FlyBC "Site of the Day Archives" - November /2004
Vancouver
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| /1000' (stable) | 2700 ft. |
Woodside Report - one flight around 1:30 pm. Sled ride, but still flyable at the end of November!
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| /1000' (stable) 2700 ft.
Woodside Report - Andy, Darren and Justin flew a few flights before it turned tail at launch. I was a bit jealous as I was driving in a blinding snowstorm over the Malahat on Van Isle, while they were flying.
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| /1000' (stable) 2700 ft.
Woodside Report - an exceptional day! Keeners Darren and Justin flew in with Andy at 8:45 am.
After that each time I went up I had more pilots in the F-150. Darren flew 5 flights, Justin 6.
Natalia and Alex flew 4 flights, new student Rafet flew three flights (his first 3 solos, after 3 tandems last week).
Norm and Andy both soared above launch, as did Colleen. Norm was impressive, sinking down low . . so low, before riding one above launch! Lots of pilots all day, perhaps 50 flights in all.
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| /1000' (stable) 2400 ft.
Woodside/Bridal Report - Woodside was in the clouds so we went up to the North Launch area and it was blowing over the back. We headed back to launch and it was still socked in so we headed to Bridal. Bridal was in the clear, lots of snow on the road but we made it to launch easily in the F-150. Unfortunately, it was blowing over the back there too. We heard pilots had launched at Woodside; Martin H (Mr. Atos), Garry and Andy. So we raced back and again it was blowing over the back but Garry managed to get off, so I followed him off too. It was too cloudy for safe flying so everyone else drove down. Sunday looks better for upper level winds.
|  Garry's last flight of the day into the Golden Sunset
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| /1000' (stable) 2500 ft.
Woodside Report - it was flyable until noon, then the rain came down. Heavy rainfall in Vancouver.
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| /1000' (stable) 2500 ft.
Woodside Report - low cloudbase and windy until 1:30 pm. Just as it cleared, the rain started to sprinkle so I headed back to Vancouver.
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| /1000' (stable) 2500 ft.
Woodside Report - wet, wetter and very wet according to Alan. Huge puddles and lakes in fields.
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| Savona Forecast: a mix of sun and cloud. Wind west 20 km/h becoming light in the afternoon. High plus 3 /1000' (stable) 2500 ft.
Lots of rain locally, possible someone bagged a sledder mid afternoon at Woodside.
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| Savona Forecast: Periods of snow ending in the morning then a mix of sun and cloud. Wind west 20 km/h becoming light in the afternoon. High plus 3 /1000' (stable) 2500 ft.
Savona Report - no pilot reports but it looked good from the NOAA reports. |
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| /1000' (stable) 2500 ft.
Woodside Report - a few keeners got three flights today, with the last flights being soarable amongst the forming clouds. Julie logged another flight early, but missed the window for the second flight.
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| /1000' (stable) 2700 ft.
Woodside Report - we started at 10:30 am, heading up the mountain as soon as the fog cleared. Andy had already flown one flight! The Suburban was very full on most trips up, as everyone was out for that last November sled-ride. Julie logged her first two solo flights in light conditions on her Prima, and did a fabulous job on launching and landings. By 4:00 pm it had gone catabatic and only Alex W and I launched for more sled rides. Unfortunately for Alex, I was on Natalia's wing and as I stunted my way out and into the LZ, Colleen was talking on the radio like it was Natalia and Alex was "freaking out a bit" (all in good fun!). Super training conditions.
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| /1000' (stable) 2700 ft.
Woodside Report - when I arrived Andy was way up high, freezing cold. He landed to get a ride back get gloves and to re-launch. I launched first and struggled to get above launch but finally did get up with Thomm skimming cloudbase. Eventually Norm, Bev, Jim M, also joined us. I top-landed once to retrieve my Suburban, then relaunched when I saw how well everyone was doing, almost sinking out. Then top-landed again on the south slope above the stumps.
|  Bev above launch!
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| /1000' (stable) 2300 ft.
Lower Mainland Weather - windy, stormy and wet! The traffic reporter on News 1130 was quite excited about the bumpy air in the AM!
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| /1000' (stable) 5500 ft.
