SoaringNZ Issue 31

NEW ZEALAND’S PREMIER SOARING MAGAZINE

SOUTH ISLAND REGIONALS 2012 CENTRAL PLATEAU SOARING COMPETITION PERLAN SETTING RECORDS FOR SCIENCE MOUNTAIN SAFETY • CLUB NEWS issue

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IMAGES THAT SOAR ABOVE THE ORDINARY

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contents december 2012/january 2013

FEATURES 10

Central Plateau Soaring Competition

14

South Island Regional Gliding Contest

19

Perlan – Setting Records for Science

23

Flying the Glory

28

Matamata Instructor’s Training Course

30

Setting out a Flarepath

31

Safety in Mountain Flying Part Five

35

Cockpit Confusion

36

An Exciting Day Out

38

Scenic Landouts

43

Bonjour Montreal

Pg 10

Pg 14

REGULARS Pg 23

Pg 36

6

Log Book

29

GNZ Awards and Certificates

40

Vintage The Wenlock Olympian Games

44

Gliding New Zealand Club News

50

Classified Advertising

Pg 43

Printer Blue Print Advertising, editorial and subscription enquiries

Publisher McCaw Media Ltd

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Editor Jill McCaw soaringnz@mccawmedia.co.nz

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ISSN 1178-4784

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from the editor december 2012/january 2013

Thank you to the Gliding Family I’ve observed before that the gliding community is more like a family than a group of clubs. It is small enough that you don’t have to be around very long before you manage to meet many of its members and learn of many more. Some people you don’t see very often, some people you don’t like very much, and other people you adore, just like a family. The gliding community has certainly felt like a family recently.

We’ve been down to the South Island Regionals, which is an annual pilgrimage for our family. This is the start of the summer for us. We set up the caravan in the Omarama camp ground for the season. Once the caravan’s set up, it makes it easy to pop down for the odd weekend, or longer periods between work commitments.

Lots of other people do the same. The summer campground regulars come from all around the country. Some people stay a week, some stay longer. For many of us, this is the only time we actually see each other in the flesh all year. For years, my son Robert would measure himself against Paul Barrett’s (not that short) lovely wife Linda to see if he was taller. It was a ritual. For many years she was in the lead, then one year they were level pegging. Now he towers over her.

There is a large wood round acting as a door stop at the entry to the ablution block. That block of wood was first in use four or five years ago, as a step stool, so that Leah Ruddick from Wellington could reach the sink in the Ladies to wash her hands. She hasn’t needed it for two summers now. My kids have grown up with the gliding equivalent of aunts and uncles to spoil and discipline them and a pile of cousins to get up to mischief with and measure themselves against.

Nick Oakley and my son Alex grew up together, spending summer holidays swimming, biking, boating and learning to fly gliders. Now, together, they’re off flying in their first international competition – Australia’s Youth Nationals – Joey Glide. Their team manager, helper and crew person is their “Uncle” David Tillman.

Another thing about family is that sometimes it never occurs to you to ask them for help, but they’ll offer it anyway.

Earlier in the year, when Alex and Nick announced their intentions of going to Joey Glide, we started trying to work out where the money to pay for it would come from. Neither of our

The pilots at the South Island Regionals, part of my extended gliding family.

families could afford to send them off with a pat on the head and a packed lunch. The boys’ ultimate aim is to fly in the FAI Junior World Championships in Australia in 2015. We thought that would be interesting to potential sponsors. We put a considerable amount of effort into grant applications to various trusts, those ones out in the community that provide funds for up and coming young sports people. It was a huge amount of work, made more complex by having to explain what the sport of glider racing is all about, before we could even get to explaining why these young men were worthy of the attention and the money. Ultimately it all came to nothing.

None of the sources approached came through. How much of that is to do with the obscurity of gliding as a sport, we will never know.

Meanwhile, the boys were working hard to earn funds. Nick works as a farming contractor and Alex is a student. He has a casual part time job working at a petrol station. He thought he’d found a job for the university holidays working with one of the Geotech companies, drilling samples all over Christchurch, sadly they haven’t come back to him about when he can start. By November he had enough money to cover the camp, but had nothing left over for next year at university. Alex is young, and has no problem with

next issue

NEW ZEALAND’S PREMIER SOARING MAGAZINE

Deadline for Club News, articles and pictures is 11 January and 22 January for advertising.

