Today we decided to change direction. A cold front was closing off our options to the west and north, along with our plan to rally to Lookout Flight Park in Chattanooga, TN. The conditions to the east were looking really good so a 194km task from Americus to Vidalia, GA was called. There would be a turn point at Dublin Airport to keep us clear of airspace. That would be a total of 120 miles, over twice as far as my longest XC flight ever. I tried not to think about it and just take the task 10km at a time. Americus Airport couldn't have done more to accommodate us. They provided a barbecue lunch free of charge for all of the pilots. I've been eating a big breakfast and a light lunch to keep my stomach happy and in flying shape. A few years ago I ate a foot long Subway sandwich before flying on a bumpy day and it came up after a few thermals - not a pleasant experience for me or the unsuspecting soul it might have landed on! My preflight meal for this comp has been a bagel with peanut butter and a Coke Zero.
Lunch
We staged on the opposite end of the airport and towed off one of the runways. I was late to cue up because I had to repair my nose cone from my recent landing rut. It didn't matter, the lift was so good I was able to catch a gaggle filled with serious talent. We all climbed up close to cloud base just outside of the start circle and ran back to tag it at start time. I was able to hang on with the group for about four climbs. It was intense flying with super fast glides and close proximity in strong thermals. Last year I learned to maximize my thermal entry by entering at full speed and pay out the energy in the glider to multiply my climb rate for the first few turns. Everyone is so good that the slightest mistake has huge consequences. A missed core, waiting one turn too long to go on glide, flying a little too fast or slow; they all add up and it turns into a race of attrition. The less mistakes I make, the longer I can hang on to the fast group. In the climbs everyone is working together, but also jockeying for cores and constantly adjusting the radius and speed to maximize the climb. The collective energy is intoxicating. I was stoked to hang as long as I could.
Nick Off my Right Wing
On Glide with the Start Group
Once I was alone I focused on just making it to goal. The fast group had gone off the course line to the south to follow a cloudstreet, but I didn't have the altitude to try to follow them. I pressed alone across a blue hole and found myself getting low over a town on the other side. At 2000' I caught a glimpse of some vultures and flew straight to them. They lead me to a nice thermal and climbed with me until about 4000'. Cloudbase was over 7000' where it was noticeablly colder than yesterday. I got low one more time 20km before the turn point, but managed to hang on in 150fpm lift until it turned into 500fpm. That climb got me high enough to tag the turn point, then I headed southeast towards goal. It was slow going at first, but a few other stragglers showed up and we put together some descent climbs. I decided to leave inconsistent 200fpm for a promising cloud and bridged the gap to two gliders closer to goal. It was a good decision as the guys I was with ended up lower and behind for the rest of the task.
Working It Alone
Dublin Airport - The Turn Point
At Cloudbase
Rich Before We Spread Out
For the last stretch I played it conservative and took my climbs a little higher than the new guys I was with. I took the last climb to cloudbase waiting until I had an 8 to1 glide to goal. Nick, who was climbing with me went at 10 to 1 and made it with altitude to spare. Making goal is a new thing for me, so a few learning experiences are to be expected. When I had 8 to 1I headed out, starting at best glide speed, which was unessesarily slow. It would be a 18.5km glide and I was at 6600'. I didn't think it mattered until about halfway when I saw the guys I was flying with earlier coming in faster and lower. I stuffed the bar and flew at full speed the rest of the way to goal. The T2C is a rocket ship, but holding the bar stuffed for the remainder of the glide wasn't the least bit fatiguing. I centerpunched the finish at 2500' partially because the air was lifty below 4000' partially because I didn't go sooner. I'm not sure what start the guys below me took, but I beat them to goal!
9 to 1 Glide Ratio to Goal
Downtown Vidalia, GA
Goal
Everyone on the ground was stoked from an epic day of flying. I was stoked to make goal again and set a new personal distance record of 120 miles! Granted the last two task days have been in incredible conditions, but I feel like I'm slowly climbing the learning curve of this game. Nick and I celebrated the day with a dip in the hotel pool.
The Reward of Not Breaking Down My Glider
Nick Taking a Dip
Humid Sunset
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