Weather requests...

Today - poor
Tomorrow - better
Sunday - OK

None of it looks stunning, but 2-300km flights should be possible...

Turbo ratings...We are starting to build a head of steam...

Monitoring the e-mail traffic concerning the starting of the turbo's in the air...

Good grief and golly gosh boys and girls...
From the DG400 team...
Our motor has failed to start 10% of the time - well I'm not bloody surprised, it's 20 year old technology that is designed to self-launch.
Lots of stories about prangs in the Sth Is - yip - older motors again...but remember there have been far more prangs in gliders without turbo's, a ratio of about 20:1. And besides that lot in the South Island have bugger all else to talk about...I know, I lived there and it gets pretty slow at times...

More from others...
We should be above 1500ft, we should deploy the landing gear and do pre-landing checks before attempting a practise start...oh for the love of G-d, with the motor out the Duo has a sink rate approaching that of a PW5, what are we suggesting?? That any PW5 pilots should also give away any attempt to fly below 1500ft???

Let's come back to earth for a minute shall we?? (excuse the pun)

Do you want this big thing to go X-Country? Then expect that you'll need to spend time below 1500ft AGL...cos sometimes that's what it takes to find a thermal.

We seem to be putting alot of effort into identifying airstrips...I thought we taught people to find a suitable paddock and land in that. Remember all that stuff about Slope, surface wind, size etc etc.
I'm betting the greatest risk will come from some-one flying to an airstrip identified on the database, getting there, finding it covered in cows, panicking, rushing an engine start and it all turns to custard. It's won't be the turbo at fault, it'll be the reliance on airstrips at fault..

I clearly remember when this glider was in the planning stage talking to the owner of the worlds largest fleet of Duo's (he lives down south, seems to be quite well known), that a turbo would be a mistake;
It would distract people from the real business of flying...
It would reduce the X-country range of the glider because of the height required for a re-start.
It would add cost.
It adds complexity.

We are following the trajectory he predicted...can we prove him wrong???
Otherwise I suggest remove the turbo so we can do some serious X-country flying...

Typical...the year will finish as it started...

With northerlies, rain and low cloud...great for farming, crap for gliding.
Total hours I spent gliding this year - 65. The lowest since 2002.
Admittedly the flying in Feb-Apr last autumn was quite good as it was so dry, but since then it's been dismal.

Other noticeable trends.


Number of land-outs I completed - up
X-Country Kms I completed - down


Number of gliders the local club owns - up
Number of members - down


Costs - up
Total club flying hours - down


Amount of E-mail traffic between members - up
Quality of content - down


Attacks on Free speech - up
Inclusive decision making - down


Number of blogs and facebook pages about gliding - up
Value of content - probably up as well albeit a little patchy


Number of contests I could fly - up (Club Class Nationals)
Number of free days I have to fly in them - down


I'm sure others can add to these trends...

Wed 29th Dec

Dennis Dutton...RIP. Founder of "Arts and Letters Daily", NZ Skeptic's Society, and Prof at Canterbury University.  http://www.aldaily.com/

Weather...

Interesting...an inversion in place as well as sea breezes from lunchtime. Suggestion of high cloud late in the day...especially if the forecast front which passed over yesterday backtracks...we'll see.
Likely to be mostly blue...although if it gets hot enough some clouds will form.
Not many convergences...
If the thermals get going expect bases at 5500ft inland...the squiggly line below is for the McLarens Falls area...inland from Tga.

Good luck...it's all academic to me...we still have silage on the ground from Monday which we need to get finished before Thursday/Friday's rain...which gives you a hint for the flying leading upto New Years.

Something to do while it's raining...

Shag about with the TP files...TP = turnpoint...not total prat...
Have combined Matamata's updated TP file with Taupo's. Labelled the Mta ones with an M at the start whereas the Taupo ones have a T. This way the TP's are sorted by area first then the number. This avoids the overlap of each TP file.

Also have included the airstrips I have some confidence are still use-able.

But beware...farmers put stock on airstrips, fences across them, build cowsheds on them, plough them up for swedes or kale, or generally make life difficult.

Be warned, if fly to a strip expecting to land don't be surprised if you can't...and don't blame the farmer...look inside the cockpit, or in a mirror.

Send me a note if you want a copy...I'll probably update the Duo's TP files on the Oudie's...or is that the oh dears...

Can we go flying??

