1,633 km (1,015 sm) Sierra Wave Flight

[Kizuno]

Last Thursday, March 25, the Sierra wave was in prime form. I took off from
the Minden, Nevada airport at 6:46am in my ASH-26E and flew a Free 3 TP task
landing at California City at 5:03pm for an estimated distance of 1,633 km.
This flight was similar to my SOARING magazine article of last year except this
year I started earlier and was able to extend all legs. The first turn was at
Frenchman's Lake (north of Reno), the second turn was near Dunmovin (just North
of Inyokern) and the last turn was near Herlong. The record claim will be for
the US National Motorglider 3 TP distance.

From my limited experience with the Sierra wave, that Thursday was one of the
best, well marked days I'd seen.* The winds at altitude were modest (35 to 65
knots). There was some difficulty at the start as the wave was not marked in
the valley on launch, but showed up soon thereafter. From then on, lennies or
rotor clouds were present most of the way, so there were few slow spots. Even
the north bound transition from Bishop to Mono Lake was done at top speed.
Like most US wave cross country flight, I operated with an 18,000 ft. ceiling.
The best part is just the experience of zooming along for hours at 110knots
indicated with the incredible cloudscapes and Sierras in view.* Magnificent.

The flight trace will be public soon along with a full write up and lots of
pictures.

Kemp
9J

[JJ Sinclair]

Congratulations Kempton,
That has to be the longest flight ever recorded on the west coast,
Good-on-you, BTW we are having an 18 meter class at the Minden Regionals, June
7 -11. Come on up and show us how its done. I see Parowan has gone over 80
pilots fighting over 50 slots, the 30 that ain't going to get in are welcome at
Minden and we ain't got no reverse seeding, because we ain't got no sports
class.
JJ Sinclair

[Steve Pawling]

Fantastic flight Kempton! Too bad you didn't take off in CA. Remember
to also submit your claim to Doug Donohue the NV record keeper.

So, while you were soaring the wave, I was looking at it out of my
office window, unable to take the day off because I had just returned
from vacation. Where's the wave on the weekend when you need it!

All the best,
Steve
CA record keeper

(Kizuno) wrote in message >...
> Last Thursday, March 25, the Sierra wave was in prime form. I took off from
> the Minden, Nevada airport at 6:46am in my ASH-26E and flew a Free 3 TP task
> landing at California City at 5:03pm for an estimated distance of 1,633 km.
> This flight was similar to my SOARING magazine article of last year except this
> year I started earlier and was able to extend all legs. The first turn was at
> Frenchman's Lake (north of Reno), the second turn was near Dunmovin (just North
> of Inyokern) and the last turn was near Herlong. The record claim will be for
> the US National Motorglider 3 TP distance.
>
> From my limited experience with the Sierra wave, that Thursday was one of the
> best, well marked days I'd seen.* The winds at altitude were modest (35 to 65
> knots). There was some difficulty at the start as the wave was not marked in
> the valley on launch, but showed up soon thereafter. From then on, lennies or
> rotor clouds were present most of the way, so there were few slow spots. Even
> the north bound transition from Bishop to Mono Lake was done at top speed.
> Like most US wave cross country flight, I operated with an 18,000 ft. ceiling.
> The best part is just the experience of zooming along for hours at 110knots
> indicated with the incredible cloudscapes and Sierras in view.* Magnificent.
>
> The flight trace will be public soon along with a full write up and lots of
> pictures.
>
> Kemp
> 9J

[Gary Evans]

Way to go Kemp!! Would you call me the next time it
looks that good?