Woodside Report - we started flying at 10:00 am, Justin and Darren logged 3 flights with some thermals. Andy was soaring with the birds near the south knoll. Definitely leeside, but launchable through to 3:00 pm before it started blowing over the back. Then we went paramotoring with Ed and Rodric, Ed was first getting in the air on the LaMouette trike for his first powered flight with a perfect takeoff and landing. Rodric was doing well with inflations but didn't feel confident enough to power up as the wing felt funny to him. The clip-ins are much higher on a motor and it loads up differently. He will be up next time easily.
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| /1000' (stable) 2500 ft.
No pireps, most pilots were at the WCSC Meeting tonight electing Nicole as the new prez.
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| /1000' (stable) 2500 ft.
Woodside Report - I suspect it got flyable later in the day, Vancouver was beautiful with some winds from the SW. No pireps at this time.
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| /1000' (stable) 2500 ft.
Woodside Report - Andy hiked out a vintage Seagull HG he found while logging the past few weeks. We are stripping it for wind poles and assorted hardware. The fabric is shot but the only damage looked like a bent downtube. Anyone out there know who left it down there?
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| /1000' (stable) 2500 ft.
Woodside Report - despite forecasts of sunny breaks, we waited and worked on launch all day. We went down for tools and lunch and cloudbase never got high enough. GarryGPS found his way off launch around 3:30 pm but we finally gave up and sent everyone home. Colleen drove to Agassiz around 3:45 pm to get some grub and she said launch cleared by then but everyone had headed home.
|  Shot by Garry Hachey, nice "VFR on top" conditions Woodside Work Party Report - not a lot to do but trim some brush, move some logs down slope and rake some rocks. But thanks to everyone who came out. I sprinkled some grass seed around but we need more. I think AstroTurf in a 48'x48' layout area in a nice green would look great with a 12' runway down the slope. Donations will be accepted as the Club has over-run the budget.
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| /1000' (stable) 3800 ft.
Woodside Report - occasionally gusty, Agassiz was reporting NE winds at up to 50+ km/hr. Andy was motoring at Eagle Ranch for his first 3 flights (which went well).
| Woodside Report II - I popped one flight off of the Woodside launch yesterday at about 2:00 or 2:30 ... the wind gusts were quieted as the clouds rolled in and conditions were quite calm and stable ... sweet sled ride! Landed at Riverside L/Z. Saw Andy muckin around with his motor-glider on your property from launch ... Also ... after having Joe ferry me back up to my car, I decided to enjoy the solitude up there (all alone) so I raked the south end of the launch quite thoroughly ... is as smooth as a virgin's bum now!! - Kent Rodler
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| /1000' (stable) 3800 ft.
Sumas Report - we arrived at 10:00 am to collect our students and headed uo to launch. The bridge between the LZ and launch is closed so you have to drive all the way to Whatcom Road and then back east on North Parallel Road to Sumas Mtn road. We also had to hike from the gate in to the towers. A lot of work! But worth it! All of us flew, I launched first tandem with Julioe and got 150 meters over launch soaring nicely in moderately strong winds, then we started getting tossed around a bit so we headed out over the highway and soared all the way to the golf course east of Vedder Canal and landed near the clubhouse. Barry flew after us and found it smoother, so all the students flew (Justin, Ian H, Darren) and finally Colleen launched in light down cycles and flew almost all the way to Whatcom Road where we went for sushi lunch.
|  Justin heading out to the Sumas LZ near Vedder Canal Elk Report - we heard Eddie was at launch early and it was coming straight in. No other reports. Woodside Report - we saw the excavator at launch at 8:00 am working, no progress report at 7:30 pm.
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| /1000' (stable) 2400 ft.
Woodside Report - we tried to fly in the PM but it was howling over the back at launch. Good kiting practice in Eagle Ranch in 20-30 km gusts for new students Darren and Justin (who did very well!).
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| /1000' (stable) 2400 ft.
Woodside Report - no pireps.
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| /1000' (stable) 2400 ft.
Woodside Report - the webcam showed some sunny breaks around 1:00 pm, but no pireps rec'd.
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| /1000' (stable) 2400 ft.
