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FootLaunch in SW Texas

Posted: Wed, Mar 17 2004, 09:10:05 am
by txhitime
Davis,

Texas will now have TWO footlaunch sites. The new site is 200mi north of Zapata on hwy 83, at Leakey, home of Texas Open for past two years and proudly hosting a NATIONAL FLY-IN this year. July 23-25 www.danbarb.org/txopen

Will flights originating in Tx hillcountry have a shot at being world fl records. ?

Regards,
Sam

Posted: Wed, Mar 17 2004, 01:45:26 pm
by Davis
Of course, get up early take off by 10 AM. :-)

Posted: Thu, Apr 22 2004, 10:01:12 pm
by Sam Kellner
Progress!! The site ins. is being processed. Hill is 29.7555*N , 99.7443*W also 29.7632*N , 99.7417*W Clear spring water swimming hole/picnic at LZ. Short hike to launch at this time. topo at www.flexwing.org/txopen , USHGA Nat. Fly-In/ Texas Open 2004 :)

Sam
c830-486-8031

Posted: Sun, May 23 2004, 11:41:49 pm
by Sam Kellner
Anyone interested in Footlaunch in SW Tx. any time this summer, 2004, nice windsocks have been installed at the various launches.

Sam
830-486-8031c

Posted: Tue, Jul 06 2004, 10:05:37 pm
by Sam Kellner
More progress! David Prentice and Paul Greenwood gave great reports after launching their PGs off the south facing sloped launch. With less than 10mph both were able to get comfortably above launch. David got 1000ft over launch on his first, first flight off the new site. He then pulled in and glided 1.2mi to the airport for LZ, winning $100 for being first. David got 1500ft over launch in a very short while the next day, then turned down wind for a 5mi glide. Paul's flight was perfect too. I never saw either pilot get bounced around. The launch inflation looked even with the wing coming overhead with no yaw. The ridge lift is smooth on the corners, and seems to produce thermals, the lift band extends a great distance in front of launch for the size of the hill.

Va., H4 pilot Nelson Lewis is here thru Sat. attempting a personal best. With 12mph breezes he was able to get above the ridge on his first launch, the first HG off the hill!! After ridge soaring for 30min, he glided to the airport for LZ. On Sat ,4th, with <15mph breezes, he only made one pass out front, found a thermal on the east corner and was able to climb out to CB, 4,500ft. After boating around for some time, he turned down wind and headed into the rough Hillcountry. The clouds dried up 15mi out. He landed at Prade Ranch airstrip, one of several we have plotted for safe LZs in this area, some of the roughest in the world record attempts. Nelson reports that the cliff launch has good even airflow, no ramp suck.

The country is really drying out now after the spring rains.

Sam
830-486-8031c

Foot launch site in Leakey

Posted: Wed, Dec 22 2004, 11:10:20 am
by nagyvary
Sam, I'm thinking about coming down for the Leakey flyin in July 05. Can you give me an idea what agl this footlaunch site is? Is it regularly soarable? Does it glass off in the evenings? Thanks.

Posted: Wed, Dec 22 2004, 04:12:34 pm
by Davis
300'

Posted: Mon, Jun 20 2005, 07:04:27 pm
by Sam Kellner
PG pilot, world champ for a day, David Prentice flew the FL -- Fri, Sat, Sun. With the high pressure hangin' over us, all blue. His Fri&Sat flights were smooooth evening ridge soaring, both just < 1hr. With hwy 83 out front of launch, horns honkin', some traffic stopping.

Bob, local H1, showed up to help clear the re-growth shrubs, it is amazing how much it will grow back in one year on solid rock! We also worked on several switchbacks along the trail in the steepest parts.

Sunday morning produced some clouds, so we decided to get David in the air. SSE 8to10mi. The clouds did street back to the NW, but did not look like a record day with the high still over most of the state.

After a launch made to look so easy, without ever making one pass on the hill, David 360'd to cloud base, 2500ft. His climb average!! 750 ftmin!! It all looked like smooth air.

The Cu's did fizzle soon, just 10mi out, up on the Divide. Bob drove retrieve.

They were back soon and we continued clearing on the launch/ trail for a good while. We hit the river for a swim, then to Neal's Lodge in Concan for supper. David headed South early this, Mon. morning.

The clouds looked better today, I hope the high pressure sets up in the Gulf soon.
FL diehards, watch the weather, come try out the SW Tx footlaunch.

Sam
830-486-8031c

Posted: Fri, Jun 24 2005, 09:31:37 am
by Sam Kellner
Footlaunch record!!!!!

David went 162mi yesterday, launched after noon and landed 1.5hr before dark. Leakey to SterlingCity

The Cu's didn't show until mid day, today they are numerous at
8:30am.

Rest day for "Pigtails", as he is known by the local hillbillies here, upstairs still sacked out.

Where is everybody!!!!!!!!!!!

Fly WRE, July 1.....TexasOpen, July 25-31......BigSpring Open, Aug 7-13

Sam
hwy 83@ Leakey, Tx
830-486-8031c

Dave at Leakey

Posted: Thu, Jun 30 2005, 04:37:35 pm
by jnagyvary
Sam, thanks for the report. I'm glad to see that hippy longstocking got a good flight : ) Not bad potential for a 3 or 400ft hill.