Majestic King Mt Soaring - Day 3 - Video

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JD
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Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2008 11:05 am

Majestic King Mt Soaring - Day 3 - Video

Post by JD »

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSdRVHEvjGY[/youtube]

Day 3's flight was not only along fabled, scenic Route 1 but was often above 16,000' while looking down at 12,000' peaks and 10,000' frozen lakes. All of which you will see on this video along with a very close encounter w/ Ken Muscio at 15K near the 43-mile mark. The flight was a mere 3-1/2 hours in length and 55 miles long. Joe Evens in his Freedom 170 is right behind me on the ramp and shortly thereafter we climb out together to 12K. The next time I spot Joe is around the 53-mile mark where he has landed and I'm starting my final glide.

Kurt Bainum launched about 3 hours after me and won the day with 66 miles + bonus LZ points: http://sonomawingsbb.yuku.com/topic/3288

The day started out completely overcast and even looked like it might rain. John Kangus' forecast called for the weather to blow North and open the skies. My teammates who drove to upper launch w/ me announced they were leaving their gliders there over night and we going to fly the motor glider rather than waste the day. Sure enough, it began to clear and the walls of virga in the distance were evaporating at a respectable height.

The same pilot who I'd first met after he landed 1/2-mile from me on Tuesday on my 12-mile bomb-out day was chomping at the bit to get airborne. The winds on the upper launch were gusty and switchy. He started his run with his wings slightly banked away from the valley and took only 3 short steps before lifting off. Luckily, he was unscathed as his glider ground-looped back into the ramp below me as I made my way over to the right-hand ramp. You may note in the opening of the video just how hard I dig into my run and pull in once airborne.

My two teammates did launch not too long after me and both had good flights. One of them, LJ spotted 5 elk running at 10,000' and called it on radio about an hour into his flight. The remarkable thing about my own flight was the lighting and the scenery. Lots of distant virga and an abundance of sun rays bursting through cloud decks. Kurt also caught similar scenes on his video as well. There was nothing that technical about my flight not already mentioned here other than perhaps having done 48,000' of climbing during the flight. As a result, I decided to put more work into the soundtrack selections and edit timing than into a voice-over track and animated 3D tracklog on this iteration.

Enjoy! Jonathan
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max
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Location: LAWNDALE CA.

Post by max »

Absolutely nice scenery nice video Jonathan and like I said before I don't care what you Wife says about you,you the man. Keep on flying and filming.
Smile now Cry later
MAX
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JD
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Post by JD »

max wrote:Absolutely nice scenery nice video Jonathan and like I said before I don't care what you Wife says about you,you the man. Keep on flying and filming.
Thanks Max. What concerns me most is what my wife keeps saying about you. :twisted: :lol: :lol:

Maybe, more Sylmar pilots will attend this event in future years. It was by far the best flying I have experienced in 37 years. There is a recreational event coming up later in August. http://www.kingmountaingliderpark.com/k ... ider-park/
The King Mountain Safari will be the third week every August. This year we have grown to 9 days. Ausgust 14th to the 22nd. Sailplanes, Self Launchers with good high hot capability, Hang Gliders and Paragliders will all be welcome. With limited infrastructure, folks will need to be self contained and dry camp (no charge) or utilize motels and RV parks in the area. We will provide porta potties, a camp fire, and of course the Airfield for all soaring enthusiats. For further information Call John at 208-407-7174.
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