Back in the Saddle

Thursday evening I headed out to Harris Hill for the first flight of the season!  I took my field safety checkout with Ron Ogden and realized that while I might be a bit rusty, I still remember how to fly!

The winds were tricky, out of the East-Northeast at 8-10 knots, a little gusty.  Perfect for training.  When the wind blows out of the East, and particularly when the wind favors landing to the North, as it did today, you have to be on your toes to prevent a tricky situation from becoming dangerous.

There are a couple of things that an East wind causes.  In the diagram below, pretend that North is to the right -the direction of the aircraft labeled 'Straight out departure'.  You enter the pattern in the 45 degree entry point on the diagram and then turn parallel to the runway and fly downwind.  With an East wind, that means the wind is off your left wingtip and trying to blow you away from the runway.  You compensate by flying at an angle with your nose pointed slightly into the wind.  Although you aren't parallel, the wind blows you out as you point your nose into the wind and the result is you fly a straight line.  

You'd better fly that straight line CLOSE to the runway because as you turn left onto your base leg, your groundspeed will slow as you fly directly into the wind.  The airspeed indicator will show the same speed, but your groundspeed will slow by the amount that the wind is blowing.  So, your 60 knot groundspeed will slow to 40 knots if the wind is blowing 20 knots.

The solution is to keep the base leg short, or you'll lose altitude and not be making any progress on your pattern.  As you turn to final, the wind is now off your right wingtip and trying to blow you away from centerline.  You fly at the opposite crab angle, nose pointed slightly into the wind to compensate and track straight.

The wind was gusty and as we turned final, we encountered not just turbulence but wind shear that caused us to lose 10 knots of airspeed almost instantly.  Fortunately, I was flying at 60 knots and the stall speed of the glider is quite a bit less than the 50 knots we were suddenly flying at as we went through the shear.  The airspeed indicator bounced around wildly for a second or two, then we passed through it and I managed to touchdown pretty much where I was aiming - a little farther than I wanted but not by too much.

Now, I'm checked out for the coming flying season and I need two more flights to be 'current' and carry passengers.  I'll work on getting those next week during training as the weather is pretty iffy this weekend.  Regardless, it was great to get back in the air and I'm looking forward to the flying 2011 flying season!

Web cam updated

I updated the webcam for Harris Hill and it is a huge improvement!  It's a logitech Pro9000 and whatever they did to build intelligent optics into it, they did it right for my needs.  The old camera wasn't really intended for outdoor use and I'd put a piece of cardboard over it with a pinhole but the picture was always a bit blurry and washed out.

The new one is higher resolution and adjusts better for bright light conditions.  You can make out the cloud types, see which gliders are out on the runway and so forth.  It updates every 10 minutes, along with the weather station at this address: http://www.wunderground.com/webcams/GliderWx/1/show.html

Yawn. I hate studying for the written test.

I'm studying for the written test for the commercial glider pilot exam.  I've always done well on standardized tests and I'm taking it seriously, so I don't expect to have a lot of trouble passing it.  It's just a drag.

Not to mention I have to actually go take the test, and the testing facility isn't anywhere nearby, I don't think.  I actually don't know.  The last time I took an FAA written test, it was back in the 80's when you used pencil and paper and waited for the results for several weeks.  Now, it's computer based and you know right away if you passed - much better.

In preparation, I've attended our weekly ground school sessions at Harris Hill for the past couple of months and sat through lecture, read through Bob Wander's "Commercial Glider - Made Easy!" book and am currently working my way through the Glider Pilot's handbook.  Then, I'll use the commercial glider prep book that has actual questions in it to prep.

It's not like a lot of this stuff isn't good to know, but that doesn't mean it's not boring.  The Glider Flying Handbook is a good example.  It explains the differences between different types of hypoxia but the results are the same - euphoria, feeling that everything is fine, drowsiness, possible headache, blue lips, tingling fingers, unconsciousness, possible death either from hypoxia or accident.  Now, whether I need to know the medical differences between the various forms of hypoxia is a different matter.  Since the point is for me to know how to A) avoid it; B) Or barring that, recognize it by descending and using oxygen or both, then while I suppose it is good background, the practical aspect is what I need to know.

