Two Spectacular Days in July

(The 2015 Mansfield Encampment), part 1 July 8th, 2015

For the past 18+ years I have based my summer vacation of flying out Mansfield Washington (for many years, nick named the “Mansfield Encampment”). Flatland flying in what is commonly known as Washington State’s “Columbia basin” can be some of the finest cross country flying to be had anywhere in the world. Every year, while my primary goal is to fly safely and enjoy the spectacular air of this area, my secondary goal has always been to try and best my previous years personal best On Line Contest scores.

I don’t want to say that 200 FAI OLC triangles are easy, but a typical summer in this area usually yields multiple 200+km triangles and to date my personal best had been a 250km FAI OLC triangle. Of course there are those that would say I cheat… I fly a rigid wing (ATOS VR) but I figure it’s fare… I’m old… senile, I just need a little extra “something” to compensate for my lack of skill? (For those who don’t know the area I have a video that pretty much sums up why we come here…click on the “Go to Cruise” video link on the blogs sidebar…)

At this time, I should point out that these are not proper FAI pre-declared distance flights, for those who participate in Online Contests, you will know the OLC program generates what are in essence “free distance” scores that are based on the FAI rules of an FAI triangle. There is no need to declare a task and no need to “close” your track…. It’s just plain old open distance flying where you get to fly as far as you can yet create something close to an FAI triangle in shape and let the program score the flight (and FAI triangles are scored substantially higher then normal open distance because of the increased difficulty associated with flying an FAI triangle course). Flying a pre-declared task and “closing it” is by far the more difficult thing to do but this is just for fun and personal challenge. As the expression goes (when it comes to official FAI records…) “I’ve been there and done that”.

Up until July 8^th it had been a pretty typical season in Mansfield. I had lucked out with 2x 200+km triangles 1 x 180 and a couple good tries that had me landing out in the effort. July 8^th turned out to be one of those very special days that came entirely without expectations.

As per usual, Forest fire smoke was filling the “Basin”… all too common. What was unusual this year was the source of the smoke. Typically the east slopes of the Cascades and or the Colville plateau are the commonly the source of human or lightning caused fires. This year, it was smoke being dragged down into Washington by some massive fires in the Pacific Coast Region of British Columbia. Well smoke can be a problem (cutting off the power of the sun) I also tend to find smoke can smooth out what can be pretty industrial conditions that we get around here… and July 8^th 2015 was forecast to have (based on XC Skies)… “Industrial Conditions”. Light northerly winds and very strong lift ranging 10-12,000 ft asl…. Perfect for a big triangle attempt.

Mia (my partner and flying companion) standing in as the winch operator, and promising looking skies hiding behind light smoke filled skies, just before noon, I towed north up our favourite tow road, releasing from a 2500agl tow into a nice 2-300 up. The days flying had begun.

After release I topping out at 7800 asl (5600ft agl) and I set out on a SE heading away from the tow site. Even with the smoke cutting down the visibility it was obvious it was a good day. By the time I was 15km out I had managed a couple nice climbs through 10,000ft…this was a very good start.

At 1:35 into the flight I was 60km out and managed my first climb to 13,000 asl. I had reached what was typically a major barrier on my chosen route. Typical conditions in this area would see the lift dying off and blueing out along this course line. Today would prove to be an exception! While originally intending to turn at or near my “Moody” Turnpoint, the clouds continued to look great to the SE, so I pressed on to a new turnpoint, Lind Washington (making the first leg 110+km’s…). Following a nice cloud street with a slightly more southerly heading I found myself struggling a bit SW of Lind, but after a bit of blundering around managed to get back into the game with a climb back over 13,000 asl and struck out NE toward Davenport from a new virtual turnpoint that saw the first leg being 110 kms but and the new second leg being a potential 95-105 kms (dependent on where I dared to turn).

The next leg had one moment of “questioning the faith”… I managed to skilfully avoid lift long enough to find myself grovelling at the 4.5 hour mark of the flight and had to go back to work. Eventually after a bit of a struggle I found my way back up to 13,000. (nice to know Mia had caught up to me was only a few miles away running support in the air-conditioned VW Jetta giving me a pep talk to not give up!).

