Goals

Flying Goals: Mid-year Eval

avianna

Back in February I set out some goals to strive toward. About 6 months later here is my self-assessed report card:

  • Fly more sites

Success. Though I have not added a lot, I did fly in Americus, Georgia and recently Garlock, California on the southern edge of the Owens Valley. Americus was my first real experience in the flat lands and more towing for me than ever before. Skeptical about how I’d do in the unfamiliar landscape with no hills or mountains to rely on as thermal triggers, I could not have been more happy with my intro to flat lands taking home 3rd place in the sport class. Woohoo!

  • First flight(s) in the Owens Valley.

Nope. Not yet but possibly later this season. Garlock is close, and we hoped to fly over the back into the Owens, but that did not happen.

  • Fly more without my vario.

Half Success. I’ve found it tough to force myself to forgo the vario when flying challenging cross-country flights. I never fly Torrey Pines with a vario, but I hardly feel that counts. On a few flights I turned off the sound and rotated the display away for a while. As the season winds down I’ll focus on returning to my non-beeping roots.

  • Fly my first competition (and maybe more).

Success! Third place at my first competition, the Flytec Americus Cup. Racing some very good sport class pilots I am super ecstatic with how the comp went. Comp #2 coming up soon in September with the Santa Cruz Flats Race. Will I fly sport class or open class? That’s the big question, though it’s looking very likely I’ll get one more sport class comp under my belt (wing?).

  • Learn to think ahead on an XC.

Fully mastered. I’m an XC queen. Kidding! Definitely kidding. If I ever master this I’ll be surprised. So far this year I’ve experienced much trial and error. There’s a point in every flight requiring a critical decision, and often it’s a difficult decision. Figuring out which way the convergences meander around has proven challenging, especially on the days with fewer clouds or less defined markers. I feel like I’ve learned a lot, but I’ve also both had a lot of luck, a lot of failure, and some limited success. I can only keep improving from here. I can tell I am getting better and I’m happy with that. Now I’d like to get to a point where I can “read” the land better so when I fly new territory I can know where lift will be.

  • Push a little harder to stretch my distances, but not so hard to stretch my luck.

Success. First 50 mile flight this year! That’s my big accomplishment so far. It was not an easy flight by any means, including a low save about 300 feet off the deck, but except for a few critical points the miles came easily. The real lessons I’ve learned were from the flights where eking out only 10 to 20 miles was difficult. I have found myself down and out with no good place to land within gliding distance, and pushed myself to climb out of the hole I dug.

  • Graduate from my Sport 2.

Success. I had my doubts about jumping, or is it giant leaping, to a topless glider, but found it much easier than many made it out to seem. Of course I cautiously approached the new gliders, first flying in smooth evening air, and then on later flights making sure I stayed aloft beyond the roughest times of the day to land. As of now I have time on the Moyes Litespeed RX 3 and the Wills Wing T2C 136. I can’t wait to get my very own.

  • Get instructor rated.

Success. Sooner than expected, I passed the tests and got my rating from Rob McKenzie. I am still collecting gear to teach with so have not yet began to teach much, but soon. Next year the plan will be to get tandem instructor rated.

  • Concentrate on refining my techniques.

This is more difficult than it seems. With at most two or three launches and landings a week, most of my effort has been focused on cross country flying. I need to make more use of Torrey Pines to get touch-and-goes in, though the launch there is primarily one variety of the many types we see flying the many sites we have. Palomar always challenges with a low-wind, shallow slope launch. I’ve noticed that at sites I rarely fly, my launch techniques are less than ideal. Recognizing more closely the differences and adjusting is my goal moving forward.

  • The cop-out to make it an even 10 goals…have fun, be safe.

Success. I have definitely had fun and flown within my safe envelope. At the same time I’ve kept moving toward the stretch envelope to improve my flying.

It’s been a wonderful year so far. I’ve flown 80 hours, should top 100 by the end. August has been a light-flying month after the marathon of flying in July. September will again be a flying-filled-fest. Bring it on!

Setting Goals and This Site’s Flight Plan

avianna

Sadly I am back from vacation, but happily back to flying…with a long weekend coming up. During my trip I had time to think about where I want to take myself, and this site in 2014. Admittedly, this isn’t the most interesting post, but hey, it helped me focus my thoughts and formulate a plan. I’m a big fan of setting goals, if for no other reason than to force oneself to consider the status quo, and where to go from there.

