Boring booming days

[son_of_flubber]

I fly in New England and staying up in the air is challenging on the majority of "flyable days". Every so often, we get a booming day (like today) and I commonly end up saying (and I hear other pilots saying), "It was so easy to stay up, I got bored."

So what happens when a pilot who is used to scrapping for lift goes to the land of big, strong, and reliable thermals? Does the pilot get bored? Or does the pilot find other challenges to keep things interesting (like flying 300 km tasks and landing out on top of mountains).

[[email protected]]

On Thursday, September 5, 2013 7:04:34 PM UTC-4, son_of_flubber wrote:
> I fly in New England and staying up in the air is challenging on the majority of "flyable days". Every so often, we get a booming day (like today) and I commonly end up saying (and I hear other pilots saying), "It was so easy to stay up, I got bored." So what happens when a pilot who is used to scrapping for lift goes to the land of big, strong, and reliable thermals? Does the pilot get bored? Or does the pilot find other challenges to keep things interesting (like flying 300 km tasks and landing out on top of mountains).

We go places
UH

[Dan Marotta]

Well, we try not to land on top of the mountains, but 300K tasks are rather
routine here in New Mexico. So we just try to fly farther...


"son_of_flubber" > wrote in message
...
I fly in New England and staying up in the air is challenging on the
majority of "flyable days". Every so often, we get a booming day (like
today) and I commonly end up saying (and I hear other pilots saying), "It
was so easy to stay up, I got bored."

So what happens when a pilot who is used to scrapping for lift goes to the
land of big, strong, and reliable thermals? Does the pilot get bored? Or
does the pilot find other challenges to keep things interesting (like flying
300 km tasks and landing out on top of mountains).

[Eric Greenwell[_4_]]

wrote, On 9/5/2013 4:20 PM:
> On Thursday, September 5, 2013 7:04:34 PM UTC-4, son_of_flubber
> wrote:
>> I fly in New England and staying up in the air is challenging on
>> the majority of "flyable days". Every so often, we get a booming
>> day (like today) and I commonly end up saying (and I hear other
>> pilots saying), "It was so easy to stay up, I got bored." So what
>> happens when a pilot who is used to scrapping for lift goes to the
>> land of big, strong, and reliable thermals? Does the pilot get
>> bored? Or does the pilot find other challenges to keep things
>> interesting (like flying 300 km tasks and landing out on top of
>> mountains).
>
> We go places UH

.... and we keep going until we think we might not make it back, then we
turn around and try to get back!

If you get bored, it's because your didn't fly far enough away from
home. You have a good excuse, though: you get the good days so
infrequently, you don't realize how far "far enough" it.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)
- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Feb/2010" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm
http://tinyurl.com/yb3xywl

[Mike C]

On Thursday, September 5, 2013 5:04:34 PM UTC-6, son_of_flubber wrote:
> I fly in New England and staying up in the air is challenging on the majority of "flyable days". Every so often, we get a booming day (like today) and I commonly end up saying (and I hear other pilots saying), "It was so easy to stay up, I got bored."
>
>
>
> So what happens when a pilot who is used to scrapping for lift goes to the land of big, strong, and reliable thermals? Does the pilot get bored? Or does the pilot find other challenges to keep things interesting (like flying 300 km tasks and landing out on top of mountains).

Being able to fly XC in great weather is one of the great joys of soaring. Returning home at the end of the day is the icing on the cake.

[son_of_flubber]

On Thursday, September 5, 2013 7:41:03 PM UTC-4, Eric Greenwell wrote:

> If you get bored, it's because your didn't fly far enough away from
>
> home.

I did actually fly farther and for longer today than I ever have before... so I guess I'm good. Come to think of it, I only got bored when I got back near the airport after crossing over an upwind ridge.

[Chris Rollings[_2_]]

Keep trying to fly further than you ever have before. One day you may find
you've flown further than anybody in your state/country/the World has
before - that's called "A Record."