At 04:18 30 March 2004, Steve Pawling wrote:
>Fantastic flight Kempton! Too bad you didn't take off
>in CA. Remember
>to also submit your claim to Doug Donohue the NV record
>keeper.
>
>So, while you were soaring the wave, I was looking
>at it out of my
>office window, unable to take the day off because I
>had just returned
>from vacation. Where's the wave on the weekend when
>you need it!
>
>All the best,
>Steve
>CA record keeper
>
(Kizuno) wrote in message news:...
>> Last Thursday, March 25, the Sierra wave was in prime
>>form. I took off from
>> the Minden, Nevada airport at 6:46am in my ASH-26E
>>and flew a Free 3 TP task
>> landing at California City at 5:03pm for an estimated
>>distance of 1,633 km.
>> This flight was similar to my SOARING magazine article
>>of last year except this
>> year I started earlier and was able to extend all
>>legs. The first turn was at
>> Frenchman's Lake (north of Reno), the second turn
>>was near Dunmovin (just North
>> of Inyokern) and the last turn was near Herlong.
>>The record claim will be for
>> the US National Motorglider 3 TP distance.
>>
>> From my limited experience with the Sierra wave, that
>>Thursday was one of the
>> best, well marked days I'd seen.* The winds at altitude
>>were modest (35 to 65
>> knots). There was some difficulty at the start as
>>the wave was not marked in
>> the valley on launch, but showed up soon thereafter.
>> From then on, lennies or
>> rotor clouds were present most of the way, so there
>>were few slow spots. Even
>> the north bound transition from Bishop to Mono Lake
>>was done at top speed.
>> Like most US wave cross country flight, I operated
>>with an 18,000 ft. ceiling.
>> The best part is just the experience of zooming along
>>for hours at 110knots
>> indicated with the incredible cloudscapes and Sierras
>>in view.* Magnificent.
>>
>> The flight trace will be public soon along with a
>>full write up and lots of
>> pictures.
>>
>> Kemp
>> 9J
>

[N5360C]

Kemp: Great job! We're envious on the east coast. Look forward to
your full writeup. Fred

[Paul Remde]

Hi Kempton,

Nice flight! I can't wait to see the flight log.

Paul Remde

"Gary Evans" > wrote in message
...
> Way to go Kemp!! Would you call me the next time it
> looks that good?
>
>
> At 04:18 30 March 2004, Steve Pawling wrote:
> >Fantastic flight Kempton! Too bad you didn't take off
> >in CA. Remember
> >to also submit your claim to Doug Donohue the NV record
> >keeper.
> >
> >So, while you were soaring the wave, I was looking
> >at it out of my
> >office window, unable to take the day off because I
> >had just returned
> >from vacation. Where's the wave on the weekend when
> >you need it!
> >
> >All the best,
> >Steve
> >CA record keeper
> >
> (Kizuno) wrote in message news:...
> >> Last Thursday, March 25, the Sierra wave was in prime
> >>form. I took off from
> >> the Minden, Nevada airport at 6:46am in my ASH-26E
> >>and flew a Free 3 TP task
> >> landing at California City at 5:03pm for an estimated
> >>distance of 1,633 km.
> >> This flight was similar to my SOARING magazine article
> >>of last year except this
> >> year I started earlier and was able to extend all
> >>legs. The first turn was at
> >> Frenchman's Lake (north of Reno), the second turn
> >>was near Dunmovin (just North
> >> of Inyokern) and the last turn was near Herlong.
> >>The record claim will be for
> >> the US National Motorglider 3 TP distance.
> >>
> >> From my limited experience with the Sierra wave, that
> >>Thursday was one of the
> >> best, well marked days I'd seen. The winds at altitude
> >>were modest (35 to 65
> >> knots). There was some difficulty at the start as
> >>the wave was not marked in
> >> the valley on launch, but showed up soon thereafter.
> >> From then on, lennies or
> >> rotor clouds were present most of the way, so there
> >>were few slow spots. Even
> >> the north bound transition from Bishop to Mono Lake
> >>was done at top speed.
> >> Like most US wave cross country flight, I operated
> >>with an 18,000 ft. ceiling.
> >> The best part is just the experience of zooming along
> >>for hours at 110knots
> >> indicated with the incredible cloudscapes and Sierras
> >>in view. Magnificent.
> >>
> >> The flight trace will be public soon along with a
> >>full write up and lots of
> >> pictures.
> >>
> >> Kemp
> >> 9J
> >
>
>
>

[John Cochrane]

Well done Kempton!

