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August
1968. Kingaroy. The Fourth Queensland Gliding School.
The Advanced Course.
We
were about to enter the mountain wave era in Queensland.
Australian
gliding people had been flat inland thermal cross country
flyers. We had done almost no mountain flying as was done
overseas, though perhaps
there had been one or two wave flights down south. But really
- a new era was about to dawn.
We
had discussed wave. We had read the theory. The Bunyas seem to
have been especially built to generate waves, especially in
winter with the south-westerlies. And the met pattern of the
atmosphere seemed to fit the theory. But more than that, we
had seen the lenticulars indication primary, secondary,
tertiary and even beyond. Ground wind observation between the
drome and the range gave turbulent areas, wind reversals, calm
areas - yes - everything fitted, and early in the course it
was all there. Met forecast, actual wind, and the lenticulars.
There had even been one or two little air nibbles before. Ian
Aspland and Alan Rogerson had been exploring the system.
I
quote from a write up prepared at
the time by Dennis Wengert ...
"During
Monday 21st a strong westerly wind began and towards the end
of the day the unmistakable lenticulars could be seen to the
south west. These clouds were the subject of much discussion
that night and Ian Aspland was dragged from his warm fireside
to give advice gained in his previous flight and from
knowledge he acquired in New Zealand. The clear cold night air
was host to many pilots out from the warm kitchen of the
clubhouse; for the lenticulars were showing in the moonlight.
It was decided that if similar conditions prevailed at
daybreak an attempt would be made to contact the wave lift.
At six we shook the icicles off our sleeping bags and decided to make
the attempt. Max Howland and Denis Wengert launched at 7.30 in
the M200, towed by the 172 Cessna piloted by Bruce Sinclair.
Wind at ground level (1450 ASL) was about 25 knots from 220.
Severe turbulence was encountered on the first part of the
flight."
That
was Dennis’ description but it is an under estimate
... I think it was as severe as any turbulence I have struck
in all my flying.
Obviously
the third rotor was just off the end of the strip. In fact it
so surprised Bruce that he immediately landed after the tow
and put his tug away. He decided such flying was not for him -
and that was not altogether an unwise decision. Another launch
and
by then the roll had moved and the launches were
normal.
In view of this Bruce tried another tow. Would you
believe it - the roll was back and Bruce had his second
shock.
But
back to Dennis ...
"Climb
was painfully slow at first, the first thousand feet taking
all of eight minutes. Still on tow the combination turned
parallel with the clouds and good lift was obtained on the
down wind side of the next rotor area
2000 feet to 3000 feet took 2 minutes and we went from
3000 to 4000 in 1 minute 50 seconds. We left this area of lift
at 5800 feet and promptly lost 1000 crossing over the second
rotor cloud. We again entered lift and reached 5800 above the
Bunya cap cloud, before entering sink on the other side. The
combination turned down wind and we released, the Cessna
returning home and the M200 flying fast to contact the lift
downwind of the rotor. Temperature at 7000 was 25 degrees F.
Lift
in the order of 2-3 knots was found windward of the rotor over
a surprising wide area and along the whole length of the
cloud. Wind at 7000 was calculated at 50 knots. Flying in the
wave was incredibly smooth, at speeds from 55 to 80 knots.
As
this flight was exploratory we left this area after making our
observations and marking the areas on our map. We continued
(back) to the next rotor and found that lift was obtained
in the same area as previously, though over a narrower
band. The sink between rotors was appreciable. The fourth
rotor was approached at about 3500 feet and we again found
lift areas as before. This rotor was about over the Kingaroy
aerodrome, about 25 miles from the Bunyas. Turbulence from
3000 feet down was severe.
The
second flight, overlapping the first in time was by Marj
Pegler in the Ka6 towed by the Tiger. Her rate of climb was
opposite from ours - she was at 6000 feet at the point where
we were at 1000. She passed over the Bunyas and released in
the area of the pressure wave which gave only very weak lift.
She then had to cross over the Bunyas and found small areas of
lift. If she had lost height here she would have to pass
through the rotor cloud itself so she continued on and passed
over the cloud. In the third wave she found broken lift. This
flight proved that the lift in the pressure wave was so small
as to not be worth spending time on.
The
third flight was by Jim Moore and Harold Powell in the ASK-13,
towed by the 172. They also experienced a very rough tow and
found themselves above 8\8 cloud and had trouble getting down.
