Fwd: Winter Banquet

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Gerald Simpson
[T]he CISS winter banquet is scheduled for January 10, 2009 at the
Marten House. Further details will follow on a different posting.

No Flying Sunday 10/26/08

Crew Chief Mario has cancelled flying for Sunday 10/26/08. The weather forecast is for waaaay too much wind.

Fwd: Challenge to you !

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: ZASoars
Fellow Cross Country Pilots,

I note that the new OLC season has begun and that CISS is running 2nd
only to Ionia in our Region 6. ( Caesar Creek are bringing up the
rear ) .

With only a few possible x/c days left this season how about we set
the goal of grabbing the lead before the thermals finally give out . I
know we can do it ( and even submitted a modest 49 mi flight myself
earlier this week to help the cause ) .

Lets go for it , CISS !

ZA.

Club Contest Update

October 11 produced big smiles for 6 of the 7 pilots who took part: one pilot could only manage a “Sheez – at least I made it back!”. And CISS set a new club record for the most pilots to turn in scores on the same day – cool.

Unexpectedly, mother nature produced good, no make that great, soaring conditions even with a light wind out of the SSE. The temps reached about 80 deg to generate lift to over 6000’ msl. Most pilots assembled unenthusiastically, but once airborne, the mood changed as they went through the start gate at nearly 5000’. Although blue over the field, there was a cloud field starting about 20 miles west of the airport. Some pilots headed straight there, while some ventured north first, expecting the clouds to fill in towards the east. That never happened, so the scores partially reflect the direction of flight, especially in the early going. Ron Clarke, winner for the day headed directly west into the cumulus to begin his 108 mile flight. Scot Ortman had an incredible (for Indiana)288 fpm average lift by heading straight west also. Coming home he must have been so excited about the flight, he forgot to finish above the minimum 1000’ agl height and incurred a minor scoring penalty.

Most pilots never got below about 3500’ msl which made for comfortable flying, although not quite as much in the blue. However, as Todd Rutledge found out, lift below this band was elusive and weak: he made no less than four saves from under 1000’ above the ground. His first words after landing were “I never worked so hard”.

Here are the aggregate scores so far this year (best 4 flights/pilot). We have two more weekends left.

Cumulative
Standings Points Flights Team Standings Points Flights

Clarke 4,379 4 Ristow/Taylor 3,935 4
Hays 4,094 4 Saunders/Ruble 3,914 4
Taylor 3,880 4 DeWitt/Lazaga 3,535 4
Simpson 3,830 4 Bedwell/Newill 2,392 3
Nichols 3,746 4
Rutledge 3,723 4
Saunders 3,470 4
Ristow 3,346 4
Wools 3,335 4
DeWitt 2,946 4
Lazaga 1,934 2
Newill 1,520 2
Ruble 1,033 1
Bedwell 872 1
Ortman 750 1

Monday Flying

Larry Miller will tow for us Monday, Oct 13 starting a noon. Dr. Jack predicts an awesome day with lift to 6000 feet and cumulus.

George

Of Course The First 2999 Were A Little Shaky...

Congratulate tow pilot Bob Currie; he's finally got this towing thing figured out. Today he made his 3000th tow, and got a good head start on his next thousand.

Overall, it was a good day at the airport, with a total of 29 glider flights.

We'll probably get a contest day out of it, although more than one returning pilot was overheard to say "the other guys must have had it easier than I did."

p.s. When you see Bob, ask him how many tows he has now. When he says "three thousand," look surprised and ask him "well how many fingers do you have?" He thinks this joke is hilarious.

Update -- ZA Adds:

Never give up on the weather in October ! Today was an excellent cross country day - especially if you made it to the cloud fields west of Alex . Dr Jack was spot on and the winds were very manageable and less then in some of the forecasts .By US standards CISS pilots gave everyone a run for their money today ( check OLC ) .
I know that everyone who flew cross country must have enjoyed it . I know Tod Rutledge made his goal of miles for the season on the OLC and I enjoyed some good time flying together with Scot for many miles .
It did sound like Dan might have had a recorder problem but we all know where you went - way north and then back - well done ! Terry you made the right decision to go get your prandle tube !
Nice to see Mitch at the field - pity he didn't bring his sailplane to see if he still remembers how to do it in Indiana conditions !
Finally we can't do any of it without the help of the crews and tow pilots . Congrats to Bob on his 3000th tow . FANTASTIC I say ! and thank you crew .

ZA.

Contest results

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Don Taylor don_taylor

I have attached the scores including last Saturday. Please carefully
check my calculations and especially your cumulative scores/flights
for the general standings. Lots of movement in the standings, so
don't want to make any mistakes. Tnx. PS: You probably didn't know
this was such an interactive scoring program, did you? DT

Fwd: WOW - I SHOULD HAVE MADE IT BACK !

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: ZASoars

WOW - I SHOULD HAVE MADE IT BACK !

Yesterday ( Saturday) was better than most probably thought . At least
I can say that with certainty now.
The day was blue but thermals reached up to 5500msl later in the day
and I made it easily down to Caesar Creek . After a bit of a delay
getting back in the air I thought - GREAT . There were some good
looking clouds over the first 10 miles of the return course . However
I could not find good lift under them , so battled my way towards Alex
in the blue until near sunset when I landed at Carroll airstrip 12
miles short ( very good ). Thanks to Larry Miller who towed me back
within seconds of the remaining daylight disappearing.

THE INTERESTING PART IS : I checked the OLC results from yesterday
to see where the Caesar Creek crowd were flying , and you should do
the same . Check Don Burns flight log - AMAZING . I haven't spoken to
him yet but I can see that about the time I saw those good looking
clouds ( 20:20 ) Don climbed to 8700msl . Maybe a thermal up the front
of one of them or maybe some kind of wave action associated with them
. I live and learn every time I fly and now know I should have easily
made it back to Alex if I had only figured out how to use those clouds
!!

ZA.

P.S.:

I spoke to Don Burns this evening ( Don you may recall is the CC
member who has retrieved "The Trophy " from us at Alex many times )
Don told me that his climb to 8700msl ( above cloud ) yesterday was
only a modest accomplishment . He says several others he was flying
with climbed to 12000 msl or better ! The moral of the story ( for me
anyway ) is - always explore around , out front of , besides just
under unusual strong looking clouds . And don't think just 'cos the
winds at your level are docile ( around 5-8 knots max ) that they are
not stronger higher up - and generating wave maybe ! ( Actually I had
thought in the morning that upper winds might be a negative factor -
it turns out they were a very positive factor ) .

Keep looking for the good October days ahead .

ZA.