At 00:04 06 September 2013, son_of_flubber wrote:
>On Thursday, September 5, 2013 7:41:03 PM UTC-4, Eric Greenwell wrote:
>
>> If you get bored, it's because your didn't fly far enough away from
>>
>> home.
>
>I did actually fly farther and for longer today than I ever have
before...
>so I guess I'm good. Come to think of it, I only got bored when I got
back
>near the airport after crossing over an upwind ridge.
>

[[email protected]]

On Thursday, September 5, 2013 8:04:22 PM UTC-4, son_of_flubber wrote:
> On Thursday, September 5, 2013 7:41:03 PM UTC-4, Eric Greenwell wrote:
>
>
>
> > If you get bored, it's because your didn't fly far enough away from
>
> >
>
> > home.
>
>
>
> I did actually fly farther and for longer today than I ever have before... so I guess I'm good. Come to think of it, I only got bored when I got back near the airport after crossing over an upwind ridge.

if you get bored, you're doing it wrong.

[[email protected]]

First think you did to do is learn how to really tighten your seat belts. On my first flight at Moriarity after flying in the east, my head almost went thru the canopy when I hit the first big thermal at 110 kts.

[Evan Ludeman[_4_]]

http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/bestflight.html?st=olc&rt=olc&c=US&sc=1&sp=2013

[Wallace Berry[_2_]]

In article >,
son_of_flubber > wrote:

> I fly in New England and staying up in the air is challenging on the majority
> of "flyable days". Every so often, we get a booming day (like today) and I
> commonly end up saying (and I hear other pilots saying), "It was so easy to
> stay up, I got bored."
>
> So what happens when a pilot who is used to scrapping for lift goes to the
> land of big, strong, and reliable thermals? Does the pilot get bored? Or
> does the pilot find other challenges to keep things interesting (like flying
> 300 km tasks and landing out on top of mountains).

You go over the horizon. Way, way over the horizon. Fly to another
state, heck, fly clear across your time zone! Head out all alone on a
500k or 1000k, whatever the day might just possibly support. Do it again
with a couple of buddies. Race, go for a record, go for a badge. Just
don't fly around the flagpole all afternoon.

WB (who despises "let's keep the fleet close to home" cat's cradle
tasks).

[Wayne Paul]

I changed "sc=1" to "sc=8" in the link below in order to look at
Region 8. I also clicked on the "All" in order to see all the flights
in the region on one page. What I found was that there weren't any
flights listed for Nampa, Idaho, or Driggs, Idaho.

Does anyone know why this would happen and what can be done to correct
the error?

On Fri, 6 Sep 2013 06:22:27 -0700 (PDT), Evan Ludeman
> wrote:

>http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/bestflight.html?st=olc&rt=olc&c=US&sc=1&sp=2013
>
>

[Uncle Fuzzy[_2_]]

I typically have several 'tasks' loaded. One that encompassed all three diamonds in one flight The bottom line is: go long. I carry a SPOT, and have several people on the notification list to come and get me if I land out.

REALLY though, what matters is the state of your 'fun meter'. I flew around the Jean area for years in a 40/1 glider, happy as a slam, never getting more than 20 miles from the runway. When I started flying XC, it became much more 'goal' and 'achievement' oriented, and I think my 'fun meter' came down a little.


On Thursday, September 5, 2013 4:04:34 PM UTC-7, son_of_flubber wrote:
> I fly in New England and staying up in the air is challenging on the majority of "flyable days". Every so often, we get a booming day (like today) and I commonly end up saying (and I hear other pilots saying), "It was so easy to stay up, I got bored."
>
>
>
> So what happens when a pilot who is used to scrapping for lift goes to the land of big, strong, and reliable thermals? Does the pilot get bored? Or does the pilot find other challenges to keep things interesting (like flying 300 km tasks and landing out on top of mountains).

[Uncle Fuzzy[_2_]]

One other thing I do on booming/boring days is play 'what if.....
can I control this thing if something becomes disconnecte??? Can I get it to spin?? What will it do if... .. (wooohoooo, let's not do THAT again. The Speed Astir is a blast to fly, and built very tough.
On Thursday, September 5, 2013 4:04:34 PM UTC-7, son_of_flubber wrote:
> I fly in New England and staying up in the air is challenging on the majority of "flyable days". Every so often, we get a booming day (like today) and I commonly end up saying (and I hear other pilots saying), "It was so easy to stay up, I got bored."
>
>
>
> So what happens when a pilot who is used to scrapping for lift goes to the land of big, strong, and reliable thermals? Does the pilot get bored? Or does the pilot find other challenges to keep things interesting (like flying 300 km tasks and landing out on top of mountains).

