Mount Washington wave camp information (2016)

Mount Washington Wave Camp Information 2016 8 September 2016

The Mount Washington Soaring Association (MWSA) is once again organizing the annual fall wave camp at Gorham, New Hampshire:

Dates: 8 – 16 October 2016 Site: Gorham Airport (2G8), Gorham, New Hampshire Website: http://mtwashingtonsoaring.org/ Contact: wavecamp@roelke.org

Participation in the camp is by invitation only. MWSA members who are members in good standing of one of the following clubs are automatically invited:

Franconia Soaring Association Greater Boston Soaring Club New England Soaring Association Post Mills Soaring Club

Others may be invited, up to a limit that will depend on the total number of pilots and gliders that the operation can support. It is for this reason that we need to hear from everyone interested in participating this year as early as possible.

Information for participants who are not members

There is a $100 registration fee for non-members. The best way to pay the registration fee is via PayPal to paypalrr@roelke.org. Please submit the payment as early as you can, and note that it is refundable if you are unable to attend. If you cannot use PayPal, then please arrange payment by sending an email to wavecamp@roelke.org.

There is an online signup sheet: http://tinyurl.com/gorham2016

Go to the signup sheet and add your name and information. Do not edit the sheet, other than with updates to your row.

Assume you are invited unless someone from MWSA contacts you.

Sign up for the mailing list by sending email to: mwsoaring-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Information for first-time participants

Gorham is a tricky place to fly, especially when it’s crowded. It is crowded every year. Also, the surrounding wilderness is devoid of landing places and it is important to know how low you can get before you must give up and return to the airport.

You will be assigned an instructor who will make sure you understand the hazards and don’t attempt anything beyond your skill/experience level. Your instructor may require you to take a flight in a two-seat glider.

Be sure your radio is in good working order. For our operation to be successful, outstanding communication is required. Your instructor will review with you the airspace rules, ATC procedures, local landmarks, arrival and landing pattern calls, etc.

Read the safety briefing document: http://tinyurl.com/gorhambrief and be prepared to be quizzed about it.

Read the ATC Letter of Agreement: http://tinyurl.com/gorhamloa which gives the rules we must follow to go above 18000 feet.

Information for all participants

Go to the signup sheet (http://tinyurl.com/gorham2016) and add your name and information. Do not edit the sheet, other than with updates to your row.

Here are some accommodation possibilities, possibly outdated:

Colonial Fort Inn (603) 466-2732 http://www.hikersparadise.com/ Gorham Motor Inn (603) 466-3381 Moose Brook Motel (603) 466-5400 Mt Madison Inn (603) 466-3622 http://www.mtmadisonmotel.com/ Northern Peaks Motel (603) 466-2288 Royalty Inn (603) 466-3312 http://www.royaltyinn.com/ Top Notch Motor Inn (603) 466-5496 Tourist Village Motel (603) 466-3312 The Libby House B&B (603) 630-6265 http://libbyhouseinn.webs.com/ Town & Country Motor Inn (603) 466-3315 http://www.townandcountryinn.com/

There is camping in the area, but at this point, there is still no camping on the field. We will try to fix that, but our prospects are not good.

Read again the safety briefing document: http://tinyurl.com/gorhambrief.

Read again the ATC Letter of Agreement: http://tinyurl.com/gorhamloa.

Feel free to request being treated like a first-time participant.

Review radio procedures and practice accuracy landings. Remember that pulling off the runway at a specified place requires practice.

Be sure your navigation instruments are programmed with this point:

44° 17’ 26” N, 071°13’ 40” W

This point is the center of the Mount Washington Glider Area, which is defined in the ATC Letter of Agreement as a circle of radius 10 nautical miles. We must stay within this circle above 18000 feet. The point is also a handy reference for position reports.

The controlling authority at Gorham Airport is the town’s water and sewer department (the airport sits on top of the town aquifer). Because of this, they are extremely sensitive about groundwater pollution, and our permission to use the airport depends on our following these non-negotiable rules:

No camping on the airport. We must provide and use a portable toilet. We must refuel our towplanes and gliders only on the asphalt pad. We must not keep fuel cans or fueling apparatus on the airport. We must put catch pans under powered aircraft that are tied down.

Our towpilots are familiar with these rules. Pilots of motorgliders should review the procedures with one of them before refueling. The town will send spies to monitor our compliance with these rules.

Our operation requires a lot of cooperation on the ground. If you are flying, stay near your glider and don’t block the queue. Be ready to go when your turn comes. If you aren’t flying soon, volunteer to help as ground crew. Expect to be assigned to ground operations duty. This may include keeping the takeoff list, logging, manning the ground station/phone, fetching gliders with the golf cart, and help with refueling.

Oxygen fills will be available at no charge.

It will be fun

Yes, there are a lot of rules and procedures. But they are necessary for reasons of safety and efficiency. The goal is to have fun and to give everyone a chance of getting high in the wave.

Add your name to our list of accomplishments: http://tinyurl.com/gorhamawards.

See you at Gorham!