STH ISLAND REGIONALS 2012 CENTRAL PLATEAU SOARING COMPETITION PERLAN SETTING RECORDS FOR SCIENCE

Piper Cub BFV is a familiar sight towing at Omarama.

-/5.4!). 3!&%49 s #,5" .%73 issue

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Photo John McCaw

The Youth Soaring Development Camp, the Nationals, summer flying around the country, Joey Glide.

Deadline for membership changes to GNZ online database for next mailing: 10 February.

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subscription form Name: ______________________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________ Postcode ______________ Phone ______________________________________________________________ Email ________________________________________________________________ the thought of extending his student loan to cover that, even if his parents aren’t so sure that’s a good idea. It did mean he had enough money for the trip.

And then, at the Regionals, the gliding family got behind the boys. The Mike Rix trustees agreed to pay airfares, but it was the generosity of individual people that leaves me teary. Many people donated to the cause. There is now enough money to completely cover the costs of the trip for both of them, with some left over.

The remaining monies will be kept aside for their on-going training, leading up to the Junior Worlds. It is only a fraction of the money that will be required for the whole campaign, but it is such a generous start.

As I write this, the boys are in Australia, enduring temperatures in the 40’s, and getting to know the gliders they’ll be flying next week in the contest. And that reminds me of some more people who need to be thanked, the Australian gliding community. Complete strangers have reached out to help the boys. Alex has a Cirrus to fly, for free.

Thank you Adam Woolley. Adam simply says that he has got a lot out of the sport; he wants to pay it forward. To our extended gliding family out there, if you’ve stepped up in any way to help the boys achieve their goals, we thank you so much. Know too that the boys are doing their very best, to be worthy of your trust.

Next issue we’ll bring you the Joey Glide report.

Enjoy your summer Stay Safe Jill McCaw

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LOG BOOK FATALITY AT NEW SOUTH WALES STATE COMPETITION AT NARROMINE

Eric Spettler, a 50 year old Queensland pilot was taking part in the NSW State Gliding Championships when his glider clipped a tree and crashed on to the Warren Road, while on approach to runway 22 at Narromine aerodrome. He was flying an LS8. At the time of writing, no more details were available.

ADVANCED SOARING MADE EASY IS NOW IN ITS THIRD EDITION Bernard Eckey’s book Advanced Soaring Made Easy is now in its third edition. See the ad elsewhere this issue.

The book contains 432 pages (almost 100 additional pages compared to the second edition). It features spectacular gliding shots, from fellow pilots around the world. The inclusion of additional topics makes it the first all-encompassing book on gliding. 180 graphics and drawings enhance the text and provide much improved illustration.

On Line Competition (OLC) now recognises NZ as two regions.

Due to the differences between the North and South Island conditions, the Sailplane Racing Committee petitioned the OLC to split us into two contest regions. So now, in the same way as Australia or the USA, New Zealand glider pilots score in their own region, but also, of course, in the whole country. They can also compare their flights with the rest of the world on OLC’s worldwide platform.

The OLC says, “We welcome New Zealand’s glider pilots to participate in OLC’s prestigious competition, and OLC Magazine will be happy to report about your soaring in the Southern Hemisphere.

It does not cost you a single cent to upload your flights to our secure system. As a non- profi t organization, OLC offers a unique opportunity to share soaring information and stories around the world. Have a look at what happens on the other side of the Earth, or simply observe what your neighbouring club achieved today! On OLC’s internet platform, your IGC-file and your personal data will be safe. Have a great Southern Summer 2013! We hope to see more news from your gliding competitions.”

The OLC features the trace of Max Stevens 1022.9 km flight as the longest South Island Flight so far this season (at time of writing).

TARANAKI CLOUD

These two photos were taken by Steve Barham at 7pm on 16 October 2012. Glyn Jackson went back and had a look at the RASP archive, and the good news is that the high confidence RASP

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(issued on the morning of the 16th) predicted such a cloud (and wave + associated rotor turbulence) would exist at this location at 7pm. .... Long live the RASP .....

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SOARING HEAVEN

ANTARES 18T - MAIDEN FLIGHT WITH SELF-SUSTAINER

Terry Delore sends us a photo taken from back seat of an ASH 25Mi. It was the last thermal of the day, on final glide back to Minden, Nevada, to complete a 1000km FAI triangle with Philippe Athuil. Cloud base was 18,000 ft plus.

