The cake was so nice that it didn't need cherry!
Since we went back, every new met person comes out again me the same chorus: it was not that good, didn't one see you beating record"? What mistake! It was made of it most beautiful season in absolute since we go to Patagonia in 2002, the most beautiful holiday and moreover restful because we never had to use the alarm clock, and especially beautiful because practically all pilots could live the most beautiful situations of their life (and of mine in 50 years of gliding). I insist on the "beautiful" word because it often happened to us to slow down to enjoy the spectacle that offered itself to us. The apotheosis being the evening of January 15 that saw the formation of a double system classic rebound wave and hydraulic jump between Bariloche and San Martin to the precise moment where we passed Bariloche vertical at 20h30, the most beautiful sky of pilot memory, the X2 photo, taken from ground in Bariloche by Diego Vallmitjana, is guaranteed non touched up. Difficult to believe, we were at 8.000 m under these marvels and I believe to have in lost the reason since I continued northbound to land finally at night in Chapelco.
:: Download Sailplane & Gliding 2009-02.pdf
Of course we didn't ever turn at 200 km/h of average during five hours, of course we could not make ever of flight of 16 hours in the dawn until the sunset because the meteorology never conceded ever us a whole day worthy of interest, and by consequence my beautiful dream of the 2.000 km triangle is reported sine die, but this is a good reason therefore to return there! And as none of the eight training pilots and the four tourist pilots of passage that didn't come with me was an enthusiast of the records, the satisfaction was total and the ambiance of the nicest.
To be one year of anomalies one could make with difficulty better. First of all the world economic crisis entailed the disclaimers of all candidates to the transportation of their personal glider. We were therefore only two European gliders, Klaus with his DG 400 and myself with the Nimbus 4DM, each with his trailer, in a play ground of 3.000-km long, what didn't stop us from almost touching lightly us sometimes (well evidently my FLARM fell quickly in breakdown, like every year!). The always green and smiling Diether Memmert, Spanish big professor, having assured the alternation on the Nimbus with me.
Still because of economic crisis the maritime company that Klaus and I usually used, MSC, played us a very nasty tour while speculating on the speed and the itinerary of the boats, generating a delay of 18 days for a length of navigation foreseen of 20 days. But if I confess to have been very close to the crisis during these 18 days of waiting in Buenos Aires, I failed to make a heart stroke when I read the contract (with three pairs of glasses): the company doesn't have any obligation to deliver the container in the foreseen port, it can deposit it in any port at any date in the 12 months that follow the embarking, evidently without any possible recourse! Never MSC again!
In fact, for the return, I chose another company that delivered us the glider on the day and at the hour foreseen in Milan.
The biggest anomaly, and it won't be a surprise for anyone since the phenomenon was common to Europe and to South Africa, was the meteorology in terms of winds and temperature. During the period historically the best, of November 15 to December 15, we lived several successive days of CAVOK in beach and even two days of Easterly wind with rain. The most beautiful flights having finally had place beginning January in spite of very elevated temperatures (30°C to soil) and of the isotherm 0° superior to 4000 m.
The temperature was besides a very good (or very bad depending on whether you make the tourism or the gliding) surprise this year, with a middle overheating in altitude in relation to the atmosphere standard of 10° in the beginning of the spring, until 18° in the beginning of the summer. We only have very rarely used the electric heating and the special flying suit that KiloYankeePapa prepared for me (http://www.worldsail.ws/index.php/manufacturers_id/21) doesn't have can be tested ever, it was necessary to carry it practically always open. For the amateurs of statistics, the temperature at 6.000 m beginning November was neighboring of -15°C to -4°C beginning January (in standard atmosphere it is of -27,9°C). The temperature at 8.000 m beginning November was neighboring of -28°C to -19°C January 15th (in standard atmosphere it is of -37°C). The temperatures on the ground were less abnormal, only the rainfall was strongly showing a deficit. Certainly it made close to 30°C on the ground December 13 but only 3°C December 20, day of the summer, with snow on the ridge and fire in the chimney, but that it is normal in Patagonia.
What we didn't stop ourselves from making more 200 hours of flight in two months with only one glider and to have never found the time to go fishing to the trout.
Still in the domain of the anomalies, whereas every previous expedition has been marked by an engine failure, this last turned like a Swiss clock but on the other hand we should have managed seven other failures that I will explain further so that you can take advantage of these experiences.
And to conclude with the anomalies, it had to in fact to happen something since I started making the tourism with pleasure and finally knew the black glacier (or what remains), the white glacier, the forest of Arrayanes, the Colonia Suiza and the luxury lounges of LLao LLao! Without speaking of crepes with Dulce de Lece on sailboat on the lake, in brief the day of the departure jumped us to the face like a stroke of feet to the buttocks and we wait for all that one thing: to return there! Small detail that is not without importance, the change of the Peso on the Euro that was of 1/1 in 2001 is today 5,3/1, once the airline ticket is paid (approx. 1.000 €), these are cheap and beautiful holydays!
Airspace: The special IFR is a beautiful invention!
