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Ridge Soaring?
Okay, I'm looking for a place to do some ridge soaring. Never done it, it doesn't exist where I fly. (Seminole Lake GP, Florida) Any suggestions as to the best ridge soaring and availability of instruction?
Walt |
#2
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Ridge Soaring?
In article ,
Walt Connelly wrote: Okay, I'm looking for a place to do some ridge soaring. Never done it, it doesn't exist where I fly. (Seminole Lake GP, Florida) Any suggestions as to the best ridge soaring and availability of instruction? Walt Hands down, you need to go to Chilhowee Gliderport, Benton, TN. Chilhowee is a great place to get an intro to ridge flying. It is the closest ridge site to you, the gliderport is close up against the ridge, the ridge works well, and the surrounding terrain is landout friendly. Instruction, rides, and tows are available. Lodging is close by and reasonably priced. I recommend (believe it or not) the local Red Roof Inn. They have a special rate for glider pilots ($55/night) and the hotel is actually extremely clean, comfortable, and well run. I'm sure you'll hear from others also suggesting Chilhowee. |
#3
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Ridge Soaring?
On Jan 28, 11:45*pm, Berry wrote:
In article , *Walt Connelly wrote: Okay, I'm looking for a place to do some ridge soaring. *Never done it, it doesn't exist where I fly. (Seminole Lake GP, Florida) *Any suggestions as to the best ridge soaring and availability of instruction? * Walt H I'm sure you'll hear from others also suggesting Chilhowee. Nope! Blairstown.......far better flights....just look at OLC this year and previous. Operates every day all year so you can fly when the ridge is working! Also two sided ridge....NW or SE winds work! Note about ridge soaring...it only works when it works........you could hang out for two weeks and have no ridge days.....or like this year, get about 9 ridge days in a row! Early to mid spring is typically the best time....also great thermals and sometimes wave mixed in! Cookie |
#4
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Ridge Soaring?
Try Europe! St Auban in the French Alps has ridges in just about every
wind direction, probably the best glider fleet in the world, fantastic instructors including at least 3 former world champions and attracts pilots from all over the world. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo9jE9XJyek and my other videos. Slope soaring Mt Blanc at 12000 feet + would make the journey worthwhile! |
#5
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Ridge Soaring?
PS The instructors also speak English........not sure about american
though! |
#6
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Ridge Soaring?
If you're willing to travel, I recommend the most famous US site -
Ridge Soaring in Julian, PA. Tom Knauff and Doris Grove have a great reputation in the soaring community, and will set you safely on the right course. And I can vouch from experience that you won't forget any day get the chance to fly along the Appalachian ridges when the wind is higher than 15 kt from 310! -John |
#7
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Ridge Soaring?
On Jan 30, 2:37*pm, jcarlyle wrote:
If you're willing to travel, I recommend the most famous US site - Ridge Soaring in Julian, PA. Tom Knauff and Doris Grove have a great reputation in the soaring community, and will set you safely on the right course. And I can vouch from experience that you won't forget any day get the chance to fly along the Appalachian ridges when the wind is higher than 15 kt from 310! -John For any ridge flying, google earth is a tremendous resource. Look up the common routes, then "fly" them in the comfort of your lounge chair. It helps enormously with orientation and gap-crossing when the time comes to do it for real. You can even scout for fields. John Cochrane |
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Quote:
Walt |
#9
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Ridge Soaring?
On Jan 28, 11:45*pm, Berry wrote:
In article , *Walt Connelly wrote: Okay, I'm looking for a place to do some ridge soaring. *Never done it, it doesn't exist where I fly. (Seminole Lake GP, Florida) *Any suggestions as to the best ridge soaring and availability of instruction? * Walt Hands down, you need to go to Chilhowee Gliderport, Benton, TN. Chilhowee is a great place to get an intro to ridge flying. It is the closest ridge site to you, the gliderport is close up against the ridge, the ridge works well, and the surrounding terrain is landout friendly. Instruction, rides, and tows are available. Lodging is close by and reasonably priced. I recommend (believe it or not) the local Red Roof Inn. They have a special rate for glider pilots ($55/night) and the hotel is actually extremely clean, comfortable, and well run. I'm sure you'll hear from others also suggesting Chilhowee. If you are coming from Florida, I would second Wally's recomendation. It is really important to go to a site that is prepared to train and mentor you. Chilwowee and Ridge Soaring are well prepared for this. Chilhowee available all year round. Don't be to swayed by record and OLC flying as much as training and mentoring availability. Good Luck UH |
#10
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Ridge Soaring?
On Jan 31, 9:39*am, wrote:
On Jan 28, 11:45*pm, Berry wrote: In article , *Walt Connelly wrote: Okay, I'm looking for a place to do some ridge soaring. *Never done it, it doesn't exist where I fly. (Seminole Lake GP, Florida) *Any suggestions as to the best ridge soaring and availability of instruction? * Walt Hands down, you need to go to Chilhowee Gliderport, Benton, TN. Chilhowee is a great place to get an intro to ridge flying. It is the closest ridge site to you, the gliderport is close up against the ridge, the ridge works well, and the surrounding terrain is landout friendly. Instruction, rides, and tows are available. Lodging is close by and reasonably priced. I recommend (believe it or not) the local Red Roof Inn. They have a special rate for glider pilots ($55/night) and the hotel is actually extremely clean, comfortable, and well run. I'm sure you'll hear from others also suggesting Chilhowee. If you are coming from Florida, I would second Wally's recomendation. It is really important to go to a site that is prepared to train and mentor you. Chilwowee and Ridge Soaring are well prepared for this. Chilhowee available all year round. Don't be to swayed by record and OLC flying as much as training and mentoring availability. Good Luck UH- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Well I gotta laugh......of course this question comes up on this group every so often, and of course everybody answers with "where I fly".....you know, "my airport is better than your airport". I'm not so sure that any particular ridge site has any better instruction than any other. I am sure that you will find at any ridge site some highly experienced instructor(s), willing to give you great personalized instruction, and fly as much as your pocket book would allow. But here is the real problem with the "plan"......You can't learn to ridge fly in a day, you can't learn in a week and you can't learn in a month........... So if you go somewhere, where there is a good ridge, and good instruction, say for a two week vacation....you may get one day of ridge flying, maybe two......if you are really lucky a couple of days...... So what you are going to get, at best, is an INTRODUCTION to ridge soaring.......lots of fun...you'll learn a lot....but you'll have a long way to go... For example, the local club guidelines require a min of 4 hours of dual ridge instruction, before solo flight on the local ridge is allowed....and additional minimum 10 flights and 6 hours of solo flight is required before cross country ridge is allowed.....(many pilots need more than these recommended minimuns). So, hard to do in a week..............sure on the ridge you can easily fly 4 hours in one flight, but doubtful the instructor would allow solo after only one flight.......... Bottom line...If you want to *really* learn to fly ridge....you have to MOVE to where a ridge is......and be ready to fly every day the wind blows the right way! If you want some intro to ridge flying, take a vacation where something else intrests you as well, so you have something to do on all those days when the ridge doesn't work! Cookie |
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