I’ve been curious for some time about ridge soaring in the E. US. The prospect of still being able to fly in the winter sounds nice. Can anyone tell me roughly how often conditions allow ridge soaring in E. Tennessee? Let’s take the period between November and April - can one count on the ridges being soarable every second weekend, one weekend per month; less? More? Just looking for a rough estimate. I need to find a place to settle down and the option of year round soaring is appealing.

"tienshanman" > wrote

> Can
> anyone tell me roughly how often conditions allow ridge soaring in E.
> Tennessee?

Do you know of any clubs, or airports that have the facilities to tow or
winch gliders in E Tennessee? I am in W NC and am looking for a place to
get started in gliding, but have not had any hits on places to go looking.
--
Jim in NC

On Feb 19, 4:28*pm, "Morgans" > wrote:
> "tienshanman" > wrote
>
> > Can
> > anyone tell me roughly how often conditions allow ridge soaring in E.
> > Tennessee?
>
> Do you know of any clubs, or airports that have the facilities to tow or
> winch gliders in E Tennessee? *I am in W NC and am looking for a place to
> get started in gliding, but have not had any hits on places to go looking..
> --
> Jim in NC

You can contact Sarah Kelly at the Chilhowee Gliderport ner Benton,
TN. Her email address is "info at chilhowee dot com". They fly year
round and have a nice ridge near the field for those windy winter
days. Also, they are sponsoring the 2nd Annual Sequatchie Badge and
Record Camp at Jasper, TN from 3/15 through 3/21. The Sequatchie
Valley provides some of the finest ridge soaring in the USA. They will
hve daily evening lectures including topics on ridge safety, how to
earn all of your badges on the Sequatchie ridge, long distances and
record flying from the Sequatchie and more.

Charlie

Both of you please give me a call: (423) 506-9015. I would love the
opportunity to brag about what a great place East Tennessee is for
soaring. As for frequency of ridge days, it really depends on the
month, and the particular year, etc. Often in the transitional months
the weather patterns will set up such that we have cold front passage
about every 7-10 days. Not always do the post frontal days fall on the
weekend, and not always are they flyable, however we do have plenty of
flying opportunities year round. Chilhowee is conveniently located to
both a local, 17 mile long ridge and the well known Sequatchie Valley.
There is an annual Sequatchie Valley Ridge Badge and Record Camp; the
rest of the time a Chilhowee towplane is available upon request.

Jim, we run year round training at Chilhowee, located near Benton, TN.
I believe that you will be happy with the various courses of training
available, and all of us at Chilhowee Gliderport would be happy to
have you join our group.

Sarah Kelly
Owner/Operator
Chilhowee Soaring Association, Inc.

> Thanks. *That is still a long way from me, but I may check it out.
>
> Any contacts in the extreme NE part of TN?
> --
> Jim in NC

There's a club near Knoxville. Their website is: http://www.smokymountainsoaring.org.

Charlie

"Chilhowee" > wrote

> Both of you please give me a call: (423) 506-9015. I would love the
> opportunity to brag about what a great place East Tennessee is for
> soaring.

> Jim, we run year round training at Chilhowee, located near Benton, TN.
> I believe that you will be happy with the various courses of training
> available, and all of us at Chilhowee Gliderport would be happy to
> have you join our group.

Thanks for the invite, but I am a long way from your location, at a expedia
estimate of four and a half hours drive. I have stored this post for future
possible consideration, though.
--
Jim in NC

Jim,

Where are you in WNC?

Please consider coming to Spartanburg SC if that's a more reasonable
drive for you. We'd be glad to have you... even if only for a visit.

Doug

> Thanks for the invite, but I am a long way from your location, at a expedia
> estimate of four and a half hours drive.
>
> Jim in NC

4 1/2 hour drive? You could leave you house by 6 AM and be in the air
by
11:30 and get hours of ridge soaring and still be back home by 9 PM.

It it a 11:30 hour drive from Tulsa, OK and it is well worth the drive
if I can
get 2-4 good days of ridge soaring. I was out there last April and the
flying was
great!
Our ridge soaring site in SE Oklahoma is a 3 hour drive and we will do
it for
just one good day of ridge and wave soaring.

I sure wish that I was only 4 1/2 hours from Chilhowee!

Randy

http://talihinasoaring.com/

> Thanks for the invite, but I am a long way from your location, at a expedia
> estimate of four and a half hours drive.
> Jim in NC


Just a 4 1/2 hour drive? You could leave you house by 6 AM and
be in the air by 11:30 and get 6 hours of ridge soaring and still be
back home by 9 PM. Or fly for 2 days and get 12 to 14 hours of
soaring.
It it a 11:30 hour drive from Tulsa, OK and it is well worth the
drive
if I can get 2-4 good days of ridge soaring. I was out there last
April
and the flying was great!
Our ridge soaring site in SE Oklahoma is a 3 hour drive and we will
do it for just one good day of ridge and wave soaring. We have pilots
driving from Houston, TX (8 hour plus) to fly our little ridge.
I sure wish that I was only 4 1/2 hours from Chilhowee!

Randy
http://talihinasoaring.com/

"Dixie Sierra" > wrote

> Where are you in WNC?
>
> Please consider coming to Spartanburg SC if that's a more reasonable
> drive for you. We'd be glad to have you... even if only for a visit.

Down the hill from Boone, NC. As in the home of Appalachian State
University, 3 time national 1-IIA football champs.

Spartanburg is a bit closer, but too far for everyday trips, but a visit
this summer might be possible! I'll file your info and invite away.

Thanks!
--
Jim in NC

"Randy" > wrote

> 4 1/2 hour drive? You could leave you house by 6 AM and be in the air
> by
> 11:30 and get hours of ridge soaring and still be back home by 9 PM.
>
> It it a 11:30 hour drive from Tulsa, OK and it is well worth the drive
> if I can
> get 2-4 good days of ridge soaring. I was out there last April and the
> flying was
> great!
> Our ridge soaring site in SE Oklahoma is a 3 hour drive and we will do
> it for
> just one good day of ridge and wave soaring.
>
> I sure wish that I was only 4 1/2 hours from Chilhowee!

Yeeah, if I had my ticket, and was going for a long weekend of flying or
something, it would be worth it. Perhaps even for a couple rides as a
passenger. Too far to go for lessons and building a few hours on a regular
basis, though.
--
Jim in NC