To those requesting video, she hasn't had the opportunity for the first mountain launch just yet. She cleared the big hill on Sat. morning in her first six flights and then took the rest of her tests and a tandem Sat evening to refamiliarize herself with the approach pattern and alltitudes. On Sunday and Monday it was tailing over the back pretty strong so the mountain wasn't launchable.
I know she was disappointed but she was so stoked by finally clearing that she still left happy.
Rest assured, when the time comes video will be taken.
Hey Dave. When are you and the rest of the Johnson clan going to be back up? We heard ya'll were there a couple of weeks back but we weren't able to make it that weekend. We've been missing you guys.
If I can't make it up there this weekend, it isn't going to happen. I've been at Ft. Riley, KS getting ready to deploy. I fly back to Riley on the 10th of September and fly to Iraq on the 15th.
Missing you guys as well. You didn't miss anything that weekend, however. No flying at all. _________________ I will never be skilled or experienced enough at this activity that I can't get killed doing it.
YEAH, CONGRATS!!! and what all the others said. I've followed this story on here, after so much time GREAT to see it come to this stage!
Enjoy that mountain flight _________________ N.B. If there is an ad immediately below here, it is completely random and not associated with me, or endorsed by me, in any way whatsoever
Ms.P, I'd say congratulations, but I'm saving it for your first mountain launch. I took my first high dive off Lookout Mountain in 1980 flying a Seagull Seahawk 170. It was your basic morning sled' to the LZ flight. I can still remember Matt Taber telling me to fly straight away from the hill, do a stall, and the do a tip-stall. I nodded in agreement and followed his instructions until it was time to do the tip-stall. Over the preceding months, I had done a few of those on various training hills (by accident) and it always ended up ugly, so I opted to maximize my remaining time aloft and settle for a safe landing.
It's one you'll always remember. Fly it well, Grasshopper.
Thanks all! There's really not much to tell...yet. As Randy said, I cleared in six flights. I was a little surprised I had the opportunity to clear since the big hill was full of people and I was sharing a glider. It was probably the busiest I've seen it on the big hill since I have been on it. I was really happy that I finally got cleared. The air was nice most of the morning but on my last flight (speed run) it had started to get pretty active. I didn't even know that I had cleared since I had started walking my glider to the breakdown area after that flight. My instructor came down and told me the good news. I went up top after lunch and finished my tests (I know, I know) and decided to take a tandem that evening just in case. When we arrived at the tandem area my instructor told me that the air was crap but since I was just wanting to familiarize myself with the box/approach we could go if I wanted and he would do most of the flying if needed. I decided to go for it. The tow was a little bumpy and a made me a little nervous. We released from tow close to the ramp so that we could simulate what it would be like on my first flight. The air was really bumpy. I didn't mind it so much up high but when we started doing the box we started getting some lift. I flew as much as I felt comfortable with and ended up letting the instructor take over for final. I do wish I had waited now. I realize that's not the kind of air I will be taking my first flight in but it would have been nice to have had some nice calm air on my tandem as well. It was still good experience. I know now what "bumpy" means.
As for this weekend....
I don't know if we can go. I really need to work if I can. Sept. is a very slow month for me and I like to eat. Plus, I just see soooo many things around this house that need to be done. Lilposer is also going to her dad's house this weekend and it makes it really hard on us when we go up on the weekends we don't have her. But, I am worried that if we don't go I will regret it. _________________
... I didn't even know that I had cleared since I had started walking my glider to the breakdown area after that flight. My instructor came down and told me the good news.
That must have been Diana. Gordon usually tells you to GET OFF HIS HILL!
Mrsposer wrote:
I went up top after lunch and finished my tests (I know, I know)
You started your training when???
Mrsposer wrote:
and decided to take a tandem that evening just in case.
A very good idea. Now you have a a fresh memory of what the correct altitudes look like.
Mrsposer wrote:
As for this weekend....
I don't know if we can go. I really need to work if I can. Sept. is a very slow month for me and I like to eat. Plus, I just see soooo many things around this house that need to be done. Lilposer is also going to her dad's house this weekend and it makes it really hard on us when we go up on the weekends we don't have her. But, I am worried that if we don't go I will regret it.