SKY FULL OF HEAT

BY SEBASTIAN KAWA Eight time World Champion, Sebastian Kawa has written a book to share his secrets of success: passion, knowledge and experience.

The book, according to the webpage, showcases the most extreme side of the extreme sports.

Sebastian talks about sailing and fl ying, his first flights and first competitions, wins and losses, gliders and avionics, safety and taking necessary risk.

It covers: how to plan cross country flights, how to use thermals, where to look for them, how to win competitions, and tons of other tips from the world’s best.

SoaringNZ is hoping to get a review copy.

GPS NOT THE BEST WAY TO FIND YOUR ROUTE IN CHRISTCHURCH We all know the stories of drivers led astray by their GPS. I’ve twice heard of tourists blindly following the machine through the Molesworth, enroute from Christchurch to Nelson. The fact that they’re on precipitous metal roads and have to open gates doesn’t seem to ring warning bells. GPS are proving to be the least reliable way to find your way around Christchurch.

Just have a look at this screen shot from ‘Transport for Christchurch’ to see why GPS systems can’t keep up. And it's no good going the route you went yesterday because it will have changed and be no good today.

On Friday 30.11.2012, the weather cleared enough to let the Antares 18T, with the new self sustainer engine installed, up for its maiden flight. Due to the powerful motor, it was possible to self-launch. After a take-off run of approximately 200 m (660 ft), Axel Lange performed an unproblematic climb to the cloud-base, at an altitude of 1800 m (5900 ft) MSL. The average climb rate from the airfield (340 m /1115 ft MSL) to 1800 m MSL was exactly 2.0 m/s (395 ft/min).

Axel Lange was very pleased with the good climb performance and the handling of the engine, which proved to be simple, both on the ground and in the air. The only thing he was disappointed about, was that the weather situation had not allowed for the planned climb to above 3000 m (9800 ft).

The most significant developmental goals for this self-sustainer system have been:

◗

a very low level of motor-induced vibration. The effect of this is two-fold: on the one hand, it benefi ts the engine, with regards to achieving a very high reliability and increasing the fatigue resistance. On the other hand, it also leads to a substantial reduction in the stress-levels of the pilot during powered fl ight.

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a high climb rate, also at higher altitudes, which allows for the safe passage of all alpine mountain passes.

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a fast and safe air start of the engine.

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LOG BOOK CAPTION THIS… A couple of Geoff Soper's images from the South Island Regionals got our editorial team wondering what was on the mind of these aviation enthusiasts. Email your thoughts to soaringnz@mccawmedia.co.nz

GLIDING NZ’S NEW ONLINE MEMBERSHIP SYSTEM IS LIVE Our user name is your GNZ number (don’t know your GNZ number? – there is a search The site was launched to Club facility at trouble logging in). To Administrators in April allowing initially set your password, click them to: on Trouble logging in – you will • View and export their Club’s receive an email with a link that membership list • Edit member’s contact details allows you to set your password. Passwords are case • Register new members sensitive. The email will go to • Resign members the email address held on the The system allows individual register.

GNZ members to view their If you don’t receive an email entry and edit their personal from noreply@gliding.co.nz to contact details. set your password, please check your Spam/Junk folders LOGIN before contacting your Club There is a link on Gliding NZ’s Administrator or membership@ website under Quick Links at gliding.co.nz the bottom of the home page or go to members.gliding.co.nz

Step 1

Step 2

http://members.gliding.co.nz

Step 3

SOARING NZ MAGAZINE The deadline for membership for Soaring NZ mailouts is 9th of the month for the ensuing issue. Membership changes after this date will not be refl ected until the following issue.

Laurie Kirkham, Central Register Manager membership@gliding.co.nz

Contributions to Logbook are welcome from all of our readers within New Zealand and internationally.

Email your news snippets to: soaringnz@mccawmedia.co.nz. Please put "logbook" in the subject line.

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GLIDING CANVAS ARTWORK

REVISED AND EXTENDED THIRD EDITION

Canvas prints last a lifetime, offer superior print quality and give a truly stunning texture to John McCaw’s exceptional photography.

This definitve guide to advanced soaring is beautifully illustrated with photos

by New Zealand's own John McCaw plus wonderful images from around the world.

