How do you interpret weather reports when considering a cross-country flight?

Spring is getting near. I want to learn cross-country flying. I want to do the 50 km flight for the Silver badge.

Here’s the first option I’ve looked at: http://www.nscale160.com/xc/

Bermuda High (SC79, 550' msl) is 34 nautical miles west of the Marlboro County Jetport (KBBP, 147'msl). Using the “one percent rule” I can’t release any higher than 1390' agl at Bermuda High if I'm simply going to land at BBP. I understand if I use a logger and arrive high enough over BBP before landing that I’m OK...

I suppose I could release higher, descend below 1390' agl in a good thermal and then climb again and fly on. Hmmm.

If you look at the screen capture map on my website you'll see my initial idea. If you have any feedback on the route(s) I’d be interested, but that's not really the purpose of this post.

I’d like to learn more about weather forecasting/understanding/planning or something like that.

What are good links to places you use to check the weather?

How do you know from looking at the weather that "today's a great day to try a 50 km flight"?

Thanks in advance.

Terry

Terry,

I've found an excellent tool are the NAM Blipmaps:
http://www.drjack.info/BLIP/NAM/

If you can climb up to 5000ft agl and it is not particularly windy, you
would be able to safely attempt a silver distance. You can find the AGL
Hcrit, which says how high thermals go above the ground in the NAM info.

Also, regarding starting, you don't need to start that low. You can declare
a start and then you can start any altitude you want, so long as your
finish point is no greater than the 1% rule allows for. So if you can only
lose 1400ft, then if you go through your declared start at 6000ft MSL, you
must finish no lower than 4600ft MSL. However, that is probably a lot
easier than taking a very low tow.

Regards,
Daniel Sazhin

At 00:16 15 February 2013, Terry Pitts wrote:
Spring is getting near. I want to learn cross-country flying. I want to
do
=
the 50 km flight for the Silver badge.

Here=92s the first option I=92ve looked at: http://www.nscale160.com/xc/

Bermuda High (SC79, 550' msl) is 34 nautical miles west of the Marlboro
Cou=
nty Jetport (KBBP, 147'msl). Using the =93one percent rule=94 I can=92t
rel=
ease any higher than 1390' agl at Bermuda High if I'm simply going to
land
=
at BBP. I understand if I use a logger and arrive high enough over BBP
befo=
re landing that I=92m OK...

I suppose I could release higher, descend below 1390' agl in a good
thermal=
and then climb again and fly on. Hmmm.

If you look at the screen capture map on my website you'll see my initial
i=
dea. If you have any feedback on the route(s) I=92d be interested, but
that=
's not really the purpose of this post.

I=92d like to learn more about weather forecasting/understanding/planning
o=
r something like that.

What are good links to places you use to check the weather?

How do you know from looking at the weather that "today's a great day to
tr=
y a 50 km flight"?

Thanks in advance.

Terry

Terry,

I've found an excellent tool are the NAM Blipmaps:
http://www.drjack.info/BLIP/NAM/

If you can climb up to 5000ft agl and it is not particularly windy, you
would be able to safely attempt a silver distance. You can find the AGL
Hcrit, which says how high thermals go above the ground in the NAM info.

Also, regarding starting, you don't need to start that low. You can declare
a start and then you can start any altitude you want, so long as your
finish point is no greater than the 1% rule allows for. So if you can only
lose 1400ft, then if you go through your declared start at 6000ft MSL, you
must finish no lower than 4600ft MSL. However, that is probably a lot
easier than taking a very low tow.

Regards,
Daniel Sazhin

At 00:16 15 February 2013, Terry Pitts wrote:
Spring is getting near. I want to learn cross-country flying. I want to
do
=
the 50 km flight for the Silver badge.

