Buzz in Wave flight on Saturday, before Annual Meeting

Thanks to Ramy for making a perfect call on wave conditions. Indeed Mtn
Diablo was working as advertized and near the exact altitude, it is too
bad more did take advantage of the day.

Winds were showing about 20-25 knts out or the Northeast, best lift was
just down wind of the Peak right on the border of the Class C airspace,
in the Hollister Data base it was near Wav2. I contacted the wave at 6k
and when I found the best spot I was climbing at 4-6 knots up to 12k
where the lift dropped off quickly to around 1 knot or so. At around
12.5 it was time to explore, I first headed south in very friendly air
to Hummingbird and then back north back to Diablo. Then I pushed across
the Delta to the north, I retrospect I could have gone much further, I
had Byron by over 6k when I turned. Then it was back to Diablo to top
out again to head south. I had decided to I would continue south until
I had byron by 3k, this got me close to Mtn Oso. I found friendly air
most of the way, I am thinking the NE direction is contributed to this.
Nearly the whole afternoon the winds on the ground at Byron were calm.
This made for a very easy day.

OLC trace

http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?flightId=-1273010745

A couple of pictures to help tell the story, one of the Bay Area from on
top and another showing the climb rate going through 10k.

I saw one of our Grob at the end of the day in wave at Diablo, but
wasn't sure who it was. (It was Rick Robbins) At least there was one
other to enjoy the day called by Ramy. Ramy has his own story and it
was sorry he wasn't able to join the fun. With his presents we probably
would have pushed a bit hard to get more from the day.

Richard Robbins, recently soloed, had first soaring flight of the year in wave: - 22 JAN 2011

Sat was GREAT. Mike Voie suggested the wave.  I dusted off my surf board (N103FB) and a little before 2PM we took off.  I got off at 6,500' with 800-1000' f/m up. I did figure 8s and circled. At around 10,500' I was down to 400 f/m, after 11,000' 200 f/m at around 12,000'  I was somewhere around 50'-200' f/m by 13,300' I was 0-50 f/m so I stopped trying. The world looks different from the Grob than any of the power aircraft I have piloted at any altitude.  I really enjoyed it, just basking in being there.  I went to LVK and looked around and back to Diablo then Brushy Peak.  A great deal of this was at zero to a little over 100 f/m sink.  I went almost to SCK and came back a circled the Fore Bay.  I was at 6K and got to watch Elevator slide under me at 4K doing about mach 1.  The FM asked how much longer I would be? Eh, it was getting late so I went Discovery Bay and used the air brakes.  The total flight was 2.6hrs.  If I had played around I think I might have had another 45' in the air.  The Grob just did NOT want to come down.  I landed long and was almost on the center line of the taxiway as I exited.  As I said, "Sat was Great."   Thanks Mike for suggesting the wave.   Rick Robbins

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