Flytec Race and Rally 2012 - Day 6

The Peaceful Slumber is the best car camping bed roll in the history of bed rolls. It was produced in the late '90's by a man obsessed with nothing else than a comfortable bed roll for car camping. His company didn't sell anything else, just bed rolls. The lack of diversification was his downfall because eventually he went out of business. With the supply source gone people in the know hoarded as many Peaceful Slumbers as they could find. I just happened to be friends with one of those hoarders. We have been friends for over a decade. When I asked to borrow his Peaceful Slumber he let me take it, but warned me ominously that if anything happened to it our relationship would change. I was like "Bro I'll treat it like my first born." 

 The problem is I don't have kids and accidentally left it on the roof in the Element last night twenty miles away from our starting point in Live Oak, FL. When I realized it was gone fifteen minutes before the task meeting I had a choice; honor my pledge to my friend or rig and abandon any hope of finding the Peaceful Slumber. I choose the former and rallied the twenty miles back to Lake City. After frantically retracing my steps past Moe's Burritos, the drive in coffee shop, the median, and the sidewalk there was only one place left to look - the highway on ramp. I pulled off on the grass and searched desperately. The sinking feeling in my stomach turned to dread as I realized I wasn't going to find it. Then I spotted a homeless camp through the trees. I ran over and there it was! 

That was only half the battle. I still had to take it back from a crew of people that needed it way more than I did. I explained that if it was mine I would gladly give it to them, even buy them each their own, but it wasn't mine and I wasn't leaving without it. After haggling with them for a while we settled on a fair trade that everybody was happy with. They were fiscally compensated for their trouble and I left with the Peaceful Slumber, a chrome truck hubcap, and a good conscious.

All Smiles After Negotiating with my Homeless Friends

 

I couldn't believe I actually found it. I sped back to Live Oak just as everyone was cueing up their gliders. Alex Cuddy helped me rig and found my spot, but by the time I entered in the task and hooked up my harness I'd missed my launch slot. I'd have to go last. It would hurt me, but it was worth finding the Peaceful Slumber. A 90km task to East towards Jacksonville was called. I missed the meeting so I had no clue about the vast forests, towered airports (although I found out later it was uncontrolled), and prisons we would be flying over. I was the last ordered pilot in the air and worked hard to catch up. I did good working with the stragglers to leap frog to a small gaggle. We climbed well, but it was slow going to the airport. After that things got really slow and the lift was light. I had to earn every foot of altitude and kilometer over the ground. 

Working Hard to Catch Up

Across the Big Forests

Huge Pond

 The forest was huge, but I was high enough to have good options before crossing it. Finally just before the turnpoint I made a poor decision. Campbell had turned back into the forest for lift, but I didn't like it so I pressed on. It would have been better to stick with him and find it than take my chances on my own. He dribbled in 50fpm forever, but eventually got up. I decked it just after the turnpoint. It was a rewarding flight because I worked really hard to get as far as I did, behind and alone at times, but almost everyone made goal. The decision that put me on the deck more than any other was forgetting the Peaceful Slumber on the roof last night, but I got a hell of a story out of it!

Flytec Race and Rally 2012 - Day 5

A 121km task north of Quest to Williston airport was called. Greystone, where John Travolta keeps his airplane was the only turn point. I launched early in the open window so I could stage for the first start. Eduardo, Campbell, and I worked the edge of the start circle until the main gaggle made it over.

Video of the Start Circle

At the first start I went with a big group, but most of the leaders waited for the second. The lift wasn't as strong as the previous day, but 3-400fpm climbs were common. I passed something the guys I was with stopped for to catch a gaggle out front and got low over the badlands. I saw a small cloud on the edge of the forest and dug myself out, but never caught the gliders I was after.

On Glide

 

The Endangered Turtle Refuge I Landed in Last Year

 

Soon there was a new gaggle and we worked together through light lift until just short of the turnpoint. By then people had dropped off one by one and I was alone. It was not looking good until Jonny showed up followed by all the big boys. I went from low and alone to high with talent. It was in a perfect position near the top of the stack to finish the task then I pissed it away with one bad decision. I lead out towards the turn point and sniffed 150fpm that I didn't think was worth stopping in. By the turn point there was nothing. Everyone else had found a real climb where I kept going. It was such a stupid mistake. I knew it at the time, but let the freight train keep going anyway. It's my third time at the Race and Rally, I know better than that.