The following day of my arrival in Buenos Aires, whereas I was going to look at the airport for my friend Mattanò, experienced glider pilot and ex Captain of 747 at Aerolineas Argentina, we met by the purest of the lucks Lito Fentanes, president of the CADEA, the equivalent of our National Aero-Club, who dragged us into a meeting with the military person responsible of the air-traffic and the chief of the controllers of the region Centro, of which depend Bariloche and San Martin de los Andes. To our biggest surprise these people detained a complete file on Klaus and me, perfectly knew all our activities and were very happy to be able to debate first their problems and a little
finally ours with one the concerned persons (not to say guilty). at the end of three hours of discussions not always easy, we left with an principle of agreement that got materialized by a fax recopying the demand of the CADEA precisely, we are allowed to fly above level 195 for the whole season, on demand of the pilot until FL 280 in all controlled airspaces and therefore with IFR flight plan in VMC conditions with the same constraints that the previous years:
permanent radio contact with the controller of the FIR or the tower of the TMA
transponder (no matter the mode), VOR/DME/ADF or GPS, and ELT
survival equipment suitable for the zone overflown
equipment of oxygen according to RAAC (not of worry for us)
contact radio 10 minutes before entering all controlled airspace
interdiction to penetrate if the pilot doesn't master the phraseology correctly in Spanish or in English, this last language at the condition that the controller also masters it, in the contrary case it will be Spanish (in practice the region South).
The group of pilots flying at Chos Mallal has also been favoured since they will fly until FL 350 without any constraint, no radio nor transponder, but enclosed in a volume around the airport (all is relative, this volume is as big as the LTA French Alps) and without penetrating into the airways.
Some days later I was called in emergency by the controller of Mendoza that, not having understood the content of the telefax well, believed to manage a multitude of gliders in the airways between Ushuaia and Mendoza until FL350! I understood her concern and it was easy to me to reassure her, especially since this year we were only two gliders. The caprices of the weather having never allowed us to arrive until the TMA of Mendoza, this kind lady risks to take the glider pilots for madmen!
This concept of flight special IFR above FL195 in visual conditions is especially interesting, securing for the controllers and the airliners, and don't present any particular difficulties for trained pilots flying in two-seater under the condition:
to put in the data base all IFR points, that amount eventually to about fifty points of entry of the airways in the cylinders of the TMA, some points of border of FIR.
To construct an airspace file on a length of 3.000 km and a width of 1.500 km, at the end simpler than the southeast of France.
To know how to calculate an estimate to the IFR report points or VOR asked by the controllers, in general every 30 minutes. It was never a problem since our time factors are between 0,6 and 1 minute by nautical, no need of a calculator to calculate its value, mobile SeeYou calculating the distances. It is the where we appreciate the charms of the two-seater glider!
Not to hesitate to call the controller with sufficiently anticipatory in case of program change, or of big delay in an estimate (low point or weather problem). The airliners having very precise estimates and practically independent of the weather, the controllers like to have a small half-hour of security between the passage from a plane and a glider at the same place and the same altitude.
Not to hesitate to contact the airliner directly to know its position, its route and intentions. While keeping well to the mind that it is the controller who gives the orders, but that if the captain of an airliner suggests him a solution, in general he adopts it.
This protocol perfectly functioned with the controllers of the region Centro (being physically at Buenos Aires) and managing the airspace going from 200 km to the south to 400 km to the north, on the whole width of Argentina. The quality of the communications radio is good on the whole zone and even though we lose contact with Buenos Aires, the controllers of the local towers are always available to make the relay.
The reports were a lot more complex with the region South, of Comodoro Rivadavia. First of all a feeling of rivalry exists between the South and the North; as at the world those of the North consider those of the South everywhere as southern with a small feeling of contempt or inferiority, that those of the South render to them well as while putting forward their independence until the limit of their rights and sometimes even beyond. And as arrangements us concerning had been emanated by those of the North without dialogue with the "Southern", everything that could be made legally to put us sticks in the wheels was applied systematically. As for example to impose us a vertical separation of 10.000 feet with an airliner, whereas 1.000 would have been sufficient, to pretend not to understand radio message, even relayed by the airliner, to affirm that our IFR FPL was not transmitted to them, brief that was not always easy. But as we were never hurried by the time us took the things with philosophy and transmitted our impressions to the right person in Buenos Aires upon our return.
The next season should be different since by decree of the precedent President of the republic (the husband of the present President), all the commercial aviation and its control have been transferred of a new administration of the civil aviation ANAC, that took its functions July 1st 2009. It is not unfortunately certain that a civil control is an advantage for us on the medium-term.
This year I had installed a PCAS Portable Collision Avoidance System, the Zaon MRX, that indicates the distance (until 5 nm) and the relative altitude of all airplanes possessing a TCAS or a transponder answering a radar. This device, smaller than a Flarm, can function on its own batteries. More of info to the http://www.delta-omega.com/desktopdefault.aspx?panelid=70&tabindex=1&tabid=188 tie. We never had to use it in management of conflicts but could verify the presence of planes of which we knew the existence. The maximal distance of 5 nm appears however to me a little weak to manage a conflict with an airliner arriving facing you since the pilot hardly has only 30 seconds to clear before the collision! It is indeed very little. This basic model (470 €) doesn't give the azimuth of the near traffics, it is necessary to use the XRX model (1.700 € and an immune cockpit of parasitic magnetic fields) to have all infos. That begins to be expensive, especially since the Flarm, useless in general aviation, remains inescapable and therefore necessary for the separation with the gliders only. But the safety doesn't have a price. In Europe, there are more light planes in flight than gliders, their pilots are less accustomed than we to watch outside, especially since they are in general in contact with a controller who gives them the information of known traffic, the gliders being, apart few exceptions, unknown. I can only recommend this supplementary, completely portable and autonomous tool.
