Convector
Newsletter of the Mid-Atlantic Soaring Association

It emerges uncalled, a faded memory from a long forgotten childhood image.

"Why, the ground at 13K' looks like one of the fanciful depictions of Mars." Not the real Mars of course, the Mars imagined in the book The Exploration of Mars long before spacecraft ever visited the planet. It's the deep greens of the center pivot irrigation systems punctuating the natural clays, golds, siennas and umbers of summer in Texas. Color is all that differentiates the flatness of the high plains sprawling in every direction under my wings in this panhandle region of Texas. It's a far different view from the familiar rolling blue-green hills of Maryland and Pennsylvania.

The whole experience has been a bit different for us. Judy and I have made the trek to the Soaring Society of Boulder's (i.e. SSB) annual cross country soaring camp at Miller Field in Dalhart Texas. The date is late June of 1999. It's been a two-day orgy of driving, covering almost exactly 1600 miles, since embarking from Frederick Maryland with Papa Sierra our trusty Schweizer SGS 1-35C in tow. The driving has been tiring but we've made it okay arriving after midnight the 2nd evening. As we ease into the motel's sodium vapor-lit parking lot in downtown Dalhart around 1:30 AM local, we immediately spot several other glider trailers.

"You got it Bill?"

Dick Hogue's question quickly snaps me out of my groggy, sleep-deficit induced daydream. We are over Miller Field in the SSB's G103.

"Yep, I got it Dick!"

As I take over the controls I wonder where that classic "Texas visibility" so often read about is? This view is about as hazy as a typical summer day back in Maryland. Blue sky merging seamlessly with multihued earth tones. No real horizon. Lots of nice big soft Cus in every direction, all of them working. Solid 3 to 5 knot thermals not monster "Texas 10-knotters." Wish I could figure out which way was north. Or even which compass direction the town of Dalhart faces relative to Miller field. In the tableau below, an endlessly repeated checkerboard patchwork of nearly identical quadrangles fading into an indefinite horizon, I am having a heck of a time getting oriented properly. Admittedly, traveler's fatigue makes my concentration less than wonderful. Need to be careful flying here! It would be very easy to barge off in the wrong direction.

Two years younger, but with a couple thousand more glider hours logged than I have, my brother Bob is pretty laid back as "Camp Commander." About half of the dozen or so participants- most of them "SSBers" are Dalhart Camp regulars. So they are familiar with the drill. Some come desiring only a week of good cross country soaring. Others come eagerly seeking soaring distance badges. For the latter the goals range from 50 to 500 kilometers. I wouldn't mind bagging a 300K myself. But my main goal is simple- to just have a good time. This will be a much anticipated chance to do some fun flying in a new locale, meet and soar with some new folks, savor new weather, and enjoy new experiences. Flying with Bob will be a real treat too. (Yes- it has been a few decades since we were kids growing up together, flying balsa stick gliders, each nuturing dreams of flying.) Dalhart is something that we've been discussing for a couple of years now. He's been soaring for 25 years, starting shortly after college with Maryland's Cumberland Soaring club, then soaring in Utah, and for the last 15 years at both at Boulder and Owl Canyon in Colorado. His ship, Zuni Three, is one of about 20 Zunis built by George Applebay.

For the last couple of summers I've been cutting my cross country teeth with Papa Sierra. My best effort to date, about 280K, was flown the previous summer. It was one thermal shy of completing the goal- "the Frederick 300K triangle." That triangle starts at Frederick tracks to Carlisle, Pa. thence to Winchester, Va. and finally back to Frederick. I now have many - some might contend too many - 200-250K efforts behind me, in pursuit of that goal. With greater skills, better luck, or perhaps "riding a pony 'with a bit more legs,'" I might have made it several times. As they say in Kansas: "Ad astra per aspera!" To the stars by the hard ways! By intentionally picking a 15 meter glider with "humble" performance, it may take a bit longer. But as also intended I am being forced to develop a solid base of skills. My personal goals? Learn to soar competently and safely. And have fun while so doing. The badges will come when the time is right. In the soaring game there are few overnight sensations.

"Papa Sierra, Zuni Three. Can you say your intentions?"

I am now on final glide, a maybe five miles out of Miller, returning from Guymon Oklahoma. The flight has been challenging. For a couple of hours I nervously watched and fretted a large area of over-development I estimated to be 20-35 miles to the southeast of my course line. Fortunately it stays to the southeast. Mostly it's been one long series of slow climbs and slow glides, with very widely spaced, lackluster thermals and very few cloud markers. That is until I hit a boomer on the way back some miles to the northeast of Stratford Texas perhaps 38 miles out which lifted me up over 14K feet. A tad more out of that one and I'd have bagged a gold altitude leg. Heck six of those and I would have made around the track already. Alas, the boomer and the one decent thermal encountered right off tow going to almost 11k feet are all I've seen. Today a couple of pilots have landed out; others have fallen out locally. Now, late, tired and very thirsty, having made a long smooth final glide home, I've got to decide whether to try the shorter leg southwest to Castleberry to complete the gold. That's the terrain everybody says is "unlandable." In fact they say, "you really don't want to get low there." Sparsely inhabited, too broken-up to farm, it's an area of highly eroded dry wash and scrubby vegetation extending about 30 miles southwest of the town of Dalhart. By now it's well past 5:00pm. I temporize.

"Zuni Three, location?"

"Zuni Three over Miller at eleven-six; my intent is to proceed Castleberry; I have you in sight. I can wait if you want to go for Castleberry."

He's pulling for me - wants me to go get that 300K, probably almost as much as I do. Where is he?

