5,000 FT Roller Coaster in the California Sierras [Archive]

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June 1st 09, 05:55 AM

I recently participated in the annual Soar-in at Lone Pine, CA, which
is hosted by Caracole Soaring every year over Memorial Day weekend.
After spectacular soaring weather and great flights, we punctuated the
weekend with a roller coaster ride from Mount Whitney peak, which is
the highest mountain in the contiguous United States at 14,505 FT. I
shot a video of the ride and loaded it on YouTube for anyone that is
interested. It can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjTmNJmJXbk

I did not spend any time editing the sound or content as you will
see. I was really trying to play with HD exporting. The video was
loaded in YouTube's new HD format. If you have the bandwidth, you
can click on the HD icon at the bottom right corner of the video
window. The picture quality is much better in HD. Air brakes were
necessary to match the terrain slope without exceeding VNE, so you may
need to turn your volume down if the gear warning horn gets too
offensive.

-33

Dan[_6_]

June 1st 09, 06:21 AM

On May 31, 9:55*pm, 33 > wrote:
> I recently participated in the annual Soar-in at Lone Pine, CA, which
> is hosted by Caracole Soaring every year over Memorial Day weekend.
> After spectacular soaring weather and great flights, we punctuated the
> weekend with a roller coaster ride from Mount Whitney peak, which is
> the highest mountain in the contiguous United States at 14,505 FT. *I
> shot a video of the ride and loaded it on YouTube for anyone that is
> interested. It can be found at *http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjTmNJmJXbk
>
> I did not spend any time editing the sound or content as you will
> see. *I was really trying to play with HD exporting. *The video was
> loaded in YouTube's new HD format. *If you have the bandwidth, *you
> can click on the HD icon at the bottom right corner of the video
> window. *The picture quality is much better in HD. Air brakes were
> necessary to match the terrain slope without exceeding VNE, so you may
> need to turn your volume down if the gear warning horn gets too
> offensive.
>
> -33

WOW!
never done Mt Whitney like that
cool!
Dan
WO

sisu1a

June 1st 09, 07:22 AM

vontresc

June 1st 09, 07:16 PM

On May 31, 11:55*pm, 33 > wrote:
> I recently participated in the annual Soar-in at Lone Pine, CA, which
> is hosted by Caracole Soaring every year over Memorial Day weekend.
> After spectacular soaring weather and great flights, we punctuated the
> weekend with a roller coaster ride from Mount Whitney peak, which is
> the highest mountain in the contiguous United States at 14,505 FT. *I
> shot a video of the ride and loaded it on YouTube for anyone that is
> interested. It can be found at *http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjTmNJmJXbk
>
> I did not spend any time editing the sound or content as you will
> see. *I was really trying to play with HD exporting. *The video was
> loaded in YouTube's new HD format. *If you have the bandwidth, *you
> can click on the HD icon at the bottom right corner of the video
> window. *The picture quality is much better in HD. Air brakes were
> necessary to match the terrain slope without exceeding VNE, so you may
> need to turn your volume down if the gear warning horn gets too
> offensive.
>
> -33

Wow that is pretty nifty! Just one question though. Why did you keep
pulling the airbrakes out? Were you approacing Vne, or were you simply
not low enough to the terrain? :-)

Pete

June 2nd 09, 01:04 AM

My guess is that he could not descend as fast as the terrain did without
going through Vne.

"vontresc" > wrote in message
...
On May 31, 11:55 pm, 33 > wrote:
> I recently participated in the annual Soar-in at Lone Pine, CA, which
> is hosted by Caracole Soaring every year over Memorial Day weekend.
> After spectacular soaring weather and great flights, we punctuated the
> weekend with a roller coaster ride from Mount Whitney peak, which is
> the highest mountain in the contiguous United States at 14,505 FT. I
> shot a video of the ride and loaded it on YouTube for anyone that is
> interested. It can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjTmNJmJXbk
>
> I did not spend any time editing the sound or content as you will
> see. I was really trying to play with HD exporting. The video was
> loaded in YouTube's new HD format. If you have the bandwidth, you
> can click on the HD icon at the bottom right corner of the video
> window. The picture quality is much better in HD. Air brakes were
> necessary to match the terrain slope without exceeding VNE, so you may
> need to turn your volume down if the gear warning horn gets too
> offensive.
>
> -33

Wow that is pretty nifty! Just one question though. Why did you keep
pulling the airbrakes out? Were you approacing Vne, or were you simply
not low enough to the terrain? :-)

Pete

Fred Blair

June 2nd 09, 03:37 AM

Some day we will be able to read about "another beautiful white glider"
found in pieces on the side of a mountain.

"BT" > wrote in message
...
> My guess is that he could not descend as fast as the terrain did without
> going through Vne.
>
>
> "vontresc" > wrote in message
> ...
> On May 31, 11:55 pm, 33 > wrote:
>> I recently participated in the annual Soar-in at Lone Pine, CA, which
>> is hosted by Caracole Soaring every year over Memorial Day weekend.
>> After spectacular soaring weather and great flights, we punctuated the
>> weekend with a roller coaster ride from Mount Whitney peak, which is
>> the highest mountain in the contiguous United States at 14,505 FT. I
>> shot a video of the ride and loaded it on YouTube for anyone that is
>> interested. It can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjTmNJmJXbk
>>
>> I did not spend any time editing the sound or content as you will
>> see. I was really trying to play with HD exporting. The video was
>> loaded in YouTube's new HD format. If you have the bandwidth, you
>> can click on the HD icon at the bottom right corner of the video
>> window. The picture quality is much better in HD. Air brakes were
>> necessary to match the terrain slope without exceeding VNE, so you may
>> need to turn your volume down if the gear warning horn gets too
>> offensive.
>>
>> -33
>
> Wow that is pretty nifty! Just one question though. Why did you keep
> pulling the airbrakes out? Were you approacing Vne, or were you simply
> not low enough to the terrain? :-)
>
> Pete
>