My two main objectives for this site, this year, are to:

  1. Document my continued training to better qualify my progress and force me to think about how I am flying and my weaknesses; and,
  2. Document what it’s like to begin competing, how one gets started, things to consider, and hopefully show my improvement as a pilot because of competing.
Now these goals may sound boring, so know that they do not at all limit me from posting about all my flying adventures along the way, with more photos and videos. I also invite you to write me with suggestions (the little @ icon up on the right).
My Goals for 2014 (in no particular order). They are mostly general so I expect to revisit each of these in future posts:
  • Concentrate on refining my techniques. Launching, landing, thermaling, XCing. Whatever it is, do it better and more efficiently.
  • Fly more sites. In the past year I branched out to aerotowing (which opens many new doors), and traveled to Santa Barbara for a week to experience their amazing sites. I’d love to travel more (don’t we all?). On my list are the bay area, Utah, Arizona. This brings me to my next goal…
  • First flight(s) in the Owens Valley. Either early season or late season. I suppose my goals of 50 or 75 miles may be more easily obtainable…or not. Our San Diego site Horse Canyon can have comparable turbulence and big air many compare to the Owens, so I feel comfortable and ready to spread my wings there. And I’m sure I will have good guides on my first flights.
  • Learn to think ahead on an XC. I’ve heard cross-country flying is like a chess game. One must be a few steps ahead to fly well. This I need to work on.
  • Fly more without my vario. My first 25 hours were without a vario. I learned a lot and became very good at it. I need to return to my roots.
  • Fly my first competition (and maybe more). A few local pilots urged me to begin competing, and so I gave it some thought. In 2013 I attended the Santa Cruz Flats Race to see what the fuss is about. I drove for the Norwegians, earned my aerotow rating, gaggled in gaggles, and met some very cool—and legendary—pilots. I took in the whole experience. I quickly realized that to improve my flying and connect with others who share this affliction—I mean passion—competing is the way to go. Above all, believe it or not, I had fun. So now the question is, which comps? Santa Cruz Flats Race is nearby but the last of the year. It is definite. Do I debut with the Americus Cup or Big Spring? Will I sky out or bomb? How does one support this?
  • Push a little harder to stretch my distances, but not so hard to stretch my luck. Last year I flew flights close to 40 miles. On one I was 30 miles into a flight at 10,000 feet in the convergence over the LZ where everyone else had landed. It was a nice airport with drinks and snacks that we have permission to land at, so I don’t blame them. Being the overly courteous person that I am, I joined them…this after two low saves and my current state of ecstasy high above the plains. This year I want to continue until my abilities bring me down, not my conscience. I am confident that on the right day I can surpass 75 miles.
  • Graduate from my Sport 2. Now this is very debatable and everyone seems to have an opinion on this. Some say skip to a topless, others say get more time on the Sport. I certainly do not want to be one who rushes a decision like this. At the very least I would like to test fly other gliders to begin to sense the different characteristics of different gliders. “What’s wrong with the Sport?” you may ask. Nothing. It has served me well for nearly a year, and I do not yet feel it is holding me back. However, I feel I am ready to begin experiencing other gliders so that I can make an educated decision. I do know that if I do graduate I will do so cautiously—flights at well known sites with comfortable LZs. No cross-country flying until thoroughly familiar with the new wing. Another consideration: First I will need to get comfortable in the “new clothes” of a new harness. Stay tuned for a post specifically addressing the advancement to a higher performance wing.
  • Get instructor rated. I would love to begin passing on my passion and love of flight to others.
  • The cop-out to make it an even 10 goals…have fun, be safe. Enjoying hang gliding should always be our number one priority. It is why we started and why we fell in love with it. To forget this is to risk losing focus to secondary goals. Besting personal records is very satisfying, but nothing can beat those moments of realization when you look out from high above launch and recognize, in awe, the sheer beauty and indescribable essence that our sport offers.
I hope you’ll join me for the journey. Happy Flying!

Hang Dreaming: When we can’t fly

avianna

Learning to fly in San Diego has many advantages. For one, nearly every weekend of the year is flyable, somewhere within an hour and a half drive (come visit us *hint* *hint*). Included in the site list are Lake Elsinore and Mount Laguna, two epic thermal and convergence sites in the summer, and in the winter great ridge soaring sites. But wait, there’s more…within two hours we have Crestline/Marshall, one of the best sites in the country (so I’m told). Basically, I am a spoiled bird.

However, occasionally we all have to miss a few days of flying. For me that is next week. Tonight I head off to Georgia for the week. Contrary to my previous post, I sadly will miss flying Super Bowl Sunday. I hear there is great flying in Georgia (who knows, maybe I’ll be back in a few months), but I will—also sadly—be far removed from any site or glider.

Now in the grand scheme of things, we are very lucky to do what we do. We’ve been gifted with health and wellness, enough prosperity and free-time, living at a time where modern hang gliders exist, and the mental ability to control them. I am truly humbled to have this opportunity, and any absence away from flying merely proves to me more how privileged I am, but also how much flying means to me.

What will I do–flying related–in the meantime?

Well I am taking my 6030 manual. Will I actually read it? Maybe. Am I a dork? Probably. So far I’ve learned more using the vario in the air than on the ground.

Hopefully find time to run and bike, ya know, to make sure I’m in tip top shape for flying. And after all this is a vacation.

I also need to, seriously, think about my goals and dreams for the year. A 50 mile flight would be great, but as I almost did that last year may not stretch my aim enough…granted this is not the sport to push too hard. Maybe a comp or two. Adding 75 or more hours to my logbook would be great too.

Time to board…