Greystone - The 1st Turn Point

John Travolta's House

I groveled down low with Swiss Nick just after the turn point, but decked just west of Greystone. Landing there did not look friendly.

Flytec Race and Rally 2012 - Day 4

Day 4 Task

Day 4 started at Quest with a 90km triangle south then north and back to Quest. The ordered launch was the same as the day before, but the lines shifted which put me in the middle. It was another blue sky day and it didn't take long before a death gaggle formed in the start circle. I laughed as an Eagle angrily flew upstream against 50 gliders turning the opposite direction than him. I took the first start with a big group of people and tagged the first turn point after two short climbs. The group splintered on the way to the second, but I did a good job of hanging with a smaller gaggle. I took my turn leading out glides when I was on top, knowing full well that the faster guys would catch me. After the second turn point we got really low, but there were enough of us to bag a good climb back up above 5000'. I took that climb a little higher, which turned out to be a good call because I entered the wrong radius for the last turn point. It meant I flew about 1.4km past the cylinder before I turned around, but I used the extra altitude to catch everyone. It took a few more climbs to get Quest within glide. My instrument wasn't giving me numbers to goal because it never thought I tagged the third turn point and I didn't know how to advance to the goal (second time flying with it). The good news was I was with a fast group filled with talent. I navigated visually and did my best to keep up and fly fast. It worked and I made goal just behind Paris, Joe, Edoardo, and Glen. Time was 2:12:47 it looks like I'm 13, which is a first top 20 finish. Stoked!!!! 

The Phoenix at Goal

Flytec Race and Rally 2012 - Day 3

The system pumping strong north winds has moved out of the area enough for some conducive flying weather. A 150km task from Dunnellon Airport to Quest to Lake Wales Airport was called. It would be an easy downwind task in the countryside west of Orlando. This year there is an ordered launch system, to which I was #41. The conditions were more like Colorado than Florida with broken thermals, bumpy air, blue skies, and cold - like 40 degrees at 5000'. There was an ordered launch and I was number 41. That meant I got off late, but not at the very back. I hooked up with Greg, Charlie, Tom, and John in the start circle and took the 2:45 start. We had a good tailwind for the first leg and worked down the east side of ??!! Lake. By the other side our gaggle had splintered. John was out ahead and called out two climbs for me. I was alone, but caught him just after the Quest.

Day 3 Task

 

Starting at Dunnellon Airport

From the Air

Looking South on the Course Line

We worked together perfectly for another 20km, but I was getting really motion sick. It always happens on my first flight after not flying or a while, but the bumpy air exaggerated things. I suffered through a few more climbs, but decided to get on the ground while I had my whits about me. I lead out a glide and was setting up for the last big landing field before the woods. Then I saw a waypoint called Wallab in the GPS, which had to be Wallaby. I needed to pick up a glider there for a Colorado pilot. I was on the other side of the woods, but I was loitering in 50fpm. I drifted down wind until I had it on glide. I was bummed I ended the flight early and felt terrible leaving John, but it was a good first comp flight and I have gas money to get home now!

Landed at Wallaby

Stumbled on this Guy on the Drive

Flytec Race and Rally 2012 - Day 1 & 2

Day one was cancelled due to strong winds.  I had an eventful practice flight yesterday.  You can read about it at the end of my previous post Here.

The forecast for day two showed strong northwest surface winds.  In an effort to make a viable task we moved to Dunnellon Airport,  about 70 kilometers northwest of Quest.  A task southeast past Quest to Lake Wales Airport was called.  The winds in the forecast proved true, which along with strong thermal cycles made towing too difficult to get the field airborne.  We hung out for a while to see if the winds would abate, but in the early afternoon the day was called.  After my adventure yesterday I was happy to stay on the ground until more friendlier conditions prevailed.

Strong Winds Again

 

 Although we'd all rather be flying, the pilots and crew make hanging out a random airports good fun.  The people are really what make this sport and catching up with everyone made the time pass quickly.  I also happened to stumble on a few cool airplanes sitting on the ramp.  The first was a Osprey II experimental.  It's an all wood amphibious 2 place airplane with retractable landing gear.  The interesting thing about it is how low it sits in the water.  The example we saw had virtually perfect canvas work.

