great flight! 1500 KM in a 304CZ

On Friday, March 8, 2013 11:28:46 AM UTC-7, Gary Ittner wrote:
wby0nder wrote:



Dont tell me... Max number of frames on the 126 instamatic camera film

cartridges?



You're getting warm, but the Instamatic film cartridges had 12 frames, so

why limit the number of turnpoint photos to 11 ?

ID prior to the flight?

The email that I sent to Tim Mara was not to make any claim to I flew a 1,500K OLC or Diplome flight. Just that I flew the 304CZ for a total of 1,501K during my 11 hour flight. Yes, this was the total straight light distance with 3% circling according to my SeeYou program. If I can get a day with some Cu's or Lenticulars, I will be able to do a 1,000K OLC according to the rules.
I have flown the ridges in Pennsylvania and Tennessee and what we have here in OKLAHOMA and ARKANSAS can be very challenging. The total length of ridge line is about 80sm with five small transitions. The ridge tops are anywhere between 400- 1,200 feet above the valley and with very limiting landout options along the eastern half of the ridges.
I have been promoting this area since our first flight in February 2007. Most pilots in the Central US will never get a chance to experience ridge or wave fight. We are limited to the thermal soaring May through August with 3-6 hours of soarable conditions. Here in SE Oklahoma, the possibility of flying from sunrise to sunset is doable. Pilots can fly ridge and wave (up to 18,000 feet) here during our cold and windy months.

This flight was a personal achievement for me, by making the best of my location and weather conditions. If I lived in Minden, California City, Julian PA, I would be flying just as hard and farther. If you were to look at my flights out of Moriarty, NM for the past 6 years, I strive to fly the max possible for the conditions. I don't land because I flew my six legs for OLC.. I fly because I love to fly.

Flying my glider and promoting soaring is one of my most favorite activities do. I have been very close to achieving a 1,000K Diplome flight out of Moriarty, NM. My flight last week in SE Oklahoma has far more value to other pilots and promoting soaring then any other flight I can do.

For those who wonder how I can do a flight for 11 hours. When the entire fight is flown with a very specific goal at hand, it is very hard for me to get bored. If I was limited to circling around my local airport for an hour or two, I too would be ready to land. For those who know me, I fly because I love being in the air and enjoying the view. It can be from my office (B777), flying the tow plane, in the back seat of the 2-33 or in my glider. I am always looking for a way to get back into the air!

Randy Teel
N304BU

On 3/8/2013 10:20 AM, JS wrote:
It's great to see people explore places that others haven't tried.
Congratulations to Randy et al for flights that most of us wouldn't have
imagined possible. Wave, WHERE? Excellent! Jim

Dear Randy,

"What Jim said."

It's probably just me, but I sense a vague "loss of charm" from our sport with
the ubiquity of "electronic transparency" and the associated "public record
keeping" accompanying it. (Note: I'm NOT knocking ubiquitous information flow,
OLC or anything else. All I'm doing is suggesting that most things in life are
double-edged swords.)

From my perspective, "all the rest of us (soaring pilots)" first ought to be
mentally celebrating, while also grinning like a possum eating bumblebees, any
time one of the "brethren and sisteren" expands our mental horizons concerning
"the possibilities" inherent in the sky, our wonderful toys, and our selves.
Your recent flight is - probably for many - a touchstone for "flatland
possibilities". In my estimation, there are a LOT more such
not-yet-demonstrated soaring possibilities awaiting, mostly, successful
application of imagination.

I, personally, don't care HOW far you flew, so much as I do THAT you flew
when, where and how you did. Soaring achievement, for the most part, is
entirely personal, anyway. Officially, I almost have my Silver Badge.
Unofficially I have an adult lifetime of personal satisfaction and soaring
achievements I occasionally am blessed to share bits of with other soaring
friends. Bragging rights never have meant very much to me.

Thanks!

Abbienormally Yours,
Bob W.

On Friday, March 8, 2013 11:44:55 AM UTC-7, Bob Whelan wrote:
On 3/8/2013 10:20 AM, JS wrote:

It's great to see people explore places that others haven't tried.

Congratulations to Randy et al for flights that most of us wouldn't have

imagined possible. Wave, WHERE? Excellent! Jim



Dear Randy,



"What Jim said."



