What can I say? After four days of turn and burn slope flying over in California, Steve
Willcox and I were ready to head home to Phoenix. There are very few times when we
leave a
hill while the wind is still blowing and it's daylight. The ISR gang treated everyone
to a
fantastic weekend of slope flying and fun. On Friday we went to Parker and flew both
sides
of the hill with other pilots joining us. I got my first true taste of dynamic soaring
using a Bandit. (as Dave Reese says "Welcome to the dark side.") Steve Willcox was
DS'ing
a micro BD-5J. Doug Turner was stressing a Multiplex Lucky on the backside at about 107
mph. Dave Reese was hitting the DS groove at around 134 mph with his Brisk. We flew
almost
until dark and then headed back to Apple Valley to get some sleep.
On Saturday, we arrived at Cajon early and the wind was already coming up. By ten or
so
it was 15 mph and it only got better through the day. Steve got to fly his 19 lb.
Galsair
III so you know the wind was good. Quite a few planes were flying with ballast on
board.
The awards were beautifully laser etched in wood. The raffle was chock full of kits and
radio sets and the food was fantastic. (Thank you so much ISR ladies.) The event was
well
planned with all the pilot information etc. pre bagged to expedite the sign-in. The
event
shirts were very nice. Those ISR guys know how to detail a warbird and a T-shirt.
Sunday gave us even more wind. By 9:00 we were adding ballast. We watched seven
warbirds
flying half pipes in unison hitting speeds of about 80-85 mph at the bottom of the
pipe.
As for other speeds, yes we were measuring them dropping down out of thermals heading
for
the slope.
Brian Laird had a slope scale warbird at 115 mph, Steve Patton's TA-152 at 107, Steve
Willcox's micro BD at 100, my micro BD at 98. Of course the micro BD's hold then record
for highest MPH per ounce of flying weight. (Gotta' revive that other "Foamie over 100
mph" thread going on RCSE.)
On Monday we headed for Parker again and had 10 mph winds when we arrived at 9:00. We
DS'd the BD's some more and also flew our Vindicators with a pound of ballast. As the
winds got stronger we tended to hang out under pat Bowman's canopy and watch the other
local guys rip it up on the front and back side. We passed the radar gun around to
anyone
who wanted to clock someone and we had a blast. Joe Wurts came up and wasted a carbon
wing
spar doing some DS laps but saved the plane. Steve and I had to leave early (7 hour
drive
back to Phoenix) so I don't know the final outcome of the speeds at Parker. I left the
radar with Dave Reese with the hopes of hearing about some new highs. Pat Bowman's
Sonic
and Doug Turner's wing were very impressive on the backside. I toasted my Vindicator
late
in the day after doing quite a bit of DS with it. (Okay, a little too much DS) Lucky
for
me I have a spare fuselage and that is really the only thing that will not be easily
repaired. Doug Turner lost his Lucky to some kind of radio or switch failure. There
were
many foamie mid airs and ground assaults but most went back in the air after a quick
control check. Steve and I left for Phoenix around 4 pm but I am sure the flying went
on
until dark. Any reports from those who stayed at Parker until the end of the day?
So thanks again to the Inland Slope Rebels for the great weekend and hospitality.
Thanks
to Joe Wurts and Dave Reese for the DS pointers. We'll certainly be back next year,
but
probably sooner. (You've been warned.)
Dave Wenzlick
Mesa AZ
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