Wallaby-December-2018

Tom Nejame Tows

The Skydog Report

Tuesday December 4, 2018 and the afternoon opens up and we get to fly. Looked like about ten of us got up and a couple of tandems too. I was first off and there was some scattered lift but I did not follow it back to the south far enough and only had a first flight of 20 minutes and not above tow release height. I took a second tow but by then there was total cloud cover so I wanged it down for an 11 minute flight. Jimmy and Oded got up and found some lift that gave them 30 minute flights and Oded had got down to 1,400 feet and gained 600 before sinking out. Moritz and Brian had 15 minute flights as others also did. I think that Adam Smith had a short one also. Hopefully Wednesday will be better.

December 4, 2018 VIDEO

Fay Barber

Oded Assisted by Adam Smith

Jimmy

George Adams

Jimmy

George

Bob - Landing Approach

Jimmy

Photo by George Adams

Jimmy

George

Bob Ready to Launch

George Adams

Jimmy

Skydog

Jimmy

Skydog Bob

Jimmy

The Skydog Report

Thursday December 6, 2018 and I will do a quick report off my flights. I took three tows and the highest I got was 2,719 ato. First was 20 minutes, second was 37 minutes and the late afternoon flight only lasted 15 minutes. I will let Jimmy and Moritz tell the whole story.

The James Kolynich Report

46 degrees in the morning and sunny was the forecast for Wallaby Ranch Thursday Dec 6. The rising sun helped warm the stirring pilots. After breakfast I checked the flap settings and camera position on the Atos VRS. Kendrick came by the hooch to tell us to push out at 1250. I proceeded to get my morning workout rolling the cart with a flat rear tire to the take off. Not a cloud in the sky. Fay and Oliver made short work of the line of eager pilots waiting to launch in the 71 degree air. Most of the gliders did not stick and settle down to the warming Florida airfield. It was my turn and I followed Fay the tug pilot into the blue sky with an occasional bump. Started working some light lift with two flexies on the South end of the field when I spotted Oded turning over the North end turning to the left. I raced full speed ahead coming in underneath him. We worked the illusive light lift with Tom Niblick and Greg Linneman Until it was just Oded and I at 2.5K. We were briefly joined by Tommy NeJame who flew in from Winter Haven sail port. Tommy departed East to the warehouses followed by Oded. I continued to hang out over the sand pits by myself working the light lift to 3031 feet. An inversion level of dirty air could be seen at that altitude. I missed the usual fabulous lunch, but that is the price you pay for the longest flight of the day which was one hour and 20 minutes. Sky Dog Bob got to 2719 which was good for this stable day. Many pilots took a late afternoon flight at about 4 PM finding zero sink and 30 minutes durations in the mini glass off. Tomorrow it will be much better I am told.

We will see!

The Moritz Wagner Report

Thursday December 6, 2018

We were hoping for a Santa Clause rally today, but like the stock market is was mainly down. By the time I got in line for my first flight quite a few pilots had already landed, so I knew it wasn't easy to stay up. The tow was uneventful and at 1999 ft she waved me off. I stayed in the thermal and got almost an additional 200 ft, but that was it. Small bubbles on the way down allowed me to extend my sledder to 20 Min. for a good landing. Back on the ground I was watching Oded and Jimmy working light lift with their Atos's off the field and Skydog had hooked a thermal from low up to at least 2500 ft, so I went again. But it was pretty much a repeat of the first flight. 400 ft off the deck Oded and I were at the same altitude working some lift coming off the field. I lost that little competition by landing just seconds before him. After my last two landings I thought I would stick this landing, but I had to belly it in after close to the ground a thermal lifted my left wing and I had to make a hard correction. Everything worked out, but it reminded me to never let my guard down!

Photos Below

Subdivision on Hyw 27

Wallaby Ranch

Warehouses

Orange Groves

Sun Streak

Wallaby Ranch

The Sand Pitts

Sun Stripe

Jimmy Eyeing up The Landing Zone

Jimmy Landing Approach

The Skydog Report

Friday December 7, 2018 and we finally have a great day. I was the first one off and when in the air I counted nineteen pilots in line behind me. I took three flights today and my first one lasted 59 minutes up to 3,179 feet ato then I went again for a 1 hour and 04 minute flight up to 4,691 feet ato and then a third flight of 23 minutes. I had a great time thermalling with Jimmy and Jason back over the orange groves. I am hoping that Jimmy will do a full report.

