January 11, 2013 - Day 5

Day 5 started with hope that the things would keep getting better, after mist pilots finished the task on Day 4. However, that was not to be, as the weather again conspired against us and forced most to land out, including yours truly. Luckily for me, all four of my landouts went fine with no problems during the retrieve.

The weather forecast was (below) again quite decent, but everyone, including Lucas, the chief meteorologist, has become skeptical about the forecast models.

This time the weather man got some things right, like the top of the thermals and to some extent the strength, but he again low balled the wind speed, forecasting only 40 km/h in the afternoon (the wind speed was 55 km/h!), and not forecasting the thick mid level overcast cover that cut the thermals around the 2nd turn point in the afternoon.

The task was another short AAT with 2 turn points:

Once up, the problems started even before crossing the start line because upwind of the start line the terrain was very wet and the thermals weak. SO the choice was to climb in a good thermal downwind of the start line and then do a long glide upwind in order to start, or go far upwind and try to find a thermal there, which would put you at risk of landing out even before crossing the start line. Most chose the former option, so gaggle flying again.

I started relatively late at 15:04, not because I wanted to, but because I couldn't get myself into a good enough position to start. Even then, my start altitude was low (800 meters), but there was no point delaying it any further.

I flew the first leg (downwind) mostly alone, but in visual contact with a few other gliders for the most part. The first leg went by quickly and after turning back into the wind, towards the second TP, I joined up with a medium size group with the Duch, Italians and Henrique Navarro (YY). As we slowly progressed towards the 2nd TP, the mid level overcast drew closer and the wind became stronger, as my flight trace demonstrates.

Once near the 2nd TP, we entered the area shaded by the overcast and the thermal strength reduced to 0.5 to 1 m/s, while the wind was now exceeding 50 km/h. Although the group managed to find thermals, the combination of slow climb and high wind meant that after each climb we were getting blown further South, away from Chaves.

Eventually, we split up and all of us landed in the vicinity of Tres Arroyos, myself near a farm behind a local Luna Azul motel. Only five pilots made it back.

I was 21st for the day, in the middle of the pack.

A few photos:

The grid with Kilo-Yankee's tail in the back behind G4

Luis posing behind his daily tow rope artwork

Arndt Hovestadt, the defending Club Class World Champion, in his Libelle, being photographed

Gugui in his Jantar Standard 2 (JB) before take-off, with Marcel running the wing

Towards the 1st turn point - easy going down wind

Towards the 2nd turn point - slow going up wind with the high clouds moving in

Kilo-Yankee in a stubble field yet again, barely missing a bunch of rabbit holes (a big one can be seen in the foreground)

The farmer, his wife and sister-in-law (if I understood correctly) posing in front of Kilo-Yankee