Keeping Busy Waiting for the Winds to Die Off

   

 The Osprey II

 

 

 Dustin Stress-testing the Canvas Work

 

 Osprey II Take-off

Look how low it sits in the water until it gets on the step.

 Sitting across from the Osprey II was 1956 Cessna 310.  It was in poor condition, but still had a stately presence.  Early design cues like the upright canopy, vertical tail, and massive tip tanks were captivating. This example's flying days were long gone, but the patina of faded paint, mold, and oxidation made it worth photographing.

The Stately Early Cessna 310

After 4 days of sleeping in the Element I was happy to adapt a large window sill into accommodations for the evening. The weather looks better tomorrow so the race should be on. In the meantime Jack Simons pointed out - We're all tied in 1st place! 

My Accommodations for the Evening

Flytec Race and Rally 2012 - Travel and Preparations

It's April and that means it's Flytec Race and Rally time. It's been a hectic year so getting myself and my gear sorted would take right up to the last minute. The first order of business was new wires, a 3 to 1 VG, and thorough inspection of the T2C. 

New Wires

   

 3 to 1 VG

   

 I would be the only pilot coming from Colorado and didn't have money for hotels so driving the Element made the most sense. I replaced the OEM rack with a Thule set up, then hacked up a pawn shop extension ladder plus some conduit for a full size rack. A base radio, GPS, and radar detector finished the package. It's a full fledged hang glider recovery vehicle. 

 Outfitting the Element 

 

 Base Radio, GPS, and Radar Detector

   

 Jo would be driving the E30, which decided to break down the day I wanted to leave. Several trips to the junk yard had it fixed, but it put be 24 hours behind schedule. I stopped for 6 hours outside of St. Louis and made it to Quest (in Groveland, Florida) at 3:30 am the morning of the first day, a total of 36 hours. 

 Beautiful Kansas Sky

 

 

 The Arch

Appalachia

Arrival at 3:30am, 36 hours later

   

 The first day was cancelled due to strong winds. I was keen to free-fly anyway since my last flight was in the fall. I broke a weak-link just above the trees on the first tow. I pulled off a low 360 for a great landing. Jon said it was the roughest air of the day. The second tow was uneventful. So was the flight up until the end. In the fall I had been having problems getting my head down at full speed. My pitch adjuster was hanging up on something. I fixed it in the winter, but hadn't had a chance to test it in flight. I also hadn't been getting full travel out of my VG before the 3 to 1. The difference wasn't huge, but it was enough to create some drama. After a few thermals I tried out my pitch at a range of different speeds. When it was time to land I set up a high speed downwind towards the pond. My plan was to pay out my energy over the pond then land near the big tree. I wasn't trying to show off as I have nothing on the superior talent of the majority of pilots in the meet.  I was just enjoying flying the glider at speed, although the changes masked how much energy it had.  At about 300' I hit a wire-slapper and lost the bar. I'm not sure if it was ripped out of my hand or surged forward as I instinctively tried to slow down. Either way it pinned violently against my neck. By the time I got my hands back on it I was climbing steeply. My bed was made. I was rocketing skyward at 120 degrees pitch (past the vertical).  It was too late to pull in. I should have rolled out of the side, but my instinct at the time was to push out slightly and go over the top. It seemed like the quickest way to get out of it and time was of the essence!  I've never looped before, nor planned on doing it any time soon. I stayed positive the whole time, but it was close. If not for a headwind as I was upside-down I don't think it would have been successful.  Lots of wingovers probably helped with the muscle memory.  I landed and was disgusted at my decision making. Sleep depravation, glider changes, turbulence and rotor were all factors that I didn't respect. I needed to fly to get dialed with my glider, but I should have been more respectful of the multiple threats I faced under those conditions.  I did keep my composure and take decisive action in a violent and surprising situation.  There are a very few times in a pilot's career when such a situation presents itself.  It was satisfying to have acted correctly under pressure, but that does not excuse putting myself in the situation in the first place.  It was a valuable learning experience,  In any form of aviation, mistakes you can walk away from are gifts. I'll take it as that and learn from it. I'm looking forward to our first day of racing tomorrow. In the meantime my neck hurts.

