AFFF Day Two

My buddy Jack Simmons arrived from America yesterday so he has joined our little traveling circus.  I know he gets worried about his glider surviving the trip intact so he was very relieved to get it together 100% unscathed.  Peter, Jack, and I all move a little slow in the mornings and didn’t quite have the pep of the other pilots about heading up to launch for the spot landing competition.  By the time I was done tinkering with my glider it was really too late to get a spot in and be ready for the day’s XC briefing and flight.

 

The conditions were like yesterday, only a bit stiffer.  Strong Northerly winds are forecasted for the whole day as a front gets closer.  On launch the wind was quite strong and gusty.  It reminded me of some days that we passed on flying at Mystic in other meets (but not as bad).  I spooked everyone present with a horrendous launch.  Wing dipped hard right, I threw it left and then chilled out.  It went a touch past level and the next gust turned it hard back towards the hill.  The turb really delayed the glider rolling back out of that undesired turn (and away from the trees) and I am sure I will get teased about that for awhile.

 

In the air I found the thermals to be pretty rough but most other pilots didn’t seem to mind as much as I did.  I flew into the Kiewa Valley and Ollie did agree that the air over there was pretty messy.  I have my glider trimmed very slow but now realize that is no good for rough air.  I changed that after landing.  Corinna, Davis, Phil Schroder and I crossed into the Kiewa Valley together but only Phil and I continued on to Mt Bogong.  In the last 2 years of flying in this area I have never had a chance to climb up this huge feature.  The view was well worth the wait and reminded me that I am a slacker for leaving my camera on the ground.  After leaving some meaty lift over Bogong I pushed hard north up the Kiewa Valley.  The headwind was 25 to 30 kph and the lift was shredded.  I pushed too hard and landed a few K’s north of Coral Bank.  It would have been much smarter to turn back sooner and close my triangle rather then just heading out one way.  It was still good for 60 k or so but it sure didn’t seem like it should have been to me.  I picked out a nice field near a caravan park (campground) and a swimming hole.  The temp has been a real scorcher this week.  Its hotter then I have ever seen in the mountains topping out over 40 Celsius.  That is over a 100 F.  The air is very dry though, nothing like the humidity of the eastern US.  If you stay in the shade and it isn’t so bad.

 

Kev