Wave Window Procedures & Safety
The Wave Window is NOT always open!
Oakland Center only opens the wave window on request from WSC Management, and it is done via telephone. It is not opened via a radio call to Oakland Center. Do your coordination with and through the office at WSC.
[Note: The original Wave Info page was created and published in January 1996 by Peter Kelly on the Valley Soaring Association website. Additional info was created by Darryl Ramm. Their work was copied to this new WSC website by Larry Roberts]
A formal agreement was established in December 1995 between William's Soaring Center and the Air Traffic Control Center at Oakland that designates specific airspace in which a glider may fly above Flight Level 180.
Do not attempt to fly in the William's Wave Window without specific approval for each and every flight. Approval is only available by the acting manager at William's Soaring Center.
The Wave Window
SeeYou View (by Peter Kelly)
The graphic above illustrates the boundaries of the North and South Wave Windows. Please note the locations that you can expect to locate the wave lift, in the opinion of Peter Kelly.
- The pink colored markings are the primary wave - you must realize that as you go higher in altitude, the wave moves forward, i.e. into the wind, and if you are going above 18,000 feet you will be leaving the window if you attempt to fly in the primary wave. Do NOT fly out of the Wave Window when you are above 18,000 feet!
- The purple colored marking indicate the secondary wave.
- The Yellow colored marking indicate the tertiary wave.
Sectional Chart View (by Darryl R.)
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SUA File for use in PDA devices and NKClearNav
This is the contents of the WSC_SUA.txt file, the file works in WinPilot, SeeYou Mobile, GlideNav, and NKClearNav.
Download the SUA file (OpenAir version) created by Peter Kelly.
WSC_SUA.txt. (357 bytes)
On a Windows PC right click the aobve file name and select "save target as"
in FireFox select "Save Link As", and save it to a folder on your computer.
Glide Navigator
Copy the WSC_SUA.txt file into the same directory as the turnpoint files.
See You Mobile and WinPilot
(courtesy of Darryl R.)
The Williams Wave windows are available electronically in OpenAir format in the file “WSC_SUA.txt” (download link above).
The OpenAir format can be read by most PDA based soaring software and advanced flight computers, including the NK ClearNav.
Below are notes on how to set this up for SeeYou Mobile and Winpilot.
Note-1: The WSC_wave file does not contain waypoint information, you need to install the current Williams waypoints from the soaring turnpoint exchange.
Note-2: The corner coordinates of the wave windows are close to but not exactly on known turnpoints in the Williams Waypoint database, this is correct.
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SEEYOU MOBILE
SeeYou Mobile supported only one airspace .cub file. This file is in a binary format and you can’t manually add airspace to the file. However the wave window is easily added to a .cub file through the desktop SeeYou program.
In SeeYou select Tools>Airspace. In the Airspace dialog box click on the “Add” button. Browse for the “WSC_SUA.txt” file. You can bring up a map in SeeYou to check the wave window appears as it should. Now use the Mobile Wizard in SeeYou to update your PDA.
Note-3: The wave windows show up as “Glider Sector” airspace so you need to make sure that the “Glider Sector” check box is checked in SeeYou desktop in the Tools>Airspace settings and in SeeYou Mobile in the Menu>Settings>Airspace dialog.
Note-4: As the wave windows are so important it may be a good idea to set SeeYou to show the windows with a transparent color fill to stand out on a PDA display. You can always change the display of wave-windows in-flight in Settings>Airspace.
WINPILOT
WinPilot directly supports adding one or more files in open airspace format.
Copy the “WSC_SUA.txt” files to a location on your PDA where WinPilot will find it. This needs to be either the WinPilot directory (default of My Documents) or the top level directory of the SD memory card. In WinPilot go to Menu>Files and click on the Additional Airspace […] button select “WSC_SUA.txt". Click the up arrow button and then the OK button.
NK ClearNav
ClearNav supports both the Tim Newport-peace (.sua) and the OpenAir (.txt) airspace files. Either format works fine.
To install the WSC_SUA.txt airspace file on your ClearNav, first download the file to your PC. Insert the ClearNav USB thumb drive into a USB port of your PC and copy the file to the Map Data / SUAs folder.
With the ClearNav turned off, insert the USB drive into the ClearNav USB port and turn on the ClearNav. Answer YES to the question "Update Files".
When ClearNav has loaded, use the Remote Control device and go to Menu> Setup Menu> Special Use Airspace. Select LOAD, and scroll to and select the WSC_SUA.txt file. The file will be loaded. Click Menu to return to the main map screen and you can view the newly installed Wave windows.
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FAA Wave Window Agreement
Critical Information Regarding Wave Flights
Except for a "Wave Window" the FAR's prohibit flight above FL180, unless the pilot has an instrument rating AND the aircraft is IFR equipped.
Since you probably do not meet both of those requirements while flying a glider, stay below FL180 at all times.
A mid-air collision above FL180 between a glider and a powered plane may bring an end to the sport of soaring.
An exception to the above rule is granted if an agreement has been established. At William's that agreement is the William's Wave Window. You must comply with all of the particulars of the agreement, and most importantly, you must stay within the confines of the designated area.
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The Agreement
The agreement between the FAA and WSC became effective in December 1995. Steve Dennis, an Air traffic Control Specialist from Sacramento, and a Glider Pilot at Williams, served as the Coordinator for Williams Soaring Center. John Clancy, Air Traffic Manager at Oakland Center represented the FAA in this agreement. The importance of conforming to all details of this agreement cannot be overemphasized. Class A Airspace (all altitudes above 18,000 feet) is a sterile environment for all air traffic in the United States. Every vehicle above 18,000 is under radar control. This agreement is possible, because an agreement has been coordinated which prohibits all air traffic from entering the area that we now call Williams North Glider Area and the Williams South Glider Area, when the wave window is activated. Click below to view a copy of the agreement....
View the FAA Wave Window Agreement
Warnings and Cautions
The wave window will be open only to specific altitudes, pilots have to pay attention to what WSC advises is the max altitude - and this altitude is referenced to ISA pressure/29.92 in. Hg, not GPS altitude.
Make a note of your current altimeter setting so you can go go back to it later, but set 29.92 as you pass through Flight Level 180.
Pilots must adjust their altimeter when climbing into and out of the window. Do not exceed the authorized altitude.
Be knowledgeable on the physiology of flying at altitudes that require supplemental oxygen. Many experienced pilots do not exceed 18,000 ft unless they have a pressure system, or a diluter demand system.
High altitude wave flight can be dangerous and pilots should be familiar with wave flights, dangers include hypoxia, structural failure due to high altitude VNE and flutter issues, difficulty controlling ascent and descent, possible obscuration or loss of reference to the ground due to cloud and involuntary entry to IMC because of rapid envelopment in lenticular cloud and fogging/icing of cockpit canopies. Then there are comfort issues from the freezing cold and usual wave issues with rotors and turbulence, as well as many other hazards.
Oh yes, stay warm and Have Fun!
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