Anyhow, minor rants.  I'll study it, take it, hopefully pass it, and I'll be all ready for the oral portion of the flight test, so the only thing to do is get it behind me.

On a very encouraging note, I've been teamed up with Ron Ogden as my instructor to prepare for the commercial flight test and that's a good thing.  Ron is a top notch instructor and I'm looking forward to learning some good stuff from him and being an even more proficient pilot than I am.  He would like to try and get me ready for the test by June.  I'll see how I'm doing by early April and try to set a date with the local examiner so I have a hard deadline to work against.

Buff and wax of #6 ASK-21 this winter

Next week, we buff and wax the Duo Discus, our cross country trainer and our first safety meeting takes place.  We'll go over the electronic scheduling system I've worked on over the winter and will hopefully implement going into mid-summer.

In any case, the new flying season is coming and I'm looking forward to improving my skills again this year!  If things go very well, I'll also look at adding some cross country experience so I can get checked out in the single seat Discus -the last club glider that I'm not yet checked out in.

Going Commercial

The phone call from one of our instructors posed a dilemma.  "Are you going to get a commercial rating this year?"  I hadn't thought to make a decision on that question this early in the year, but as it turns out, now is the time.

To be clear, a commercial rating simply allows me to be compensated for flying passengers.  I can already fly passengers under my private pilot ticket, but am only allowed to split compensation on a 50% or less basis with the passenger.  The type of certification I must have to fly passengers for hire at Harris Hill is governed by the certification of our operation (Part 91 of the code of federal regulations) by the FAA.  If I have a commercial glider rating, I can fly passengers under Part 91 for Harris Hill, so this rating allows me to take paying passengers up at Harris Hill.

Getting a commercial glider rating involves passing a written FAA test and a practical flight exam with a designated FAA examiner.  It's not considered one of the more difficult ratings to get, but I'm always nervous about taking tests.

It's also (like other ratings) expensive to get.  The written test costs about $100 dollars and the checkride is about $400.  If you fail it, you get to keep paying until you pass.

So, it wasn't without considerable trepidation that I answered, "Yes.  Yes I will try for my commercial rating this year."  And with that, the decision was made and I've committed myself to intense study of the FAA regulations (ahem, ones that I should already know, by the way) and scrutiny of my flying by someone whose opinion carries a lot of weight.

If you've read my blog, you'll know that while I am certainly a competent pilot, I'm not in the same league as some of the hotshots in our club who seem to have been born with a stick in their hands and their feet on the rudder pedals.  Probably never will be.

So, any test of my abilities is a test I approach with a great deal of preparation.  Right now, I'm attending our Winter ground school, which is reminding me how much I have forgotten and studying Bob Wander's "Commercial Glider Checkride - Made Easy!" book.  I've used the Bob Wander series since my early glider days at the recommendation of one of our instructors and they've been terrific for getting me ready for the oral exam, transition to single seat glider, learning to thermal and now the commercial test.

The benefits of getting a commercial rating are many.  First, I will be a better pilot.  The Practical Test Standards (PTS) published by the FAA prescribe the maneuvers and procedures you must know to pass a flight check and earn a commercial rating.  These standards are more stringent than the private pilot standards and thus you must be a better pilot to earn the rating.  If I pass, I'll be a better pilot.

Second, when I carry paying Harris Hill passengers, I won't pay for the flight.  All the money (and expense) goes to Harris Hill.  Which means I get to fly for free.

Third, passenger rides are limited to about 25 minutes.  That means lots of takeoffs and landings, which makes you a better pilot.  When flying on your own, you try to avoid doing 8 or 9 landings a day in the glider due to the expense of the tow fees.

