-just walk it first.
*Plant color-when u go to buy new sunglasses, buy the kind that only make the plants darker-not glasses that will make the plants a different color. On your way up the hill in the truck, look out the window @ the plants. Consciously notice which plants are dark and 8' tall and which plants are grey and 3' tall. Then from the air u will know the height of the plants just by their color/shade. Then go land in the lightly shaded ones. Also, walk the LZ first, and practice landing there too. That's my practice landing out LZ.
adambein@hotmail.com 714-856-7772[
adambein@hotmail.com 714-856-7772