As of this minute, the forecast looks favorable for both days. We're getting to that time of year when the fronts that sweep through are stronger, which means stronger winds right after, and Easterlies on the backside of the high pressure system. Good for ridge soaring, not so good for low time pilots to get their mountain flights in. I realize you have to work, so maybe you could head up Saturday evening, and reclear Sunday morning? Sundays are usually less busy than Saturdays, and since you have someone to help you, you could reclear and be at the mountain launch by 10 AM. Keep an eye on the forecasts and make your decision Saturday afternoon. http://www.usairnet.com/cgi-bin/launch/code.cgi?Submit=Go&sta=KCHA&model=avn&state=TN
Not like I'm trying to tell you what to do or anything....
I know I should have taken my tests sooner. I had taken one early on but once Randy cleared and I started giving rides to everyone I was always somewhere else or I was gathering up belongings to transport in my car. It worked out either way, thankfully.
I really want to get an early morning flight for my first one so I am going to need to either reclear on Sat. morning or Sat. afternoon. My main thing is that we really need to leave to go home no later than 130 or 2 on Sundays that we don't have Lilposer. We always say we are going to but we never do and then I'm left kissing my ex's ass all the way home. I am going to try to get the grass cut this evening after the dew is all gone and I have finished with work and taking Lilposer to the orthodontist. It's really hard to keep up with things around the house by myself and Randy has been out of town all year. I'm still trying to make a decision. _________________
I know I should have taken my tests sooner. I had taken one early on but once Randy cleared and I started giving rides to everyone I was always somewhere else or I was gathering up belongings to transport in my car. It worked out either way, thankfully.
I really want to get an early morning flight for my first one so I am going to need to either reclear on Sat. morning or Sat. afternoon. My main thing is that we really need to leave to go home no later than 130 or 2 on Sundays that we don't have Lilposer. We always say we are going to but we never do and then I'm left kissing my ex's ass all the way home. I am going to try to get the grass cut this evening after the dew is all gone and I have finished with work and taking Lilposer to the orthodontist. It's really hard to keep up with things around the house by myself and Randy has been out of town all year. I'm still trying to make a decision.
Scott's a very nice guy, and a terrific instructor.
Chances are very, very good that you could reclear the hills Sunday morning and still have plenty of time to get an early morning flight. I did the majority of my reclearing on Sundays, and never had trouble getting up to the mountain launch in time for a mountain flight. The only time I was not able to reclear in time to get a mountain flight was that one Saturday where Lobido was visiting, there were a lot of people on the hill, it was foggy, and we didn't have an ATV. Even then, the problem was that the wind had picked up, not that it was too late for me to fly.
The nature of the valley there is that it may be blowing over the top first thing in the morning, and then turn around a little later, so you may not get to launch until 10:30 or so anyway. In any case, if the scheduling of this makes you nervous, then stay home. You want to enjoy you mountain solo. I know after having been snakebit by the weather for a while I used to get nervous on my way up to the hill. I finally figured out that the nerves were about whether or not I was going to get to fly. Once I got on the ramp, I was totally comfortable and felt great.
One last thing - if you get a chance to do an evening flight for your first solo take it - evening flights are magical.
Scott's a very nice guy, and a terrific instructor.
I never had the chance to have Scott on the hills , but yeah, from what I saw he did seem to be a really good instructor. And, yeah he's always been a really nice guy.
Quote:
One last thing - if you get a chance to do an evening flight for your first solo take it - evening flights are magical.
I agree 100%. The best, most butter smooth air I've ever encountered was just a bit before sunset when the valley was in full shadow.
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Congrats...somebody take a video of the 1st Mt. launch!
As Randy said, I cleared in six flights. I was a little surprised I had the opportunity to clear since the big hill was full of people and I was sharing a glider. It was probably the busiest I've seen it on the big hill since I have been on it. I was really happy that I finally got cleared. The air was nice most of the morning but on my last flight (speed run) it had started to get pretty active. I didn't even know that I had cleared since I had started walking my 
Lilposer is also going to her dad's house this weekend and it makes it really hard on us when we go up on the weekends we don't have her. But, I am worried that if we don't go I will regret it. 
, but yeah, from what I saw he did seem to be a really good instructor. And, yeah he's always been a really nice guy.