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Soaring

Somebody new at the club showed up in one of these with the same color scheme last week.

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I examined it, of course.

It looked so small I first thought it was a "kit car".

But the badges and the brakes and interior soom convinced me it was probably the real thing.

Not my "thing".

$340,000

Specs at the bottom of this page... Fuel Economy 15mpg

I see new Lamborghini cars pretty often where I live and they are so low to the ground it's amazing but the engine whine doesn't turn me on... Too wizzy for me.. I like more of a crackling bellow. :D
 
@RayDunzl -- Be safe! Hurricane Milton looks pretty bad.
 
Be safe! Hurricane Milton looks pretty bad

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Aimed right at me at the moment...

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140 mile traffic slowdown of folks headed north at 9pm

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Wind forecast for me, sustained and gusts:

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Potential Storm Surge Flooding Map (Inundation)

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It'll be a long night Wednesday.
 
View attachment 397207

Aimed right at me at the moment...

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140 mile traffic slowdown of folks headed north at 9pm

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Wind forecast for me, sustained and gusts:

View attachment 397204

Potential Storm Surge Flooding Map (Inundation)

View attachment 397210

It'll be a long night Wednesday.
I lived in Clearwater for 10 years and they always warned of the severity of a hurricane pushing water into Tampa bay would have no where else to go. Be careful. I'm over by Orlando now on higher ground. STAY SAFE!
 
I'm over by Orlando now on higher ground.

82 feet here at the house, and unlikely to have any local water to speak of.

The beach washed onto land around Clearwater Beach during Helene, looks like snow piled up on the sides of the roads there. But it doesn't melt.

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82 feet here at the house, and unlikely to have any local water to speak of.

The beach washed onto land around Clearwater Beach during Helene, looks like snow piled up on the sides of the roads there. But it doesn't melt.

View attachment 397236
That looks like the sugar sand they truck in and spread onto the beach to impress the tourists
 
I lived in Clearwater for 10 years and they always warned of the severity of a hurricane pushing water into Tampa bay would have no where else to go. Be careful. I'm over by Orlando now on higher ground. STAY SAFE!
We only lasted 4 months in Clearwater. Then moved to Gainesville. Hurricanes lose energy by the time they get there and are never worse than bad storms.
 
Ray,
Where is the glider stored? Is it vulnerable?
 
2pm Wednesday

Blowing and raining here at the house. Not extreme, yet.

Tornado outbreak to the South and East...

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Eye forecast track well to the south of me now.

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Local wind forecast at the house looks much better than its peak...

A little less at the airport.

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Soaring Forecast at KZPH for the weekend looks flyable.

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I'll be there.
 
Where is the glider stored? Is it vulnerable?

Just tied down outside with many others.

4-point augers screwed into the ground, that have been there a long time, tow rope tiedown supplemented with ratchet straps.

Some wind shelter from the treelines.


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Current wind forecast not too bad, and from the East then North, so blocked some by trees.


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What I have on the TV right now:

 
Nobody even overflying Florida (except in/out of Miami and Jacksonville areas.

And NOAA plane N42RF out of Mobile. Their Lakeland Base (east of Tampa) may be closed down.

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Hi Ray,
Just because of all of this, a question popped into my head and you probably stated the answer in your other posts but:
How fast have you/your glider flown when you soar? As fast the hurricane winds, faster?
 
Nobody even overflying Florida (except in/out of Miami and Jacksonville areas.

And NOAA plane N42RF out of Mobile. Their Lakeland Base (east of Tampa) may be closed down.

View attachment 397679
Just thinking about ya buddy, I hope all is OK for you and yours out there.
We got it easy-peasy here in the Orlando area, no real worries to think of.
I hope you've gotten somewhere safe and dry till things mellow out.
Let us know when you can.
Sal
 
I'm back.

Blew as hard as I've ever seen it here. Steady maybe 70 or more mph, gusts had to be over 100. Continuos roar of wind. Guestimate 10 inches rain.

About 36 hours power out.

Small soffit damage on house and street corner in front flooded. Draining slowly into retention ponds which are over full, so street water is at pond level.

So, all good here.

Airport unknown.

Weather observations there quit about the same time we lost power here. Resumed next afternoon.

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Reading from Hospital Heliport about 2 miles froom here.

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TECO electric has 75% outage out of 708,,051 customers. They basically power this county.

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If I drill down to my area, I'm fortunate to have restoration so soon.

Underground electric among the houses in this area, Higher voltage feeders are still elevated.

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The storm brought the first cooler weather of the season, so that helps.
 
Hi Ray,
Just because of all of this, a question popped into my head and you probably stated the answer in your other posts but:
How fast have you/your glider flown when you soar? As fast the hurricane winds, faster?

Stall speed about 40mph. Thats about the speed at touchdown. You have to quit flying to land.
Slowest descent rate about 50mph
Fast cruise about 70mph
Fastest about 120mph.

To go faster forward you go down faster like any "downhill" sport.

Published "Never Exceed" speed quoted as 139mph. Faster and "flutter" could occur. You'd be a test pilot.

There's not a lot of sensation of "speed" like there is with a car or bike near the ground. Reference points (visually) are usually pretty far away.

Higher performance (racing) gliders have higher speed capability.
 
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Sarasota-Bradenton Airport.

Highest speed I've seen before power/gear failures.

89 knots = 102mph = 165kph


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