Who is this man???

AND...what's he doing with my Trophy???

I don't disagree that this distinguished pilot flew from Tauranga, across towards Galatea and around to Tokoroa. No problems there...however he only flew that far because I dragged him round the course. I will concede that he flew further South but that only sealed his doom.

Further he landed out at Tokoroa and made me fly on to Tauranga, drag out the tow-plane and tow-pilot, fly to Tokoroa and retrieve him. Where's the justice in this world??

Further, this qualified pilot couldn't find 133.55 on the radio but instead broadcast blind on 134.55.

It's high time the Club had a new Trophy.

The Greatest Sacrifice by a Club Member to drag a fellow Club Member across the Sky so that they can win the Most Meritorious Flight in a Club Glider...

"Technology Aids Aviation"

From the NZ Herald. Flying over the white cliffs of Dover, the two pilots of a Gulfstream 450 jet keep their eyes glued to a flight-deck display, ignoring the almost cloudless sky over the southern coast of England on their descent to a nearby runway. Hmmm...so much for any arguements that IFR bus drivers keep a good look-out...

More World Gliding Contests

15 meter (gliders with flappy bits added to the wings), 18 meter and Open class (the really big big boys toys) are racing in Europe. Dane is back after a struggle in the Standard Class last week and John Coutts is competing in the 18 meter class in a JS1. A certain local individual will be following the progress of the 6 JS1 18 meter gliders entered in the contest. In 2 weeks we will know whether "JS" stands for "Just Superb" or "Just Shyte"... There is a link to the offical website on the GNZ website...or search for WGC 2010. Questions you might want to keep in mind during the 12 days... Where does all Dane's time and money come from...??? Or am I just envious??? Is John Coutts a Kiwi or a South Africian...?? Why didn't Roy attend given he was just over the border in Switzerland sitting on a beach...??? What's with the wing design on the JS1's...? Why don't they fall off?? Where are all the ASG29's...??? What does a thermal with 25 open class gliders and a few smaller ones (if you can call 18 meters small...) feel like...??? F#$king hell - get me out of here...

What to learn from the WGC???

The World Gliding champs have just finished. What can we learn from this event even if it's on the other side of the world where the temperatures often reached 40 degrees.

Here are the tracks on the day winners on a 350km task. Notice how they flew very similiar lines, some of the glides are in excess of 50kms, they clearly used a height band strategy, they almost never stopped to sample a thermal - if they stopped it was to gain a significant amount of height. It's worth downloading a few track logs and playing them with the snailtrails function on Seeyou. Synchronise the start time or the finish time.

One of these things is not quite the same...

Can you guess what it is??

One tow plane climbs at 800fpm (well at least according to our tugmaster) and the other climbs at 400fpm. One tow plane is insured the other is not. Both have the same engines.

We belong to a club that charges for tows by the minute.

So which tow-plane would you want to get a tow from?

However for some reason the tow charges per minute are the same for both...go figure??

If this policy is not revised than I would suggest we roll PNE to the back of the hanger and take the propeller off it...and sell it (the propeller that is...followed by the wings, the seat, and the flashing lights).

And while I'm at it...

Similiar flawed reasoning is being used to keep the Janus GNN (in the top photo). Four years ago we sold a spare Janus...have we missed it??? Not at all. Why, because we lack the number of members to utilise 4 two seaters. Mostly we lack the instructors to keep 4 gliders in the air at any one time. So what happened when we decided to buy another two seat glider (a Duo no less), and against a background of even less members than 4 years ago???

We decide not to sell the spare two-seater...go figure.

So by Xmas we will have 4 two seat gliders as well as 3 single seat gliders. We have a membership of 50-60 with probably 35-40 active pilots, some of whom own their own gliders.

We will have incurred significant extra debt.

We will have all non-flapped gliders except one...you guessed it - the Janus.

And now I hear we have received an offer to buy our Janus...can I suggest in the strongest possible terms - accept the offer...it won't come again. Especially for a 25 year old glider.

Sell it...sell it now...take the money...save ourselves the fund raising efforts...forget the contorted logic that somehow we can make money out of keeping it...focus on the possible...build enthusiasm for the new glider (although precious little of this has been happening...)...what more can I say...the arguement is persuasive, is it not?

So how fast can u get your wheels up???

Both glider and tow-plane have wheels up before you can say "altocumulus lenticularis"...

So...can you fly in July???

It twas probably fly-able today. Forecast cloud base 4500ft - which from the photo looks about right. The squiggly line graph showed similiar. See attached photo's, graph, RASP forecast thermal strength and a movie of 1.30pm to 3pm.

SE winds...thermals developing over the lower Kaimai's

Biggles??

Oxygen training at Hobsonville. Did I get Hypoxia???...you bet I did. At 25,000ft after 4 minutes I was not taking life very seriously. However at 18,000ft I think I'd last 10-15 minutes before "losing it". But would I know I'd lost it??? That was the point of the day.

Worth keeping an eye on...

The club class, standard class and PW5 class World champs in Europe are only using Dynamic WT9 Microlights as tow planes. We should be keeping a close eye on these developments. Watercooled engine, plastic/glass not fabric, two seaters with options for local flying, low fuel consumption, pretty to look at etc.

But as always with gliding contests, it rained...typical. I bet they had 20 days before the contest of warm sunny days, and I'd bet various parts of Maurice's antomy that it'll be fine after the contest has finished.

For Sale

Hand-held Radio. Either a Vertex or an ICOM. Proceeds to the DuoDiscus Fund. Vertex - $400, ICOM - $450. Chargers included.

Task Week

MSC Task Week 21st– 27th Nov Do you want to fly with friends? Would you like to stretch your wings a bit? Want to fly a few tasks rather than free flying? Want to fly mid-week? Would like to encourage new X-country pilots into contests? Do you want tow planes and retrieve people on-call? Want to practise your wx forecasting and task planning? Did you answer “yes” to one or more of these questions? The opportunity has arisen to hold a Task Week alongside Matamata Soaring Centre introductory Cross-Country course the week before the Northern Regional’s. We will have tow-planes, tasking facilities and friends on-site from the 21st Nov to the start of the Northern Regional’s. If the beginners X-country course is not for you, you have your only glider, or a club glider with the appropriate ratings, why not come along for some challenging tasks. Weather forecasts and tasks will be set every morning. Launching will be with the X-Country course participants (as will be the beers afterwards), success is in your hands. Task Week costs - $15 per day for each day you fly…no fly no costs. (Tows, accommodation, glider costs and so forth, at your expense). “Jan’s Happy Cafe” will be open - Cheap MEAL DEAL available - $140 for Dinner, Breakfast and Lunch for the 6 days…better value than the Kahu Café at Omarama. Note – To participate in Task Week you need to have completed a X-country Course or competed in a formal gliding contest. If in doubt contact David Jensen Contact David Jensen - david@puketiro.co.nz (or 0274 517757) to register your interest.

FOR THE RECORD...

It's David...not Dave.

Storms a coming...US 18 meter Nationals..