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ChattaroyMan
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Joined: 01 Nov 2009
Posts: 1793
Location: Chattaroy, WA -USA
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HangDog
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Joined: 08 Aug 2008
Posts: 1485
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 Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 4:51 pm Post subject: |
 #2 |
Thanks for posting these videos. I enjoyed the flight. Lets do it again!
~A~
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NMERider
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Joined: 07 Apr 2008
Posts: 7363
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| Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 4:53 pm Post subject: |
#3 |
Good times!  
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nzlinus
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Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 13
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| Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 9:18 pm Post subject: |
#4 |
Nice. I like the pioneering aspect of devils gap.
What do you use the smart phone for? Is that primarily for visual gps track?
Cheers.
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mrcc
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Joined: 19 Jul 2010
Posts: 462
Location: Auckland
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| Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 9:35 pm Post subject: |
#5 |
| NICE
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ChattaroyMan
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Joined: 01 Nov 2009
Posts: 1793
Location: Chattaroy, WA -USA
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| Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 5:52 am Post subject: |
#6 |
| nzlinus wrote: |
Nice. I like the pioneering aspect of devils gap.
What do you use the smart phone for? Is that primarily for visual gps track?. |
Pioneering sites is the cat's meow for me. I love scoping a place out then getting to fly it. Lucky for us there are lots of candidates in NE WA and N ID.
I'm sticking my iPhone on my glider mainly to see how easy it is to use while in flight. Found out that gloves don't work. I have to take a glove off to use it (or use a glove that you can easily stick a finger out of). What I've used it for so far is just to call someone while flying. What I'd like to eventually do is use it in conjunction with the remote/wi-fi option for the GoPro to send video and stills while flying - to individuals or to the Web. I've got a lot to learn about doing that yet so figure it is best to at least see what pitfalls there are having/using the iPhone basics while flying. I've only had it mounted on the glider twice and in both flights I've been too busy flying to use it (I have called someone during a flight by dragging it out of a harness pocket). The Devils Gap flight was the first time I've used radios while flying.
This is the bracket I use with my iPhone:
http://snapmountforiphone.com/
Got it through Amazon for around $6.50 but they are out of stock now. I'm using it with a Flytec camera mount bracket. Maybe I'll add some Christmas tree lights to the control bar this winter! 
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U2 160 • Chattaroy, WA - USA |
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Dan Harding
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Joined: 21 Mar 2011
Posts: 669
Location: Washington State, close to the blanchard site
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| Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 6:23 am Post subject: |
#7 |
Thanks for the videos Steve, your doing a great job over there, I still want to get back there, and the next time actually fly.
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ChattaroyMan
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Joined: 01 Nov 2009
Posts: 1793
Location: Chattaroy, WA -USA
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| Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 7:51 am Post subject: |
#8 |
| Dan Harding wrote: |
| Thanks for the videos Steve, your doing a great job over there, I still want to get back there, and the next time actually fly. |
Jimmy says he may be over next in September. I also have to get over there to fly. I've yet to fly anything west of here - not even Chelan. Too many places to explore around here yet!
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U2 160 • Chattaroy, WA - USA |
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sbrian2
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Joined: 20 Oct 2008
Posts: 166
Location: Bay Area, Calif., USA
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| Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 12:30 pm Post subject: |
#9 |
| In the second video, would a little sink have put you in the trees? (or worse, in and then out of the trees -- pine trees really do eject hang gliders, often with fatal consequences). Seems like a very marginal flight in non-soarable conditions. But I admit I'm working with a lack of information here and just judging by appearances, so please don't be offended, just asking, etc. etc.
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slimchance
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Joined: 05 Jul 2009
Posts: 814
Location: Las Vegas
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| Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:04 pm Post subject: |
#10 |
| sbrian2 wrote: |
| In the second video, would a little sink have put you in the trees? (or worse, in and then out of the trees -- pine trees really do eject hang gliders, often with fatal consequences). Seems like a very marginal flight in non-soarable conditions. But I admit I'm working with a lack of information here and just judging by appearances, so please don't be offended, just asking, etc. etc. |
Seems sketchy to me. I wouldnt call that a bail-out, more like a primary-long-glide-out-LZ.
