I've been playing invalid for 6 days, nursing a sore groin and sporting a seriously bruised thigh. The puncture where they inserted the cardiac catheter is barely noticeable and I suspect the whole affair had more impact on my head than anything else.
So after a frustrating day arranging a Doctors appointments and lining up boat detailers, I jumped into the truck and headed out to the field. The wind was 7 mph from the west. In the past I've turned back when faced with launching across the runway and toward the skydiving operation, but today I decided to go for it.
Luck was with me because while I was unloading the wind shifted and I was able to set up more down the runway than across it. Unfortunately the air was shifty and bumpy all the way up to 1000 feet. I turned back and landed after 7 minuted. According to the FlySkyHy App it was indeed lifty sinky air.
No Drama.
I question the max lift and sink rates ... These numbers could be a random bump from the barometer
Got up early and flew Shell Creek. Great Flight with no Drama
4-5 mph NE
50 minutes
1300 ft msl
John Sieb and I went up to Gaspirilla in the afternoon and flew with Mike Otten, Bob Harrison and Tony. The winds were 8-10 at the surface and the same at altitude. It was a very nice flight using the Arrow Cam. Nice on shore breeze encouraged me to fly over the causeway to Gaspirilla.
No Drama
40 minutes
2500 ft msl est. no vario
The plan was John Sieb and possibly Mike Lange would show up. John backed out due to weather between his place and Shell Creek and Mike needed the sack time.
So.... Back at Shell Creek, the winds were light on the surface and coming from the North East. I set up on the west side of the runway and launched without Drama. I noticed light and patchy ground fog on the way out to the field and it seemed to have turned into a layer of patchy clouds at 800 ft. I got some good chase cam footage and a couple stills from the helmet cam.
Winds continued to build through the morning and were steady 10 at the surface when I landed.
Here is the video ....Music by my dear friend Purnell Steen and his band Le Jazz Machine
958 was only a token flight.
10 minutes
900 ft
Easterly winds
I couldn't launch from Shell Creek because of an Easterly wind across the runway. I would have had to transit SWF Skydiving and thats not going to happen. So. I dashed over to Mike's LZ at Peachtree and Veterans.
It was a no frills flight. The sun had already set so I didn't fool with the iPad or iTunes. Quick launch and some carving around the field.
950 was 10 minutes after dawn.
50 minutes
I set the alarm for 5:30 and overslept to 6:30. Light winds from the East built throughout the flight. Smooth air above. Strong bumps below 200 feet.