[[email protected]]

I can assure you that here in the west it the opposite of boring.

When you pass a line 200miles from home making 140mph ground speed, loaded for action at 11.3lb/ft2, trying desperately to stay under class A airspace, tucked under the sweetest clouds caused by the convergence of continental sized air masses in the clearest most heart wrenching skies you have ever seen with a matching spectacle of mountains making you feel like you may, just barely, have glimpsed the secret of the universe....at the moment...you will NOT say "Gosh this was too easy, I'm bored."

[Soartech]

Hey Mister Flubber,
This is why XC is so popular! Just go for it and
rejoice in the awesome day :-)

[Soartech]

On Friday, September 6, 2013 9:22:27 AM UTC-4, Evan Ludeman wrote:
> http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/bestflight.html?st=olc&rt=olc&c=US&sc=1&sp=2013

Thanks for this list Evan. Just to show the world how many good days we don't have in New England... 15 of the 49 flights were done on the same 2 days, the 27th and 28th of April.

[[email protected]]

On Thursday, September 5, 2013 4:04:34 PM UTC-7, son_of_flubber wrote:
> I fly in New England and staying up in the air is challenging on the majority of "flyable days". Every so often, we get a booming day (like today) and I commonly end up saying (and I hear other pilots saying), "It was so easy to stay up, I got bored."
>
> So what happens when a pilot who is used to scrapping for lift goes to the land of big, strong, and reliable thermals? Does the pilot get bored? Or does the pilot find other challenges to keep things interesting (like flying 300 km tasks and landing out on top of mountains).


This is a trick question isn't it?

9B - who never gets bored in a glider (except maybe waiting for the start gate to open)

[Eric Greenwell[_4_]]

Wayne Paul wrote, On 9/6/2013 7:37 AM:
> I changed "sc=1" to "sc=8" in the link below in order to look at
> Region 8. I also clicked on the "All" in order to see all the flights
> in the region on one page. What I found was that there weren't any
> flights listed for Nampa, Idaho, or Driggs, Idaho.
>
> Does anyone know why this would happen and what can be done to correct
> the error?
>
> On Fri, 6 Sep 2013 06:22:27 -0700 (PDT), Evan Ludeman
> > wrote:
>
>> http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/bestflight.html?st=olc&rt=olc&c=US&sc=1&sp=2013

Perhaps no one had their best flight out of either of those places?

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)
- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Feb/2010" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm
http://tinyurl.com/yb3xywl

[Tim Taylor]

Everyday has a given potential at any site. Are you flying to 95 to 100% of the potential? If you are, you are never bored.

TT

[Wayne Paul]

On Fri, 06 Sep 2013 12:15:50 -0700, Eric Greenwell
> wrote:

>Wayne Paul wrote, On 9/6/2013 7:37 AM:
>> I changed "sc=1" to "sc=8" in the link below in order to look at
>> Region 8. I also clicked on the "All" in order to see all the flights
>> in the region on one page. What I found was that there weren't any
>> flights listed for Nampa, Idaho, or Driggs, Idaho.
>>
>> Does anyone know why this would happen and what can be done to correct
>> the error?
>>
>> On Fri, 6 Sep 2013 06:22:27 -0700 (PDT), Evan Ludeman
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/bestflight.html?st=olc&rt=olc&c=US&sc=1&sp=2013
>
>Perhaps no one had their best flight out of either of those places?

Thank you Eric. I should have done a better job at evaluating the
URL.

