Soaring News - October 2018

Photo Credit; Brandon Schultz

Weather this month did not cooperate for glider flying, 8 Op. days canceled, sorry Wednesday fliers. We seldom get good soaring weather this time of the year due to less heat and constant fronts moving through, hurricane Willa also caused some cancellations. The club did 48 flights this month compared to 124 last month, total flight for the year is 578. Even with all the weather cancellations, it’s been a great year.

A Board meeting is scheduled for 9am Saturday 11/03, a season close date will be discussed during this meeting.

There were 2 really good soaring days this month, Sunday 10/21 and Wednesday 10/24. Shipp took a short flight just to keep current, released at 2,500 ft. MSL, climbed to 5,000 ft. MSL and returned with spoilers in 21 minutes. Other members stayed up their maximum club time in the gliders. We will be lucky to get any more good soaring days the remainder of this season.

One day this month we had 6 guest rides and another day there were 2 guest rides planned just to impress a girlfriend, both were impressed.

Accomplishments; Mark Geudtner was scheduled for a Private Glider Certificate Friday 11/02, but had to cancel due to weather. Brandon Schultz completed a Commercial Power Certificate the first week of this month and since has passed the fundamentals of instruction written test for CFI. Brandon plans to instruct with Skywalker Flying perhaps by the end of this year. Way to go Mark and Brandon!

Did you see the great photo addition in the Milestone Section of the October SAA Magazine of Nate and Cameron Kemppainen (Father and Son) on their Solo flights (Same Day-In Air Same Time) and Matt and Brandon Schultz (Father and Son) Instructor and Tow pilot? A great history moment documented!

There are 2 webinars this month on soaring, November 6, 8pm First XC Task and November 20, 8pm XC Basics. If interested, go to the SSA Web site and register, even if you don’t plan to do XC Soaring, the webinars will help increase your local fun.

Keep your toes and fingers crossed for Bill Neiderman who will be back in surgery a second time November 7 for back surgery. Hope this surgery will ease some of the back pain so you can get back to flying on Wednesdays, we miss you.

ASW15 Pilots: The main wheel dolly was modified to help reduce gear door damage when pushing the glider on the dolly. This process works best with 3 members; 1 holding the wing level, 1 to insure alignment of the wheel to dolly and another to pull the glider onto the dolly. It’s important that the wings are level and either the tail wheel is on the grass or tail wheel dolly removed if on the cement to provide clearance between the dolly and fuselage. Two members are required to install and remove the tail dolly, 1 on the nose to reduce tail weight on the tail and 1 to install the dolly.

Keep the nose down and speed up. Outside rudder is OK but inside rudder is a control position for spin training.

Tom Shipp