Fun, Fear & Frustration on a Falcon

JD · Post by JD » Mon Apr 05, 2010 8:44 am

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0ZvInqVB3o[/youtube]
http://vimeo.com/10688816 full res downloadable version too.

4/3/2010 - Pushing it hard and long on my Falcon 3 195 then digging out and getting home. http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/311377

max · Post by **max** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 9:14 am

Jonathan you made some nice low save their I could swear I hear your heartbeat going up a few times, nice flying

JD · Post by JD » Mon Apr 05, 2010 9:53 am

max wrote:Jonathan you made some nice low save their I could swear I hear your heartbeat going up a few times, nice flying

Max,
I think I spent almost half the flight coordinating retrievals so I wouldn't get home late and be in even more trouble! Thanks to Don for relaying messages and to Erica for standing by, ready to pick me up at Olive View. Soon I will be the "pilot who cried wolf". I'll broadcast, "I'm 30 seconds from landing in the wash" then someone will get on the radio and say, "If his feet aren't touching the ground then don't worry about him." It's double-edged sword. That reminds me to install a volume switch on my helmet. Saturday was the worst day ever for interference and pilots yelling on radio. In a future video I'll record everything that comes through my speaker too.
- Jonathan

DigitalBishop · Post by **DigitalBishop** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 3:48 pm

Vimeo says I can't view the video because it's private.

addicted2climbing · Post by **addicted2climbing** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 4:16 pm

Hey Jonathan,

I was laughing each time you were frustrated then happy to hear that Vario beeping. I have a coworker visiting from England right now who is a competition sailplane pilot and heard the vario at my desk to see what I was watching. He saw your frustrations with sink and headwind and excitement at low saves and he said "Its the same excitement with all soaring isn't it". He was surprised just how much physical effort it took to horse that falcon around.

Great flight as usual Jonathan. Last week of crazyness at work for me with tradeshow next week, so I will be at the LZ come May and a nice tax return will ensure I have the funds to fly...

Marc

JD · Post by JD » Mon Apr 05, 2010 4:31 pm

DigitalBishop wrote:Vimeo says I can't view the video because it's private.

DOH! O.k. All fixed. That setting was leftover from another video upload. I'll have to keep an eye on those settings. Thanks!

JD · Post by JD » Mon Apr 05, 2010 4:39 pm

addicted2climbing wrote:...........I was laughing each time you were frustrated then happy to hear that Vario beeping. I have a coworker visiting from England right now who is a competition sailplane pilot and heard the vario at my desk to see what I was watching. He saw your frustrations with sink and headwind and excitement at low saves and he said "Its the same excitement with all soaring isn't it". He was surprised just how much physical effort it took to horse that falcon around..............

Marc, What a great story! It is all pretty similar, even with R/C sailplanes in a park. I think I hooked in at 190# and it was a fairly rowdy day, Saturday. Busty's Freedom 170 with it's longer wingspan but curved tips is easier to fly than my Falcon 3 195 which has stiffer tips and 25 more square feet. I had only one smooth and easy thermal the entire 2:35 flight. Other days I could fly all day with one hand. Hope to see you out there in May. 2010 has gypped most pilots on weekends so you odds are pretty good for better skies come May.
Jonathan