Team Challenge Day 5

We finally have a task, C pilots were sent south across two gaps to Dr. Dales, B pilots were sent to the first water tower past Dr. Dales, then back to Henson's LZ, A pilots were sent south down the ridge to the first water tower south of Dr. Dales, then to Henson's ramp, then to Buck's Knob, then back south to Dr. Dales.
Our team, the Scatter Birds, launched about 3pm into 8-10 mph slightly crossed, gusty conditions. It was an elevator ride to a few hundred over on the ridge with very textured air. We worked our way south as a team, crossed the first gap, then broke up. The ham radio people are doing an exercise in the valley so there is a ham guy right on site each day monitoring communications and we have strict instruction not to talk if you don't have a call sign. Megan(from New England), one of our C pilots got flushed at the second gap by the power lines and headed out to land, I saw her setting up to land then she hit a climb and got back up over the ridge. Twice that happened and she could not find a climb high enough to cross the gap. Keith(St. Louis) , our A pilot saw her go out to land the first time and wrote her off and never saw her again. Unfortunately I couldn't tell him she got back up, or talk her to a thermal, and eventually she went out to land. It was her first XC flight. Rick Maddy(Colorado), our other C pilot burned to goal in 35min.
I found my first thermal at the first gap, took it up to 4700' then headed down the ridge listening to Keith and Cliff(our other B pilot from St. Petersburg Fla. ) talking behind me. I knew I had options down wind so I pushed south pretty hard and got to the second gap where there were gliders marking lift. It would turn out to be my best climb to 5700', and a good thing, as I crossed the gap, flew to the turn point at the water tower and never found a bit of lift. A little zero sink, but no lift, and by the time I got back over the gap and found lift again I was down to 600' over and searching hard. It was right where I left it and in know time I was back up and headed north. I was watching a topless, Barry cruising north back behind the ridge and sinking fast so I adjusted out front a little and found zero sink or lift most of the way back to Henson's. About a mile out I knew I had the LZ and headed out into the valley and found nothing but lift the whole way to goal. It was everywhere in the valley and I reached goal with 3000', I was first to goal in 1hr, 28min. I let off the VG and boated around the valley taking in the sights and eventually landed with Barry.
Let the celebrations begin!!!! Lots of smiles as pilots came in to goal, lots at goal, lots of first goals, first XC flight and personal bests. After the long wait to get to fly there were a bunch of happy pilots at dinner last night.

Flights: 1
Air time: 1:28:01
Max alt: 5740' MSL
Fun Factor: 8

Team Challenge

Day three was officially canceled a few minutes ago due to fog in the valley. We are going to try a launch and landing clinic if the wind will allow launches this afternoon. At 2pm there was still an inversion and fog in the valley. Here are a few pictures of the valley and the pilots meeting.

Tenneessee Tree Toppers Team Challenge

I left Rochester on Friday at 2pm and drove through to Lexington Kentucky stopping about midnight. I finished the drive Saturday morning and arrived around noon. I signed in, set up camp and set up my glider to get a pre-meet flight. There was a very weak SW cross wind and the only gliders able to stay up were rigid wings and topless flex wings(and very few of them) so eventually I took my sledder like a man and dove off the ramp. Actually I had an excellent launch, kept the nose down and ran down the face of the ramp till I was air born. A quick 5 minute sledder and a decent landing and I had committed aviation at Hensons Gap.
Day one was canceled due to a strong south wind and day two was canceled due to rain. We have been spending our time at seminars with Mike Barber(the man who has flown a hang glider further than anyone in the world) and oh what a guy to boot, and Dennis Pagen( the guy who literally wrote the book(s) on hang gliding). The quote of the meet so far: Tom Lanning "after a day of driving and a sledder, a day of watching the wind blow in the wrong direction and a day of rain, it is getting about time to blow something up!!!"
Here are some pictures of the ramp at Henson's Gap, much more to come.

Flights: 1
Airtime: 5min
Fun factor: 10