Hard Deck

Jon Fitch: You are burdened with a view of off-field landing that is distorted. I can see that in many things you've been writing and suggesting. We should have a separate thread about how to pick fields and make good off-field landings. I know a guy that has made maybe 75 or more off field landings on farm fields, pastures, parking lots, golf courses, gas stations, backyards, roads, and dry lakes. He's a lucky damn ******* for sure but the only off-airport damage he's ever had is a tweaked gear once (which still worked) due to a deep track in a circle field. Landing off field is just part of soaring. Actually, it's a fun part of soaring.

Jon: I stand corrected. Silly me, having only flown two weeks out of Truckee, the idea of squaring over the pass and then thermaling up to finish at the hot rocks never occurred to me. Yes

Steve: Off field landings are all well and good, but there is simply nowhere to land on the north side of the Lake Tahoe basin. Zero, zilch, nada. One landing has been made on the golf course, but it looks mighty chancy to say nothing of the golfers.

Both: The general idea of a last turnpoint with minimum altitude, as practiced in the SGP, has a lot of merit, when there are no good fields close to the airport for blown final glides. It would also allow finish lines such as we had at Uvalde without some of the amazingly close calls we also had at Uvalde.

John cochrane

Steve: Off field landings are all well and good, but there is simply nowhere to land on the north side of the Lake Tahoe basin. Zero, zilch, nada. One landing has been made on the golf course, but it looks mighty chancy to say nothing of the golfers.

Both: The general idea of a last turnpoint with minimum altitude, as practiced in the SGP, has a lot of merit, when there are no good fields close to the airport for blown final glides. It would also allow finish lines such as we had at Uvalde without some of the amazingly close calls we also had at Uvalde.

John cochrane

Yes, John I know that. I wasn't responding to Jon's post about crossing the lake (We were typing at the same time I guess). Landing out surely always requires a place that's suitable.

Jumping to the problem of what to do about Truckee... How about simply using a 30 mi finish cylinder. That would allow us to have a full day racing task there. If you can't get home due to west wind washout, you just land Minden or Carson without any disrupting effect on the scoresheet and without any daredevil temptations. The tugs at Minden would be set on ready alert for late hour missions or next morning missions if you bring your toothbrush. Or, for the crewed amongst us, crews might even be pre-dispatched to Minden. Just a thought.

On Wednesday, February 7, 2018 at 7:18:12 PM UTC-8, Steve Koerner wrote:
Steve: Off field landings are all well and good, but there is simply nowhere to land on the north side of the Lake Tahoe basin. Zero, zilch, nada. One landing has been made on the golf course, but it looks mighty chancy to say nothing of the golfers.

Both: The general idea of a last turnpoint with minimum altitude, as practiced in the SGP, has a lot of merit, when there are no good fields close to the airport for blown final glides. It would also allow finish lines such as we had at Uvalde without some of the amazingly close calls we also had at Uvalde.

John cochrane

Yes, John I know that. I wasn't responding to Jon's post about crossing the lake (We were typing at the same time I guess). Landing out surely always requires a place that's suitable.

Jumping to the problem of what to do about Truckee... How about simply using a 30 mi finish cylinder. That would allow us to have a full day racing task there. If you can't get home due to west wind washout, you just land Minden or Carson without any disrupting effect on the scoresheet and without any daredevil temptations. The tugs at Minden would be set on ready alert for late hour missions or next morning missions if you bring your toothbrush. Or, for the crewed amongst us, crews might even be pre-dispatched to Minden. Just a thought.

The problem with a 30 mile finish cylinder is it virtually guarantees no one returns to Truckee. You have the blessing of a dedicated crew that will go get you where ever you land. That's pretty rare these days.

We can have a full racing day if the weather cooperates for once. Our "normal" good weather there allows a finish into Truckee at 5 or 5:30. the OLC guys will often land at 6 or 7. The problem we have had for the last couple of years is the weather gods are looking at the SSA racing schedule and playing practical jokes on us.

On Wednesday, February 7, 2018 at 2:12:32 PM UTC-6, Steve Koerner wrote:
Landing off field is just part of soaring.

I agree Steve - every time one takes off, they need to be prepared for an off field landing.

Actually, it's a fun part of soaring.

Not for me - besides the increased risk, it is a total pain in the ass. Time, retrieve, disassembly in a field, etc. Did I mention lost contest points

I think the risk of landing out is a key "turn off" for potential soaring pilots and potential contest pilots. (Maybe#1.)

I am a huge fan of the training one gets through the SSA Badge process.

Lou