Odds and sods...

Here in NZ we live at the bottom of the globe...if you need evidence of this just have a wee look at Piako's live webcam...

Currently there is a tow-plane being advertised in Europe...its looks like it was developed during WW2...although the same could be said of Cubs, Pawnee's and Lycoming engines...however the really interesting feature is this pilot has lost his instructor...

Eff...what do I do now???

Actung...Spitfire...no wait its a Discus...

A group of cows is a "herd", a group of sheep is a "flock" (mind you so is a group of church goers...), so what is a group of baboons?? A low intelligent, loud and badly behaved primate??? A Parliament...

Bits and Pieces

With the end of the Olympics came the release of how much money Sport NZ (aka the taxpayer) spent on High Performance Sport...in a word "heaps". Rowing got $19.2 million. Good on them...as a result we got gold medals...well done, well done indeed.

You may know that we glidering people received $16k (that's thousands...not millions) last year. Not that we should complain as we only number 800 odd (odd in every sense...silly white hats etc) but could we do better with more spent on high performance coaching and training?
Certainly rowing, athletics, swimming and others take this approach. Select a development team and put in the time, effort, enthusiasm and cash.

It's worth noting that the the World Juniors will be held in Australia (that big flat place nearby with snakes, spiders, sharks, croc's, and Pauline Hansen) in 2015. What a target.

The other world class competition is underway again in Uvalde after a rest day. A short task...400kms, and slower speeds...only 150kph. Piece of cake really...not.

It's still raining. We are upto 600mm's in the last 3 weeks...I may as well live in Greymouth or Westport...or even Reefton. But the good part is we now receive an extra hour of daylight than 2 months ago, and the days are getting longer by 2 minutes per day.
The Piako Club is having it's pre-season briefing in 3 weeks...so clearly pilots are awakening, looking outside, and dreaming of high bases, 10 knot climbs, and long cloud streets...and then they wake up.

However I've always thought a pre-season briefing is a great idea so I'll trundle over the hill on the day. I raised the idea locally but apparently we glide all winter and stay current, procedures never change, and we don't like learning things...yeah right. Oh well...change and new ideas are hard...

News is on...I'm off...seeya.

It's as big as Texas...

This Concordia glider thingy...

Just imagine landing this on an airstrip up some valley with a tail wind...YeeHaa...

It's like going into McDonald's...ordering an ASW27 and then asking to "supersize me young man"...

Anyhow...the interesting points out of the WGC in Uvalde (said You-val-Dee so I'm told) are the speeds. The Open class winner yesterday ( A Pommy chap...lost in Texas) averaged 161kph on a thermal task. No ridges or wave here young grasshoppers. Just big thermals, 10 knot climbs, very long glides, and lots and lots of ballast.

The other point to note is the Amercians finally conceded that their scoring site was crap (you heard it here first) and opted for SoaringSpot. About time.

I should be careful what I say here...they still have the Death Penalty in the Lone Star State...but then again they still have Dubya...a bit like having a batty old aunt in the family that no-one likes to talk about...

And it's raining again...like you didn't already know this...

Another 100mm's over night...to add to the 475mm's we have had since mid-July. In a word - wet...

But take heart Nth Island folks...I twas in Christchurch yesterday and it was grey, wet and cold.

Oh... and I missed an important milestone...this blog has been running for 3 year last May. 720 posts later and I'm still finding interesting ways to test peoples patience.



I don't often do this...

But a comic peice that arrived in the inbox I thought was worth sharing. Any bits in brackets are my additions;

U.S.A.RECESSION


The recession has hit everybody really hard...

My neighbor got a pre-declined credit card in the mail

CEO's are now playing miniature golf. (with miniature putters)
Exxon-Mobil laid off 25 Congressmen. (only 25?)
I saw a Mormon with only one wife.

If the bank returns your cheque marked "Insufficient Funds," you call them and ask if they meant you or them.

McDonald's is selling the 1/4 ouncer. (and are using beef again)
Angelina Jolie adopted a child from America. (Brad Pitt perhaps?)
Parents in Beverly Hills fired their nannies and learned their children's names.

My cousin had an exorcism but couldn't afford to pay for it, and they re-possessed her!

A truckload of Americans was caught sneaking into Mexico.

A picture is now only worth 200 words.

When Bill and Hillary travel together, they now have to share a room. (and an intern?)
The Treasure Island casino in Las Vegas is now managed by Somali pirates.

And, finally....
I was so depressed last night thinking about the economy, wars, jobs, my savings, Social Security, retirement funds, etc.., I called the Suicide Hotline. I got a call center in Pakistan, and when I told them I was suicidal, they got all excited, and asked if I could drive a truck.

An offering to the big Kahuna...

In medieval times they sacrificed virgins to the Gods...
But in modern times we sacrifice JS1's...apparently...

This from the Wings and Wheels site -

JS1-B REVELATION N405BT, 2011 SERIAL NO. 25 SPECIAL NOTE :This aircraft complies with FAA safety notice of Jul 6, 2012 (ABQ FSDO) and is deemed insurable for flight risks (Costello Insurance Associates).This beautiful glider has a total time of 28.4 hours and is under factory warranty. Aircraft is based in the high dry country of New Mexico. This ship is equipped with the LX 8000 with stick controller, Winter vario, Beker transceiver, XPDR, TS electronic turn and bank. The ship has the engine compartment with brackets for large oxygen cylinder. Urethane finish. The trailer is a metal Cobra. One man assist dolly, wing dolly, tow out gear. Aircraft is sacrificed at $150,000 obo.

These dudes are also committing a DG500 to the big Kahuna as well...

I could understand burning a PW5 in order to get better weather...but a JS1 is taking things a little too far...

Live tracking is up...

Finally the Live Tracking component to the WGC website is up and running..albeit restricted to 5 gliders today.
And I must admit that unless you knew one of the contestants it's a bit like watching paint dry...
Still you can see where they have been...how far into the circle etc etc.
Better than the "good old days" when we would have waited til 2 months after the contest to read a typed report in the magazine with B&W photos...technology is great isn't it??
Accept when it isn't...

It flew..

That Concordia thingy I talked about last post finally logged a score in the Open Class...second for the day.

Land that in a typical Matamata paddock...yeah right.

Although given the wing span you could probably get back from Tokoroa from 1000ft AGL, into a headwind, in the rain and with the airbrakes open...but where's the fun in that.

You want more from Uvalde...find out for yourself - http://wgc2012uvalde.com/

These N Easterlies can eff off...

Another day of rain...(just for your benefit Mr Baldman...sunning your self in Canada...or where ever you are). We had 462 mm's in the last week of July...almost half a bloody meter. It's like living in Ireland in the summer...
It's like Mrs Brown said to the Mormon's..."the bible says it rained for 40 days and 40 mights...in Ireland we call that the fikking summer..."

More practise days at the Worlds. Just looked the the 15 meter task for yesterday (or today...or is it tomorrow...how many hours behind is Texas anyhow??? In real time not culturally)...
It must be smoking weather - AAT task..the top 3 did over 600kms at an average speed of 140 plus kph...interestingly the Open class where not much faster.
No sign of the Concordia submitting a task time yet. This is the famed glider that an US chap built with a wing span of a gzillion feet, max take-off wieght equivalent to the space shuttle and some interesting wing root designs. It'll be interesting to see.

At a local level we have the annual Club dinner come prize giving come "what else do you do in winter" event. I'll have to give back the trophy I never recieved last year...