This is the critical point to any long distance flight where you need to decide how far you can go and still make it “home”. Climbing out of the last hole had set me back. At 4.5 hours and 160 kms into a potential 300km task. my best expectations for the day was 8 hours of airtime. I decided I could not afford the time to turn near any of my Davenport Turnpoints…. Time for a change of plans.

Well the “Basin” offers gobs of places to land, there are some pretty “iffy” sections that can prove not that friendly to a delicate rigid wing. Turning near Davenport requires a 20km westerly crossing of something affectionately known as “The Lava Flow”….. no, not burning molten lava but the cooled down rough terrain left by a volcanic event from many years back in time. There are a few places to set down a rigid but definitely something to keep in mind.

I decided to turn for home just north of the Rocklyn Silos (Hwy 2, 6km’s west of Davenport, completing a 95km second leg). After a few tense minutes grinding around at 7000ft trying to connect to some beautiful clouds I found a reliable but slow climb up to 12,000ft and west bound across the infamous “lava flow”.  5:20 into the flight and my best guess 2:40 minutes of flight time left to cover what was 95kms, in air that was definitely showing signs of losing its energy.

Milking the leg home is a test of what to, and what not to turn in. Taking some faith that dust devils ahead would mark strong lift and to not get fooled by clouds that may or may not pay off, meanwhile time starts to run out. My first gamble was a save across the lava flow North of Wilbur over the good old reliable Wilbur Cemetery 7000 back up to near 11,000ft, not as high as my earlier gains but I needed to push on. Next a similar save was SE of JW Butte (a Microwave facility north of Almira and back on the very reliable Northern route home). 6.5 hours in the air, 45 km to my goal (L+13). Clouds where disappearing, the smoke was getting thicker, the climbs much slower….Dust devils where gone…time to keep the “faith”...

Boating along the last leg I tripped over my last climb over 10,000, no cloud and no devils to mark it.

Now came my last big logistical barrier, “Banks Lake”. From 10,000, with little or no headwind, it was an 18 km glide to cross Banks Lake and onto my next reasonable landing patch on the leg home. The air was really going calm, so the gap was not a real stretch but I did not have the “numbers” needed to make it the final distance home. I was going to need something more to make it home. Thing is, a Banks Lake crossing can be a real “unknown”. Crossings can range from heaving sink to lift… no telling what was in store.

I committed to the crossing and advised Mia (who was still encouraging me to push on) that I would be crossing and that she should do the long run down to Coulee City and back up to goal.

It was a merciful crossing, no lift and sink that ranged between 200 to 400 fpm down. I arrived over safe landing options 7 hours into the flight 15km to goal at 5600ft (3400 agl). The glide numbers said I had goal but the no lift/mild sink crossing left me paranoid…. I needed to scratch out just a bit more height. The other problem, the sinking angle of the sun and the smoke was definitely bringing the day to a close. After a brutally desperate 20 minutes, I had managed to cling to a miserable little bug fart for the very last lift of the day to 6400asl (4200 agl and still 15km to go)…. Final glide.

As I crossed west bound from Sims over Hwy 172 (4800ft asl, 2600ft agl, 10 km to go…..200 down….) Mia announced she had joined me west bound (I saw her in our Red Jetta passing me below) and would be able to reach goal ahead of me for a wind/landing report. I had the numbers to easily make goal but the sink remained the question.

Finally, with the help of a little low level tail wind I reached Goal ! ….. I arrived 3100asl, 900 feet above L Road. I would have liked to stretch my triangle but there was no way as the day was DONE. Smoke had completely shut things down. 7hours and 55 minutes of flight time completing a 295.9 km OLC FAI triangle… my new personal best, and a unofficial Class 05 HG North American OLC triangle record. I ended the flight with a less then pretty “light and vacuum” safe landing in 8 inches of L-road moon dust… you fly here… you learn to love the dirt!

(Link to the flight)

Mia, my ace support crew chief welcomed me back home with cold Becks beer. Mia your the best!

So much for day 1 of two spectacular days in July!

Tomorrow, my turn to run the tow rig…… more to follow ;-)