Little Florida Mountain, Deming NM (USA)

[RobinHastings]

February 2, 2019 (Groundhog Day):
Bill and I headed out from Las Cruces about 08:00 today. By 10:00 we were approaching the launch site at the Little Floridas. Conditions today were - well, undecided. Sometimes overcast, sometimes sunny, with winds 15 mph out of the west/southwest, except when they gusted over 20. Bill launched about 11:35, into some relatively smooth conditions, and just beamed on up - within seconds he was 100 feet up, and still climbing. Ultimately he soared for 40 minutes, and got 2000 feet over the mountain. He could have stayed up longer, and maybe headed out for Interstate 10 and Las Cruces, to the east, but he didn't like the virga and other atmospheric uncertainties the day was showing. He was still tearing down the glider when I reached him at 12:45. We took some time out to do some maintenance on the road to our landing zone, then headed home to Las Cruces. (The day, of course, looked nicer and nicer and the afternoon wore on.) The temperature was nice, the company was great, and I sure enjoyed seeing Bill in the air again. There's a Superbowl tomorrow? I think we already won our game, today.
-Robin

[Bob Kuczewski]

Up, up, and AWAY!!!

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Happy 70th Bill!!!   

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[RobinHastings]

Saturday, March 9, 2019:
We had a good day at the Little Floridas. There are poppies beginning to bloom, and the land is emerging from winter. Jim and Pam MacNutt, from Vermont, are staying in Las Cruces for a month. Jim is a Hang 4, flying a Falcon 4 (coincidence?) and with Bill Cummings he flew the site today. Jim launched in a 20 mph wind at 1:40 pm MST while I leaped out of his way, and he shot up into the air after one step. Bill took off in his Sport 2 at 1:52 pm, in a calmer, 15 mph cycle. They flew as long as they wanted, while I drove Bill's XTerra down to the LZ - though they got about 1000 ft over the mountain, they didn't feel like it was a cross country day. Bill eventually got cold up there (it was 51 degrees) and Jim's shoulders finally got tired at an hour and a half, so they both touched down near the flag a couple of minutes before I pulled up. We got home at 5:00 in time for a spaghetti dinner courtesy of Terry Cummings, at which Pam and my wife Nancy soon appeared, and a very fine evening ensued. Meeting new, nice people is as fun as flying! Or driving for them, as the case may be. I'd have to call it a very good day to be in New Mexico.
-Robin

[Bill Cummings]

Saturday, March 9, 2019:
We had a good day at the Little Floridas. There are poppies beginning to bloom, and the land is emerging from winter. Jim and Pam MacNutt, from Vermont, are staying in Las Cruces for a month. Jim is a Hang 4, flying a Falcon 4 (coincidence?) and with Bill Cummings he flew the site today. Jim launched in a 20 mph wind at 1:40 pm MST while I leaped out of his way, and he shot up into the air after one step. Bill took off in his Sport 2 at 1:52 pm, in a calmer, 15 mph cycle. They flew as long as they wanted, while I drove Bill's XTerra down to the LZ - though they got about 1000 ft over the mountain, they didn't feel like it was a cross country day. Bill eventually got cold up there (it was 51 degrees) and Jim's shoulders finally got tired at an hour and a half, so they both touched down near the flag a couple of minutes before I pulled up. We got home at 5:00 in time for a spaghetti dinner courtesy of Terry Cummings, at which Pam and my wife Nancy soon appeared, and a very fine evening ensued. Meeting new, nice people is as fun as flying! Or driving for them, as the case may be. I'd have to call it a very good day to be in New Mexico.
-Robin

Visiting pilot Jim Mc. launches from the Little Florida Mountains just 8 miles SE of Deming, New Mexico (USA).
Bill C. launches after Jim. Robin H. does a tumbling routine off the end of the launch ramp. (Low points were awarded due to his feet not being together and his toes not being pointed. However he did stick the landing on our edge of the cliff.)
https://youtu.be/7bBRe8bbtxQ

DO WE LOOK LIKE PROFESSIONALS OR WHAT?

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[RobinHastings]

Well, looking at that video, it's clear that I "took one for the team". Just don't count on that for every launch! And Nancy suggested that I start wearing a helmet for this kind of duty. Ah, wives - so overprotective...
-Robin

[RobinHastings]

Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019
I wanted to fly, and Bill Cummings volunteered to be my driver today. How can you beat that? We had a good thunderstorm over Las Cruces yesterday evening, so we figured that the road to Mag Rim might have some lakes on it, and I steered us towards Deming. Conditions were ideal today. Sunny, a fair amount of cumulus, temperatures at launch in the 80's. Winds WSW about 15 mph at the ramp in the Little Floridas. I took off in my Sport 2 155 at 12:21 MDT, with Bill on the nose wires, and just shot right up. I made several passes along the ridge, gaining in altitude each time (though going north 1/2 mile did not pay off). It seems that we have consistent lift in the saddle where our launch ramp is located; I'm going to refer to that one as the "Saddle Up" thermal from now on. I spent the next hour (except for one save a bit below launch height, in the Bowl) at 6000 to 7000 feet MSL (launch is at 5500). When Bill made it down in my truck to the LZ, about 1:30, I decided to head on over there to land. He radio'ed to ask if I wanted to go cross country; I replied, "No chance!" Each time I'd gotten a good thermal over launch, it petered out around 7000' and I didn't like how far off the nearest roads were, going over the back. So, I set up well and landed - NOT! I was in some lift, about 500 feet over the LZ, and decided to extend the flight a bit. The lift turned into a boomer, and before I realized it I was above launch height again. And then way above it, circling up and topping out at 9000' MSL. At that point I told Bill, "OK, I'm going XC. Chase me first to Adobe Deli." From 9000, I could make that landmark on a glide, and by now I was already east of the mountain. Well, there was lift enough that the Deli was soon behind me, and then I was headed for NM Hwy 549, our frontage road for Interstate 10. I was down to 5500 feet by then (1000 ft AGL) but a weak thermal kept me going, and going. I made it back up to 6000, just circling and drifting, straight east above the highway; it was easy to spot Bill in the truck as he passed beneath me. He finally parked at Akela Flats, where Hwy 549 and I-10 come together briefly, and as I was sinking out by then I decided to end it all there. (No, no, this story has a happy ending!) I flew towards the flag that Bill was holding up, on the south side of the highway, and had a perfect no-step touchdown at 2:11 pm. A ranching couple stopped by in their pickup as I got the glider to the road, asking if we could use any help - New Mexicans are some of the world's nicest people! We let them know that we were fine and had just made it from that mountain range 12 miles off in the distance; they said, "Well, be safe!" and headed on their way. We had the glider on the truck by 3:00 pm and were soon on our own way back home (with our usual stop at Loves for cold drinks, cookies and a hot dog) where we arrived by 4:00. Bill and I worked on some equipment issues of mine for the next hour or so; my next flight I should be able to communicate without so much wind noise. Good launch, good landing, good scenery and good friends - what more can you ask for?

[Bill Cummings]

Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019
I wanted to fly, and Bill Cummings volunteered to be my driver today. How can you beat that? We had a good thunderstorm over Las Cruces yesterday evening, so we figured that the road to Mag Rim might have some lakes on it, and I steered us towards Deming. Conditions were ideal today. Sunny, a fair amount of cumulus, temperatures at launch in the 80's. Winds WSW about 15 mph at the ramp in the Little Floridas. I took off in my Sport 2 155 at 12:21 MDT, with Bill on the nose wires, and just shot right up. I made several passes along the ridge, gaining in altitude each time (though going north 1/2 mile did not pay off). It seems that we have consistent lift in the saddle where our launch ramp is located; I'm going to refer to that one as the "Saddle Up" thermal from now on. I spent the next hour (except for one save a bit below launch height, in the Bowl) at 6000 to 7000 feet MSL (launch is at 5500). When Bill made it down in my truck to the LZ, about 1:30, I decided to head on over there to land. He radio'ed to ask if I wanted to go cross country; I replied, "No chance!" Each time I'd gotten a good thermal over launch, it petered out around 7000' and I didn't like how far off the nearest roads were, going over the back. So, I set up well and landed - NOT! I was in some lift, about 500 feet over the LZ, and decided to extend the flight a bit. The lift turned into a boomer, and before I realized it I was above launch height again. And then way above it, circling up and topping out at 9000' MSL. At that point I told Bill, "OK, I'm going XC. Chase me first to Adobe Deli." From 9000, I could make that landmark on a glide, and by now I was already east of the mountain. Well, there was lift enough that the Deli was soon behind me, and then I was headed for NM Hwy 549, our frontage road for Interstate 10. I was down to 5500 feet by then (1000 ft AGL) but a weak thermal kept me going, and going. I made it back up to 6000, just circling and drifting, straight east above the highway; it was easy to spot Bill in the truck as he passed beneath me. He finally parked at Akela Flats, where Hwy 549 and I-10 come together briefly, and as I was sinking out by then I decided to end it all there. (No, no, this story has a happy ending!) I flew towards the flag that Bill was holding up, on the south side of the highway, and had a perfect no-step touchdown at 2:11 pm. A ranching couple stopped by in their pickup as I got the glider to the road, asking if we could use any help - New Mexicans are some of the world's nicest people! We let them know that we were fine and had just made it from that mountain range 12 miles off in the distance; they said, "Well, be safe!" and headed on their way. We had the glider on the truck by 3:00 pm and were soon on our own way back home (with our usual stop at Loves for cold drinks, cookies and a hot dog) where we arrived by 4:00. Bill and I worked on some equipment issues of mine for the next hour or so; my next flight I should be able to communicate without so much wind noise. Good launch, good landing, good scenery and good friends - what more can you ask for?

https://youtu.be/L9_pWH93EtQ

[RobinHastings]

Thank you so much, Bill! That is a flight (and video) I will treasure through the years. Your turn next!
-Robin

[Bob Kuczewski]

WOW!!!

I watched the whole thing waiting for you to burn out the high note on your vario!!!

Nice flying Robin, and great teamwork RGSA!!!!

[wingspan33]

I too watched the whole thing. Great flight there Robin!