Oz Report

Flying in Bulgaria – 12 July 2008

(Vratza, Bulgaria)

Flytec 6030

Oggy «oggy» writes:

Last summer six Swedish pilots drove 1200 miles to the northwest part of Bulgaria.  We flew five days from two different flying sites to get to know the terrain and the air.  Weather was on our side and we rigged five gliders at the ramp start near the town of Vratza.  One of our wing was being repaired after unfortunately ground looping.

This launch is easterly, 650 meters over the landing zone and there were some cumulus clouds forming over the higher peaks of the Balkan mountain.  The sky above us was blue and would be blue the whole day.  The wind came up the ramp with good pulses and I decided to go for a fifty km out and return task following the Vratza mountain chain.  The first turn point was the river Iskar cutting the mountain eight km south of launch.  The track was twenty five km back north to the abrupt ending of the mountain chain, then back to the spacious landing by the road with a restaurant and cold beer.

Marcus and Micke launched from the two different ramps and start climbing.  I followed under my new smoked Combat L. I had already logged six hours with this glider and I felt that my flying technique was responding better to what this glider requires.  I turned tight into the thermal close to the monument of a Bulgarian revolutionary killed when fighting against Turkish oppression.

I gained altitude and then noticed a paraglider going up. I flew into the same core and get to 1600 m. The paraglider pilot was higher and glided into the valley while I glide with full VG towards turn point.  I noticed the other two hang gliders struggling at a lower level and got into a lovely 3 m/s climb at turn point.  This easterly side of the mountain was sharp and rocky and well lit by the sun.  At 1800 m I pull full VG and with Combat's great performance reach back to the launch.  All but one of gliders were in the air.  This unfortunate pilot landed in the low trees under the ramp.  He didn't run off the ramp fast enough.  His Discus suffered a bent upright and the pilot bruised his leg and ego.

See the launch ramps?

The monument acts as a trigger for the thermal that brought me back to 1550 m and I took the glide towards Vratzata pass.  I did notice Micke on the other side in deep and flew in nearly no sink and glide over to the other side of the pass.  There I was greeted by 2.5 m/s and got back to 1600. In the meantime Micke got higher on the western side of the mountain.

I continued gliding towards second turn point and slowed down to best glide to reach the stone face of the mountain 2-3 km before the turnpoint.  There I did find the thermal that I was expecting.  At 1300 m Micke joined me.

While circling up I noticed Marcus gliding back along the other side.  The mountain gets very narrow before ending abruptly with a vertical westerly rocky face.  I left the thermal at 1800 m, round the turnpoint and flew back towards Vratza and the pass.  Micke stayed in the thermal and when I looked back towards him during my glide – he looked to be at the height of the stars.

He got to 2400 m there while I flew fast through some sink and chased Marcus.  He had now crossed the mountain and was licking the eastern slopes.  He was desperately looking for some lift to safely take him over the town and the pass.  He didn't find any and was gliding across the pass.  I glided 2-3 km behind over the crest and got good support.  I did notice a flock of birds playing in a bubble on the other rocky side and glided there to hit 4-5 m/s climb.  I kept an eye on Marcus who had left the mountain and flew over the town to get to a good landing area.  He circled over the lake and landed his Discus not far from the town's outskirts.

I reached good altitude and my glide back to launch got me there several hundred meters higher.  It was 15:00 and the sun was high up. I got into another good thermal and decided to fly 100 km as I felt that the handling of the Combat L was getting much easier as I got used to it.

I followed the crest towards the turnpoint by the river Iskar and there I flew into a 6 m/s climb.  It took me up to 2300 m and I easily got back to the launch ramps.  I did lose some altitude to shout down to the pick up driver the location of Marcus's landing.  And then I did not miss the thermal over the monument which took me to 2100 m and deep into the mountain.

I fully tighten the VG and the under surface of the Combat looked like a drum.  The altitude and performance allowed me to glide to the pass, over it and another 5-6 km. The small monastery down there released 2 m/s heavenly climb where I stayed several minutes to get high enough to reach the end of the mountain.

I take the westerly sunny and mirror like rocky face.  I expected good climb there which I got into, though it was pretty bumpy.  I lived with the turbulence up to 1800 m and then I changed my mind concerning flight direction.  To fly back home seemed very appealing as an excellent finish of a great day.

I turned the nose west towards the small town of Varshetz – a mineral water resort and the base for our group.  The valley under me offered little sink but no lift.  I glided into the sun and enjoyed the view.  The greenish higher ridges of the Balkan mountain make a soft turn to northwest in front of me, the valley floor bellow bathed in sunshine.

With an eagle's eye I noticed some smoke going up and turning aside into lifting air.  I made a correction in my flight path and started slowly to curve in 1 m/s smooth climb.  At 1400 m I left this wide lift area and glided over and along Varshetz main street.

The landing area on the other side of town was enormous and I did have plenty of altitude under me. It did not feel right to burn it so I played around another half hour towards the mountain and back.  My Flytec 6030 indicated some NE wind and I chose the big swimming pool for my last turns before flying into the landing.  I aimed towards a sheppard and his sheep and landed 15 m away from him The old man kept me company while I packed the glider.  Via my cell phone I arranged for one neighbor to drive his car to my landing place and 30 minutes later we sat in the shade in the town centre and sipped our cold beer.

A landing zone near Pastrina.

Our minibus picked up Marcus bathing in Vratza's swimming pool and Micke from the restaurant on the landing.  The same evening we tasted the local rakija (grappa) with traditional shopska salad – to release the tension in our muscles before next day's flying.

I slept so well that night!

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Pictures of Vintage Gliders

Gary Osoba

Gary Osoba «wosoba» writes:

http://trade-a-glider.netfirms.com/picturepro/nfpicturepro/index.php

Many interesting sections, such as the Horten Flying Wings:

http://trade-a-glider.netfirms.com/picturepro/nfpicturepro/thumbnails.php?album=38

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Dust Devil at Burning Man

(Gerlach, Washoe, Nevada, United States)

dust devil|Gary Osoba|video

Gary Osoba «wosoba» writes:

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