It's probably just me, but I sense a vague "loss of charm" from our sport with

the ubiquity of "electronic transparency" and the associated "public record

keeping" accompanying it. (Note: I'm NOT knocking ubiquitous information flow,

OLC or anything else. All I'm doing is suggesting that most things in life are

double-edged swords.)



From my perspective, "all the rest of us (soaring pilots)" first ought to be

mentally celebrating, while also grinning like a possum eating bumblebees, any

time one of the "brethren and sisteren" expands our mental horizons concerning

"the possibilities" inherent in the sky, our wonderful toys, and our selves.

Your recent flight is - probably for many - a touchstone for "flatland

possibilities". In my estimation, there are a LOT more such

not-yet-demonstrated soaring possibilities awaiting, mostly, successful

application of imagination.



I, personally, don't care HOW far you flew, so much as I do THAT you flew

when, where and how you did. Soaring achievement, for the most part, is

entirely personal, anyway. Officially, I almost have my Silver Badge.

Unofficially I have an adult lifetime of personal satisfaction and soaring

achievements I occasionally am blessed to share bits of with other soaring

friends. Bragging rights never have meant very much to me.



Thanks!



Abbienormally Yours,

Bob W.

Wait! I hear the bewitching tones of a violin calling.

Evan Ludeman wrote:

Need one frame for the photo board, of course.

T8

You are correct, sir.

When contests switched from cameras to flight recorders, there was no longer
any reason to limit turnpoints to 11, but neither was there any compelling
reason to change that number. It was left unchanged for tradition's sake.
The
MAT and its precursers, the Pilot Selected Task, Pilot Option Speed Task,
and
Prescribed Area Distance Task, go back nearly half a century.

Gary Ittner P7
"Have glider, will race"

On Friday, March 8, 2013 11:44:15 AM UTC-7, Randy Teel wrote:
The email that I sent to Tim Mara was not to make any claim to I flew a 1,500K OLC or Diplome flight. Just that I flew the 304CZ for a total of 1,501K during my 11 hour flight. Yes, this was the total straight light distance with 3% circling according to my SeeYou program. If I can get a day with some Cu's or Lenticulars, I will be able to do a 1,000K OLC according to the rules.

I have flown the ridges in Pennsylvania and Tennessee and what we have here in OKLAHOMA and ARKANSAS can be very challenging. The total length of ridge line is about 80sm with five small transitions. The ridge tops are anywhere between 400- 1,200 feet above the valley and with very limiting landout options along the eastern half of the ridges.

I have been promoting this area since our first flight in February 2007. Most pilots in the Central US will never get a chance to experience ridge or wave fight. We are limited to the thermal soaring May through August with 3-6 hours of soarable conditions. Here in SE Oklahoma, the possibility of flying from sunrise to sunset is doable. Pilots can fly ridge and wave (up to 18,000 feet) here during our cold and windy months.



This flight was a personal achievement for me, by making the best of my location and weather conditions. If I lived in Minden, California City, Julian PA, I would be flying just as hard and farther. If you were to look at my flights out of Moriarty, NM for the past 6 years, I strive to fly the max possible for the conditions. I don't land because I flew my six legs for OLC. I fly because I love to fly.



Flying my glider and promoting soaring is one of my most favorite activities do. I have been very close to achieving a 1,000K Diplome flight out of Moriarty, NM. My flight last week in SE Oklahoma has far more value to other pilots and promoting soaring then any other flight I can do.



For those who wonder how I can do a flight for 11 hours. When the entire fight is flown with a very specific goal at hand, it is very hard for me to get bored. If I was limited to circling around my local airport for an hour or two, I too would be ready to land. For those who know me, I fly because I love being in the air and enjoying the view. It can be from my office (B777), flying the tow plane, in the back seat of the 2-33 or in my glider. I am always looking for a way to get back into the air!



Randy Teel

N304BU





woo-woo Randy. FYI, Randy Teel is SSA State Governor for Oklahoma, the damedest, flatest place I've ever been. That said, Randy is involved wtih his state, his club, a winch project, and getting the best out of soaring. I'm proud of his dedication and enthusiasm. Hell, he taped his iPhone to the wheel of a 2-33 to video a first solo. Would you do that? Now, we've given SSA clubs, commerical operators, our OshKosh supporters, Sun N Fun Supporters, CAP, and every one that goes to an airport open house, air show, or fly-in something to offer young persons a continuing opportunity to learn about soaring. The Cadet Intro membership. Tony Condon has recently accepted chairmanship of the SSA Youth Committe and ownership of the newsletter we'll be using to present soaring to youth in this country. We'll be reaching out to clubs & chapters and commercial operators to support this initiative. Randy is one of those. But we know there are others in the SSA, the CAP, and our affiliate organizations that share the same goals. Take this hint http://cadet.ssa.org and start thinking.