Thanks for posting.
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I have a fever…And the only prescription… is more Cowbell!!
If you want to pick a government to trust....why not this one! |
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gpwrinkled
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Joined: 23 Oct 2011
Posts: 143
Location: Mesa, AZ
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| Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 6:46 pm Post subject: |
#11 |
| ChattaroyMan wrote: |
I'm sticking my iPhone on my glider mainly to see how easy it is to use while in flight. <snip> What I've used it for so far is just to call someone while flying. <snip> (I have called someone during a flight by dragging it out of a harness pocket). The Devils Gap flight was the first time I've used radios while flying.
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I have a bluetooth mic and speaker that I pulled from my motorcycle helmet and installed on my HG helmet so that I can make calls on my cell phone hands-free while flying. I freaked a fellow pilot out one day when he sunk out and landed and he knew i was still up... his phone rang and he saw my name as the caller, he answered... "This isn't really you calling is it?...  "
It works really great and you don't have to touch your cell phone at all while flying, just tap the helmet mounted unit and your phone hooks up via bluetooth and asks who you want to call and you verbally name the recipient. It's a Cardo Scala Q2. http://www.cardosystems.com/scala-rider/scala-rider-q2
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Greg Porter ---- http://www.youtube.com/gpwrinkled ---- gpwrinkled@hotmail.com ---- www.azhpa.org
" If it tastes good, spit it out..." Jack Lalane
T2C 144, U2 145, <28 year break & 5 kids!>, Moyes Mega II, Phoenix 6D, Standard Rogallo, tricycle, crib... |
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gpwrinkled
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Joined: 23 Oct 2011
Posts: 143
Location: Mesa, AZ
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| Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 7:10 pm Post subject: |
#12 |
Great vids and thanks for posting them.
I had to laugh... when you hooted from the air and noted they heard you in the LZ... then you said Loon Lake was nearby... I started wondering what Loon they named it after..??? LOL. Really enjoyed the vid and the text narration is great. Keep em coming man!
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Greg Porter ---- http://www.youtube.com/gpwrinkled ---- gpwrinkled@hotmail.com ---- www.azhpa.org
" If it tastes good, spit it out..." Jack Lalane
T2C 144, U2 145, <28 year break & 5 kids!>, Moyes Mega II, Phoenix 6D, Standard Rogallo, tricycle, crib... |
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ChattaroyMan
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Joined: 01 Nov 2009
Posts: 1793
Location: Chattaroy, WA -USA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2012 6:25 am Post subject: |
#13 |
| sbrian2 wrote: |
| In the second video, would a little sink have put you in the trees? (or worse, in and then out of the trees -- pine trees really do eject hang gliders, often with fatal consequences). Seems like a very marginal flight in non-soarable conditions. But I admit I'm working with a lack of information here and just judging by appearances, so please don't be offended, just asking, etc. etc. |
| slimchance wrote: |
| Seems sketchy to me. I wouldnt call that a bail-out, more like a primary-long-glide-out-LZ. |
No offense taken sbrian2 - honest. You're essentially right. I might waiver on the "very" part of marginal but not much. There are a number of reasons I flew Devils Gap on Monday in these conditions. Viewing both the snap shot of Devils Gap below and the Leonardo flight stats will help understand my reasoning (http://paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/636858)
What I like about DG most is its overall shape - it is very hard for a NW to NE wind to go around DG. The huge "U" shape with flat ground behind the ridge tends to straighten up the air at the cliff edge - producing more of a vertical component to the air at, and in front of launch than expected. I found this out in the air on two previous soaring flights that ended in top landings. In this flight I maintained altitude for the first part in a launch wind of 6-8 mph. Wind direction is shown by the blue arrow in the map below (where I landed is the red dot). Long Lake is a great wind indicator for both speed and direction. We arrived at DG around 9:30 to mostly soarable conditions (wind got up to 15-28 with 10 mph lulls). I waited for another pilot to arrive who'd not been to the site before and had delays. So, I watched the conditions for over 3 hours before launching. By 11 AM the winds began to decrease but stronger bands still progressed down the lake and on to launch. Each band seen on the lake (more ripples) was followed by stronger winds on launch. I launched at the beginning of one of the bands (although not very strong). If the brown area of the altitude chart on Leonardo does show my height compared to ground level (see other image below) then I maintained an acceptable altitude above ground level. However, the chart does not show tall Ponderosa Pines. At 1:36 into the flight I pull on VG. At 2:00 (just after being turned a bit right by thermal/turbulence/etc. I unzip my harness). It was at this point 2 minutes into the flight that I felt I needed to be prepared for a tree landing - why I unzipped. I also had a decision to make as to which portion of the "bailout" LZ I wanted to aim for. I split the difference and headed to a point between the two - the cut portion or the tall alfalfa (spelled wrong in video  ). It wasn't until 2:30-2:40 that I felt confident that I'd make the LZ. So, for 30-40 seconds I was doing my best to get the best sink rate and glide out of my Sport 2. 'Luckily' I didn't have to start picking the tree(s) I wished to set up for and kept my attention on wind and the bailout LZ.
