John Randazzo and I attended the Minden Wave Camp this year from
Sunday 3/25 through Saturday 3/31 and we took glider Twin III KP with
us.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Price: $300 course/manual + $900 tows/instruction + $60/night hotel
(NCSA paid for trailer/glider parking and oxygen)
Number of participants ~12
People with their own gliders ~8
Total Number of flights: 6, Fliths with instructor: 4
Number of times I connected with wave: 2
Number of times I got into one of the windows: 1
Number of days with some wave ~5
Format: morning weather debrief + seminars, afternoon flying (flying
took precedence over seminars if possible)
Minden is run as a business by Soaring NV with friendly people (not
cheap though)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION:
In preparation for this camp, I took the simulated Hypoxia class at
Van Nuys, which I think was important as the possibility of hypoxia
symptions/ issues is real. We also prepared KP with backup oxygen
bottles and clear vision panels.
Bringing your own glider certainly allows you to save some money but
it gives you less chance of getting experienced wave instructors.
Weather changes very fast and can be very windy and gusty making it
difficult to assemble or disassemble your glider. We couldn't
disassemble the glider at the end and I had to return to Minder
mid-week to retrieve it.
Seminars were mostly good:
"Forecasting and recognizing wave" by Doug Armstrong
"Aeronautical Decision Making" by Russell Holtz
"Using Condor flight simulator" by Tim Gardner
"How to fly in it when it gets here: FAA guidelines and the latest on
trasnponder use" by Mark Montague
"Wave flying" by Pete Alexander & Rick Walters
"OLC (OnLine Contest)" by Michael Mitton
"Flying the A-12" by Frank Murray
"Aeromedical factors" by Dr Morgan McCarroll
"Perlan Project Update" by Einar Einevoldson
"Tactical Wave Flying: a Primer" by Kempton Izuno
There are 3 wave windows above MInden (West, Central, East) extending
from 18,000 feet to 28,000 feet and which are opened by the ground
crew based on pilots' requests via radio. Windows stay open normally
til the end of day,unless it is released early.
Sunday was just checkin day and allowed us to assemble our glider in
preparation for camp. Our first flight on Monday was just an area
checkout with the local instructor. Conditions weren't too good for
wave flying (mostly wavelets), even though at least one person was
able to get into it. From the second day on we were trying to connect
with the wave with an instructor. After connecting the first time and
getting into the West window I tried it solo and with a passanger over
the next few days, succedding once again. Even flying with an
instructor is no guarantee of connecting with the wave.
Wind was southernly for most part of the week which isn't good as it
doesn't come squarely across the mountains and ends up creating
wavelets which are a lot harder to connect. Whenever the wind turned
more Westerly, conditions improved significantly. Quickly learned that
spending too much time following the weather forecast is useless as
the weather conditions change really fast and being at the airport
ready to go is the best approach. Wednesday was forecasted as a down
day with snow and rain, but turned out to have great wave conditions
towards the end of the day.
Closely monitoring the weather and wind conditions on the ground is
key while approaching airport to ensure a safe landing. Winds change
fast and we had planes at time landing in different directions in a
short period of time. We had rotor close to the ground at times. One
of my flights encountered rotor as low as 200 feet AGL (airport is at
4,700 feet MSL), with tow extremely turbulent til just below the wave
(about 9,000 MSL). We had clouds all days which helped determining
where we should go. It is unfortunate that the most favorably oriented
runway is actually a closed runway, but often used by glider pilots in
order to avoid dangerous crosswinds.
Most of the time we had sunshine above the clouds which prevented the
temperatures to drop too much. I never had a frosted window and only
John reported that he saw it starting once but the section covered
with clear vision panels remained clear.
Settting up oxygen on the ground was key to avoid last minute trouble
as lift is strong and the wave window approaches quite rapidly. My
instructor tried to switch from a canula to a mask and had problems,
ending up sticking the oxygen tube into his mouth when his oxygen
level had dropped into the low 80s with early signs of hypoxia. We had
a full oxygen tank, plus backup bottles (never had to use them) and
oxymeter. I always started with the mask on and oxygen flowing from
take off on if the plan was to connect with the wave.
Soaring NV was always willing to let us borrow flight recorders for
OLC or badge purposes. Really nice and attentive people.
I think it was well worth it, but to fly wave in the future and keep
costs under control, I will be heading to Air Sailing where they also
have 2 wave windows and operations are far less expensive. I did
become a member of Nevada Soaring as well.
