2017 Dust Devil Dash - Mountain Valley Airport (L94) California

[Rob M]

September 9th, 2017. Annual Dust Devil Dash. Mountain Valley Airport (L94), Tehachapi, California. This is a one day straight out handicapped distance event. All sailplanes and sailplane pilots welcome. 2 place sailplane..........no problem. Pilots are responsible for paying for their own tow, flight, and bringing their own crew. Camping facilities, and tows available through Skylark North. Hotels and other amenities available nearby. Potluck BBQ on the Friday evening (9-8-17) prior the Dust Devil Dash. Bring your own meat to grill, your own beverage, and a dish to share. Grill, plates, utensils and other necessities provided. For more information contact Rob Morgan 858-442-6194

[JS[_5_]]

Getting closer...
Thanks to John Leibacher, the DDD Waypoint files and current airspace are now available on the Soaring Turnpoint Exchange.
http://soaringweb.org/TP/Tehachapi/files.html
I will create a more current TFR file prior to the 9th.
Jim

[Tony[_5_]]

DDD turnpoint files must include the entire west coast and great basin?

[JS[_5_]]

On Monday, August 14, 2017 at 10:18:06 PM UTC-7, Tony wrote:
> DDD turnpoint files must include the entire west coast and great basin?

Flights have "gone off the map" several times before, so in a word, YES!
Jim

[JS[_5_]]

The forecast is looking good for the "Kowbell of the West", even if it's only going to about 16,000'.
I think the Snake River Valley between Twin Falls (888km) and Idaho Falls 1082km) will be a popular destination.
Perhaps RW will make it to Jackson Hole this year? Tony, that's only 1152km.
A link to the latest TFR files (TXT and CUB formats) will be posted on Friday.
Jim

[[email protected]]

I unfortunately can't fly this year😢
RW

[[email protected]]

On Friday, February 24, 2017 at 11:57:05 AM UTC-8, Rob M wrote:
> September 9th, 2017. Annual Dust Devil Dash. Mountain Valley Airport (L94), Tehachapi, California. This is a one day straight out handicapped distance event. All sailplanes and sailplane pilots welcome. 2 place sailplane.........no problem. Pilots are responsible for paying for their own tow, flight, and bringing their own crew. Camping facilities, and tows available through Skylark North. Hotels and other amenities available nearby. Potluck BBQ on the Friday evening (9-8-17) prior the Dust Devil Dash. Bring your own meat to grill, your own beverage, and a dish to share. Grill, plates, utensils and other necessities provided. For more information contact Rob Morgan 858-442-6194

Rob,

Since the DDD relies mainly on the "honor system" for determining the distance flown, is it possible to allow self-launching sailplanes and TMGs to participate without engine recorders? Just curious...

Chris

[JS[_5_]]

On Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 3:51:22 PM UTC-7, wrote:
> Rob,
>
> Since the DDD relies mainly on the "honor system" for determining the distance flown, is it possible to allow self-launching sailplanes and TMGs to participate without engine recorders? Just curious...
>
> Chris

Why would someone own a SLSP, TMG, or even a sustainer without having an appropriate logger?

DDD Distance scored is from the flight log.
Have suggested taping the engine compartment of a SLSP or sustainer closed before takeoff and the pilot make the flight as a pure glider. Most TMGs are more difficult, but Rob owns a Ximango so knows about those things.
I "disabled" an engine compartment once while running the grid at a contest in Australia. One pilot was going to withdraw from the day as his main logger died and the backup logger had no ENL detection. The pilot won the day flying his N3DM as a pure glider.
Jim

[[email protected]]

On Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 5:29:53 PM UTC-7, JS wrote:
> On Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 3:51:22 PM UTC-7, wrote:
> > Rob,
> >
> > Since the DDD relies mainly on the "honor system" for determining the distance flown, is it possible to allow self-launching sailplanes and TMGs to participate without engine recorders? Just curious...
> >
> > Chris
>
> Why would someone own a SLSP, TMG, or even a sustainer without having an appropriate logger?
>
> DDD Distance scored is from the flight log.
> Have suggested taping the engine compartment of a SLSP or sustainer closed before takeoff and the pilot make the flight as a pure glider. Most TMGs are more difficult, but Rob owns a Ximango so knows about those things.
> I "disabled" an engine compartment once while running the grid at a contest in Australia. One pilot was going to withdraw from the day as his main logger died and the backup logger had no ENL detection. The pilot won the day flying his N3DM as a pure glider.
> Jim

Last time I flew the DDD was around 2002 or 3. Back then you had a landing card to be filled out by any "witness" and mailed back from the Post Office nearest the landing point. There was no verification of release alttitue other than what the tow pilots might have recorded...

As to your question; I don't have a logger because I completed my badges decades ago and don't compete in my 25/1 TMG.

Chris

[WaltWX[_2_]]

Guys...

Still looking like a pretty good weather pattern for the DDD.. heading N the NE. Looks like 300-450 mile flights are possible.