Fourth, I like to share the glider experience with people.  People are alternately afraid or excited when they go for a ride and I think I'm pretty good at helping those who are afraid enjoy the ride and it will be fun to share the thrill with those who are excited.

Fifth, it's always good to have a goal for each season.  Last year I wanted to fly cross country but didn't achieve that goal.  This is one that I can reasonably expect to achieve this year.

As soon as the weather breaks and flying resumes in April, I'll start the flight training portion of my preparations.  I think I should probably get the written test out of the way by the end of April if not sooner.  That way, I've got plenty of time to practice up and get proficient for the flight exam.

The Cure for Winter Blues

Our Schweizer 1-34 awaits its Winter flight at the hill

Regularly scheduled flying takes a break over the winter at Harris Hill, but that doesn't always mean that NO flying takes place.  Today was one of those rare "Let's go flying!" days.

Thanks to Ron Ogden, the email went out to the mailing list and several member responded enthusiastically that "Yes!" we want to to fly on Saturday!

December has been a bit cold this year with day time highs in the low 20's but we've been spared that lake effect snow that Buffalo to the West and Syracuse to the Northeast have gotten.  We've had a number of light snow showers in December but they usually drop 1/2 inch or so at most.

Jeff Shingleton in his Lambada motor glider showed up,
paid a visit, and flew in formation with me at 3,000 feet.

In any case, several club members showed up at the appointed hour and Dana Smith also showed up for tow pilot duty and we all got a few flights in.  At first, I didn't think I would fly but would just help out, but as we rolled the aircraft out and positioned them, I caught flight fever and decided to take a couple of flights.

The weather was quite beautiful with clear blue and a few lower level dark but thin clouds that hinted at wave effect.  While we didn't encounter any wave, there was rather sparse and spotty weak lift that would help stretch your flight even if it didn't take you upwards.

I strapped into the Schweizer 1-34 for my two flights.  I love the 1-34.  It is easy to fly, performs fairly well and has dive brakes that can stop an out of control 18 wheeler.  I headed up to 2,000 feet above the field and let the tow rope go as I circled looking for lift.  I found a teeny tiny bit over the rock cliffs near route 352 and managed to arrest my descent.  16 minutes later I was on final for landing and a bit high.  I popped open those giant dive brakes and although I knew I would lose speed, had forgotten how powerful they were -even though I was expecting them to slow me quickly.  I stowed them again, picked up speed and landed pretty close to where I had intended to.

Bryan Reigal on final for Harris Hill in the ASK-21

The second flight was much like the first although I found a small burble of a thermal that I managed to circle in for several turns before giving up and heading back to the field.  This time I clocked in 17 minutes before landing.

It was great to get out in the middle of winter and get some flights in!  It is usually a long stretch to April and I'm glad I got to sneak some flights in before it was bitter cold.

If you want to see more, there are a few more pics in my soaring album here.  They'll be the ones at the end of the album.

Gallo Grijalva took the 1-34 for several flights

The weather was quite good - blue skies and not too windy/cold
with temps right at 32, making for good flying

Managing the Snowbird Contest

The Snowbird contest is nearly 70 years old

I was asked to be the Snowbird Contest Manager this year.  Frankly, it was the last thing I wanted to do as I've had a crazy number of commitments of the 'helping out' variety this Fall.  Buuuut...well, they needed someone to do it and it was obvious that nobody new was going to step up and volunteer.  I thought, "Gee, it's in just a couple of weeks so I'll just do it and get it over with."

It went fine, but it was tough to find volunteers for the schedule.  Thanks to the 'usual suspects' that volunteer every year and stepped up immediately. You know who you are.

Kvetching aside, on the two days the contest was scheduled, Mother Nature blessed us with 15 knot 90 degree crosswinds and gusts as high as 32 on the anemometer at the Flight Center!  Needless to say, no flying occurred and the whole contest was a washout.