The most meaningful anecdote of the good collaboration of the controllers of the region Centro could be our exit of the TMA by the south with an IFR flight plan between the levels 130 and 230. We had to pass by the point TORRES, situated to 35 nm in the south and in full middle of the airway coming of Ushuaia. In front of us the Southern flight from Ushuaia is at FL300 at 100 nautical to the south and ask the authorization to descend to the level 100 at TORRES. The conflict is obvious and the controller of Bariloche asks him to delay his descent. The airline pilot begins to protest against the
presence of gliders in the airway, but the controller answers to him that we are under IFR flight plan and that it is her that decides. This gentleman insists ejecting of the airway, the controller answers quietly that if he wants, he is allowed to pass in VFR, to leave the airway and to descend at his discretion. What he declines politely, we won't hear him any more except when he asks ironically for the position of "El Señor del planeador."
The most meaningful anecdote of the bad collaboration with the controllers of the region South could be the imposition of a separation of 10.000 ft with an airline plane that had already passed the point and was heading northbound whereas we went southbound. Probably this controller had not ever managed in her life an airliner and a glider in the same airway nor had the least idea of what means 40 nm to the South of one point with a South route (us) and the vertical of this same point with a North route (the airline). All my attempts of explanations remained vain until the moment where the pilot of the airline took the initiative to convince the controller of Comodoro while saying that he had seen us (probably in the TCAS) and that the conflict was solved.
Ever had no worry, on the contrary, with the captains of the company LAN (Chilean property), of which the person responsible of the security is a glider pilot, and that imposes to strictly follow the published documents of which we have copy on board.
The engine behaved well but the surprises came from elsewhere
Everything that follows would be only news of a disconcerting triviality if it had happened in our small European club where all is simple, with a portable telephone you call the manufacturer without time-lag and you have the piece following day without even to pass by custom.
For us it is all something else! When the problem presents itself at coffee time, it is already dark in Germany and our friends are well to the hot in family! As for the cell phone it is necessary to be in town, it doesn't operate even on the airports of San Martin or Esquel, by luck for us, in Nahuel, it functions again. As for the custom, if you have the luck that the piece leaves in the 48 hours that follow the failure, it will be necessary to wait for a week before having it in hands after having paid out 60% of custom and VAT!
At the first takeoff, the spring that maintains the lever of the flaps in position locked broke few meters above ground, making that the flaps pass in full negative and the glider sink. By luck my hand was on the throttle few centimetres from the flaps lever and I had the time to bring them back in positive before embossing the planet.... But what makes the more pain, it is when it was necessary to reach this spring while cutting the fuselage to the disk cutter (Photo B2)! And as it was out of the question to wait for one week before flying, El Gringo, our genius of mechanics, constructed us the piece for the following day (Photo B1) while taking it from its rake (Photo B3) and of a thermostatic probe of an old fridge.
It was necessary to reach this spring while cutting the fuselage to the disk cutter
El Gringo
A thermostatic probe of an old fridge
Before the second flight we note that the wheel is burst! By luck we were at the parking lot and had a complete wheel with its hub. It is nevertheless the business of some hours. Some days later, it was the switch of the fuel pump that failed. There it is easier it is standard.
But since we arrived to a strong odour of fuel worries me and as we already had seven failures of wing fuel tanks, I decide to disassemble the left tank, from where comes the odour, and therefore the glider! Surprised, it was not the reservoir that leaked, it was the hose that had become porous and let evaporate the most volatile components of the fuel. The phenomenon is especially serious when one uses green fuel 98 that contain extremely corrosive and smelling derivatives. This hose made of special rubber for fuel was only three years old and it had already died. It is necessary to banish the use of rubber therefore and to limit to the polyurethane, while sacrificing the thickness and therefore the safety in case of accident.
The following day the motor refuses to start because the limit switch of total extension of the pylon missed. The problem was in the extremity of the cable, side fuselage, that was unravelled for half of the sprigs, cuts caused by a simple small disc in carbon steel coming to lean against the Nicopress muff that serves as travel limit (Photo B8). This cable had been changed 30 hours ago and should be replaced only every 50 hours…
Two days later impossible to stop the propeller. By luck the incident takes place vertical airport and will be solved in the day. The brake of propeller is in fact a roller bearing that brings in a hole, this bearing is shielded and it is not possible to verify the state of the balls inside. Since this bearing never turns and that the same balls always undergo an effort in the same place, they ended up breaking and the external track of the bearing had moved of some millimetres, just what it is sufficient so that the brake doesn't function anymore (Photo B7)…
The following day we will burst once again, but during landing. The things complicate themselves because we occupy the runway and I see myself repeating the operation of the past year badly where it was necessary to bring a crane and to make work there, in wind and the dust. Solution: one makes the compressor full, load it in the car, re-inflates the wheel and takes the glider out of the runway before it is deflated again, while repeating the operation as many times as necessary! By luck, we arrived at the parking at the first attempt!
At the time of the first flight upon my return in Europe, the device locking the gear failed. The beak in resin that blocks the lever crumbled, letting appear a metallic plate that rounded and started to cut the lever! And on top of all, the manufacturer installed a standard handle with the shape of pear that stops the lever from revolving completely until the wall! The problem has been solved by "cutting the pear in two" (Photo B4) and replacing the plate in fibre by another one made of Teflon with a changeable metallic plate, modification applied in standard since some time without warning the former customers.
