Long Range WX Forecasting: One Pilot's Experience

In January I gave several talks on my approach to forecasting California thermal soaring weather. The goal is to anticipate the great soaring days at least five to ten days in advance to allow time to prepare both you the pilot and others in your life for THE DAY. I review three separate days with forecast maps, the in-flight results, and the exceptions to be aware of. The video is a live recording of one talk. If you have Quicktime (QT) installed (or have a mac), click the picture above. For best viewing, you need a DSL, cable, or faster connection. 358MB, 47:47.

Click here for the PDF slides from this talk. 18MB

Williams Sunset Image Offer

Williams Soaring Sunset. View looking west on April 21, 2009 after a fantastic day of spring soaring. License for personal use only. © 2009 Kempton Izuno

^{$4.00. Click to checkout using your Amazon account. If you don't have an Amazon account, you can create one during the payment process.}

This picture was taken April 21, 2009 at Williams Soaring Center after an 800km out & return to Crater Lake, Oregon. This image is suitable for printing up to 18" x 24". I've printed this at a FedEx Office store, laminated and mounted on foam board for $40 or so. 4000 x 3000 jpeg. 2MB.

To support producing more in-flight analysis documentaries, this image is a one-time paid download. Pay using your Amazon account, or if you don't have one, just create one at the sign-in page. Delivery by Bitmenu. License: Personal, non-commercial use only.

Firefox or Safari browsers recommended for more reliable downloads.

Questions? Email me at kizuno1 (at) gmail.com.

Williams Soaring Sunset

2061 km In The Sierra Wave

Buy now and download the full length video:
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If you prefer a DVD instead, these are available for $29.95+shipping and take 3-4 weeks, so email to kizuno1@gmail.com for details. Note: DVD videos are inherently fuzzier than the HD downloads.

This 32 minute, full HD format video documents Gordon Boettger's 13+ hour flight for a new national record and the longest flight outside of the Andes. The video puts you alongside Gordon as he narrates the flight planning, weather evaluation, equipment preparation, and most important, the tactical in-flight decisions based on reading wave clouds at altitudes at times exceeding 24,000 feet. What to do, why and where to go when aiming for 2000km are covered in high definition. HD=1280x720, iPhone=480x270, running time=32:18.

Co-produced by Sierra Mountain Gallery and HD Soaring. To support producing more in-flight analysis documentaries, this video is a one-time paid download. Pay using your Amazon account, or if you don't have one, easily setup one at the sign-in page. Delivery by Bitmenu.

License: Personal, non-commercial use only.
Broadcast & group presentation license available by email to: GRBoettger (at) aol.com

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Questions? Email me at: kizuno1 (at) gmail.com
.............or Gordon at: GRBoettger (at) aol.com

Libelle Gathering: Pilots and Their Panels

I had the great fortune to attend the first ever US Libelle Gathering at Air Sailing this past July. Great flying and great people, thanks to Neita Montague and the Air Sailing team. While there, I decided to interview the pilots and have them talk for a moment about their ships (some of historic note) and most importantly, their instrument panels as that's where the differences are between ships. If you have Quicktime (QT) installed (or have a mac), click the picture above, otherwise click here Flash version to view. For best viewing, you need a DSL, cable, or faster connection. 99MB, 8:38.

NOTE: This entire video was shot and recorded with a handheld Canon SD960, a point and shoot camera with 720 HD video and a good audio record capacity.

Tall Clouds & Big Mountains

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^{QuickTime HD $3.99
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iPhone/iPod Touch $1.99 Download this file to your PC/Mac and then sync to play on your iPhone/iPod.
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This video is of a 1,000km triangle distance attempt in Northern California on an unstable day reviewing the weather forecast, task, in-flight decisions with fast growing clouds, climbing Mt. Shasta and thunderstorms. HD= 960x540, iPhone= 480x272, running time= 10:58.

To support producing more in-flight analysis documentaries, this video is a one-time paid download. Pay using your Amazon account, or if you don't have one, easily setup one at the sign-in page. Delivery by Bitmenu.

License: Personal, non-commercial use only.
Broadcast & group presentation license available by email to: kizuno1 (at) gmail.com

Firefox or Safari browsers recommended for more reliable downloads.

Questions? Email me at kizuno1 (at) gmail.com

Sutter Buttes wave, January 11, 2009

Flying with Forest Baskett in his Stemme S-10VT, we launched out of Petaluma, CA with the hope for some wave. After weak wave at St. Helena, and nothing at Goat, we head over to the Sutter Buttes where Ramy Yanetz (ASW-27) and Frank Peale (Discus) are working the wave. Winds were weak, sometimes reading 14mph, but strengthening towards end of day. We departed shortly after the video, but Frank stayed on to top out at 13,500 ft. If you have Quicktime (QT) installed (or have a mac), click the picture above. If you have a PC without QT, click here Flash version to view. For best viewing, you need a DSL, cable, or faster connection. 53MB, 1:08.

