Data from the Laguna station is live and is working well

About the SDHGPA Laguna Weather Station

The Weather Station data can be viewed in several ways:

• On our SDHGPA Weather Station page under Whats Happening menu.  
• On the Laguna Site Guide Page
• On Several Holfuy.com Station interface pages : SDHGPA Laguna Station Data Page, Map Page . . .
  
• Using the Holfuy App that is available for iOS & Android 

Both the Palomar and Horse Weather Stations withstood the strong sustained winds all week Dec 4th through the 9th. This is the 1st time the stations have displayed magenta, beyond red, wind speed shadings.

​

Here are some data snapshots from the Week. The above Palomar graph represents 1 hour average base wind with peak gust. You know the wind was strong from the reported 47.7 mph 1hr averaged base wind on the 7th at 10:30am.

The Palomar Station reported 50.8 mph Base Wind (15 min average) ​ with gusts to 69.4 mph at 10:18 am on 12-7-17. 

The Horse Station reported 39.7 mph Base Wind (15 min average) ​then gusts to 60.8 mph 15 min later at 8:26 am on 12-7-17. 

Note that some of the variation between the two stations is due to placement locations and less than ideal locations for reading NE winds due to being in the lee and rotor conditions. Although the sensors are different, the wind speeds were well within the operating specifications for the sensors.

Data Sheet for the Palomar LCJ CV7 Ultrasonic Wind Sensor
Data Sheet for the Horse Davis 6410 Anemometer Wind Sensor

The 2nd SDHGPA weather station of three that we have have planned this year was installed today at Horse Launch and is up and running!  

A big thank you to the efforts of Jeff Brown, David Whitehall, & Bob Barry for the Station installation!

​They fortified the old windsock mast foundation out on the front cliff line in front of launch. Then tied in the weather station mast and grounding rods to protect the station from lightning strikes.

Data from the Palomar Launch station is live and is working well!

About the SDHGPA Horse Weather Station

The Weather Station data can be viewed in several ways:

• On our SDHGPA Weather Station page under Whats Happening menu.  
• On the Horse Site Guide Page
• On Several Holfuy.com Station interface pages : SDHGPA Horse Station Data Page, Map Page . . .
• Using the Holfuy App that is available for iOS & Android 

The next weather station to be installed this year is planed for a Laguna install mid November.

Thanks to the efforts of many, the Palomar WX station mast has been rebuilt out of metal and planted deeper.

Due to record setting high heat and strong NE wings this past few weeks, The Palomar Weather Station mast was bent and up rooted.

The mast is sitting at a 45 degree angle and wind values are under reporting as a result reading due to the station mast being at a  from strong NE winds and high heat. Repairs will be made in the next few weeks. Wind direction is representative of true direction.

Learning along the way. . . Will be planting the mast deeper and going to a metal mast as we were planning for the next installations. Big thank you to Chris Cote and Wild Bill Davis for volunteering to do the pre work-party mast metal work.

The Great White Saguaro Cactus on Palomar Launch

Over the next several months we will be fine tuning this prototype installation design and raising the station mast to get cleaner air flow.  Once we are comfortable with the overall System, we will be using our lessons learned to install one to two additional stations at other sites this year.

Data from the Palomar Launch station is live and is working well sofar.

About the Palomar Launch Station

​Some features of this installation include: Ultrasonic wind sensor (offering higher accuracy with no moving parts calling less attention to it along with requiring less service); Lightning Strike Grounding protection; low impact & semi portable installation for relocation if required; easy serviceability without ladders or mast climbing; Ability to lower mast and have mast break away if a glider gets tangled up in it.

June 15th 2017 Meeting Agenda & Notes:

Was a small meeting mostly attended by Board Members.

Site Information and Updates - Reminder for all on Site Protocols:

• Bill Helliwell noted that essentially the entire San Felipe Valley, including the usual Banner landing area, is closed for the summer to all use, including foot traffic, and is being actively monitored.  ​The Laguna Site Guide was updated and Notice Published regarding San Felipe Valley Summer Month Closure on June 21st.
• Reminder that Use of Palomar Launched or LZs and other listed Sites as Instruction sites that includes Tandem Flight (by definition) by any commercial operator, even from Robin's or other alternate launches, is only permitted by instructors that have registered with SDHGPA and meet all SOPs.  http://www.sdhgpa.com/instruction-policies---protocol.html. A reminder and Notice was sent to Air California Adventure and its instructors on 5-2-2017 after violations of site protocols. As an USHPA Chapter, SDHGPA Flight SOPs are based on and include all USHPA SOPs, and are considered USHPA SOPs by extension. Noncompliance with those SOPs could put ratings and appointments at risk.
• In the April meeting, the Board voted and passed a motion to add Blossom back in as an additional insured site covering the Landowners and Chapter. Primary reasons are for site preservation and to cover the % of pilots the are USHPA members. This brings the Chapter to covering 6 Additional Insured Sites in addition to 62 specific managed Launch and LZ locations.

