Recently, I got a commercial glider add-on. I have lots of flights, but I don't have much actual soaring experience, and today was day 3 (out of 4) learning to soar, and it was the first day I had really great soaring weather..

On my second flight today in the 1-36 out of Estrella, I got off tow about 2000 AGL where I had felt some lift, then did a cloverleaf pattern and came up with nothing. So I headed to an area that had weak but usable lift on the earlier flight. As I approach the spot, up we went, 100fpm, 200fpm, and I'm counting to see if the thermal is wide enough to use, then BOOM, i get a kick in the pants, and the vario is pegged, so over and around we go. I climbed 2300ft in 5 minutes. Its pretty close to the Silver 1,000m altitude achievement, so I feel optimistic about being able to make that. http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0...htId=735985258

On my third flight, this time in a G 103 II Twin with my friend in the back seat, we towed up to 5,000 AGL so she could have a nice long flight. I released over the so-called "big ridge" (see the OLC map), and flew 14 miles north mostly in lift along the ridge right up to the edge of the PHX Bravo. Its only half of Silver Distance, but it was very encouraging. http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0...htId=736026175

Lastly, I racked up a whopping 160 OLC points in 5 flights. Offers to join your OLC club can be sent via private email.

Big shout out to my friend Kempton Izuno who has been mentoring me, and providing endless encouragement and weather briefings.

--bob