Lake Elsinore Soaring Club

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Now Open Wednesdays!

Richard Ensign and Mike Wilson have been checked out and are ready to begin Wednesday operations. Mike will be flying the tow plane and Richard is available for instruction and Orientation Flights. Everybody's encouraged to come out and enjoy the mid week fun (I know I will!).

Take a flight with us and experience the Joy Of Soaring!

Our introductory orientation flights are for people of all ages who want to experience the Joy of Soaring, to fly without an engine - like a hawk. We often follow them - because they're always in the best lift! You'll be accompanied by one of our FAA Commercially Rated Pilots and you'll be able to spend your time enjoying what every glider pilot lives for!

Basic Orientation Flight: $77.00
Our tow plane will pull your glider 3,000 feet above the airport where you'll spend 20 minutes gliding around the Elsinore Valley. We may even gain 1000 feet altitude in a thermal, before returning for a safe, gentle landing. (Approximately 20-30 minutes.)

The "Cleveland Forest Magic Flight": $123.00
We'll go to 6,500 feet on the San Juan Capistrano side of the Ortega Mountains. With clear weather, we'll see Catalina and San Clemente Islands to the West. Sometimes, we'll be floating far above a magic carpet of coastal clouds. To the East, we have the 10,000 foot plus peaks of Baldy, San Gorgonio and San Jacinto. Should you want to, we'll share the flight controls and show you how to do simple maneuvers by yourself. You can even experience the thrill of feeling "light as a feather". (Approximately 40-45 minutes.)

The "Santiago Peak ": $163.00
This option takes you still further up to 8,500 feet - a half mile above Saddleback Mountain. Early in the day, it's usually so calm that the glider nearly flies by itself. And the view from one and half miles above sea level is truly spectacular. Looking South, we see Carlsbad, Camp Pendleton, San Clemente and Catalina Islands, Newport Beach, Long Beach Harbor, the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains. The white dot of the Mt. Palomar Observatory completes the 360 degree panorama. (Approximately 60 minutes.)

To make a reservations, select your flight then call (951) 609-4579, or email the Scheduler at

What's New at LESC

My Dream - Some thoughts from our newest member

by Yoomi Kim

My dream...

A little girl lay down and looked up at the sky.
One blue bird flew in the sky.
When she saw that bird, she said to herself.

"One day I will fly like you!"

Since then I have wanted to be a pilot.
Now I am one step closer to my dream.

It is not important how long it takes to become a pilot.
The important thing is I will not stop until I make my dream come true.

Thank you, all club members, for helping me achieve my dream!

643 miles - With no motor!

by Dan Fitzgerald

(On June 29th, 2009, LESC member Dan Fitzgerald flew his sailplane from Inyokern up into Nevada and back, a round trip distance of 1034km [643 miles] in a single flight. Dan, who is also a member of the Warner Springs Soaring Club, shares his story below.)

I launched out of Inyokern at just before noon which was at least an hour late for the conditions. There were good cloud markers and I flew the Sierras North until abeam Lone Pine, then crossed East to the Inyo range. By this time the clouds were streeting nicely and there was no need to turn, just porpoise along through the lift and sink.

My furthest point North was Mount Grant near Hawthorne, Nevada, about 225 miles from Inyokern. From there I flew South to Lone Pine, North again to Boundary Peak and return to Inyokern.

Highlights of the flight; a monster thermal near Black Mountain that registered 18 knots on the averager, a very close call with another sailplane while running the White mountain range (scary!), clearance through restricted airspace by Joshua Approach on the way home and a beautiful evening sky with a good landing about 7:45 PM.

You can view the flight trace on the OLC website here: http://www.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=918943

Sunday Flying

by Taylor De Ley

Yesterday (June 7th, 2009) was another great day at the club. There were nice cumulus clouds under a clear blue sky, and conditions were simply great. Mike and Jan stayed up for over an hour early in the morning. Rick and Ted got right up to the cloud base and I stayed up for 2 hours and 45 min in the 1-26, also right under the cloud base. Come out and enjoy what soaring is all about like we did yesterday!

First Solo

by Richard Grigg

Log Entry, Rich Grigg, Flight #63 April 18, 2009, flight time 0.4Hrs:

1ST SOLO “Red 5”
Tow to 3000 ft back and forth along Grand. Lost alt then
thermaled? Back up ~400ft. Good approach, bounced landing

* * *

“Well Dave, I've still got a lot to learn...”

“I know you have a lot to learn, but I'm asking if you are ready to solo now.”

