coming in to land and thermaling back up again
coming in to land and thermaling back up again
Today, I was coming in to land and there was another pilot infront of me who was lower. As I started heading to my staging area, I hit a little lift. To buy myself some time, I did a 360... my vario kept beeping, so I did another, and another, the other pilot landed, and I was still going up very fast. I rode the thermal up to 3000 feet, and then went for the volcanoe. That was a bad move because there was no lift there, and when I went back, my low save thermal was gone. If I had stayed in it, I bet I could have made it from the landing zone to launch. I almost did it.
Restricted Airspace
I assume you did NOT violate the Restricted Airspace - over 3,000' msl ? 
Lucky 13 did say he took the thermal to 3000'. That means he was right on the edge of violation, unless he was north of the bridge.
When I did it, I didn't violate the airspace. And almost as important, I didn't violate the "don't fly over the houses West of the LZ" rule. That's actually the tough one. The normal wind direction tries very hard to put you over those houses. I've bailed on thermals many times in order to avoid breaking that rule. The trick is to either catch the thermal as far NE as possible in the pattern, or to "stair-step" by drifting up to the limit of the rule, then going directly upwind and hope to get the next thermal in line, but higher up. It can be done without violationg the rule or the airspace, though.
By the way, the airspace doesn't really begin at the bridge, but a bit NORTH of the bridge. That means we probably violate the airspace a bit on occasion. We've always cut it close, because the airspace is curved and difficult to describe any other way than "South of the Gavina Street Bridge." I one time came out to land and deliberately put myself "just" North of the bridge at 3500'. I then spiralled down taking care to stay north of the bridge, but close to it. When I downloaded my GPS tracklog to SeeYou (Flight analysis software) it indicated that I had violated the airspace, but not by much. A hundred feet? Two hundred? That's probably as much as we do it, though. I didn't do any further investigation to narrow it down. I can, if anyone is interested. Or anyone with SeeYou can do their own checking.
When I did it, I didn't violate the airspace. And almost as important, I didn't violate the "don't fly over the houses West of the LZ" rule. That's actually the tough one. The normal wind direction tries very hard to put you over those houses. I've bailed on thermals many times in order to avoid breaking that rule. The trick is to either catch the thermal as far NE as possible in the pattern, or to "stair-step" by drifting up to the limit of the rule, then going directly upwind and hope to get the next thermal in line, but higher up. It can be done without violationg the rule or the airspace, though.
By the way, the airspace doesn't really begin at the bridge, but a bit NORTH of the bridge. That means we probably violate the airspace a bit on occasion. We've always cut it close, because the airspace is curved and difficult to describe any other way than "South of the Gavina Street Bridge." I one time came out to land and deliberately put myself "just" North of the bridge at 3500'. I then spiralled down taking care to stay north of the bridge, but close to it. When I downloaded my GPS tracklog to SeeYou (Flight analysis software) it indicated that I had violated the airspace, but not by much. A hundred feet? Two hundred? That's probably as much as we do it, though. I didn't do any further investigation to narrow it down. I can, if anyone is interested. Or anyone with SeeYou can do their own checking.
Fly High; Fly Far; Fly Safe -- George
The reason I left the thermal, was because of the 3000 ft. rule. I didn't violate any airspace restriction, and by the time I got that high, I had drifted past the bridge and was heading towards the dam. I could have stayed in it, but I thought I'd fly to the volcanoe instead. I was well aware of my altitude the whole time. Just to be safe, I didn't want to be too high near the bridge. I left a perfectly good thermal just to be on the safe side.
Good job.
Knowing the rules is important so that you don't break them. BUT, it is also important to know them well. That way, you don't give up a flight (or part of one) because you THINK you MIGHT be breaking a rule. If you know the exact rule, you can be confident about making your decision.
I know of several people who have had to cut short flights because they didn't know one of the rules exactly. They wisely decided to land rather than break the rule, but if they'd known the exact rule, they could have continued to fly.
Knowing the rules is important so that you don't break them. BUT, it is also important to know them well. That way, you don't give up a flight (or part of one) because you THINK you MIGHT be breaking a rule. If you know the exact rule, you can be confident about making your decision.
I know of several people who have had to cut short flights because they didn't know one of the rules exactly. They wisely decided to land rather than break the rule, but if they'd known the exact rule, they could have continued to fly.
Fly High; Fly Far; Fly Safe -- George
This past Friday, I was the only one in the air all day. The forecast was for winds stronger than I will fly in, but forecasts can be wrong, and I had a driver and wouldn't be able to fly again for at least two weeks, so.... I went up, fully expecting to just drive back down again. Surprise! It wasn't all that windy.
I set up. By then, it was a bit windy, but nothing over 24 mph. (My limit is usually 25 or so.) I launched and flew for two hours. Nice, except that it was very bumpy whenever I went within 1/2 mile of Kagel Launch. Rotor off of Trash, I would imagine. 1500 was especially nice.
I left the mountain high (well above launch) and spiraled down North of the Gavina Street Bridge. Then at 2200 feet and near the RV staging area, I got a thermal. Not wanting to land in it, I took it up to 2920 feet. I was just South of the bridge, so I deliberately went the few hundred feet needed to get North of it, and was still in lift (although much weaker.) I took another couple of hundred feet and decided to leave, since I really did need to land. I hit another one (much weaker) at the same location. I took it up a few hundred feet and then decided this one was weak enough to land in, assuming it would even be over the LZ when I landed. Nice landing too!
So, twice in one flight I could easily have gotten up from the LZ. I only didn't because of choice. Not bad for a day when nobody else wanted to fly!
So, while it doesn't happen all that often, you can get back up from the LZ and still follow the rules. I think the extra wind helped. Without that, I'd have hit 3000 feet too far South of the bridge.
I set up. By then, it was a bit windy, but nothing over 24 mph. (My limit is usually 25 or so.) I launched and flew for two hours. Nice, except that it was very bumpy whenever I went within 1/2 mile of Kagel Launch. Rotor off of Trash, I would imagine. 1500 was especially nice.
I left the mountain high (well above launch) and spiraled down North of the Gavina Street Bridge. Then at 2200 feet and near the RV staging area, I got a thermal. Not wanting to land in it, I took it up to 2920 feet. I was just South of the bridge, so I deliberately went the few hundred feet needed to get North of it, and was still in lift (although much weaker.) I took another couple of hundred feet and decided to leave, since I really did need to land. I hit another one (much weaker) at the same location. I took it up a few hundred feet and then decided this one was weak enough to land in, assuming it would even be over the LZ when I landed. Nice landing too!
So, twice in one flight I could easily have gotten up from the LZ. I only didn't because of choice. Not bad for a day when nobody else wanted to fly!
So, while it doesn't happen all that often, you can get back up from the LZ and still follow the rules. I think the extra wind helped. Without that, I'd have hit 3000 feet too far South of the bridge.
Fly High; Fly Far; Fly Safe -- George