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By CloudDiver
#405499
lizzard wrote: Fri Nov 02, 2018 3:53 am well done !

it was an undershoot though im sure you will learn not to cut it that fine .
Yeah, I turned a bit late. Getting better at timing the 180 after sighting the Glide Slope Indicator. I turned when the bar the split the diamonds, but that actually makes you a little late when you account for the time it takes to complete the turn (depending on winds of course). At the time this video was taken the wind had shifted on the LZ from near slack to blowing down, so I made my approach almost dead NW, when on a 'normal' day the approach is SW ish. LOL, I'm better at bearings, so lets say 225. Anyway, earlier turn and I would I have glided farther into the grass, would have been a shorter walk to the breakdown area!
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By CloudDiver
#405500
I did Solo #4 yesterday afternoon, 4 NOV around 1500 ish. Nothing remarkable to report, same flight as the video above. It lasted a little longer since I managed to find brief moments of lift. I didn't spiral up in them, just rode through it and gained a few feet. If Dan saw me trying to find lift from the LZ he'd probably be unhappy, LOL. Landing was better, winds were in the normal direction at about 5mph so my glide got father into the grass about center on the LZ, much shorter walk this time.

I didn't GoPro this flight because it would basically be the same video as last time, and also another student was flying me but Wes is on Solo 6 or 7 this time and hasn't done any video. I offered to mount my GoPro on his wing and got his flight recorded that I will email him a link to later.
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By CloudDiver
#405653
Yup, that's me on the right reaching for the nose wire... thanks for the pic Ken!

BTW, You buzzed the tower pretty good on that new Batman Sport 3! If I wasn't lugging my wing down to the launch I could have got that on video... darn it!
klh wrote: Fri Nov 09, 2018 4:28 am Image
Here's a photo of you and Wes on Marshall before flying Sunday.
That's not you on the right. Or the left.
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By CloudDiver
#405654
So I just did Solo #9 this Saturday post Thanksgiving. Flew with a Vario this time and it was helpful for sure. I got some fair lift right off the launch in front of Marshall but I wasn't trying too hard to turn into it and spiral up. As I got out in front and closer to the 750 I lost whatever lift I had and found squat after that. I was scratching tight over the 750 so I decided to turn in to the approach, pretty sure Dan has lost enough hair at this point... I passed the H2 written test, so I guess I just have one more solo to go.

Been digging through closets looking for stuff to sell on eBay... My new Wing aint gonna be cheap!
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By CloudDiver
#405736
Hey Everybody,

So Solo #9 was my last training flight. Dan sent me my H2 rating application to go along with my USHPA membership form. He offered me the use of a couple other Falcons, a 170 and 195 so I can continue building flight experience while I save up to order my new wing. Dan is about as super-cool as it gets!

So I guess this pretty much closes out my new pilot intro/training phase. I'll add my USHPA # to my signature block when it comes back. I've got a bunch more video but all those flights are pretty similar to the solo #3 video I posted, all flights from Marshall to AJX and lasting 12 minutes on average. So if I make another video from those I'm just going to do that so I can experiment with split screen for the multiple angle shots I took on diff flights. Possible upgrade to Adobe Premier or Final Cut Pro is my near future me thinks...

On the new wing front... I've taken up driving Uber & Lyft to stash extra cash. At the rate I'm going plus my regular disposable income I'm pretty sure I'll be ordering a new Falcon 4 after WW re-opens from the holiday shut-down. I've got a bitching design in mind that I've talked to Dave A. a lot about already. You won't be able to miss it if you see on the LZ at AJX, or better yet in the air above Crestline!