Hope this helps.
Walter
Sunday 3/25 through Saturday 3/31 and we took glider Twin III KP with
us.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Price: $300 course/manual + $900 tows/instruction + $60/night hotel
(NCSA paid for trailer/glider parking and oxygen)
Number of participants ~12
People with their own gliders ~8
Total Number of flights: 6, Fliths with instructor: 4
Number of times I connected with wave: 2
Number of times I got into one of the windows: 1
Number of days with some wave ~5
Format: morning weather debrief + seminars, afternoon flying (flying
took precedence over seminars if possible)
Minden is run as a business by Soaring NV with friendly people (not
cheap though)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION:
In preparation for this camp, I took the simulated Hypoxia class at
Van Nuys, which I think was important as the possibility of hypoxia
symptions/ issues is real. We also prepared KP with backup oxygen
bottles and clear vision panels.
Bringing your own glider certainly allows you to save some money but
it gives you less chance of getting experienced wave instructors.
Weather changes very fast and can be very windy and gusty making it
difficult to assemble or disassemble your glider. We couldn't
disassemble the glider at the end and I had to return to Minder
mid-week to retrieve it.
Seminars were mostly good:
"Forecasting and recognizing wave" by Doug Armstrong
"Aeronautical Decision Making" by Russell Holtz
"Using Condor flight simulator" by Tim Gardner
"How to fly in it when it gets here: FAA guidelines and the latest on
trasnponder use" by Mark Montague
"Wave flying" by Pete Alexander & Rick Walters
"OLC (OnLine Contest)" by Michael Mitton
"Flying the A-12" by Frank Murray
"Aeromedical factors" by Dr Morgan McCarroll
"Perlan Project Update" by Einar Einevoldson
"Tactical Wave Flying: a Primer" by Kempton Izuno
There are 3 wave windows above MInden (West, Central, East) extending
from 18,000 feet to 28,000 feet and which are opened by the ground
crew based on pilots' requests via radio. Windows stay open normally
til the end of day,unless it is released early.
Sunday was just checkin day and allowed us to assemble our glider in
preparation for camp. Our first flight on Monday was just an area
checkout with the local instructor. Conditions weren't too good for
wave flying (mostly wavelets), even though at least one person was
able to get into it. From the second day on we were trying to connect
with the wave with an instructor. After connecting the first time and
getting into the West window I tried it solo and with a passanger over
the next few days, succedding once again. Even flying with an
instructor is no guarantee of connecting with the wave.
Wind was southernly for most part of the week which isn't good as it
doesn't come squarely across the mountains and ends up creating
wavelets which are a lot harder to connect. Whenever the wind turned
more Westerly, conditions improved significantly. Quickly learned that
spending too much time following the weather forecast is useless as
the weather conditions change really fast and being at the airport
ready to go is the best approach. Wednesday was forecasted as a down
day with snow and rain, but turned out to have great wave conditions
towards the end of the day.
Closely monitoring the weather and wind conditions on the ground is
key while approaching airport to ensure a safe landing. Winds change
fast and we had planes at time landing in different directions in a
short period of time. We had rotor close to the ground at times. One
of my flights encountered rotor as low as 200 feet AGL (airport is at
4,700 feet MSL), with tow extremely turbulent til just below the wave
(about 9,000 MSL). We had clouds all days which helped determining
where we should go. It is unfortunate that the most favorably oriented
runway is actually a closed runway, but often used by glider pilots in
order to avoid dangerous crosswinds.
Most of the time we had sunshine above the clouds which prevented the
temperatures to drop too much. I never had a frosted window and only
John reported that he saw it starting once but the section covered
with clear vision panels remained clear.
Settting up oxygen on the ground was key to avoid last minute trouble
as lift is strong and the wave window approaches quite rapidly. My
instructor tried to switch from a canula to a mask and had problems,
ending up sticking the oxygen tube into his mouth when his oxygen
level had dropped into the low 80s with early signs of hypoxia. We had
a full oxygen tank, plus backup bottles (never had to use them) and
oxymeter. I always started with the mask on and oxygen flowing from
take off on if the plan was to connect with the wave.
Soaring NV was always willing to let us borrow flight recorders for
OLC or badge purposes. Really nice and attentive people.
I think it was well worth it, but to fly wave in the future and keep
costs under control, I will be heading to Air Sailing where they also
have 2 wave windows and operations are far less expensive. I did
become a member of Nevada Soaring as well.
Hope this helps.
Walter
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