Search found 212 matches

by Ken Andrews
Mon Mar 28, 2022 5:12 pm
Forum: TFR's and NOTAMS
Topic: Laser research at Table Mountain
Replies: 0
Views: 6140

Laser research at Table Mountain

For those rare days when pilots fly between Sylmar and Crestline, it's worth being aware that NASA is starting to conduct laser communications research at Table Mountain, near Wrightwood. This was briefly issued as a NOTAM, but is now documented as a Special Notice in the Southwest United States Cha...
by Ken Andrews
Fri Jul 23, 2021 9:36 am
Forum: Lost and Found
Topic: Found aerotow bridles
Replies: 0
Views: 5797

Found aerotow bridles

When setting up my glider on launch on Saturday, July 17, I was surprised to find a couple "pro-tow" aerotow bridles on the ground. I can only guess that they fell out of a little-used pocket of someone's harness while they were setting up in the days prior to that. If they're yours, let m...
by Ken Andrews
Fri Jul 19, 2019 5:18 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Return of the Falcon League
Replies: 3
Views: 2422

Re: Return of the Falcon League

The forum is back, and the Falcon league is back! While the Falcon League is intended to be an every-other-Saturday sort of thing, it got upstaged by the Fourth of July trip to Hurricane a couple weeks ago, and by the Crestline fly-in last weekend. That means it’s high time to bring it back this com...
by Ken Andrews
Fri Jul 19, 2019 5:01 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Return of the Falcon League
Replies: 3
Views: 2422

Re: Return of the Falcon League

I thought the Falcon League on June 19 was a success. Erika, Marshall, Jim Shaw, George, and I visited three bail-out LZs on the way to launch: the base of the dam, the field north of the cemetary (near Hungary Joe’s property), and Beehives. The dam looked pretty good, thanks to Joe Grebo’s work the...
by Ken Andrews
Mon Jun 24, 2019 12:11 pm
Forum: Events
Topic: Hurricane on the Fourth of July
Replies: 1
Views: 5502

Hurricane on the Fourth of July

I’m just discovering that the Fourth of July is almost here! We should definitely go fly somewhere. The obvious choice is to return to Hurricane, Utah, where we’ve usually gotten both spectacular cross-country flights and great ridge-soaring. The weather is always hot and sunny, with occasional thun...
by Ken Andrews
Wed Jun 19, 2019 8:31 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Return of the Falcon League
Replies: 3
Views: 2422

Return of the Falcon League

Several years ago, the Falcon League became a somewhat regular thing on alternate Saturdays, and I think it's time to bring it back to life. In case the Falcon League doesn't sound familiar, the idea is to put experienced pilots on introductory gliders, and find some challenging cross-country flying...
by Ken Andrews
Thu Sep 06, 2018 9:39 am
Forum: Events
Topic: Labor Day WE in the Owens
Replies: 5
Views: 7300

Owens Valley trip report

Last weekend, the Owens delivered perfect weather and a couple fantastic days of flying. The Sylmar contingent consisted of Greg Angsten, Steve Murillo and his wife Pat, Arthur Simoneau and his significant other Lisa, Jim Delear, Marshall Robin, and myself. We all drove up Friday afternoon, and vari...
by Ken Andrews
Wed Jul 11, 2018 6:47 pm
Forum: Events
Topic: New and Improved Winds of a Hurricane
Replies: 7
Views: 8892

Hurricane report

The trip was excellent, even though the flying weather was capricious, and we got less air time than in previous years. That’s the short version of the story; the long version follows. Will Ramsey, Marshall Robin, and I left Altadena promptly on Wednesday morning, July 4, and pointed the car directl...
by Ken Andrews
Mon Jul 02, 2018 11:04 am
Forum: Politics of flying
Topic: Congratulations Erika!
Replies: 21
Views: 16097

Cool it

Cool it, Bob. Erika is the USHPA Communications Manager, and her business is communication for USHPA. If you want publicity for non-USHPA things, take it elsewhere, such as the US Hawks. This forum has survived so far without a formal behavior policy, but you're pushing the limits here. The informal...
by Ken Andrews
Fri Oct 06, 2017 4:08 pm
Forum: Events
Topic: Cub scout movie night
Replies: 0
Views: 5938

Cub scout movie night

The cub scout movie night last Saturday, September 30, was a great success. There was a large turnout among the scouting families, some SHGA folks, and it was clear that their fund raising went well. Here's a photo from Tony Desantis.

