Gradient XC3 - Impressions after some XC Competition Flying

For those who are watching this blog for info on my experiences with the Gradient Avax XC3, I can say this - It is one sweet wing.  My hope was that the wing would retain the handling of the XC2 while displaying increased performance, and the guys at Gradient pulled this off magnificently.  

The wing feels and responds to inputs much like the XC2; so much so that I felt very comfortable close to the terrain and flying strong, rough thermals over the flats of Eastern Washington, on my first flights of the Chelan PWC.  The trailing edge is a bit firmer than the XC2 without that 'stiff-brake' feeling exhibited by the Gin and Niviuk EN-D wings.  The brake travel is about the same as the XC2 but I find the XC3 to have less spin tendency than even the XC2.  I still haven't reached the spin point while flying the wing in very snotty tight thermals.  The wing is very good at communicating the location of the 'bubble' core of the thermal.  The wing is very communicative while not being jittery or twitchy.  The ride is pure Gradient - not stiff and rough - more cushioned but firm. . .

There have been reserve tosses every day in Chelan but my wing has been purring along with nary a tuck.  I was able to get the wing to frontal while flying at 3/4 bar on the practice day (my first real flight on the wing) and was able to save it by reducing the bar and a brief, sharp, tug on the "C" risers to keep the tips back.  The frontal promptly popped out and away we flew, on heading and on speed again.  I love this wing -

I'll explore the corners of the envelope more when I'm in better air & less gaggle traffic -

The build of the wing is still very light but durable.  The ribs at the leading edge are reinforced with partial mylar laminations with plastic 'strimmer lines' about 3/4" from the leading edge of the wing, running from the top of the nose of the airfoil along the bottom edge to 5" or so beyond the "A" attachment points.  There are 'gibus arches' incorporated in the ribs along the "B" attachment points.

On the third task of the PWC the conditions at launch were very light and fickle.  The launch queue was moving very slowly as many were having fits coaxing their 2 and 3-liners into the crossed light winds.  I laid out and brought the wing up easily, built it on the way up and got off the hill easily - Much like the XC2 in it's easy ground handling.  I used "As and Cs" alot on the XC2 but am using the brakes and As on this wing because it only has the 3-lines.

Speed-bar is fully usable and very effective.  I can feel that beyond 3/4 bar the glide is affected quite a bit, but 3/4 or less is very effective in keeping up with comp ships.  I had many transitions where I was gliding with comp ships and getting to lift sources at the same altitude and time as they.  Flying this wing gives me the mind-set that I'm on a competitive wing.  I don't have any direct comparisons against the few GTOs and Omega 8s, here in Chelan, but the Boom and R-10 pilots flying with me are indicating that I'm getting excellent transitions with them.  Climbs are also very good.  The sink rate has been improved from the XC2 and the handling is good enough that it's possible to use the rough lift more effectively than the less maneuverable ships. 

Landing is simple - enough said?

These are my early impressions, but I think that there is little lurking for me to discover.  I've been flying in rough conditions for 5 days now and am very happy with this wing.  Highly recommended for pilots with the experience to fly a high-end EN-D wing, especially recommend for pilots who like the gradient handling and/or have experience on the XC2.

Tim 

BAPA Comp at Dunlap May '10

Dave S. and I headed to Dunlap on Wed. afternoon with the intent to fly 3 days and then participate in the SFBAPA league events over the weekend.  When we arrived at launch the conditions looked perfect for a nice 'shake-out" flight around the valley.  We camped at Dan's LZ and enjoyed a nice dinner up the road at the pub.
Thursday Jug Arrived and we had another fun flight around the valley under great cumulus clouds.  The top-of-climb was low but it was still possible to move around the valley.

Friday was more of the same and I made the decision that I would be flying my Avax XC2 in the weekend comp.  I've decided to fly Serial class in the coming season and have ordered a new Gradient Avax XC3.  The Boomerang 5 is a great wing and I've enjoyed flying it for about 30 hours.  It never did anything squirrelly to me and has great glide performance.  I just didn't connect with the wing.  I didn't trust it and felt that I could actually score better on my XC2 or new XC3.  Maybe I'm not ready for a comp wing yet - I'm OK with that.  I'm firmly of the opinion that we all fly better on wings we are confident in and flying well.  I do know that I can't compete, in the open class, with the latest 2-line wings on a two-year-old Boom 5 so I might as well fly the wings I enjoy flying and that are at the top-end of their class.  


Saturday the troops all assembled at Dan's at 9:30 and we headed up the hill at 10:30.  The conditions were forecast to be good with lift to 6-7000' and a NW wind in the valley.  A task was called from launch to hill 49917 and back, then over Big Cat - and Bald, then a leg to Orosi in the flats for a total of 25 miles.



I had a good high start and barred it all the way to Hill 49917 the lift there was sporadic, but I soon found a thermal pulsing off the hill.  I climbed high enough to get back to launch and caught some lift with the lead gaggle.  We all headed down to Big Cat and then hit the 4km cylinder around Bald Mtn.


A few wings turned directly to Ruth Hill and were struggling low in the shade, so I was looking for alternatives.  To my right (the wrong way to Orosi) was in sunlight and I thought about heading there to poach a bubble off the low hills.  At that same moment, I noticed Josh coming across low to the same area.  He began to circle low in weak lift and I came in on top of him.  The lift was weak but soon bloomed and we climbed together to over 6000' which made it possible to pick our way past the shade at Ruth Hill  and start a relatively straight forward flight to Orosi.  The clouds were working well and lift was often 500-600'/min.  Josh pulled ahead when it was obvious that the flight was going to be easy and beat me to goal by 3 minutes.  Fredric and Steve made it to goal about 30 minutes later and Hoop made a great effort, landing 1km from goal.

Lesson reaffirmed: Don't follow others into conditions that are obviously NOT working.  Look for viable options and try to capitalize on the opportunities they present.