McCaw MEDIA 430 Halswell Rd Christchurch Tel +64 3 322 5222 email info@mccawmedia.co.nz

$90 plus $5 p&p within NZ Available from McCaw Media: Tel +64 3 322 5222 Email soaringNZ@mccawmedia.co.nz www.mccawmedia.co.nz

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Inquiries and Bookings free phone 0508 58 55 88 | phone +64 3 438 9555 | www.glideomarama.com

December 2012

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CENTRAL PLATEAU SOARING COMPETITION 27 OCT TO 4 NOV 12

This year’s soaring competition season kicked off in Taupo with the Central Plateau Soaring Competition. There were 16 entrants and all competitors had a great week, in what was a fun and friendly event. Due to the various handicaps, it was decided that all tasks for the week would be AAT’s.

By Trace Austin, Taupo Gliding Club

As with any competition or event, there is a lot of work in the planning and preparation and of course, in the running of the event. A HUGE thankyou goes out to all those that helped throughout the weeks leading up to and the week during the event. Without your assistance, the competition would not have been the success that it was. As for the competition, here is an outline of the week that was.

PRACTICE DAY Saturday was not particularly good weather-wise, as pilots and their toys arrived. It was therefore decided not to set a task for the day, but a few pilots took to the air to sort themselves out and to have a look around.

We did have a visit from Ross & Geoff Gaddes. Ross had a great flight down from Auckland in the Ventus-2 but decided to land at Tokoroa rather than push on towards Taupo. Geoff collected him in the trailer and they continued the journey to Taupo by road.

Saturday night was spent catching up with everyone and having a social beer or two.

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Photos Trace Austin

DAY ONE The forecast on Saturday told us that Sunday would be a complete washout, with a very wet front expected to arrive. By Saturday evening, in typical NZ fashion, the forecast had changed completely and Sunday afternoon looked like a possibility.

After the morning briefing, tasking was delayed until 1200, then 1300, when a short AAT was set. At 1400 Geoff Gaddes was optimistically sent aloft in the Ventus, into a rather dark over-developed sky. Geoff promptly reported that the towplane was refusing to take him above 3,400 due to having no IFR clearance, and the task was cancelled.

True to form, almost immediately, a small clearance came through from the south west and enough heat leaked in to encourage about half of the grid to go fl ying. It eventuated into a weak scratchy day, with no real opportunity to go anywhere, but at least some fl ying was done.

The day was completed with a chat, coldie and the traditional welcome BBQ organised by Trev and Di Terry.

DAY ONE Second attempt. Again, the previous day’s forecast for the Monday was ‘forget it’, but the day dawned with a great looking

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Above: Hugh Delatour and John Curtis.

Below: I'm almost ready ... Tim Bromhead.

sky, blue, with really nice Cu development. However, it was accompanied by a 15 knot easterly, which often does not make for great fl ying in Taupo (except for local fl ying around Mt Tauhara).

The task setters set the following task: Start, TP1- Rerewhakaitu Farm, TP2- Rangitikei, TP3- Lake Rotokawa, and Finish.

At 1400 the task was “ON”, all gliders were launched and the start gate was opened. Shortly before the gate opened, Doug Henry called in an outlanding. No more was heard until he arrived back at the field some 15 minutes later and collected his car keys and a volunteer for the retrieve.

By 1500 the day completely over-developed, shutting down pretty much the whole task area. Anything that wasn’t overdeveloped was a blue hole with no convection and the outlanding notifications started coming in pretty quickly.

climbed to 4500’ and disappeared off down the Reporoa valley out of sight. There were still no clouds but the lake breeze was setting in, so that was a pretty good sign that things were starting to go.

With the breeze, a change of vectors was required and everyone hastily moved down to runway - 22.

Everyone made the first turn point, but getting to the second and third was far more difficult. A number of gliders around the Paeroa range were circling not much above the radio mast and everyone was scratching for lift. As the afternoon progressed, most competitors made the second turn point but elected to call it quits there and returned to Taupo.

There was one pilot who made it all the way round the task to be the only finisher for the day, that was Alan Belworthy. Steve Wallace also made an excellent attempt but outlanded on the way home on a strip in the western bay to await an aero-tow retrieve.

DAY TWO Tuesday. There was a good forecast for the day with only a slight influence from the front to the east of New Zealand. With light easterly winds, the task was set: TP1- Kaingaroa, TP2- Pureora, TP3- National Park, Finish.