Here's what Skysight.io is saying:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l6zvltqvu8ark80/AABBnFDZ8xKha84OS7IjxvEwa?dl=0

Skysight is a great tool for planning soaring X-country 3-5 days out. Please consider subscribing for $10/mon or $79/year

Walt Rogers WX

[Rob M]

On Friday, February 24, 2017 at 11:57:05 AM UTC-8, Rob M wrote:
> September 9th, 2017. Annual Dust Devil Dash. Mountain Valley Airport (L94), Tehachapi, California. This is a one day straight out handicapped distance event. All sailplanes and sailplane pilots welcome. 2 place sailplane.........no problem. Pilots are responsible for paying for their own tow, flight, and bringing their own crew. Camping facilities, and tows available through Skylark North. Hotels and other amenities available nearby. Potluck BBQ on the Friday evening (9-8-17) prior the Dust Devil Dash. Bring your own meat to grill, your own beverage, and a dish to share. Grill, plates, utensils and other necessities provided. For more information contact Rob Morgan 858-442-6194

[Rob M]

On Friday, February 24, 2017 at 11:57:05 AM UTC-8, Rob M wrote:
> September 9th, 2017. Annual Dust Devil Dash. Mountain Valley Airport (L94), Tehachapi, California. This is a one day straight out handicapped distance event. All sailplanes and sailplane pilots welcome. 2 place sailplane.........no problem. Pilots are responsible for paying for their own tow, flight, and bringing their own crew. Camping facilities, and tows available through Skylark North. Hotels and other amenities available nearby. Potluck BBQ on the Friday evening (9-8-17) prior the Dust Devil Dash. Bring your own meat to grill, your own beverage, and a dish to share. Grill, plates, utensils and other necessities provided. For more information contact Rob Morgan 858-442-6194

Chris, give me a call at the number above to discuss your motor glider inquiry. Rob

[Jonathan St. Cloud]

Just curious, is the Dash distance scored from the furthest distance flown from L94 or to where you land? Say you fly 10 miles past and airport and then return to land.

[WaltWX[_2_]]

Outlook for Dust Devil Dash (DDD) - Sat Sep 9th - UPDATE Thur night

Still on track for very good DDD soaring on a route north... then NE near Tonopah to Elko to JackPot ... and beyond? Shower deviation in Central and NE Nevada.

XCSkies NAM is showing MVA max thermals 11am 11-12k msl... but Skysight only 9.5-10.5k msl. SE-E low level winds favor starting near Tehachapi Mtn or perhaps a little further west.

Probably blue conditions until Sacatar or Olancha Pk. Covergence zone will be west of normal near W edge Kern River Canyon. Max cu bases/thermal height Kernville to Olancha Pk probably 12-13k msl. I would not recommend staying west & flying up Kern River J(safety factor) then crossing over. Best route is the usual... Paiute to Plateau to Olancha Pk. Cross at switchbacks to Inyos ... Whites then NE toward or north of Tonopah.

XCSkies and Skysight are showing complications with shower activity and lots of cu or low top CB from near Tonopah to Elko... perhaps all the way into extreme NE Neavada. Cloud bases Central Nevada 14-15k msl from XCSkies but I think this may be optimistic given the scattered showers and cloud cover..

Enough detail in my analysis... I can't make the flight for you

My weather board is in a Dropbox folder:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l6zvltqvu8ark80/AABBnFDZ8xKha84OS7IjxvEwa?dl=0

Check the Thursday night folder for XCSkies and Skysight graphics.

Walt Rogers WX

[JS[_5_]]

Current TFR files in CUB and TXT formats and a CUPX waypoint file are available at:
http://tinyurl.com/gwv75jt
Jim

[Tony[_5_]]

Kathy (4P) and Tom Serkowski (5Z) still flying with less than an hour to sunset! Thrilling! I'm guessing 5Z headed for Air Sailing. If Kathy can float the Libelle to Silver Springs she will win! Nail biting...

[Tony[_5_]]

Oh! Tom passed Air Sailing, maybe going for Herlong?

[Tony[_5_]]

Tom landed Herlong for the win and Kathy should be second with a landing at Yerington. Congrats to all!

[[email protected]]

On Saturday, September 9, 2017 at 7:04:13 PM UTC-7, Tony wrote:
> Tom landed Herlong for the win and Kathy should be second with a landing at Yerington. Congrats to all!

And in case anyone's interested, Herlong now has a freshly paved and painted runway. Still only 40' or so wide, but nicely graded edges and plenty of room to move to one side and drop a wing on the pavement.

There are a few homes attached to the airport, but none have any hangar or aircraft. The "ramp" is just a midfield taxiway with a graded dirt area next to it.

5Z

[JS[_5_]]

The top scores..

1. Tom Serkowski, ASW27B "5Z". Herlong NV, 359.95 SM = 316.04 Handicapped.
2. Kathy Fosha, H201 "4P". Yerington NV, 272.55 SM = 278.00 Handicapped.
3. Paul Robinson, 304CZ "AZ2". Carson City NV, 290.95SM = 272.62 Handicapped.
4. Tom Riley and 5. Don Buman also made Carson City in ASW27 and LS6C.

Jim