December Video "A" Here

The Skydog Report

November 2022

Oded, Jimmy and I arrived at Wallaby Ranch Tuesday evening hoping that Wednesday would be good for flying. Wednesday morning Malcolm took up tandems and it was apparent that the wind was strong enough that the tug and glider looked to be standing still. Hoping that the wind would die off by three we set up and waited but by 3 a front was coming through so we did not get to fly.

Wednesday, way to windy and Friday's forecast is for wind also but Saturday looks possible so I will post back then.

Saturday December 3, 2022

Yes, we flew. Oded and Jimmy took morning flights and all went well with a few other pilots and tandems enjoying the smooth air.

At 2 pm we all got in line and I was second off behind Cliff and Beau took me to a great thermal which put me up to 4,600 feet in about eight minutes. A few minutes later Jimmy K. took off and circled up to me and above me. Somehow I lost sight of Jimmy and I was on my own again going back downwind with the same cloud and finally I decided to head back to the Ranch not finding much lift on the way and thinking, oh boy, I might not make it back but luckily I did come over the field at 1,200 feet. I did not find much lift and landed with a 44 minute flight. I went for a second flight with Mick Robson joining me and we only lasted 18 minutes. We all landed within a few minutes of each other. Later Jimmy told me that he had left me on our first flight and headed east along 27 where Oded was flying and they got some good lit over there. Oded's flight was one hour and ten minutes and Jimmy stayed up one hour and thirty four minutes so a good first day of flying was had by all. Jack and Cliff also flew but I did not get a flight report from them.  We have some video to edit so keep an eye out for it. Hope to get so great lift on Sunday.

Sunday December 4, 2022

The pilots who took off early did best and Rick Bremer logged 4 hours airtime and up to 4,800 feet ATO. Most of the rest of us had twenty minute flights and I think that Catherine Gagnon told me Monday that she got a one hour flight on Sunday. I had two 15 minute flights.

Monday December 5, 2022

Another challenging day and Catherine was off first and me second and I struggled with light lift like 1000 feet per minute and I lasted 50 minutes and took a second flight for 20 minutes. I think Oded and Jimmy and Catherine had 30 minute flights.

Tuesday December 6, 2022

Our best day so far. Good lift to cloud base at 4,300 feet. The three of us had one tow each and my flight was 1 hour and 34 minutes. Jimmy stayed up with Rick Bremer and they both had flights of over two and one half hours. Jimmy topped out at 4,426 feet. Oded tried a XC and landed ten miles out after one hour not to far from Walmart. We had maybe ten other pilots flying with us today and all did well. Happy pilots day.

Wednesday December 7, 2022

Another sunny 78 degree day and the tandems were off by 8am. About twelve pilots ready to launch by 12:30 Oded was off first followed by Catherine and hubby Ken next. I was off fourth followed by Jason Williams. Beau gave me a good tow up to a thermal at 2,200 feet ato. I bumbled around in 100 fpm until I found the good stuff which often was 400 fpm getting me up to 3,058 feet ato. Jason was close by so I joined him and we circled together for maybe ten minutes. Jimmy came in under me and blew me away getting 500 higher than me. I didn't see Oded until we all landed together after my 1 hour and 12 minute flight. Jimmy did fifty three minutes and Oded must have had one hour and thirty minutes.

