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Cloud Hopping Video Click Here

Photo by Steve Younger

New Aerotow Release

Gavin Grant from Sault Ste Marie Taking a Tandem at Quest Air

Gavin with Instructor

Gavin and Instructor

Gavin and Kelly Grant at Quest Air - Florida

Daisy Duke - Gavin's Dachshund

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Thomas Wolfe Flying His Moyes CSX - Alabama

Goderich November 23, 2010

Tuesday looked like a good day for Windsurfing but I could not get my sailing buddies to go with the cooler temperatures so I called Patrick O'Donnell to see if he wanted to try the cliffs at Goderich, Ontario. As I had not been there for twenty years or more, we needed to scout the take-offs and landing areas. Giles joined us and the new park take-off is great with a slight rolling take-off to a steep slope to the beach 125 feet below. The landing area is just big enough and need good landing skills. Patrick and Giles set up and I was to assist them on take-off. The wind had been blowing straight in at 22 to 30 mph but by the time Giles got up to launch the wind was gusting up to 35 and once to forty so Giles tried a few times at launch and then decided that it was too strong so after a few attempts decided to pack it up. We had a good time scouting the site and we will try again soon.

Goderich Launch and Landing November 2010

Patrick O'Donnell Setting Up

Patrick and Flash

Gilles

Flash and Patrick

Gilles and Patrick

Left of Launch

Right of Launch

Gilles Ready For Take-Off

Patrick, Gilles and Flash Climb the Hill

Two Gliders Ready for Dismantle after a too windy Day for Flying

SOGA November 9 and 12, 2010

Tuesday and Friday were beautiful blue sky days with very little lift and Patrick O'Donnell and myself drove to the SOGA field near Arthur, Ontario. Seven of us enjoyed the warm temps and the great tows by Steve Younger. Steve took lots of photos from the tug and many of them are below.

November 12, 2010 Video

The First Six Photos are by Terry Ryan

Rick Hines, Terry Davidson, Terry Ryan, Peter Morgan, Patrick O'Donnell, Bob Grant, John Pop and Steve Younger

Patrick and Bob

Bob, Cathy Holding Michael and John Pop

Bob

Steve Flies the Dragonfly Over my T-2

Terry Ryan Above Patrick and Steve

Bob Landing

John Pop and Mark Kowalski

Mark K.

John's Pup and Flash Getting Acquainted

John Pop Setting Up

Flash

The Gang

Bob Bonner

Terry Davidson and Bob Bonner with Steve Younger Landing the Tug

Flash in the Shade

Terry Davidson

Terry Davidson Taking Off

Patrick O'Donnell

John Pop Assisted by Patrick O'Donnell

Steve Tows Terry D.

Steve and Terry

Terry D. Landing

Mark D., Mark K,, Bob B. and John P.

Bob Bonner

Bob and Flash

Mark K.

John Pop

Terry D.

John Pop

Terry D.

Bob B. and Patrick

John Pop - Over the Top

Terry D. Watches John Pop

Steve Tows Mark K.

Mark K.

Terry Ryan

Mark K.

Arial Photos by Steve Younger

Skydog

Patrick

Skydog

Bob Bonner

Terry D.

Flash

Skydog

Peter Morgan

Patrick

Cathy Holding Michael

Skydog

Patrick

Patrick O'Donnell

Peter Morgan

John Pop

Peter Morgan

Patrick

Skydog

Peter Morgan

Skydog

Terry Davidson

Mark Kowalski

Skydog

Bob Bonner

Patrick

Bob Bonner

Skydog

Skydog and Peter Below

Patrick

John Pop

Patrick

Mark K.

Skydog

Patrick

Patrick with Terry D. Being Towed

Terry D.