Sunday's task was started in conditions that included low cloudbase and some forecasts of convective activity.  We built a 19 mile task that would put more pilots in goal and keep them in the Dunlap Valley.   After looking over the conditions I decided to launch early to sample the lift and make sure that the convection was reasonable.  Climbs were plentiful and the lift didn't increase in intensity as the cloudbase was approached.   As the start time approached conditions felt better and as we made a glide into Hill 49917 the trend was obviously better.  At that point I just concentrated on the race since I was in the hunt with Josh, Eric, and Fredric.   By the third turnpoint I was in 4th place and the flying was fast.  Josh had stopped to take a climb after Big Cat, on the way to Airstrip, while Eric and Fredric continued into Granny's Knob low.  It looked like they had gotten stuck on the knob, so I took the next 400'/min climb and topped out at around 5500'.  This gave me sufficient height to overfly the guys while they wrestled with sporadic lift, low over the knob.  I was fortunate to pick a great line that actually provided lift as I tagged and returned from the Airstrip.   All I needed for the last 7 miles of the task was one more climb, which I took just short of Big Cat.  I knew Josh was on final glide and Eric was hustling to catch me, but I took the climb at least 1000' too high and had way too much altitude for the final glide.  A rookie mistake, but I still placed second for the day - 4 minutes behind Josh.

I feel very good about the weekend for two reasons.  Firstly; My indecision regarding how I was going to compete this season (and in future seasons)  was resolved, as I sold my Boom 5 on Friday and ordered a new Gradient Avax XC3 on Thursday.  I'm flying serial class for the foreseeable future.
Second; I left the Boom in the bag and flew my three-yr-old Avax XC2 well this weekend and placed 2nd to Josh in both tasks.  I really feel like some of the effort I've put into studying the game is paying off.  

The league has really flourished due to Jug's efforts.  Introducing the Mentoring program and reevaluating the goals of the league to promote the participation and education of newer pilots has revitalized the league.  It's going to be a great season.

Results are HERE.  
and more photos can be viewed HERE

Tim

My Future in Paragliding Competitions

Mantra R10

The landscape of paragliding could change drastically in the near future. It appears that Ozone has taken 'point' with regard to shaking up the competition wing offerings in 2009/2010.  It all started with the introduction in a PWC event, last year, of the BBHPP, which stands for BaBy High Performance Paraglider.  The BBHPP is the practical proto version of the HPP - an experimental 2 liner optimized for performance over all else.  The HPP, even Ozone admits, is not a practical XC machine.  It was a platform to test many innovative design features.  Many of these features are included in the BBHPP and the 2010 Mantra R10 & 10.2 competition wings.

The Baby HPP is a more usable wing with an aspect ratio of greater than 8:1.  It has created much debate due to its integration of 1mm carbon fiber 'rods' that run chordwise and allow for a drastic reduction in the number of lines.  This use of a 'rigid' material in the BBHPP has been very provacative and everyone with an opinion has voiced it HERE.  I'm not going to burden you with a diatribe on this subject, other than to say that  I am all for the use of modern materials to improve the usability and performance of our wings, as long as safety isn't the price we pay for that innovation.  The safety implications have not been thoroughly tested WRT carbon rods, so I don't have an opinion yet & I disagree with the PMA making a preemptive ruling recommendation based on fallacious reasoning. . .

But back to the situation in competitive paragliding - 2010.  Ozone has just announced the delivery schedule for the Mantra R10.  It will be offered in a 3-line and a (more demanding to fly) 2-line version.  Ozone says both these models will have increased collapse resistance, performance, and comfort on bar than the Mantra R09 did.  The other manufacturers are, I'm sure, going to offer new models with glide ratios exceeding 11:1 and good speeds, but it appears that Ozone has taken the lead.

This is all background to address something that I feel is a growing sentiment across our sport.  Many pilots are flying XC flights and have aspirations to compete.  For the first few years they compete on EN-C & EN-D wings to "earn their chops" and hone their skills.  During this period two things become readily apparent.

1. To compete in the top-10, you must fly a modern competition wing.
2. Each year, competition wings are produced that have new characteristics and habits to be learned and handled by each pilot.  You are essentially, a test pilot - flying in competition conditions sometimes at low altitudes, while not completely aware of what your wing's reactions to those conditions will be.  I say this because no certification flights are required, or pilot reports are available when you order this new wing.  Word spreads among those who have the wings after delivery.

Pilots get to this stage in their competition flying 'cycle' and either go to a competition (uncertified) wing or stick with a 'hot' EN-D wing and settle for overall top 20 and competing with the other Serial Class wings.

I have reached this stage. . . And I've made an uncharacteristicly indecisive move because I just don't like the risk/reward ratio of flying an unknown, uncertified wing that is delivered (if I'm lucky) shortly before my first competition of the season.    

Last year I was flying a Gradient Avax XC2.  It is an amazing wing with wonderful handling, good performance, and excellent safety.  It is an EN-C wing, but I was occasionally running with the big dawgs and loved the front of the pack feeling (fleeting though it was).  In the blended U.S. Nat'l results I placed 16th overall on my Avax, and I'm happy with that result. But I'd like to be on a wing that puts me in contention - That allows me to score well if I'm flying well.  I guess I'm just tired of wondering how I'd do if the playing field was level.

So, what have I done?  I took the plunge last season and purchased a Gin Boomerang 5.  This wing was a top-of-the-line wing in 2008.  It has a great reputation and has probably flown as many XC hours as any model of competition wing without showing any bad habits.  I bought this wing with the logic that it satisfied my need for speed while not crossing into the potentially hazardous region of "unproven new model."  I continued to fly my Avax XC2 for the rest of last season and plan to fly the Boom 5 in the 2010 season XC events.

I've had some fun with this wing already and am beginning to enjoy the feel of the wing, as I learn to trust it and explore the corners of the envelope.  It has an aspect ratio of 7.4 and can develop some wicked cravattes, but is not so bad as a Boom 6 with the stiffeners in its ribs.   For those who have done some maneuvers on your wings and wonder what it looks like on a comp machine, here is a video of some teasing of an IcePeak 3.  Stay with it to the end for a demonstration of how a high aspect ratio can affect the behavior of a wing after a simple full-frontal. The hazard of a frontal is that the wing can wad up and create riser twists very quickly, which is probably a worst case scenario.  EDIT- 

Testflüge Niviuk Icepeak 3 from Airnatuk on Vimeo.

So - How does this all play out?  I'm at a crossroad.  Do I continue to fly competition wings and eventually get into the thin-air of the 10-15 guys in the US that purchase the latest uber-wing every Spring so I can try to compete with the best?  Or do I fly a good handling, performance EN-D wing and compete with my fellow Serial pilots?  I'll let you know at the end of the season, but I think I already know the answer.