Thursday December 8, 2022

Another sunny morning with tandems getting off by 8am. I got the Gopro fastened at the nose pointing down for a different angle. No cummies today at one pm so we wait until 2pm and now they are starting to show so we get in line. Jimmy goes first and then Rick Bremer. Tim towed me up next and put me into a great thermal going up at 400 fpm and I take it up to base at 4,300 feet ato. This was a pretty easy day and not very bumpy for this old guy so it was so much fun to spin around with my friends. Jimmy joined me as soon as I got up to the top and the Rick stopped by for a few turns and next Oded came into the picture and we flew together for quite a while. Check out the video when I get time to edit it. Jason Williams got up there on his new Gecko and enjoyed the lift. We had been hanging out for the longest time under a big black cloud that was barely moving and after an hour and a half I wanted to explore another street to the north so I pulled on the VG and went for it only to find not much lift so I looked south from whence I had come and thought that if I went back to the big black cloud that I would likely be to far downwind to make it back to Wallaby Ranch safely so I headed west over the Ranch only finding small scraps of lift as the day was almost over and the clouds had dried up. I finally landed with a flight time of 1 hour and 44 minutes and I topped out at 4,300 feet above the field. A half hour after I landed the others all floated in together and telling me about the wonderful wonder lift at the end of the day. Oh shucks I missed one of my favourite parts about Hang Gliding, smooth Wonder lift. Friday will be last day here so I hope to get a good one tomorrow. Jimmy had the longest flight today 2 hours and 44 minutes and Oded 2hours and 15 minutes and we all got up to 4,300 feet. Good Day Eh!

Friday December 9, 2022

Another sunny morning but foggy until 9:30 so tandems are delayed a bit. We all get in line by 1pm and Oded is off first and Jimmy second and then Eric Kriner from NC. who drove in this morning. I go off next and it seemed like a good thermal at 2,200 feet so I pinned off and sure enough I couldn't find the thermal and I searched too long getting down to 800 feet agl and I was thinking that I would need to re-launch but then I found a little 100 fpm bubble and I hung in there and after maybe ten minutes I was up to 1,200 feet and by 30 minutes I was at 4 grand over the warehouses. Jack joined me and we flew together near base for maybe 20 minutes. I lost track of Jack and I saw a glider doing well over the orange orchards to the west so I boogied over there and thermalled up to join Jason Williams and we circled together. After 20 minutes Jason moved farther north and I stayed with the lift that I had near I-4 but of coarse that petered out and I dove for Jason but never hooked up again so I was in search mode again and never really found much so now I was over the Ranch and played in some nice bubbles for twenty minutes and landed with a fligt of 1 hour and 50 minutes and topped out at 4,300 feet ato. Later the stories were told and it turs out that Oded and Eric flew to Willowtree and landed there with 2.5 hour flights. I think most everyone topped out at 4,300 feet which was base. Jimmy did the circuit around Wallaby going to Sand Mine Road and back to I-4 and along #27 and over the orange groves and Jimmy's flight was three hours and eleven minutes and up to 4,100 feet. Eric Kriner had a flight time of two hours and forty five minutes. This was my final day here and a wonderful flying day it was. I'm flyinghome to London, Ontario Saturday and Oded, Jimmy and Eric are staying unti Monday. Hope they get extra Great days. It has been a blast this trip with seven great flying days in a row. We don't often get so Lucky. My airtime this trip = 9 hours. Highest = 4,800 feet ato

Best Wishes, Lucky Skydog.

Saturday December 10, 2022

I flew home Saturday morning leaving Oded, Jimmy and Eric to enjoy the warm thermals.

Report by James Kolynich -  Cu's developed about 1 PM with a light NE wind. About 10 flexies and rigids Took off starting at 1:10 PM. Tommy was first to go leading the way xc with Oded and Erik in tow. The lift seemed to diminish quickly with some clouds not working. Tommy headed nnw then West to RT 33. The cu's were not there. He returned to the Ranch via the roundabout. Oded in his Atos and Erik Kriner in his U2 landed 10 miles out after 2 hours in the air.

 JK had a short 32 minute Flight due to a drying cloud. Catherine found one at The NW cornerof The Ranch at 300 feet and took it to cloud base at 3800. Jason Williams got 1.5 hrs working lift over the warehouses.

Sunday December 11, 2022

Report by James Kolynich -  Sunday the high overcast prevented any significant cu development. There were about 10 tows with out any one sticking. Oded and I did not fly. That is all.

What a great trip!

Jimmy K.

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