Bob Bonner

SOGA Saturday October 09, 2010

Gilles Roussel and I met at the SOGA filed at 11 am and Steve was ready to tow Ken Kenzie with a student, Andrew. We watched as Ken took Andrew and then his friend James and they both had nice flights. A little later Heather and Tristan came along and Tristan went for a tandem flight while Heather took photos. I then got on the runway and Steve towed me up searching for thermals and over a sailplane that was scratching. I bumped into a few thermals and landed after 26 minutes. Gilles did a similar flight and John Pop took a flight that turned out to be similar. I packed up and the others took second flights after I left and they wrote to say that they had better flights second time around with Steve and Ken getting one hour flights.

James And Gilles

Andrew

Andrew and Ken Being Towed up by Steve Younger

Steve on Approach

Tristan and Heather

James and Ken Being Towed By Steve Younger

John Pop and Gilles Roussel

Tristan Enjoys the View

James and Ken Zoom in for a Landing

Andrew and Ken on Approach

Tristan Lands with Ken in Control

SOGA Friday September 17, 2010

Patrick O'Donnell and I arrived at 11:30 and set up in the sunshine and then Steve Younger came in at 12:30 and took the tug up to check out the lift situation although the sky was full of CUs they appeared to be over developed and there was only ten percent blue sky left. Steve landed and reported that there was some lift so we decided to wait an hour and hoped that the blue would grow. Well, after an hour it was worst so we waited some more and a few holes started to appear so Rick Hines took a flight and Patrick right behind Rick and Patrick was doing well so Steve towed me up near Patrick and sure enough it was good even though there was not much blue to be found. Don Vermeer joined me for a while and later Terry Davidson took a flight while Mark Sanderson sat it out as he was feeling poorly. Steve Bellerby took a late flight for 45 minutes. Patrick had the flight of the day with One hour and twelve minutes and I had one hour and eight minutes and topped out at 3,390 feet ato. No Flying Photos on this Day.

Terry, Rick, Patrick and Mark Tell Stories After Flights

Steve Younger, Steve Bellerby and Don Vermeer

Steve and Patrick

Terry Davidson and Rick Hines Launch Terry's Sailplane

Terry with His Sailplane

Terry Holds the 14 Footer

SOGA Friday August 27, 2010

A Super thermal day with winds a bit strong like 10 to 15 mph from the northeast. We decided to tow across the fleshy cut wheat field rather than the runway as the wind was coming just between the two runways. John Berger had his new WW Sport 2 and took a flight late in the day to get used to it. I took off first at 1:15 into some really bumpy air and released at 2,150 feet. My flight was superb with three hours and forty minutes airtime and I got up to 5,215 feet above the field. I also had a low save at 600 feet and back up to 4,200 feet. With the stiff wind I decided to keep upwind as much as possible and so I tried to get to Arthur, Ontario but did not get that far but got to cloud base while drifting back and I tried that a few times searching each time for the best cloud line ahead. I was up to cloud base about four times and got flushed to 600 feet above the field once and found a nice little thermal that turned into a boomer once I got higher. After three and a half hours I was bombing out and made it back to the airstrip to land. Patrick O'Donnell, Ryan Wood, Rick Hines, Terry Davidson, Mark Sanderson, with Steve Younger towing us skyward. Armand Achitone stopped in for a visit.