...letting appear a metallic plate that rounded
...started to cut the lever
The problem has been solved by "cutting the pear in two"
I only can greatly recommend to all owners of gliders having this pear to apply the modifications of the photo C1, it takes 10 minutes, doesn't cost anything and it is very efficient!
Whereas the main weather novelty of the past year was the abnormally south position of the anticyclone of the Pacific, whose centre was practically at the latitude of Bariloche, the novelty of the spring 2008 was that, in addition to maintaining the previous anomaly, the low pressure normally centred on the Atlantic to our latitude has been replaced by an anticyclone that didn't evolve practically during the whole season. According to my expert in meteorology, the likelier reason would be an increase of the surface temperature of the waters of the Atlantic between the 30th and the 40th South latitude, what hardly convinces me because in Mediterranean this reason produces an opposite effect. No matter, this situation of blockage, sometimes even accentuated by an anticyclone on the continent, embarrassed the regular circulation of the polar fronts that turned regularly. What didn't prevent to see the formation of the cold fronts between these two anticyclones, creating a fast circulation between intervals of pause of some days.
The fig. C1, TEMSI map of December 15 to the morning, represent the face typical of the situation of the pressure centres and fronts (Bariloche is 41° latitude and 70° longitude, the local hour is UTC -3 whereas Europe is UTC + 1). It is difficult to imagine that with such a situation one can have, as we lived, 180 km/h of wind at 7.000 m!
The fig. interprets the photo satellite and puts well in evidence the presence of a jet stream in the south of our position in a anticyclonic flow. Useless to hide my concern when, arrived at km 230, my good old Zander indicates me 177 km/h of wind of which 150 km/h of headwind component to the way home!
It is already 17h30 and the U turn seems me the most reasonable solution considering the uncertainties because I never flew with such a wind, my wind speed McCready ring compensation tables stops at 120 km/h of headwind, and for this value it would be necessary already for me to fly with Mc +5 with a residual L/D of about 10. The return is going to be sporty! The discovery of the day will be that with such a wind the wave seems laminated and the Vz are rather weak, between 0,5 and 1m/s (at 170 km/h in stationary flight). Of the same way the wave length is enormous and it is necessary for me to fly in the plain, 34 km away from the usual track of the first rebound, very far away. The second discovery will be that to make stationary flight against 170 km/h of wind is extremely difficult if one doesn't have sophisticated tools like Zander or even better SeeYou Mobile in centering page with a scale of 2 nm. Indeed the least error of heading in relation to wind made you drift of several kilometres in few seconds and the return is well painful! We will put 3h30 to make this 230 km.
The positive side of the anomaly weather being that we could live the birth and the intense exploitation until the night of many magnificent hydraulic jumps (the one that I baptized the jump of Bidone by analogy with the discovery of this hydraulic scientist of the XIXth century) and finally, not being submitted to the constraints of the chronometer, I had the immense luck to be able to verify two hypotheses: 1) the conversion of the kinetic energy into potential energy (or more precisely géopotential) does exist: we could see the wind falling from 60 to 1 km/h in few kilometres and 2) the front of the jump doesn't have any relationship with the orography (often more than 30° with anti-clockwise rotation between the axis of the front the line of crest and easily penetrates 200 km inside the plain until 50km upwind of the crest line). I could also verify that the leading edge of the cirrostratus ondulatus materializing the jump is not a continuous line like the one of a rebound wave lenticular, but a continuation of tips, fingers, that makes it look like a gigantic comb. This last aspect appeared to me at the time of previous flights but I never had the possibility to touch these combs with my own wings (around 8.000 m). Now it's done. This meteorological phenomenon deserves more that a paragraph in this article and I intend to deepen this survey more specifically in a next issue.
The verification of the first hypothesis took place January 5 on a triangle of 1.200 km achieved like foreseen, half south north half. Whereas in the half south wind was of about 100 km/h without no materialization of elevated clouds, the beginning of the north half was characterized by a fall of wind toward 50 - 60 km/h to the north of Bariloche then 40 - 50 km/h to the north of San Martin. The reading of the sky makes itself then more complex, a hydraulic jump seemed to take birth: cirrostratus in formation from a very definite line, a pseudo leading edge, the cloudy cover intensifying downwind to the point that the plain is in the shade on hundreds of km.
The photo, take around 18h at 5.500 m and 80 km in the south of Zapala while looking northbound, shows well the existence of the two dynamic systems: the classic rotors of rebound wave (whitest at the lower level), a rotor badly definite grey apparently turning reverse in the middle of the picture, consequence of a negative wind gradient therefore testimony of a likely hydraulic jump, of the rebound lenticulars well identified with leading edge and side of trailing edge well defined and materialization of the sinusoid at the middle level, and finally the cover by cirrostratus of the jump of Bidone to the higher level toward 8.000 - 10.000 m of which the leading edge has the shape of comb composed of very narrow tongues, several kilometres long, without trailing edge, capable to spread until the Atlantic.
Downwind of the Sierra Catan Lil, I observe that wind falls to 10 then 1 km/h during several minutes Fig. C7, it is not therefore a mistake of calculation!