What a drag!  This was my first Snowbird and I was looking forward to seeing the spot landing contest.  We'd laid out the landing zones on the runway and set up the marker cones to see who could touchdown and roll out, stopping closest to the cone.  Some years, the difference is decided in under 1 inch from the cone.

The contest is the longest continuously running contest in soaring history at 60+ years but the atmosphere is more like a local event.  We have members from Mid-Atlantic Soaring who come pretty much every year and a few others here and there, but by and large it's a chance for our local pilots to get out there and fly on last time before the New Year.

Instead, this year we had a whole lot of hangar flying as we waited each day until about 1pm to call the contest off each day.  Someone joked that I was automatically signed up for next year as the contest manager.  I don't think so.  But I'll be sure to volunteer for a task when the call goes out.

From here on out, it gets colder as Winter takes a firmer grip on the Southern Tier and it won't let go until April.  Time to put away those thermal thoughts for awhile until we turn the corner and Spring approaches.

Passing up the opportunity to fly?!

I've been busy the past six weeks.  REALLY busy, as in, no time to fly busy.  And when there has been time to fly, the autumn has been pretty poor for soaring.

The end of our staffed flying season at Harris Hill is the last week in October, so we're done for the season now, unless you make special arrangements to fly.  We'll have one more weekend to fly (our Snowbird contest on Thanksgiving weekend) but that will be it.

I passed on the opportunity to fly at the very end because I hadn't flown since the second week of September and I feel strongly that you need to fly regularly to be proficient.  So, while I could have squeaked in something at the end, the flying wasn't good soaring and I hadn't flown in 6 weeks.  I need to fly regularly.

Did I accomplish my goals this year?  I wanted to be more proficient at flying the ASK-21 and I wanted to fly some cross-country.  I wish I could say I felt more proficient in the 21, but while I'm more *experienced* I still don't feel more proficient.

I struggled all year to put the aircraft on the ground the way I wanted to.  I was generally able to land it on the spot I picked, but I was either faster than I wanted to be, or slower than I was comfortable with.  My rear seat performance on the BFR was dismal for takeoff and I was disappointed with my failure to react quickly and correct sufficiently.  That's a trait I've worked on to break all along and yet it pops up time and again.  Last year I felt like I was on top of it.  This year, not so much.

I also didn't fly any cross country at all.  The weather was either crummy when I was available or I couldn't hook up with an instructor.  Not to mention I find my technique embarrassing and don't want the upper echelon of the club to know how badly I fly.

Did I get better at thermalling?  Yes, I got better.  Did I thermal satisfactorily?  No.  I continue to have trouble reading and centering thermals, although I'm better at it than I was.  Compared to my technique last year, I have improved.  Compared to other peer pilots I've flown with, I need more improvement.

I flew more in the early part of the year than later.  I knew that for a month period between mid-September and mid-October I would not fly due to other commitments.  I hadn't anticipated that the weather in the last two weekends would be crummy anyhow.

So, the season ends with a whimper and only slow progress on my flying goals.  Next year, the logical thing to do would be to get my commercial glider pilot rating so I can fly passenger rides.  Although I'm hard on myself about my flying skills, it's more about assessing my skills and working on improving areas that need sharpening up.  I certainly don't have any compunctions about flying friends and family around as passengers and taking a member of the general public up for a ride isn't the same thing as developing soaring skills for cross country flight.  I'm a conservative pilot when I fly personally and I'm more conservative when I have a passenger with me.

I'll decide whether or not to cross that bridge next Spring when the flying season is closer.  There's a lot of preparation and analysis I need to do before taking that step.  It's expensive to take the flight test, it's expensive to take the written test, and I need to gear up for doing that.

In the meantime, our club President has asked if I would volunteer to be the contest manager for our Snowbird contest.  I have tentatively said yes, but told him I have no idea what I need to do to prepare for the contest and will need help.  We meet on Monday, so I'll find out what's in store for me then.