2010 Chelan PWC - Day 1 - Task 1

95 Kilometer task - Launch to FARMER to COULEE CITY to ALMIRA.

Live leader Board is HERE

Results are HERE

My flight track is HERE

The day started off looking grim, with gusty winds off the lake.  Soon though, it mellowed and we were able to build a long task to the East.  The start queue was unregulated and it was obvious that everyone was going to try to get in the air well before the start time because the start was a 15Kentry cylinder with it's line 12K away from the launch.  We had a good start with the armada of R10s lumbering a bit ahead.  The climbs were spotty at times and very rough in places, but there were also the occasional 1000'/min. smooth big thermals that make me smile. . .

After making it to Farmer we headed to the 'choke-point' at Coulee City to keep the group over the roads.  Then it was a X-wind glide to goal.  I flew a lot with Keith Mac today and we always felt behind and slow, but in retrospect we did some things right.  

It looks like I made the top-50 today (42nd place at the moment - but scores are still coming in) and that was my goal since I'm on a serial class wing and flying among the elite in our sport.  My Avax XC3 is getting good reviews from those who are flying with me, on their comp wings - "it goes good."  From my standpoint, it is a dream to fly with no bad habits or scariness.   I'm loving the handling of the wing and it's performance is good enough that I'm rolling out of climbs with comp ships and gliding well enough to stay with the gaggle.  Speed bar is fully usable and feels very efficient to 3/4 bar.  Beyond 3/4 bar the speed increases a bit, but the glide does suffer.  The speed is very good at trim and on bar.  I finished about 30 minutes behind the leaders with a 2:36 and the winners were 1:53 on this 95Km. task.  

So end of day one and the top-5 are:

1. Nick Greece (USA) 
2. Andre Rainsford (South Africa)
3. Jack Brown (USA)
4. Dean Stratton (USA)
5. Frank Brown (Brazil)

Jack Brown is blogging HERE

Nicole McLearn is blogging HERE

The next few days look great (higher, lighter winds, and cloud to mark lift) so I'm looking forward to some good tasks and fast flying.

Tim
  

2010 Chelan PWC - Practice Day

Looking back at the Chelan Butte launch, and Lake Chelan

Today was the practice day for the Chelan PWC.  Tomorrow is the first day and it looks like it will be stellar.

The conditions today were very nice for a lazy 60k out and return to Mansfield.  I launched and waited for the formation of a gaggle to cross with.  Eventually a group of R10's and Booms and various others joined to cross the gorge.  My new Avax XC3 did very well on the crossing and I had plenty of altitude to join the search for lift on the East side.

Once we made our first climb after the crossing it was an easy flight that even included unforecast Cumulus clouds at 11,000'.  The climbs were generally well-behaved with rates of climb over 1000'/min. at times.  The wind also cooperated to allow an easy return to the soccer field and ride to the check-in and orientation by Doug and the PWC folks.  My flight today is HERE.  The international flavor of this event is refreshing.  There are certainly some exotic looking wings and protos in this event so I expect to see a lot of exciting action -

The soccer field LZ in Chelan

My new Avax XC3 is really comfortable to fly and is already impressing me with the way it is hanging with much of the field.  There are many GTOs flying in this meet, as well as a couple Advance Omega 8s, so it will be a good measure of the XC3 . . .I just hope I get the most from my tools, by making good decisions and flying smart -

The weather looks great tomorrow so let's get it on!

Tim

Getting ready to Rumble!

July 10th-15th 2010

We are only two weeks away from the heart of the U.S. Paragliding competition circuit.  2010 is a special year since the schedule includes a PWC event and a Pre-PWC event.  It all starts July 10th with the Chelan XC Open.  I flew this event 2 years ago, when it was a Pre-PWC event and had a great time.  I flew a great 75 mile triangle to make goal and really had a ball.  Unfortunately I won't be able to get the time-off necessary to fly this event. . .  I will keep track of the results here though.  Good luck to all and FLY SAFE.  Info about the comp can be found at http://www.chelanxcopen.com
What's great about the site, in Chelan, is that it has a great mountain launch with a dramatic exposure of the Columbia River Gorge and XC possibilities to the South, East and North.  To the East is a high plain of some of the best XC flats I've ever flown.  Unlimited landing spots, epic climbs to above 10,000', and dusties that you can see for 20 miles make this a place to remember.

July 18th-24th 2010

Following the Chelan XC Open, Chelan will host the first PWC (Paragliding World Cup) event to be held in the USA in 12 years.  PWC events attract the best pilots from all over the world and are the highest level of Paragliding XC competition.  I am really looking forward to flying with the best and brightest.  This will also be my first opportunity to see the newest, exotic 2-liner wings from Ozone, Niviuk, and SOL.

Chelan looking South, with launch on the right and the flats to the left.

I will be flying my new Gradient Avax XC3 which is a new Serial Class wing, and lower performance than the majority of the wings entered in the PWC.  My goals and expectations involve getting to goal every day and making good decisions while learning all I can about tactics and strategies from the great pilots I'll be surrounded by.   I will be posting regularly, while flying in this great competition.

In August we will travel to Sun Valley, Idaho for the US Nat's. I've never flown Sun Valley, but the site looks great.  This event will also be a Pre-PWC event.

My Gradient Avax XC3 should be here soon and I hope to get familiar with it before flying it in anger at the PWC ;-)

Tim

Like a kid on Christmas Eve -

That's me.  I'm waiting for my new Gradient Avax XC-3 to arrive.  The early reports are very positive and the performance is being touted as 'much better' than the XC-2, which I was very impressed with.  When I ordered the XC-2 (3 years ago) I was concerned that it would be too hot for me.  I was very happy with the handling and benign flight characteristics and it was perfect for my stage of development, as a paraglider pilot.

Now, I'm ready for anything that Gradient can get by the EN-D testing.  And I'm ready to enjoy the great handling I've come to expect from the Gradient team.  I won't be worried about competing against the ultra-specialized, exotic, 2-liner comp wings rolling off the factory floors - I'm a serial guy, and happy to be flying a little less performance with much better handling.

I didn't want to complicate my order, so I went with the stock blue colors.  It should be here within a couple weeks.  I plan to fly it in the US Nat'ls in Sun Valley in August, and the PWC in Chelan, WA in July.

The XC3 is advertised as having a better-than 10:1 glide ratio with a nice wide speed range that exceeds 60Kph accelerated.  The 6.8 aspect ratio is right between that of the XC2 and the Boomerang 5 I flew this year.   The 3-line configuration eliminated almost 25% of the line length (read drag) and it looks like the line diameters haven't been increased substantially, like they have been on the 2-line designs.

More info to come when I get a chance to wring it out -

Here's a nice video of the XC-3 in flight.

YouTube Link