Thursday, June 5, 2008

ECC day 5

No more storms today but very soft conditions, there is standing water everywhere and it started overcast and very humid. I lost about a gallon of liquid while setting up and getting ready for the task. Thanks to my lovely daughter and ace driver Ron they kept me hydrated and supplied while waiting.
A twenty four mile task was called to Hidden Hills and the wait began. No one wanted to go first and finally the wind dummy stayed up and Daniel Spears launched. He spent the next half hour struggling at a 1000-1500' and looked like he was coming in to land when he caught something and went to base(2000') and left on course. Then the flexies started going so I jumped in line hoping to pimp shamelessly off some of the better pilots. I kept getting pushed further and further back in line by the priority staged pilots(committee members and top ten open class) and finally got to launch. The tug pilot waved me off at 1500' in nothing but sink and I was soon back on the ground. Tow 2 was better but I spent the next 25 min. going from 1100' to 1900' with four other gliders and finally lost it and landed again. I had to promise the launch babes I would not return to get another tow and I shalt not lie. I got off tow at 2000' and took a couple turns, found nothing and pulled VG made myself small and went on a death glide down the course line.
I never found any thing but I started to notice other gliders on the ground below me and started feeling better at little. I passed over an ATOS and it turned out to be Bob then saw another glider in a very landable field below so I flew as far down the course as I could then came back to land next to him.
Turns out no one did much better I took 5th for the day and am still in 3rd overall.

Three flights
45 min.
31/2 miles XC

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