Sat 4/28/12 clear sky/busy day!

On the ramp we had some visiting antiques on their way to an event in Half Moon Bay.

70 years old and still flying!      1940 Waco ZPF-7 NC29962:

Parachutists/Skydivers loading for the first jump-load of the day:

Instructor Charlie soloing a student pilot:

Instructor Quest preparing for an intro-lesson ride:

BASA club member Joe prepares to give a private ride for a friend in the state-of-the-art DG-1000 sailplane:

Shivali(13) has the sights pointed out by her father Sanjay on a Monterey Bay Adventure ride:

After releasing from the towplane a 8000' over the Monterey Bay coastline we see the peninsula with some lingering lifting fog, Castroville to the left and Moss Landing directly below:

Santa Cruz is at the northern end of the bay:

Monica and Barry enjoyed her birthday flight over Monterey Bay:

After landing, a happy birthday toast w/Champagne and chocolate:

Hollister League contest day

Eleven gliders flew for four to five hours and covered many miles to the south and back  Here are two flight traces and a partial list of those who flew out of Hollister:

Sat 4/21/12 rides

Jody gave her father Joe a gift certificate for a Silver Hawk ride.  He rode his Harley over the Pacheco Pass from his home in the San Joaquin Valley.  The rest of the family arrived in the car.

We had a nice view of the Diablo Range and could see over to the valley where he lives.

Paschal and I went for a Mile High Mountain Ride and saw all that Joe saw on a day with very clear visibility.

Last ride of the day was with Kay and Paul.  We flew over Hollister and looked down at their house.

Thursday 4/19/12

Today I was privileged to provide a glider ride for the parents of our towpilot, James.  Harry and Sue from Fort Collins, CO were visiting and were towed into the air by son James in the Cherokee towplane.

Here is the view Harry had of his son, 200' out ahead towing us:

After the flight all three posed for a pics.

James, Sue and Harry:

Sue in the front seat:

Wednesday 4/19/12 Monterey Bay Ride for two!

Seema and Kevin chose a beautiful day for their ride to the Monterey Bay.

Here they are strapped into the rear seat and ready to taxi to the runway:

I didn't have a pic showing our tow to the coast behind the Cherokee so I've used a previous pic from a tow behind our Pawnee, different "Indian"-same result, a nice ride to the coastline!  The gauges show 55mph@3400'MSL and climbing with San Juan Bautista in the lower right and the bay off in the distance:

After we released from our towplane at 8000', we started a nice lazy ride back to our airport, 30 miles to the east. 

Kevin gives the sign that all's well in the rear cockpit:

After we landed, Seema got in the front seat while they enjoyed some apres-flight refreshment!

 

"Honeymoon Ride"

Ben and Alicia were returning to their home in LA from a delayed, they were married six months ago, "honeymoon" in Napa and San Francisco, when they stopped by for a nice ride on a beautiful day with cloud formations after a recent cold-front passage.  Quest towed us for 15 minutes to 8000' over the Monterey Bay coastline where we released and started our 45 minute glide back to the Hollister airport above, around and under the beautiful clouds.

Ready to "taxi" to the runway:

After release from the twoplane:

Looking north while over Prunedale. Our airport is 25 miles to the right under the clouds:

Quest providing "celebratory" refreshment after landing:

It's not just the balloon-ride passengers who get Champagne:

And chocolates too!

"Family Values"

Monday, 4/9/12, we were visited by a family wanting four glider rides.  I took father, son and oldest daughter for Mile High acro rides over the now-green east hills for spins, loops, wingovers, tight turns and opportunity for them to operate the controls.  Many smiles and lots of fun!

Robbie volunteered for the first ride.  Here we are with our parachutes on, ready to get in the glider and be pulled out to the runway for take-off:

You can see the grin on Robbie's face as we come back to the valley after flying over the hills:

We watched Robbie's mother and sister being given a ride together in our other Schweizer 2-32 being towed out to the east hills by one of our two Cherokee 235s:

Jessica put on the parachute and jumped in the front seat after Robbie and I landed:

Now this is a sure sign of pleasure "high in the sky"!

Jessica gave the parachute to her father, Earl, so he could experience the type of ride that she and her brother just had.  He flew very well for his first time and enjoyed all the maneuvers as evidenced by his smile:

If Earl sends me some of the pics that he had taken of his family on the ground during the launching and retrieving, I'll amend this blog entry so mother and youngest daughter have their "moment of fame"!

Saturday 4/7/12 rides

Following the towplane towards the Monterey Bay:

  Tyrrell and Jeff  knew the geography and enjoyed viewing it all from a different perspective.

After landing Tyrrell got in the front for a nice photo showing both of our 3-place gliders:

Megan & Matt took a Silver Hawk ride to the Diablo range east of Hollister and enjoyed a little maneuvering!

    Here's the greenery that the recent rains brought out.  That's the Quien Sabe Valley over the first ridge.                             

After landing Megan tried out the front cockpit fit:

 We all fit in this Schweizer 2-32!

Friday 4/6/12 Silver Hawk "plus" ride

Dan's wife got him a gift certificate and he enhanced it with a little cash for a high, longer ride on a day with great visibility and the opportunity to experience some "lift".

After release from the towplane we are flying further east to the Diablos with the San Joaquin Valley off in the distance:

The Sierra crest covered with snow was clearly visible as we look out towards Visalia where Dan lives:

This is the "private" Quien Sabe Valley which can only be seen from the air:

After circling in some lift under a growing cloud we left that area as the cloud started to dissipate and headed back towards our airport about ten miles away.  The gauges say were are at 3700' above sea level, flying at 55mph and descending at 300 ft/min: 

After landing: