US'16 0617 - the "V" at Bountiful

After having flown at the Point, we took a break and in the afternoon we drove North to Bountiful to have a look at a site called the "V".

We had only intended to scout the site, as we expected it to be (still) too windy. But conditions looked good so Andy decided to go for it. He immediately found a nice thermal (3.5m/s) right after launching which took him to about 300m over TO. Unfortunately that was the only good lift he got, the rest was only sink, so he landed at the school LZ...

Pano looking west over the Great Salt Lake/ Antilope Island

School LZ (left lower quarter of the pix)

Great Salt Lake

So we headed up again in the hope of an evenig glass-off, but it was to be only an extended sledder..

But overall we consider this place to be one of the nicest sites here in the SLC area:
- drive up to within 200m of launch;
- nice grassy launches in different directions;
- huge, grassy LZ (with many bail-out options);
- different thermal triggers;
- good xc potential;
- no really critical power lines.




At this place I'd like to thank Mike Packard (from SLC) again for his excellent and knowledgeable guiding during these last 3 days. It has been a real pleasure to be around with you! I hope to see you one day over in Europe.
 

US'16 0617 - PotM-South

Perfect conditions this morning for soaring at the Point (with Andy and Mike)  - as have found many other pilots ;-)

Andy

Andy

US'16 0616: immer noch windig: West Mtn, (Inspo), PotM-Nord

Stacy, our 'wind guru' in consultation with Mike,had  proposed an early departure for West Mountain, as he expected light SE-winds. This, together with the east facing launch was supposed to give nice thermal activity... Unfortunately the wind on top came out of the SW and has been pretty strong. But on the trip on Tuesday Stacy had pointed out to us possible launch options for SW, W. So we used on of those. A good launch for me, but strange winds, lots of sink. At 200m /gnd the wind switched to N with about 15-20kmh.

Pano on launch: looking SW: LZ by the lake (to the right of the bush)

looking back to launch (ridge above my glider)

Andy: he had a knot in the lines and would have had to land anyway...

So all in all just a bumpy sledder. We even drove up again, still hoping for the winds to mellow out. As this was not the case, we headed back, visiting Inspo on the way: strong W-winds on launch: > 30kmh.
Midday saw us on PotM, the north side. This is rather unusual, normally this is an afternoon dynamic site. But Andy and Mike have been able to launch (I did just some groundhandling) and have made a flight in strong thermal conditions.

We then retired to the motel for 2 hours of rest and returned to the north side at 1700, where it was still blowing strong: some more groundhandling and Andy and Mike could launch for a good flight.
I had to wait till 2000 for the conditions to mellow out sufficiently for launching (still with Andy's help).

Andy

US'16 0615 - Wind! (PotM, Inspo), Alpine Loop

As we had already had feared yesterday evening, today has been totally blown out; there has even been a wind advisory for the region.
We left early in the morning for the Point, where a few Hangies and Mini Wings were flying. But with a 'normal' glider, TO from the TOP was impossible. So we tried to lauch from the bottom of the hill and kite our wings up. But very contrary to normal conditions here (steady, smooth winds), todays conditions have been very switchy: unsteady, turbulent winds: Andy flew the mini wing for a couple of minutes, as did Mike (todays guide) his normal wing; I just groundhandled a little. But Andy and Mike didnt like the conditions at all and even the hangies disappeard (=landed) pretty quickly - a sure sign that the conditions were unsuitable...

PotM: Mike kiting up his glider

So after breakfast Mike recommended we'd drive the 'Alpin Loop', a senic road leading through the Wasatch mountains - and scenic it was.

Tibble Fork Reservoir

Silver Lake; Mt Timpanogas (left)

(Silver Lake)

Inspo: Pano looking West: West Mtn, Utah lake, Lake Mtn

The trip was finished at Inspo (or 'Inspiration Point'), a launch site for big mountain XC-flights (but again way too windy).

US'16 0614 - Point of the Mountain, West Mountain

Due tio the 8 hours time difference to Switzerland, Andy and I have been awake early here anyway. Stacy had driven up from his home in Richfield and was awaiting us at the hotel at 0530.
So at 0715 we were ready to fly at 'the Point' (aka PotM) - South side. The wind was pretty stong: at least 25kmh, so I decided not to launch from the TOP, but walked down about 1/4 of the hight. Here I was able to reverse launch without any problems :-))
Andy instead decided to make some fighs with Stacy's speedwing, a Little Cloud 'Spiruline XL', which he actually really liked.

PotM south side - looking towards Utah lake

This huge building complex is the NSA data center - where all of our data are stored and evaluated...

...she (9 years old)  groundhandles much better than many 'grown ups' - a real pleasure watching her...

wheelchair tandem flight

Stacy, Mike and Andy (Mike will be guiding us for the next 3 days)

Also nearby is the really huge Utah State Prison, run by UCI (Utah Correctional Industries - the name says it all). We had breakfast at the 'serving time café', a small restaurant run by woman inmates who are about to be released from prison and have 'behaved well'...

