Winch Project Update - CAN YOU HELP?

READ the message from Bob and Marc    sent March 13, 2012 below.

Then volunteer!

NEW Glider Transponder Code 1202

WHEN: March 7, 2012 -- NOW

The FAA has assigned transponder code 1202 for use by gliders not in contact with an air traffic control (ATC) facility with an effective date of March 7, 2012. The notice was published in JO 7110.577, a copy of which is available on the FAA web site.

Read the FAA notice:

http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Notice/N7110.577.pdf

UPDATE:   RENO and PYRAMID Glider Area Operations
(including WAVE Windows) Effective March 8.

Gliders are to Squawk 1202, not 0440

Per new "Pen and Ink" changes to existing agreement, effective March 8.

Read changes to Agreement (Adobe PDF, 2 pages) AGREEMENT Updates

Definitions:

• SQUAWK: The 4 digit code set in the transponder, such as 1202
• IDENT or SQUAWK IDENT: A controller may ask you to "ident" or "squawk ident" to verify your location on the radar screen. Do NOT push the ident button unless they ask you to. When asked, push the button on the transponder marked IDENT. This causes the target on the controllers radar screen to change, identifying your transponder location.

Posted: Feb. 17, 2012 / Updated: March 7, 2012

Winch Project Update.. Continued

Sent: March 13, 2012

Hello fellow winch lovers,

Marc Ramsey and I have been working on building a new winch in Northern California for about a year now, in no particular rush but trying to keep it moving along. There is a web site that shows progress up to a couple months ago at

http://www.ranlog.com/winch/

Since then we have been tackling building the drum clutch, guillotine, and fairlead, as well as starting on the cab controls. I think we are at the 90% done, 90% to go stage.)

We hope to be ready to start testing the winch in the next couple months. Jim Indrebo has kindly offered to let us operate at Crazy Creek. That is a nearly ideal place with about 6000 feet of open area to launch from, wide enough to mostly just let the rope drop after release, and with well known lift sources close by. Thanks, Jim!

We think we can get around 2000 feet or more launch height at Crazy Creek, even more on windy days. That is also high enough for complete basic glider training using the winch, which would make glider training much less expensive for new glider pilots.

Marc and I have kept the build and design team down to the two of us so far to enable more simple decision making during the design and build phases.

We are not, however, building this winch just for the two of us, but rather for all current and future pilots in the Nor-Cal area. Our plan all along has been to transfer the winch to the gliding community at some point to make this asset widely available.

At some point soon we are going to be needing help,

in lots of different areas from retrieving ropes and hooking up gliders, to driving the winch, and in teaching, fun flying, and building an infrastructure and knowledge set to best use the winch.

We will be starting out slowly and simply with basic tests, and then hope to be gradually working our way to an active, well oiled, and above all safe operation.

We want all of you to be involved in some capacity.

Let us know that you would like to help and what you might be interested in. Tell us about any special skills you have that might help us to succeed and thrive.

All you need to do is click on one or both of the two email addresses below -- right now!

bkorves@winfirst.com

marc@ranlog.com

 

Thanks for all your support throughout this adventure. We have been having fun with it and we hope you all will, too.

See you at the gliderport...
-Bob Korves

[text emphasis by webmaster]

2012 - Several Soaring Events in Region 11

See the PASCO Event Calendar for additional information.

For all the SSA Contests, visit the SSA.org website.

• March
  • Minden Wave Camp 3/25
• May
  • Avenal Spring Contest 5/16-20
  • Air Sailing 2nd Annual CFIG Camp 5/21-25
  • Crazy Creek Region 11 Sports Class - over 2 weekends
    May 25 (practice), 26, 27
• June
  • Crazy Creek Region 11 Sports Class - 2nd weekend 6/2-3
  • Air Sailing 18th Annual Thermal Camp 6/4-8
  • Minden, NV - Open Class Nationals 6/10-21
  • Air Sailing 26th Annual Cross Country Camp 6/11-15
  • Truckee TAGARS 6/23
  • Sports Class Nationals - Parowan, UT 6/18-29
  • Montague, CA - 18 Meter / Standard Nationals
    6/24-25 (practice) Race 6/26-7/5
  • NSA - ASI Bishop Encampment 6/24-28
• July:
  • Final week Montague, CA - 18 Meter / Standard Nationals
    6/24-25 (practice) Race 6/26-7/5
  • Air Sailing Region 11 Sports Class Contest 7/8-14
  • Truckee TAGARS7/28
• August
  • Truckee Region 11 Soaring Contest 8/4-11
  • ASI Gerlach Dash 8/5