Boettger Glider Distance Record Attempt Sunday 5/4/14

Thrilling!

Here's a Dropbox folder containing many if not most of Gordo's photos, my weather graphics and satellite photos. Something to browse before my blog is updated with more analysis:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/g0jt1r58zq04wm6/nQvvPEUKhz

Walt Rogers WX

Another great flight. Hoping there isn't trouble with the igc logs again.
Jim

On Saturday, May 3, 2014 1:34:17 PM UTC-7, WaltWX wrote:
The following announcement was made 1:25pm Fri 05/02 from Gordon Boettger regarding his next attempt at a Downwind Record Glider Flight.



As the meteorologist and flight dispatcher you can follow here on this blog and see more timely updates on my twitter feed @wrogerswx



Blog updates will occur less frequently and can be seen he



http://scriptogr.am/wrogerswx/post/b...-sd-05-04-2014



bit.ly/BoettgerFlight20140504_WXBlog



Walt Rogers "WX"



__________________________________________________ ____________________________

On Sunday, May 4, I will be making another distance record attempt along with Hugh Bennett in the Duo Discus sailplane. Our intention is to be towed up by a towplane shortly before sunrise around 0530 PDT from the Minden Tahoe airport NV (KMEV), release and head in the direction of Rapid City, SD (KRAP), landing near sunset after flying over 850 miles. If we can go beyond that, we obviously will. As most know, we will be making this attempt in an unmotorized sailplane utilizing mountain wave updrafts to stay aloft.. The weather is favorable for this intended direction but weaker forecast winds might make slow going. If the flight is aborted due to technicalities or unfavorable weather, Walt Rogers will post on his twitter account (below). We intend to climb up to 28,000 feet before proceeding east. As most know, there's no way to tell how far we end up going. It will depend on what the weather allows. It will be cold as the cockpit is unheated and unpressurized. There are too many factors involved to tell how far we end up, which also makes it quite fun to watch from the sidelines on the ground. Our call sign for the flight will be N55LK.



I will also be posting live pictures and video feed (workload permitting) and be in satellite communication with Walt Rogers, our meteorologist and dispatcher. You can follow his excellent twitter feeds with weather updates and our progress and inflight pictures by going to:



https://twitter.com/wrogerswx



You can join us during the flight by following our track which gives position, altitude, speed, and heading. Updates occur every 5 minutes. Click on the blue dots to see our position, speed, altitude, and heading. Click on the following link to access the site on Saturday, 3/29 (be advised that you will have to select "map filters" on the map page and then on the "date and time range" choose "currently tracking" in order to see only our position points for THIS flight).



https://share.delorme.com/GordonBoettger



Also, we can be tracked on:



www.flightaware.com (might not be accurate)



One can also follow our live communications with Air Traffic Control by going to:



http://www.liveatc.net (I believe our first frequency will be Norcal Approach on 119.2 and then for OAK center 128.8)



My goal is to share this wonderful adventure and beauty of unpowered flight with the rest of the world. Without being in the cockpit, this is the best way we know how to share it. Feel free to share this with your friends.

Enjoy the ride,



Gordon Boettger

N55LK

I recently spoke to Gordon on his drive back to Nevada and he asked me to post a link to his flight at:

https://www.skylines.aero/flights/31356/

He said this is an easy-to-use site and I believe you can obtain his igc file from it.

He should be home this evening.

Mitch Polinsky

wrote:
On Saturday, May 3, 2014 1:34:17 PM UTC-7, WaltWX wrote:
The following announcement was made 1:25pm Fri 05/02 from Gordon
Boettger regarding his next attempt at a Downwind Record Glider Flight.