No - sorry...well maybe...
Today's karput...
Tomorrow might be OK for a while. The front that's passing over at present is forecast to stall and head back down over the top of the Nth Is.
So that'll rule out Thursday and Friday.
Maybe New Years day and the day after.


I'm off to the beach on the 3rd so the chances are getting less by the day.
If it's fine tomorrow we need to finish the silage we started yesterday.

But the big news is it's flooding in Omarama...you know the place where it never rains. They've had about 75mm, but Mt Cook village has had 880mm over the week.
As out intrepid pilots (Roy, Brett and Adrian) head down there they may want to stop to see the Tekapo and Pukaki spillways disgorging huge volumes of water...
I gather they are evacuting the Omarama Camp ground as the Ahuriri rises and rises...any more and it'll threaten the main bridge.

Of Duo's, Xmas and other things...

Another Xmas has come and gone...after 3 turkey dinners I've about eaten enough to fed a small African nation. Kids seem happy...so all's well in the world. Spent Xmas day in Auckland...what a bloody mad-house.

So on the return to Tauranga on Boxing Day we swung past Matamata and managed a short flight in the Duo. I must admit that the current President and partner had been working hard to get the aircraft down and flying...well done there.

First impressions...as always I need to remind myself it flys like a glider...it's white, push the stick forward nose goes down etc etc.

However, it handles slightly better than the older Duo's (as one would hope), the flap/air brake combination is excellent (although people may over speed on approach), it is a bit of a climb to get in the front seat, landing is a piece of cake, and motor is no problem although climb rate is very very slow. Essentially the motor will get you from a blue bit of sky to a cloudy bit...I'm guessing it won't get you over the Kaimai's from Tga on a westerly day...but I guess that's what the tow plane is for.

In the speed to get operating the radio needs some work. In it's current setup I'm not sure we could operate from Tauranga. SeeYou also needs some attention...I'll do that over the coming week.

And after all that I forgot to get a photo...so here's a photo of the glider that started it all...a normal discus...

And the best soaring day this week will be??

Xmas day, of course...

How to make gliding fun...add in lots of low passes, young people and ridge soaring...

Have a look...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFCuDIAjq-Y

Note the beat-ups...sorry competition finishes...in a Duodiscus XL...something for us to practise on a slow day...or any day...

The surpposed "Rebel Soarer" seems to have "petered" out...

No sign of him...now that's not very rebellious...

Ok...enough, you can turn the tap off...

I guess I asked for it...
120mm, no sun and 4 days later it's starting to wear a little thin...
It looks like GNM will be staying in it's box until after Xmas...

Rain til Xmas...

What a great Xmas present. It'll be even more appreciated by those farming in the Waikato/Northland.

I see Mr CAA is now not doing the Duo inspection on the 20th Dec. Why am I not surprised about this???
So the supership will be stuck in Auckland for some time now...I'm guessing until after Xmas.

Sometime over the next week I'll do a "year in review"...or maybe the "winter of discontent"...

It'll be a roller coaster ride of excitement, false hope, outlandish claims, and counter-claims, inciteful observations, gossip, facts and myths, decisive commentary...no it won't, yes it will...well maybe...we'll see.

It'll largely depend on how much rain we get...

It's going to be a long wait...

Until this weather clears...
I gather the Duo is to be available to fly in Matamata Tuesday/Wednesday next week.
Unfortunately the weather looks like it'll be crap...the only hope is it turns more westerly than forecast so the ridge is use-able.

I heard young Alex MacCaw on National Radio yesterday about his 1000km flight on the weekend.
He did better than his famous cousin who was in a Discus 2ctqtx whereas young Alex was in Canterbury's LS4. Well done that man...

I have put a small amount of time (read that as quantum mechanical) into a possible 500km task out of either Tauranga or Piako. It wants to be a thermal day rather than wave...that'd be cheating, and besides I get headaches at high altitudes.

So you'd need to go North towards the Swamp followed by a dash towards the SW (Te Kuiti or Kuratau) followed by???what??.

Here's 2 options. One based fairly much on a westerly day so the Kaimai's gets used as a base to launch off south and north.
The other is a true thermal day that requires a stretch north early on followed by a good look at the Taupo area.

Looks really easy dunnit???

Does RASP do wave???

You betcha...

The 10,000ft wind forecast for 3pm today has wave all over the Nth Is.

