Posted by Jorgen on Sunday, May 5, 2013 @ 01:16 PM:
Hi Fournieteers,
We had some soarable weather here today and of course I went up to reduce my CO2-footprint.
Cloudbase was a meager 2500 ft and the thermals were of the type that gave 500 ft/min up for one turn, then turbulence, then nothing (that I could find anyway). Still good fun and when I got a bit low, actually some 300 ft below my self-imposed "low-limit" of minimum 1500 ft for an airstart I stood the 4 on it's nose, yanked the starterhandle twice at around 100 mph and the engine spluttered back to life without protests. As said before you loose 500-1000 ft when you airstart depending on how cold the Engine is etc.
Today was no different from previous times I airstart after soaring for a bit- I recovered straight into the 500 ft/min thermal that had eluded me just before (and whose surrounding area of sink had shot me down). This has happened so often now that I am certain this is a correlate of Murphy's law- the strongest next thermal will invariably be located just after you recover from an airstart with your Fournier. Anyway, I curved it with the Engine at 2200 rpm and shut down again to soar some more. I managed to get back to the air strip when a cloudstreet began forming up and took the opportunity to do a glider landing.
It is particularly satisfying when you manage to halt the roll-out after a glider landing just outside the hangar. Actually, it isn't that hard with some help of the wheelbrake. Soaring the RF 4 is good fun, I recommend it!
May(!!) the 4's be with you/ Jörgen
[Edit by Jorgen on Monday, May 6, 2013 @ 05:21 AM]
Posted by Jorgen on Tuesday, May 7, 2013 @ 05:55 PM:
Hi again Fournieteers,
that spring brings an uplifting effect is well known not only to gliderpilots, Thomas Morley's madrigal was first published in 1595. I'm also sure the prominent Fournieteer Alumni(?) Rob Dorsey have played the piece on his lutes.
Anyway, spring has sprung ever stronger thermals or as the lyrics go: "The spring clad all in gladness, doth laugh at winter's sadness..."
Yet another gliding landing, it's sweet when you open your canopy after roll-out to hear the larks singing overhead.
May the 4's be with you/ Jörgen
Posted by Bob Grimstead on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 @ 01:25 AM:
Truly lovely stuff Jorgen.
Thank you for sharing.
Yours, Bob
--------------------
Flying and displaying Fournier RF4Ds VH-HDO and G-AWGN, building replica RF6B G-RFGB and custodian of RF6B prototype F-BPXV
Posted by Jorgen on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 @ 03:27 PM:
Thanks Bob,
it's been a good start of the flying season here. Another thing that really makes life easier if you're interested in 4-soaring is that the meteorological models (e.g. the HIRLAM) are so acurate nowadays that you can plan your flight to coincide with maximum lift both timewise and location wise a couple of days ahead. This is one of the sites I've frequented:
http://rasp.linta.de/SCANDINAVIA/index_en.html
So get out there and take yourself 4 a ride! Or as Sir Thomas Morley put it: "-Fie then why sit we musing, Youth's sweet delights refusing..."
May the 4's be with you/ Jörgen
P.S. The original (at least almost):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8NBtPxeR1E
[Edit by Jorgen on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 @ 03:37 PM]
