No, I've heard that they eat fingers, but it gets even scarier just to the east in front of Lance's. Some of the locals may shoot you if you try to land too close them.gsmith wrote: Do they eat with their fingers?
The SHGA Adventure Pass
Moderator: Chip
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FlyingStone
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Thu Aug 10, 2006 8:38 pm
- Location: South Bay
- Contact:
Well, if I can't fly, I can at least chime in...
I recommend an RLF sign-off class, taught by a professional instructor, such as Hungary Joe. You will not only get a thorough familiarization with the CURRENT, local bail-out LZs, you will get some valuable training in how to land in them! And, it's one small step on the journey to an XC sign-off. Such instructors have also been known to offer focused instruction on adventuring out from Kagel.
I recommend an RLF sign-off class, taught by a professional instructor, such as Hungary Joe. You will not only get a thorough familiarization with the CURRENT, local bail-out LZs, you will get some valuable training in how to land in them! And, it's one small step on the journey to an XC sign-off. Such instructors have also been known to offer focused instruction on adventuring out from Kagel.
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Ken Andrews
- Site Admin
- Posts: 215
- Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2005 8:22 pm
- Location: Pasadena
Emergency LZs
Every now and again, pilots ask for detailed information about emergency LZs: maps, aerial photos, IMAX movies of landing approaches from the pilot's perspective, etc. However, actually walking the sites oneself is superior to any number of maps and pages of written description. Over the last few years, I've decided that it would actually be a bad idea to provide detailed information about these LZs. Without it, the motivated pilot will do the necessary homework himself and be the better for it, while the lazy pilot won't be lulled into a false sense of security by a few satellite images.
As Lisa noted, there is a list of emergency LZs on our website, and there are usually paper copies of this information stocked in the drawer under the telephone in the LZ. This list provides enough detail that one could find the locations on a map, drive to each, and consider how to land there. Hungary Joe has occasionally held Restricted Landing Field (RLF) clinics, and he includes a visit to several of these emergency LZs. I learned a huge amount from Hungary Joe's RLF class, and recommend it strongly! Joe Greblo has also organized visits to these alternate LZs on occasion.
No patch of flat land in the Los Angeles area sits idle for long, and the emergency LZs are testament to that. Several have succumbed to houses in the last couple years, others have washed away or been rearranged by construction; the rare one or two has been improved. It is a good idea to visit them once or twice a year, or at least watch for changes from the air when flying over them.
The pilot who won't invest the energy to find and walk the emergency LZs should not be landing out. Don't be one of those lazy folks. If you're in the LZ on an unflyable day, or if you land well before sunset, find a like-minded pilot or two and go exploring!
As Lisa noted, there is a list of emergency LZs on our website, and there are usually paper copies of this information stocked in the drawer under the telephone in the LZ. This list provides enough detail that one could find the locations on a map, drive to each, and consider how to land there. Hungary Joe has occasionally held Restricted Landing Field (RLF) clinics, and he includes a visit to several of these emergency LZs. I learned a huge amount from Hungary Joe's RLF class, and recommend it strongly! Joe Greblo has also organized visits to these alternate LZs on occasion.
No patch of flat land in the Los Angeles area sits idle for long, and the emergency LZs are testament to that. Several have succumbed to houses in the last couple years, others have washed away or been rearranged by construction; the rare one or two has been improved. It is a good idea to visit them once or twice a year, or at least watch for changes from the air when flying over them.
The pilot who won't invest the energy to find and walk the emergency LZs should not be landing out. Don't be one of those lazy folks. If you're in the LZ on an unflyable day, or if you land well before sunset, find a like-minded pilot or two and go exploring!
If you really want your adventure pass, I think you should be able to swim two laps underwater in an olympic sized pool with no air, for water landings, do 20 chin ups with the military grip for tree landings, palms facing away from you, shoulder width apart, and tear a telephone book in half, have at least two bones broken for torture testing, in the event that you land out behind enemy lines, and speak at least two languages.
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Lynn McLaughlin
- Posts: 297
- Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2005 3:08 pm
I love the idea of Adventure Pass. Here's some of my personal experience around that idea.
When I was mid-H2 and "panting" to fly other sites, I approached my instructor and asked him if I could go to Crestline or Elsinore. I knew I could not go alone and I hoped that Greblo would offer me a reasonable solution. He suggested I shadow George, J and Lisa at Kagel first, then go along on their treks to Crestline once everyone was confident I would listen and demonstrate appropriate judgement for the conditions. I jumped on the idea and it was the very best thing I've ever done. Choosing capable, like-minded pilots made a huge difference in my growth as a pilot. I chose my mentors because they flew similar gliders, understood weather conditions and I trusted they would not lead me into more than I could handle at the time. Later, I cornered Cutter and "begged" him to teach me how to better thermal. We worked on radio a couple times and I'll never forget the first time I nailed a bullet thermal and soared for hours. Once I began venturing out, I chose to fly in teams, on radio, with Stebbins or Lisa or Big Erica. Years later, "Beergis" and Jim extended their advice as we launched Locals and flew to Towers. (That's still a great flight for me) In each case, my mentors knowledge allowed me to reach a little further. All it took was a asking. Like Rob and Jim mention, feel free to ask! Ask around to find out who among us is willing and qualified to mentor. Get your Ham license. Take RLF clinics. Get to know our observers and go fly. The Adventure Pass is well worth the fun and adventure
When I was mid-H2 and "panting" to fly other sites, I approached my instructor and asked him if I could go to Crestline or Elsinore. I knew I could not go alone and I hoped that Greblo would offer me a reasonable solution. He suggested I shadow George, J and Lisa at Kagel first, then go along on their treks to Crestline once everyone was confident I would listen and demonstrate appropriate judgement for the conditions. I jumped on the idea and it was the very best thing I've ever done. Choosing capable, like-minded pilots made a huge difference in my growth as a pilot. I chose my mentors because they flew similar gliders, understood weather conditions and I trusted they would not lead me into more than I could handle at the time. Later, I cornered Cutter and "begged" him to teach me how to better thermal. We worked on radio a couple times and I'll never forget the first time I nailed a bullet thermal and soared for hours. Once I began venturing out, I chose to fly in teams, on radio, with Stebbins or Lisa or Big Erica. Years later, "Beergis" and Jim extended their advice as we launched Locals and flew to Towers. (That's still a great flight for me) In each case, my mentors knowledge allowed me to reach a little further. All it took was a asking. Like Rob and Jim mention, feel free to ask! Ask around to find out who among us is willing and qualified to mentor. Get your Ham license. Take RLF clinics. Get to know our observers and go fly. The Adventure Pass is well worth the fun and adventure