The blue bits is air going down, the light blue through to yellow is air going up.

Regulation in the house of Liberal Democracy...

The Soaring Society of the US of A is proposing to strongly encourage the use of Flarms in all contests.
And reading the document I'm guessing that compulsory use will be mandated next season.
Could it be that the SSA didn't mandate immediately because some of their members are Tea Party nutters...(or as they should be referred to "Tea Baggers" and Earl Grey at that...all smell and no strength...)...but I digress again...

This is what can happen if you run into your mate during a contest...

You can move him/her from the Open Class to the Standard Class in a split second. What's more interesting is this aircraft flew for an hour or so to get back to the base airfield AND the glider it hit flew on and completed the task...

Another one bites the dust...

It's proving to be a bad year for gliding contests...the New South Wales State champs have been cancelled due to poor weather after 1 day. That follows the Queensland State Champs being washed out and the Aussie Nationals being equally as successful...not.
So much for Australia being the "big dry"...
I bet the farmers are rubbing their collective hands with glee...although now the problem will be flooding, locusts and a fire risk rather than drought.
We farmers are hard to please...a grumpy, cynical and negative lot...or so some people believe...

Flying around the central Nth Island yesterday it's getting really really dry in most parts. Whakamaru/Atiamuri looks surprisingly similar to 3 years ago when the Multiclass Nationals were held in Matamata. The only difference was that was Feb not Dec.

Roll on the club class nationals...where the weather will be perfect, the tasks long and challanging, the food excellent, the airstrips will be clear of stock, no interference from work calls, and I'll win every day...yeah right.

A change in the weather...

A westerly for the first time in I don't know how long...
And NIWA are forecasting the wettest summer in 21 years...not 22 years or 19 but 21...go figure.
Of course it'll be a wet summer...we have a National gliding contest due in Matamata and the good luck charm, Roy, is Contest Director. Might pay to take a pack of cards, monopoly or a good book to this years contest...

Spotted last night...

So I'm not quite as good as I thought I was...

Many people think that...not least of which is my teenage daughter. How ever I am a supporter of Free Speech and all that...you can never have enough of it...show me a country which has too much free speech!!! But I digress...again.

On Saturday I thought I did OK. I even made the mistake of saying so...on this blog no less. Which resulted in the scorer asking for my track log...
I'm David Todd in another life...well actually he didn't compete on Saturday so the scorer slotted me in under his name. And I was flying my little Discus (without water I might add) rather than David's splendid Kestral 19 meter, so what happened about the handicaps I have No Idea (which is true much of the time)...

But the question we would all like to know is where did Maurice Weaver go??? 274 kms...I can only presume he went to Te Kuiti on the way south.

I still can't beat those superships - Discus 2ct's or Ventus 2Ct's...

What is the Norwest arch???

Taken from 25,000ft...the arch stretched all the way upto the Nth Island. Any guesses who took the photo??? As a hint he seems to spend most of his spare time above 20,000ft.

I am depressed...

Because I've had to cancel a trip to Omarama...bugger. Why would you want to fly in paradise??? See below...

Thanks to GlideOmarama for the photo...

Looking at this I'm guessing cloud base is 11,000ft. You can see air spilling over from the west coast.

More than 1 way to skin a cat...

The fastest 5 tracks from yesterday. I note some-one headed way out towards Te Kuiti...lost perhaps?

Matamata Regionals...better than elsewhere...just

Today was the last day...and probably the day with the best weather.
So the contest flew 3 out of 7 days...fairly poor I hear you say. Keep in mind our criminal friends across the ditch lost the whole of the Queensland State contest to poor weather and most of the Nationals as well.
Also our flatlander friends in the Sth Is achieved 2 days out of 7.
A poor year so far...so we wait with baited breath for the Club Class Nationals in Feb.

As I wasn't a contestant in the regionals this year I flew off the back of the grid today, and without water to practise for the club class. I may, just may, have blitzed the field today. We'll never know...

Low bases at the start and upto Waitoa but really good down south of Tokoroa.

A First for Gliding...

Prize money for a gliding contest. Club Class Nationals...$1000 for 1st place, $500 for 2nd and so on.

Excellent stuff.

