Tradewind Transitions

Fifteen pilots graced the skies and shores of Koolauloa yesterday to celebrate the return of our familiar trade winds. The clouds were low, but the wind was beautifully light, allowing us to cross valleys back and forth, and cavort along the cloud soaked ridges between Kualoa and Hauula. Even though Mad Dog's new wing is super fast, he slowed down just enough for me to be his wing man and shoot footage during our double looping course line. As wintertime tightens its grip we will have fewer easy trade wind days like this, so let's enjoy them while we have them!

BC visitors Janet and Joris started the day with a long morning session. Then Mad Dog and I showed up shortly after noon to check out the cross country options. The transitions gave Mad Dog and me our first real chance to compare his fancy new wing with my old tired one. His is a lot faster at trim, and mine has a bit more glide at speed, but overall I think they are quite comparable.

I followed Mad Dog from Kahana to Mokolii and then all the way to Hauula and back. But even after that, conditions were just getting nicer, so we joined Joey and Thom for another loop. Jeff fought valiantly in the grovel pit above Crouching Lion but couldn't quite claw his way up from there. Later on he entertained us with an exciting coconut maneuver! Woody took student Steve up for a nice long tandem, and Kevin and Drew joined in for the late shift. Also great to see Joe, Jonathan, Thor and Duck out there.

As soon as I get some time I'll put together a video - I got some beautiful footage, and Mad Dog is definitely the star. That is one pretty new wing!