At 1230 it was still blue out there, so a sniffer (Maurice in the Duo XT) was sent up to see what was happening. He promptly

DAY THREE Wednesday. Oh dear, the forecast was all blue - and it WAS all blue. It was a lovely day for working on a sun tan, but hard work in a glider. The RASP forecast was for three to four knots in the blue but with an early end to the day. The task for this beautiful sunny clear day was; TP1- Galatea, TP2- North Arm, TP3- Lake Rotokawa, Finish.

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Waiting,waiting and still waiting

A dirty Sunday

Alan Belworthy was sent up to check the air while the rest of us waited patiently. In the end the launch was delayed until a little after 1300, when all gliders took to the sky with a definite lake breeze straight down the strip, so “something must be going to happen out there right? “ Well - not quite. We had several relights and some decided not to go, but those who made the start gate found the task challenging for the day. The hardest part was getting through the inversion around 4000’. Overall, it was a challenging day with only a few finishers, one of which was Doug Henry. Go Doug! (Remember Doug outlanded before the start on Day One.) Today was not only challenging for pilots but also for Jen and Mary who were preparing the mid-week dinner night. Things were going to plan until the power failed in the club house. So Team David came to the rescue. A team lead by David Hirst aided Jen and Mary by cooking in the camp kitchen, so all was not lost. Eventually, a representative from the power company arrived and sorted out the problem and the evening got back on track.

It is amazing what a wine or two will do though. By night’s end there was a Karaoke King (Adam Cumberlege) and two Karaoke Queens (Lucienne van der Wal and Jenny Austin). It also goes without saying that the favourite activity of glider pilots throughout the evening was talking about gliding.

cloud and sea breeze convergences around the second area, and the forecasted light-cloud development around the last area.

With the start area being blue, most pilots made the sensible decision not to go any distance into the first area at all. Those that made best use of the convergence around the second area at Murupara were able to get the best speed and distance.

Competition leader Alan Belworthy got too low and fell into the sea breeze around Murupara and was unable to climb back out again, so had to start the iron thermal to get home.

Of all the day’s retrieves, David Hirst had the hardest. He was able to radio relay that he had landed safely in Goudies and was out of cell phone coverage. Unfortunately, this area is a little remote and he was around 12km away from the nearest house. Cell phone coverage is pretty awful up there and he couldn’t raise anyone on the radio to advise Taupo of his exact GPS co-ordinates.

His crew was dispatched in the general direction and Bill Kendall with Trevor Terry (in ‘Glider Rescue One,’ the Tecnam microlight, EKO) went to search for and locate him. He was eventually tracked down and retrieved before dark.

DAY FOUR Thursday. Our trusty weather forecaster (Roland) hinted that we would have a partly blue day with some cloud markers. The task setters set another AAT, but this time went North West; TP1- Ranginui, TP2- Galatea, TP3- Poronui, TP4- Lake Rotokawa, Finish.

Finally, the task area was spilt quite clearly into an almost entirely blue area around the first circle. There were very obvious

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DAY FIVE Friday. With another forecast blue day, the task was out to the west again, before heading back to Thursday’s top and bottom turn points; TP1- Poihipi, TP2- Galatea, TP3- Poronui, TP4- Lake Rotokawa, Finish.

After launch, conditions changed quickly and it rapidly became apparent that the forecast was completely wrong about cloud base and cloud cover. With poor visibility and a maximum height of only 4000’, the start gate was put on hold and the task adjusted to remove the first turn point. With the reduced distance the task time was also cut back to two hours.

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L: A relaxed Steve Wallace Below L: Doug Henry - I'm a little teapot Below R: Contest Director - Rob Lyon

The changed task proved to be a greater challenge for the day than expected. The day was dominated by a low cloud base, no more than 4500’, and convergence lines running through all the AAT task areas.

Again, Alan Belworthy was forced into an early engine-start over Murupara and the contest now came down to a close fight between Alan in the Ventus, Steve Wallace in the Mighty Mosquito and Trev Terry in the Duo. With Saturday being almost certain to be a rain-day, the contest would come down to the last day on Sunday.

DAY SIX Saturday. Weather conditions dictated that there would be no fl ying today, so it was a relaxing day for all and in the evening we had another social evening with a BBQ. Karaoke was not up to the same standard as set on the previous Wednesday evening though.

