Jim Lee, a soaring competitor on the USA Soaring Team, invited me to go with him on a cross-country wave flight. We went in his Phoenix U15, which I am expecting to receive a new one in 2024. Jim is also my hangar neighbor in Minden.
This is my first time actually going on a cross-country flight in wave lift. In the East, wave conditions are localized, and following a wave for any distance is impossible.
On our flight classic conditions set up on a nearby stretch of the Sierra’s that allowed us to fly over 600 km. We were blessed with no rotor turbulence, which I am told is unusual.
A trace of the flight can be found here: link
There is an online annual competition for a 2-hour speed dash across at most 4 legs. It’s handicapped, and with our low handicap (low-performance sailplane), we may have set the top score for the 2024-2024 season. Time will tell.
Here are some pictures. Click on one to start the slideshow:
Share this Post