Woodside Report - a lazy day at the Ranch. Breakfast at White Spot, pick up lumber at Rona, plan some renovations. Then go flying at 4:00 pm. Andy showed up after Bev and Norm, so Colleen and I took them up the hill. Light sprinkles of rain on the way up, but clearing from the west so we laid out as the fog was starting to form in the valley. Colleen launched first and did a few turns over her favourite thermal spot (no luck there), I headed to the cliff to the north (a few turns maintaining but not much there) and Andy headed pretty much straight out. As we flew over Duncan's the cloud was thickening up but you could see the ground thru it. Over Eagle Ranch there were holes in the cloud you could spiral down through to get below cloudbase (100 meters at best) into a no wind landing. The wings are drying out, as the grass was very wet.
Bev and Norm drove down, thanks. |
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| /1000' (stable) 2616 ft.
Woodside Report - it rained so hard that I had to use 4WD to back into the barn later in the day, very wet.
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| /1000' (stable) 2616 ft.
Woodside Report - I arrived to see Andy flying into Eagle Ranch (sled ride), followed by Barry and Thomm M. So we saddled up the refurbished Suburban and headed up. Alan had launched and was parked. Kevin A was waiting at launch for a lull (gusts to 35 kms!). But Alan was flying fine. Occasionally turning in thermals, then parked again. We waited for 30 minutes then drove down. As we were driving down there were big gusts in the tress, so I suggested Alan land at Harvest Market and Kevin went to get him. Later it was still gusting at launch. | Congratulations to Natalia who got 92% on her Novice Exam last night!
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| /1000' (stable) 2616 ft.
Woodside Report - Andy, Barry and Kent were out flying today, sled rides in super smooth buoyant air. I flew the last flight when Natalia graciously offered to drive for me, landing at the ranch just before dusk. Watch for logging operators at the turnoff to launch.
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| /1000' (stable) 2600 ft.
Woodside Report - first sunny day forecast for this week but it didn't materialize as expected. Andy logged one flight at 11:30 am, logging 28 minutes. After that everyone had 11-12 minute flights (no beeps, altitude is 2300 feet, sink rate 200 feet/min = 11 mins). Very stable conditions according to Alan.
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| /1000' (stable) 1900 ft.
Woodside Report - I was coming out to meet Mark J to setup the winch for him to take it back to the Island, and we saw Andy flying out from the mountain, going up all over the flats. He thought the air seemed strange, but we went up anyway.
| Mark offered to drive so off Andy and I went, as the clouds parted.  We were soaring the cloudbanks and they kept forming, and up we went. Andy headed over the back to land at Agassiz so Stacy could drive him back up to get his truck, and I kept soaring. A couple of times clouds formed in front of me and I had to fly crosswind to avoid them, getting pushed back behind launch. I headed out as the sun started to set. 
I took this picture on the way out to show how the clouds were forming up the gulleys. Interesting!
As I flew out to Eagle Ranch I had to go on full bar on the Keara to penetrate, but I was in light lift or zero sink all the way to the river. I flew over the river and was going up, then I started circling over the Ranch and was going up, but it was getting dark soon and the lights in Chilliwack were turning on. Then I hit the weird air Andy had encountered, very mixed up for the last 100 - 200 meters, flying at min sink to keep the glider from surging. Landed near the training hill to avoid the walk.
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| /1000' (stable) 1900 ft.
Vancouver Report - rain, rain, rain and it sure got dark early! Wednesday still looks promising.
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| /1000' (stable) 3800 ft.
Woodside Report - we drove down from Ashcroft early and we arrived to see gliders at launch! So we had lunch and watched until one PGer had launched and we raced up the hill to fly. A very nice one hour of ridge soaring getting up to 990 meters on the north cliffs. The picture below shows the traffic at launch.