Does your glider qualify for the Club Class?
A quick look at the GNZ website shows those gliders with a handicap upto and including 98 do...so that's Discus A/B/CS, ASW 20a and b, but not c, at the top end, down to PW6's or a Twin Astir etc, at the lower end. It includes some weird ones...DG400 in 15 meter configuration (imagine the wing loading - good on a ridge day, death during a week like this week), Janus C but not CM's and so on.

Have a look...does your glider, or one of your club's gliders make the grade??? http://www.gliding.co.nz/racing/information-for-competitors-in-n

This afternoon we had a go at tidying up the turnpoint file for the the Matamata contest area. Deleted a bunch that are now in airspace that we can't use in a contest, but added a heap in the Taupo/Western Bays area. http://www.glidingmatamata.co.nz/msc/2011_club_class_turnpoints/

Guess where we are going during the Nationals...Kuratau here we come...

Contests...A test of skills???

What does the Queensland State Champs, the Aussie Nationals, the Sth Is Regionals and the Northern Regionals have in common?? Crap weather. I'm saving up my spare time for next week, as the week after a contest is always better....
I'm meant to be over there tomorrow to help out...
These pictures from the LS4 driver...

Waiting waiting waiting...

This looks suspiciously like Wharepapa Sth...

Da-ja-vu

Today looks like yesterday, except it's Monday not Sunday.

Looks like the squiggly lines got it right yesterday...4-4500ft cloud bases, over-development and threatening TStorms. I didn't hear or see any thunder but we did get a small shower.

A local pilot driving an LS4 sent a summary through of the conditions yesterday. What can I say...harden up Maurice and fly straight. This isn't the "Flat country", or the big dry (yet), or the West Island...sorry Australia, here we always have contests in the week before the best conditions.

I see he landed out...does that mean he needs to get the under-carriage inspected by an engineer before he can fly GKM again????

Good luck all...I might get over Wed/Thur

Why are Merservice predicting TStorms today???

Have a look at the squiggly line graph for Sth Waikato late this afternoon. Low-ish cloud base, very high cloud tops (Cb's) and no inversion. So hot air will keep on rising and rising and rising (a bit like the free speech argument)...
TStorms are really hard to predict in NZ because of the incursion of sea breezes. Some where will get some rain...I hope it's us although hail would be a shambles.

The Regionals...

Doesn't look like a big contest this year. Not sure why. I guess with people being busy, Task week the week before, the Club class Nationals later on...who knows.

Practise Day. Only 3 glider went out to practise. From the GPS traces it looks like a small task with big circles....10kms around Flaxmill and 20kms around Arapuni.

Weather for Day 1 looks OK. Time will tell. I hope to get over later this week for a wee fly.

Bored with Convergences yet??

Here's Fridays track with an indication of the 2 convergence zones. Sea breeze air from both coasts plus a light SE air flow

Task Week Day 5 (Day 2 for me)

It took a while to get going. We had forecast overdevelopment during the late afternoon, but assumed things looked OK for an early start.
However, the only blue hole in the sky from 12 to 2pm was overhead the airfield. Frustration set in for an hour or so.
Two gliders headed off early, one made it back the other landed out and hit a fence. No major damage.
Finally it heated up enough around Waharoa/Matamta so we could get going.

Convergences were the story for the day. A big one that ran from Tirau down past Mangakino, as well as along the Kaimai's. Great fun.

The photo below is taken straight up from inside the cockpit. I was just running in under a huge Cu in the convergence with lots of curl over to contend with. 10 knots down for short while followed by 10 knots up...most excellent.

Here's that convergence...heading back towards Putaruru from Tokoroa.

Friday...start your engines...

Or at the very least, clean your wings, empty your pee bag, charge your batteries and make your way to Piako...I think it'll OK to venture out into the wild blue yonder.

Task week - Day 4

Sorry guys, I'm not over there today so the forecast is brief. Blue and challanging...or at least it looked that way last night...

A Record Looms...

I gather a debate was held regarding the merits, or otherwise, of Blog sites as they relate to the local gliding community. No doubt many wise things were discussed and I'm sure people were well informed...you know as distinct from thinking about stuff as they walked through the door for the meeting.

Since the actual blogsite owner wasn't consulted here is a few points to consider.

Firstly, I note with some amusement that lots of people who have an opinion also claim they don't, or haven't, read the blog. An interesting claim as the site tracks the audience...

Secondly, this month looks like being a record for the number of page reads...hits if you like. 95% of those are coming from inside NZ...(to be fair one should discount the hits from Russia). So some-one is reading it...many thanks to them and any advice would be welcome.

