CROSS-COUNTRY !!
Here are two pilot reports from recent soaring flights out of Crystal:
MIKE KOERNER
Technology is a 2-lead transistor. On the one hand, my ability to display high-resolution, near real-time satellite imagery from SkySight on my Oudie N, al- lowed me to continue past Independence. On the other hand, my S-100 vario, with the Hawk software add-on, also in use for the first time, was a rather expensive bit of ballast.
I know you’re thinking, “Real pilots don’t need no stinking satellites. They use cloud shadows to distinguish over development from cu streets”. Yes, we do. And last year I landed at ndependence on a day very much like this one. But this time I called up the satellite images over my map background. And low and behold, there was a gap in the virga-dripping clouds which you could not see from 15,000 feet - at least not without going off track to the east a bit - and beautiful scattered cu beyond.
“Wait,” you say, “If it’s just virga and not a thunderstorm, I can plow right through.” Yes, you can. Go ahead. I’ll wait here. But keep in mind that there’s a 14,000-foot peak somewhere on this ridge and even a JS 56 would have little better performance than its trailer in the potential down drafts associated with these conditions.
In addition to clear areas, the satellite images also show thunderstorms that have blown off, and the most promising cu streets along your route.
So why can’t you just use your phone to call up satellite images on a weather service site. Well, that’s what I did last year, and though I’ll admit to operator errors in selecting the right site, it’ll never be a good solution. You need the map background with your current position and your potential landing sites to figure out which ones you can still get to and how to maneuver there.
Later in the flight, for example, I was headed toward Austin which was right on the edge of a large cloud mass which had not blown off. But it was on the north edge, so I knew I would have to fly past Austin on the west, then slide in under the edge of the clouds. But once on the north side, I realized I could keep going north along cu instead.
In contrast, the S-100 has never worked right. And now, with an expensive software add-on, it doesn’t work at all – except as a source of in-flight irritation. It’s a good design though, a little too large to fit out the side vent, maintaining a client base in need of upgrades.
In truth, I may have mis-entered one of the several hundred setup parameters. I’ll buy the decoder ring as soon as they come out with one. Fortunately, I didn’t remove my old vario.
SEAN ECKSTEIN
I flew 06/07 and landed at Gabbs. The weather reports looked good for this Saturday, with good altitudes
When I was ready to get a tow, the winds were just starting to switch on the ground from east to west. Thanks, Chris, for getting me off runway 25 at 11:20. I had no problem climbing above 8.5k in the mountains but I had to wait 40 minutes for the shear to push into the mountains to get above 12k and out on course.
I worked a couple of thermals over the desert by Mojave and cruised into the mountains (The 3 Sisters) and climbed out to 12k. There were some nice cloud streets heading north to Lone Pine with a few gaps to keep me working.
From the switch backs at Lone Pine I climbed to 15k and flew across the Ownes Valley to the Inyo’s, which had another cloud street. Just south of West Guard Pass I climbed to 15k and looking north towards the Whites I saw a wall of dark virga. I wasn't sure if taking the westside of the Whites would be a good decision, so I decided to head northeast towards the Fish Valley after checking the winds and wind direction.
The Fish Valley looked like a better choice and I had no problem climbing and heading north to North Valley landing aera, I climb out to 13.5k under the front edge of a cloud in strong lift right next to virga that was lite up by the sun in the same cloud, it looked like a silver water fall stretching form cloud base to a couple thousand feet below stretching toward the ground.
From North Valley I could look north to Mina where the clouds were degrading and I could see a big cloud just northeast of Mina with dark virga, and big dust devils just west of it by Lunning Dry Lake, not something you want to see if you must land.
I saw one cloud that looked good heading toward Min, and I had plenty of altitude to turn back if I needed to, so I pushed forward to the cloud watching other clouds in the aera degrading. I was able to climb to 16.2k and had to fly around the bad clouds where I could get a visual on Gabbs.
The haze, clouds and shadows made it hard to see Gabbs but nothing bad to make me second guess myself. As I pushed north visibility improved, Gabbs was in shadow and looking further north the clouds that I could see didn't look inviting. I didn't want to gamble landing in a gust front, so after 6 hrs. 24 minutes I decided to land at Gabbs
There was no wind at Gabbs, and when my crew Peter (6PK) arrived he said that when he went past Mina winds were gusting to 30 and there was blowing dust at Lunning Dry Lake.
I broke down my Glider and we drove to Hawthorn, NV to get dinner and rooms, while we were checking into our rooms the motel manager told us that the wind had blew so strong it broke the flags he had put up. When we were getting ready to leave the lobby a gust front blew though, blowing 30 to 40. We were all staring out the window in amazement. I was staring at my trailer wondering if it was going to blow over.
We arrived early enough to have dinner at El Capitan Casino and had a nice long drive home on Sunday.