Sloping at Brookville Dam 07/13/01
Posted by Greg Smith on Jul 13, 2001, 23:40
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Brookville Dam, Indiana 07/13/01
Well guys, I am not a virgin anymore! At Brookville Dam, in Indiana, the conditions were right to give it a go. Leave it to me to pick Friday the 13th for my first attempts at DSing.
I was flying the SH-50 innocently on the front side of the dam. About 12-15 mph winds. Doing loops and rolls. Gaining altitude. Then I heard it, softly at first, but very clearly. Come to the darkside, we won't hurt you. Just one try, see if you like it, you can always go back. Just one pass. Just one pass. Your plane is safe over here. Trust us. The voices were getting louder and louder. The wind was coming straight in off the lake so the darkside was all grass covered and inviting. I gave in. I must confess I can't wait for the next fix.
Man, does the speed build fast. The times I hit it right I punched out after 5 or 6 passes because I didn't want to smack the hill going so fast. I used the SH-50 and I never heard it whistle like that! As luck would have it I did not wipe it out.
No one else was there and I am not sure if anyone has DSed this spot before, so I spent some time trying to find the groove. About 30 attempts and I got 8 or 10 where I was in the groove more than 2 or 3 circuts. I always had enough speed to get over to the front side though. I think I need to use a bigger plane or higher wing loading. If I didn't go at a sharp enough angle through the separation layer there was some significant buffeting. More experimenting is necessary.
Overall Brookville Dam is a very nice spot to fly and the fact that it can be DSed is a definite bonus. Anyone passing through or willing to make a trip to southern Indiana will not be disappointed.
If you need an excuse to stop, and the family happens to be along, there is a unique and fun place for a family stop along the Whitewater Canal. It has the only functioning water bridge left in the US. There are several quaint shops too.
Greg
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