Here=92s the first option I=92ve looked at: http://www.nscale160.com/xc/

Bermuda High (SC79, 550' msl) is 34 nautical miles west of the Marlboro
Cou=
nty Jetport (KBBP, 147'msl). Using the =93one percent rule=94 I can=92t
rel=
ease any higher than 1390' agl at Bermuda High if I'm simply going to
land
=
at BBP. I understand if I use a logger and arrive high enough over BBP
befo=
re landing that I=92m OK...

I suppose I could release higher, descend below 1390' agl in a good
thermal=
and then climb again and fly on. Hmmm.

If you look at the screen capture map on my website you'll see my initial
i=
dea. If you have any feedback on the route(s) I=92d be interested, but
that=
's not really the purpose of this post.

I=92d like to learn more about weather forecasting/understanding/planning
o=
r something like that.

What are good links to places you use to check the weather?

How do you know from looking at the weather that "today's a great day to
tr=
y a 50 km flight"?

Thanks in advance.

Terry

Terry,

I've found an excellent tool are the NAM Blipmaps:
http://www.drjack.info/BLIP/NAM/

If you can climb up to 5000ft agl and it is not particularly windy, you
would be able to safely attempt a silver distance. You can find the AGL
Hcrit, which says how high thermals go above the ground in the NAM info.

Also, regarding starting, you don't need to start that low. You can declare
a start and then you can start any altitude you want, so long as your
finish point is no greater than the 1% rule allows for. So if you can only
lose 1400ft, then if you go through your declared start at 6000ft MSL, you
must finish no lower than 4600ft MSL. However, that is probably a lot
easier than taking a very low tow.

Regards,
Daniel Sazhin

At 00:16 15 February 2013, Terry Pitts wrote:
Spring is getting near. I want to learn cross-country flying. I want to
do
=
the 50 km flight for the Silver badge.

Here=92s the first option I=92ve looked at: http://www.nscale160.com/xc/

Bermuda High (SC79, 550' msl) is 34 nautical miles west of the Marlboro
Cou=
nty Jetport (KBBP, 147'msl). Using the =93one percent rule=94 I can=92t
rel=
ease any higher than 1390' agl at Bermuda High if I'm simply going to
land
=
at BBP. I understand if I use a logger and arrive high enough over BBP
befo=
re landing that I=92m OK...

I suppose I could release higher, descend below 1390' agl in a good
thermal=
and then climb again and fly on. Hmmm.

If you look at the screen capture map on my website you'll see my initial
i=
dea. If you have any feedback on the route(s) I=92d be interested, but
that=
's not really the purpose of this post.

I=92d like to learn more about weather forecasting/understanding/planning
o=
r something like that.

What are good links to places you use to check the weather?

How do you know from looking at the weather that "today's a great day to
tr=
y a 50 km flight"?

Thanks in advance.

Terry

On Thursday, February 14, 2013 6:16:45 PM UTC-6, Terry Pitts wrote:
Spring is getting near. I want to learn cross-country flying. I want to do the 50 km flight for the Silver badge.



Here’s the first option I’ve looked at: http://www.nscale160.com/xc/



Bermuda High (SC79, 550' msl) is 34 nautical miles west of the Marlboro County Jetport (KBBP, 147'msl). Using the “one percent rule” I can’t release any higher than 1390' agl at Bermuda High if I'm simply going to land at BBP. I understand if I use a logger and arrive high enough over BBP before landing that I’m OK...



I suppose I could release higher, descend below 1390' agl in a good thermal and then climb again and fly on. Hmmm.



If you look at the screen capture map on my website you'll see my initial idea. If you have any feedback on the route(s) I’d be interested, but that's not really the purpose of this post.



I’d like to learn more about weather forecasting/understanding/planning or something like that.



What are good links to places you use to check the weather?



How do you know from looking at the weather that "today's a great day to try a 50 km flight"?



Thanks in advance.



