R4S Day One
What comes to mind first is where is Rich Owen (ZO) when you need him?
Welcome to New Castle International … home of R4S. The grounds of NCI is to soaring as Augusta National is to the game of golf. Everywhere green and manicured to the last blade of grass. Travis, Lanier Frantz’s farm manager, does a marvelous job keeping NCI ship-shape. Thank you Family Frantz.
In a sense, R4S is a family reunion. Many of the pilots have been coming here for decades … a good example is Hank Nixon who is here for the 39th consecutive year. Between Hank, Karl Striedieck, John Seymour, and John Good there is probably 125 years of New Castle experien,ce. By the way, it was great to see Jim Smiley and his son Neil at Tuesday AM pilot’s meeting.
The signs of Fall are showing … leaves are falling, walnuts are dropping, Monarch butterflies are dancing through, kettles of broad wing hawks are marking thermals, and even Vs of geese have made high speed passes.
Practice Day was a humdinger for this time of year. Strong lift to 7,000 msl and smiles on all pilots. Contest Day 1 … not so much. We are blessed with an outstanding weatherman being Richard Kellerman and not to mention many good “hobby” weathermen. All agreed Contest Day 1 would be better than Practice Day and Monday morning, no model saw the high cirrus coming. About 11:30 AM Richard stated concern about oncoming high cirrus. It slowly crept in from the north then faded then moved back in then faded again. The task gate opened and most had a good ride to the first turn Blacksburg. Having turned and started on the second leg up to Ingalls, the high overcast came back and really sucker punched the task. BOOM … it was lights out including rain … thus the low scores. Congratulations to FAI Class winner Tom Orsini on his first contest day win (489 points). And congratulations to another New Englander Nelson Howe taking 18 Meter Class win (505 points). Great job guys!
Contest Day 2 is working with a new airmass producing NW winds and the day looks to be shaping up nicely. A local guaranteed it; he said whenever you can hear the hangar doors “whistle” from northly winds, its going to be a good day. We’ll see.
Respectfully, Marshall McClung