Palomar Main LZ Gate Update:
​Main LZ access on Sunday is now available to SDHGPA Club Members along with all other days.

Call for SDHGPA Weather Station Proposals: - Approved

• Elsinore and several in AZ sites have installed  "Holfuy" Weather Stations that look to be a fairly good Weather Station turn key solution.  Holfuy includes web data hosting backbone, website modules, and phone Apps with their stations that are autonomous running on 3G / GSM network and solar power. http://holfuy.com/en/shop.php   Station Specs: http://holfuy.com/en/about.php 
• Jeff Brown volunteered to work on Proposal investigations and System Designs

​Proposal to include:

1. Weather Station Design Alternatives
2. Initial costs and reoccurring costs per station and other alternatives to Holfuy stations. http://holfuy.com/en/

• • Holfuy Standard 450€  ~ $500  (Controls Hub & Solar Power box)
  • Davis 6410 sensor. 110€  ~$125  (Wind anemometer & vane)
  • or Ultrasonic sensor 490€  ~ $500
  • Humidity sensor 110€  ~ $125   (if want cloud base predictions)
  • Camera 300€  ~ $340
• System Sub total for Simple Anemometer Wind only: $768.34
• System Sub total for All up with higher end options ~ $1564.72 per station
• Other costs:

1. 1. Pole & Installation costs
   2. SIM card & Data Plan

• Finalize Station Designs

The Board voted unanimously to spend up to $2K per weather station and associated data plans and installation for two initial trail stations. The first trial stations are proposed to be at the Palomar Main Launch and Little Black.  

• Dave M will ask LB Rangers if we can put one up behind launch or below the 500 on LB, otherwise we'll investigate other alternatives for a true site ind reading.  
• For Palomar, we will scout placement locations at or before the July fly-in.
• Steve will seek permission for installation from the Pala Tribal Council ​.

​

Aug Update: After initial proof of concept install at Palomar, the Board decided to approve a 3rd station for installation this year under the 2017 budget and the first 3 Stations would be installed at Palomar, Horse, & Laguna as being sites that are undeserved by current weather stations and being lease susceptible to being vandalized. 

Example ​Holfuy stations and web module samples:

Accident Awareness & Prime Season is here.
Reminder to follow USHPA Pilot Proficiency SOPs for flight condition parameters per rating level. - Midday flying should be reserved for advanced pilots only at all Mt sites off of the coast.​  

Recent Accident reports were also reviewed.  Without getting into details for two recent accidents at our San Diego and other US sites, some things all pilots should be reminded of when flying home sites or abroad in another country: 

• Flying mid-day during peak heating should be reserved for advanced pilots at inland sites.
• Fly within recommended operating parameters in Site Guides/ Protocols and USHPA Pilot Proficiency ​​System​ Pilot Proficiency Ratings.
• Always fly with local pilots. If they are not flying, there might be a reason. 
• Seek the advice of local pilots for weather and site introductions for each day based on weather conditions. 
• Seek out and join Local Clubs and utilize those clubs resources for site guides and other information available regarding sites. 
• When traveling as well as at your home sites, make sure you have insurance that covers you when and where you are. 

​

Fly-in Planning:

Traditionally there is no scheduled SDHGPA Meeting in July.  The Aug Meeting time slot has too many conflicts for Board Members and will be canceled.  The Next Scheduled SDHGPA meeting will be in September on the 21st. Follow the SDHGPA Calendar for updates.

Also as a Reminder:

If you are an Instructor or School, please also review all Site and Instruction Protocols that include all Tandem Flight at all SDHGPA Sites.  Note that any and all Instruction or Tandem Flights from or to any SDHGPA Launch or Landing Zones / LZs must comply with our Site Protocols.   By not doing so puts the Site, Land Owners, SDHGPA, Students, and yourself at risk and violates SDHGPA flight SOPs.

​Chris Cote just re-set the bar for the E to 54.5 straight line miles on 4-5-17. With a clean ~ straight line to Marshal, then down range to Desert Hot Springs. Each leg a nice flight in its self. Not the easy route through. . . Well done. http://www.sdhgpa.com/-xc-records.html

This past Saturday 4-1-17 was no April Fools day at Big Black and 2 site record flights were recorded for the day. Chris Cote held the site record for 65 min of 34 straight line miles landing near Barrett Lake. Chris & Phil were team flying most of the way but Phil Wessinger fell slightly behind at Cuyamaca and their routes diverged. Phil persisted and held on to Horse and was able to get re-established into the convergence and flew on to the Mexican Border near Tierra Del Sol taking the site record of 48.3 straight line miles. ​

(Photos & Photo Comments - Phil Wessinger)