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Andy heading out to the Ranch, but he headed back and got up again! Elk Report - Alan reported 1:30 in ridge and thermals, despite a gloomy hike in fog & snow. Ivan, Eddie, Chris H, Lee and Carl all flew in moderately strong conditions. Chelan Report - The Halloween party went well, believe or not Norm dressed up as a woman and was the ugliest woman there lol. I was a mechanic in Norm's greasy coveralls and grease on my face. When asked who I was I pointed to Norm and said her husband. Got a laugh from that. Russ Ondeck was a geisha lady and he looked awesome! Lynette was a Samauri. Saturday was blown out no one flew, Sunday people flew but it became windy, The people were landing @ lone pine, and some got up extremely high and headed for the park lz. Although it became really windy, probably gusting 40 mph. Norm couldn't land, he was going up 6 meters and he pulled b-line and everything and still couldn't get down, He ended up landing across the river on top of the mountain, Gary Hatchey went and got him. Of course I didn't fly, I sort of don't like strong winds gusting to 40. Anyway Gary flew and top landed before it got too windy. Jack did not fly we were concerned with the cat paws on the river and the ripples, @ lone pine people were experiencing ugly landing with rotor and collapses upon landing. The only canucks that were there that I knew were Jack, Gary, Kevin Alt, Derick and Martina, and your student Ian. There was a guy there that dressed up in Victoria Secret style outfit, that really turned some heads. The tiger bunch were the Muppets theme and sang the Muppet show song, they were real good, we have to come up with a real great theme for next year. I sure missed you guys it wasn't the same without you. Norm got his new Subaru, we pick it up after it clears customs on Thursday. (Jim are you going to the states on Thursday by any chance "grin?) His new car is nicer than his old one, it has roof racks, and even power windows and power steering. He is happy with it. You will of course see it when we come out your way. We came home on the number 20. Snow higher up, slipped a few times but 4x4 was good. Pretty up there, we went through manning and up through the ok border and through manning there was a bunch of snow, one vehicle was flipped and in the ditch. I hate snow! Other than the people I saw out there at the Chelan party there were hardly no canucks :( Anyway going to bed I am so tired after driving from Chelan to the border then back to Russ's while we dropped off the new car at his house, and then homeward. I haven't driven so far in a long while and am bagged Talk to you soon - Love Bev |
October 2004 Site of the Day archives more record rain, but sweet soaring between showers. Many new students signed up and making quick progress. We missed the Women's Fly In for the first time in 9 years, and there was some interesting flying on the Sunday!
September 2004 Site of the Day archives rainiest September on record for the first 3 weeks, made flying difficult. But Alan and others logged some pretty nice flights later in the month. Lots of student tandems for both Colleen and Jim.
August 2004 Site of the Day archives Great Maneuver/SIV/ACRO course at Mara. Jack got wet! Some great soaring at Woodside. Norm made it 68 km from Mara to King Eddie, Derek made it from Lumby to Enderby the opposite direction for 67 kms. We also did our BC roadtrip from Ashcroft to New Denver, and flew everyday.
July 2004 Site of the Day archives the Willi was on at Golden. We missed the mayhem due to work and school commitments but Norm did a great job representing the West Coast.
June 2004 Site of the Day archives Canadian Nationals came off with many great rounds. Pemberton-Whistler Championships were blown out most days so we headed to Cornwall.
May 2004 Site of the Day archives great flying at Woodside and Bridal. We held a very successful SIV Course at Mara Lake, and hope to run another one in August if they keep the forests open.
April 2004 Site of the Day archives good flying in the Valley. The Fraser Valley Cross Country PG Series was successssful.
March 2004 Site of the Day archives Nicole won in Brazil, otherwise the month sucked for flying time.
February 2004 Site of the Day archives some local flights extended to an hour with vigourous scratching above the trees. Good paramotor month.
January 2004 Site of the Day archives Mexican road trip yielded 20 hours of flight and a wet Canadian January kept most local pilots on the ground.
December 2003 Site of the Day archives we flew a few times but it got really cold at the end of the month as we prepared for a gala New Year's Party for 40 of our close personal friends and neighbours.
November 2003 Site of the Day archives windy and wet with the odd good soaring day, not many pilots out these days.
October 2003 Site of the Day archives Women's Fly In was great fun, some good soaring days mid-month, most of the students are signed off.
September 2003 Site of the Day archives good conditions until the last days of the month when it got stable. Most days were flyable at Woodside or Bridal.
August 2003 Site of the Day archives Forest closures made the end of the month a non-flying period unless you headed to Blanchard. FlyBC SIV 2003 was a great success with 9 stunt pilots and no deployments or crashes.
