The flight
but not the task.



At 7:15 we rise to see the eastern sky full of mammatus clouds (see here:
http://skyout.blogspot.com).
There was a line of thunderstorms that were about to hit us. The winds were not
too strong, but we got a nice bit of rain. After the rain we could see the blue
sky to the west with its promise of a good day.



The forecast was for another day of poor lift and a low cloud base with winds
out of the west 5 to 10 mph. Maybe 15 mph. But we were ignoring these forecasts
(other than to come up with some tasks to the east) and assuming that they day
would be quite flyable as the blue approached.



The task committee was meeting on the flight line as the blue sky came over head
around 1 PM. There was still thick clouds to the south east (the area we had
chosen for our tasks), but cu's and blue sky to the north, and back toward
Okeechobee, our task the day before.



The wind was freshening out of the west after being south west all day. The
forecast showed the possibility of a little north in the west winds. We had to
go north to get around Lake Okeechobee to get to the town of Okeechobee if we
wanted to go in that direction. It meant a cross wind task and we weren't sure
how strong the winds were and the winds would push us into the lake.



We decided on a 73 mile task to the grass airstrip at Hibiscus which would put
us right over the airport at Okeechobee on our way. We had to stay above 1,500'
if we went within three miles of the airport (which turned out to be a chore).



The launch had been set back to 1:30 PM, with start times starting at 2:30 PM
and going to 3:15. We don't start launching until a little after 2 PM. I was off
second and everyone got going.



The lift was light, 170 fpm above the flight park, as per usual this week, and
we soon gaggled up, Jim Yocom, Campbell Bowen, Jamie Stinnet, Paris William,
Bruce Kavanaugh, Kevin Carter, and five or so other pilots working light lift in
the start circle and drifting in the 6 mph southwest flow.



Now the question was, what start time were we going to take. All of us here
together, as high as we had been yet, 3,700' next to the clouds, but 6 km away
from the edge of the start circle with only a couple of minutes before the
second start time. No one goes. Paris doesn't want to go out on his own, but
with no one to lead, no one goes.



With ten minutes to go before the 3 PM start we are circling at 3,000' 2 km from
the start circle, but not going up. With two minutes to go, most of the pilots
are getting high just outside the start circle, while a few of us have picked
the wrong thermal and are climbing up from 2,000'.



A few pilots get on the course at 3 PM. The rest of us work this light lift back
to 3,000', eight minutes before the last start time at 3:15 PM. The lift peters
out and I head west for a forming cloud not far away. Oh, oh. No lift there. Now
I've got to forget all about the time start and run for lift and I plummet out
of the sky.



I run for the nearest warm dry looking field with clouds above it and find the
birds (which are very useful here in south Florida, and work 50 fpm from 1000'.
My task has begun.



Something in the neighborhood turns into almost 200 fpm and I climb to 2,500'
where I spot about ten other pilots climbing to the northeast. Looks like I will
have friends, including Kevin.



The wind has now turned west northwest at about 7 mph. Our task is to the
northeast so we do indeed have a cross wind. We work 100 - 200 fpm until just
north of More Haven where we find 500 fpm to 4,500'. Now the race is on.



Kevin and I and a couple of other pilots head out and spread out finding good
lift under the scatter/streeted cu's. It's between 200 and 400 fpm almost all
the way to Okeechobee. I've caught up with half a dozen pilots ahead of us.



But this comes to a severe halt west of the town. Down to 1,200' I spend the
next twenty minutes working back and forth (west and east) up a slightly lifting
line (again watching the birds) never getting above 2,000'. Finally, I spot Jack
Simmons turning higher to my north just a short distance, and find 250 fpm under
him.



Up to 3,000' I head under the dark clouds by the airport, but don't find really
any lift under them. I don't find more lift and land six miles later. Jack is
able to go another four miles.



I land next to Jim Yocom. He finds out that Campbell Bowen has made goal. We
also hear that at least one flex wing has made goal. We haven't heard about any
others. Only half the pilots have checked in at 10 PM. No Brits.



Paris landed back by the airport. So far Jack Simmons is winning the day (with
half the field checked in).



You can find the results (in Race output format) when they are ready on Friday
morning here:
http://ozreport.com/2007usnats.php.



So far we have flown every day. The weather has been much better than forecast.
We are truly enjoying ourselves.



Yesterday, it was Rodger Furrey who went far in the Sport Class, not Patrick
Kruse.