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Old May 21st 08, 02:44 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Papa3
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Posts: 444
Default [US] Standard Class Update from Cordele Day 4

Since there seem to be some issues with posting to the SSA Website, I
thought I'd catch everyone up with goings on for the last several days
since John Bojack's last post. Day 4 below; more to follow.

John left narration off at the time of launch on Sunday into brisk
winds and a developing sky. The task was a turn area to the SE and S
with relatively large cylinders around Douglas, Moultrie, and
Albany. For a brief while, it looked like the day was going in our
favor, as honest clouds produced climbs of 3-5 kts to over 5,000
AGL. Unfortunately, mid-level clouds from the NW gradually spread
over the task area, and by the time pilots turned the first cylinder
they began to face weaker climbs and strong headwinds. Beginning
around 4:30, the phones in the retrieve office began to come alive, a
trend which was to continue unabated for the next several hours.

When all was said and done, 100% of the fleet landed out in the
generally benign fields of South Georgia. Several pilots including
Baude Litt (LBL), Mark Keene (7K), and Biff Huss (H7) managed to
fight gravity longer than the rest, landing well after 6:30 under
leaden gray skies.

Chip Bearden (JB), hot off is first place finish on Saturday, came to
earth in a pasture. Around 5:45 your humble scribe (sitting in a
field with Bob Epp) received a call which went approximately as
follows:

JB: What do you know about cows?
P3: I'm from New Jersey, what do you think?
JB: Okay, what do you know about keeping cows away from a glider?
P3: I heard that turning up the radio and turning off the squelch
works.
JB: Oh ****, gotta go...

---- 5 minutes later----

JB: You know that stuff about squelch? It's bull****!
P3: Oh. Well, I'm out of ideas.
JB: Oh ****, gotta go...

--- 5 minutes later---

JB: Okay, so I figured it out. I took my emergency tow rope out
and started swinging it over my head while yelling. Seems to have
scared them away for now.
P3: Right. Send me a picture...

Signing off for now,
P3