The cold front that was predicted ripped through during the afternoon with a hiss and a roar and by 1700 we were left with a cold south westerly and a sky that would have been perfect at 1300.

However, the forecast for the Sunday was good and with the competition extremely close all were looking forward to a great last day.

LAST DAY Sunday. Well, what a day!!!! In typical Taupo fashion, this was clearly the best day of the week, so the task setters set a task to match. The last task was an ATT with TP1- Tirau, TP2- Kuratau, TP3Aratiatia and Finish. With blue skies and near perfect cumulus, the main order of the day would be dodging possible build-ups and some rain showers, although none eventuated.

For Team Taupo in the ‘Concrete Swan’ – GME, it was the first day that the Twin Astir completed a task, although there were a

few anxious moments around Mangakino and Mt Titiraupenga that could have upset the day. Trace Austin and Bill Dawson landed late in the afternoon to much jubilation from the home supporters.

There was only one unfortunate land out during the day, by guess who? Doug Henry. Doug managed to park his LS3a in a paddock near Aratiatia, once again before the gate opened. This man has talent!

Unfortunately, not everyone could stay around for the last day, which ended up being the first thousand point day, but those that did stay around saw the best of the week’s weather.

Overall, it was an awesome week to start off the soaring season and everyone had a great time.

Results Open Class 1 Trev Terry 2 Roland Vander Wall 3 Maurice Weaver Cub Class 1 Steve Wallace 2 Tim Bromhead 3

Adam Cumberlege

Overall 1 Steve Wallace 2 Trev Terry 3 Roland Van der Wall Most Notorious Flights 1 Doug Henry for landing out before the start on Day One and Day Six 2 David Hirst - for his land out in Goudies

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SOUTH ISLAND REGION GLIDING CONTEST

By Jill McCaw

17 - 14 NOVEMBER 2012 The ‘Regionals’ have always been a bit special for me.

I had my first introduction to South Island flying, South Island pilots, Omarama, and my husband John, at this contest back in November 1988. Many things have changed over the years but the vagaries of gliding contest weather isn’t one of them. Practice Day this year was raining. The weather however was playing ball and improved throughout the week. I think this is the first contest I can remember where we could have had seven flying days, although the last day - that was finally cancelled - would have been marginal.

DAY TWO

DAY ONE

Day winners: Open/18m Std/15m Club Class

Day One was an interesting day, with SW winds, some wave, and a few showers. Tim Hardwick-Smith, a North Island pilot, completed his first ever contest task today in very credible fashion, in spite of unfamiliar territory and conditions. There were many land-outs and land-backs, so Tim did really well to get around.

Day winners: Open/18m Std/15m Club Class

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Grae Harrison George Wills Steven Evans

The wind was still light SW, with a large high pressure area keeping the winds light. The task setters changed to the ‘B’ task, which simply meant adding 20km circles to the original turnpoints, and a time limit. This worked well and had the interesting advantage of bringing everyone home within 45minutes or so of each other.

This made watching the finishes much more of a spectator sport.

There were only two landouts, both in the standard class.

Wal Bethwaite in CC and Alex McCaw in MQ. Alex did the classic Omarama, really regrettable landout – Omakau. This is only about 20 km as the crow flies, but at least fi ve hours on the road to retrieve. Unfortunately the paddock wasn’t suitable for an aero retrieve. Many thanks to Craig Walecki for offering to get him and saving me from doing it.

Theo Newfield Tony van Dyk Steven Evans

DAY THREE The wind inland was light and variable, with easterlies on the coast and an expected cloudbase of around 7 to 8,000’. The tasks were set well into the mountains, with turn points down around Makaroa and up around Tin Hut. The B tasks, with 20 km circles were put into effect for all classes.

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George Wills

ONAL Photos Geoff Soper End of day one. SW wave

I had a fantastic day. Craig Walecki volunteered to man the radios, while Craig Keenan took me for a late birthday treat. Flying in the Cessna 172 – MAV, we flew up to Glentanner (near Mt Cook), where we were intending to partake of afternoon tea. The air was relatively still and smooth, and I was actually quite impressed with how easy it is to simply point a power plane in the direction you want it to go, and you just arrive. Sadly, on arrival at Glentanner, we discovered the café has not yet opened for the season. We were forced to make do with an ice cream. We sat and enjoyed the view, the peace (interspersed by the arrival and departure of noisy tourist helicopters) and finally decided we’d better head back around 5.30.