The Ferrari FF

An untimely forced retirement from competitive cycling has allowed cars to consume a portion of the time and energy vacuum that would have otherwise been spent suffering on two wheels. Let me explain the logic of the madness. My vehicular tastes are very specific favoring uniqueness, driving dynamics, and performance engineering while loathing the excess weight of driver aids and assistance technology (read driver disconnection and distraction) that the mass market craves. The M Coupe is a quintessential example of my philosophy on what a car should and should not have. The E30 is horribly underpowered by modern standards, but when driven with a little bit of skill it routinely outmaneuvers the hordes of mediocre apexers in more powerful vehicles. It is what it is. I've become a petrolhead, albeit still an environmentally conscious one. Last weekend I got to experience the hallowed petrolhead ground that is Ferrari. Not just any Ferrari, but one that every M Coupe enthusiast is keenly aware of. Trying to share the experience in words is an exercise in futility. I’ll do my best not to sound like a gushing 12 year old writing a final exam essay!

In March of 2011 Ferrari announced a replacement for the 612 Scaglietti grand tourer. It was a dramatic departure from the evolution of grand touring super cars that had previously emerged from the harmonious convergence of art and engineering that is Pininfarina. The new masterpiece was called the FF, which stands for Ferrari Four. The drama in the new design is how Ferrari accomplished the double meaning of the latter F – Four seats and Four-wheel drive.

The Ferrari FF

M Coupe owners couldn't help but notice the similarity between the FF's short name and BMW's simplest named ///M car. That's not the only thing they noticed. The FF's "shooting-brake" lines were so familiar that pundits and enthusiasts far from the regular M Coupe enclaves took note.

Ferrari FF and M Coupe

Similar Shape, Different Dimensions

Shooting-brakes (high performance hatch backs with long noses and steep hatch angles) have always been controversial designs, but their uniqueness promotes an enduring and loyal following. In 1962 Count Giovanni Volpi hired some of the original Ferrari 250 GTO engineers to convert a 1961 250 GTO into a shooting-brake. The Breadvan, as it became known, took advantage of Kamm aerodynamic theory to achieve a higher top speed than the normal 250 GTO’s. Since then there have been several one-off shooting-brake Ferraris. Other marquees produced volume shooting-brake models including the MGB-GT and the Jensen GT. In 1972 the shooting-brake got Hollywood exposure in the Jaguar E-type GT hearse driven off a cliff at the end of the dark comedy Harold and Maude. The M Coupe got its shooting brake form as the result of being derived from a roadster into coupe, opposite to the usual evolution of coupes into convertibles. The FF was designed from the ground up as a shooting-brake to allow usable rear seats and ample storage behind them in super car form. Where I can admit the M Coupe has a few awkward angles, the FF's design looks good from every angle.

The Shooting-Brake

1961 Ferrari 250 GTO "Breadvan"

Ferrari 365GTB4 Daytona

E-Type GT Hearse from Harold and Maude

My M Coupe

MGB-GT

Jensen GT

I have always shunned anything other than the rear wheels doing the driving, but after experiencing a Nissan GT-R first hand on the track will concede to the virtues of four driving wheels in a performance environment. The FF's 4RM revolutionary system powers the front wheels via an engine mounted front gearbox connected to the drive axles through two continually slipping clutches. It maintains rear bias by only taking 20% of the V12's torque, working only in 1st - 4th gears, and only in the "comfort" , "wet" and "snow" positions of the steering wheel mounted Manettino dial. The design saves significant weight over conventional systems and preserves proper rear-wheel drive dynamics.

Ferrar 4RM Forward Mounted Gearbox

Four-Wheel Drive in Action

My friend Adam and I go back nearly as far as two friends can. Last weekend he just happened to be entrusted with the first customer Ferrari FF delivered to the US and I just happened to find myself in Atlanta. What a coincidence!

As I waited to be picked up, every set of HID headlights coming down the road piqued my interest. When the black form revealed itself from the sea of mediocre shapes it looked like a modern day Batmobile. I had seen pictures, but in person it was stunning. The airport pick up is always a rushed endeavor, but I made sure to snap a few pics in the good light. The airport police officer diverted her 3-wheeled Segway in our direction for a glance. She rolled by just as I mentioned I had a radar detector in my bag. Perfect timing! Adam assured me that it would not be necessary, demonstrating how trustworthy he was of the moving artwork.

