The flight and task



The photos from the Florida Ridge today from Scott Trueblood.



The forecast was for 15 knot northwest winds. Neil took the tug up early and
reported 25 mph out of the northwest. It was breezy on the ground, but not too
strong.



It was also supposed to be blue with a 3,200' foot top of the lift at 2 PM going
to 4,000' at 5 PM. Lift at 400-500 fpm (minus your sink rate) on average. It
looked like a tough day.



We don't have that many spots to the south or southeast as there is a lot of
swamp down that way, so we chose a zig zag short course with the wind quarter
tailing. We sent the sport class guys (nine in all) straight down wind to the
same goal, an intersection to our south southeast. Our task was 33 miles, theirs
was 24 miles.



The launch window opened at 1:00 PM, but I was the first one to launch at 1:30
PM. My weaklink broke in a thermal at 700' and I climbed out to 1,200' but lost
it as I fiddled with my harness. I was back in the air again after another
weaklink break on the cart at 2 PM, as the start window opened.



Given the forecast for strong winds, blue and low top of lift, we call for an
open start. Your start time starts when you cross the 8km start circle. There is
a lot less chance of a start clock game when it is windy. I didn't see any start
game playing happen.



The wind is not as strong as forecast. I read 10 mph, not 15 knots. And it is
out of the west northwest, so a bit more west in it that predicted, but pretty
much what we saw on the ground. I'm behind the front gaggle, but there are a few
pilots around and I'll have a chance to catch folks.



I head off pretty much on my own, and pretty soon I'm down to 700' after trying
to work some little lift that was not enough. I hold onto the lift that I find
low and climb out drifting toward the first turnpoint over forested areas. It is
nice to have the first turnpoint downwind.



I catch up to some pilots who started ahead of me at the first turnpoint and get
high enough to head cross wind to the southwest toward the next intersection.
Paul Tjaden has started out fifteen minutes ahead of me and I keep hearing his
reports of good lift.



There are eight pilots circling up at the second turnpoint with the last (third)
leg six miles directed a bit more into the wind. It's great to be able to catch
up with all these earlier starting pilots. Paul has gotten ahead of them and is
first into goal.



The eight of us will get there a few minutes later, pretty much all as a group.



The fastest pilots will be the later pilots who use the pilots in front of them
to mark the thermals. Jim Yocom will do that on the ATOS and Rich Lovelace will
do that on his Aeros winning the day.



Flex wing preliminary results here:
http://ozreport.com/docs/2007usnats/748_flexnats.htm



Sport class:
http://ozreport.com/docs/2007usnats/748_sportnats.htm



Rigids:
http://ozreport.com/docs/2007usnats/748_rigidnats.htm