August 27 Video Click Here

Skydog's WW - T-2 Ready to Climb Into a Beautiful Sky

Steve Climbing Out

John Berger gets Help From Patrick O'Donnell with Set-up

Flash Watches the Gliders

Patrick O'Donnell and John Berger

Patrick

Mark

Mac Brings the Outhouse and Almost Tips on Mark's Glider

Patrick

Steve

The Master

Patrick

Steve

Ryan Wood

Trike Friend

The Gang

Patrick

Terry Davidson

Straw Bale

Steve Younger

Patrick

Mark Sanderson

Armin Armbruster

Mark Sanderson

Bob Grant

Bob After 3 Hour and Forty Minute Flight

Flash Waits on The Golf Cart

Ryan Wood

John Burger Being Towed to Launch

Mark Sanderson on Approach

Mark and Bob Enjoy the Antics of Patrick

Mark Sanderson Landing

Mark Sanderson

Steve

Patrick O'Donnell

John Berger off the Cart

John Berger on Tow

John

John on Approach

John Berger after Flight

John and Bob

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SOGA Friday August 20, 2010

A Sunny day with no cummies and it was hard to stay with the lift. Kenny had the longest flights of 45 and 30 minutes. Most of us had thirty minute flights. Mark Sanderson, Ken Kenzie, Bob Bonner, Terry Davidson and myself with Steve Younger Towing us aloft. I hope my good luck will start again real soon.

Tow Pilot Steve Younger Shows Us His Release

Steve Sets Up Mark's Release

Mark Sanderson Sets Up His Glider

Kathy Younger and Pup Sammy

Ken Kenzie's U2

Flash Checks out the Gliders

Terry and Mark with Flash

Let's Fly

The Dogs

Mark, Terry, Linda and Kathy

Terry Davidson, Mark Sanderson, Ken Kenzie, Steve Younger, and Bob Bonner

SOGA Monday July 26, 2010

Another great day at SOGA and I flew with Bob Bonner, Steve Younger, Terry Davidson and Peter Morgan. We all had good flights and I topped out at 4,700 feet above take-off and stayed up for two hours and twenty minutes.

Peter Morgan and Terry Davidson Land Together after Great Flights

Peter on Approach

Peter Landing

Terry Davidson Landing

Bob Bonner After a Great Flight

Terry Davidson - A Happy Pilot

Peter Morgan - Another Happy Pilot

SOGA Monday July 19, 2010

Flew with Rick Hines and Terry Ryan and I had 2-tows - 60 minutes total flight time. Rick and Terry had nice flights also.

Steve Tows Skydog Above the Clouds

Photos by Steve Younger

SOGA Monday June 21, 2010

Gilles told me that he was going to fly Monday so I drove up to the SOGA field and all the way there were great cumulous clouds until I came closer and they were gone and blue sky prevailed. After we set up we could see some cummies forming to the north but they would dissipate before they reached the field where we take off from. Gilles tried a flight at 3 pm and was down right after the Dragonfly landed so we were disappointed so we waited another hour and Don Vermeer tried a flight at four pm and he stuck for a while so I tried it and found a good one right up to base at 4,100 feet. An hour later Steve Bellerby towed up after work and I could see Steve close to cloud base so I pulled on the VG and headed a mile or so toward Steve and was 2,000 feet below him but quickly caught up to Steve and we thermalled together for about fifteen minutes at base when I went searching for my camera and when I looked for Steve again he was gone and I could not find him anywhere so I flew around aimlessly catching some lift here and there and later saw Peter Morgan floating around at two grand above the field so I stayed with him for a while and finally Peter landed and I landed ten minutes later. Steve Bellerby landed a half hour later. I had the longest flight of the day at 1 hour and 36 minutes and up to 4,200 feet so I was a happy HG pilot. We had also driven up on the day before and found the wind to be pretty strong so I left at 2 and Gilles stayed and had a one hour flight at 5 pm when the wind went down enough.

Steve Younger Tows Bob Grant - Photo by Steve Bellerby

Steve Bellerby Shoots Bob Grant From Above

Mustard Fields - Photo by Steve Bellerby

Bob Grant at Base - Photo by Steve Bellerby

Steve Younger and Peter Morgan

Pretty Fields

Peter Morgan

SOGA Tuesday June 10, 2010

Patrick O'Donnell and myself drove north to the SOGA field on a Tuesday morning and on arrival we found Ryan Wood setting up his Atos VX for tandem use. We set up and Steve Younger towed the three of us up at around 1 pm and we had mediocre flights. Terry Davidson and Don Vermeer came by at 4 pm. Peter Morgan towed us the next time and I stuck for 40 minutes while others had three to five hour flights the longest being 5 hours and twenty minutes by Steve Bellerby. The pilots flying later in the day got up to 5,400 feet ato while I stayed closer to the field and I only got up to 3.800 feet. I should have flown again but my zipper was broken and I was not excited about flying it that way. This turned out to be a really good day and I was not at my best. Patrick had an amazing flight getting up to 5,400 feet for over one hour.

