Tuesday on a totally clear day I launched into 0 to 4 mph sw wind in my Falcon 2 225 as a minute earlier the main windsock was blowing down at about 2 mph.
The air was smooth as I flew out to the first bowl and started circling in a light thermal. I slowly gained altitude at about 200 fpm until I got up to about
4000 feet where my climb rate started slowly increasing, 400fpm, 600fpm, 800fpm, 1000fpm. I looked up to see if I was being sucked into a cloud but it's a
clear day. I started a spiral slipping turn dive but can only hold it several revolutions and when I come back to trim speed my vario jumps off the scale
past 2000fpm and I'm at 6000 feet. This ascent is way faster than the last convergence day where I climbed at about 600fpm and I'm not happy about the
surprise so I figure I'm heading out of this lift. I pull in for maximum dive speed and head up wind just like for escaping cloud suck. Even at maximum dive
speed I'm ascending 1400fpm as I make it out in front of the ridge in what seems like minutes. I see my climb lessening to 800fpm and finally to zero as I
hit slight turbulence and I'm finding the most comfortable way to hold a dive for a long period of time. I keep the dive and finally after an eternity see
600fpm down so I ride that back down to 4500feet. Whew. Ok so I go back in. I realize I'm a bit rattled and fatigued so I come out and boat around in light
smooth conditions around the ridge and trash before heading in to land.
I posted a 50 second video clip from NASA that shows what it felt like to climb at those rates.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMUB2-tzIAc
Next convergence I'll be better prepared and ride it up to 10,000 to 12,000 feet.
In the LZ I heard about Phil and we listened to the radio to keep tabs on him. I volunteered for my first retrieval, Chip with Vrezh's jeep out at Eaton Wash
in Pasadena. He was at the Southwest corner parked under some trees right next to the St. Luke Medical Center (small strip mall) off of E. Washington Blvd
for an easy pickup over an iron fence about 20 yards.
Once back at the LZ Phil Arrived and the CSI investigation began. I posted a few low res vga pictures here of the broken glider:
http://home.socal.rr.com/dmartens/philsglider.htm
I may move this link.
I was so glad to see Phil ok, Gliders can be replaced with better gliders but he can't be replaced.
Doug