During the last part of their flight they were in conditions
where the wave was moving forwards. Owing to the cloud cover
they eventually found themselves in a position of no return to
the aerodrome under normal conditions. However, by flying in
lift as the wave advanced they were able to cover some five
miles back to base. This flight demonstrated the danger of
becoming lost above cloud. The township of Kumbia was clearly
visible on the first and third flights but was completely
covered during the second.
John
Best had the best climb of the day. In the secondary wave he
climbed to 8500 feet, just under controlled air. He moved to
the primary wave and here could climb to 11,500 feet. Good
lift was found here and a much greater height could have been
obtained had oxygen been available.
The fifth and final flight was by Max Howland and Flo Robinson in the
M200. The Tiger towed them to 6000 feet where they released in
the third wave over Kingaroy. They climbed in this and a
distinct
fourth wave could be seen to the north east. Lift was
of the order of 1 - 1.5 knots but map reading was very
difficult through the cloud breaks. At this time, 11am, the
cloud in the rotor area was very definite but scattered in
this and round the edges was Cu cloud no doubt associated with
instability under the wave height."
Thus
wave flying became almost standard - whenever the wave
co-operated. And
that was virtually every year - winter or thereabouts. The weather pattern was usually the opener - then of course
observation. The sky could vary from no cloud - to beautiful
lenticulars - to confusing over-development. It was
interesting to sit perfectly stationary over a spot and slowly
go up - or to explore the range itself after better lift. Of
course a wave flight could be combined with a cross country
using the considerable height as a starting benefit.
Once
the then new Maroochy Club was to begin flying at Maroochydoore
Airport. It was their first day. I picked up wave lift off a
launch at 1800 and then moved forward to the primary and
reached 16,200. What to
do? Why not pay a visit with the Libelle to the Maroochy
opening - a flight of just over 100 miles. So I did that and
then Daphne had the task of retrieving me. Another time I did
an out and return to Tara, back to the wave, more height, then
another 100 klm triangle - an interesting flight of 8 hours
and 5 minutes. I did a ‘glide’ 100 klm triangle on a few
occasions.
Most
pilots trying for wave were experienced pilots and they did
their own exploring. There were a few ‘guest’ flights and
some actual instructional flights. If well known gliding
people from ‘down south’ happened to be at Kingaroy while
wave was on they of course were interested. The then well
known Marti Gething was one such visitor. As well as
demonstrating wave I could show another aspect. It is possible
on a good cross country day to be a little stretched for time
- to be very high- say 9000 feet, and with some distance to
go. Light still OK except that it can be dark at ground
height. A trap if a paddock landing results - a request for
car headlights by radio if it is to be a base landing. It was
easy to demonstrate this (but still keeping it daylight
landing safe) if the wave was working. Actually a potential
trap for the unwary.
We
did reach the stage where we would be entering controlled
airspace. By arrangement we could get radio clearance from
Flying Control Brisbane to be give a block of controlled air.
Often this would alert the Oakey Club that wave was on and
they would at times join in the fun. There was a fourth wave
just ‘past’ Kingaroy. I played with it one late evening.
Too late to see how many more there were - and I never did
explore that aspect.
Now,
two very interesting days when the wave was not the wave.
1968. Messed up cloudy sky but every indication of wave. Yes,
I released in lift just SW of the aerodrome and make my usual
climb in the tertiary before working forward to the primary
over the Bunyas. Only there was no more wave. Smooth air.
Right to the range and a little beyond - in fact into a
paddock of the SW side. Looked like the wave suddenly stopped
just after I left the third. Strange. Must be more careful,
and I was, and plenty more wave flights eventuated.
Then
several years later. Cloudy, but still looking good for wave.
I was off first and did my usual climb in the tertiary. Oakey
was advised by radio and one or two set off from their side. I
moved forwards but no secondary wave. More careful this time
so back I went to the tertiary expecting it to have stopped.
No, still there, and I explored it for some distance
lengthwise both ways. It was working well - but again no
secondary. Other Kingaroy
pilots took off and found the same. Oakey pilots flew right
across the range and struck no lift until the working
‘tertiary’. So it wasn’t wave. I have decided that on
some rare occasions when met indicated possible wave there was
some sort of frontal lift running SE to NW . Sort of shear
edge frontal lift - an interesting trap for the unwary. But
let’s move back to real wave.
