Calendar or Events
Quarterly Meeting –
Next Board Meeting – 4/19/2015, 11AM SkyWerx
Soaring Trip – TBD
Club Phone Number
Club Phone – 402-804-3810. To update message, push # during the message and enter the security code and registered phone number, then follow the menu to settings/record greeting. Gate Entrance Code – #6693
Soaring Report
The club flew on six days in March – a great start to the season! That was 65 flights! On several of those days soaring flights were possible. The longest flight of the month was Bob Craig in a Russia for one hour and 44 minutes. Other long flights were Anders Backlund in his Russia for 47 minutes, Pat Greenwood in the L-23 solo for 43 minutes, Mike Boska in the L-33 for 38 minutes, Bob Dyer in the L-33 for 36 minutes, and Jim Clark in the L-33 for 35 minutes.
Soaring Trip by Bob Craig
The Omaha Soaring Club has made trips in the past to Colorado to enjoy mountain soaring. These trips usually last several days to a week with members camping out or staying in motels near the airport. There has been some talk of doing this again now that we have the L-33 and more private ships to fly. Some of sites we (the club or I) have visited in the past along with comments are listed below.
Mile High Soaring – Boulder Colorado. Big commercial and club glider operation on the boulder airport. OSC members have had many long soaring flights on some days and no lift on others. Boulder is tricky because many times the thermal activity is over the foot hills to the west of Boulder requiring long high tows to connect with it. If you get off tow without finding lift, you have to high tail it back to the field. The best days are when the lift is over the field so you can get high before heading west into the mountains. The best time for Boulder is May and June, and them September. In the middle of the summer, the SW Monsoon provides abundant moisture with early-in-the-day over-development over the mountains ending the lift. Since the operator can be quite busy on weekends, it is better to be there during the week. They will give priority for tows to their scheduled rides first. Tie down space is limited and I have had to assemble my glider each day to fly and then store in the trailer at night.
Newsletter 2
Owl Canyon – Wellington CO (north of Fort Collins). The club has never flown there but they are a club that operates on the weekends only. They are east of the mountains quite a ways so they offer high plains soaring mainly.
Salida Colorado – This site is not currently listed in the SSA guide of sites but I have heard there has been a tow plane there in the past few years. This is great place to soar since the airport is right next to the mountains, no long tows required to connect with thermals. Mac Mckain earned his Silver Distance badge from there. Like Boulder, the best time is May and June and then September for the same reasons.
Durango Colorado – This is my personal favorite. Unfortunately, the FBO retired and they are currently selling their equipment. I mention it because there in a new owner for the airport who might provide soaring in the future.
Black Forest – Near Colorado Springs. This site is quite a ways east of the mountains over the high plains. They operate only on the weekends. The club has never flown there but I did once years ago.
Black Hills Soaring Club – Hot Springs South Dakota, on the southern end of the Black Hills. The club hasn’t flown here but I have twice. They are a soaring club that operates by appointment. They were always supportive of me when I visited there providing tows. The area is high plains soaring with longer flights over the Black Hills.
All of the above sites are one day drives from here except Durango which was two. If there is interest in this we can try to pin down some dates at the next meeting.
Columbus Cross Country by Bert Aagesen
Columbus to Blair is not a very farfetched goal and should satisfy the Silver Badge requirements! Come May 18 I may have time on my hands to organize such an event! I see where we bring our own tow plane out for the day. Club members will bring the gliders out in their respective trailers and set up the night before or morning of the event! It will not be a race but where everyone will help out to get our flying members a chance to accomplish their goals! Good fellowship can be had the night before and the night after everyone makes it home, whether flying or trailering their gliders! Let’s party, let’s do it!!
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