In the meanwhile, I'd like to advocate that our sport look, very hard, at the potential benefits of a requirement that all wings flown in FAI competitions pass the EN-D certifications.  Either that or a certified, one-design class similar to those in sailboat racing.  I really think this has the potential of bringing more pilots into the comp scene and keeping them longer, which as a result, will increase safety and skill due to increased experience level.

Tim

Looking forward to Inspo

Click on images for larger version

In two weeks I'll be headed for the second and final leg of the U.S. National Paragliding Championships above Provo, Utah.

This site provides some spectacular views of Utah Lake to the West of Launch and the high peaks of the Cascade to the East. The panorama above shows the view from launch. The graphic below shows a Google Earth view from 12,000' above Squaw Peak, with launch in the foreground, looking West.



I'll be flying my Avax XC2 in this competition since I still have had little opportunity to fly my Boom 5. I may fly it in the upcoming BAPA weekend in Dunlap, on the 8th-9th.

Fly safe -

Tim

Progress check

Well let's see. . . "The guy who has the most fun wins."

I try to live by this rule. . .er, recommendation.. . . ah, tenet.

But it's not easy. I mean, I AM having fun most of the time. But I'm a competitive guy, and I'd like to stand on the podium as much as the next guy. It's not that I want to get a trophy (although it's nice, before paragliding, the last I got was when I was 12). And I don't need to win so I can swagger amongst the launch queue. But I want to do my very best at the sport that has my attention.

How do I do that? In short - Practice, Practice, Practice. I need to make good decisions and learn from those that aren't. One of the reasons I started writing this bloggage was so I could relive the tasks that went bad, as much as those that went well. The only way to learn from the bad decisions is to remember them.

In order to plot my progress I've built a crude Excel graph of my placing in the last eight competitions. No compensation has been made for field quality or for the fact that I was on a DHV 1/2 and 2 for most of these comps. My present wing, a Gradient Avax XC2, is an EN-C (almost a 2/3) that I am very comfortable flying. I don't have any qualms flying it in angry conditions because I know what it is saying and how it will react. I also own a Boomerang 5 that I have flown a few times now. The Boom 5 has obviously better performance but isn't a wing that I enjoy flying - right now. The handling seems unresponsive and almost untrustworthy. I imagine that I will get some confidence on the Boom, with time, but until then I will be competing on the Avax XC2 - that includes the U.S. Nat's in Inspo UT in August.

So - looking at the graph, it seems there has been some progress. I'm happy competing and learning while flying in the Serial/Sports class. I'm also getting a taste of the Boom on days that allow some altitude.

Looking forward to Utah next month.

WCPC Day 2 - Task 2

CLICK ON ALL PHOTOS TO SEE LARGER VERSION

The task today was another great task. I think this may have been the most 'FUN' task that I've ever flown here - and that's after flying many comps and making goal - which I didn't do today.

Only one pilot (Matt (Farmer) Beechinor) made goal, but there were many of us that were within 6k of goal when the East valley winds kicked in and the sun was blocked by an intimidating super-cell to the South West. But I'm getting ahead of myself -

The day looked bleak from the moment we got to launch. Clouds at many altitudes were visible. There were scuddy clouds below hilltop level and some imposing buildups to the North. Here's a view from launch around 11AM.The task committee called a 42.5 Km task from Woodrat Pk (2K exit cylinder)- 20K to Bald Hill, - back to Rabies, then 9K to Jacksonville LZ. The day looked like it would be weak until it went off (assuming surface warming) and then just a matter of 'when' the clouds would OD.

I launched early again and soon was working with the gaggles to get and stay high. We were only able to get a bit above 5000' so the transition to Rabies (on the way to Bald Hill) would be another sketchy glide. Although starting a few minutes late yesterday worked in my favor, I found myself in a good position and high enough to head across 10 seconds after the start time. The reception at Rabies was about as 'homey' as yesterday. A few got nothin' and ended in the LZ after making valiant efforts to get up. In my case, I was down to 300-400 feet above the LZ when I dug into a thermal that took Andy, Brett, Paul and me back into the race. We got high enough to get into Rabies again and found some good lift that got us on course - a full 35 minutes after the start.We headed on course with an impressive view ahead. The photo below is of Josh, as we followed him on course. We didn't see any weather that was sinister looking until the last leg of the task. As we approached Rabies, prior to the turn East to Jacksonville, the development to the South was very scary looking. Because the course took us East, and because the weather wasn't moving rapidly, it allowed many to scoot along courseline to goal. The problem was the low-altitude winds had picked up and thwarted all but Farmer on the glide to goal.

I had my very own, personal roadblock - my brain quit working while on the way to goal. I had a field on my instrument programmed to give me (I thought) the glide ratio to goal required. . . I didn't do the math to check the indication so when I was approaching Rabies, the last turnpoint before the short leg to goal, I realized that I was too low to make goal and had to find a climb before going into the tiny valley between Ruch and Jacksonville. To make a long story short - I decided to end my flight with Tom in the Bishop LZ 10 minutes before the task was stopped due to the approaching weather. 30 minutes later we felt the gust front roll through the area with 20-30 kt gusts.

As I wrote earlier, only Matt Beechinor made goal with at least 12 others within 6Km of goal. Tom and I are probably in 12th-15th for the day.

This task was a lot of fun because it started with a very low save that took me from resigned defeat to running with the leaders for the next 30Km. I doubt that I'd have been able to make goal even if I hadn't brain-farted, but I would have been in the J-ville area rather than on the Ruch side of the hills.

Scores will be here: http://www.flyxc.org/2009WCPC.html
I just got a look at the scores. Here are the Cumulative top five in each category:
Open Class:
1 Mattew Beechinor 655 758 1413
2 Matt Dadam 632 653 1285
3 Josh Cohn 618 616 1234
4 Paul Murdoch 500 653 1153
5 Nate Scales 621 514 1135

Serial Class:
1 Peter Warren 375 607 982
2 Brett Hardin 353 618 971
3 Steve Young 350 582 932
4 Tim O'Neill 341 514 855
5 Melanie Pfister 149 544 693

Women:
1 Melanie Pfister 149 544 693
2 Nicole Mclearn 149 468 617
3 Meredyth Malocsay 303 218 521
4 Veronica Dubak 149 192 341

I'm in 11th overall and 4th in the Serial class.
My flight is HERE.
The weather for the next few days looks doubtful . . . I hope we get to do more flying.