June 2nd 09, 04:29 AM

On Jun 1, 7:37*pm, "Fred Blair" >
wrote:
> Some day we will be able to read about "another beautiful white glider"
> found in pieces on the side of a mountain.
>
> "BT" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
>
>
> > My guess is that he could not descend as fast as the terrain did without
> > going through Vne.
>
> > "vontresc" > wrote in message
> ....
> > On May 31, 11:55 pm, 33 > wrote:
> >> I recently participated in the annual Soar-in at Lone Pine, CA, which
> >> is hosted by Caracole Soaring every year over Memorial Day weekend.
> >> After spectacular soaring weather and great flights, we punctuated the
> >> weekend with a roller coaster ride from Mount Whitney peak, which is
> >> the highest mountain in the contiguous United States at 14,505 FT. I
> >> shot a video of the ride and loaded it on YouTube for anyone that is
> >> interested. It can be found athttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjTmNJmJXbk
>
> >> I did not spend any time editing the sound or content as you will
> >> see. I was really trying to play with HD exporting. The video was
> >> loaded in YouTube's new HD format. If you have the bandwidth, you
> >> can click on the HD icon at the bottom right corner of the video
> >> window. The picture quality is much better in HD. Air brakes were
> >> necessary to match the terrain slope without exceeding VNE, so you may
> >> need to turn your volume down if the gear warning horn gets too
> >> offensive.
>
> >> -33
>
> > Wow that is pretty nifty! Just one question though. Why did you keep
> > pulling the airbrakes out? Were you approacing Vne, or were you simply
> > not low enough to the terrain? :-)
>
> > Pete

I should have added a disclaimer to the video to be clear that flying
in the mountains and close to terra firma is not for everyone. As Co-
Pilot and I think the pilot would agree, flying close to the terrain
can be dangerous and should only be performed with adequate separation
according to personal safety margins.

June 2nd 09, 04:31 AM

On Jun 1, 5:04*pm, "BT" > wrote:
> My guess is that he could not descend as fast as the terrain did without
> going through Vne.
>
> "vontresc" > wrote in message
>
> ...
> On May 31, 11:55 pm, 33 > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > I recently participated in the annual Soar-in at Lone Pine, CA, which
> > is hosted by Caracole Soaring every year over Memorial Day weekend.
> > After spectacular soaring weather and great flights, we punctuated the
> > weekend with a roller coaster ride from Mount Whitney peak, which is
> > the highest mountain in the contiguous United States at 14,505 FT. I
> > shot a video of the ride and loaded it on YouTube for anyone that is
> > interested. It can be found athttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjTmNJmJXbk
>
> > I did not spend any time editing the sound or content as you will
> > see. I was really trying to play with HD exporting. The video was
> > loaded in YouTube's new HD format. If you have the bandwidth, you
> > can click on the HD icon at the bottom right corner of the video
> > window. The picture quality is much better in HD. Air brakes were
> > necessary to match the terrain slope without exceeding VNE, so you may
> > need to turn your volume down if the gear warning horn gets too
> > offensive.
>
> > -33
>
> Wow that is pretty nifty! Just one question though. Why did you keep
> pulling the airbrakes out? Were you approacing Vne, or were you simply
> not low enough to the terrain? :-)
>
> Pete

Yes--Matching terrain slope without exceeding VNE required air
brakes. Putting the wheel down would have eliminated the horrible
noise.

June 2nd 09, 04:47 AM

Of course this was after your run up to Schulman Grove last Monday.
Cool. So now I know why I heard: "Duo, Whitney, 14,000" and not long
afterwards: "Duo, Whitney Portal, 9000."
(then not long after that: "Duo, south of Lone Pine, 6000")
At least the lift was decent under the OD by Cerro Gordo and we all
got home.
Jim

Mark Jardini

June 2nd 09, 04:54 AM

Way below my minimums...

mj

Uncle Fuzzy

June 2nd 09, 05:08 AM

On Jun 1, 8:54*pm, Mark Jardini > wrote:
> Way below my minimums...
>
> mj

Me too! Made my palms sweaty just watching.

Hellman

June 7th 09, 06:28 AM

On May 31, 9:55*pm, 33 > wrote:
> we punctuated the
> weekend with a roller coaster ride from Mount Whitney peak ... I
> shot a video of the ride and loaded it on YouTube for anyone that is
> interested. It can be found at *http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjTmNJmJXbk

Thanks for a great video. In watching it, when you were very close to
terrain your ASI appeared to be between 60 and 70 kts most of the
time, with at least one excursion down to 55. Was that an optical
illusion due to the lens? If not, in hindsight would you have
maintained a higher speed?

Your later post noting that "flying close to the terrain can be
dangerous and should only be performed with adequate separation
according to personal safety margins" was an important addition.
Thanks for that! One of the recommendations in a talk I gave to the
PASCO Soaring Safety Seminar in 2007

http://www-ee.stanford.edu/~hellman/soaring/PASCO_2007_talk.html

was to urge more experienced pilots to include such cautions when
relating exciting flights to an audience that might include those with
less experience and includes a link to an NTSB accident report in
which a student pilot was probably killed partly because of a lack of
such warnings.

Thanks again for the video.

Martin