3rd day US Nationals Nephi

Folks, it's late(10:30 pm) and we have been challenged. Heat. Yep heat as in hot and when it's hot at 5,000 msl, the density altitude is somewhere around Mars and the tow planes work hard to get us up.
Our day starts around 8 am at the airport. Prepping, watering and then the pilots meeting at 10 am. We griddle (meaning if you bring eggs and bacon, you can cook on the tarmack) today @ noon.
But yesterdays task was work for most as the third leg was into a fairly strong headwind and crossing Milford from Beaver can be a trick. After the 3rd turn down to cricket, it went good for everyone I spoke with. Our weatherman (WX) spanked everyone as he stopped for like maybe 3 thermals all with a higher climb rate then a F-16 with afterburners on...like 12 plus kts and up!
Heading down to Indian Pk was OD and virga. Most made the tp, some other stellar folks (myself) just headed home since it was a MAT. The scores are up on the SSA website and some of us are posting our flights on the OLC.

Todays launch started around 1 pm. had some relights in Standard and 15 Meter. One sniffer sounded excited when he finally climber thru 8,000 msl. When I launched, my tow had to really work to find anything for me to get off. even the last couple of hundred feet made the tug work hard. Then a good bump and 4.5 kts got me up. Our flights are up on the OLC and you can check them out. A lot of us came in under time. The open class had a 3 hr TAT same as the others but the 15's was 4 hrs. Some of the Opens ran well over 100 mph and me thinks most are getting comfortable with Nephi and the surrounding area. ALL, and I do mean ALL the folks are working hard. The heat simply wears one down as you know. Hope this helps as I remember many years ago we had to wait for the magazine to report the story.
Tomorrow the temps are coming down as cool air comes in from the North. But that brings Salt lake air in so getting up and out of here can be a lot of work.
Best. #711.

On Friday, June 24, 2016 at 9:52:03 PM UTC-7, Tom Kelley #711 wrote:
Folks, it's late(10:30 pm) and we have been challenged. Heat. Yep heat as in hot and when it's hot at 5,000 msl, the density altitude is somewhere around Mars and the tow planes work hard to get us up.
Our day starts around 8 am at the airport. Prepping, watering and then the pilots meeting at 10 am. We griddle (meaning if you bring eggs and bacon, you can cook on the tarmack) today @ noon.
But yesterdays task was work for most as the third leg was into a fairly strong headwind and crossing Milford from Beaver can be a trick. After the 3rd turn down to cricket, it went good for everyone I spoke with. Our weatherman (WX) spanked everyone as he stopped for like maybe 3 thermals all with a higher climb rate then a F-16 with afterburners on...like 12 plus kts and up!
Heading down to Indian Pk was OD and virga. Most made the tp, some other stellar folks (myself) just headed home since it was a MAT. The scores are up on the SSA website and some of us are posting our flights on the OLC.

Todays launch started around 1 pm. had some relights in Standard and 15 Meter. One sniffer sounded excited when he finally climber thru 8,000 msl. When I launched, my tow had to really work to find anything for me to get off. even the last couple of hundred feet made the tug work hard. Then a good bump and 4.5 kts got me up. Our flights are up on the OLC and you can check them out. A lot of us came in under time. The open class had a 3 hr TAT same as the others but the 15's was 4 hrs. Some of the Opens ran well over 100 mph and me thinks most are getting comfortable with Nephi and the surrounding area. ALL, and I do mean ALL the folks are working hard. The heat simply wears one down as you know. Hope this helps as I remember many years ago we had to wait for the magazine to report the story.
Tomorrow the temps are coming down as cool air comes in from the North. But that brings Salt lake air in so getting up and out of here can be a lot of work.
Best. #711.

Thanks for this, it does help. After having run contests, flown contests and reported on contests I know how tough it is. I have done all three at the same contest, but it required an enormous amount of effort. Thanks again.

Please keep your reports coming Tom! My reports are not going to be anywhere as good as yours. Thanks for both being here and sharing what it is really like.

Bruno - B4