Afterwards we had to organize a couple of things, like filling up my O2-bottle - thanks Bill (Bellcourt) for the free refill!, get water, ice etc, so when we finally got to West Mountain, the wind was blowing too strong (as it still did at 2000 in the evening at the Point: so the rest of the day was blown out. But still a great start for our trip!

West Mountain: pano looking north over Utah lake: far left: Lake Mtn, then PotM

US'16 0613 -Outbound flight

Departing Switzerland in a day with continous rain.

Zurich (LSZH/ ZRH), SWISS B-777

This was one of the first SWISS flights with the B777 on the leg from ZRH to LAX.

actual flight

For the first few hours there was nothing else to do but to enjoy the food and the luxury of the cabin, as we've been continuously flying above clouds without any ground visibility. But shortly after passing Greenland, the sky cleared up and for quite a while offered amazing views.

Icebrge (Labrador Sea)

Unfortunately the Rockies have been hidden by clouds; we actually had to made a 'detour' to avoid CB's over the mountains. And it only cleared uponce we've reached St.George (UT).

But from there on I was able to see a number of sites I know and have been flying on my earlier trips: UT: Honeymoon, Mollies, St.George; NV: Jean Dry Lake, Goodsprings (we hope to fly there) and Crestline/ Elsinore (CA) -though no flying planned there .

St.George: the 'Usual' - unfortunately closed since the new airport opened nearby :-((

Jean Dry Bed (NV) -I have towed here with Ron Pecks

Ebenalp

Finally a really good day with good visibility and nice termals: I made a 2 hour flight fom 'Ebenalp' in the NE-part of Switzerland. This was the last flight before my departure on Monday to the US. So for the next 2 days I'll be busy preparing my equipment...

Summary of my flights with the 'E8': absolutely no problems on launch - it seems to be the right choice for me at the moment.

Ebenalp: N-launch

'Säntis' (2502m)

Pano (taken near 'Hoher Kasten' (1794m))

'Säntis' (picture taken near 'Schäfler')

Rigi (-Kulm); Urmiberg

...would you believe it; my first flight from the 'famous' Rigi (-Kulm) (1797m). My last flights from this mountain (but other, lower launches) date back to 2004 and even 1992.

Pano looking south

inflight: pano looking north: left: lake of Zug; center: 'Rossberg' (1580m), below: 'Arth'; 'Lauerzersee' (far right)

Infligh:pano looking east: left 'Rossberg'; center 'Arth-Goldau'; the lake is called 'Lauerzersee'. Behind the lake (the distinctive pyramid) 'Mythen'

Today offered only a short window of opportunity for flying: the flight from Rigi.Kulm was too early for finding nice thermals and the second flight from Urmiberg had to be cut short due to overdevelopment (when folding the glider thunder could be heard).
But 'long' flights have not been todays objective anyway: just some more nice launches - which I had :-))

Urmiberg launch (steep!)

Inflight: pano from east to southwest: left 'Muothatal'; center 'Brunnen', behind 'Fronalpstock'; 'Urnersee'; right: 'Seelisberg'/ 'Emmetten'

There is now only one more opportunity left before leaving for the US next monday to fly with my new glider: Friday - if present forcasts prove to be correct.

Büelen

It looks as today could have been the best day of this week; the forcast called for 'Bise' (a N,NE-wind), so after consultation with Peter from Flugschule Touch & Go I decided to try 'Büelen', a site in the valley leading up to 'Engelberg'. His advice turned out to be good. Only that this morning also a Biplace-A examination was taking place on this site...

But these guys were all experienced pilots, so even on the not too large TO there was enough room to set up and prepare without any undue pressure.

... a much better pix of my Epsilon 8 than in my last blog entry...

Pano looking NW towards Stans

Pano looking south

I did a rather good reverse launch, could fly for more than an hour and even had a good (spot) landing :-))

Brunnen (Urmiberg): Advance Epsilon 8-29

Today I was able to pick up and fly my new E8 in Brunnen.
First I did some groundhandling with Peter Enz from 'Flugschule Touch and Go' . He also gave me different tipps for better launches - Thanks! Then we rode the gondola to 'Urmiberg'; there is a TO just beside/ below the station.

I'm pretty happy how the glider is 'behaving'.
Launching was easy - just give the glider enough time ;-) 
Turning required only little input. As it was only a 20 minutes flight, you won't get an extensive 'review' here; anyway there are much better/ competent sources for that...
The brake lines needed some adjustment (prolonging by about 2 cm), as with my (damaged) left shoulder reaching the 'normal position' is uncomfortable (too high) and in a comfortable position I already pull a little on the left brake.
 

looking south towards 'Altorf'

Advance Epsilon 8-29

LZ in 'Brunnen' (meadow in center of pix), just 10min walk to gondola