World
height gain was made by an American Paul Bickle, ex NASA
Aeronautical Research Director - to comfortably over 40,000.
He used the Sierra wave in California - a world famous area. A
WWII Lightning - the heavy metal twin engined fighter had
soared with engines off in this area. Paul owned an HP14, a
home made metal glider. My friend, Jan Coolhaas owned the
same. Jan had been my crew chief for the World Contest at
Marfa, Texas. Jan invited Paul to come to Australia and fly in
one of our Nationals. I got involved with “helping” Paul
with Australian gliding ways just as I had done with Helmut
Reichmann, the World Champion. So I got to know Paul. When we
visited USA in 1974 we spent a few days with Paul in the
Californian desert as house guests. ‘Interested in a flight
here, Max?’ What a question to ask.
I
would fly from the airport at Lancaster where quite a
few glider private owners had their gliders. The High Sierras
run roughly N - S and at the southern end the range swings
west near Mojave and the Tehachepi Pass. It seems
the pass area sends
up the best wave and it was here Paul made his record climb.
Conditions
indicated very very marginal wave if any at all.
A few days earlier Paul had made a flight to about
23,000 feet. He asked if I would like the wing extensions put
on to increase the aircraft’s performance. No, don’t
bother, I said. I picked up from a conversation between Paul
and another pilot that Paul took no notice of certain flight
restrictions that involved a nearby Air Force base. I must be
a bit careful, I thought, but didn’t know why or what.
I
launched and the tug pilot did not circle the aerodrome - he
climbed straight west. No sign of anything interesting so I
held on for quite a time. My first job after release was some
almost frantic map reading to take in the lie of the strange
countryside and where my aerodrome was. I would have been easy
to become lost. There were signs of lift but I had quite a
slow job making any height. I used the radio once for a very
short message but there was constant ‘American voice’
chatter and I sounded strange as hell. One short message with
no reply from Paul so I shut up.
It
was wave but broken and although I slowly gained height time
went by. From what
Daphne said later they expected me down as it was not the wave
day they were used to. But I course I didn’t appear and
Daphne gathered they were considering sending up a kite to
look for me. She met an interesting American pilot - a
millionaire who had come to Australia some years before and
‘circumnavigated’ Australia on a motorbike with some
associated media attention.
But
I was still making height with conditions improving as I
climbed. Eventually at about 18000 very definite and now
relatively ‘easy’ wave and my climb continued. But time
was getting on. At 21,500 feet with good 300 fpm lift I gave
it away. I had decided I would not try to out-do my guest’s
height of a few days earlier. A steady
wave climb after the hard earlier hour or so was
pleasing enough. Now to get down. Dive brakes, yes, but they
had to be held open and it was hard. Paul told me about a
catch so that made it easy. Later he said he did not usually
tell guests about the catch in case they forget at a critical
moment how to release. I was very pleased he had told me. So
eventually I landed. First out was a girl I did not know who
asked the obvious question - how high?
When I told her she said - ‘Oh my poor husband.
He’s been trying for six months’.
Yes,
wave flying can be very interesting. My last wave flight was around
1975 I think. Only it wasn’t a wave flight - it was that
shear lift pretend wave I mentioned earlier. Still, an
interesting way to end it all.
I mentioned shear lift. Sometimes, on a good day with well
developed very high Cu clouds there can be a change of wind
direction area into which the Cu grows. Quite often this
condition will show up as a lenticular cap on the Cu. Often it
is possible to climb up in lift just outside the Cu on the
windward side.
Let’s
go to Narromine - December 1974. Practice period before the
Nationals. It was a day of fairly high cloud streets running
roughly SW over many miles and finally petering out. I
invariably brought oxygen to a contest though few contest days
could have you that lucky. In fact this time, instead of
having the supply bottle in the car I came away with only the
aircraft bottle. Most unlikely to need even that.
But
something strange happened up near the cloud streets. There
was shear lift along the streets but on the west edge.
Obviously an unusual wind pattern more or less matching the Cu
side lift, only here for miles along the side of the streets.
A number of pilots did find this lift. Ingo Renner used it as
he was flying up from the
south. And I found it. How high could I go? I did not have the
oxygen bottle aboard. 10,000 is now the accepted height for
oxygen. During the war we used 15,000 and I had been this high
without oxygen on a few occasions. I did go a little above
that but had to leave the lift. What a pity.
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