Parowan Safari

[Matt Herron Jr.]

Does anyone know if there are any safaris planned to Parowan this year? How many gliders are needed to make it worthwhile to arrange a tug? I haven't been in years, and am itching to get back. Best time of year?

Thanks,

Matt

[D M[_2_]]

At 04:17 27 May 2015, Matt Herron Jr. wrote:
>Does anyone know if there are any safaris planned to Parowan this
year?
>How many gliders are needed to make it worthwhile to arrange a tug?
I
>haven't been in years, and am itching to get back. Best time of year?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Matt
>
Matt, John Templeton is basing a Cessna 172XP 210hp up in Parowan
for the month of june and July. He will tow with A MINIMUM OF 5 guys.
Doug

[gkemp]

On Tuesday, May 26, 2015 at 9:17:30 PM UTC-7, Matt Herron Jr. wrote:
> Does anyone know if there are any safaris planned to Parowan this year? How many gliders are needed to make it worthwhile to arrange a tug? I haven't been in years, and am itching to get back. Best time of year?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Matt

I think June is best, flew there for several years in the '90's. Got my 1000K on June 19.

[[email protected][_2_]]

> That's good information John, thanks. For everyone else, Parowan is a terrible, terrible place to fly. I'd try to go somewhere else if I were you.

What kind of experience did you have at Parowan to make that statement? Parowan is generally considered to be a premiere soaring site.

[Tim Taylor]

If you decide to fly in Utah later in the season, Logan's peak season is from July through the first week in September. Logan is generally north of the monsoon line. Tow plane available now seven days a week. The mountain soaring camp is full but plenty of room the rest of the season. Arts, theater, and opera for the crews as well as the local water park for the younger ones.

Tim

[Jonathan St. Cloud]

I assume that is a tongue-in-cheek comment. I spent 5 days there one year and flew three 750 km's and and chickened out of a 1,000 km (did about 875 km) do to winds and no crew. Not exactly like Manhattan for night life, but then if you are fly much, rest is good. Did see a lot of lighting while I was there.


On Sunday, May 31, 2015 at 7:28:25 PM UTC-7, wrote:
> > That's good information John, thanks. For everyone else, Parowan is a terrible, terrible place to fly. I'd try to go somewhere else if I were you.
>
> What kind of experience did you have at Parowan to make that statement? Parowan is generally considered to be a premiere soaring site.

[Andy Blackburn[_3_]]

Yes.

[gkemp]

On Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 9:38:16 PM UTC-7, wrote:
> On Sunday, May 31, 2015 at 9:28:25 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> > > That's good information John, thanks. For everyone else, Parowan is a terrible, terrible place to fly. I'd try to go somewhere else if I were you.
> >
> > What kind of experience did you have at Parowan to make that statement? Parowan is generally considered to be a premiere soaring site.
>
> I'm always so high and the many airports are so close together and coincide with the good soaring weather that I have no idea if any of the many fields available are landable. I don't think anyone else knows for sure either.. It's a big concern that nobody talks about. And, there's basically no airspace issues until you get to SLC so oftentimes I get distracted by the stunning scenery while flying. That can be really annoying. The takeaway here is that I have some concerns and can be annoyed when I fly out of Parowan..

I can appreciate that being high may be of some concern, "What if I get low". I flew there for several years and ran several contests there. There were several land outs and no damage and easy retrieves, so I think that reviewing some of the contest flights will show that some of us "know for sure". Other than that I think I would trade being high and getting annoyed rather than being low and getting annoyed.

gkemp

[Vsoars]

On Tuesday, May 26, 2015 at 11:17:30 PM UTC-5, Matt Herron Jr. wrote:
> Does anyone know if there are any safaris planned to Parowan this year? How many gliders are needed to make it worthwhile to arrange a tug? I haven't been in years, and am itching to get back. Best time of year?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Matt

I loved flying my PW 5 there. I could take a 1,500' tow and head out for a great day of soaring. I was totally comfortable making fairly long flights. I hauled my glider 1,400 miles (each way) for two years- which shows how much I liked the site. I am now flying my Duo at Nephi, better suited for the longer wings.

[Ramy[_2_]]

I had the whole airport for myself at Parowan this week. Lots of OD earlier this week and than progressively better, with today being the best day with no OD.
I find it odd that Nephi is overbooked while Parowan is almost deserted. Soaring conditions and XC potential are very similar. John Templeton is now available full time to tow during each season (June-July) and is going to be available till the end of next week. So if you missed Nephi this year, it is not too late for Parowan. The forecast is looking great for next week. Give John a call if you plan to come.

Ramy

[[email protected]]

On Saturday, July 11, 2015 at 1:24:01 AM UTC-5, Ramy wrote:
> I had the whole airport for myself at Parowan this week. Lots of OD earlier this week and than progressively better, with today being the best day with no OD.
> I find it odd that Nephi is overbooked while Parowan is almost deserted. Soaring conditions and XC potential are very similar. John Templeton is now available full time to tow during each season (June-July) and is going to be available till the end of next week. So if you missed Nephi this year, it is not too late for Parowan. The forecast is looking great for next week. Give John a call if you plan to come.
>
> Ramy

Thanks Ramy, exactly my sentiments. We had a total of 25 gliders at Parowan for the ASA camp, I was one of 5-6 pure gliders. Thorsten did his regular 3 flights >1000k and >1000 points on OLC during the 8 days he flew with us. We waited at most an hour or so for our tow (thanks Jon T.). On my flights this and last year I noticed that Parowan allows early starts and thermal activity close to sun-down. The one and only negative is the 04 take-off with the customary tail wind. But then, Jon will gladly tow you on 22 if you don't mind the taxi... Why 65 gliders preferred Nephi this year is a mystery.
Herb

[Craig Reinholt]

Why 65 gliders preferred Nephi this year is a mystery.
> Herb

Hmmmm, let's see... 100' x 6300' runway @ Nephi vs. 75' x 5000' runway at Parowan. Taking off to the south at Parowan is uphill and has almost no options for a rope break (dangerous). Nothing at Parowan other than the taxiway.. Parallel grass runway at Nephi 100'+ and 7000 feet long.
Nephi flew 8 days straight. Parowan was shut down roughly 1/3 of those days because of storms.
Accommodations and food options are better at Nephi.
Good organization and logistics for non-motorgliders at Parowan.... so tows for 65 sailplanes. Tows at Parowan for 10ish?
Do I need to keep going?

[Craig Reinholt]

Oops... should read good organizatin and logistics for non-motorgliders at NEPHI...

> Good organization and logistics for non-motorgliders at Parowan.... so tows for 65 sailplanes. Tows at Parowan for 10ish?
> Do I need to keep going?