tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20110414.post405929417690757445..comments2023-09-28T09:00:44.681-10:00Comments on Wind Lines: Wide AwakeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20110414.post-86562288822778177782012-08-16T07:28:41.027-10:002012-08-16T07:28:41.027-10:00I guess I need you to edit my comments too. I wen...I guess I need you to edit my comments too. I went back and read it and yes what I meant was to keep pushing "but" respect the clouds and I should add keep them at a safe distance. On the sweet part, I was just reiterating what Chandler had said about are clouds being sooo friendly, which they can be then they can sneak up bite you in the arse. OTBs due to clouds: Me, Becca, Roger just off the top. I know others have gotten sucked up in there and yes, we have been lucky that the outcomes were not dismal. Stay out of clouds is just the best thing. Thomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07508629374134042936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20110414.post-67759912762830767662012-08-15T10:29:36.429-10:002012-08-15T10:29:36.429-10:00Thom, I know when you say "keep pushing it wi...Thom, I know when you say "keep pushing it with respect to the clouds" you don't mean to keep pushing your boundaries with clouds, although it sort of sounds like that. Might be better to rephrase it: keep pushing your boundaries while keeping a respectful distance from the clouds. And when you say "...our clouds are sweet. The ones on the mainland can kill you." I have to disagree. Any cloud can be life-threatening. We have been super lucky so far despite plenty of cloudsuck/OTB incidents with locals and visitors, but the odds are pretty bad in the long run.Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06249789335111913420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20110414.post-60042152432130149742012-08-15T10:21:27.671-10:002012-08-15T10:21:27.671-10:00Bonnie I hope you take these comments well. Look ...Bonnie I hope you take these comments well. Look back at my story when I got caught with my shorts down.<br /><br />This is an awesome write up and the comments were super educational. I learn every time I read one of these now especially from a doomed perspective cause I have been there.<br /><br />You have improved immensely over the past few months and your kicking butt. Keep up the kiting and keep pushing it with respect to the clouds. <br /><br />As Chandler said our clouds are sweet. The ones on the mainland can kill you. We lost a pilot durign the comp I was at in Pemberton last week. I watched him go, it was hard, don't want that to happen to anyone especially one of our own.<br /><br />Thanks for sharing, we are always learning and these write help so much for all to read. old and new pilots alike. <br /><br />Expecting Great Things from YOU!<br /><br />JJ JamesonThomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07508629374134042936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20110414.post-32734802233654107832012-08-11T12:39:33.672-10:002012-08-11T12:39:33.672-10:00Thanks Bonnie for posting the great story and vid ...Thanks Bonnie for posting the great story and vid (both viewpoints!) and I am so glad you pulled off that excellent landing. I was thinking of driving back there one day to see what the landing options were, now I know, they TERRIBLE! I hope all will heed your cautionary tale.sandyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03062704709975780035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20110414.post-29594739516538558572012-08-11T10:55:05.737-10:002012-08-11T10:55:05.737-10:00Thanks John! I wrote an article a while back all a...Thanks John! I wrote <a href="http://www.windlines.net/2011/05/land-of-free.html" rel="nofollow">an article</a> a while back all about cloud clearance and other issues, but it's always good to refresh our memories!Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06249789335111913420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20110414.post-40318716161258112822012-08-11T10:42:23.698-10:002012-08-11T10:42:23.698-10:00I'm sure that we all recall that it is require...I'm sure that we all recall that it is required that we only fly our aircraft in strict conformance with FAR Part 103. <br /><br />Specifically, Section 103.23 which mandates that we only fly our Class E airspace (below 10,000 MSL) when we have 3 miles visability and that we maintain clearance from clouds of at least 500' below them, 1,000' above them, and 2,000' horizontal distance from them at all times. <br /><br />I submit that we should only post pictures that are in compliance with the FAR. <br /><br />That said, great write-up and lessons learned I am sure. I am very happy that you were not hurt.Geronimo Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09099457364494375579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20110414.post-42729302630662059912012-08-10T19:04:50.560-10:002012-08-10T19:04:50.560-10:00The clouds are just sooooo friendly there it makes...The clouds are just sooooo friendly there it makes it waaay too easy to find yourself in trouble. Thanks for the thorough post so we can all learn from it and no matter how many things you did wrong you did a bunch right to get outa there ok.<br />Aloha<br />C ya in September.AZ Chandlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11539537318449518408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20110414.post-14545163894578760262012-08-10T08:31:38.803-10:002012-08-10T08:31:38.803-10:00One more thing: at the end there, when you were tr...One more thing: at the end there, when you were trying to see if you could glide out to the LZ, we were telling you on the radio that you needed to decide early if you thought you would make it, and if there was any doubt, turn and fly downwind to land in a clearing in the furthest back section of houses. We absolutely did not want you landing near us - that was a horrible place to come in, as you found out. We assumed that as soon as you knew you wouldn't make the LZ you'd turn and burn downwind, early enough to make it easily into one of the nice big clearings way back in there. But you continued toward the LZ too long and ran out of good options. Next time you're flying over Puu Piei, take a close look at all the landing options down there and catalog the ones you think might be worth checking out. Then drive down there and see how they look from the ground. Hopefully we never need to think about landing down there but it would be good to know what's in store.Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06249789335111913420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20110414.post-69564744564806278302012-08-10T08:18:53.732-10:002012-08-10T08:18:53.732-10:00Bonnie, I don't think you're alone in your...Bonnie, I don't think you're alone in your assumptions about cloud flying. I've noticed many other newer pilots who seem to have the same assumptions. "So and so posted pictures of themselves flying around clouds, so it must be okay." Or, "pilots are always talking about flying in clouds, so it must be okay." It's not okay. Flying in the clouds is dangerous and illegal and stupid. There's no excuse for getting caught off guard - it's not hard to avoid them if we treat them with respect. <br /><br />After a pilot has reached an advanced stage in their career, with a lot of experience and excellent judgment, we may see them get very near the clouds without endangering themselves (or others who are flying nearby). But it takes a lot of experience to recognize which clouds are safe to fly near and on which edge it's safe to approach. It also takes a lot of experience to fly with other pilots when there are clouds around. We need to keep track of everyone in the sky very carefully. If anyone we are flying with seems to disappear into or behind a cloud, we give it a wide berth and wait til we see them again. <br /><br />Too many pilots have misjudged the strength of the suction below clouds, or the size of the clouds, or the effect of being completely whited out. I have only been completely whited out twice in my 13 years of flying, for only a minute each time, because I misjudged the strength or the size of the clouds. Those were two horrifying lessons that I don't want to repeat. Bonnie, I know you don't want to repeat yours either.<br /><br />A couple of corrections: Jeff's pictures he posted were taken from a vantage point well outside of the clouds. There's a huge difference between being alongside or above a cloud and being beneath it. We were never flying inside them during our flight. I think that is part of the misunderstanding, and perhaps we all need to be a lot more clear when we talk about flying in or near the clouds. Good and safe pilots are never flying inside them, only around or above them. Also, if you get sucked into a cloud at Kahana and don't know where you are, you should always head northeast, which is what I told you on the radio. Northeast takes you directly toward the shoreline and will be the shortest route to clear air.Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06249789335111913420noreply@blogger.com