Steve Bellerby now has the new field time record of 5 Hours and 20 Minutes. Two weeks later Steve did a 5 hour and 32 minute flight. Congrats Steve!!!!

Patrick O'Donnell Coming in Close for a Photo Op.

Peter Morgan Ready to Tow Steve Younger on the VX

Patrick

Steve Ready to Tow - I Think Don Vermeer

Ryan Takes a Tandem Student

Patrick Soaring Friendly Skies

Steve Younger Test Flying Ryan's Atos VX

Ryan Wingin Around the Hanger

Terry Davidson Landing

Don Vermeer with Terry in the Background

Patrick Happy Face O'Donnell

Steve Younger

Peter Morgan

Steve and Peter - The Two Tug Pilots

SOGA Flying Field May 10, 2010

Sunday May 09, 2010 Ryan Wood posted to the SOGA Yahoo group that the forecast for Monday was great with lots of lift under beautiful cumulous clouds so I took the two hour drive North from London, Ontario to join Ryan for some lift. We both arrived at ten thirty and set up our gliders and as we were about finished Steve Younger drove in and got the Dragonfly ready for towing. Around one o'clock Ryan took the first tow of the day and appeared to be doing well so I got onto the cart and Steve towed me upwind close to Arthur, Ontario where I hit a boomer that twisted me away from the tug so I released and watched Steve return to the strip so that I would be able to find the strip because I was not familiar with this area and I did not want to get lost and land out. By doing so I missed that boomer near Arthur and by the time I got back to the strip I was down to 1,400 feet and searching desperately for lift and luckily I spotted Ryan turning in some lift so I joined him and eventually took that lift to 5,000 feet ato and base. From there on there was good lift throughout my 2 hour and fifty minute flight but for the first half hour I had to be careful to avoid the big sinkers. Ryan got stuck in a big sinker and took a reflight after waiting an hour and from there on Ryan was out of sight on a 39 kilometre triangle. Mark Dowsett and Rick Hines Joined us around 3 pm and had real nice lift until we all landed at about 5 pm. Ryan came back into sight at 5:30 and after landing told us that it was difficult to get down and explained that his VX just loves to stay up.

Hey, we had a great day and I topped out at 6,005 feet above the field and as usual I did not venture very far from the field but I do plan to try some XC this summer.

A special thanks to Steve Younger for putting us into some great air.

A Great Set-Up Area and What a Wonderful Sky at 11:00 am

Ryan Wood Setting Up His Atos VX

Steve Younger Watches as Ryan Sets His Glider on a Cart

The Soga Runway and Notice the "Y" Branch Driveway Entrance

John a Visitor Talks with Steve Younger

Mark Dowsett After a Great First Flight of 2010

One of the Two Close Lakes

Ryan Lands at 5:30 pm

Terry Davidson Repairs the Dragonfly Mirror

Ryan after Landing His 2 Hour and Fifty Minute Triangle Flight

Steve Younger, Bob Grant, Mark Dowsett and Rick Hines.

SOGA Flying Field November 2009

Early November Patrick O'Donnell and I tried a weekday at the SOGA field just east of Arthur, Ontario, Canada and we met Ryan Wood there and Ryan Flew is Atos VX for his first high flights on his new glider. Mark Dowsett was also there and Steve Younger was our tug pilot for the day. We enjoyed blue skies with few thermals. All of us had high extended flights and Steve made us happy with the high tows.

Steve Gets the Dragonfly Ready

Ryan Wood

Ryan and His New Atos VX

Patrick O'Donnell

The Hanger

Steve Younger

Mark Dowsett