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by Ken Andrews
Mon Sep 25, 2017 5:06 pm
Forum: Comp Discussion
Topic: 2017 Dahlsten Cup Results Discussion
Replies: 5
Views: 8299

Dahlsten 2017 track logs

Cool; thanks! It's a challenge to distinguish each of those colors, but I'll study it; I bet there's lots to learn here.
by Ken Andrews
Sun Sep 24, 2017 12:06 pm
Forum: Politics of flying
Topic: dhmartens banned?
Replies: 11
Views: 10810

Bob not banned

No Bob, you have not been banned. Like Doug did, you might check to see if you got caught in a spam filter, and do some self searching. The forum administrators must wage a constant battle against spam, and once or twice, we've cast too wide a net and unintentionally caught a non-spammer. I don't be...
by Ken Andrews
Sun Sep 24, 2017 11:58 am
Forum: Politics of flying
Topic: Calling USHPA's Bluff
Replies: 222
Views: 117911

BK, again

Bob, To summarize, perhaps this whole discussion depends on whether your priority is to fly, or that elusive thing called justice. If it were to fly, then maybe I could help. But it’s evident that the fight for justice is even more important to you, and so I’ll have leave that to you, Doug Martens, ...
by Ken Andrews
Sat Sep 23, 2017 1:45 pm
Forum: Politics of flying
Topic: Calling USHPA's Bluff
Replies: 222
Views: 117911

BK, redux

In the possibility that there might be a new reader here who hasn’t made up his mind long ago, maybe it’s time to tell another side of this saga. As we all know, USHPA made its decision to expel Bob in March of 2015. That fall, when Bob saw my name on the USHPA ballot, he pleaded his case to me, and...
by Ken Andrews
Mon Sep 18, 2017 4:18 pm
Forum: Events
Topic: Solar Eclipse Totality or as OP would say, it�s science ~
Replies: 30
Views: 22305

Another King Mountain eclipse photo

Here's a photo that Cindy Benti sent me long ago to post to the pilot forum, and I've been slow about it; sorry. While very similar to the one above, this photo proves that Lisa Wendt doesn't appear in color. Go figure.

Image
by Ken Andrews
Fri Jul 21, 2017 8:36 am
Forum: Events
Topic: Solar Eclipse Totality or as OP would say, it�s science ~
Replies: 30
Views: 22305

Uber from King Mountain

Greg,

Thanks for the offer of a ride from the airport; certainly $179 is an attractive price. The only catch is that it’s beginning to sound like nobody is heading back to LA from King Mountain. Like the X-Alps, my only way home would be by hiking and hang gliding. Well, I guess there’s also Uber.
by Ken Andrews
Sun Jul 16, 2017 10:53 am
Forum: Events
Topic: Solar Eclipse Totality or as OP would say, it�s science ~
Replies: 30
Views: 22305

Possible eclipse schedule

I’m still wrestling with alternatives. Basically, there’s no getting around the fact that it’s about 2000 miles, round trip, from Sylmar to King Mountain and back. That’s four days on the road, or a $1000 airplane flight with the associated logistical challenges of rental cars and glider transport. ...
by Ken Andrews
Mon Jul 10, 2017 9:25 am
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Return of the forum
Replies: 7
Views: 3476

Return of the forum

Our pilot forum is back! Here’s what happened. This is too geeky for civilized conversation, but it’s my excuse to test the forum. Our Internet Service Provider (ISP) is ReadyHosting.com. Our website lives on their computers, which they keep running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week without fail, more o...
by Ken Andrews
Wed Jun 21, 2017 12:46 pm
Forum: Safety and Incidents in flight
Topic: First aid kits in the LZ
Replies: 3
Views: 7192

First aid kits in the LZ

Janyce asked me to post the following (and thank you for doing this job!): Janyce has informed me that she has gone through the numerous first aid collections and condensed them. They are in clearly labeled drawers in the storage cabinet facing the tractor. It is not locked during the day. It is imp...
by Ken Andrews
Sun Dec 18, 2016 7:49 pm
Forum: General Discussion
Topic: Sad News of OP's passing
Replies: 13
Views: 7025

Orian

This is tragic news. I don’t yet know how to come to terms with it. Always entertaining, occasionally maddening, Orian found more creative ways to interact with the world than anyone I’ve ever known. Whether he was discussing the traditional ethnic food of his people (Cheetos and Mountain Dew, a...