Same landings different view

A place to stretch the truth a little...
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TomS
Posts: 157
Joined: Thu Jul 27, 2006 3:26 pm

Same landings different view

Post by TomS »

landing order Sneezy, Dopey, Happy, Doc, Grumpy, Sleepy, Bashful, and Horny

http://youtu.be/YDXw8iAsIR8
Last edited by TomS on Sat Feb 11, 2012 11:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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dhmartens
Posts: 938
Joined: Sun Dec 03, 2006 11:36 am
Location: Reseda

Post by dhmartens »

I'm the one that landed in the wash and it seemed like the right choice at the time. I had just experienced turbulent persistent lift and then found formidable sink followed by quite the head wind. I noticed I was slowing my final and I might cause a stall as I saw getting to the LZ mound was going to be a close call. I might come up short and pound into what looked like a vertical surface and with 2 other gliders not far behind. The conditions were too unpredictable to attempt the LZ mound. It just so has it that I walked that exact part of the wash a few weeks ago in a quest to inventory any large boulders of the 3' or 4' variety so I was quite familiar with the terrain. I was also flying with laced up hiking boots which really increase confidence when landing in rough terrain and lessens likely hood of a sprained ankle. Before I veered right I glanced over and took notice of about 5 deer trails which I was certain I could run out a landing on. Once I set it down I was carefully watching my run out on the selected deer trail.

It was one of my funnest flying days because of the unusual conditions, view of the clouds, watching a rain squall behind launch and between Trash Mtn. Every time I tried to buzz launch(from a distance) I hit the rotor coming from the shifted wind direction and made a U turn. I only wish GregA had gotten to launch as he helped 3 of us get off the mountain but things turned before it was his turn. With the thick cloud layer I could fly my Falcon at a steady 30mph back and forth from the shooting range to towers while holding altitude steady at 3850. When Richard came on the radio and said it was blowing down and wind was picking up, I immediately stuffed the bar and came into land. I have never landed this LZ this direction and I did not want to over shoot as I remember TommyA doing a few years ago by about 150 meters. I think I was the wind dummy as the other pilots watched me go in so they could adjust their approaches accordingly.

Thanks Tom and Max for the cool videos.
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