Terry

Terry,
Unless you are attempting your Silver Distance in a Ka-8, you shouldn't be too concerned about making it around just a 50km round trip. Go for a turnpoint 30-40 mi away and come back home. That way the release altitude is not a factor. By the way, releasing at anything above 2,000' AGL should be considered bad form and only for sissies. If you can't climb up from that altitude, practice thermaling. Good luck!
Herb

On Feb 14, 7:16*pm, Terry Pitts wrote:


I’d like to learn more about weather forecasting/understanding/planning or something like that.

What are good links to places you use to check the weather?

How do you know from looking at the weather that "today's a great day to try a 50 km flight"?

Thanks in advance.

Terry


Hi Terry,

There are some very good weather tutorials on the SSA web site, you
can find them under News & Information/Weather/Tutorials or directly
through this link: http://www.ssa.org/myhome.asp?mbr=17...ow=blog&id=866.
The tutorials can be downloaded and printed. This is what you will see
on the Tutorials page:

Home News & Information Weather
Tutorials
Thermal Soaring Forecasts
Methodology
The Convective Boundary Layer
Thermodynamic diagrams
Download pdf files
Courtesy of Richard Kellerman

Western US special situations
Courtesy of Dan Gudgel

This excellent tutorial is kindly provided by Dan Gudgel.


Regarding your Silver C, you have the right idea, I would take a tow
to 1,200 ft, if the tow pilot drops you in lift you shouldn't have too
much trouble getting away.

Good luck and enjoy.

Andy Gough

On Thursday, February 14, 2013 7:16:45 PM UTC-5, Terry Pitts wrote:
Spring is getting near. I want to learn cross-country flying. I want to do the 50 km flight for the Silver badge.



Here’s the first option I’ve looked at: http://www.nscale160.com/xc/



Bermuda High (SC79, 550' msl) is 34 nautical miles west of the Marlboro County Jetport (KBBP, 147'msl). Using the “one percent rule” I can’t release any higher than 1390' agl at Bermuda High if I'm simply going to land at BBP. I understand if I use a logger and arrive high enough over BBP before landing that I’m OK...



I suppose I could release higher, descend below 1390' agl in a good thermal and then climb again and fly on. Hmmm.



If you look at the screen capture map on my website you'll see my initial idea. If you have any feedback on the route(s) I’d be interested, but that's not really the purpose of this post.



I’d like to learn more about weather forecasting/understanding/planning or something like that.



What are good links to places you use to check the weather?



How do you know from looking at the weather that "today's a great day to try a 50 km flight"?



Thanks in advance.



Terry

Terry, one tool I would begin to get familiar with is the interactive sounding tool at this site:

http://www-frd.fsl.noaa.gov/mab/soundings/java/

this is one of Richard Kellerman's most useful tools...you will need to find a nearby airport, preferably one that actually sends up a WX baloon in the morning to do a real sounding...this java app allows you to put in several hours e.g. 1700Z - 2100Z then you can look at how the model is forecasting the day to develop through the normal mixing process. This is a great tool but takes a little while to get the hang of if you are unfamiliar

I always look at the TAF for the day as well....it's aquick indicator to see if cus are in the forecast and what the winds will be....

Dr Jack is great too...previously mentioned

Good luck,

Jim Price

Wow, I can't believe no one has mentioned XC Skies. I dropped all the Old tools many years ago. In my opinion, nothing comes close to the ease of this Great WX tool.

http://www.xcskies.com

On Friday, February 15, 2013 10:06:58 AM UTC-5, wrote:
On Thursday, February 14, 2013 6:16:45 PM UTC-6, Terry Pitts wrote:

Spring is getting near. I want to learn cross-country flying. I want to do the 50 km flight for the Silver badge.







Here’s the first option I’ve looked at: http://www.nscale160.com/xc/







Bermuda High (SC79, 550' msl) is 34 nautical miles west of the Marlboro County Jetport (KBBP, 147'msl). Using the “one percent rule” I can’t release any higher than 1390' agl at Bermuda High if I'm simply going to land at BBP. I understand if I use a logger and arrive high enough over BBP before landing that I’m OK...