The Skydog Report

The James Kolynich Flying News

December 7, 2018 Wallaby Ranch Florida

It was sunny, clear, and 52 degrees in the morning. The hot air balloons landings were followed by tandems and lessons signalled by the drone of the dragonfly tugs at 0800 hrs sharp. You know it is going to be a good flying day when the locals pull into the parking lot and start setting up. We pushed out to the North end of the field at 1300 hrs. Sky Dog Bob was the first one in the air towing over my head on my way to the line up. There were 20 gliders stacked up ready to go with two tugs yanking. I was one of the last of the original line up to take off. Oliver took me to a nice cumulus cloud to the southeast with Matt in his Moyes showing me the lift. The wind was 5-10 out of the ESE with a ground temperature of 78 degrees. I saw better prospects with Sky Dog and Jason Williams east of the sand pits. I climbed with them and four bald eagles performing aerobatic tumbling to 4500 feet. Cloudbase was another 200 feet above. The view was crystal clear as you could see all the way to Orlando. I swear I could see Quest to the NNW as we drifted almost four miles downwind to the West. We high tailed it back upwind to avoid landing out. The next time I saw Bob and Jason they were back over the orange groves west of the ranch under a large dark cloud. I should have followed them. I aimed at a small cu upwind which disappeared when I got there. Poor decision on my part as I sank in the plummeting air eventually winding down the altimeter to land at Wallaby with a duration of one hour and nine minutes. Sky Dog was up one hour and four minutes. George Adams took a one thermal cross country flight about 8 miles downwind along highway 4 to Old Grade Road. He was brought back by two guys with his glider in the bed of their pick up truck. Oded in his space ship Atos VQ flew 6 miles down wind and made it back with a thousand feet to spare. Mark Vinerab in his brand new VQ Race made all the right cloud choices staying high and finally landing after 1 hour and 50 minutes. Matt in his Moyes flexie had a similar time. What a good day! That is all I know. We listened to the country band in the pole barn as we rested from our flying adventures in Florida.

Bald Eagle

Adam Smith

Walt Flies Tandem

Jack

Clint

# 22

# 23

John And Oded

#24

Malcolm Takes A Tandem Student

Adam Smith

Walt Takes A Tandem

Malcolm Tandem

Jimmy Gets Way Above Bob

# 25

Blue Skies

Adam Smith

Eagles Calling Jimmy Up

Bob and Jimmy

Adam Smith

# 26

Land of Lakes

# 27

# 28

Wallaby Ranch

Jason and Jimmy

# 29

Walt Tandem

Clint

Jason Williams and Bob Thermalling with Jimmy

# 30

Kendrick Shuttles

Walt Tandem

Malcolm Tandem

Oded Kalir

Bob and Jimmy

The Skydog Report

Saturday December 8, 2018 and what had been forecast to be a cloudy day turned out to be sunny with lots of cummies by one pm.

About ten pilots took their gliders to the northwest end of the field and when we arrived there the wind seemed to pick up to about fifteen mph so many pilots decided not to attempt aviation. I was watching the clouds and they didn't appear to be moving very fast so I decided to get into the air and Fay Barber towed me to the east over the warehouses where I pinned off and right away found a good thermal that eventually got me up to 4,340 feet. As quite often happens I was not able to stay with it and finally landed after 37 minutes. I enjoyed the flight and as I was loosing the lift Jimmy was towed up in his Atos VRS and enjoyed a 25 minute flight. Looks like a few days of cloud so we hope to fly by Wednesday.

December 6, 2018 VIDEO

Photos Below

Seth Jackson - Four Years Young Going For a Flight

Seth

Malcolm and Seth's Mom

Adam Smith

Seth's Mom and Dad

Seth's Mom and Grandma

Solo Take Off

Landing

Seth

Chris

Bob and Mark's Pup

Take off

John Armstrong and Friend Dean

Bob and Puppy, Jimmy and Scott Relaxing Before Flight

Launch Area

Jimmy Adjusting His Camera

I Am Ready To Fly

Jimmy - Lift Off

More Pilots Coming To Launch

Skydog Bob Towed By Fay Barber

Jimmy Looking For Lift

Jimmy's Got It!

Jimmy Over Subdivisions

Skydog

Jimmy and Puppy

Jimmy Flies Wallaby Ranch

Jimmy Landing

Bob and Scott With Puppy

The Skydog Report

Wednesday December 12, 2018 and finally after three days of strong winds we had a blue sky day with light winds. About ten pilots get ready and we head to the soccer field. Fay tows me up first and I don't find much lift and I stumble around in weak thermals landing after 20 minutes. I take a second flight and land after 15 minutes. Most of us have similar flights. Pete Pfeifer has the best flight of the day staying aloft in his Atos VR for 35 minutes.

Karen and Brozig from Brazil drop in later in the day and Karen takes two refresher flights.