Early March Soaring?

[Minot Moonshiners]

I'm a power pilot by trade. I got back into gliders this summer. Commercial and CFI-G. Got checked out to teach and tow. I did a fair amount of glider flying in my college years (20 years ago) L-13 mostly.

This summer I flew at Franconia NH. Grob, L23 and of course the 2-33.

I'd like to travel somewhere in the first week of March. I'm looking to fly some more high performance stuff, and get some instruction on X-C.

Ideas?

Thanks
Jason

[Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot)]

On Monday, December 14, 2015 at 4:08:48 PM UTC-5, Minot Moonshiners wrote:
> I'm a power pilot by trade. I got back into gliders this summer. Commercial and CFI-G. Got checked out to teach and tow. I did a fair amount of glider flying in my college years (20 years ago) L-13 mostly.
>
> This summer I flew at Franconia NH. Grob, L23 and of course the 2-33.
>
> I'd like to travel somewhere in the first week of March. I'm looking to fly some more high performance stuff, and get some instruction on X-C.
>
> Ideas?
>
> Thanks
> Jason

How far do you want to travel? Down south WILL be flying, anywhere else is a maybe (due to weather).
You could head to FL and maybe be there near the Seniors down there.

[Minot Moonshiners]

Don't mind travel. I've been looking at Minden. Not very interested in flat ground FL flying.. I did enough of that in college. Would love to do some wave, but realize that I'm a month plus too early for the planned wave camp at Minden.

JP

[Dan Daly[_2_]]

On Monday, December 14, 2015 at 4:08:48 PM UTC-5, Minot Moonshiners wrote:
> I'm a power pilot by trade. I got back into gliders this summer. Commercial and CFI-G. Got checked out to teach and tow. I did a fair amount of glider flying in my college years (20 years ago) L-13 mostly.
>
> This summer I flew at Franconia NH. Grob, L23 and of course the 2-33.
>
> I'd like to travel somewhere in the first week of March. I'm looking to fly some more high performance stuff, and get some instruction on X-C.
>
> Ideas?
>
> Thanks
> Jason

When I lived in Colorado I flew at Minden now and then; I had wave over 50% of the time, even at times you wouldn't expect it (mid summer). March should be quite good.

[[email protected]]

On Tuesday, December 15, 2015 at 7:37:06 AM UTC-5, Dan Daly wrote:
> On Monday, December 14, 2015 at 4:08:48 PM UTC-5, Minot Moonshiners wrote:
> > I'm a power pilot by trade. I got back into gliders this summer. Commercial and CFI-G. Got checked out to teach and tow. I did a fair amount of glider flying in my college years (20 years ago) L-13 mostly.
> >
> > This summer I flew at Franconia NH. Grob, L23 and of course the 2-33.
> >
> > I'd like to travel somewhere in the first week of March. I'm looking to fly some more high performance stuff, and get some instruction on X-C.
> >
> > Ideas?
> >
> > Thanks
> > Jason
>
> When I lived in Colorado I flew at Minden now and then; I had wave over 50% of the time, even at times you wouldn't expect it (mid summer). March should be quite good.

The Mt. Mitchell (NC) wave camp is at the end of February (2/21 - 3/2) and is
followed by the Sequatchie (TN) ridge camp (3/22 - 3/31). Check at the
Chilhowee web page http://www.chilhowee.com/

I'd also expect Ridge Soaring (PA) to get going once the snow melts sometime
in March.

Matt

[Dan Marotta]

Don't need a camp to fly. Just go and have fun!

On 12/14/2015 11:09 PM, Minot Moonshiners wrote:
>
> Don't mind travel. I've been looking at Minden. Not very interested in flat ground FL flying.. I did enough of that in college. Would love to do some wave, but realize that I'm a month plus too early for the planned wave camp at Minden.
>
> JP

--
Dan, 5J

[John Cochrane[_3_]]

On Monday, December 14, 2015 at 10:09:21 PM UTC-8, Minot Moonshiners wrote:
> Don't mind travel. I've been looking at Minden. Not very interested in flat ground FL flying.. I did enough of that in college. Would love to do some wave, but realize that I'm a month plus too early for the planned wave camp at Minden.
>
> JP

Williams is about perfect, then. March will have thermal and wave; the equipment, instruction and operation are first rate; you'll be flying over gentle mountains, a bit warmer and less intimidating than jumping in to late winter / early spring wave in the sierra, and a great group of pilots.

John Cochrane BB

[Jonathan St. Cloud]

Perhaps Phoenix area pilots could comment on the soaring in that area in March?

On Monday, December 14, 2015 at 1:08:48 PM UTC-8, Minot Moonshiners wrote:
> I'm a power pilot by trade. I got back into gliders this summer. Commercial and CFI-G. Got checked out to teach and tow. I did a fair amount of glider flying in my college years (20 years ago) L-13 mostly.
>
> This summer I flew at Franconia NH. Grob, L23 and of course the 2-33.
>
> I'd like to travel somewhere in the first week of March. I'm looking to fly some more high performance stuff, and get some instruction on X-C.
>
> Ideas?
>
> Thanks
> Jason

[[email protected]]

Typically early March is windy in Phoenix and starting to be consistent late March gets better and top of lift starts to climb to 6-8 k agl. Some wave conditions on the Estrella mtns and the only ones close enough to be towable to from Estrella sailport in Maricopa Az. The other areas in AZ are El Tiro in Tucson, Pleasant Valley apt just north of Phoenix and AC Goodwin Memorial in Prescott Valley home to Prescott Soaring Society where we winch only. I did my first attempt at my 5 hour in Feb at Pleasant Valley to be shot down 15 min short due to storms then got it a month later in late March. May and June are our best months but is soarable from March thru October almost every day at least for a few hours :) I averaged 300 hrs a year for 15 years so there's got to be lift somewhere :))

[Minot Moonshiners]

Thanks.. My vacation is early March.. and my first plan of Minden fell through. They aren't opening until April. I'll have to wait and see what April's schedule looks like.

JP

[[email protected]]

Early March is end of season in Omarama, NZ. Flew there in March of 09. Absolutely amazing experience. Since you didn't specify US location only, I figured it was worth a mention.

Morgan

On Saturday, December 19, 2015 at 12:42:57 PM UTC-8, Minot Moonshiners wrote:
> Thanks.. My vacation is early March.. and my first plan of Minden fell through. They aren't opening until April. I'll have to wait and see what April's schedule looks like.
>
> JP

[Minot Moonshiners]

Riding on airlines is the WORST part of my job. I fly corporate for a fractional. The idea of an airline to NZ is not my idea of fun. Maybe if I was taking my wife and spending a few weeks....

thanks though

JP