Tim

WCPC Day 1 - Task 1

The day started with a pilot meeting at 9AM where we firmed up some of the technical issues such as min. distance, nominal dist. and time, criteria for scoring stopped tasks, etc. The WCPC is a small field this year with only a few more than 40 pilots, but the field is filled with good pilots.

When we arrived at launch the skies were overcast with high cirrostratus that blocked much of the heating. The South skies were still dotted with very unstable looking Cu's that showed there was potential for the day, once the sun was allowed to heat the surface.

A 42km task was called from Woodrat Pk to Rabies to Burnt to Grant's Pk to Trovin (9k S of Grant's Pk). I launched early and got up high, only to get flushed about 10 minutes before the start time. I was able to salvage the start, if a bit late, and made the glide across to Rabies. I could see that the leaders were not doing well at Rabies, and many pilots were diving back into the valley, so I went into a very conservative mode and took a weak climb over the middle of the valley that gave me another 600' to play with when I got to Rabies Ridge.

The ridge was classic Rat. The air was very trashy and unpredictable. There were areas of bullet-like lift and convergences that made or broke your day. I was able to hang in the unorganized lift long enough to team up with Paul and Steve. We found a core and climbed, quickly to 6000' which gave us the ability to head over to Burnt Ridge. I'd estimate that at least half the field fell out in the first 10km of this task - it's amazing how difficult the 4-5km transitions to-and-back-to-Rabies were, do to the low climbs and wicked sink.

Once up at Rabies again, I headed North-West to Grant's Pass. The distance ticked down and the winds were very light at altitude. Abeam goal (about 7km. from Grant's) I was able to get a slow climb that appeared to put me in good stead - UNTIL I hit the wall. A wall of wind from the West became an insurmountable barrier to further progress towards Grant's. Every Serial-class wing ended up here and the wall was even unsurmountable for any comp gliders that came along after us. We were done.

Results are now out and Farmer won the day with Matt Dadam, Nate Scales, Josh Cohn, and Nick Greece next. I place 4th in the Serial Class and 15th overall. Happy to make it that far.

All-in-all the task was well suited for the day. It was tough on the 1/2 & DHV 2 wings during the first part of the task and that's the nature of this valley.
Results will be HERE as soon as they are available. My flight is located HERE.

After I got back to my room the skies opened up - here's a bit of a taste of the tropical conditions this evening.

The next couple of days look less conducive to long tasks, but the Rat can be a trickster.

Tim

Woodrat Practice Day 1

Today was a great day in the Applegate Valley. I met up with Andy Palmer, Rob Sporrer, Nick Greece, and Matt Beechinor at the LZ. Tim drove us to launch and it looked good with cumulus clouds popping all around us. A couple students were in the air for a while and managed to find some lift at launch elevation, but it took an hour or so for the cycles to start, weakly, coming up the face of launch.
I launched first and managed to find a weak thermal that teased me as I drifted around the area trying to get up. I was able to hang for 15 minutes when I found a bubble that took me to 4500' and gave me the freedom to look around for a boomer. Meanwhile Farmer and Nick had launched but they immediately had to deal with a down cycle. Rob and Andy and (the other)Tim launched a few minutes later and also had problems getting up.

I was fortunate to be high enough to hang in the weak lift until Farmer worked his way up. We headed across to Rabies Ridge where we contacted some well formed convergence based lift. At this point Farmer headed out & I stayed with the lift until it topped out at 8600'. The clouds were still North and East of the direct course to Grant's Pass, but that's where we were going. I spent the next hour about 1/2 a thermal behind Farmer as we flew towards Grant's Pass. I feel bad because I really didn't contribute much to the flying, but it was a fun outing. We turned just short of Grant'sPass and decided to try to get back to Ruch. I was low man & wasn't willing to hike far (with my bum ankle) so I headed for a likely thermal trigger nearer the main road to Ruch. I got low and landed in a great field across the road from the Noble Dairy. After 45 minutes next to the road, displaying my 'GLIDER PILOT NEEDS RIDE' sign, Hector stopped to offer a ride. It was a fun day with a 24 mile flight in warm conditions. My flight track can be viewed HERE.

Tomorrow is registration day for the West Coast Paragliding Championships so I'll need to get back in time for that.

Tim

Dipshit

As in, "Tim can be a dipshit at times!" - I hope the reference isn't the 'despicable' definition!

I just returned from a working trip to Sydney and am preparing to head North to the WCPC (West Coast Paragliding Championships) in Ruch, Oregon. While on my layover in Sydney I had an embarrassing 'slip & fall' accident that caused considerable chaos within the confines of my left ankle. I had an xray done and today my Ortho-guy (yeah, I have a guy) gave me the good news that I did, indeed cause a small fracture where the tendon pulled away from the bone, but it will heal well and all I need to do is wear a splint to inhibit any further damage while it heals. He prescribed walking and said I'll be good to go hiking in a week. So, I'm using the DS word to describe me injuring myself this close to the comp - not my intention to fly it ♣


What this means to me, is that it's "GO" for the WCPC next week.

I'll be flying my Gradient Avax XC2 in this comp because I have had only two short flights on my (newly purchased) Boom 5.

I enjoy flying the Woodrat area because the flying is very technical. Pilots need to plan the flight and read the conditions as they change throughout the period of the task. Valley winds, areas of convergence that run for miles, and massive areas of sink, are all variables that can either make or break you. I've flown 3 or 4 comps in the area now and am looking forward to it.

The Ten-Day-Forecast for the Woodrat area looks a bit wet. I hope that this is an indication of great clouds, rather than a week of rain. It still looks good enough to get some flying in early and mid-week.

I'll be blogging as usual.

Tim

BAPACompetition - Dunlap, Part Deux

Saturday the task was from Hill 49917 to Last Chance to Bald Mtn. to GOAL at ROC124 (Rocky Hill - East of Visalia)total dist.73km. My flight is HERE.

I felt like things were ready to go today, in spite of the fact that I have flown almost no XC flights this season. This was the first successful gathering for a BAPA comp. so I had concentrated on my gear and proper preparations for the day.

