Let's not quibble about why he had to land out...cloud base of 5200ft and big strong thermals all the way to Auckland (I know this because I flew overhead in a Q300 an hour earlier).
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Let's focus on the important bit...choosing to go flying is voluntary, landing is compulsory...therefore land outs are part of our DNA.
But I should also note that a few of our club members have been critical of our antipodean friend's out landing skills. I should also point out that these constructively critical members (because most criticism at a gliding club is constructive...NOT...this is also in our "DNA") claim not to read this blog...so we are on safe ground.
What's important in a land-out?
Finding a good paddock or airstrip, landing in the right direction, plenty of room in the planning and execution phase, not hitting any sheep, and taking some good photo's afterwards.
So we can see the track...downwind, base and finals.
We can note that from turning final to landing was 25 seconds.
We can see he was 600ft above his airstrip mid downwind.
He landed up hill.
There were no sheep in the paddock...or if there were he has photo-shopped them out...
From where he took the photo he had been offered a cup of tea.
We can also see the Mount in the background...so if the airstrip was 800ft AGL and we know he started downwind 700ft above the strip why didn't he simply fly back to the big strip at Tauranga Airport??? Maybe because it was 22 kms away...I must ask...
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