Oz Report

US Nationals - Day 5, no task

(Florida Ridge)

US Nationals

The forecast: 17 mph on the ground with gusts to 23 mph.  The measurement at 1:20: 14 mph with gusts to 23 mph.  Strong low pressure to our south with a high to our north.

Forecast for tomorrow is 9 mph at ground level with 20-25 knots through to 5,000' and Friday (we've voted to extend the meet one day to allow flying on Friday), 9 mph with winds 15-20 knots through out the "boundary layer,"

Discuss "US Nationals - Day 5, no task" at the Oz Report forum   link»

US Nats - the blogs

(Florida Ridge)

Jamie Shelden|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|US Nationals 2006

You'll find other views of events here: http://jonnydurand.blogspot.com/, http://bretthazlett.blogspot.com/, http://xckevin.blogspot.com/, http://www.naughtylawyertravels.blogspot.com/, http://skyout.blogspot.com/

Discuss "US Nats - the blogs" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Big ATOS

(Quest Air, Groveland, Florida, USA)

Jim Lamb|Quest Air

I have multiple sources on this now.  Apparently AIR has produced two 15.4 meter wings (50' 6") and at least one, if not both, are coming to Florida to be flown in the Worlds.  The wings use the VX d-cells and the VR extensions.  The VR uses a beefed up version of the VS d-cells for a 45' 3" (13.8 m) span.

So the question becomes, what's the point of showing up for the rigid wing worlds if you are not flying one of these wings?  Also, why do you have a VR on order from AIR?

Unlike flex wings, which essentially have a physical limitation on their span due to the fact that the pilot must use their weight and the shifting of the wing to turn, rigid wing gliders with spoilerons are not so restricted.  Perhaps given that reality we need to include handicap factors if we continue to fly together.  Of course, that would assume that we have accurate polars.

I asked Felix not to do this over six months ago and I'm quite disappointed that he did this right before the Worlds.  I would ask him to keep these gliders in Europe until June.  Suddenly, my VR is worth a lot less.

I've asked for more information from Felix and the US distributor, Jim Lamb.

Discuss "Big ATOS" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Southwest Soaring Museum

(Moriarty, New Mexico)

J.C. Brown|Riker Davis|sailplane

Riker Davis «rikerdavis» writes:

After over ten years of planning and private fund raising a new museum dedicated to soaring opened in Moriarty, New Mexico on April 1^st. The large hangar now has on display a couple dozen sailplanes and a handful of hang gliders spread out over the floor.  Hang gliders currently include a Wills Swallowtail, Falcon, UP Axis and a Manta Fledge.  Soon there will be well over one hundred ships once the vertical space is used with hanging exhibits.

The director, George Applebay, would welcome a few more donations.  He has a Comet coming from George Woodcock in Alamogordo, but mentioned that he would really like to have a state-of-the-art topless ship to show the evolution of design.  Contact him «gapplebay» if you would like to make a donation.

Curt Graham's BoomBar hang gliding simulator is a star attraction.  JC Brown, Brian Kurowski and I set it up with a supine harness for easy access and replaced the outriggers with bungees to conserve space.  Visitors can climb up on the platform, settle into the harness and watch a DVD of Curt explaining how it all worked as an awesome training vehicle on the runways in Hobbs.  Very cool.

The museum is right off of I-40 on the main drag at the east end of town - well worth a visit if you are in the area.

Discuss "Southwest Soaring Museum" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Dan Johnson

Dan Johnson

But still can't accept flowers.

Discuss "Dan Johnson" at the Oz Report forum   link»

Reading Lenses

Hal Hayden

Hal Hayden «hhayden» writes:

Sportys Pilot Shop sells stick on reading lenses with any magnification needed.  I have been using them in the cockpit for a while now and they work with any sunglasses.

Discuss "Reading Lenses" at the Oz Report forum   link»