I launched early and found some weak lift. Within 25 min. the rest of the field was filing into the sky and filling the weak thermals. The start was a 1.5km ENTRY cylinder around Hill 49917 - then run in to tag the 400meter cylinder around 49917 for the first turnpoint. Today I seemed to do everything the hard way. The things that worked out well, I managed to screw up with bad decisions. I am very happy that I got this stuff out of my system during today's task. . .

Anyway the start was at 1pm and by then I'd been working high point - just surfing around on top of the various thermals. With 7 minutes to the start, and about 4 minutes to beginning my run at the cylinder, I got flushed badly and watched as my high aspect ratio buddies (high above me) made their run at the start. I climbed up a bit and decided that there would be lift on the hill, so I made the start cylinder only to be skunked on Hill 49917. I retreated all the way back to 1000' below the launch before I regained some lift and got back into the race. At this point I accepted that I was at least 20 minutes behind the leaders (35 minutes into the race) and that the pace of the day was going to be slow anyway - so I plodded along using all the traffic ahead of me as aid.

I flew along with just about everybody today as I worked my way back into the running. Eventually I got to Bald Mtn. and could see Josh, Jug, Tom, Kansas, and Will circling slowly in weak lift on top of Bald. Will & I collaborated for a while and watched as the others all began their glides into the Squaw Valley and down Sand Creak Rd. For a long time Will and I just circled in 1's and zeros waiting for somebody to start circling in lift ahead. Josh was able to find a weak bubble and survive, but the rest all landed in the same area along the road. Will and I slowly advanced towards Josh, who was patiently loitering to let us catch up.

I seemed to be tiring more than I expected and realized that my harness straps had loosened and I was in "full-recline" mode which meant I had been essentially doing sit-ups for the last 2 hours. My patience with the 1-200fpm lift was waning so I headed to a lift trigger for better. Bad idea. I ended up low & alone circling to survive for the last 3 miles or so. Will made it a bit farther and Josh landed just short of Goal - an impressive solo flight.

I landed in a tight field next to Geo. Smith Rd. and was soon joined by a herd of kids. They all wore traditional Amish garb and were both shy and extremely curious. The oldest brought me a cup of Lemonade that really hit the spot.

I made it to the road and put my thumb out for the 10 mile ride to the pizza joint and the first truck that came by stopped. Thank you Naomi for nagging your husband until he reluctantly stopped to keep you quiet ;-)

I placed 3rd for the day. Considering the way it started, it was a good outcome.

Lessons learned (some of them repeat lessons, since I'm slow):

1. Don't get in a hurry and make bad decisions that slow you down ultimately.
2. Stay with your buddies. It is especially important within 10 minutes of the start and when entering an area of weak lift that requires searching.
3. Remember that a race where no one makes goal is a race of survival - the pace you fly can determine your score for the day.

Sunday the task was a few laps of the valley, then out to Dalton Mtn. and back to goal at the Ranger Stn. My flight is HERE. Most hit the first 2 turnpoints but got snookered after Dan's when we went to get up at last chance. At one point there were 7 or 8 of us all ridge soaring this diminutive hill before each of us dropped into the field at the bottom. Josh and Kansas made it farther along the course - not sure where they landed.

Results for the weekend are HERE.
A good warmup for next week's Nats.

Tim

Musings

Everyone who lives dies, yet not everyone who dies, has lived. We take these risks not to escape life, but to prevent life escaping us.

One of my fellow PG Forumers has this as his tagline. I like it, even if it sounds a bit trite. At the age of 53, I'm probably ripe for a midlife 'crisis' of some kind, but there are no Harleys, affairs with 25-yr-olds, or tattoos in my near future. I imagine that's because I still feel alive and young enough that death is either going to come spectacularly, or much later on. . .

I guess you could call me a flyer - I've flown some form of aircraft since I was 14 yrs old. For the last 35 years I've made my living flying airplanes. Now, as a 747 pilot I'm more of a manager and less of a pilot. I fly 15 hour international flights that guarantee that I will be tired when making the approach and landing. For that reason, I employ automation and procedures to minimize the opportunity for error. I guess that's why I fly these crazy paraglider competitions.

My slick little paraglider is undoubtedly the lowest performance aircraft I've ever flown - although flying one is the closest thing to spreading my wings and just flying. Paragliders are the easiest aircraft to learn to fly but they take quite a while to learn to fly well. And flying cross country flights is very challenging. I think the challenge is where it's at for me. The focusing nature of being no more than 20 minutes from landing, unless you find lift, keeps me consumed in concentration until I cross the goal line. As I've said before, this sport can seem very trivial to those that 'don't get it' - and I understand. It's just like me 'not getting' why somebody would want to collect Beany Babies . . .

But it doesn't make the impact on my life any less that you, or my wife, don't understand why I do it. My wife does understand (from experience) that if I don't get to fly for a week or two, I get edgy and restless. And I think that she intuitively understands that I need to get into the air - as much as I need to breath the stuff.

What's my point? I don't know, really. I just had my 15 yr. old hound-dog put out of his misery this week. . . He lived a full life and crawled into the garden to die under his favorite tree. I think he was satisfied with his life and lived until he was ready to die. I wish the same for us all.

Tim

Cuesta Today

Today I met Patrick, Jesse, and Eric for a quick flight at the Cuesta Grade. The air felt good and the cycles were nicely rolling up the hill so we all got airborne before 1 P.M. and flew a few flights with top landings in between. I was able to get up high enough to head over to the TV towers and look closely at the guy-wires.


First Flight at Cuesta 2009 from Tim O'Neill on Vimeo.

This is my first flight using the Helmet Hero camera.

The video isn't riveting, but it was a fun flight.

Tim

Project time

The weather has been very nice here, lately, but the prevailing winds have been North to NE and that doesn't provide good flying weather.

I have been looking over my gear with an eye towards the next season of XC & competitions:

MY WING - Gradient Avax XC2: Has about 95 hours on it now but is in very good shape. I'm so happy with the wing that I'm going to fly it for another season. The temptation to jump to a comp wing has raised it's ugly head a couple times lately but I'm going to stay with the Avax XC2 because it has great performance and good safety. Gradient has graciously provided me with a new lineset and I plan to put these lines on in March.

