Rest Day at the Nationals and Three Things I Have Learned Here
The weather in Montague was not as good as yesterday so the CD decided to call a rest day to give everyone a break after 4 tough days of flying. It was amazing the number of ways these pilots found to fill their rest day. The 20 somethings decided to go hiking and see some of the turnpoints by foot. Dennis Linnekin and I sat with Ben Mayes in the morning to get ground school enroute to a self-launch endorsement. Pete Alexander took apart the driver side door of his van to replace a part. Rex was very busy feeling more like Heinz Weissenbuehler instead of the Alexander-Schleicher dealer. He fixed the brakes on Walt Rogers’ Discus and was hard at work replacing the motor of Gregory VanGrunsven’s Arcus. Greg had a catastrophic failure of the engine while climbing away over the Scott Valley airport. His cool head and superb airmanship prevented what could have been an exciting off field landing. Like most pilots that have a motor in their glider, Greg made sure he had an appropriate landing site made before starting the motor. Ben and Nick Mayes were also busy ferrying parts from Williams Soaring using their pristine C-182A. You should really take a look at this ship. It is a beauty! Ben also got a little flying in by taking one of the line boys flying. He also gave Kempton Izuno a tour of the area at a lower altitude than he usually flies in this area. Ben had to motor to a much greater height and a longer distance from the field than allowed under contest rules.
The best part of the day was a microbrewery tour of two establishments in the area with P7 providing detailed briefs on the brewing process. Gary said you can tell who the brewer is by looking for the guy with the beard. I checked in both backrooms and he was 100% right. First stop was the Etna Brewing Company in Etna California. This brewery was originally established in 1872 but was closed during prohibition. The current brewery came back to life in the 1990’s. Second stop was the Mount Shasta Brewing Company in Weeds California. This establishment is housed in an old creamery plant and sports a really nice antique wooden bar. Both of these taprooms should be on you list of places to visit on a rest day at Montague.
During the trip we also looked at the various turnpoints in and near the Scott and Shasta valleys. The infamous Craggy South, that gave so many pilots trouble yesterday, appeared in our front windshield. Gary Itner remarked that we were seeing exactly what he saw from the cockpit yesterday (we were in the valley at the time). Pete showed me an area that he called the valley of death. He wasn’t talking about the landing sites but the road that went into the next valley. The first turn had no guardrails or safety barriers and the drop was easily 1200ft. Not a pretty sight!
On return from everyone’s adventures, we had a great bar-b-que dinner in the hangar. The food was great and the company was even better.
Now for the flying part. Tomorrow looks to be another tough flying day. Rex Mayes, our CD, is doing a good job of challenging the pilot’s ability while keeping everyone safe. Coming from Florida, I have not had much mountain flying experience. This trip has given me a better picture of what it takes to fly safely in the mountains. However, these three points are not the entire list.
- First, just like any flight in a glider, you must always be aware of your current situation. Knowing what you will do if the next thermal does not come or you hit serious sink is extremely important. In the mountains though, the altitude this decision needs to be made is significantly higher than in flatland flying. The valley you are in may have a slope that is less than the glide angle of your ship. Meaning the ground is coming up faster than your glider can clear the terrain. Pete is constantly relaying to me our escape plan approaching higher terrain. If you hope to fly safely in this environment, always have an out and don’t hope for a thermal, convergence, or ridge to save you. As you know, HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY!
- Second is planning. Knowing where the turnpoints are should also include their elevation. We planned to get higher before the Craggy South turnpoint due to it’s 8,300ft elevation. Many pilots didn’t catch that twist. Planning an escape down a valley after a turnpoint can put you in a bad situation when you discover the turnpoint is way above you. Take your penalty and head down the valley.
- Thermal etiquette is even more important in mountain flying due to the nearby terrain. We have some of the best pilots in the US competing here. However, we have seen a couple of instances of pilots not playing well with others. Entering, following the glider in front and leaving thermals with mountain tops or ridges nearby is extremely important. If you are ridge soaring a face doing figure eights, gliders should join in doing the same thing. Do not thermal in a circle below the ridge very near the terrain. Aggressive actions during thermalling in this environment is not smart.
Thank you for all the kind remarks you have sent me about these reports. Next time you are at a contest, volunteer to write the daily reports. The CM and CD will appreciate the help. Well, that’s all from Montague tonight. Until tomorrow, goodnight and fly safe.
Cheers,
Rich Owen Team 98 back seater