Best places for a soaring pilot to retire?

Anyone looked at the current snow total? Of course, if you're a skier...


On 2/16/2015 7:53 AM, wrote:
On Sunday, February 15, 2015 at 4:41:00 PM UTC-5, Matt Herron Jr. wrote:
Looking for new Ideas for places to retire. The usual considerations apply; cost of living, health care, weather, and available soaring. Doesn't have to be the US. near water would be nice. I own a Ventus C.

Anyone live in/near Grass Valley, CA? 1 hr from Truckee and Sacramento, 1.5 hrs from Williams, 2.5 hrs from Bay area.

Thanks for any suggestions

Matt
Has anyone mentioned NH yet?

Dennis

--
Dan Marotta

On Monday, February 16, 2015 at 10:24:23 AM UTC-5, Mike the Strike wrote:
No worthwhile places further east of the Rockies

Really? Ever hear of the Appalachians?

-John, Q3

On Sunday, February 15, 2015 at 11:56:46 PM UTC-8, Ramy wrote:

As for Mimden/Truckee area and other Great Basin soaring sites, they are great but only for 3-4 month during the summer. The rest of the year is wave or nothing, so unless you are a die hard wave pilot, your soaring season will be short. All my soaring buddies who moved from the Bay Area to retire in Minden area fly much less than I do...

Ramy

Ramy,

Not to be argumentative, I flew my Stemme S10-VT out of Napa for 5 years. Soaring there is very interesting and challenging, lots of variety, ridge, convergence, thermal, limited wave, and pretty much all of that in typically weak conditions below 5K agl.

I moved to Minden 12 years ago. If you are suggesting the thermal season at Minden is but 3 or 4 months, I disagree, unless you are referring to that portion of the season where you risk twisting your vario needle off and for romping cross country flying. Add a few of months on each side of that to account for more moderate conditions, and still able to head down to the Whites etc, and you have a thermal season that stretches from March (thermals to 16K) to November (thermals to 15K). Yesterday's report said 4 knots to 9.9K - but I wasn't flying so can't confirm what it really was.

Ridge, when the wind is out of the NE to E, provides great opportunity for scenic flying the eastern flank of the Carson range, though seldom much higher than 1.5K over ridge. Lots of fun!

Throw in wave and only in the dead of winter are there sometimes periods of a week or so with zip for soaring.

The above accounts for almost 300 days of the year.

On Monday, February 16, 2015 at 11:55:02 AM UTC-6, John Carlyle wrote:
On Monday, February 16, 2015 at 10:24:23 AM UTC-5, Mike the Strike wrote:
No worthwhile places further east of the Rockies

Really? Ever hear of the Appalachians?

-John, Q3

Agree with John C. Cast your eyes on the OLC N. America Champion list of 2014 and yes, there is a pure East Coast pilot in 5th place, who would have thought. That's Michael Higgins of Fairfield PA and we have the honor to hear from him this weekend at our Midwest Soaring and Safety Seminar here in the Chicago area. Mike is logging some unbelievable flights in his Discus, the longest last year was over 1,341 km. Together with Baude Litt he also explored some fantastic Winter routes.
I suggest to Matt to include some of the very active E. Coast clubs in his search, my favorite is of course New Castle, VA.
Herb

On Monday, February 16, 2015 at 12:45:23 PM UTC-8, wrote:
On Monday, February 16, 2015 at 11:55:02 AM UTC-6, John Carlyle wrote:
On Monday, February 16, 2015 at 10:24:23 AM UTC-5, Mike the Strike wrote:
No worthwhile places further east of the Rockies

Really? Ever hear of the Appalachians?

-John, Q3

Agree with John C. Cast your eyes on the OLC N. America Champion list of 2014 and yes, there is a pure East Coast pilot in 5th place, who would have thought. That's Michael Higgins of Fairfield PA and we have the honor to hear from him this weekend at our Midwest Soaring and Safety Seminar here in the Chicago area. Mike is logging some unbelievable flights in his Discus, the longest last year was over 1,341 km. Together with Baude Litt he also explored some fantastic Winter routes.
I suggest to Matt to include some of the very active E. Coast clubs in his search, my favorite is of course New Castle, VA.
Herb

Interesting discussion. Each ones definition of great soaring place is different. For some it means a place with potential for very long flights during the season even if the season is short or the great soaring days are sparse, for others it mean be able to fly year around regardless of how good the conditions are.
For myself, I am looking for a place where I can have access to multiple soaring sites (need variety) to be able to fly long XC (500km +) year around, all within 1-3 hours drive. So far living in the eastern Bay area provided me with good XC conditions 10 month of the year, but I suspect Southern California (San Diego area) is even better. I realize this is somewhat different from the criterias Matt has, but I would like to hear where else one can fly long XC year around in thermals. If that place has lower housing cost, than I may be able to retire earlier...
How about Florida? Only good in winter and spring?

Ramy

Not questioning that you have some excellent soaring back east if you're into ridges. However the OP was asking about excellent places to retire and most folks like to have a more benign climate than the east coast! Old bones don't like snow!

Mike

On Monday, February 16, 2015 at 5:23:31 PM UTC-5, Mike the Strike wrote:
...OP was asking about excellent places to retire and most folks like to have a more benign climate than the east coast! Old bones don't like snow!

A location where it is pleasant to be outdoors in the summer and fall, warm days and cool nights, is important to some. One mid-octogenarian, who is a very active pilot, winters in Florida and summers in Vermont. He and his crew (aka wife) are residents of FL for tax purposes. Rents a ski resort condo cheaply in VT in summer and fall.

Annual migration opens a lot more possibilities. Snowbirds that like to soar.

Hey Fox Two, I'd like to hear more about your experience moving to France. How do I contact you? I usually spend four weeks in the alps each summer.

You can reach me at:
c dot j dot fleming at hotmail dot com

FYI, I fly from Fayence, about an hour west of Nice. We have a few Duo Discus available if you're interested!

Chris

On Monday, February 16, 2015 at 10:54:14 AM UTC-5, Bill T wrote:
NH? Not really good year round soaring. Sure there is Mt Washington.
But an area that cancels a Winter Carnival (Alton Bay Ice Runway) because of too much snow and well below zero wind chill?
Lived there once, not planning on it for retirement.
BillT

I live here now...That was tongue in cheek -

Dennis