I suppose I could release higher, descend below 1390' agl in a good thermal and then climb again and fly on. Hmmm.







If you look at the screen capture map on my website you'll see my initial idea. If you have any feedback on the route(s) I’d be interested, but that's not really the purpose of this post.







I’d like to learn more about weather forecasting/understanding/planning or something like that.







What are good links to places you use to check the weather?







How do you know from looking at the weather that "today's a great day to try a 50 km flight"?







Thanks in advance.







Terry



Terry,

Unless you are attempting your Silver Distance in a Ka-8, you shouldn't be too concerned about making it around just a 50km round trip. Go for a turnpoint 30-40 mi away and come back home. That way the release altitude is not a factor. By the way, releasing at anything above 2,000' AGL should be considered bad form and only for sissies. If you can't climb up from that altitude, practice thermaling. Good luck!

Herb

Knowing the fleet at Bermuda High, I suspect the plane will be a PW-5 or
SGS1-26. The round trip might be a bit of a challenge for a beginner!

Herb is right. Plan a round trip to a point 50km away. The 1% rule is
computed on the entire flight, so as long as you make it back you are allowed
1000m for the release altitude. You do have to fly a 50km leg for the
Silver distance.

There are lots of cross country and badge savvy people at Bermuda High.
They will have lots of good advice on how to make the flight and what
is the best direction for a beginner. E.g. the straight line from BH to BBP
crosses some tiger country, and the only airport in between (Wild Irish Rose)
isn't recommended for glider landings.

Matt

On Friday, February 15, 2013 2:21:54 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On Friday, February 15, 2013 10:06:58 AM UTC-5, wrote:

On Thursday, February 14, 2013 6:16:45 PM UTC-6, Terry Pitts wrote:



Spring is getting near. I want to learn cross-country flying. I want to do the 50 km flight for the Silver badge.















Here’s the first option I’ve looked at: http://www.nscale160.com/xc/















Bermuda High (SC79, 550' msl) is 34 nautical miles west of the Marlboro County Jetport (KBBP, 147'msl). Using the “one percent rule” I can’t release any higher than 1390' agl at Bermuda High if I'm simply going to land at BBP. I understand if I use a logger and arrive high enough over BBP before landing that I’m OK...















I suppose I could release higher, descend below 1390' agl in a good thermal and then climb again and fly on. Hmmm.















If you look at the screen capture map on my website you'll see my initial idea. If you have any feedback on the route(s) I’d be interested, but that's not really the purpose of this post.















I’d like to learn more about weather forecasting/understanding/planning or something like that.















What are good links to places you use to check the weather?















How do you know from looking at the weather that "today's a great day to try a 50 km flight"?















Thanks in advance.















Terry







Terry,



Unless you are attempting your Silver Distance in a Ka-8, you shouldn't be too concerned about making it around just a 50km round trip. Go for a turnpoint 30-40 mi away and come back home. That way the release altitude is not a factor. By the way, releasing at anything above 2,000' AGL should be considered bad form and only for sissies. If you can't climb up from that altitude, practice thermaling. Good luck!



Herb



Knowing the fleet at Bermuda High, I suspect the plane will be a PW-5 or

SGS1-26. The round trip might be a bit of a challenge for a beginner!



Herb is right. Plan a round trip to a point 50km away. The 1% rule is

computed on the entire flight, so as long as you make it back you are allowed

1000m for the release altitude. You do have to fly a 50km leg for the

Silver distance.



There are lots of cross country and badge savvy people at Bermuda High.

They will have lots of good advice on how to make the flight and what

is the best direction for a beginner. E.g. the straight line from BH to BBP

crosses some tiger country, and the only airport in between (Wild Irish Rose)

isn't recommended for glider landings.



Matt

Sorry, I meant doing a round trip in a 1-26! The PW-5 should handle that fine.