Thirdly, free speech is something I believe that we hold dear. You are, of course, free not the read this site...and I am allowed a point of view.

Fourth, the main aim was to provide weather forecasts when I can, and post photo's and track logs were possible. If I troll back through past posts about 95% of the content fits that objective.

So what's the problem??...I really do wonder. Expected normal service to resume...

Task Week - Day 3 (Day 1 for me)

The day turned out fairly much as forecast. Good to the south, bases upto 7000ft, not much wind, convergences all over the place.

Task was Matamta to Kuratau (bottom of Lake Taupo) to Reporoa and home. Both TP's had a 20km circles. I managed to get 3 km's into the bottom circle but ran out of day to do the Reporoa TP. So a 110km out and return.

Track and photo's below. The last photo shows the big blue hole from the lake breeze and the TP on the other side.

Wednesday...early prediction

Looks like a goody...reasonable thermals, little wind, sea breeze convergences, high-ish cloud bases (especially to the south), the only challange might be a bit of over-development and showers late afternoon. I think these will be confined to the hills and more in the Mamaku-Kaimai area. We'll see...

We got 22mm of rain last night. Quire a surprise really and no-one forecast it (including me). A brief heavy Thunder shower at 5pm followe by a clearance but at 2am the rain started again great stuff.

Task week Tuesday

Well it's raining here in Tauranga...has been for the last 4 hours. It's not looking good for the rest of the day. I suspect this rain will clear, followed by a burst of thermal activity, then over-development and showers. Metservice are also predicting TStorms in the Bay...maybe.

Wednesday looking better.


Too be fair. I'm happy with rain after a month or so of dry weather.

Monday morning update

The day dawns clear in Tauranga...although I can see some cloud on the Kaimai's.
Metservice are still sticking with there forecast of TStorms around the western BOP.
RASP forecasts have downgraded it's view of today...although it'll still be soarable. At this stage going south and west of Matamara looks by far the best option.

We will be dodging showers in the late afternoon I suspect.

At this stage I'm thinking Waharoa - Whakamaru - Te Kuiti - Home. with circles it's a 150-280kms task.

Day 1 of Task week.

At this early stage I'm picking either a really really strong day for Monday, or a wash-out. There is a SE change spreading up the country tomorrow afternoon and with it there might be some TStorms...just what we need.
However, in front of the front, is a pool of air that well generate strong thermals to 8000ft plus with thermals strenghts of 7-9 knots...whippee. BUT if the SE spreads in too fast it'll cut all that out...bugger.

So up dates in the morning folks...get you gliders ready...mine's in it's box outside the house.

And down in Omarama the weathers not good...judging by this fellows general demeanor...

Some one has been fiddling with the the Omarama webcam...

And the Dentist comes third...

Well done Adrain in the club class at the Sth Is Regional's...
I'll dig out more stuff tomorrow...the contest website is hard to find...

Task week starts Monday...and wouldn't you know it, the Kiwifruit indutsry throws a curve ball which will see me busy most of the week. Hope to get things started Monday morning...but that might be it.

Forecasts looks dodgy for at least Mon/Tues. More tomorrow.

They're at it again...

The pilots in the South Island Regional's...I mean.

This is what Spot can do...let the organsiers know where everyone is...

This part of gliding we seem to be excelling at...

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-lakes/136869/injured-glider-pilot-airlifted-hospital

Looks like Timaru Creek...

Very thankfully the pilot only broke his foot. If you look at the photo embedded in the ODT article it's not hard to see why...

What does a CFI do when he's not drilling teeth...

Why enter a contest in a concrete swan (Twin astir) of course...and not locally but in Omarama. I'm only envious...flying anything in Omarama is preferable to pottering around here. It would appear he and his passenger/learner pilot landed out... hopefully not at my mates place...Omarama Station. Third for the day...well done. But don't take my word for it   -    http://glidingcomps.42.net.nz/sireg2010/

A convergence...of technology...

Separate bits of tech are coming together. GPS, data logger, Flarm, transponder, collision avoidance, and terrain warning. PowerFlarm is about to release the latest gadget with incorporates all these functions into one handy instrument and that uses less power than a gliding committee meeting. It will cost more than getting a newsletter re-printed...but maybe not much more.