We were just taxiing into position to take off, Craig did his radio call and over the radio we heard, “MAV? MQ.” Turned out, Alex in MQ hadn’t managed to make it back over the saddle (only needed another 50 feet) and was about to land at Glentanner. Could we give him a tow?

Fortunately the tow rope was stowed in the back of the plane.

Within two minutes Alex was on the ground. If he was surprised to see his mother he didn’t mention it. It was an incredibly scenic place to land a glider, and of course I had my camera with me, so I was fairly pleased. We pushed him back to the end of the strip, hooked the rope on at both ends, and then we towed him back to Omarama. Sadly for Alex, he was the only land out of the day. He was however, undertaking a nearly impossible task for a non-retractable, single Astir. To get that far was fairly amazing.

Day winners: Open/18m Std/15m Club Class

‘The Foxies’ Doug Hamilton/Karen Morgan Trevor Mollard Tim Hardwick-Smith

DAY FOUR Depending on whether you were one of the ones on the ground at a back-of-beyond airstrip like Longslip, Makarora or the Dingle, or someone who made it home, it was either a really hard day or a good fun one. Derek Kraak said it all came down to where you started: if you got your first climb on Magic (Mountain) then you were fine. He climbed over the Ribbonwood Gap and had a long hard slog. But he did make it around.

Billy Walker

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SOUTH ISLAND REGIONALS 2012

Steven Evans

Grae Harrison

There were some strategic engine starts, and several came home without completing the task. Everyone agreed it was very scenic. It was mentioned that this is probably the first Regionals where the Club Class has been sent so far into the mountains.

Most pilots trickling back into the Terminal building for a beer looked wrung out and exhausted.

DAY SIX

Day Winners: Open/18m Std/15m Club

Grae Harrison Billy Walker Steven Evans

DAY FIVE Light westerlies created wave influence on thermals and ridges, and tasks were again set back into the mountains, with turnpoints like Siberia, but not as far north as previous days. Only one landout today - Wal Bethwaite in CC on the Maitland, but there were quite a few land back, for relights. There were lots of late starts and that seemed to be the recipe for success, but it made it a VERY long day for the contest staff on the ground. It was 8.30pm before the last gliders were home on the ground.

Day Winners: Open/18m Std/15m Club Class

Grae Harrison Tony van Dyk Tim Hardwick-Smith

Graham Parker and Kerry Claffey (Team Oz)

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The day was a mixed bag, weather wise with souwesterly wave, thermals and convergence. The task was completely different from the rest of the week, sending all classes down the Kakanuis, across to the Kirklestons and home via Craigieburn. It was a much shorter day, with everyone home for a decent tea time. There was only one land out.

Mark Aldridge, one of the PB duo who decided to give themselves a rest day, took over the radio ops. Unfortunately the repeater, based up on the Lindis ridge, died, meaning radio communications were very difficult and tracking gliders down for Ops Normal calls was problematic.

Day Winners: Open/18m Std/15m Club Class

Graham Parker (from Australia) Max Stevens Steven Evans

DAY SEVEN Dawned overcast and a rebrief was called for midday. This was put back to 1300, when in spite of what appeared to be clearing skies, the day was called off. This turned out to be the right move, as the window for flying would have been very short. The exhausted pilots applauded the Contest Director when he made the call. So, sadly, we didn’t quite get a full run of contest days, but it is the closest I’ve seen in all the years I’ve been coming to this competition.

Wal Bethwaite

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SOUTH ISLAND REGIONALS 2012

TIM HARDWICK-SMITH

WINNER OF THE CLUB CLASS Like many glider pilots, I have always thought that one day I would do some gliding from Omarama.

This year I got around to it and booked a Mountain Soaring Course with Glide Omarama, which involved fi ve days of a lecture in the morning, followed by an afternoon flight in a Duo with Philip Plane. Since the South Island Regionals were the following week, I entered the Club class to see if I could put what I had learnt into practice.

The gliding from Omarama is totally different to gliding in Taranaki. There are strong narrow thermals that have very definite ground trigger points. They go high, and wave influence takes them even higher, and also gives lots of sink. Flying here involves spending a lot of time fl ying around at the height of Mount Egmont, above (try to stay above) the most awesome scenery, and sometimes getting quite close to it. Although we were over some very inhospitable country, there is nearly always a way out to an airstrip and the exceptions are worth knowing about.

