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The setting
It was a rare day for soaring in east Arkansas, that Saturday (April 29, 2000). At long last, the
ground was drying from the spring rains and the sounding at North Little Rock looked like
something from Texas. The sounding and dry-adiabat looked like railroad tracks all the way to
8000 feet, with a separation of 5 degrees. The satellite picture revealed no high clouds, and
the forecast was for partly cloudy. Winds were NW, mostly in single digits aloft.
The stage was set.
A little background
The Arkansas Traveler is a traveling trophy we have at Memphis Soaring (Forrest City Municipal
Airport, FCY). It was donated by Joe Edwards to acknowledge a flight by Chris Podbielski to
Joe's private strip North of Little Rock. We don't do much cross-country flying around here,
so the trophy has been collecting dust for two years. But that's changing now. Memphis Soaring
is growing steadily, nine members have private ships and more are on the way. Packing our hanger
is an art that few understand fully and we'll soon be installing outside shelters for trailered
gliders. However, the most important reason for a renewed interest in cross-country flying is
a new soaring club at Classic Field near Jonesboro, 54 miles (nautical) North.
Classic is mainly an EAA chapter. But now they've seen the light, thanks to our own chief
instructor, Dave Cahoon, who lives there. And their enthusiasm is something to behold.
For example, Tim McNamara sold a Pitts Special to buy his first glider, and then surprised
everyone by pulling onto Classic field one Sunday with Karl Striedieck's
beautiful ASW-24 in tow. Talk about enthusiasm! Well, it wasn't long before we were hearing Dave
and Tim on the radio every time we flew. And it was clear that Tim was being coached for a
run to FCY for you know what. Twice already, he had made it to Wynne (16 miles out) and I
was sure he would go all the way today.
An inauspicious beginning
It was nice to arrive and find the hanger already unpacked and QB out front waiting.
All who flew that day are especially grateful to Bob Rutledge
and Brian Smith for making the ultimate sacrifice by working on the ground while everyone
else enjoyed the spectacular conditions. By 12:10, when I launched, a few high cu's had
formed to the east, beyond Crowley's Ridge, so we went that way. By 2000 feet, we had
passed through two good thermals, so I released and turned back.
"Slow down…trim…gear up…123.3. Who's that? It's Dave and Tim! Sure enough, Tim's trying
for the trophy again. Ok, I'll go for Wynne and we'll see what happens. But first, some altitude."
Fifteen minutes later, still at 4000 feet (agl), I hear Lisa Sergent, in her L-33,
announce 6000…then 7000! So the forecast was right but I was in the wrong place.
The clouds to the east looked great, but they were too far away and that was the wrong direction.
So I headed north, following the ridge, hoping for lift before having to turn back.
Contact
Ten miles out, I asked Tim how he was going to get the trophy back home in his glider.
But he had a plan. His wife, Camille, was following with his trailer; she would collect it.
By then it was clear that he could make the return trip. So we discussed the unwritten rules
and agreed that a landing would not be required to claim the trophy. I was at
5000 feet, about 5 miles south of Tim, while he was at 7200 feet east of Wynne in a good one.
He graciously shared its position with me--directly over the bridge east of Wynne.
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Click thumbnail for larger image.
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Jim with Arkansas Traveler.
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Cockpit View.
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Flight Log.
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Barograph Trace.
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A few moments later, faintly, I hear Camille, calling "Kilo Sierra, Kilo Sierra ground"…
no answer. So I relay messages. This keeps me busy for a while, what with thermalling,
eating a banana, forming a strategy and looking out for Tim. It must have dawned on Tim that,
on a day like this, not only could he make the return trip, but also I would have no
trouble making Jonesboro. So he had me instruct Camille to turn back for Classic Field.
I never saw Tim. But, as I was working his boomer over the bridge, I did overhear him talking
to the FCY people when he arrived. Finally, I had 7300 feet and was feeling confident.
It was Classic field or bust. Only 43 miles to go, into a 10 kt headwind, with high cu's marking the way.
Forging ahead
With altitude to spare, I turned north and resolved to work only the good ones. It's hard
breaking old habits, to resist exploring every bit of lift, to resist turning up-wind when
QB trembles and whispers "We're right under one; go for it." But I managed some successes,
and sooner than expected saw Jonesboro off to the left and, a little later Classic Field,
straight ahead. Classic ground must have been following my chatter with Tim who was now
only 11 miles south working a strong one that had taken me to 7800 feet earlier. Or, more likely,
I announced my arrival. At any rate, someone asked, "glider south of Classic, are you on final."
"No, I'm at 6500 feet." "Are you on final." "No, I'm at 6500 feet." "We don't see you."
"Look up." "Oh, we see you." Confirmation!
The debate
Then I hear "You have to land to claim the trophy." "No I don't. Tim and I have already discussed that.
We don't have to land to claim the trophy." Silence… Then, one Classic pilot to another; "He still
has to make it back home." "No I don't. All we have to do is make it to the host site." Silence…
Then facetiously, "We make up our own rules around here." It was a moot point since, even with high
clouds moving in, I was confident of the return trip. There was a 10 kt tailwind and pretty soon
I'd have enough altitude to go all the way. The issue of timing, though important, wasn't mentioned,
because it was obvious. Since, Tim reached FCY before I arrived at Classic, the trophy officially
belonged to Classic until I reclaimed it. Had it been the other way around, I would only have
claimed what was already ours, and Tim would have sent Camille on to FCY for the prize.
Side note
On the way to Classic, I heard from Lisa that she had made it to Wynne for her first cross-country flight
in a glider. She had been practicing in a Cessna, and that must have lit a fire. She said
something about bringing the trailer to Wynne, but she made it home with no trouble.
Homeward bound
The ride home was easy. Only 3600 feet of additional altitude were needed. Following the best clouds,
I drifted East toward Parkin and made it a turnpoint.
Then, turning Southwest I crabbed into the wind for the run home…past Wynne…over I-40…and back to FCY.
Wrap up
At 4800 feet, even without sunshine, there were still scraps of lift. So, with 4:15 air
time, it wouldn't take much to go for a 5-hour flight. So I gently worked the remnants of lift
to 6000 feet while listening to Tim announce plans for a run north to Paragould (15 miles) with
the same objective. He still had sunshine. Finally, I made a quick run 10 miles south to
Marianna and back, burned off excess altitude with lazy eights, and landed.
After packing the hanger, several happy flyers extended the day by savoring the sunset and
dinner on the patio at Oscar's in Forrest City--good view, good food, good company and a pleasant
end to a rare day of soaring in east Arkansas.
Postscript
On his way back to Classic, Tim entertained the thought of following me back to FCY to reclaim
the Arkansas Traveler. He certainly could have, and what a story that would have been. But,
he had plans for the evening and Camille was headed the wrong way with his trailer. So he
kept his plans to himself. But I'm sure Tim will be back soon for the Arkansas Traveler.
