Post your flying stories and flight reports here. Make sure to attach pictures if you got em!

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By Erik G.
#322344
Re-Cleared the big hill this morning and got my briefs done. The LZ was way too wet to fly off the mountain today, but tomorrow morning may be a go!

Oh, and I bought a glider today as well! :mosh:

Pacific Windcraft Mark IV 19 :mrgreen:
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By avernon82
#322353
good first glider! I know a bunch of novice pilots that fly them. Also, you won't be so worried when you get an occasional whack while you're learning
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By piano_man
#322354
Sweet looking glider. My first wing was a Pulse 11 meter. Flew it exclusively for 5 years then got a U2-160. Kept the Pulse for a spare until finally I decided to part with it since I wasn't flying it except once in awhile. btw, that's the best looking Mark IV I've ever seen. Hope to see you in the air soon.
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By flysurfski
#322355
Erik G. wrote:
Oh, and I bought a glider today as well! :mosh:

Pacific Windcraft Mark IV 19 :mrgreen:

Great choice.... :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


Got my H2 flying a Mark IV. A bunch of different gliders later I'm back to flying a Pulse as an H4.... :mosh:
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By Darbbb
#322356
Sweet!! :mosh:

Get yourself some wheels, and you're all set!

Brad
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By Erik G.
#322363
That was the first thing I asked... "Where are the wheels?" :thumbsup:

Going to use some of the big training wheels from lookout first then decide what kind of wheel I put on more permanently.
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By red
#322376
Erik G. wrote:That was the first thing I asked... "Where are the wheels?" Going to use some of the big training wheels from lookout first then decide what kind of wheel I put on more permanently.
Erik G,

To me, there are no better HG wheels to own than the big M&Ms. They are light, strong, and will not bind up when pressed against a downtube. They fit almost any glider with a round basetube, so they are easy to sell, once you decide that you do not need them.

Once you decide that, make ten consecutive good landings (which would not need the wheels), before you sell your wheels. 8)

The most important quality of the big M&Ms will be the ability to slide sideways on the ground, almost as well as they roll forward. I see people putting on skinny wheels, and treaded no less, so they have very little ability to slide sideways. In any crosswind situation, those narrow or treaded wheels just dig in, and quit rolling. That results in huge bending forces on the basetube, and I bet a dollar that they have no safety cable, inside that basetube. (See my web page, about a basetube safety cable.) The pilot's body may take out a downtube in that crosswind landing, then, also. The big M&Ms have been around for decades, and there are good reasons still to choose them, for the best safety for yourself and your glider. Do some extra watching on the training hills, and see what works best, for yourself.

Good lookin' glider! 8)

:mrgreen:
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By red
#322388
Erik G,

After a closer look at your glider, you might want to make a few updates. 8) The first three listed here are detailed on my web page.

The CG is not secured in place, except maybe by grip-tape, on that glider. That can be done better.

Wind streamers on the nose cables are great, there is no possible doubt. You need some good ones, and do whatever you like, with that old thing that you have now. While it may have some use, it is NOT a good wind streamer, and anyway, you want two streamers, one on each nose cable.

Add a basetube safety cable, if you do not have one. It's more important, for any glider that ever had (or will have) a set of wheels on it.

Now it's hard to tell from here, but it looks like your bottom tail wires come together with one NICO sleeve. If so, that would need some serious help, too. Please send a better (close-up) picture of your bottom tail wires at the keel. I'd like to see the top of your kingpost, when the glider is set up, too. Thanks.

:mrgreen:
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By Erik G.
#322396
Thanks Red! They are doing a super preflight at LMFP right now, I'll get some better pictures once it is ready. That was just a quick photo.

I'll look into those updates on your page!

More importantly...

I did my first THREE mountain launches this morning! :mrgreen: :thumbsup: :mosh:
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By pjwings
#322400
Congratulations! What was it like? :mosh:
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By Erik G.
#322402
pjwings wrote:Congratulations! What was it like? :mosh:
The most uneasy I felt was standing on launch for the first one... Thinking "Am I really going to run off this mountain?" But once I had the nose set and the wings level and my target locked, Mike said "good to go when you're ready"

I took a breath and cleared... Three steps later I was flying! It was awesome to have time to look around and breathe during the flight! At the training hills it's just launch and land. Got to really enjoy the flight.

Boxing the field was fun and my first landing was a stand up!

The next two flights we just as good, and felt a bit of lift on the last as the thermals started to rise.

:mrgreen:
By blindrodie
#322405
:mosh: :mosh: :mrgreen:

8)
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By red
#322406
Erik G,

Hate to say, but I think your camera is mounted upside down . . . :rofl: and oh yeah, about that high flight . . .

. . . . . . . . . 'WAY to GO !!
. . . . . :yay: . . . . . :yay:


:mrgreen:
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By iSoar
#322428
Erik G. wrote: I did my first THREE mountain launches this morning! :mrgreen: :thumbsup: :mosh:
Awesome! Welcome to the club ... maybe I'll see you around this weekend!

Brandon
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By sam kellner
#322432
Over the red roof :mosh:
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By Darbbb
#322433
Congrats!!!

:mosh: :mosh: :mosh: :mosh: :mosh:
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By Erik G.
#322576
sam kellner wrote:Over the red roof :mosh:
That's where I hit some lift!
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By Erik G.
#322860
Got 2 more mountain launches in this weekend for a total of 5, with my first prone flight! There is soo much more control when prone. I like that! Now I have to watch I don't over control and work on my transitions.

Working toward the magic 10!

Ordered my custom LMFP GTxc harness too! Can't wait to get it and my Mark IV and really get flying! :mrgreen:
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By jj colorado
#323014
I wasn't kidding about the Breathe and fly part. Glad you remembered.

Great! Nice to get a few flights in on the first day.

Enjoy, but work on perfecting each step of the way.

It will feel good to have and know your own gear. You'll get your harness adjusted right for you. You will get to know your wing and how it talks back to you. Get that whole relationship with your wing started and learn to feel the air though your wing.

Now you just have to figure out how to keep other things from getting in the way of flying for the next several months, years...