The instrument builds on the Flarm technology of providing proximity information on any gliders close-by (assuming they have a Flarm and it's turned on). Apparently 14,000 of these units have been sold to date...although that's no guarantee that they are turned on. They have proved far more popular in the South Island primarily because one pilot has been very vocal about the perceived safety benefits. In the North Island I'm aware of only one Flarm installed but hopefully that stops him from colliding with himself...something I do often.

It also detects any aircraft operating a transponder on Mode C or S. As well it will pick up on ground radar stations interrogating GA transponders.

For an annual fee apparently it will warn you of power lines, ski lifts, transmission towers, and the fence at the end of the runway (wishful thinking). I'm always running the risk of hitting all those ski lifts.

A GPS and an igc logger. Great idea as a back-up to the normal logger. Also the GPS can be used as a data stream source for add-ons...SeeYou Mobile, Oudie etc.

Due for release in April 2011...although they are encouraging you to buy now before the price goes down...yes you read that right...

But rather listen to me rattle on go to Paul Remde's excellent site http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/flarm.htm or follow the link  www.gliderpilot.org/FLARM

Cool eh...

A so so day...

A very quiet day. Despite the sun and light westerlies hardly any club members came out to fly...enthusiasm???
It felt pretty lonely being the only one trying to push across the Kaimai's.

Typically, a long tow to 4000ft was followed by a grudging descent to 2500ft followed by the normal slow battle to get back up high enough to safely cross over. Winds were 18-20 knots, 240-250 degrees...ideal ridge/wave stuff. However the sheet of grey cloud in the Waikato wasn't very inviting. The second the air crossed the Kaimai's it descended and dried out...hence blue and warm on the BOP of the hills. The best wave was behind the waterfall, unusually, whereas behind the high point it was confused and broken, as were the thermals.

240 kms, although to be fair, ridge tasks or distances aren't much of a test of skill. The only glider I saw all day was GVM. We spent 10 minutes beating up...sorry - ridge flying at low level trying to gain height...the lookout carpark waiting for a fellow club member to turn-up. He forgot to stop...no wonder he is a life member.

Wave over katikati...it looked better than it really was...

The Swamp...what a bland and bleak landscape...funny how it puts out strong thermals.

I ran into the hang-glider brigade pottering along the Kaimai's. I'm guessing they launched from the Quarry at the Radar Dome and flew down to Te Aroha and back.

Do forecasts work??

 

You better believe it...this was spotted by the hang gliding crowd. RASP forecast boundary level cloud for last Monday and the appropriate sat photo.

Also...what does a Duo Turbo motor look like on start up and stop???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENFsGZIFvXQ&feature=related
(courtesy of Rebelsoarer)
and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxKbjqXBrc8&feature=related

Who said we could learn something in advance....

Weekend Weather

It's not looking crash hot. Light westerlies with a northerly flavour...with showers and low cloud developing during Sunday.
Time to read the Duo XLT manual that one member e-mailed around.
Despite a view that we can't do any training, preparation or planning before the "big beastie" arrives maybe the Manual is a good place to start.
Do you know what VNE is?
Or rough airspeed?
Flight limitations with water or engine in or out?
Max load?
Min or max wing loading?
Max or min speeds to extend, start, run or retract the motor?
Did you it had a motor?

Etc etc etc. Ho hum...

Wednesday's Weather

Weak to moderate thermals, Convergence's along the Kaimai's, parallel to the coast and across the high country between Tga and Mamaku. Cloud bases not that high - 3500ft over Tga upto 5000ft inland. Risk of over-development associated with the convergences and high cloud bases. Some showers behind Tga and Rotorua. Time to go on gardening leave - garden art festival that is...

Finally a debate, and some belated thoughts about the Supership...

Penny has dropped, the great big piece of fibre-glass is due sometime soon. So while various important people rushed about ordering things, buying money, and so on (all good stuff I'm sure) - little thought appears to have been given to "what to do when it actually arrives...".

One member (who's not actively involved) got off their bum and found a electronic version of the Aircraft Manual for propective pilots to read...should have been done months ago.

By now we probably should have helped people understand how the Nav instruments work...given that the general membership had little say in what will be installed. How many people know how to use SeeYou mobile??? How many pilots know it's limitations...even less I'd wager. Examples??? On Sunday two pilots using SeeYou (and who I think are quite skilled) entered the wrong airfield as Home...(but I will fix that guys).

