Towers

Please tell what happened and how it might have been avoided. Names should be ommitted. This forum should help others learn from mistakes that caused or nearly caused a mishap.
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gregangsten
Posts: 502
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2005 11:22 am
Location: Westchester

Towers

Post by gregangsten »

I've always found the area around the Towers (the East Towers) to be generally the most turbulent place on the range and I think most pilots would agree. The Saturday of the Spring Air event I was hitting some erratic 900 fpm up there on what was otherwise a weak day. Then last Sunday, flying my funky old Pulse, I was out in front and above Towers, when I was pitched down hard into an 80 degree dive. I pulled in hard and had plenty of height over terrain and was able to fly out of it but it had me worried and I wasn't sure if I were going to tumble over.

Marcus had his accident right at this time of year one year ago in the same place. I post this because I think that the potential for unmanageable turbulence in this spot is great at this late spring time of year. I for one am going to steer clear of it until the weather patterns become more predictable.
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Jim
Posts: 289
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 5:08 pm

Post by Jim »

I agree. In the last few weeks, I've been getting pummeled by the turbulence over the West face between the radio shacks and the Nike base. After my bitching about getting dumped badly, twice, trying to circle in something strong, someone mentioned to me that the winds aloft were mildly from the North on the back side of the mountain. It's a bad time of year to be near the ground at Towers.
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