MY HARNESS - Airwave Ram Race Has about 125 hours on it and it is still doing its job. After flying at high altitudes in Chelan and the Owens Valley, last year, I am tempted to try a pod. I found the cold - at altitude - to be a slight detriment to my performance. I'm also ready for the slight decrease in aerodynamic drag that a pod can offer.

UPDATE: See the results HERE.

Because I'm very happy with the Airwave Ram-Race that I'm flying, and because it is very clean aerodynamically, I'm going to do a bit of experimenting with an "add-on" pod from UP. I'm hoping that this will satisfy my needs for a season before I jump to another harness. The price is reasonable and I will report on my progress when the pod arrives. Here is what it will look like, I hope. (click on pic for larger view)




MY GEAR Is still working well and I am very comfortable with its use, so I don't plan to upgrade from my Flytec 5020 and Garmin GPS 76S. I'll be carrying my SPOT again this year. The Reserve that I purchased last year (a GIN ONE-G reserve) is still in good shape.

Last year's flying was filled with great experiences and the guys and girls that are flying the comp scene are the best. I am still learning - still challenged - still motivated to do more, and do it better. So this year I'm going to fly as much as possible again.

Recap of the '08 season

This year I chose to put some time & effort into attending as many paragliding competitions as I could work into my otherwise, fairly full life. My wife, Mary, has been very supportive & patient with my single-mindedness. I spent a lot of time flying to familiarize myself with my new wing, the Gradient AVAX XC2, a very nice wing with increased performance and a dream to fly. Rated EN-C, it is able to hold its own with most DHV 2/3 gliders. I also spent a lot of time reading everything I could get my hands on. My reading list included "Secrets of Champions", "Psyched to Win", "Deep Survival", and "Thermal Flying for PG & HG Pilots."

In addition, I compiled some Tips from Competition Pilots off the PG Forum that have given me much to think about. I also found a great resource online at John Cochrane's Glider page.


The results tell a tale -

In Jan '08 I went to Australia to fly the Killarney Classic where I flew my Aspen 2 to 39th place. The flying was primarily flatland flying which was very unfamiliar to me. I learned a lot & even though my results were dismal, I set a personal best of 71 miles when I made goal on the last task. This flying helped to prepare me for Chelan, later in the year.

In June I went to Ruch, Oregon to fly the West Coast Paragliding Championships where I made goal only once. I placed 29th overall and 11th in the Serial class. This was my first comp flying the Avax XC2 and had only 15 hours on it at that time.

In July I went to Chelan, WA for the Chelan XC Open - A pre-PWC event and the Canadian Nat's. There I flew three tasks and made goal on two of them. I placed 35th overall, and 7th in the Serial class.

In September I went to Bishop, CA to fly the 2008 U.S. Nationals. I love flying in the Owens Valley & had a good competition, although we only flew two tasks. One task, of over 100k. had me on final glide with the lead gaggle - placing 15th & only a couple minutes out of the leaders. I placed 22nd overall and 7th in the Serial Class. I also had one of my all-time best flights, on the practice day, from Walt's launch on the Sierra side of the valley. I flew, mostly alone, for 64 miles along the high Sierra to Bishop with wonderful views along the way.

I've had good results in the Northern CA XC League. My Avax XC2 is an EN-C rated wing which put me in the "Cat 2" group. This year I placed 5th overall (behind very good pilots on competition wings) and 1st in my category, ahead of all other DHV2/3 and DHV2 wings. Most of all, I had a great time flying with the BAPA pilots that regularly make these events. I have learned a lot from Josh, Eric & Eric, as well as many other pilots who have flown these events. I've also made an effort to help other pilots who are getting familiar with their equipment and the rigors of XC competition.

The tale, that I think is indicated by the results, is that the more I fly, the more proficient and consistent my flying becomes. I flew my Avax XC2 over 1,500km. (930 miles) in 33 flights - My comfort with the whole comp preparation and planning has also increased during this season.

I'm really looking forward to next year. The US schedule isn't out yet but I will, again, try to fly many comps to improve my flying skills and achieve consistent results..

Fly a lot - fly safe.

Tim

US Nat'ls Bishop, CA - Day 3 - Task 2 - Canceled

CLICK PHOTO FOR LARGER VERSION

The forecast for the day looked a bit windy but the conditions at launch were encouraging. The wind on the valley floor, at the Bishop airport, was calm & we had cumulus clouds forming nicely over the Sierras and the Whites. A task was called early that took us North from launch, along the White range, with a turnpoint in the flats at the Paiute LZ and Hammil then to Benton at the North end of the Whites. The task was short at 49.8km.(31 miles) but would have us on the deck before the wind picked up. . .

The start was a multi-gate start, every 20 minutes beginning with a 11:45 start and ending with a 1:05 start. The goal would close at 4pm.

Some of the wind techs were hanging on but not getting up at 11:45. I wanted to get in the air before the wind picked up so I got in line, only to step out when nearing the launch point. I waited 15 minutes and saw some weak climbs out front, so I launched into the fray. The lift was very weak but I was able to get to about 1500' over launch. The thermals seemed to break apart at this altitude so, for the next 40 minutes, I just boated around in disorganized lift and a 10-20 mph wind from the South. The clouds were beginning to overdevelop with virga visible so being in the air much longer wasn't going to be fun. The task was officially cancelled at 12:20 or so. A couple guys, with more hunger than I, were able to get away & they flew downwind along the Whites. I think most landed down in the Paiute LZ. I landed after the launch director reported strong winds at launch, around 12:46pm.

It's a bit disappointing because the day looked quite good for a while. The forecast for tomorrow still calls for some 10kts of South wind and cloud cover for much of the valley.

I must say that I am still impressed by the handling, performance, and safety of my Gradient Avax XC2. It has been solid in some very dynamic air. I'm really happy with it after flying 80+ hours & 1300km. in 4 major competitions and many more weekend events.

Tim

Dunlap BAPA Comp - August 9-10

The weather forecast for the Dunlap area called for light winds and good thermals to 6500' so I was looking forward to the weekend. Patrick from SLO joined me for the ride up & put up with my snoring in the pop-up.

The turnout was good, with all the regulars and a few first-timers. Jonas from SoCal (and the PG forum) was there and Greg B. made the weekend too. We also had Kaya and Ruth, who were very helpful in the role of retrieve drivers. Thanks ladies!

