- Ephrata Dustup 2009
May 2009 - DG-1000 on TV
Apr 2009 - Flying the A36 Bonanza
Dec 2008 - Soaring in the ASH-25 Mi
Nov 2008 - Flying the Cessna 340
Sep 2008 - Flying the Stearman PT-18
Sep 2008 - Northwest Soaring & Flying
Summer 2008 - Flying the Kitfox on Floats
Jun 2008 - Flying Old Yaller in Alaska
Apr 2008 - Flying the Chang (Pt2)
Jun 2007 - DG-1000 in Australia
Mar 2007 - Father/Son Soaring
Dec 2006 - Flying the Nanchang CJ-6
Dec 2006 - Soaring in Australia
Dec 2006 - Soaring in the DG-303
Nov 2006 - Soaring in Poland
Jun 2006 - Soaring in the 304 CZ
May 2006 - Flying the Lake Renegade
May 2006 - Soaring in Hemet, CA
Apr 2006 - Flying the Cessna 120
Jan 2006 - Flying the Jet Caproni
Jun 2005 - Warrior Flying
2004-2005 - DG-1000 Soaring
2003-2005 - Ridge Soaring in Hawaii
Mar 2005 - Flying the 1946 Swift
Nov 2004 - Flying the Goodyear Blimp
Oct 2004 - Flying the Cirrus SR-22
Sep 2004 - Soaring in New Zealand
Mar 2004 - Check Out in the DG-1000
Sep 2003 - Ephrata Encampment
Jun 2003 - Flying the Stemme S10-VT
Oct 2002 - Darrington Expedition
Jul 2002 - Winter Soaring in Florida
Feb 2002 - Flying the T-33
Oct 2001 - Soaring in Ireland
Aug 1999 - Soaring in the U.K.
May 1999 - Flying the F-15 Eagle
1978-1987 - Other Fighters
1975-1985 - Flying the Phoebus
May 1976
DG-1000 Soaring in Australia - March 2007
I was scheduled for a week and half of work in the Sydney, Australia area, with a free weekend in the middle, so I searched the web for some available soaring opportunities. I found out that the Southern Cross Gliding Club was located only about 60 km southwest of Sydney, and they had a new DG-1000 available.
I wrote an e-mail to the club, and got a quick response that I was welcome to visit either weekend day, and could work out availability with the club members present that day. The Southern Cross Gliding Club is located at the Camden airport, in a rural setting off the M-5 Motorway, heading southwest out of Sydney.
The club members were moving a number of the club's sailplanes out to their launching area when I arrived, and the club's operations were being set up out of the club's "piecart", or mobile operations office. I was introduced to Dean Ward, who was one of the club instructors for the day. It was a gorgeous, blue day in the mid-80's, so the club members were already lining up for flights. The DG-1000 only had a couple of takers, however, so I got in the queue to have a DG-1000 local area orientation.
Dean Ward and I reviewed the local area map and procedures, and I talked over my recent DG-1000 flight experience. There were a few tantalizing cu's forming in the far distance, but a blue hole was still holding over the Camden airfield. The DG-1000 came available, so Dean and I jumped in and quickly launched behind one of the three Pawnees of the Southern Cross Gliding Club. I climbed in the low tow position, enjoying the normal smooth flight controls of the DG.
Since it was looking pretty stable, I decided to take a 4500 foot tow to be able to get a good view of the local area. The Camden airfield is situated in a loop of the Nepean River, and the surrounding terrain was looking very green, after three weeks of recent rains in the Sydney area. We continued towing to the west, and after getting off tow, continued to the west toward the Blue Mountains, which are actually hills with some impressive gorges through the center. I got a far-off view of the Three Sisters, and impressive rock formation.
The Southern Cross Gliding Club's DG-1000 is as finely tuned and smooth as the four other DG-1000s I've been able to fly, and even with only bumps of lift, I was able to enjoy the sights of the Blue Mountains to the west and the skyline of Sydney in the ocean haze to the far northeast. I flew a few wingovers and lazy 8s just for the enjoyment of this fine sailplane, then headed over the town of Camden to try to work some bits of lift with a few other local sailplanes. Although I was able to get a few bumps that seemed to be set up in a bit of a shear line, the best I got was a few turns of 100 FPM up.
I discussed normal turnpoints and altitudes for the pattern, and Dean noted that I should just "fly what looks right", as folks are taught to recognize good position and height to any available field, in preparation for cross-country. I agreed with that style of training, and set myself up for a right pattern to the large grass area aligned with runway 06. I had a smooth descent over trees and a nice landing right on the designated touchdown spot, with a short rollout.
Dean signed off my local area orientation, and was able to talk himself into an orientation in a club member's personal Duo Discus XT. Unfortunately, the Duo next went back to its trailer, so I wasn't able to try to talk myself into a flight. The Southern Cross Gliding Club also has a new DG-303, similar to Brian Hood's fine ship, so I hope to fly it during a future visit down under.
Back in Sydney for the evening, I was able to get some awesome views of the Sydney harbor area at night, with a glorious moonrise over the Opera House, and beautiful reflections under the Sydney Harbor bridge. Departing Sydney on a United 747 a few days later, we made a climbing right turn from runway 34L, providing a beautiful panorama of the Sydney downtown and harbor area as we climbed out enroute to LAX.
