http://ozreport.com/data/SylmarLZ.kmz


http://ozreport.com/data/MainKagelLaunch.kmz


I'm visiting my brother in Century City, not that far from Santa Monica (home of
the homeless), not far from the intersection of Interstate 405 and Interstate
10. It is just a thirty minute drive along the freeways (when the back ups are
the other direction) to the Sylmar LZ, located in a little residential area in
the San Fernando Valley next to the mountain sides (see the Google Earth files
above).


The fog had been thick in the morning, there were thick upper level clouds, the
smog was thick in the valley and on the coastal plane. The top of the inversion
was below launch. Still there were two shuttles going up to the main launch with
a dozen pilots. I wonder what this place looks like on a good day.


I rode up with Joe Greblo who normally charges $15/ride to the top. The ride to
the top was quite a bit more involved than the short ride to Marshall. The dirt
road is better, but significantly longer.


Joe produces lots of students at his school at Dockweiler Beach (http://www.windsports.com/index2.html)
and some of the pilots with us today were his students out for a sled ride and a
little instruction from Joe. Phil Bloom was there also and he grabbed a Falcon 3
to fly with the rest of us on this sled ride day.


The day use fee at Kagel is $5, which is a bargain. The launch is (for those of
you without Google Earth) a simple earthen ramp down a steep hillside. It is
located along a steep ridge line that heads off to the west. It's a no brainer
to just turn right and work the ridge line.


It's an easy glide out to the LZ even if you get low in the mountains. The LZ is
a grassy irrigated area next to a wash. Hang 2's and earlier are told to land in
the wash, but the grassy area is plenty big enough for normally skilled pilots
(the rule is you have to be a hang 4 to land there).


Everyone was very friendly and the atmosphere was quite relaxed in the LZ. I
just called Joe's number (see his forecast page here:
http://www.windsports.com/kam_ad.html) and arranged to go up on the shuttle.


Monday and Sunday were big days at Kagel with altitude gains to 8,000'. 
http://www.shga.com/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=497.


Kagel and the Sylmar Flight Park are obviously located in the middle of a major
metropolitan area. This creates the paradox that there is a population available
to become hang glider pilots, but there is always a threat from the surrounding
population that could take away the flying site.


There are many fewer paraglider pilots at Kagel than at Marshall. Joe felt that
was because in the summer the conditions were much more turbulent there, and the
paraglider pilots could only fly in the evening. The Sylmar club, like the
Crestline Club has about 200 members.


I hope to go back to Kagel over the next few days.