[Uncle Fuzzy[_2_]]

On Thursday, September 5, 2013 4:04:34 PM UTC-7, son_of_flubber wrote:
> I fly in New England and staying up in the air is challenging on the majority of "flyable days". Every so often, we get a booming day (like today) and I commonly end up saying (and I hear other pilots saying), "It was so easy to stay up, I got bored."
>
BORED' is when you achieve the rating of 'ballast'
Get high. Try stuff, it may save your ass someday. Speaking of seat belts.....try to make sure the anchor points are NOT above our shoulders. I love my Speed Astir, but there is NO way to tighten the belts enough to prevent cranial /canopy violent interference at maneuvering speed ona bumpy day> I have ersonnall made the Speeed Astir into a convertible in-flight. BTW, it flys jut fine without the (expensive) rear canopy!!!!
>
> So what happens when a pilot who is used to scrapping for lift goes to the land of big, strong, and reliable thermals? Does the pilot get bored? Or does the pilot find other challenges to keep things interesting (like flying 300 km tasks and landing out on top of mountains).

[Justin Craig[_3_]]

Bored?

What planet are you on??

We just go fast and work on getting faster! But then I live and fly in the
UK so hanker after those rare "good" days!

JC


At 23:04 05 September 2013, son_of_flubber wrote:
>I fly in New England and staying up in the air is challenging on the
>majori=
>ty of "flyable days". Every so often, we get a booming day (like today)
>an=
>d I commonly end up saying (and I hear other pilots saying), "It was so
>eas=
>y to stay up, I got bored."
>
>So what happens when a pilot who is used to scrapping for lift goes to
the
>=
>land of big, strong, and reliable thermals? Does the pilot get bored?
Or
>=
>does the pilot find other challenges to keep things interesting (like
>flyin=
>g 300 km tasks and landing out on top of mountains).
>

[Dan Marotta]

<snip> I love my Speed Astir, but there is NO way to tighten the belts
enough to prevent cranial /canopy violent interference at maneuvering speed
ona bumpy day<snip>

Had the same problem with my first LS-6a. The fix I came up with was to sew
velcro to the shoulder straps such that when you tightened them you could
connect the velcro. They'd stay tight.

[Papa3[_2_]]

Not to hijack the thread but...

When I was researching 5 and 6 point harnesses about a decade ago, I ran across a lot of writing about the purpose of the various belts. The shoulder straps are actually NOT supposed to hold you down; they prevent your torso from rolling forward in a sudden de-celeration. The lap/thigh/crotch straps are really charged with keeping you anchored to the seat. The problem, especially with earlier generation seat pans, is the geometry of the anchor points isn't optimal. There were a couple of good technical papers on the topic; they're on an old desktop machine somewhere around here...

P3

On Saturday, September 7, 2013 11:44:06 AM UTC-4, Dan Marotta wrote:
> <snip> I love my Speed Astir, but there is NO way to tighten the belts
>
> enough to prevent cranial /canopy violent interference at maneuvering speed
>
> ona bumpy day<snip>
>
>
>
> Had the same problem with my first LS-6a. The fix I came up with was to sew
>
> velcro to the shoulder straps such that when you tightened them you could
>
> connect the velcro. They'd stay tight.

[Dan Marotta]

....And to add more to the thread...

The LS-6a did not come with a crotch strap (at least, mine didn't). I
bought a couple of large fender washers and glassed them to both sides of
the seat pan just below the stick, drilled through, and bolted in a fifth
strap. The buckle already had a slot for a crotch strap. Years later my
partner had a stall/spin at low altitude. He credits the crotch strap with
saving his life.


"Papa3" > wrote in message
...
Not to hijack the thread but...

When I was researching 5 and 6 point harnesses about a decade ago, I ran
across a lot of writing about the purpose of the various belts. The
shoulder straps are actually NOT supposed to hold you down; they prevent
your torso from rolling forward in a sudden de-celeration. The
lap/thigh/crotch straps are really charged with keeping you anchored to the
seat. The problem, especially with earlier generation seat pans, is the
geometry of the anchor points isn't optimal. There were a couple of good
technical papers on the topic; they're on an old desktop machine somewhere
around here...

P3

On Saturday, September 7, 2013 11:44:06 AM UTC-4, Dan Marotta wrote:
> <snip> I love my Speed Astir, but there is NO way to tighten the belts
>
> enough to prevent cranial /canopy violent interference at maneuvering
> speed
>
> ona bumpy day<snip>
>
>
>
> Had the same problem with my first LS-6a. The fix I came up with was to
> sew
>
> velcro to the shoulder straps such that when you tightened them you could
>
> connect the velcro. They'd stay tight.