Gorman Wave Attempt June 6, 2007

After Brian Choate's inspiring flight from Hollister to Bermuda Dunes flown first in thermal then in wave, I've thought that the transition he used at Gorman is very consistent and could be used as part of a 1000km straight out flight from Williams. I attempted this flight on June 6, 2007 and almost, but did not, catch the wave. This video chronicles the favorable forecast, parts of the flight, and the attempt to find the wave. If you have Quicktime (QT) installed (or have a mac), click the picture above. If you have a PC without QT, click here Flash version to view. For best viewing, you need a DSL, cable, or faster connection. 61MB, 2:29.


The GFS forecast maps shown in the video are available in a higher resolution size, just click on the image above for the GFS moisture map.


Click on the image above for the higher resolution 700mb wind forecast.

Dick Johnson: Future Soaring Technologies

I interviewed Dick Johnson at the 2008 SSA convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico where he shared his thoughts on future soaring technologies. I feel very fortunate to spend a few minutes with this soaring legend. What a kind and thoughtful man. If you have Quicktime (QT) installed (or have a mac), click the picture above. If you have a PC without QT, click here Flash version to view. For best viewing, you need a DSL, cable, or faster connection. 85MB, 7:31.

Sierra Wave and Return (LARGE, 802MB)

This flight was to test how the ship worked for a long duration wave flight. I flew with Stefan Leutenegger, 25, Swiss world team pilot, who's in Northern California on a short term work project. Stefan is comfortable with long flights as he flew a 14 hour, 1000km flight in Europe recently. We thought we'd be lucky to land on the east edge of the central valley, then get an aero retrieve home. It turned out quite differently. Please excuse the handheld video, we did not have a mount on this flight, but plan to add one very soon. If you have Quicktime (QT) installed (or have a mac), click the picture above but THIS WILL PLAY IN THE BROWSER AT 1920x1080. It may be better to try and save the file by Ctrl-click on the image (mac) or right click (PC) and click "save link as.." to download this movie, then play on a big screen. 802MB, 16:08. For best viewing, you need a DSL, cable, or faster connection.

Sierra Wave and Return (Medium, 444MB)

If you have Quicktime (QT) installed (or have a mac), click the picture above. If you have a PC without QT, click here Flash version to view. For best viewing, you need a DSL, cable, or faster connection. 444MB, 16:08.

Sierra Wave and Return (Small, 186Mb)

If you have Quicktime (QT) installed (or have a mac), click the picture above. To copy to your iPod just save the file by using the same steps as for the large file (above). 186MB, 16:08.

Cumulus Time Lapse (Small, 28MB)

Thanks to fellow soaring pilot Matt Herron we now have a HD time lapse Quicktime video of cumulus clouds. Matt shot this out of his office window last month. Great stuff! This video is sized for video ipods, save the file by Ctrl-click on the image (mac) or right click (PC) and click "save link as.." to download this movie. 28MB 2:57.

Cumulus Time Lapse (LARGE, 115Mb)

To see this Quicktime video in medium size (1024x576) format now, just click in this text and the full size (1080) file will play in a medium size window. If you want the full size movie for later play in a separate Quicktime window, then Ctrl-click here (mac) or right click (PC) and click "save link as.." to download this movie. This video is best seen on an HD display. 115MB 2:57.

Looking Further Out (Small, 36Mb)

This video is sized for video ipods, save the file by Ctrl-click on the image (mac) or right click (PC) and click "save link as.." to download this movie. 36MB 3:10.

Looking Further Out (Medium, 87Mb)

This video is 540p in size and is best for play on home/office computers. 87MB 3:10.

Looking Further Out (LARGE, 299Mb)

Ctrl-click on the image (mac) or right click (PC) and click "save link as.." to download this movie. Downloading to your computer rather than an automatic start may make it easier to manage this large file. This video is a full 1080p in format so is best seen on a full HD big screen display. As this is such a large file, only attempt downloading if you have a VERY fast connection. If you are successful in downloading and playing, please comment as I suspect few people are able to do this. I plan to have more 1080p movies in the near future. 299MB 3:10.

SSA '08 Convention Interviews: Jonker Brothers

At the 2008 SSA convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I continued doing interviews as I had done at the 2007 convention. I'll be posting the interviews as I finish editing them.

Click picture to play this movie (25Mb).

First up is a conversation with Uys and Attie Jonker, developers of the JS-1 Revelation sailplane. 3:41.

Crater Lake Flight May '07: GPS trace file

Ctrl-click here (mac) or right click (PC) and click "save link as.." to download the igc flight file.

Crater Lake Flight May '07 (Small 77Mb)

Click here to play movie (77Mb). This video is sized for video ipods. 11:39.

Crater Lake Flight May '07 (Medium, 190Mb)

Click here to play movie (190Mb). 11:39.