April 9, 2006 - Soaring
We had a beautiful, spring day so there was no choice but to fly out to the Jan's Flying Cow Airpark for some soaring!  I made my 11 year old daughter, Maggie, an offer she couldn't refuse and she went flying with me.  On the transit from Essex Skypark to Jans, she flew the plane for awhile.  She does pretty well with it, although she can't reach the rudder pedals.  But she knows how to make the plane go where she wants it to go.  Here we are at Jans around 12:30.  It was a little chilly when we first got there.  
The Scheibe SF-25C Motor Falke towplane is on the left and Bill Burner's Scheibe Flugzengbau Bergfalke on the right. 
 
I made a single flight in my Scheicher Ka-8.  I got off the tow at 2500 feet.  There wasn't much lift and I gradually descended to about 1700 feet when I found a tight, but strong thermal which I rode up to 3400 feet.  From then on, the lift gradually improved.  I ended up flying for an hour and a half.  The lift in the last half hour was so good I had a hard time descending.  There was booming lift everywhere;  you didn't even have to circle in the thermals.  But an hour and a half was enough and I was getting pretty cold.  To get down, I had to fly around until I found some sink, then circle in it with full spoilers! 
Maggie showing off her "Women Fly" apparel, as she climbs into the Citabria.  That's my flight jacket, by the way, but she commandeered it. 
We had a bumpy ride going home, thanks to the thermals.  Fortunately we had a tailwind so it was a quick trip.  The visibility was phenomenal, even better than last week when it was very good. I estimate it was 40+ miles.   Here is a shot of Baltimore, straight ahead. 
Another Baltimore shot, a little closer in.
 
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