As it happens, I was driving my kids from a ski trip at Mammoth back
to LA on thursday afternoon. The wave, rotor clouds, and rising dust
through the Owens valley last thursday were about the most awesome
aerial sight I've seen. Thick cumulus-shaped rotor clouds capped by
wave going way, way up, extending from Inyokern north as far as I
could see. Of course, being a rube from Chicago, I figured it's always
that way!

John Cochrane

[Alex Zobell]

(Kizuno) wrote in message >...
> Last Thursday, March 25, the Sierra wave was in prime form. I took off from
> the Minden, Nevada airport at 6:46am in my ASH-26E and flew a Free 3 TP task
> landing at California City at 5:03pm for an estimated distance of 1,633 km.


Now not to nitpick didn't you land at Inyokern instead of Cal City on
the 25th? There was a glider that landed out at Inyokern at around
dusk on the 25th and I heard that it had originated from Minden. Then
the next morning when I was out at the airport I saw Cal-City's
towplane come and tow the glider out of the airport. It sounds like
it was a great flight though it seemed like it was risky given the
conditions on the ground at Inyokern that day. The wind was howling
that evening as it usually does this time of year.

[BTIZ]

he's got a motor glider.. he would not need the tow..

must have been another glider out and about.. I'm sure there were more than
a few

BT

"Alex Zobell" > wrote in message
om...
> (Kizuno) wrote in message
>...
> > Last Thursday, March 25, the Sierra wave was in prime form. I took off
from
> > the Minden, Nevada airport at 6:46am in my ASH-26E and flew a Free 3 TP
task
> > landing at California City at 5:03pm for an estimated distance of 1,633
km.
>
>
> Now not to nitpick didn't you land at Inyokern instead of Cal City on
> the 25th? There was a glider that landed out at Inyokern at around
> dusk on the 25th and I heard that it had originated from Minden. Then
> the next morning when I was out at the airport I saw Cal-City's
> towplane come and tow the glider out of the airport. It sounds like
> it was a great flight though it seemed like it was risky given the
> conditions on the ground at Inyokern that day. The wind was howling
> that evening as it usually does this time of year.

[Ramy Yanetz]

"Alex Zobell" > wrote in message
om...
> (Kizuno) wrote in message
>...
> > Last Thursday, March 25, the Sierra wave was in prime form. I took off
from
> > the Minden, Nevada airport at 6:46am in my ASH-26E and flew a Free 3 TP
task
> > landing at California City at 5:03pm for an estimated distance of 1,633
km.
>
>
> Now not to nitpick didn't you land at Inyokern instead of Cal City on
> the 25th? There was a glider that landed out at Inyokern at around
> dusk on the 25th and I heard that it had originated from Minden. Then
> the next morning when I was out at the airport I saw Cal-City's
> towplane come and tow the glider out of the airport. It sounds like
> it was a great flight though it seemed like it was risky given the
> conditions on the ground at Inyokern that day. The wind was howling
> that evening as it usually does this time of year.

This was Charlie Hayes in a Grob 102. The next day he towed out and flew
across the southern Sierras and landed in Coalinga on his way to Hollister.
Nice flight.

Congratulations Kemp for an awesome flight. Another example how preparation
and determination can be as important as the flying itself. Who else will be
ready to launch at 6AM?!

Ramy

[tango4]

I'm pretty certain that no 2000km has been flown in the Northern Hemisphere.

Go for it!

Ian

"Todd Pattist" > wrote in message
...
> "Ramy Yanetz" > wrote:
>
> >Who else will be ready to launch at 6AM?!
>
> I was in the air at 6:00 AM when I optimistically declared a
> 2,000 K task, and I don't even have a motorglider. Which
> reminds me to ask. Has 2,000 K been flown in the Northern
> Hemisphere yet?
>
> Todd Pattist - "WH" Ventus C
> (Remove DONTSPAMME from address to email reply.)