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Lone Pine , CA O26 June 16,17,18, 2006

Latest update 07/23/2008

Doug Levy was the event honcho for Soarfari Event 3, which for 2006 was a three day weekend visit to Lone Pine, California. This popular Soarfari site lends itself well to jumping right up onto either the Sierras or the Inyo Mountains on either side of the Owens Valley.

NOTE: Of the 16 "YES" and 7 "Maybe" attendees we got 8 of the yes and 1 of the Maybe people for at least part of the weekend. It is important that if you sign up as a "YES" that you actually attend. We had arranged for tow plane capability based on the expected attendance, but ended up with excess capability. That results in underpaid, underutilized, and less-happy tow pilots. This could lead to a requirement for a non-refundable deposit before you can sign up as a YES for future events where we need to bring our own tow plane(s).

Attendees for 2006 at Lone Pine: Don Buman and crew Treasure, Larry Forqueran, Dan Gonzales and crew Bobbie, Doug Levy, John Medley, Paul Robinson, Carl Czech, Paul Savaria, Rick Barber

Friday June 16 Report. Pilots: Carl Czech, Paul Robinson, Rick Barber, Don Buman, Dan Gonzales, John Medley, Doug Levy, Larry Forqueran. The day started with strong North wind which raised thoughts of a day without flying. Hope came with reports from Bishop that the winds were light and variable, hopefully coming this way. Sure enough around 1PM things got better. Doug Levy launched first reporting sustainable lift. Everyone was up by around 2:30. Doug encountered problems around Black Mountain and landed out, but the crack towpilots (having completed the towing for the day) performed alternate duty as the Hangman Rapid Retrieval Crew and drove out and were to find and pick up both him and his plane using his reported GPS position and constant radio communication. Altitudes were maxxed at around 14k but lift was abundant with no clouds and at least one successful run to Boundary Peak. Final landing was around 7:30PM.

Saturday June 17. Pilots: Don Buman, Larry Forqueran, Dan Gonzales, Doug Levy, John Medley, Paul Robinson, Carl Czech, Paul Savaria, Rick Barber. Saturday started without the high North winds of Friday, and everyone launched to the Inyos except Doug Levy who launched into the Sierras. The Inyos above the haystack had lift but successful flight to the top of the Inyo range was obatained by only a couple of pilots in the noon timeframe. Many abandoned the Inyos and jumped to the Sierras for better success until jumping back to the Inyos later in the afternoon when they started pumping again. Later in the evening most were still remarking at how strong the lift was as late as 7:30 PM. It was a blue sky day and some of the best thermals did not occur until after 5PM. Altitudes were generally not above 15K during the day although you could travel the entire range from Boundary to Cerro Gordo at will. Westgard Pass had either bad sink or pockets of lift (normal) depending on where and when you were there, but nobody was unsuccessful at returning to Lone Pine in time for a group dinner at Season's restaurant late in the evening.

Sunday June 18. Pilots: Don Buman, Dan Gonzales, Doug Levy, John Medley, Paul Robinson, Carl Czech. Several people were required to leave early on Sunday which promised to be the best day of the weekend. Timidity due to Saturday's early Inyo experience caused most to launch into the Sierras or to the area above the Alabama Hills west of Lone Pine. Good thermals in the Alabamas led to strong lift at the face of the mountains which carried several people right up to the top of the mountains. Some clouds started to form just after noon in the Sierras and Paul Robinson jumped over to some Cu forming above the switchbacks and quickly cored a thermal to 17.5Kft and took off north over Whitney. John Medley tried to follow that lead but could only attain 15Kft and heavy sink around Whitney resulting in a jump back to the Inyos which were working in the afternoon. There were even some Cu in the Whites and Inyos on Sunday. Doug Levy stayed on the Sierras on Sunday and eventually peaked Whitney late in the early afternoon before landing early to get home at a reasonable hour. Everyone else jumped to the Inyos/Whites early and enjoyed great flying as far north as Boundary Peak and south well below Cerro Gordo. Most landed between 5PM and 6PM to facilitate getting home.

It appeared the everyone followed the Lone Pine Airport rules well enough that there were no strains with airport personnel this year.

Link to Pre-event info page

Some pictures from the weekend:

Everyone had a little ramp space. Photo John Medley