Skywackers

SW Virginia Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association

News and Updates

Eagle Rock Fly-In - June 11-13, 2010

Details to come. Reserve the date!!

Club Meeting - February 20, 2010

The Skywackers Annual Club Meeting was held this year on Saturday evening, February 20, 2010 at Richard & Jean Cobb's in Blacksburg.

Dinner and the social part of the meeting began at 6:30 PM with the business meeting following. Twenty pilots, family members and friends attended. Richard Gillespie had the flight of the day at Big Walker, hiking through knee deep snow and bobcat tracks to get a soaring flight in smooth air.

The Eagle Rock Fly-in is planned again this year, but later than previous years in order to avoid conflicts with uncut hay in the LZ's. Right now the plan is for the middle of June.

Paul Pearce is also working on plans for a tree self-rescue seminar this year.

Dues remain at $20 for the coming year. If you haven't already paid, please support your club and send in your dues and updated membership information. See the Forms and Member Info link to the left for the forms and mailing address

At the close of the meeting Randy Newberry presented the Boo Waa Award to Richard Cobb.

There were only two changes in officers for the coming year: Ricky Arnold replaces Randy Newberry on the Executive Committee, and Paul Pearce replaces Tim Kingsbury as the PG Safety Officer.

Here's to a Boo Waa Flying Year!

The Meeting

USHPA Exceptional Service Award - Nov 14, 2009

Our very own President Larry Dennis was awarded the USHPA Exceptional Service Award for 2009 at the Fall Board Meeting in Austin, TX, after receiving multiple nominations for exemplary contributions and service to our club and sport.

Big Walker Wood Stacking - Nov 7, 2009

It was a beautiful and sunny warm Fall day - the only thing that could have been improved was the wind direction. We got Jim's wood stacked, and Erma put on her normal Feast for everyone

The Crew

Thanks to all who came:

They are tearing down the old house next to the road, all that is left is the chimney and staircase:

Stairs to nowhere

Tobacco Row NW CLOSED 9/4/2009

Because of the loss of the T-row landing fields on the Northwest side the Northwest site is now permanently closed. The landowner has stated that anyone landing on the NW side of the mountain will be arrested and their equipment confiscated.

The southeast side Paraglider (lower launch) is still open. There is a separate waiver that must be signed before flying there. Please if you are coming to fly the SE side, obey the simple rules we have and don't close this site as well. (NOTE: the upper SE launch has been closed for several years already, because of housing development in the only remaining possible LZ's)

Big Walker Launch Clearing - June 2009

John McIntosh & Richard Cobb spent a day clearing the launch slot and road.
Some Overlaid before/after pics here: Before After Overlays

On the way to the work session, about 100 Black Vultures were seen feeding on a deer alongside the road.

Memorial Day Fly In 2009

It was a great success - from our esteemed Fly In organizer, Mr P1111111 Phil Givens:
"This year we had the most pilots to sigh up for the fly-in (25). The most pilots in the air at one time (14). and the most money collected"

Photos in the Gallery:
Fly In Pics 1
Fly In Pics 2

Club Meeting Saturday Night Feb 7, 2009

We had a good meeting, with 20 people. The meeting followed a good work session clearing Big Walker launch slot.

Big Walker Wood Stacking - Oct 18, 2008

This year, again, we did not have to split the wood, only haul and stack it. We had two trucks being loaded in the field and unloaded in the shed.

Loading wood

Thanks to all who came:

More Loading

We also had an extra 'lady' in the wood pile, you can see the Hourglass on this Black Widow very clearly:

Black Widow

Meanwhile Erma had help in the kitchen this year, with Jean and Haithou assisting:

The Kitchen Ladies

After we finished loading we chowed down on Erma's great SW Chili, potato soup, corn and beer bread, and great deserts. Debbie's nephews put in a good day of work just like everyone else

Debbie and Nephews

We had been watching the Northerly winds developing in the LZ, so after we finishing stuffing ourselves we headed for the top. It was a cloudy day, and we arrived on launch to find the wind blowing in smoothly and steadily, if a bit chilly. Everyone that brought a glider flew. Here are Alan Walker and Tim Kingsbury launching:

Alan and Tim Launching

And here's Phil Givens and Richard Cobb doing it:

It was easily soarable and the fall colors brilliant and beautiful!

Eagle Rock Memorial Day Fly-In - May 24-26, 2008

Eagle Rock Fly In

The Second Annual Eagle Rock Fly In was another success! There were 22 pilots (21 PG and 1 HG). Silvio Zugarim from Florence, Ky had the highest flight of 5078 ft AGL and won the USHPA hat.

Some links to various photos and videos of the event (thanks to Mark Lemon for compiling them):
Taylor's video
Mark's(actually Anita's) compilation video
Anita's video of Taylor's elevator ride
Anita's video of the Paraglider's Serenade
Skywacker Gallery
Silvio's video
Silvio's pictures
Orlando's pictures

Eagle Rock Updates

NW Side

Mr. Deisher's hay is now up (early May) and has not yet been cut. Please do NOT land in any of his fields for the present time. I did talk to him about the Fly In and the hay should be cut in some, if not all, of the fields by that time.

SE Side

Standard Operating Procedure for flying the SE side:
Call Gary & Jean Wiley - (540)884-2139 before flying

Club Meeting - January 19, 2008

The Skywackers Annual Club Meeting was held this year on Saturday evening, January 19, 2008 at Richard & Jean Cobb's in Blacksburg.

The social part of the meeting began shortly after 6, with a number of people arriving after flying in the snow at Big Walker:

Big Walker Cold Launch

A Mexican dinner (cooked by Jean Cobb) was served, followed by the meeting:

January Meeting

Meeting Notes

15 members and Jim Bogle (the Big Walker landowner) attended the meeting. Meeting business included site discussions and plans, including preliminary plans for another Memorial Day Eagle Rock FlyIn. Phil Givens was unanimously voted to be the Fly-In Chairman. The club also voted to grant lifetime memberships to present and future recipients of the Boo Waa Award

Eagle Rock is now a USHPA insured site. As such, it was discussed that everyone needs to ensure that all who fly there are USHPA members with a suitable rating. The same applies also to Big Walker. Also discussed was the need to post flying plans on the Yahoo Group list, whenever time permits, so out-of-area pilots have the opportunity to meet and fly.

Elections were held and most officers maintained their current positions. The main changes were that Larry Dennis is our new President after Shane Moreland moved out of the area. Tim Kingsbury took over the PG Safety Officer position that had been held by Larry.

The Officers for 2008 are:

2008 Membership Renewals are Due

Dues remain at $20. Also please fill out the membership information form, club waiver, and waiver for Eagle Rock. These are all available on the forms page: Forms and Member Info page, along with the mailing address.

Big Walker Wood Stacking - Nov 10, 2007

This year we did not have to split the wood, only haul and stack it. We had two trucks going all morning, with the "loaders" in the field and the "stackers" in the shed.

Jim's Wood stacking party

Thanks to all who came:

Jim's Wood stacking crew

We finished by lunch time, and then went inside where it was warm to enjoy Erma's Feast - pan baked corn bread, fresh beer bread, potato soup and Southwest chili, followed by multiple desserts.

Enjoying Erma's Feast

After everyone was stuffed we went up to the mountain top. The wind was a nice NW, but too strong for all but the lone dinosaur HG pilot of the group. But Richard had a nice, if chilly flight, trying to stay away from the cloud suck.

Dinosaur launching

Comments or Questions?