Website: www.joeyglide.com.au
Facebook: Adam Woolley's Gliding Adventures
Facebook: Adam Woolley's Gliding Adventures
Date: 17/09/11
Flight: http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=2130654
Stats: Planned 400km flight.
Outlanded @ 267km. 78.9kph; 3.4kt average climbs (40% thermalling); 30:1
for 9.3km glides at an average of 68kts.
1st Cross-Country in my Cirrus, W3. Started straight away into building
conditions. Had a good run to Miles on the first leg, staying high and taking
reasonable climbs.
Turned Miles for Kingaroy with out any issues. Decided mid-leg that I would get home too early, so decided to extend the task to shoot for 400k+. Once I turned, had one more reasonable climb before slowly heading on the downward slope. Climbing conditions were forever changing, and lacked feel.
Turned Miles for Kingaroy with out any issues. Decided mid-leg that I would get home too early, so decided to extend the task to shoot for 400k+. Once I turned, had one more reasonable climb before slowly heading on the downward slope. Climbing conditions were forever changing, and lacked feel.
After analysing the flight further, I recalled the last
climb at 2.4kts. There was actually
nothing wrong with the climb, just lacked feel.
I left the climb at 3000AGL thinking I could find something a little
better up ahead. This was the final
straw, the air went smooth and hardly got another bump after this one. Looking back now, I should’ve seen the
writing on the wall and been more patient.
Though having said that, I need to ensure that my bottom to top averager
is correct so I can make better decisions in the future.
I spoke to Allan Barnes after the flight, he said that the conditions were
transiting from closely spaced climbs, to much larger. I sadly missed the next
climb before the 9,000'+ blue conditions started late in the day.
Oh well, such is life. Still learning so much about the glider. Thermalling at 40kts, still to slow I think. Will jack it up at the state comps to 45kts.
Oh well, such is life. Still learning so much about the glider. Thermalling at 40kts, still to slow I think. Will jack it up at the state comps to 45kts.
Some positive attributes to the flight, I was very happy with how I left climbs - never once did I hold onto a climb hoping it'd get better, and as such my altitude trace all had sharp points! Inter thermal cruising was good too for the conditions, though I'm going to start experimenting with MC, rather than block speeds.
On a side note, took all the sealing out of the canopy as an experiment - had air going here, there and everywhere. Though much better than the ear-piercing buzz that the mylars created.
Next flight will be at the QLD State Soaring Championships!
SeeYou!
On a side note, took all the sealing out of the canopy as an experiment - had air going here, there and everywhere. Though much better than the ear-piercing buzz that the mylars created.
Next flight will be at the QLD State Soaring Championships!
SeeYou!
