Roost Air Lounge => General Discussion => Topic started by: fireflyr on May 14, 2006, 04:00:59 PM
Title: Sailplanes in ELY
Post by: fireflyr on May 14, 2006, 04:00:59 PM
Hey CHUKAR, Have the sailplane folks started arriving yet? Things get a little crazy there in the summer withl the world class convection activity---be sure to update us on the action there.
I find it fascinating the lengths these folks go to when trying to do the magical 1000 kilometers in a day! |:)\
Title: Re: Sailplanes in ELY
Post by: Mike on May 14, 2006, 04:27:23 PM
What I find amazing in Ely is how much energy is stored in these high-performance gliders. They have one or two of them do a "show"-program over the runway with several loops and turns and low-passes in front of the audience and they never seem to run out of altitude... Awesome!
Title: Re: Sailplanes in ELY
Post by: chuckar101 on May 14, 2006, 08:07:28 PM
Yeah there starting to arrive. The soaring hasn't been great but it looks like it should get better here within a week. The national grand prix is in being held here in June. So that should be a mess. Other than that I don't know much. They have two tow planes here now so that should help with the congestion on the end of the runway in the morning. I'll tell you when I hear something else.
Title: Re: Sailplanes in ELY
Post by: SkyKing on May 16, 2006, 05:13:06 PM
Yeah there starting to arrive. The soaring hasn't been great but it looks like it should get better here within a week. The national grand prix is in being held here in June. So that should be a mess. Other than that I don't know much. They have two tow planes here now so that should help with the congestion on the end of the runway in the morning. I'll tell you when I hear something else.
June when? Might be worth the trip. Funny, Ely is somewhere I haven't been yet -- flew over it going to Fallon and always wanted to stop (I like old military fields) but never have.
Title: Re: Sailplanes in ELY
Post by: Gulfstream Driver on May 17, 2006, 02:47:50 AM
So, is it Ely like "Eelee" or "Eli"? There's a small town in MN named Ely (pronounced Eelee) that everyone from out of state gets wrong. It bugs me when they do that. Just one of my pet peeves, I guess.
Title: Re: Sailplanes in ELY
Post by: fireflyr on May 17, 2006, 03:14:06 AM
EELEE is what the natives call it. Ain't much to look at, first blush, but they got some good trout fishing, there's some beautiful mountains around, and it's close to Great Basin National Park which has some fantastic hiking trails including a trail to the top of Mt Wheeler (13,500ft). They also have a terrific railroad museum complete with several restored steam locomotives------During the summer months, soaring pilots from all over the world congregate for the near perfect convective activity----Yep, it's "EELEE"
Title: Re: Sailplanes in ELY
Post by: Gulfstream Driver on May 18, 2006, 05:18:30 AM
Might have to drop in there some day. It sounds very nice.
The Ely in MN is quite special, too. It's one of the entries to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. One of my favorite places in the world.
Title: Re: Sailplanes in ELY
Post by: chuckar101 on May 19, 2006, 08:10:27 PM
I'm not sure of the exact dates, but I do believe its in mid June. And trust me Gulfstreamthey always pronounce ours wrong too.
