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indigoonlatigo(at)msn.com
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 Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:15 pm Post subject: Soaring, its not just a carefree ride. |
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I wanted to share something with some other pilots. I was hoping that
eventhough many of you have no interest in soaring, some might appreciate
this write up. For me, I am interested in anything that flies.
On July 5th several of the pilots I soar with in Southern California were
able to take advantage of a perfect weather storm. I was on a quick family
vacation, so I missed a weather event that occurs once ever so many years.
One of our pilots glided 690 statute miles.
This write up is from another pilot in the group that opted to go a
different direction from the others on that day.
John Gonzalez #409
FROM MIKE KOERNER:
Congratulations to Norm and Barry; and a big "Wow" to Jim Ketcham for the
longest flight from Crystal... ever!
I have a couple of thermodynamic questions, the first of which consumed a
significant portion of cognitive capability on July 5th:
It's a little after 1 pm. You're near Baker at 2700 feet. You've been
working close in on a pile of black rocks in a band between 2500 and 3500
msl for over an hour.
Your crew reports 124 degrees in the shade (a new record).
If possible, you'd like to avoid getting mired in the soft asphalt at the
local airfield.
Despite a white brimmed hat and long sleeve white shirt, you're absorbing
considerable solar radiation through your sailplane's huge canopy. In fact,
every time you reach forward to adjust the flap handle your seat belt buckle
sears your belly.
And though fairly sedate, your body is still generating significant heat.
Perspiration is life - its evaporation is your only hope for maintaining a
functional body temperature. For the most part the transpiration is
imperceptible in the ultra dry air, though a small rivulet running down your
forehead and across your eyebrow has made it nearly impossible to open your
right eye.
Now for the question: Is it better to open the scoop on your canopy vent or
leave it closed? In other words, is forced convection beneficial under these
conditions, or just a faster way of cooking?
My second question is admittedly a bit more academic, having only flashed to
mind in a moment of lightheadedness:
If I hadn't dumped my ballast while thermal soaking the aircraft as
described in the above example, and before stumbling into strong lift which
appeared to reach far into positive controlled airspace, how high could I
have gone before the water in my wings started to boil?
Mike Koerner
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MauleDriver(at)nc.rr.com
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| Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:46 pm Post subject: Soaring, its not just a carefree ride. |
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Sounds like a hell of an inversion before things broke loose! Com'on
John, where's the flying story? I tried to find that link to the
Crystal-fly-high-go-far contingent but couldn't.
..and the answers to the heat stroke inspired Qs - open the vent and
the real question is "how high before it all freezes?"
Bill "even us Maule drivers and '10 bangers know real flying when we see
it" Watson
John Gonzalez wrote:
| Quote: |
I wanted to share something with some other pilots. I was hoping that
eventhough many of you have no interest in soaring, some might
appreciate this write up. For me, I am interested in anything that flies.
On July 5th several of the pilots I soar with in Southern California
were able to take advantage of a perfect weather storm. I was on a
quick family vacation, so I missed a weather event that occurs once
ever so many years. One of our pilots glided 690 statute miles.
This write up is from another pilot in the group that opted to go a
different direction from the others on that day.
John Gonzalez #409
FROM MIKE KOERNER:
Congratulations to Norm and Barry; and a big "Wow" to Jim Ketcham for the
longest flight from Crystal... ever!
I have a couple of thermodynamic questions, the first of which consumed a
significant portion of cognitive capability on July 5th:
It's a little after 1 pm. You're near Baker at 2700 feet. You've been
working close in on a pile of black rocks in a band between 2500 and 3500
msl for over an hour.
Your crew reports 124 degrees in the shade (a new record).
If possible, you'd like to avoid getting mired in the soft asphalt at the
local airfield.
Despite a white brimmed hat and long sleeve white shirt, you're absorbing
considerable solar radiation through your sailplane's huge canopy. In
fact,
every time you reach forward to adjust the flap handle your seat belt
buckle
sears your belly.
And though fairly sedate, your body is still generating significant heat.
Perspiration is life - its evaporation is your only hope for
maintaining a
functional body temperature. For the most part the transpiration is
imperceptible in the ultra dry air, though a small rivulet running
down your
forehead and across your eyebrow has made it nearly impossible to open
your
right eye.
Now for the question: Is it better to open the scoop on your canopy
vent or
leave it closed? In other words, is forced convection beneficial under
these
conditions, or just a faster way of cooking?
My second question is admittedly a bit more academic, having only
flashed to
mind in a moment of lightheadedness:
If I hadn't dumped my ballast while thermal soaking the aircraft as
described in the above example, and before stumbling into strong lift
which
appeared to reach far into positive controlled airspace, how high could I
have gone before the water in my wings started to boil?
Mike Koerner
|
| | - The Matronics RV10-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?RV10-List |
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