So with that, I'll close this thread out and start new posts for future flights and topics. I really want to thank everyone in this forum for the knowledge and encouragement, and especially thank all of you that I've met in the flesh at AJX. What great community I just happened to come across!
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By DMarley
#405744
Why purchase new when there are tons of good, nearly-new, previously owned falcons out there on the market?!?
Your first glider doesn't need to be 'brand' new, and it probably shouldn't. Save up for a new Sport III for when you're ready for it.
If you're itching to spend your hard-earned cash on new stuff, then purchase a good helmet. Everything else can be second-hand at this point and second hand equipment will save you a pile. And.... you won't be quite as timid with less-expensive gear. Once you get your H3, then start dreaming about a new glider, etc. Hell.... even then, there are plenty of great buys out there if you look.
Yeah, purchase a new glider when your at the point of needing a topless, but I would save my money on everything less than that.... you can upgrade a lot faster that way.
Most good pilots didn't go out and spend big$ on new equipment right away.... unless they had an unquenchable desire to help keep Wills Wing and Co. out of the red.
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By CloudDiver
#405749
DMarley wrote: Fri Nov 30, 2018 7:20 pm Why purchase new when there are tons of good, nearly-new, previously owned falcons out there on the market?!?
Your first glider doesn't need to be 'brand' new, and it probably shouldn't. Save up for a new Sport III for when you're ready for it.
If you're itching to spend your hard-earned cash on new stuff, then purchase a good helmet. Everything else can be second-hand at this point and second hand equipment will save you a pile. And.... you won't be quite as timid with less-expensive gear. Once you get your H3, then start dreaming about a new glider, etc. Hell.... even then, there are plenty of great buys out there if you look.
Yeah, purchase a new glider when your at the point of needing a topless, but I would save my money on everything less than that.... you can upgrade a lot faster that way.
Most good pilots didn't go out and spend big$ on new equipment right away.... unless they had an unquenchable desire to help keep Wills Wing and Co. out of the red.
I appreciate the intent of your advice, but if you saw my bike racing budget and expenditures for 2012/13 you wouldn't know whether to s--- a brick or smack me. I can afford a new Falcon 4, then a new Sport 3, and then a new T2-C whenever I choose to buy them. The thing is, and the reason I drive ride share, is that I put the majority of my disposable income into investment accounts. So if I want 'fun' money to buy myself toys I force myself to go out and put the extra work in.

If I saw a used wing that I like posted for sale I would buy it. So far, the only used wing that suits my fancy has been sold. If another one comes up, maybe... otherwise, I'm at the point in my life where I buy the things that I like and that add the greatest value to my experience. So right now, I just want the Wing that will be in the colors and sail cloth that I choose. More expensive, sure... but life is short. I could drive a Lexus, BMW, or Audi if I wanted to. Instead I choose to invest as much as I can while I drive a used VW and a beat up Chevy Truck, then I go work even harder for the things I want rather than need.
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By TjW
#405755
DMarley wrote: Fri Nov 30, 2018 7:20 pm Why purchase new when there are tons of good, nearly-new, previously owned falcons out there on the market?!?
Your first glider doesn't need to be 'brand' new, and it probably shouldn't. Save up for a new Sport III for when you're ready for it.
If you're itching to spend your hard-earned cash on new stuff, then purchase a good helmet. Everything else can be second-hand at this point and second hand equipment will save you a pile. And.... you won't be quite as timid with less-expensive gear. Once you get your H3, then start dreaming about a new glider, etc. Hell.... even then, there are plenty of great buys out there if you look.
Yeah, purchase a new glider when your at the point of needing a topless, but I would save my money on everything less than that.... you can upgrade a lot faster that way.
Most good pilots didn't go out and spend big$ on new equipment right away.... unless they had an unquenchable desire to help keep Wills Wing and Co. out of the red.
Nothing wrong with keeping Wills Wing out of the red. Somebody's got to buy all those great used gliders new.
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By CloudDiver
#406577
So I finally sent in my paperwork in Jan and now have my USHPA Pilot #, now in the signature block.

I did a flight with a Falcon 195 in January from Marshall. I took off right at the 'perfect' time for the cloud cover to blot out the sun and pretty much bring any thermal action to a stop. I got out way too far south and ended up doing a bush landing about 400 yards short of the LZ. A little bruise to the ego but I managed to land near perfectly (as one could hope for) on a dirt road without whacking the wing too hard. I have video of it but the camera angle I used was horrible so I haven't posted it.

Anyway, I'm still looking for a used Falcon 170. I will pull the trigger on a new one if it gets too close to summer and I still can't find one used. If anyone knows good resources to hunt down classifieds for used wings (other than excellent one we have here that I check weekly) please let me know where to look.
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By red
#406579
CloudDiver wrote: Fri Feb 22, 2019 4:59 pm So I finally sent in my paperwork in Jan and now have my USHPA Pilot #, now in the signature block.

Anyway, I'm still looking for a used Falcon 170. I will pull the trigger on a new one if it gets too close to summer and I still can't find one used. If anyone knows good resources to hunt down classifieds for used wings (other than excellent one we have here that I check weekly) please let me know where to look.
CloudDiver,

Better check with WW to see what they will be expecting for delivery lead-times, from month to month this year. You don't want to be waiting all Summer for the new glider that you ordered too late in the Spring. And oh yeah . . .

https://user.xmission.com/~red/#mm :mrgreen:
.
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By entelin
#406580
CloudDiver wrote: Fri Feb 22, 2019 4:59 pmI got out way too far south and ended up doing a bush landing about 400 yards short of the LZ.
Congrats on your first XC. Already scratching the edges of the fishbowl!