Diamond Altitude via thermal in the US?

I'm reminded I did this some years back after damn near
landing at Furnace Creek (Death Valley). I thought I had
a trace below sea-level but when I checked it I was slightly
above. Cloudbases down towards Las Vegas were at 18k.
It would make a better story if it was intentional !
Best Regards, Dave "YO"

PS: Do NOT try soaring in the Saline Valley.

Gary Evans wrote:
It can also be done legally here in the Phoenix valley
without clearance as at least two pilots have demonstrated.
You only need to fly out to Gila Bend (778 msl), pull
the spoilers out until you're under 800 ft agl and
then thermal up to the legal limit. I tried this once
but after circling around the Gila Bend airport for
half an hour at low altitude looking for lift decided
it just wasn't that important to me.


At 21:12 19 July 2005, wrote:
If can be done from Turf (Phoenix, Az) on a good day
- but you would
have to be on an IFR clearance to do it legally. Turf
is at 1600', and
I've seen cloudbases above 22,000' (FL220) on a good
day up by the
Grand Canyon (an 'easy' 2-3 hour flight from Turf).

There has been some talk of arranging for a 'Thermal
Window' that would
make this easier to do.

Kirk

If I remember correctly, Gary Ittner did a diamond
climb last Thanksgiving day weekend at Santa Ynez,
CA. I think he started the climb in thermal conditions
and then connected with wave the rest of the way. I
thought it was on the OLC page but can't seem to find
it...
Brian Iten
MB1

Furnace creek! Hehehe. 210 below sea level. I played
golf there once. The coyotes were fighting the rattlesnakes
for shade. I looked like a wet tea bag from the sweat.

YO! Good for you getting back up and away from there


At 01:12 22 July 2005, wrote:
I'm reminded I did this some years back after damn
near
landing at Furnace Creek (Death Valley). I thought
I had
a trace below sea-level but when I checked it I was
slightly
above. Cloudbases down towards Las Vegas were at 18k.
It would make a better story if it was intentional
!
Best Regards, Dave 'YO'

PS: Do NOT try soaring in the Saline Valley.

Gary Evans wrote:
It can also be done legally here in the Phoenix valley
without clearance as at least two pilots have demonstrated.
You only need to fly out to Gila Bend (778 msl), pull
the spoilers out until you're under 800 ft agl and
then thermal up to the legal limit. I tried this once
but after circling around the Gila Bend airport for
half an hour at low altitude looking for lift decided
it just wasn't that important to me.


At 21:12 19 July 2005, wrote:
If can be done from Turf (Phoenix, Az) on a good day
- but you would
have to be on an IFR clearance to do it legally.
Turf
is at 1600', and
I've seen cloudbases above 22,000' (FL220) on a good
day up by the
Grand Canyon (an 'easy' 2-3 hour flight from Turf).

There has been some talk of arranging for a 'Thermal
Window' that would
make this easier to do.

Kirk


Mark J. Boyd