“Alright”, I said “ I think I'm ready to solo”.

“Can you fly competently?”

“I don't think there is any other way to be 'ready' ”

Dave smiles and shakes my hand. “That's the answer I am looking for!”
He tells me to take the plane up. If I want to, I may even take a 3000 ft tow.

“Well, realistically, Dave, this first time, I'll probably just do the pattern.”

“Do what's comfortable, but have a little fun! You owe this to yourself.”

After some brief instructions, a caution that Dave “didn't want to see anything radical” and a further caution that I should immediately follow any directions that he might give over the radio, I climb into the cockpit and do my takeoff checklist.*

I take a deep breath and give the thumbs up to Matt, who is serving as wing runner. Matt raises the wing. I center the stick, and then pull it back an inch or so... wag the rudder... I hear tow-pilot Woody on the radio “...departing 2 9 Left, glider in tow...”. Nothing happens. For about three seconds. We start to move. The tow plane vanishes in a cloud of lakebottom; my left hand moves toward the release knob... but with a bit of rudder input we are good -more or less- down the center of the runway... Hey! I'M FLYING!

The glider is carrying half the payload that I have previously been part of, and she rises smoothly off the surface several seconds earlier than I am used to. I ease up to tow position, and a few seconds later, Woody lifts off. We head out toward the lake in the takeoff pattern.

Stay behind the tow plane... ( what's my altitude?)... keep the tow plane on the horizon... Don't FIXATE on the tow plane, scan the sky... (what's my altitude?)... we are turning left, crosswind; my nose to the right wingtip of the tow plane... stay coordinated... This isn't so different from regular a lesson with Dave!

I relax just a bit and continue to follow Woody up... another left turn, upwind... we pass through some small areas of lift. I'm starting to enjoy this! OK, I have permission to take a 3000ft tow, so that's what I'm a-gonna do! I stay on tow as Woody makes a few more turns, and release at just 4250msl above a familiar spot on the foothills of the ridge... turn right... the tow plane heads off to the left... level out.

Let's see... set pitch to speed... at 55... I actually need a bit of forward pressure on the stick to maintain airspeed! Interesting...

I fly back and forth along Grand Avenue several times, watching the altimeter reading drop toward pattern altitude as I practice “keeping my turns coordinated and maintaining my airspeed”. 3000ft msl. Time to get over near the IP... 2700ft... I'm ready to enter the pattern but I need to burn off some altitude. Wait a minute! That was some real lift for a second there... I'm still high enough to try a turn or two... which way?... there it is! ...no, lost it, but I'm higher! ...where's the IP? ...I'm still good! Try again...

In fits and starts, I manage to climb back up to about 3000ft msl. Then I hit sink, put my nose down, and end up about where I started trying for lift.

It's time to head for home. Cycle the spoilers... Pitch to airspeed 60... Pattern entry... 'nailed' the IP -right at pattern altitude! “Elsinore traffic glider 863 at the IP on 45 for landing runway 1 1 right Elsinore traffic” Turn left onto downwind... oops, a bit too soon .... I'm high, add some spoilers... speed 60 ... Turn right onto base... still high, full spoilers... that's better! Get ready for the turn to final... stay coordinated... on final... check my target spot... looks good... fly the slope... almost there.. level out... touch down... Made It! That wasn't so bad! HEY I'm Goin' UP! Nose back down, level out... Spoilers... THUNK (on the ground again!) ...spoilers; keep the wings level... roll out ...ease off spoilers... keep level... keep level... brake ... and ...stop!

Quiet.

Dave walks up the runway. “Not bad!” he says.

And he's right! Except for a number of small errors, and one serious lapse of situational awareness right at the end, it was maybe even pretty good.

But I still have a lot to to learn.

Newly Minted CFIG

By Mike Havener

Rick Lloyd added a G (Glider) to his CFII ticket on March 15, 2008. Being an experienced Flight Instructor made my job of prepping him for the Practical Test that much easier.

I still remember the day Rick and Jan stopped by the airport to see what soaring was all about. He jumped right in, becoming an active member of the club and getting his Commercial Glider rating before taking the CFIG Practical Test with Larry Howell at Hemet. Jan has become a fixture at the club as well, stepping in to help out anytime she can.

CFIGs are the life’s blood of our sport and they’re getting harder to come by. Thanks Rick for throwing your hat in the ring and taking on the duties associated with being a member of the LESC instructional staff. You’re a shining example to be held up for all soaring clubs across the country.