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BAJA, MEXICO FLIGHT LOGFEBRUARY, 1996Saturday, February 10, 1996. We gathered everyone at the San Diego Airport and proceeded to La Salina. It was almost 3 p.m. by the time the ridge came into sight with two paragliders soaring overhead. Instead of checking in, we puled up next to the landing zone and hiked to the top where everyone got soaring flights in before it got lighter toward sunset. Tony Silva got his first 20 minute soaring flight. Sunday, February 11, 1996. It was partially overcast and the wind was light from the west as usual. I got two brief soaring flights in and top landed each time to help the others into the air. Everyone got into the air, but only a couple of people soared. Monday, February 12, 1996. The morning looked very promising, with clear blue skies, but by the time we climbed the ridge, high clouds began to obsure the sun. I got in a soaring flight and top landed. Rankin Thompson got a soaring flight, did big ears and landed. Then it rained. We all walked down and spent the rest of the day in the hot tub. Tuesday, February 13, 1996. Clear skies created a strong on shore breeze and an abundance of thermals. Everyone soared, top landed and soared again and again. David Alexander got in over four hours aloft and several people had their personal best days ever. I got to seven hundred feet above launch at one point, crossed the gap and flew all the way to the south end of the ridge before returning to launch to top land. Fletcher Anderson got high out in front and landed on the beach in front of the villas after buzzing the people in the hot tub. Wednesday, February 14, 1996. Thick fog obscured the landing zone most of the morning. In the early afternoon we all got soaring and semi soaring flights in and out of the clouds. Craig Shaner got his best flight ever, soaring for over half and hour, and almost making it to the beach, a mile and a half out in front of launch. Thursday, February 15, 1996. Thick fog rolled in early and hung around most of the day. We began to get glimpses of the landing zone through the fog around 11:30 and finally launched several students, trying to keep them separated by radio. Several people ended up in the "white room" one or two hundred feet above launch, and had to do big ears to pop out below the clouds and finally land. Fletcher and I flew tandem in and out of the clouds for several passes before heading out to the LZ. Friday, February 16, 1996. Everyone got in good soaring flights in fifteen to eighteen mile an hour winds for most of the midday. We all landed in the LZ, headed for the hot tub and sauna and spent most of the evening reviewing video tapes. The paramotor people (motorheads) showed up late in the day and started buzzing about the beach in front of the villas. Saturday, February 17, 1996. The paramotors were out early, but it got very strong from the north by 9:30 and we spent the day flying a 50 foot sand dune by Scott Gressett's place and practicing inflations on the beach. Even the motorheads remained on the ground through most of the day, taking to the air again only after the winds subsided around 6:30 p.m. February 18 - March 2, 1996. We spent the next fourteen days teaching students on the sand dunes 10 miles north of La Salina, flying the main ridge, Black Mountain in San Diego and Lake Elsinore. Most students got their personal best flights over this period of time and we all enjoyed the hot tub, the sauna, and some great food in Ensenada on a daily basis. Most of those who joined us really enjoyed the flying, the resort and the great food. Intermediate pilot, Rankin Thompson, wrote us a postcard that expressed the feelings of many who joined us on the trip. "I had many 'bests' and 'firsts' and learned more than I could have imagined!" |
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