Heard on the Radio - Glider Stuff...

kyleb

kyleb

Final Approach
PoA Supporter
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Jun 13, 2008
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Location
Marietta, GA
Display Name
Drake the Outlaw
Home Airfield
Cartersville, GA
I was out flying Friday afternoon and picked up an interesting radio transmission. I think it was someone at the Huntsville (Alabama) gliding club. I believe they operate out of Moontown airfield. He posed a question on frequency while apparently returning to the field for landing:

"Hey, does anyone know the Alabama record for altitude gain in a single place glider?"

Anyone in the soaring community aware of what was going on? New Alabama record anyone? It didn't LOOK like a great soaring day to me, but I'm a powered flight guy, so my observations on soaring conditions are probably irrelevant.
 
Years ago I was taking instruction from Cal Walker (a JHU physics professor). I told my parents that he held the state altitude record for gliders. My mother asked, "High or Low?"
 
flyingron said:
Years ago I was taking instruction from Cal Walker (a JHU physics professor). I told my parents that he held the state altitude record for gliders. My mother asked, "High or Low?"
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Both, but low is a tie with everyone else.
 
flyingron said:
Years ago I was taking instruction from Cal Walker (a JHU physics professor). I told my parents that he held the state altitude record for gliders. My mother asked, "High or Low?"
Click to expand...
You can only TIE the low flying record. :D
 
That was our club’s instructor , out of Moontown (3M5) he set a new record that Friday. I was out flying also, we had about 5 gliders in the air that day.

(The article posted earlier is a different person / different record, from back in January).

kyleb said:
while apparently returning to the field for landing:
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He flew until Sunset that day, I think about a 7 hour flight.


—————
Also, … the next Saturday, I was flying my glider and got stuck too low downwind, I had to land-out in a muddy farm field near Gurley AL. Me and the glider both okay.
 
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kyleb said:
It didn't LOOK like a great soaring day to me,
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I was very much a fluke of non-traditional lift. Instead of ground-fueled thermal activity, it was wind shear causing some wave action.

Very unusual for this area of the country, we don’t normally get Wave lift (like they get in mountainous areas). I can’t understand it or explain it, But something like Undular Bore that day?
 
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