A fast research and the vario starts to move up. Superb, we found the heart of the hydraulic jump, where all the kinetic energy converts into energy (geo)potential energy, finally the proof that I waited for years! The rest of the flight in the front of the jump, with a wind of only 35 km/h is a delight for the eyes and a delirium for the mind, except that the turn point is 30 km downwind of the leading edge of the jump and making a vertical would mean to go from the paradise to the hell because the cloud collapses with probably rain and snow, that is not for me.
I benefit from this to verify the second hypothesis and I exploit the FAI rule that allows to turn practically beyond the point at any distance in a sector of 45°, passing to the vertical of the lake Caviahué, to the vertical of the chain of the Andes and therefore in a dynamic system that has no relationship downwind with the rebound. This hypothesis will be verified at the time of every flight in the jump of Bidone.
At the time of the return, the cirrostratus of the jump thickened as far as swallowing the rebound lenticulars and the totality of the cloud collapsed toward the plain, see photo C5 taken around 19h35 at 7.000 m while looking at southbound cross Loncopuhé.
Another pleasant surprise was to be able to exploit some rebounds by winds of south sector to southwest (180 to 210°) oriented of 60 to 90° in relation to the axis of the chain that gives him birth. The photo C6 at 22h39 January 6 at 5.000 m shows a system of which we lived the formation in the quarter of hour preceding (the lenticulars are even translucent) triggered by the north tip of the Cordon de Esquel. These beautiful plates are not positioned as usual downwind of the chain to the vertical of the
road that one sees on the photo, but in full middle of the hole that separates this chain of the one of Maiten. The wing is oriented voluntarily full South, wind is from 200° for 100 km/h. Certainly the Vz are not very elevated but these unusual conditions permit to make tourist flights of an extraordinary beauty inside the cordillera, or even in Chile, whereas one of the conditions of the record flights is that the whole cordillera is therefore in the clouds and invisible.
The apotheosis, the final bouquet of this season, was the evening of January 15, one day that had to be just good for the maiden flight in wave of a French hang glider pilot of the first days (70's), fishing guide in Bariloche. Takeoff around 16h local after coffee, classic course in surfing on the rolls until the km 300 to the south and it is while coming back close to Bariloche toward 20h loc. that we live the formation of an absolutely monstrous Bidone's jump and whose front spreads beyond the Lanin volcano, 200 km to the North. The declining sun generates the absolutely extraordinary colours, covering the whole palette of the rainbow since the orange red facing the sun, to the intense blue to the vertical while passing downwind by the black of the lenticulars. The controller having allowed us FL 280, I benefit from this to be going to photograph the famous tongues that characterize the leading edge of the jump.
While the humans on the ground are in ecstasies in front of this phenomenon (photo X2 of the beginning of this article), I fear that the altitude and the spectacle made me lose the reason because arrived at the end of the front close to the Lanin volcano at km 150 of Bariloche 44 minutes before the aeronautic night, I left downwind during 30 km to make an experience. I could have gone back to Bariloche effectively at more than 200 km/h average if I had remained in the front of the jump, as much this average was not more obtainable while jumping from lenticular to lenticular and besides the varios is weak. In few minutes I realize that I made an error, but these few minutes are of too much and will become at least fifteen if I persevere. Useless to take some risks while going back from night even though the thing was technically possible. I should have paid for the tax for the opening of the airport in extra hours, that would have made the maiden flight quite expensive! Klaus has just landed in Chapelco and reminds me that I have 10 minutes before the black night, the time to photograph the spectacle from our 5.000m and it is the plunge to Chapelco where we land precisely in the minute of the night. Thanks to Klaus and his buddies for their help!
An argentinian cow difficult to digest. Or the folk recovery of a glider by the gauchos on horseback. (In French, oultanding is said "going to the cows").
I don't like to speak of outlandings, but the accident of the Argentinean glider close to Bariloche is a beautiful example of everything that should not be made with a motorized glider. The glider is partially destroyed and by miracle it pilot is unscathed.
The pilot Argentin, Mr M, in his DG800 motorized seemed to possess all knowledge on the points of wave and the emergency fields, having participated to the camps of Chos Mallal organized by the Germans and bragging about to have been the first Argentinean pilot to have achieved a 1.000 km.
November 21, with a very humid northwest wind and a forecasting of the passage of a cloudy cover the after noon, M. will be the only one to take off. In the evening we will learn that he crashed in the steppe around 18h 70 Km to the south of Bariloche.
By luck, the gauchos of the Fitalancao Estancia saw the accident and went to warn some friends paragliger pilots. Among them Diego Vallmitjana, professional photographer, who deposited at the following link 81 magnificent photos on the epic recuperation of the glider: http://picasaweb.google.com/id142857/Aporizaje
Already at takeoff, first signal of jumpiness. He stops his engine 900 m at 10 km from the first ridge. Attempt vowed to the failure.
1st engine restart 300 m QFE, while coming back toward the takeoff, 5 minutes of engine to reach a well exposed ridge. The flight that follows will be completely unpicked, without taking the wave in a steady way ever until the airport of El Maiten (100 Km to the south), then flight always disjointed until the airport of El Bolson (30 km to the East of Maiten) near the ground until return to El Maiten where he will finally go up to 3500 m in the usual rebound. Instead of heading toward Bariloche by the ridges, he is going to throw itself downwind of the ridges.
