September ends nicely

From Martin L:

We had two beautiful days of flying at the club.

Although we had a slow start on Saturday only getting flying around 11:15 Am, most people enjoyed the day and a good group stayed for supper at the club house.

I am happy to announce that we have a new member and tow pilot, Pascal Lepage, joined our club a few weeks ago and has completed his required tail dragger check out with me. He did 5 dual tows on Saturday and should be ready to tow solo shortly. He is keen pilot and wants to help around the club.

Sunday had a brisk wind but the thermals were more consistent, several people came to fly guests, JM Chadourne brought his uncle visiting from France for a ride in the L-23. (His Uncle was the president of a club in France for many years and took Jean Marc up for his first glider flight when he was just 6 years old). I had the pleaseure of taking my golf partner and then his wife Lucie up for a glider flight in the L-23. Herb Deopner and Susan came in for a visit in their ultalight on wheel floats from Westport. Their Sun Andrew was in from Comox BC (flies Search and Rescue Buffalos now for the Air Force) and also came for a visit to the club. It was nice to see them again.

We managed to get the Puchatz in the trailer in the morning before we went flying and also derigged the ASW-24; both will be going to Lake Placid next Saturday. Both are equipped with oxygen systems if the wave gods smile on us again this year.

Rick Sudeyko flew the Pawnee to Lake Placid leaving around noon; after a thorough customs clearance at Massena, he arrived at Lake Placid at about 2:30 pm, and departed for home with Dan Daly about 3:00.  After a stop at the Saranac Lake Chinese Buffet to refuel, and a wait of about an hour at the Cornwall border crossing, he was reunited with his car at just after 7 pm.

All in all a great weekend.

FYI

Martin

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It was mid-70's F, about 26C on both Saturday and Sunday at Lake Placid; I had 3 different outfits with me for different levels of cold, and I was overdressed...  I will pack better for fly week.

One interesting tidbit; one of the RVSS pilots who came for the weekend had an interesting border crossing, where the sensitive instruments detected radiation coming from his trailer.  The radium paint on an old compass was the culprit, and after a close inspection, he was allowed to proceed... 

I thought when I arrived I'd have to sort out the airfield from the diagrams in the MSC briefing, but the Saratoga Springs club was there, with about 13 gliders, for their first wave camp at Lake Placid.  I found a quiet place (between AT and XS) to tie the trailer down.  Two Duo Discii, a Grob 103, a DG1000... nice!

For a look at what Lake Placid is like, look at Dan Duclos' excellent youtube video: GGC Wave Camp at Lake Placid October 2011 (just google search it).  Nice work!  We should be able to get a few good ones this year.  The leaves are just starting to turn, and Lake Placid is wonderful (last weekend was my first trip there).  Amazing flying in the mountains, only a couple of hours away!

 Dan Daly

See you under a Cu (or lennie)