Flying Kagel with helicopter
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 12:02 pm
Monday, January 30.
My story:
Several gliders were set up and ready to go and couple of them were already flying. The air was so hazy I could barely see the LZ, let alone gliders in the air. A helicopter approached from SE and circled above launch about 200' up. A pilot waved from the window, we waved back. He landed on the saddle, SW of donut, came up and talked to old timers. An old friend, ex hang pilot. I don't know him. He took off and flew away(?) We got back to our flying. It was lite, all about staying up, mostly by staying close to the mountain. The helicopter appeared again, zigging and zagging across the ridge. Finally disappeared (?). Fast forward... I am setting up my approach, I see a single surface glider over the wash. I hang around in the 0 sink, to give him a chance to land first. He takes it and lands without delay. I am committed: downwind, base... what the f... now, the helicopter cuts right in front of me and heads to the LZ into my intended final leg pat. I do couple of quick S turns to shorten my final leg, while he lands on the SE corner of LZ. I land uneventfully in his turbulence, let myself cool down, bleed off the steam and talked to him.
His story:
I use to fly here long ago. I know what I am doing. I see you circling at the N end of the wash, I thought you will get up and go back...
No apologies, no word of understanding.
My story:
Several gliders were set up and ready to go and couple of them were already flying. The air was so hazy I could barely see the LZ, let alone gliders in the air. A helicopter approached from SE and circled above launch about 200' up. A pilot waved from the window, we waved back. He landed on the saddle, SW of donut, came up and talked to old timers. An old friend, ex hang pilot. I don't know him. He took off and flew away(?) We got back to our flying. It was lite, all about staying up, mostly by staying close to the mountain. The helicopter appeared again, zigging and zagging across the ridge. Finally disappeared (?). Fast forward... I am setting up my approach, I see a single surface glider over the wash. I hang around in the 0 sink, to give him a chance to land first. He takes it and lands without delay. I am committed: downwind, base... what the f... now, the helicopter cuts right in front of me and heads to the LZ into my intended final leg pat. I do couple of quick S turns to shorten my final leg, while he lands on the SE corner of LZ. I land uneventfully in his turbulence, let myself cool down, bleed off the steam and talked to him.
His story:
I use to fly here long ago. I know what I am doing. I see you circling at the N end of the wash, I thought you will get up and go back...
No apologies, no word of understanding.