2nd engine restart 600 m ground, near the emergency field of Norquinco, engine for only 6 minutes. The place is good for the rebounds but the altitude is insufficient especially since no ridge support exists in case of unsuccess. He leaves the local of the last landable field then while heading to Bariloche without catching the wave in the rotors.
3rd engine restart 200 m ground for only 4 minutes with engine stop at 1.000 m. With this altitude he could have come back again at Norquinco, but alas he pursues full downwind North toward the hills. It is the beginning of the end.
4th starting less than 300 m, that fails and it is the crash. Broken fuselage, open wing, collapsed gear but the pilot is unscathed. The extraction by the glider of the bushes typical of the Patagonian steppe absorbed the energy.
The continuation cannot be narrated and is summed up in the gaucho's expression (Photo G2) semblance to say "cannot find simpler way to kill you? ". As track doesn't exist in this place, the gauchos verified that the ford was surmountable (Photo G1), have the wings and the fin been stacked on the roof of the 4x4 and the half fuselage tied on a cart. photos G3 and G4.
The recovery team immediately verified the working of the engine which started at the first attempt and retracted back without difficulty. There was panic and false manoeuvre therefore on behalf of the pilot.
In conclusion, on four engine air re-starts, the pilot made did not follow the rule one time, that says that an engine start must take place that in local L/D 15 + security of a landable field. This is the result.
The dr Heini Schaffner and his applied research on the use of the oxygen (chapter written in collaboration with Dr Schaffner) .
This physician Swiss anaesthetist demonstrates a particular interest for the rational use of the oxygen in medical and aeronautic use. As confirmed alpine glider pilot (2.700 hours) and co-owner of an ASH-26 E well equipped, he took advantage of his stay in
Patagonia to verify in a two-seater and at high altitude some hypotheses that he could not approach by one-seater in Europe. Although this domain is a lot too vast and complex to be treated in depth in this article, the topic has been treated during a previous yearly meeting of the glider pilots aero-physicians (APSV) in Saint Auban. He is also the author of an article many time cited and commented (downloadable on our www.topfly.aero website,) having like topic the systematic under evaluation of the light hypoxia (because legally tolerated) and its multiple dangers in gliding. Heini promised me that he would publish his new findings in a detailed way in a next issue of your favorite magazine.
The experimentations took place with Heini as guinea pig, equipped with his pulsoxymeter to the wrist (Minolta Pulsox 3). its very dish sensor was bandaged on the index and covered by a black glove in order to maintain a good digital microcirculation, required for a good reliability of the displayed values. Every pilot had his own ED-D1 that he adjusted in his way, but the two ED-D1S had to share the flow from only one XCR regulator by cylinder, either the one at the rear of the fuselage (8 litres @ 160 bars) either the one of the baggage compartment (4 l @ 200 bars), the two cylinder capable to be simultaneously open.
Following the disappointing previous experiences due to the waste of oxygen with various facial masks, the two pilots only used their nasal cannula, even at 8.000 m. However, Heini seized the opportunity to temporarily try his A14 mask that he modified and that he wears over the nasal cannula in order to create an enclosed humid room. Its valve being reversed so that the original entry by the pleated hose became the expiratory part in order to be able to add one to three permeable filters for air but not for the moisture. Although the first goal is the thermo conservation, this device should permit a better oxygenation by the expiratory brake that the three filters in series cause. In addition it should avoid that expired humid air reheated at body temperature can freeze on the canopy.
I therefore take advantage of these lines to transmit you our preliminary findings that you will be able to use for the flights of this summer.
The use of the ED-D1 system in N position or D5 using the nasal cannula permits a saturation of O2 of at least 90% until 6.000 m while breathing as usual, that is to say without particular attention as for its depth.
Although the EDS are judicious to offer sufficient oxygen at all altitudes while adapting the length of the O2 pulse automatically in the beginning of the inhalation at the static pressure, it proves to be that from 6.000 m the saturations of O2 fall below 90%, minimal value required for a good working of the central nervous system, of which the eyes, the capacity of the judgment, the perceptions etc.
Therefore the manual increase of the length of the pulse of O2 is necessary, in return for example the positions F 10> 6.000m, F 15> 7.000 m, without hesitating to pass already on F 20 or R/M at the smallest doubt before 8.000 m. These F positions are in principle supposed to compensate for the heavy pilots, stressed, vacillating or using the "uneconomical" mask by pure obedience. Having to compensate this way the only effects of the altitude, it comes back to exhaust the safety margin in case of sharp increased needs.
In order to keep his mental capacities, it is indispensable to maintain a rate of saturation at all times superior to 90%. All lower value exposes to the danger that can be an erroneous, belated analysis or omitted, a bad decision, a delay in a decision in itself valid with the potential of an ulterior accident. All value lower than about 80% can bring to the immediate inability in flight. It arrived to Heini, whereas he had the controls, following an unexpected attack of dry cough that didn't want to end more. Impossible to ask "Take the controls! ", when one coughs without stop. His saturation felled down to 65%; it made acquaintance with the famous "tunnel" vision as well as with the stupor, this total inability to react, the eyes open and the ears full of reproaches coming from the backseat. Fortunately the incident occurred in laminar flight, glider well trimmed and especially in a two seater; I had well noted his absence of answer and reaction and had taken the controls therefore. On the other hand, Heini told that he had early the intention to select the R/M position in order to facilitate the recovery, but that he was already incapable to read, or even to identify whatever is on his EDS-D1, yet fixed to the belt of his shoulder to be in his visual field. His useful conscience time exhausted itself while coughing, although he had a comfortable initial saturation superior to 90% before the plunge in this experience that was subjectively less and less unpleasant, but more and more dangerous. The altitudes superior to 6.000 m very hardly forgive the temporary interruption of the oxygenation.