In pioneering a site one is going to experience unknowns. To increase safety I studied this area thoroughly. But, I also want to fly it in a variety of conditions so that I can relate real experiences to any pilots who may follow me in flying Devils Gap. All three of my flights here are on YouTube. The first flight was in the best conditions of the 3 so far. I've yet to fly it in the most ideal conditions (15-20 N to NNE winds). That's my goal. I also do not plan to fly it in fringe marginal conditions again (been there, done that!). I also fully realize that given the same conditions of this flight again I could experience different results. No two flights are exactly the same. On this site if one wishes to make the bailout one has to be nearer to it - which means heading W along the ridge in ridge lift to do so. Devils Gap is more/less an advanced site for decision making and risk taking calculations. If you blow a launch for whatever reason (inhale a bee, whatever) and you don't have the altitude to land back on top - you have a long, flat glide to the bailout (or flare hard and grab Ponderosa - and suffer the consequences). I will not be flying the site in less than soarable winds again. I gained the knowledge/experience I wanted to know about marginal, non-soarable conditions.
It is a toss up on how to categorize the possible LZs at this site. Since this launch location really isn't a place to take a sledder, I feel the primary LZ is a top landing in soarable conditions. If you lose lift and can't top land there are other locations to the E to land depending on where you're at on the ridge when you lose lift. Since you can see what's coming wind wise by watching Long Lake one should not make the mistake of being far from a bottom LZ when losing ridge soaring conditions.
All in all - I may be the only one who ever flies this place.
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U2 160 • Chattaroy, WA - USA |
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ChattaroyMan
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Joined: 01 Nov 2009
Posts: 1793
Location: Chattaroy, WA -USA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2012 6:39 am Post subject: |
#14 |
| gpwrinkled wrote: |
Great vids and thanks for posting them.
I had to laugh... when you hooted from the air and noted they heard you in the LZ... then you said Loon Lake was nearby... I started wondering what Loon they named it after..??? LOL. Really enjoyed the vid and the text narration is great. Keep em coming man! |
Thanks! And thanks for the iPhone tips! Not sure what I'll eventually use the iPhone for - thinking of the wifi use and using it in conjunction with the wifi capabilities of GoPro camera options. This will likely be a winter project. I like the bracket but I'm losing control bar real estate. I may try to mount it with my 5030 in some fashion (one bracket for both).
Loon Lake, to my knowledge, no longer has any bird type Loons. There are actually very few lakes in WA that have Loons anymore. I've seen them recently on one of these lakes - really neat birds! I watched 4-5 fly up from Lost Lake (around 120 miles NW of Spokane) in wide 360º circles to likely 2-3K above the lake before heading out to another location. Makes me wonder if they every fly very low except when going into or out of a lake. They didn't need to be that high to go over the surrounding hills/mountains. Sadly, those that liked to fly low have probably been shot.
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