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Mountain Waves
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tonycondon
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- Feb 12, 2006
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my only mountain wave stories have been in my dreams 
Its powerful stuff though.
check out www.mindensoaringclub.com there is a bunch of cool wave stuff there. and you have got to listen to the podcast about gordon boettger's 2000 km cross country in may of 05.
Its powerful stuff though.check out www.mindensoaringclub.com there is a bunch of cool wave stuff there. and you have got to listen to the podcast about gordon boettger's 2000 km cross country in may of 05.
pilotguy143
Well-known member
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- Feb 25, 2006
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- 103
I too, have had vivid dreams about flying in waves... unfortunaly, none have come true :-(
The closest I have come to getting into a wave was in the middle of july over sugarbush, vt. We made a special trip out there just to try and hit the wave. As we got closer and closer, we started to see cumulous clouds building below the lenticulars (never a good sign). By the time we got to where the wave should have been, the cumulus clouds were probally 10, 15k and the wave was rapidly disipating. However, I can say that I have been under a lenticular cloud with cumulus clound developing
The closest I have come to getting into a wave was in the middle of july over sugarbush, vt. We made a special trip out there just to try and hit the wave. As we got closer and closer, we started to see cumulous clouds building below the lenticulars (never a good sign). By the time we got to where the wave should have been, the cumulus clouds were probally 10, 15k and the wave was rapidly disipating. However, I can say that I have been under a lenticular cloud with cumulus clound developing
A fascinating book on the subject is "Exploring the Monster", by Robert F. Whelan. It's the story of the Mountain Wave Project of the early Fifties. I've seen Larry Edgar's slideshow/talk at the Cal City Wave Camp(He was a participant as mechanic/tow pilot/glider pilot/world record holder).
My first wave experience was at Warner Springs late in a windy November day with a 2-33. Towed to ~3000 ft and climbed very quickly to 10400 for a memorable cold 30-minute flight.
At Calif. City at wave camp later (Late 80's) climbed to ~14000 ft in a 1-26D. After hunting around for close to 45 minutes, made it to 15000, followed by a climb to 19000 in a little over a minute, followed by a slower climb to 25300. I held there, not wanting to go higher without a secondary O2 bottle/regulator. Others climbed into the low-to-middle Thirties that day. Could see the rotor touching down a few miles to the north on a sand/drylake area, and pitching dust up two or three thousand feet into the air. The wind on the field is often light during wave, but on returning was very windy. (The nature of the wave changes throughout the day) First(!) approach was drifting too much in x-wind, and climbing too much(from 500 AGL) with nose-low and speed-brakes open, so shut them, climbed to 1500 AGL,turned downwind again and came in again, increasing crab as the ground effect was approached, and landed roughly 60deg the the runway, landing at a high airspeed(but roughly walking-groundspeed[better to land creeping forward that drifting backward]). Remained in the aircraft until handlers had walked A/C to a parking and tied it down. Temp at altitude ~0 F. Actually pretty warm wherever the sun was hitting, toes COLD in shade and the inevitable Schweizer "drafts". Hand cold, too, form holding the stick.
Another flight in the 1-26, climbed to 25600, held there with speedbrakes, same reason. Temp at altitude ~-10F.
Third time, actually carried a barograph, took a high tow(~8000ft)but a much slower climb, soooo cold(-19F), finally made it to 24500, enough for Diamond Altitude, but had no feeling in my toes for probably twenty minutes after landing. Also a pain-in-the-ass having to radio report 180, 200, 250, 300, etc., (and vacating same) added to wave-window requirements, where before it was no radio, just "Open to 37000 ft 'til sunset".
The next year a transponder requirement was added, and the only available at the time were quite large klugey setups. Barely room in the old 1-26 for the O2 bottle/A-14 regulator, ski clothes, large radio/battery/water bottle/parachute...
This all occurred in the Edwards AFB Wave Window(a roughly 5 by 10 mile block of airspace) in the Restricted Area. It may not sound very large, but when you're VMC with basically zero groundspeed, it's plenty of room.
My first wave experience was at Warner Springs late in a windy November day with a 2-33. Towed to ~3000 ft and climbed very quickly to 10400 for a memorable cold 30-minute flight.
At Calif. City at wave camp later (Late 80's) climbed to ~14000 ft in a 1-26D. After hunting around for close to 45 minutes, made it to 15000, followed by a climb to 19000 in a little over a minute, followed by a slower climb to 25300. I held there, not wanting to go higher without a secondary O2 bottle/regulator. Others climbed into the low-to-middle Thirties that day. Could see the rotor touching down a few miles to the north on a sand/drylake area, and pitching dust up two or three thousand feet into the air. The wind on the field is often light during wave, but on returning was very windy. (The nature of the wave changes throughout the day) First(!) approach was drifting too much in x-wind, and climbing too much(from 500 AGL) with nose-low and speed-brakes open, so shut them, climbed to 1500 AGL,turned downwind again and came in again, increasing crab as the ground effect was approached, and landed roughly 60deg the the runway, landing at a high airspeed(but roughly walking-groundspeed[better to land creeping forward that drifting backward]). Remained in the aircraft until handlers had walked A/C to a parking and tied it down. Temp at altitude ~0 F. Actually pretty warm wherever the sun was hitting, toes COLD in shade and the inevitable Schweizer "drafts". Hand cold, too, form holding the stick.