Ah, that must be him, that tiny speck circling at cloud base maybe four thousand feet up and three miles down range. It could take me 10 minutes, maybe 20, to reach him - if - things are still working down here. And assuming I do snag it, is it the last thermal of the day? Doing the numbers even if I get to cloudbase again, that won't get me the 65+ miles to Castleberry and back. I'd love to go.... But the truth is... I am pretty whipped. Weighing it all, I decide.

No.... Not this time.

"Zuni Three, Papa Sierra will stay local. Good luck!"

"Roger. Zuni Three proceeding Castleberry. Out."

It's a tired but happy, boisterous group of pilots that's gathered at the restaurant for a late evening dinner reliving the day's adventures. On a day that rewarded patience and perseverance above all else, both pilots who attempted 500K flights have been unsuccessful but both are pretty well pleased with their efforts. One, Bruce Hodgkins flying a Duo Discus - the first off the grid in the morning, averaged a bit over 40 mph. But he still has turned in an excellent effort of nearly 450k. He reports many long glides between very widely-spaced, often soft thermals on a spotty day. It's his longest flight both in distance and duration. The other, Oak Smart in a Standard Cirrus, launching second, bagged a 400K, barely squeaking back from Castleberry along with Zuni Three late in the day. Of his Dalhart 300Ks, he says that this was his most challenging. Later, comparing notes, I am delighted to learn that I averaged 2mph faster than he did on the 200k run to Guymon and back. Total ground track distance for me has been 265K. On balance - considering it's our first Texas cross country flight - the old metal bird and I have done pretty well.

"Yep, we've had a wonderful time waltzin' through Texas today."

B.W.

Well the holidays are upon us. I hope this installment of Convector finds all recovering. The good news is the days are now getting longer and before long we will be back to a scheduled operation. To accomplish this we must have everyone's inputs so that Ray Watson can build a schedule. Please get your preference forms mailed to him as soon as possible. I will also be reviewing the current duty assignments and determining the club requirements. This may mean we will be looking for volunteers to fill a few more positions.

Bill Savory, Jim Chick and Jim Trygg went to Missouri and investigated a potential Pawnee. This particular airplane did not work out but the search is on for a fourth tow plane. In the mean time the Cub has been signed off, the FFD Pawnee is having some minor engine work done and Tom Judkins and John Vaughan are beginning their FDK Pawnee project. For good news, all the flying club gliders have been inspected.

As we prepare for the new season we all need to take a look at how M-ASA operates. Now is the time to make adjustments. It is fair to say we will still be confronted with some "temporary" restrictions this year. Are we prepared to make the most out of what we have? Do we know the rules and where to find them? Hit the books over the winter, we will discuss these types of topics in March to ensure a smooth flying year ahead.

One last plug for the Banquet! Come on out and enjoy a social evening. In addition to dinner there will be a couple of short speakers and some special recognition for a few folks as we celebrate 50 years of the Mid-Atlantic Soaring Association.

Glenn

If you are, then you care "where you serve." Scheduler Ray Watson will be making the first 2002 OD and tow pilot schedule (i.e. for March) in a scant 30 days for publishing in the next issue of Convector. You must complete and return your 2002 Season OD Duty Preference forms (see last month's issue)... if you want the schedule to accomodate your desires and needs.

If you haven't made your reservations and plan to attend, you need to contact Phil Burgess immediately!!!

Date: Saturday January 26, 2002
Time: 1000 to 1300
Location: AOPA Headquarters
Frederick Municipal Airpor
421 Aviation Wa
Frederick M
(park behind the building)

If you are planning to participate as a M-ASA tow pilot for the 2002 season, you must attend this safety meeting. The agenda for this meeting will include, but is not limited to, a review of the pertinent areas of the M-ASA Operations Manual with emphasis on tow pilot responsibilities, operational practices including FDK and W73 operational requirements, emergency procedures, SSA signals, and Aeronautical Decision Making. There will also be an moderated Q & A session, so please bring your questions and experience to share with all. Refreshments will be served.

If you would like to make a presentation during this meeting or have any questions, please contact Lance Nuckolls.

L.N.

Former member, Bob Critchlow, has rejoined M-ASA.

H.H.

The Frederick computer has recently been upgraded to Windows NT 4.0. I intend to do the same to the Fairfield computer sometime this winter. Any non-club related programs and data may be lost, so if you have anything on that computer you want to save, my advice is to back it up to floppies.

On another subject: For those of you that get nice flat screen monitors for Christmas and are wondering what to do with your old monitor, I have a solution. Give it to your favorite glider club!

R.M.

Nominations for M-ASA Directors are due between Feb. 1 and Feb 15 by mail or e-mail, or verbally at the Feb. meeting. The by-laws specify the nomination window and also that nominations will be made only to the President (Glenn Collins), the Vice President (Jim Trygg), the Treasurer (Mike Higgins), or the Secretary (Bill Whelan). Prior permission must be obtained from the nominee. The secretary will mail secret preferential ballots to all full members; however any vote returned by a member who has not paid dues will not be opened. Ballots will be counted at the March meeting; newly elected directors will be announced; and then members will elect a President from among the five directors.

Ed.

This is a reminder that the deadline to submit flights for consideration of the annual Green Trophy is 12/31/00. Contact George Green by e-mail (gdagreen@yahoo.com) or snail mail if you think you may have a qualifying flight. (See last month's Convector for more information on The Green Trophy)

Rumor has it that Carlos Reyes has become the proud papa of an ASW 20.

There is good chance that David Weaver will be teaching a Private Pilot - Glider ground school this January, in the Falls Church or Tyson's Corner area. I'm not sure if Dave will have the details on dates, etc. in time for the Jan Convector issue. (David's e-mail is: david.weaver@home.com)

If you've earned a badge or badge leg, inform Convector to alert all of your friends.