![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUnMpwsyBB2Jw1Uu-6vG1P8LqSuctf29vVGx35xEX25ikB1AZcYMr_k_yL5c5nH_B8hFuwZeE_1AehPTsT42pbgDWy5UNtiOztoYqvFuwwgS6WdvnsM_9SGVtxbz7H46C3p3DL5FX8Tw5/s320/sprite_aerotow_vg55.jpg) |
The 1-36 landing following cross-country aerotow from FRR |
On Saturday, 9 July, I had the privilege to fly out of
Burner (formerly Woodstock) Airport, a beautifully manicured 3,000 x 100+ ft. private grass strip. My club held an "away day" there. At one point I counted 8 gliders, 3 towplanes, innumerable pilots, and a record number of family on the field. Soaring is inherently social; you can't do it without teamwork.
I wanted to make the first flight with an instructor to be sure that I'd get the approach and landing right at an unfamiliar-to-me field with a sloping runway. The high density altitude made it unwise to tow the heavy Grob 103 loaded with two people using the Aviat Husky, so I took the 1-36 and just gave it a shot solo.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEU__Yp_U4LVPDqoBeVpW2SHXPVs95jse8DTIjvMfJU47h_aIka72nqGUpedYaC0jsH18A4YyyOuXat4SeNJB9Kj88srKiG9WL6AIN7arwHnUNysYbvSVuDfXUk3Z7fmVzRB5Eh6YzDkJH/s320/bergefalke.jpg) |
The venturi on the Bergfalke powers a gyro turn-and-bank |
The color contrast of the tall corn on each side of the grass made it easy to spot the field from the air. I found a few turbulent bits of lift but nothing that I could center and really work. I made a few dolphin passes through it and then set up to land. My base leg was too short, but otherwise landing on the up-slope was no big deal. The grass was surprisingly smooth, completely free of ruts and bumps.
I got another turn late in the afternoon. The thermals had pretty much died out, so I was content to practice my steep turns in a narrow patch of zero-sink over the airport. My approach was steep, requiring full dive brakes and a forward slip on final to get down.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQzfb1L2kRCq0Bp86hDcOMO_oTO8BGSlT00GOcKFWNVHqEI4aRLCM_xCFylqUkE4M2omYPqcgLGAgp2B6fxFOsPg9ZdGQ2fKQqKqXSrdNiHTtkD49dnoxBS7Whw2Gb5gd9BTu-4YrzELFp/s400/birds_126.jpg) |
Schweizer 1-26 sharing a thermal with a few birds |
On Sunday, I flew a practice checkride and worked on spot landings in the K-21. Before I left, I witnessed my first real rope break: the rope parted about a foot from the slug just as the glider started to roll during takeoff, the time when the load on the towline is the greatest. It was a non-event.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJHovNhLmMDt0bebWmoXccgtvMx4D6cxuJF2bXGJB5vGBlgomtO1i5FzsfDQanOdC-5kN7Zt-zBZdi2rQ3wmpd2vBNXRSQL0nxl9eIP4qu2Iuhjsn6D_lB-mH9WRLQiwcNkgN0naB9PTC8/s400/capstan.jpg) |
Slingsby Capstan landing |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0yzW3Ycv2Njtdv1Tec4nE0ee_kg4wyaN_KBVgz848j6QH8jma0v1uiRTvWEsR8B_vUvhUyaB7tfi84NTHaNBgkpUn1yv9FGM6Xuw75K5GhESr0TT30exHMhIu41XugDHO0o7UbX_gDrpm/s400/126_sport_canopy_2.jpg) |
1-26 with rare open "sport" canopy |
No comments:
Post a Comment