Safety: Glider Operations at Midway (KJWY)

[the_other_dougreeves]

Quick FYI, there are now glider operations at Midway. Towing and landing normally occurs on the grass on the east side of 18/36; patterns are normally to the east as well (right pattern for 36, left for 18). Gliders monitor the CTAF (122.97) while in the vicinity of the airport and announce their patterns.

Details: Carol Walker heads up the operation. They use a Scout for towing and have a Grob 103 2-place, and Grob 102 and SGS 1-26 single place ships.

TODR

 

[mrreddick]

Gliders at Midway

Wow,

I noticed the Grob twin in the grass as we flew overhead on our way to lunch at Lancaster today. Isn't Midway under the Class B (4,000 feet?).
It doesn't seem like an ideal location when usually you want to climb and climb as high as you can. A 3,000' AGL tow will put you at the maximum altitude allowed.
Just my thoughts, there used to be a glider operation at Aero Country back in the late 80's and when the Class B expanded it made it pretty tough to get high for any kind of endurance but then they had to go north to clear the airspace and fight the prevailing south winds to return to the airport safely without busting the Class B.
Hope they can survice under those airspace restrictions!

 

[the_other_dougreeves]

Wow,

I noticed the Grob twin in the grass as we flew overhead on our way to lunch at Lancaster today. Isn't Midway under the Class B (4,000 feet?).
It doesn't seem like an ideal location when usually you want to climb and climb as high as you can. A 3,000' AGL tow will put you at the maximum altitude allowed....
Hope they can survice under those airspace restrictions!

Yes, a 3000' AGL tow puts you at 3700' MSL, just below the Class B. Wanting to tow above 3000' AGL is rare - students normally need more landings than airwork, and the lift is normally better down low. If conditions are good enough that you can go over 4000' MSL, you can work south to clear the Class B and go up from there.

TSA is located just south of the Class B and club ships are strongly discouraged from flying under the Class B shelf.

Caddo Mills was a good location for soaring in terms of being clear of the Class B, but not good in terms of being too far from the pilots.

Anyway, I think it will work fine. I expect that there will be more student pilots at JWY and the more hard-core cross-country pilots will be at TSA where they can keep their own gliders (tows are also cheaper there).

It will be more challenging in the summer when both gliders and power have to use left traffic for 18, although the gliders will still use the grass. Both of the Grobs are 55-60kt in the pattern. Given that Midway sees everything from Cubs to Lears, it will require everyone playing well together. Yet another reason to use the standard traffic pattern, IMHO.

FWIW, the G103 is ex-TSA ("Grob 6") and the G102 ex-Caddo Mills.

TODR

 

[kevinh]

the lift is normally better down low. If conditions are good enough that you can go over 4000' MSL, you can work south to clear the Class B and go up from there.

Just curious - generally, what's the thermal flying like in the Dallas area? When does the season start? What is a typical flight like (length, max vario, altitude, etc..)?

I do a fair amount of thermal flying in northern ca and I'm curious...

 

[n5lp]

Just curious - generally, what's the thermal flying like in the Dallas area? When does the season start? What is a typical flight like (length, max vario, altitude, etc..)?

I do a fair amount of thermal flying in northern ca and I'm curious...

I have flown some contests from TSA. It can be really good. That is from someone that has done a lot of flying from Hobbs which had one of the best World Championships.