Midwest Straight Soaring Season Underway!

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

While not with as big a spalsh or fanfare as a Hugh and Gordo trek, KSA's Tony Condon (now changing over to The Cirrus Kid?) is off on a free distance run today. Cold front came blasting through yesterday afternoon, and with warm ground and cold air, thermals were predicted to be good. This, along with a good tailwind, makes long distance flights possible.

Tony departed from the Wellington airport at about 12:20 today. If you want to see how far he goes, you can watch the flight unfold here:

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0xSWzZKb2GVSEASvOr6Tx08EyO4mMDp hc

Steve Leonard

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

Oops. Straight Out. Can't edit the subject via google groups on the initial post, but I can on this one. Go figure.

[Jim[_18_]]

I've often seen cu fields that go from Kansas to the East Coast from the work plane and wondered if anybody was flying a long glider flight under them. Go Tony!

Jim Dingess

[BobD]

On Wednesday, March 12, 2014 2:25:08 PM UTC-5, Steve Leonard wrote:
> While not with as big a spalsh or fanfare as a Hugh and Gordo trek...


Wichita to Paris! Just like Lindy! Er...Paris, Texas.

[[email protected]]

On Wednesday, March 12, 2014 2:25:08 PM UTC-5, Steve Leonard wrote:
> While not with as big a spalsh or fanfare as a Hugh and Gordo trek, KSA's Tony Condon (now changing over to The Cirrus Kid?) is off on a free distance run today. Cold front came blasting through yesterday afternoon, and with warm ground and cold air, thermals were predicted to be good. This, along with a good tailwind, makes long distance flights possible.
>
>
>
> Tony departed from the Wellington airport at about 12:20 today. If you want to see how far he goes, you can watch the flight unfold here:
>
>
>
> http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0xSWzZKb2GVSEASvOr6Tx08EyO4mMDp hc
>
>
>
> Steve Leonard

Looks like he is on the Kiamichi Ridge ! Is it possible to see his altitude ?

[Steve Leonard[_2_]]

On Wednesday, March 12, 2014 4:36:54 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> Looks like he is on the Kiamichi Ridge ! Is it possible to see his altitude ?

Unfortunately, not with SPOT.

[lynn]

On Wednesday, March 12, 2014 4:41:39 PM UTC-5, Steve Leonard wrote:
> On Wednesday, March 12, 2014 4:36:54 PM UTC-5, wrote:
>
> > Looks like he is on the Kiamichi Ridge ! Is it possible to see his altitude ?
>
>
>
> Unfortunately, not with SPOT.

He has landed at De Queen, Arkansas at an airport.

[Tony[_5_]]

Had a nice long reply but its gone. Flight was pretty awesome and a good way to start then season. Took off as the first wisps arrived at wellington. First hour I took it really slow to let the clouds develop ahead of me and for most of the flight in didn't push real hard. Clouds ended at interstate 40 as forecast but a couple fires gave me confidence in the blue. They delivered and I found a few more good climbs in pure blue near McAlester which for me comfortably around my first turn point and onto the ridges. Ran up to Sardis Lake and then the familiar ole Kiamichi past Talihina.

Second turn point was Three Sticks on the Kiamichi with a goal of Texarkana.. DeQueen is about half way between. There was a nice thermal off the ridge and then in found another half way to DeQueen. Land out options are slim in this area so I took anything going up or holding zero for as long as I could.

Landed at DeQueen after 5.5 hrs. Dogleg distance is 317 miles. Straight line is 288 I think.

It was a great flight. KC and John are just leaving Talihina and should be here in a few hours.

[Tony[_5_]]

On Wednesday, March 12, 2014 6:42:04 PM UTC-5, Tony wrote:
> Had a nice long reply but its gone. Flight was pretty awesome and a good way to start then season. Took off as the first wisps arrived at wellington.. First hour I took it really slow to let the clouds develop ahead of me and for most of the flight in didn't push real hard. Clouds ended at interstate 40 as forecast but a couple fires gave me confidence in the blue. They delivered and I found a few more good climbs in pure blue near McAlester which for me comfortably around my first turn point and onto the ridges. Ran up to Sardis Lake and then the familiar ole Kiamichi past Talihina.
>
>
>
> Second turn point was Three Sticks on the Kiamichi with a goal of Texarkana. DeQueen is about half way between. There was a nice thermal off the ridge and then in found another half way to DeQueen. Land out options are slim in this area so I took anything going up or holding zero for as long as I could.
>
>
>
> Landed at DeQueen after 5.5 hrs. Dogleg distance is 317 miles. Straight line is 288 I think.
>
>
>
> It was a great flight. KC and John are just leaving Talihina and should be here in a few hours.