All flying pilot seriously in wave (for hours above 5.000 to 6.000 m) must be equipped of a pulsoxymeter of an adeguate model and has to use it in an anticipative way. Once the identified regular digital pulse and his detection is adapted, the pulsoxymeter immediately displays usable values. But bad frequent positionings initiate every time a new research of the digital pulse, reason for which the simple and cheap pulsoxymeter of the type "digital clip" is hardly convenient in flight.
In a two-seater glider equipped with two individual EDS, but supplied from only one XCR regulator, using the standard polyurethane tubing provided by MH (ø 2,5 mm to the departure of the cylinders and ø 4 mm toward the nasal cannula), the quantity of oxygen delivered to every pilot is equal at best to the minimum required at 6.000 m or above. It means in practice that there is the risk to be insufficient in N position or D5 when the two pilots inspire simultaneously, even though the regulator is sold to provide two times the minimal flow. It is not excluded that the ulterior division of the flow of O2 after the regulator encourages the EDS closest to the Y connector to be the most generously fed and imposes an "steal" effect to the other EDS.
The application of the A14 mask, modified by Heini Schaffner, increases the rate of saturation of O2 by 3 to 4% in one minute, that allows for a reduction of the flow of one step for the flights at high altitude, either an saving of about 20%, which is non negligible. The optimization of the flow of O2 aims at the preservation of the reserves of oxygen on board, in order to permit two long flights while leaving with full bottles; I think here about the landings imposed by an unforeseen bad weather on a distant airfield where the return in flight the following day should use a lot of oxygen again.
A voluntarily deepened breathing permits a better use of the pulses and increases the rate of saturation of 2% to 5% for the same flow setting. The voluntary breathing requires the pilot's continuous attention; as soon as he is absorbed by another task in flight, he comes back to his autonomous breathing more superficial and fast, having a lower exchange efficiency and asking for an increased flow of O2.
The delay between the variation of the flow of O2 (F10-25 positions of the EDS-D1) and the improvement of the saturation of O2 is relatively fast, but takes nevertheless a good minute. In case of under oxygenation one must not hesitate to increase the setting the selector of 2 steps for some minutes, leave to come back of 1 step a little later as soon as the improvement is displayed. The excess of consumption will be insignificant but on the other hand the result will arrive more quickly.
The pilots suffering a deviation of the nasal baffle must imperatively modify their cannula in order to privilege the best nostril. This mechanism has been identified in practice following the complete sleeping in flight of another co-pilot! If it was about a simple nasal congestion, it would be necessary to have on board the nasal drops or spray (always present in the pocket); if the problem had to occur in flight apply the spray without removing the nasal cannula. But attention, the combination of the hypoxia, the cold weather, stress and vasoconstrictor nasal spray can increase the arterial tension whose first demonstration is sometimes an inopportune nose bleeding!
In case of empty cylinder, icing of the regulator, electric failure of the EDS to closed solenoid valve, the coming down in emergency to an altitude of survival (but again not comfortable or exempt of neurological deficit), much lower than 6.000 m will take several minutes and require an emergency supply of oxygen independent from the faulty system on board. In the same way, for the flights demanding passages to high altitude (superior to 8.000 m) or for which it can be impossible to descend quickly (flights above the clouds), it is imperative to carry with oneself (in the flying suit) an emergency system with changeable cartridges. A Japanese system (CO-PILO2T from MH or Oxy Mini Set by Audax-Keck) weighs 270 g and offer only about ten minutes autonomy at the rate of 2 litres/min; it is delivered with 3 cartridges to 0,1 l x 180 bar = 18 litres at ground pressure.
In conclusion the question of the oxygen has a lot more important character than one uses to have, but the popularization of the digital pulsoxymeters is going to permit a better understanding and prevention of the incidents and hypoxic dangers that come with this kind of gliding flights. Gievn the limited reserves in O2 that a glider can carry on board, the EDS offers at present the best way to manage it to the pilots, but its evolution is again far from the perfection.
The 2009-2010 expedition is already launched. Considering the global meteorological changes that essentially result in an anticipation of the "baric" seasons of about one month, we are going to tempt to be operational since mid-October in order to be able to benefit more frequently of the good days. The length of the flyable day on October 15 is already of 13h50 and should permit to achieve beautiful flights. While hoping that
the temperature remains sufficiently low to generate more powerful waves than those of the last seasons, I would like to see again the 15 m/s of 2.002!
Contact me as usual by Internet on www.topfly.aero or by telephone at +33.6.3495 9111 or +39.02.4870 5377.
Good flights this summer!
Still in the domain of the anomalies, whereas every previous expedition has been marked by an engine failure, this last turned like a Swiss clock but on the other hand we should have managed seven other failures that I will explain further so that you can take advantage of these experiences.
