Sunday, February 23, 2014

2013 Soaring Summary


The above traces are from 61 Cross Country flights I had in 2013, totaling 20,438 miles (32,892 km) and 361 hours, averaging 335 miles per flight. The flights spanned 5 states (California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Oregon) and multiple landmarks and National Parks (Mt Shasta, Mt Lassen, Crater Lake, Lake Tahoe, Grand Canyon, Zion Canyon,  Lake Powell,  Big Sur) and visited 20 airports (half of them unplanned landouts).
This was another record year  - more distance, more hours (and more landouts...) than any prior year.
Some highlights from 2013:

  • Set New Byron straight out record (600km) to Crystal airport
  • Flew in wave from Byron to Ukiah and back
  • Flew straight out wave flight from Byron to San Luis Obispo via Big Sur coast.
  • Had my longest wave flight - 830km from Williams
  • My longest and one of my most memorable flight north from Williams to Crater Lake, Oregon and back to Shasta.
  • Flew from Parowan to the Grand Canyon and back
  • 3 flights over 1000km from Ely during a 5 days period
  • Finished 3rd in the OLC-USA
Some of my favorite photos from 2013:

Lake Powell, Utah

Crater Lake, Oregon

Mount Shasta

Mount Shasta

Lake Berryessa

18,000 feet Over the Mendocino Mountains in wave

Ukiah from 17,000 feet in wave

Over Byron in wave