The first day's task was a variation on the usual valley tour and then a 16k leg from Bald Mtn. to Gage Station in the flats. After tagging Gage a 22k leg took us over Kaktus on the way to the pizza place in Squaw Valley. 68.6 Km. total.

I had a good start, but was a bit low at the first turnpoint (Sontag) - this didn't slow me much though, as I was fortunate to find a nice climb. I flew just behind the leaders for the first three turnpoints and then got slowed for a bit in front of the Dunlap Launch on my way to Bald Mtn. I took my time & got up high for the transition to Bald Mtn. I was able to cut the corner & went ahead of a few of the guys ahead of me until I got to Bald. There I overflew, without knowing it, Josh & Eric who had dirted while leading out. If I'd known they weren't ahead of me I might have taken a bit more time. . .

Anyway, Kansas was down low ahead of me on his brand new baby-blue Boom 5 and he made a great low save to continue on course. I flew by him but took a dumb line & got hammered by sink that took me to the ground about 5 Km. from the Gage Stn. turnpoint. Jug joined me about 10 minutes later and Tom M. was close. Kansas and Patrick (nice job!) managed to hit the Gage turnpoint before landing. Greg B. and Eric B. managed to get close to the Kaktus turnpoint to win the day with no one in goal.


SUNDAY
A few of us voiced our opinions that, although it is fun to fly tasks that are long, it would be preferable to have tasks that get 20-30% of us in goal. It is more enjoyable and educational to have 'doable' tasks. I like long tasks, but this league is not just to challenge those of us on 2/3 and comp wings; it's also to promote and teach the techniques, tactics, and logistics of XC competition flying. I'm an example of a pilot who has benefited by participating and learning from the likes of Josh, Eric & Dean. Even when I was flying my Sport 2 and landing short of goal, I was learning. It is frustrating to never get to goal though & I'm glad today's task was a reasonable length that also was technical enough to make decision making as important as the longer tasks.

The task set was 42 Km. in length and had us fly from Launch to Hill 49917 to Turkey to Sontag, across to Airstrip then to Delilah and Sampson on the main ridge, then over to Bald Mtn. & then to the Ranger Stn.

I launched about 45 minutes before the 12:30 start time & got high until the start. I hit the cylinder right on time & got to the first 3 turnpoints in the lead gaggle. The transition from Sontag to Airstrip was a 6 Km. glide & I really didn't want to arrive low over Granny. When Greg B. Josh, Eric R. and Kansas all headed across, I started to follow but REALLY didn't like the look of my chances so I turned to the ridge & climbed out in front of launch. The decision was conservative and slower, but it was validated when I arrived over the airstrip & saw a couple of the leaders folding up their gliders in a field short of the fix.

I soon was climbing up again to cross the valley to tag Sampson & Delilah (behind launch). I could see Josh & Eric but there was no way I was going to catch them so I took it a bit slower to assure goal. Eric was on his way to Bald (going West) as I approached 49917 (heading East to Delilah) and showed me the thermal of the Day. 800'/min. to 7400' put me in good stead for the loop to hit Sampson & Delilah without needing to stop for lift & then refueled me for the last leg to Bald & the Ranger Stn. I left the lift with 6.5:1 and there was enough lift to bring the L/D required to 5:1 so I was on as much speed-bar as I could stand for the final glide.

I placed 3rd for the day & Eric B. (a very good pilot) made me feel good when he said he was working hard to catch me on his Ice Peak but couldn't catch me. Today I feel like I flew smart and fast. This has been my goal for the season - to learn to fly with the comp wings and fly fast but know when to let them go.

It was a lot of fun flying with the group and Patrick flew great.

My Sat. Flight is HERE and my Sun. flight is HERE

Scores will be HERE on Tuesday night - So far, I think I'm leading the Serial Class!

A great weekend.

Tim

Chelan XC Open - Day 1 - Task 1

Chelan Day One - Task 1

Today's forecast looked very good so anticipation was high at launch. We assembled a bit early to ensure that the rides to the top were adequate for the entire group. That meant that we spent two and a half hours killing time, socializing, checking out set-up, then checking it again. The lift forecast called for lower top-of-climbs than Saturday, but the winds aloft were forecast to be light until the Souterlies kicked in later. I took some time to review my goal for the day & this contest in particular. The flats can be tricky when the winds kick in and cloud bands can also require a gear change until the lift increases. My goals for the day were to get to goal & not make mistakes that put me in a "hole" that delays or dirts me. . .

The task was a short one - 63 kilometers (38 miles) that took us East to Simms Junction then North to Leahy. I launched early and got up easily, about 50 minutes before the start time. The thermals got rather crowded and tense prior to the start but sense prevailed. My start was spot on, I wasn't high guy but I was in the front and plenty high when I made it to the rim on the other side of the Columbia. None of the gliders ahead were turning in lift so I headed North a bit to reach a few gliders turning in weak lift. This turn took me to a sunny area and cut the corner so I made up some time on all the guys ahead of me who, eventually, came over also. Things went well for the next 20 miles & I wasn't far behind the lead gaggle until I got within 5 miles of Simms.

There was quite a shuffle in the lead gaggle as Marty, Dean, and many others got low & eventually landed near the turn-point. A few caught a ripper while many gliders were dirting in the shadow over Simms so I changed gears and took any & all climbing opportunities so that I could stay in the air until the sun-band came along. The low climb rate allowed the wind to take me NW (downwind) of the course line, which was very frustrating to watch, but I needed to stay in the air to make goal, so I took the slow climbs. Eventually my patience paid off & I caught a ripper that allowed me to get high enough to penetrate to the Simms turnpoint and turn back to the lift.

The wind that had been my nemesis for 35 minutes then became my friend. I climbed to 7000' and saw 7:1 glide required to goal, so I headed to goal. I pushed full speed-bar and kept it in until the end of the speed section 11 kilometers later. At times I saw 75 kM (46 mph) groundspeed.

The goal had many pilots already in the field but it was nice to start the comp with a flight to goal. I don't know the standings yet, but the scores will be HERE. It sounds like Jeff Wishney won the day and there were 25-30 in goal. I'm currently in 4th in the Serial class & 26th overall.

My flight is HERE.

The Tuesday forecast looks marginal due to winds, but I'll be ready if we fly.