Another flight in the 1-26, climbed to 25600, held there with speedbrakes, same reason. Temp at altitude ~-10F.
Third time, actually carried a barograph, took a high tow(~8000ft)but a much slower climb, soooo cold(-19F), finally made it to 24500, enough for Diamond Altitude, but had no feeling in my toes for probably twenty minutes after landing. Also a pain-in-the-ass having to radio report 180, 200, 250, 300, etc., (and vacating same) added to wave-window requirements, where before it was no radio, just "Open to 37000 ft 'til sunset".
The next year a transponder requirement was added, and the only available at the time were quite large klugey setups. Barely room in the old 1-26 for the O2 bottle/A-14 regulator, ski clothes, large radio/battery/water bottle/parachute...
This all occurred in the Edwards AFB Wave Window(a roughly 5 by 10 mile block of airspace) in the Restricted Area. It may not sound very large, but when you're VMC with basically zero groundspeed, it's plenty of room.
tonycondon
Active member
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- Feb 12, 2006
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- 30
Bank-n-Yank
Active member
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2002
- Posts
- 41
Every fall our glider club brings the tow planes and sailplanes up to Gorham, NH where we hold a wave came for about two weeks. Lot's of great wave conditions to be had just east of Mt. Washington. A few years ago I flew a SGS 1-34 up to ~FL240 in smooth wave lift. The club has a letter of agreement with BOS center for coordination with class A operations.
Lot's of fun.
Lot's of fun.
crash-proof
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2002
- Posts
- 782
This 707 pilot also felt the wave - albeit only once, and much to the chagrin of his pax!
http://www.airdisaster.com/cgi-bin/...6®=G-APFE&airline=British+Overseas+Airways
Thought the link included famous accompanying photo of 707 floating to earth, guess not.
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tonycondon
Active member
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- Feb 12, 2006
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check out steve faucetts (sp) project Perlan. Evidence of wave has been observed higher than FL600. The real limiting factors to demolishing world glider altitude records are availablitiy and evironmental. This is why faucett gets to ride along on the flights. He has the dough to buy space suits. When Bob Harris broke the record in the early 80's he had a military surplus pressure demand mask. he was climbing through 49,000ish when he didnt feel like risking it any more.
120% Torque
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- Oct 17, 2002
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- 277
I was young and dumb, 18 years old in a LS4b. Descended from like 14'000 heading into the wind on my way back to the frozen lake/airfield, and approached a standing wave from behind. I figured no harm in flying right below the lenticular cloud, as I thought this "rotor cloud" wouldnt hurt that bad. I was thrown hard around in the cockpit, and I nearly lost control over the little airplane...airspeed going from stallspeed to pretty high up in the yellow arc (which at that altitude probably was close to Vne considering flutter), and wingdrop after wingdrop keeping me extremely busy. I will never ever EVER fly through a rotor cloud again, it is much stronger/powerfull stuff than can be comprehended through words alone.
I especially appreciated the quiet and calm air experienced once established in a smooth rising portion of a wave. Flying with other airplanes and remaining stationary in one position while climbing 4-5m/s is incredible, and the silence makes it so much more enjoyable.
I especially appreciated the quiet and calm air experienced once established in a smooth rising portion of a wave. Flying with other airplanes and remaining stationary in one position while climbing 4-5m/s is incredible, and the silence makes it so much more enjoyable.
Wavy Gravy
I fly out of Surgarbush (0B7), here in Warren VT. We are right in the middle of the Green Mountains and wave is common in the Fall. Believe it or not, wave can actually be boring after the novelty of getting into it has worn off. Though the views can be spectacular. Sometimes it's hard to find it, you don't always have lenticular clouds to mark it. You feel it as much as anything, smooth as glass. Rotor can be disconcerting, especially if you don't have clouds to mark it. It can be fun, though. Fall out of the primary, you can drop down into the up part of the rotor- maybe get back into the primary if it goes down far enough. Or run the gauntlent of the down part of the rotor and get into secordary . . . but you want a machine with good wind penetration. The 1-26 is not your wave ride of choice.
I fly out of Surgarbush (0B7), here in Warren VT. We are right in the middle of the Green Mountains and wave is common in the Fall. Believe it or not, wave can actually be boring after the novelty of getting into it has worn off. Though the views can be spectacular. Sometimes it's hard to find it, you don't always have lenticular clouds to mark it. You feel it as much as anything, smooth as glass. Rotor can be disconcerting, especially if you don't have clouds to mark it. It can be fun, though. Fall out of the primary, you can drop down into the up part of the rotor- maybe get back into the primary if it goes down far enough. Or run the gauntlent of the down part of the rotor and get into secordary . . . but you want a machine with good wind penetration. The 1-26 is not your wave ride of choice.
You can say that again. But she'll hang in the thermals with glass boys just fine.
A long time ago I was soaring mt. wave near Sugarbush ski resort. Great vertical lift. It felt like riding in an elevator. I'd go up to 12 or 13 thousand then spin a Schweitzer 126 down to 5K and do it again. My brother was on a check flight and got caught in some rotor turbulence. His sailplane ended up in front of the tow plane. Some how they sorted it all out. Great fun!
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