The Nero Daytona Black Ferrari FF in which Adam was Entrusted

Entrusted to him was a $500,000 FF in Nero Daytona Black over Cuoio Leather interior. The black was contrasted with hints of chrome, yellow Scuderia Ferrari shields, and matching yellow brake calipers. The inside smelled like a brand new catchers mitt, albeit a very expensive one. I felt like I should take off my shoes before getting in. The supple brown leather was wrapped in the Carbon Fiber Trim Package, a $50,000 option, which covers the dashboard, vents, center console, doorsills, paddle shifters, and steering wheel in carbon.

More Nero Daytona Black

Yellow Scuderia Ferrari Shields

And Matching Calipers

FF Power Up

Cuoio Leather Interior

Carbon Fiber Trim Package

Even within the limits of quasi-legal street driving, the FF’s performance was staggering. There are a lot of fast cars, but what distinguishes the FF from lesser counterparts is how it goes fast. Thrust is produced by a 651 horsepower, high revving, normally aspirated V12 that was brutal yet composed. The acceleration seemed much faster than the published 3.7 second 0-60 time, but 0-60 times are for people who talk about cars more than drive them. The experience of listening, feeling, and watching on my own digital tach and speed display from the passenger seat was simply beyond words. With a top speed of 208 mph, we were barely exploring its capabilities.

651 Horsepower V12

Passenger Digital Tach and Speed Display

Going fast in a straight line is easy; maintaining that speed when lesser cars or drivers need to slow down is the true test of both. Adam had the Manettino Dial set to Sport so the four-wheel drive was disabled. From what I could feel turn-in was direct and crisp. The 53% rearward weight balance is achieved by mounting the V12 in the rear of the engine compartment and the gearbox in the rear axle. That balance combined with the superb Magnetorheological Suspension kept cornering neutral, but controllable. Even in Sport Mode the ride was compliant over rough surfaces, but firm enough to squelch any hint of body roll from the 4100lb beast. It was amazing. You really can have your cake and eat it too. Even more amazing is that GM originally developed that suspension technology. Adam lifted off the gas slightly at the top of a rise in a medium-radius right hand turn that would have sent my M Coupe throttle-lift over-steering into the median. The FF’s balance was barely upset. Having so much performance so confidently balanced in that situation was a subtle, but telling example of just how good the FF is. True to F1 form the steering wheel was littered with switches, the Manettino dial, the engine start button, and a built in rev counter. The double-clutch F1 gearbox initiated lightning fast gear changes, which Jeremy Clarkson proved are faster than the blink of an eye (fast forward to 2:00 in the video below). Of course if you know anything about Ferrari, these words have been a waste your time. Let me waste a little more.

Rear Mounted Torque Vectoring Gearbox and Mid-Front Mounted Engine

Manettino Dial

The FF's Steering Wheel

F1 Steering Wheel

Jeremy Clarkson Racing the F1 Gearbox with His Eyes

Adam and I managed to beat the rest of my crew to the hotel. As the FF quietly ticked itself cool, Adam and I spent a couple hours catching up while admiring the sculpture in front of us. I was most impressed by how stunning the FF looked. I searched and searched, but I could not find a bad angle. Its design inspired conflicting emotions in distinct harmony. Adjectives like menacing, elegant, fluid, abrupt, subtle, outlandish, alluring, and dynamic filled my thoughts, but mostly just Badass!

No Bad Angles

An exhaust is just a “waste disposal” device, but the FF’s was a symphonic instrument. At idle the note was a composed rumble laying in wait like a coiled snake ready to strike with the slightest press of the pedal. As the RPM needle moved skyward the rumble exploded like a multistage rocked from scream to shriek to wail. The pitch change was immediate and dramatic, audible evidence of the V12’s perfect harmonic balance. The sound was raw and genuine super car, no superfluous noises just for show.

The FF's Glorious Exhaust Note

In hindsight the whole experience seems like a dream. It was super late and I was jetlagged and tired from a long week at work. It was great to see Adam, but the shortness of our visit was further accelerated by the intensity of the FF. The fact that he was able to give me the most exciting hotel van ride in the history of hotel van rides proves that quality, not quantity is what counts. It’s people not cars that define a true adventure. The FF was just our tool. What a wonderful tool it was! Thanks to him and the FF’s owner for a great night.