New Rigid Record Kagel to Palm Springs

[SHGA Communications]

Excerpted from the Oz Report thread
http://ozreport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9668

New rigid wing record-Kagel, CA. 9/26 Thu Sep 27, 2007 12:50 pm

5 hours 112.5 miles Kagel(Sylmar, CA) to Palm Springs, CA-glider ATOS VR max altitude 10k

This is exactly the kind of flight (and route) that looks the best to me from Kagel.

Please get more info and track log.
Davis Straub
http://ozreport.com
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That's the direction (and destination) that all of our long flights have been. We don't get days that allow that very often, though. Not airspace issues, but LZ issues. There are large stretches where there isn't anywhere to land that is both safe and legal. You have to have an especially good day to get high enough to be sure to cross the unlandable terrain. If the city wasn't there, we'd be doing it a LOT more often. I suspect it could be done a bit more often that it is, but much more often would require intestinal fortitude beyond that of mere mortals. Landing in neighborhoods on sloped terrain with power lines just doesn't make for a fun flight. Of course, once you get past Azusa/Duarte or a bit farther, the LZs open up.

Then there is the issue of the Banning Pass. Nobody in their right minds goes through that unless they are SURE that the winds are light. Or they are so high that they don't care about the pass anymore... That kind of altitude is very rare here. Not unheard of though. I know Rebar Dan has hit it. And others. If I was going that way, I'd have my driver go ahead of me into the pass and check the wind every 5 miles. I've seen it near calm near Crestline and blowing 40 or more in the pass. Ouch.

On the other hand, there are days. Oh yes, there are days. And they always happen when I am elsewhere. I've been flying Kagel for 25 years and not once have I been there on one of those days.

Nice flight to the three (or was it four?) pilots who went far that day. According to reports, two landed at Andy Jackson LZ, one reportedly went over the back from Cajon Pass and one reportedly went to Palm Springs - or was that the same one who supposedly went over the back? Either way, a great day and great flights from all. Congratulations!!!

George Stebbins
Fly High; Fly Far; Fly Safe; Dream Big

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It is usually this time of year - and on days associated with a monsoonal flow out of Mexico - that the winds in the pass are light.

Radwhacker

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Yes, there have been at least two deaths of HG pilots in the pass due to winds.

As for the pilot, I'm guessing here, but I'd guess that it was Sebastian Lutges (sp?). We only have a couple of rigid wings and he's the RW pilot with the most go-for-it attitude. Although, it could have been a visitor. We occasionally get RW visitors. If I find out before anyone else posts, I'll post the info I get.

George Stebbins
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I have heard that it was Tony Deleo. John Greynald told me that today, when I talked to him on the phone.
Davis Straub
http://ozreport.com
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The Pilots:

Diablo = Tony Deleo, long time Team Topa pilot and major XC hound, he is the new record holder (nice job Diablo)

Ron Wiener (Moyes LS RS) and Sebastian Lutges (ATOS V Rigd Wing) flew to Crestline and said they had trouble getting down as the conditions were pretty bouyant. In retrospect they probably wish they had continued over the back.

This was the second day that the conditions showed good XC potential, pilots reported lower altitudes on Wednesday (generally 6k to 7k) than Tuesday (reports of 9k)
Jeff Chipman

[Vrezh]

Congrats to Ron (heeeeey, bonjorno, Babaluchi!!!) and Seabass (Shamalamadingdong)!
Well done, guys!
You are my heroes!
I should've listened to you , Roni, and come out.
I might've gotten lucky, who knows...
Well, next time.

P.S.
Can I, please,mention I flew to Wilson and back the day before?

Vrezh.

[Chip]

I've downloaded and converted Ron Wieners tracklog into several formats. First a graphic of the flight.



As you can see a nice flight. Here's the IGC for pilots that have flight evaluation software.

Next we have the Google Earth files (right click - Save Target As...) so you can view the flight in 3d.

Flight Stats:
Date: September 26th, 2007
Flight Time: 4 hours 7 minutes
Max Alt: 9400'
Distance: 61 miles

[skygeek AKA Seabass]

Chippy can you attach a legend to the track log that shows altitude=a color. that was a great flight. A interesting point about Tony's flight that day is that shortly after Ron & I landed at Crestline, he was high going over us, but we did not see him, flew another 60 miles in a third of the time it took us to fly to Crestline. It would be nice to compare all three track logs.