VSA Race Day # 5 - May 4, 2019

[cjknowles]

VSA Race Day # 5
Doc Mayes Memorial Contest
Saturday, May 4, 2019

The day will start with the usual pilot’s meeting in the morning,

Happy Hour @ 5 PM

Doc Mayes Dinner at 6:00 $20
($25 if you RSVP After May 1st)
Tri-Tip, Veggies, Salad, Rolls & Ice Cream Sundays for Dessert

Spend the day soaring (weather permitting)
before and after flying (or instead of flying if the weather is not so cooperative),
there will be plenty of good food, great company, and lots of stories.

Don’t forget to RSVP for a tow!

by email to

noelle@williamssoaring.com

or call the Gliderport at 530-473-5600.

Hope to see you all there!!

RSVP List as of 5/3/2019 at 11:25

Alexander, Pete
Alford, Pat
Ashcraft, Luke
Cannon, Walt
Cochrane, John
Colton, Dan
Darke, Jim
Deane, Peter
Dismukes, Key
Duncan, Tom & Judy Bean
Farnsworth, Ginny
Gimmey, Ray
Greenhill, David
Greenhill, Thomas
Hogben, Andy & Carol
Izuno, Kempton
Jackson, Bryan
Kelly, Peter
Knowles, Cora
Mayes, Ben & Angelica Barajas
Mayes, Nick & Alma Mendoza
Mayes, Rex & Noelle
Pillard, Russ
Roberts, Larry
Schaefer, Danny & Kinsey
Yanetz, Ramy

Tow 15
Dinner 32

[Peter Kelly]

Only 276 hrs to go and it is looking very favorable for a 500 km day on Saturday May 4th - a prime date for cross country soaring here at Williams Soaring Center.

Here is a peek at the 10,000 ft fcst chart showing pressure lines, winds and moisture in green.

[Kempton]

I second Peter's assessment. In fact, it could be that Fri thru Sun is good, but let's see how we are closer in.

In the broader picture, we're entering the best time of the year. The days are long enough for 10 hour flights, the solar heating is almost that of the solstice, the upper air is still cool, and we have fronts coming in that are more cutoff in form than just a passing front. This combination can give early starts, markers, long flights, and it's not too hot on the ground. Be prepared!

[Kempton]

Add Kempton to the list pls.

From SkySight, we can look at up to 10 days in advance, so good to see the net result, but lulls you into overly scrutinizing charts that will change. This is an experiment. Having said that, this is what SkySight shows for cu cloud base for 2p May 4:


and OD probability:


and rain (mm):


Let's see how this goes...

[Kempton]

Now 7 days out, Saturday still looks good. A cutoff low comes thru on Friday:
Fri 5a Fri 5p

So Saturday looks to be post frontal. What's interesting is that, according to Skysight, Saturday cu could start working as soon as 8:30a at 4,000 ft to the west:


If that's the case, and the wx holds thru the day, this could be a 11 hour thermal & cu day:
1:30p. 6:30p

And, Sunday could be a super day too for flying up to Crater Lake and back:



I'll keep updating, but point is, we're in the super wx window, so be ready for big flights!

[Noelle Mayes]

Doc Mayes Contest Winners

2000	Peter Kelly
	256 SM
2001	Jim Darke
	463 SM
2002	Ray Gimmey
	534 SM
2003	Sergio Colacevich
	429 SM
2004	Luke Ashcraft
	320 SM
2005	Luke Ashcraft
	443 SM
2006	Ray Gimmey
	449 SM
2007	Pete Alexander
	159.8 SM
2008	Pete Alexander
	298.2 SM
2009	Pete Alexander
	238.8 SM
2010	Pete Alexander
	214.52 SM
2011	Ray Gimmey
	378.85 SM
2012	No Contest
2013	Peter Kelly
	215.64 SM
2014	No Contest
2015	No Contest
2016	Peter Deane
	193.38 SM
2017	Pete Alexander
	206.99 SM
2018	Luke Ashcraft
	68.50 SM

[Peter Kelly]

Couple of quick questions for you Noelle. Others may have the same questions...

• Pilot meeting at 10 AM?
• Is the following correct ... It is no longer a longest distance task, but best speed over the choice of tasks presented at the pilots meeting?
• task will be set at the pilot meeting?
• Will there be a sign up board for launch order for tows displayed near the office?

[Kempton]

Pilots! The wx is looking good, so for those not already planning to attend, you should. Overall, cu start at 1p or so, with 9-10K bases starting at Sheet Iron (Skysight), and 12K to the north. Good streeting towards the west of Hayfork and light OD indicating strong lift. These are the 2p forecasts:
2p Sat May 4, skysight 2p Sat May 4, normal RASP

So a 400+ mile day, up to the OR border and back with 11-12k cu working thru 5p, and light E SE winds all day. Temps are 9-12F above normal from WSC to the OR border, so heating is strong. Be there, it looks to be good.

Sunday looks to be post frontal as the cutoff low is centered on the Central California coast, so a valley day:

[Kempton]

WSC RASP is showing quite the impressive day, 13K+ bases to the north with a heck of a shearline:
3p. and holding until late, this is 6p. Light winds till late.
If this fcst holds, we could see 2-4k difference between cloud bases within the shearline. This will make for some great photos, so be prepared. Giddyup horsie!

[RamyYanetz]

Count me in both days. Early launches.

Ramy