Safe XC Soaring from Byron

1. Safe XC Soaring from Byron Land out options Use of Blipmaps as an XC Planning Tool Ramy Yanetz February 2006

2. Why Byron? • Cross Country from Byron is easier and even safer then Truckee. (Must be beyond glide slope to Byron to qualify as XC though). • During springtime same potential as Williams, Hollister or Avenal. • More fun and rewarding to fly from your home airport • In post frontal conditions (typical March to May) clouds will often mark the lift and XC is possible on any direction with local tow following the clouds. • On other days there may be marginal or no lift at Byron, but excellent soaring conditions south along the Diablo range, accessible from high tows. • Why not?

3. Byron XC Potential • 300-500km especially during the spring (March-June) and fall. • May require 20-30 miles 6000-7000ft tows when local lift not presents . • 25 miles tow @ 80knots = 30 minutes round trip ($67). • Typical altitude over the Diablo range south of Byron (not Mt. Diablo) is 6000-8000, occasional 10,000. Soarable most days from Spring to Fall. • Easy glide back to Byron.

4. 2005 Statistics • Total distance from Byron – 1736 km in 7 XC flights (averaging 250km per flight) • Two 400km flights • Typical altitude 6000-9000 ft • 40% from local tows • 2 Landouts (one in an airport, one in a field)

7. Suggested Release Points • Rel1 – 20 Statue miles from Byron N37:33:16, W121:36:16 • Rel2 – 25 Statue miles from Byron N37:28:43, W121:33:13 • Rel3 – 30 Statue miles from Byron N37:24:38, W121:32:33 • Rel4 (Mt. Oso) 25 Statue miles from Byron N37:30:14, W121:22:16 • Diablo Wave - 37:50.85N,121:54.43W

8. Suggested Routes • No need to go to Mt Diablo unless you want to fly local or go north. • Poor lift north over the delta except on unstable post frontal days • Best route south along the Diablo range • Often strong convergence marked with clouds over the highest terrain east of Mt Hamilton towards Mt Oso, persists all day • When above 8K you can go in the middle, if lower move towards the west or east side.

9. Suggested Routes (continue) • When below 4000ft stick to the foothills on the east side or even move over the hwy, there is often a weak shear line along the hwy which lasts till late in the day • Plenty of places to land on the east side, airstrip every 10 miles or so. • Unless clouds indicate otherwise, stay on the east side when crossing the Pacheco pass (sea breeze on the west, potential convergence on the east)

10. Suggested Tasks • Byron – Pacheco pass – Byron: 100 miles (Cloud street Milk Run) • Byron – San Benito Mtn (EL4) – Byron: 230 miles (300K task gold distance) • Byron – Hwy41 (South of Avenal) – Byron: 324 miles (500km diamond distance) • Byron – Taft or New Cuyama : 225 miles straight out • Byron – New Cuyama – Byron: 450 Miles (700km)

11. Airport Landout Options (West) • Reid Hill view (Tower, OK to land) • South County (Morgan Hill, OK to land) • Hollister (gliderport)

12. Airport Landout options (South) • Livermore (Tower, OK if can’t make it back to Byron) • Meadowlark • Tracy • New Jerusalem • Westley (marginal, probably not aero retrievable) • Patterson • Crows Landing (Huge, but access unknown) • Gustine • Los Banos • Panoche

13. Airports Landouts (North) • Rio Vista • Nut Tree • Multiple strips between Vacaville and Williams

14. Off Field Options • 37:46.79N,121:34.60W - Fields along Mt.House road (watch for power lines) • 37:21:38N,121:28:56W,2050F - Good fields by the road on top of the Diablo range. • 37:24:06N,121:15:49W,1050F - OK Field in the new development west of Patterson (land to west) • 37:13:40N,121:05:17W,200F – Good field along I-5 near Gustine Exit

15. Tips for safe landouts below the Diablo range • Use conservative glide, same as when flying from Truckee. • When below 4000 ft move towards the valley • Wind direction will usually be from the NW • Take an afternoon road trip along I-5 to check the listed airports. • Take a scenic trip up the Diablo range (Mines Road from Livermore) and downto Patterson to check the fields.

16. Suggestions • XC Mentoring (practical only for 2 gliders due to length of tows) • Get your silver and gold distance from Byron during spring • Mad Dash Event– Straight out towards Avenal, Grapevine, Tehachapi or beyond. Pilots and crew needed.

17. How to use blipmaps for XC planning • Check the “CurrentDay” ETA forecast for Saturday on Friday evening • Usually available after 6:30PM and updated every few hours • Check the BLTop map (Height of Boundary Layer Top) – this is the most important and accurate parameter. It indicates how high you can get in the best thermals. • The forecast period is indicated on the top right, 9hrs being the latest

18. Blipmaps (continue) • On Saturday morning, check both the ETA blipmap and the RUC 21Z blipmap. If they disagree, go with the RUC. If both predicting a great day – go fly! • Check the Latest RUC BLTop. It is usually accurate within couple of hundred feet (especially the 6 hour forecast, which is usually available after 9:30AM). • For higher resolution map check the RASP Hcrit. • Check ETA Cumulus potential and Cumulus Cloudbase. Note cloudbase altitude is only valid if cumulus potential is positive. • Pay special attention to the area of best lift (usually along the Diablo range south of Byron) to plan the best XC route.

22. URL’s • Hollister waypoint database: http://soaring.gahsys.com/TP/Hollister/ • ETA - http://www.drjack.info/BLIP/ETA/CANV/ • RUC - http://www.drjack.info/BLIP/RUC/CANV/ • Multitime: http://www.drjack.info/BLIP/RUC/CANV/multitime .html • Blipspot: http://www.drjack.info/BLIP/RUC/SPOT/index.html • UniViewer: http://www.drjack.info/BLIP/univiewer.html • RASP: http://www.drjack.info/RASP/PANOCHE/index.html