Best regards,

Frank Whiteley

On Friday, March 8, 2013 6:38:48 AM UTC-8, Steve Leonard wrote:
On Friday, March 8, 2013 12:29:37 AM UTC-6, Ramy wrote:

Still, a very respectful flight, but definitely not a 1500km by any standard. Ramy



Ramy, there is more to life and flying than just OLC. Randy was looking at turn-around to turn-arond distance. OLC only allows distance to be credited for up to 6 legs. Spiders and Octopi not allowed. Certainly no centipedes. A flight of personal accomplishment and satisfaction. Well done, Randy!



Steve Leonard

Steve, which part of my comment "a very respectful flight, but definitely not a 1500km by any standard" you don't agree with?
If you want to get the max possible distance from every flight, just multiple you average speed by the hours you flew. This will account for spiders and octopi and every circle you make. You can do a 1000km flight without ever getting out of glide from the airport.
But I repeat, an 861km flight on the ridge close to the ground is very respectful and a great achievement. Well done indeed!

Ramy

Great flight, Randy!

Here's a little more firsthand history on soaring flight in that area.
I was an early hang gliding pioneer before entry into sailplanes (and
other a/c classes). During the 1970's, I designed and manufactured
hang gliders and was located in Wichita, KS. As you likely realize,
its flatter than a pancake around Wichita and the closest mountain
sites being flown were in Colorado. I researched the southeast OK area
and planned an exploratory trip after seeing the potential. My first
attempt to fly there in early 1971 was designed to attempt a world
distance record along Mt. Rich, launching in OK and landing near Mena,
AR. We had live radio coverage of the attempt out of Mena, some local
car dealerships got excited and helped us with some rooming, etc.
Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate and nearly a week of
cold, wet, socked in conditions nulled the attempt. I also saw the
wave potential back then, which of course scared me to death with a
hang glider.


A month or two later I returned with the simple goal to fly the site.
I did this successfully using an early rogallo (this was so early we
weren't even using kingposts yet- top rigging for negative g's). I
launched off a guardrail on the north side of the highway on top of
Mt. Rich, and flew over the solid trees to the only landing spot that
could be reached with a 4:1 glide ratio- the highway leading to
Poteau. The locals were very helpful and excited, and I was invited to
Mr. Kerr's (Kerr McGee Oil) mountain home for a launch off a deck
overlooking another mountainside. There didn't appear to be adequate
clearance for a safe launch so I ended up declining. He offered to
clear a portion of the mountainside, which seemed to be a terrible
waste for a single flight, so I declined that as well.

I have an old super 8mm film of the first flight there. Maybe some day
I'll get it digitally reproduced, along with other early pioneering
flights in hang gliders on the western slope of Colorado, the upper
pennisula of Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania Appalacians, etc.

There has been steady hang gliding activity in that area since the mid
70's, with a national championship held around '76 or '77. Now local
HG pilot Roy Mahoney- whom you likely already know- is helpful and
experienced.

Once again- congratulations on a great flight!

On Saturday, March 9, 2013 1:38:11 AM UTC-6, Ramy wrote:
Steve, which part of my comment "a very respectful flight, but definitely not a 1500km by any standard" you don't agree with? If you want to get the max possible distance from every flight, just multiple you average speed by the hours you flew. This will account for spiders and octopi and every circle you make. You can do a 1000km flight without ever getting out of glide from the airport. But I repeat, an 861km flight on the ridge close to the ground is very respectful and a great achievement. Well done indeed! Ramy

First, it is a respecatble, not respectful flight. Second, your comment that is it "not a 1500 KM flight BY ANY STANDARD" ignores the fact that he did fly that far. Just because OLC doesn't recognize it does not mean it isn't so. Third, you get your best approximation of max distance flown by integrating groundspeed over flight time. Fourth, I am glad to see that you are joining the rest of us in congratulating Randy on his spectacular, sunrise to sunset ridge flight in what is generally thought of as the Flatlands of the Central USA.

Steve