As the meteorologist and flight dispatcher you can follow here on this
blog and see more timely updates on my twitter feed @wrogerswx



Blog updates will occur less frequently and can be seen he



http://scriptogr.am/wrogerswx/post/b...-sd-05-04-2014



bit.ly/BoettgerFlight20140504_WXBlog



Walt Rogers "WX"



__________________________________________________ ____________________________

On Sunday, May 4, I will be making another distance record attempt
along with Hugh Bennett in the Duo Discus sailplane. Our intention is
to be towed up by a towplane shortly before sunrise around 0530 PDT from
the Minden Tahoe airport NV (KMEV), release and head in the direction of
Rapid City, SD (KRAP), landing near sunset after flying over 850 miles.
If we can go beyond that, we obviously will. As most know, we will be
making this attempt in an unmotorized sailplane utilizing mountain wave
updrafts to stay aloft. The weather is favorable for this intended
direction but weaker forecast winds might make slow going. If the flight
is aborted due to technicalities or unfavorable weather, Walt Rogers
will post on his twitter account (below). We intend to climb up to
28,000 feet before proceeding east. As most know, there's no way to
tell how far we end up going. It will depend on what the weather
allows. It will be cold as the cockpit is unheated and unpressurized.
There are too many factors involved to tell how far we end up, which
also makes it quite fun to watch from the sidelines on the ground. Our
call sign for the flight will be N55LK.



I will also be posting live pictures and video feed (workload
permitting) and be in satellite communication with Walt Rogers, our
meteorologist and dispatcher. You can follow his excellent twitter
feeds with weather updates and our progress and inflight pictures by going to:



https://twitter.com/wrogerswx



You can join us during the flight by following our track which gives
position, altitude, speed, and heading. Updates occur every 5 minutes.
Click on the blue dots to see our position, speed, altitude, and
heading. Click on the following link to access the site on Saturday,
3/29 (be advised that you will have to select "map filters" on the map
page and then on the "date and time range" choose "currently tracking"
in order to see only our position points for THIS flight).



https://share.delorme.com/GordonBoettger



Also, we can be tracked on:



www.flightaware.com (might not be accurate)



One can also follow our live communications with Air Traffic Control by going to:



http://www.liveatc.net (I believe our first frequency will be Norcal
Approach on 119.2 and then for OAK center 128.8)



My goal is to share this wonderful adventure and beauty of unpowered
flight with the rest of the world. Without being in the cockpit, this
is the best way we know how to share it. Feel free to share this with your friends.

Enjoy the ride,



Gordon Boettger

N55LK

I recently spoke to Gordon on his drive back to Nevada and he asked me to
post a link to his flight at:

https://www.skylines.aero/flights/31356/

He said this is an easy-to-use site and I believe you can obtain his igc file from it.

He should be home this evening.

Mitch Polinsky

Another impressive just fantastic flight. And so interesting to follow
along the live InReach tracking and keep up with Walt's blog and twitter
feed. And now photos and an IGC file. Thanks so much to the whole team that
makes this possible. It must feel like they can just about reach out and
touch Rapid City, it is going to be great when that happens.

Darryl

Thanks to all viewers for the support. I'd like to give a HUGE thanks to Walt Rogers and Rick Walters for their unbelievable support before, during, and after the flight. Also a big thanks to Tim Gardner for the 0530 tow. Without these guys this flight would not have been possible. Walt's an unreal meteorologist and getting his weather updates via sat phone during some pretty critical weather areas during the flights is comforting. Also, getting a very speedy retrieve from Rick (arrived 0930 the next morning after dragging the trailer for over 1100 miles)was phenomenal.
These guys deserve all the credit!!! A true class act!!

I'd like to thank all for the positive feedback and watching this fun flight. I'd especially like all to know that this flight would not have been possible without the help of three gracious individuals. Walt Rogers, who's incredible weather knowledge helped lead the way and superb live updates via twitter so that all could ride along was invaluable. It was comforting hearing his voice on the sat phone several times during critical weather phases. Rick Walters, who's not only an incredible sailplane racer, is also an incredible crew who arrived at 0930 the next morning after driving over 1100 miles. Talk about expeditious. Tim Gardner, who woke early enough to tow us at 0530 through rough air was awesome. These guys all lost a lot of sleep. These gracious team members that made this flight possible get my hearfelt THANK YOU. Thank you gents for making this possible!! We could not have done it without you.

Gordon Boettger and Hugh Bennett