Roster...God I'm not even going to enter that debate...suffice to say nothing seems to be organised yet and any pilots meeting between now and late Jan will struggle to get attendee's, what with Xmas, Omarama, Club class Nationals etc etc.

Charge out rate...I see a few people are trying to have this debate...although I see the immediate response from one important person has been - "I didn't realise you were setting the rules now Roy??"...well that's helpful...yeah right..

Ratings...hmmm...I'm lead to believe that only 2 members have a rating...actually to be strictly correct that's wrong. They have a rating on the older version of the Duo which has no landing flaps, changed weight limitations, changed cockpit and landing gear layout, changed wing plan, etc. I suspect that everyone in the club who has a Janus rating (and a bit of time clocked up...say 10 hours PIC Janus) will have the equivalent experience as would any time on the old Duo. Heavens I have 40-50 hours Duo PIC...I suspect the real issue is the ability of people to land-out. A 20 meter span into a small paddock will be intimidating.

As for the turbo bit...well if a pilot has no intention of using it why do they need a rating?? Most of our pilots don't have a water, aerobatic, competition finish, or unlimited X-country rating but fly gliders capable of these things.

Some clarity of thought is required...and quickly.

As for the potential to use the glider for a membership drive???? I have no idea what's happening on this front...some-one please tell me... I have been told repeatedly that club enthusiasm is high...this might be true but the last 3 days I turned up to fly (sunny days weekend days) very little activity has been going on. On one day no-one turned up...

Something bad might happen...maybe

Save the Duo...STD

Please support the move to save the Duo....
It has been long recognised that the flying of gliders causes accumulated damage and their eventual destruction. The recent demise of the beloved and cherished Blanik is a graphic illustration of this very issue. Had the deluded people of various western glider clubs nurtured they Blaniks and kept them well housed at ALL times they would still have these wonderful examples of communist flying bricks to admire.

Let's not repeat the same sad and wanton waste of a new Duo Discus.
Save The Discus (STD) Support Group are promoting a higher level of pilot requirements to help preserve our $250,000 investment.
Only pilots with 3 Diamonds may be allowed to touch or rig the glider. Only those members who are or have served on the GNZ Exec may fill it with water. Any pilots who have won a World Class gliding event will be allowed to apply for flying rights on the strict understanding that at no time may the motor be used. STD are keen to preserve the original petrol if it's unaltered state.

Only Trial flights should be allowed, X-country training should be strictly prohibited.

Please support this worthy cause. Please stop any training material circulating through the club. Stop the issuing of any ratings. Stop any further development of rules, procedures or guidelines for the use of the Duo...don't trust the fact that no work appears to be happening at present...this is only a ruse...the secret squirrels are working behind closed doors to further the unfetted damage to our Duo...

You have been warned...take action now...or should that be take no action now????

So it wasn't a 300km day...

We still had fun but it was a bit blue in places and soggy in others. Little chance to get up to the swamp first thing and there was a big gap around Tokoroa. Excellent over the higher ground west of Rotorua and about Mamaku. Photo's and tracks for GNM and GKM below.

Big convergence along the eastern side of the Kaimai's.

300 km day

Judging from the forecast it's a 300km day. Planning to go only slightly North to the Swamp (it'll go blue in the Waikato and bases will be lower), then south to Mangakino and beyond. Good bases and cloud development around the high country. Might be a bit of overdevelopment like yesterday afternoon.

And let's hope Airways give us some airspace....

The milk price has gone up...yipee

It still doesn't match the dosh that flows to drug dealers...sorry pharmacists, or teeth pullers...whoops dentists, but it's getting better by the day. I digress...the weather, the whether or the wether, or not.

Saturday. OK. It'll be a late start as we wait for things to dry out and the wind to drop. Bases of 4-5000ft inland. Probably a day to head over to the ridge and crusie down past Tokoroa. The wind will go more and more southerly during the afternoon but the thernals should get you home. If you can get to the ridge early enough I'd task up to the swamp (should work well) and then back down to Tokoroa via the kaimai's

My pick is Sunday. More heating and less wind. Could be a day to loop the Lake...and I'm talking about Taupo not Rotorua. Squiggly lines are forecasting cloud bases of 7000ft inland from Tauranga and much higher south and west of here. Have a look at the convergence picture. A good energy lines from the afternoon sea breeze around the coast and a good lake breeze.