This year I had installed a PCAS Portable Collision Avoidance System, the Zaon MRX, that indicates the distance (until 5 nm) and the relative altitude of all airplanes possessing a TCAS or a transponder answering a radar. This device, smaller than a Flarm, can function on its own batteries. More of info to the 
The following day the motor refuses to start because the limit switch of total extension of the pylon missed. The problem was in the extremity of the cable, side fuselage, that was unravelled for half of the sprigs, cuts caused by a simple small disc in carbon steel coming to lean against the Nicopress muff that serves as travel limit (Photo B8). This cable had been changed 30 hours ago and should be replaced only every 50 hours…
Two days later impossible to stop the propeller. By luck the incident takes place vertical airport and will be solved in the day. The brake of propeller is in fact a roller bearing that brings in a hole, this bearing is shielded and it is not possible to verify the state of the balls inside. Since this bearing never turns and that the same balls always undergo an effort in the same place, they ended up breaking and the external track of the bearing had moved of some millimetres, just what it is sufficient so that the brake doesn't function anymore (Photo B7)…
The photo, take around 18h at 5.500 m and 80 km in the south of Zapala while looking northbound, shows well the existence of the two dynamic systems: the classic rotors of rebound wave (whitest at the lower level), a rotor badly definite grey apparently turning reverse in the middle of the picture, consequence of a negative wind gradient therefore testimony of a likely hydraulic jump, of the rebound lenticulars well identified with leading edge and side of trailing edge well defined and materialization of the sinusoid at the middle level, and finally the cover by cirrostratus of the jump of Bidone to the higher level toward 8.000 - 10.000 m of which the leading edge has the shape of comb composed of very narrow tongues, several kilometres long, without trailing edge, capable to spread until the Atlantic.
I benefit from this to verify the second hypothesis and I exploit the FAI rule that allows to turn practically beyond the point at any distance in a sector of 45°, passing to the vertical of the lake Caviahué, to the vertical of the chain of the Andes and therefore in a dynamic system that has no relationship downwind with the rebound. This hypothesis will be verified at the time of every flight in the jump of Bidone.
Another pleasant surprise was to be able to exploit some rebounds by winds of south sector to southwest (180 to 210°) oriented of 60 to 90° in relation to the axis of the chain that gives him birth. The photo C6 at 22h39 January 6 at 5.000 m shows a system of which we lived the formation in the quarter of hour preceding (the lenticulars are even translucent) triggered by the north tip of the Cordon de Esquel. These beautiful plates are not positioned as usual downwind of the chain to the vertical of the
road that one sees on the photo, but in full middle of the hole that separates this chain of the one of Maiten. The wing is oriented voluntarily full South, wind is from 200° for 100 km/h. Certainly the Vz are not very elevated but these unusual conditions permit to make tourist flights of an extraordinary beauty inside the cordillera, or even in Chile, whereas one of the conditions of the record flights is that the whole cordillera is therefore in the clouds and invisible.
The apotheosis, the final bouquet of this season, was the evening of January 15, one day that had to be just good for the maiden flight in wave of a French hang glider pilot of the first days (70's), fishing guide in Bariloche. Takeoff around 16h local after coffee, classic course in surfing on the rolls until the km 300 to the south and it is while coming back close to Bariloche toward 20h loc. that we live the formation of an absolutely monstrous Bidone's jump and whose front spreads beyond the Lanin volcano, 200 km to the North. The declining sun generates the absolutely extraordinary colours, covering the whole palette of the rainbow since the orange red facing the sun, to the intense blue to the vertical while passing downwind by the black of the lenticulars. The controller having allowed us FL 280, I benefit from this to be going to photograph the famous tongues that characterize the leading edge of the jump.
While the humans on the ground are in ecstasies in front of this phenomenon (photo X2 of the beginning of this article), I fear that the altitude and the spectacle made me lose the reason because arrived at the end of the front close to the Lanin volcano at km 150 of Bariloche 44 minutes before the aeronautic night, I left downwind during 30 km to make an experience. I could have gone back to Bariloche effectively at more than 200 km/h average if I had remained in the front of the jump, as much this average was not more obtainable while jumping from lenticular to lenticular and besides the varios is weak. In few minutes I realize that I made an error, but these few minutes are of too much and will become at least fifteen if I persevere. Useless to take some risks while going back from night even though the thing was technically possible. I should have paid for the tax for the opening of the airport in extra hours, that would have made the maiden flight quite expensive! Klaus has just landed in Chapelco and reminds me that I have 10 minutes before the black night, the time to photograph the spectacle from our 5.000m and it is the plunge to Chapelco where we land precisely in the minute of the night. Thanks to Klaus and his buddies for their help!
The continuation cannot be narrated and is summed up in the gaucho's expression (Photo G2) semblance to say "cannot find simpler way to kill you? ". As track doesn't exist in this place, the gauchos verified that the ford was surmountable (Photo G1), have the wings and the fin been stacked on the roof of the 4x4 and the half fuselage tied on a cart. photos G3 and G4.
Following the disappointing previous experiences due to the waste of oxygen with various facial masks, the two pilots only used their nasal cannula, even at 8.000 m. However, Heini seized the opportunity to temporarily try his A14 mask that he modified and that he wears over the nasal cannula in order to create an enclosed humid room. Its valve being reversed so that the original entry by the pleated hose became the expiratory part in order to be able to add one to three permeable filters for air but not for the moisture. Although the first goal is the thermo conservation, this device should permit a better oxygenation by the expiratory brake that the three filters in series cause. In addition it should avoid that expired humid air reheated at body temperature can freeze on the canopy.