We made it home. Good morning RAS. Flight is up on the OLC: http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=3486851

[Luke Szczepaniak]

On 03/13/2014 5:31 AM, Tony wrote:
> On Wednesday, March 12, 2014 6:42:04 PM UTC-5, Tony wrote:
>> Had a nice long reply but its gone. Flight was pretty awesome and a good way to start then season. Took off as the first wisps arrived at wellington. First hour I took it really slow to let the clouds develop ahead of me and for most of the flight in didn't push real hard. Clouds ended at interstate 40 as forecast but a couple fires gave me confidence in the blue. They delivered and I found a few more good climbs in pure blue near McAlester which for me comfortably around my first turn point and onto the ridges. Ran up to Sardis Lake and then the familiar ole Kiamichi past Talihina.
>>
>>
>>
>> Second turn point was Three Sticks on the Kiamichi with a goal of Texarkana. DeQueen is about half way between. There was a nice thermal off the ridge and then in found another half way to DeQueen. Land out options are slim in this area so I took anything going up or holding zero for as long as I could.
>>
>>
>>
>> Landed at DeQueen after 5.5 hrs. Dogleg distance is 317 miles. Straight line is 288 I think.
>>
>>
>>
>> It was a great flight. KC and John are just leaving Talihina and should be here in a few hours.
>
> We made it home. Good morning RAS. Flight is up on the OLC: http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=3486851
>
Congratulations Tony, outstanding flight!

Luke

[Dan Marotta]

OUTSTANDING!


"Luke Szczepaniak" > wrote in message
...
> On 03/13/2014 5:31 AM, Tony wrote:
>> On Wednesday, March 12, 2014 6:42:04 PM UTC-5, Tony wrote:
>>> Had a nice long reply but its gone. Flight was pretty awesome and a good
>>> way to start then season. Took off as the first wisps arrived at
>>> wellington. First hour I took it really slow to let the clouds develop
>>> ahead of me and for most of the flight in didn't push real hard. Clouds
>>> ended at interstate 40 as forecast but a couple fires gave me confidence
>>> in the blue. They delivered and I found a few more good climbs in pure
>>> blue near McAlester which for me comfortably around my first turn point
>>> and onto the ridges. Ran up to Sardis Lake and then the familiar ole
>>> Kiamichi past Talihina.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Second turn point was Three Sticks on the Kiamichi with a goal of
>>> Texarkana. DeQueen is about half way between. There was a nice thermal
>>> off the ridge and then in found another half way to DeQueen. Land out
>>> options are slim in this area so I took anything going up or holding
>>> zero for as long as I could.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Landed at DeQueen after 5.5 hrs. Dogleg distance is 317 miles. Straight
>>> line is 288 I think.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> It was a great flight. KC and John are just leaving Talihina and should
>>> be here in a few hours.
>>
>> We made it home. Good morning RAS. Flight is up on the OLC:
>> http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=3486851
>>
> Congratulations Tony, outstanding flight!
>
> Luke

[Tony[_5_]]

On Wednesday, March 12, 2014 2:25:08 PM UTC-5, Steve Leonard wrote:
> While not with as big a spalsh or fanfare as a Hugh and Gordo trek, KSA's Tony Condon (now changing over to The Cirrus Kid?) is off on a free distance run today. Cold front came blasting through yesterday afternoon, and with warm ground and cold air, thermals were predicted to be good. This, along with a good tailwind, makes long distance flights possible.
>
>
>
> Tony departed from the Wellington airport at about 12:20 today. If you want to see how far he goes, you can watch the flight unfold here:
>
>
>
> http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0xSWzZKb2GVSEASvOr6Tx08EyO4mMDp hc
>
>
>
> Steve Leonard

story of the flight available here: http://www.ssa.org/MemberBlogs?show=blog&id=3442

on Soaring Cafe in a day or two I think.

Waiting for the next good cold front...

Tony

[Papa3[_2_]]

Great writeup Tony. I especially like your trailer jack!

P3

[Tony[_5_]]

On Tuesday, March 18, 2014 7:07:37 PM UTC-5, Papa3 wrote:
> Great writeup Tony. I especially like your trailer jack!
>
>
>
> P3

Thanks Eric. It is always nice to have a friend with a forklift!

[JS]

Great stuff, Tony. It was fun to follow you on the SSA tracking page.
Jim