Flight to visit the Pitcairns

Jeff and I flew down to Vansant Airport near Allentown, PA then a couple miles south to the Pitcairn's airport to meet another Lambada owner and compare possible structural changes to the Lambada.

Along the way our traffic watching was aided by this little device that watches for transponder signals from nearby aircraft. It compares the broadcast altitude from an encoding transponder to its own pressure altitude to determine how far above or below it is. The signal strength is used to calculate distance. Until the nearby aircraft is spotted it feel like something out of a scary movie, you know something is approaching but you can't see it...


Two Lambadas.


Lauren Pitcairn and his son David. A very interesting family history. Pittsburgh Plate Glass; Pitcairn Aircraft
Family History
John Pitcairn


Looking for any difference in construction.


As we were leaving David fired up the Stearman for some air-to-air photography.






Some interesting cloudscapes returning to CNY.




Approaching Skaneateles, we spotted Jim Murphy departing Frozen Ocean and were treated to a brief fly-by of his newly built RV

Saturday Soaring

The soaring forecast predicted good lift early in the afternoon but moisture and upper level instability promised some over-development and afternoon showers. Cloud development looked great on the flight over from Skaneateles.

Arriving in Hamilton Don was already rigged and ready to fly his Russia.

Jeff and Phil launched in the Lambada right behind Don and followed him on climb. After about an hour of soaring they returned with the engine off and made a dead-stick landing on the grass. Brett flew with Jeff next.




Here, Don is talking about the advantages to flying with a flight computer.


Soooo cute... I understand Don has matching PJs (with feet)


Phil, Brett, Greg, Don, Jeff


Charging the L-33 gear strut with nitrogen


Mennonite farmer at work.


Dodging showers on the return. We managed to avoid the heaviest thanks to Jeff's Garmin 496 and XM Weather

"Big Red" landing

Landing Video from the weekend.

Assembly Day and Season Start

By early last week the weekend forecast was looking good and a work day was called for Sunday to ready our fleet for the season.

Seven current and one new member turned out. With plenty of hands both the 1-26, then the 2-33 were ready for flight in short order.

Welcome our newest member Jeff Kleinwaks who is a CFIG and tow pilot. Coming from the Triple City Soaring in Endicott. His knowledge, experience and enthusiasm is a welcome addition to our small group. Jeff is flying a Cirrus.


Jack, a CFI, glider pilot and also one of our tow pilots tightens pins on the 1-26


Kevin, our Sunday tow pilot, steadies the 2-33 until the wings were attached


Marc had the job of standing in the cockpit to connect pins and controls as the wings were placed


Randy, our CFIG, flew the test flight in "Big Red" the clubs 2-33


Greg readies himself in the 1-26 ahead of its first flight of the season


Brett landing 1-26 after making the longest flight of the day. With no batteries and thus no vario he demonstrated some great "seat of the pants" soaring as we watched him climbing in lift just west of the field


On Saturday, the Sunday forecast called for cloudy skies, chance of showers and a high of under 70. Under mostly sunny skies afternoon temperatures reached 80 with some well developed CU


I took a ride in the 1-26 at the end of the day. There was still plenty of lift and I managed to soar for a while without a vario. This shot is a 100% crop of our tie-down / assembly area from ~3,000'.

Lake Ontario

Central New York is starting to look like Spring is taking hold. The ice is retreating on the Finger Lakes and the snow is gone except for a few shaded places.


North winds were keeping our afternoon temperatures well below normal, but also gave us hope for some thermal activity. Leaving the first thermal encountered after take-off we pointed upwind in hope that there was some streeting. We found some lift from time to time though not enough to keep us going.

Circling over Auburn's parking lots and factories, we joined a group of seagulls and picked up some height before turning north to follow the creek leaving Owasco Lake.


We followed this creek north past Port Byron to where it joins the Seneca River just beyond an old mill.


We continued north over Howland Island then on to Lake Ontario just west of Fair Haven.


Following the coast westward we flew to near Sodus Bay, circling to make several photo passes at Chimney Bluff State Park.




Fair Haven State Park.


North winds created lift along the cliff face giving us some altitude.