Tim

BAPA comp at Potato Hill 5/17-18

I made the long drive to Potato Hill this weekend to tune up my head and my gear for the upcoming summer comp season. The weather was calling for a high pressure with high valley temps but my XC skies forecast was showing good lift to 11000 to 12000'.

The turnout was very good with 20-25 pilots crammed into the launch area. It was hot enough that when I saw any likelihood that I would find a climb, I launched. I explored the area for 45 minutes before the start & tried to map the best lift sources. I had only one local flight at Potato Hill before this weekend, so I was watching some pilots who had flown the area before.

I flew with Tom before the start & we headed over to the start cylinder at SNOLO with 10 minutes to the start. We searched in vain for the thermal we had climbed in earlier and had to grovel back to the launch to climb back up for a late start. It was frustrating to blow the start that badly, but we made good time after the start and it was a long task so we weren't too stressed. We made the obligatory short valley crossings and then headed out on the long leg to Paskenta. We joined Eric B. on his new IcePeak and team flew for 15 miles or so. We really had to switch gears when the climbs over the low ground became 200-300 fpm and topped out at 7000'.

As we approached Paskenta we each took a different line. Eric, with the extra glide on his comp wing, was able to glide to the turnpoint high enough to find a bubble that got him up a bit. Tom headed in on a death glide to the TP and floated along at 300-400' agl (and in 90* temps) for a kilometer or so before landing. I took a line West of the turnpoint to fly a rocky escarpment about 1000' tall. I hit it with about 500' of clearance and immediately found a nice thermal that put 1000' in the bank before breaking up. I considered hanging around the spot until it cycled again, but Eric was going up right over the turnpoint so I made for the cylinder. By the time I got there Eric was up & gone so I tagged to point, moved to some low hills & hoped for some help. I overflew Tom & made a couple kilometers before landing in a grassy field.

Altogether I flew about 78 kilometers (48 miles) and placed 5th or 6th for the day.

CLICK PHOTO TO VIEW FLIGHT

Sunday the temps were a little cooler and we all got to launch earlier that Sat. About 10 pilots were unable to launch on Sat. due to a convergence that brought the wind over the back and shut down the launch. Needless to say, noone wanted to get stuck on launch in the heat today. A short task was called with a couple of valley crossings and then a straight shot over Indian to Stoneyford.

I launched early again and flew around for 30 minutes before getting into the leader gaggle. I had a good start but didn't like the way the guys looked as they crossed to HAPPY. I turned to get a higher climb over Snowy Mtn. and this put me about 7 minutes behind the leaders, but higher than them so the real impact was only 3-4 minutes. I considered this a good trade that early in the task since some pilots were sinking out in the valley. I joined up with Jug & Will (on my Aspen2 - he's buying it) and Tom to fly the last 10 miles of the 20 mile task. I missed one good climb & lost Tom but was able to feel the exhilaration of driving to goal on full bar watching the GPS "L/D required to goal" teeter between failure and success.

There was a general store across the street from the goal so we all indulged in beverages. It reminded me of the Australian tasks I flew that terminated at a goal field across from a pub.

In all, the weekend went very well. We had one pilot get stuck in a bad spot and he had a hard landing with some spinal compression, but it sounds like he has a good prognosis for recovery.

Personally, I'm happy with the outcome of the weekend but I made some glaring mistakes and am still amazed how quickly I fall behind the 'big-boys' as they charge off on course. I have a lot of room to improve my technique.

Saturday's flight is HERE
Sunday's flight is HERE

Results will be listed HERE

Tailwinds,
Tim

Flying with the Eagles

CLICK FOR LARGER PHOTO

The weekend of May 3-4 I headed to Santa Barbara to attend a Paragliding Competition Clinic put on by Rob Sporrer at Eagle Paragliding in Santa Barbara. Josh Cohn & Dean Stratton, both US Nat'l Champions, were the instructors. I didn't really know what to expect from a clinic of this type, but I hoped to get some info that would help me get consistent finishes.

Josh & Dean are not only great pilots. They also are great guys who are generous with their time & knowledge. The class consisted of 5 pilots. Most had not competed in any comps so the GPS and navigating the course were the emphasis. The first day we covered some of the basics and called a task at Marshall (San Bernardino). We continued to talk during the 2.5 hour drive to the site. I'd never flown at Marshall before and looked forward to the new site.

When we arrived at launch it felt a bit brisk but lower on the launch it felt reasonable between thermic cycles so Josh launched first to check conditions. He reported back that things were OK so I suited up & was soon climbing to 6000'. The course was around 25km with a 3pm start time. I managed a good start & flew around the course. The conditions were great & some of the climbs were the best I've seen since last Summer. My flight is HERE. More photos of the group are HERE.

I learned a lot and spent time talking & flying with guys that have skills I hope to someday develop. The grin you see on my face in the photo above says it all - Thanks to Josh Cohn for the pics.

A good couple of days.

Cuesta Today

Cuesta today didn't live up to my hype. In fact, it looked pretty bad when Patrick, Eric & Sharon, Jim Wells & I got to launch at noon. The wind was blowing over the back at 5-10 kts. . .

Everybody left & I hung out because I needed to fly & I'm an optimist who enjoys chillin' in the sun ;-) The wind died by 1:15, and by 2pm the cycles started coming up the ridge.

I laid out & waited for a good cycle at 2:15 - I brought the wing up in a bit too strong a cycle & got the wing and lines a bit tangled in high scrub and spent 30 min. getting it cleared with the care a new wing with comp lines deserves. I finally got everything inspected & was in the air by 3. The lift was very broken & seemed to top out at 2000' (200' over launch). I spent much of the day below launch but lift was everywhere I needed it.. I made 5 or 6 circuits of the basin out in front of launch at times down to 200' above landing in the fields down by the Eucalyptus grove. The most dependable lift of the day was over the spot where I eventually top-landed. I flew for 90 minutes before top landing. Because the height of lift was so limited, it was a constant battle the whole time with little time to sightsee. There was still lift when I landed around 4:45pm. My flight is HERE.

As I hiked up to my truck, I passed a young couple parked up by my truck, they asked about my flight. We talked for a bit & it turns out he had just asked her to marry him & she had accepted. I wished them well & wondered, as I hiked to my truck, how anybody could look happier than those two did. . .

A good day -

Tim