- Tue Jun 12, 2018 11:38 am
#403684
I went to Wallaby Ranch WW Days in 2016. Flew a couple additional times in early 2016 then my gear collected dust until recently.
I checked my gear, packed my chute, and drove way to fast to the field. I wanted an early tow to make sure I had enough muscle memory to get out of the cart, into the air, and back safely on the ground. What do you know it worked! I remembered how to fly! Even managed to milk 40 minutes or so out of the 2,000' tow.
A few hours later I loaded up and left the earth again. This time I found decent lift right at the end of the tow. I went round and round, but was fighting the lift , the glider, and my head with each 360. I wasn't going up much. The thermal was there, small, but solid and with a good rate, I just couldn't get the feeling for it. I tried switching directions. Moving up wind, down wind, left, right, I just couldn't get a good grip on the lift.
I was quickly getting frustrated at the struggle. I admit it. I delved deep for some phrases that might make a sailor blush. Then, like a bucket of water dropped from a 2 story building, bucket and all, it hit me.
Relax. Quite doing push ups on the bar. Sink into the harness. Feel it. React to it. Let the music be your guide! Dance!
I won't say the rest of the flight was perfect, but when I landed 3:48 after I released from the tow line, there wasn't a bad thought in my head.
I checked my gear, packed my chute, and drove way to fast to the field. I wanted an early tow to make sure I had enough muscle memory to get out of the cart, into the air, and back safely on the ground. What do you know it worked! I remembered how to fly! Even managed to milk 40 minutes or so out of the 2,000' tow.
A few hours later I loaded up and left the earth again. This time I found decent lift right at the end of the tow. I went round and round, but was fighting the lift , the glider, and my head with each 360. I wasn't going up much. The thermal was there, small, but solid and with a good rate, I just couldn't get the feeling for it. I tried switching directions. Moving up wind, down wind, left, right, I just couldn't get a good grip on the lift.
I was quickly getting frustrated at the struggle. I admit it. I delved deep for some phrases that might make a sailor blush. Then, like a bucket of water dropped from a 2 story building, bucket and all, it hit me.
Relax. Quite doing push ups on the bar. Sink into the harness. Feel it. React to it. Let the music be your guide! Dance!
I won't say the rest of the flight was perfect, but when I landed 3:48 after I released from the tow line, there wasn't a bad thought in my head.
Airborne Climax 14 (C1)
WW U2
H3
AT, FL,ST, RLF, TUR.
There is an art, it says, or rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss. � Clearly, it is this second part, the missing, which presents the difficulties. ~~~Douglas Adams
WW U2
H3
AT, FL,ST, RLF, TUR.
There is an art, it says, or rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss. � Clearly, it is this second part, the missing, which presents the difficulties. ~~~Douglas Adams