July 2003 Site of the Day archives we flew most days early at Woodside until it got windy, then over to Bridal. Good Golden flying reports from the "Willi".
June 2003 Site of the Day archives we flew most weekdays at Bridal, Woodside worked most weekends. Bridal Air Races had one great day with only two tree landings!
May 2003 Site of the Day archives not a great weather month on the coast, especially on the weekends but a few pilots managed to get some great airtime at Bridal. The Nationals were held in Lumby and it didn't rain!
April 2003 Site of the Day archives rain for 28 of 30 April days, but we managed to get a few flights in between showers. Even the golfers were complaining!
March 2003 Site of the Day archives some high spring flights in early March, but not a great weather month. Still no HPAC Insurance!
February 2003 Site of the Day archives some nice long spring flights in late February. HPAC Insurance expired on Feb 14, so many pilots stayed home instead of getting USHGA coverage.
January 2003 Site of the Day archives lots of rain all month in BC so we bailed and headed to Tapalpa Mexico for three weeks. Norm and Lucille had a great XC flight the first day we arrived.
December 2002 Site of the Day archives lots of rain all month.
November 2002 Site of the Day archives not a great flying month, lots of rain in the beginning and then super stable and inverted for the balance of the month. Even the Savona Road Trip wasn't that great. Looking forward to Mexico!
October 2002 Site of the Day archives Still soarable some days, great fun at the Women's Fly In 2002 in Chelan. Allan logged 15 hours and only flew a few days. Most of the students are ready for signoff soon to get ready for Mexico trips!
September 2002 Site of the Day archives Still soarable most everyday! Some scary incidents at Woodside. Fun flying at Ashcroft.
August 2002 Site of the Day archives More spring-like days with super lapse rates, great fun up-country at Revelstoke and Mara, with some good XCs for all.
July 2002 Site of the Day archives Some spring-like days with super lapse rates, but still rather wet at times.
June 2002 Site of the Day archives another rainy and windy month with great lapse rates, some great flights at Bridal with some getting above Cheam Peak. The Club Cup was nearly rained out but they got one valid task in on Sunday June 30.
May 2002 Site of the Day archives an extremely rainy month with the more spring mayhem, another reserve deployment at Lil Nick and a pilot crashed at the top of Deroche Mountain, uninjured but with a ripped glider and long hike down the mountain. Colleen placed 5th place at the Canadian PG Nationals in rainy Lumby!
April 2002 Site of the Day archives a rainy month with the usual spring mayhem, one reserve deployment at Woodside and a pilot hit a parked car at Bridal LZ, fracturing his leg.
March 2002 Site of the Day archives a few great days days with lots of snow and rain mixed in.
February 2002 Site of the Day archives two epic days already (4.5 hours and 2.5 hours!).
January 2002 Site of the Day archives Mexico vacation shots, some local flying but it was wet on the coast.
December 2001 Site of the Day archives pretty stable locally, wettest December on record, some good days sprinkled thru the month.
November 2001 Site of the Day archives pretty stable locally, had some good days at Woodside +2 hours, lots of rain later in the month.
October 2001 Site of the Day archives pretty stable locally, but great flying at Chelan at the Women's Fly In.
September 2001 Site of the Day archives starting to get pretty stable, more sled rides forecast for October.
Aug 2001 Site of the Day archives Mara, Bridal, till some great flights locally
July 2001 Site of the Day archives Road Trip Month, Golden, Mara, points east!
June 2001 Site of the Day archives Great Month, 3 hours of airtime for some pilots every time they flew Bridal Lower! Some getting up to 6 hours in a single flight!
May 2001 Site of the Day archives Unstable Month, 2-3 hours of airtime for some pilots every time they flew Bridal Lower!
April 2001 Site of the Day archives Rainy Month, not as much airtime for some pilots
March 2001 Site of the Day archives Spring has Sprung!
February 2001 Site of the Day archives Spring is in the Air!
January 2001 Site of the Day archives - Mexico Flying Trip
December 2000 Site of the Day archives
November 2000 Site of the Day archives (great month for airtime!)
October 2000 Site of the Day archives
September 2000 Site of the Day archives
July - August 2000 Site of the Day archives
June 2000 Site of the Day archives
March - May 2000 Site of the Day archives
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