The first day of the competition was exciting for me because I actually completed the task. I hadn’t done that before. Task setter Jerry O’Neill very cleverly gave us tasks that were both considerate of our skill level and extended us in a new direction every day. After every flight I got out of the glider thinking, “I don’t believe I just did that.”

It was great to get to know the other Club class competitors, and we all shared any information we had and looked after each other for road retrieves.

Well done Steve Evans – another day and you would probably have won. Steve was fl ying his glider only a little bit slower than the 777 he normally flies. Brian and Rob, watch out for that Easterly sea breeze. I know you would have relished the experience of retrieving me, but thankfully that didn’t eventuate. Phil and I will have to learn not to use so many thermals, but old habits are hard to break, Phil from fl ying hang gliders and me from fl ying in Taranaki.

The six competition days are a blur now but some memories stand out: Heading across Lake Hawea towards the Makarora turn point with blue below and blue above. Gavin Wills told us to take the second thermal in the McKerrows because it would be better. We all took the first one, so relieved to make it across, and yes, the second one was better.

Going up the east side of the Ahuriri Valley, wondering how I was going to get over the saddle at the end to get to the Huxley turn point, and then getting shot into the wave from another scree sourced thermal – problem solved.

Ridge soaring the Hawkdun Range from Omarama Saddle down to the Mount Ida turn point and back, and then peeling over the back to head north.

I would like to thank Philip Plane and Glide Omarama, and the Canterbury Gliding Club for the best gliding experience ever.

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SOUTH ISLAND REGIONALS 2012

KAREN MORGAN

OF THE TEAM

TANGO FOXIES This competition has been memorable for me for a combination of factors – the good weather, the creative task setting, the good humour of the competition director and his many helpers, and the generous sponsors – and also for me, the mix of pilots with whom I flew.

Our syndicate glider, ASH25 TF, is usually raced by Doug Hamilton or Michael Oakley, and I usually occupy the back seat and have a pretty light workload. They were both busy with work this year, and it looked as though a few days might have to be spent on the ground instead of racing.

TF started the week with three days flying with Doug Hamilton, and we enjoyed a mix of tasks and also an impromptu visit to a new dairy farm near Omarama. The third day saw us fly to Mt Aspiring, an area I visit only in competitions. An added bonus was that we actually won the day after a very long and conservatively slow 90 kilometre final glide. This flight earned us the Roy Evans Trophy for most meritorious Flight in a two seater.

Neither Doug nor Michael could fl y for the next two days, and Grae Harrison suggested an appropriate replacement would be Tom Claffey, a top Australian pilot who was flying with regular Aussie visitor Graham Parker. A quick call around the syndicate and to the insurance company, and I had a new front seat driver.

Day 4, the task was ambitious in the blue – 325 kilometres to Rees Station (near Glenorchy, on Lake Wakatipu) and then a little north of Omarama to Huxley. I wasn’t worried about the second turn as that looked a bit academic if we could not find our way south.

It was a real struggle to stay airborne at the launch point and it took considerable time to get high enough to start, but finally we were off to Ribbonwood for the first climb on track. Navigationally, I was OK for the first half of the flight, so we went over the Dingle and Hunter ridges and into the McKerrow Ranges in good order, crossed Makarora and headed into Aspiring via the Albert Burn Hut. Being blue, we aimed to stay high, however the relatively weak and broken thermals made this hard. From Mt Aspiring we headed out

Tony Van Dyk and Karen Morgan. May the best pilot win.

into the Matukituki Valley, but we were not quite high enough for us to see into the top of the Rees River and Dart River, and it was hard to pick the correct valley to fl y into. Plan B came into play, and we headed into the Branches sheep station, south along the Shotover River to Lake Lochnagar, where Tom found a stunning thermal that took us over 9000’. That made the trip onto the Richardson Mountains possible, and we turned Rees Station with height to get back into the Branches, then picked our way north again to the McKerrows and Hunter Ridge. It was finally ‘easy’ fl ying, and we hopped from the high point on the Hunter Ridge into the back of Huxley, where a thermal gave us enough height for our final glide. second for the day was a good reward for Tom’s hard work – we could not travel fast in the south and clearly no-one else did either!

The second day with Tom was a very pleasant 254 kilometre flight, largely in wave and ridge conditions, for another second place. It was interesting to see how a top world pilot operates in a largely unfamiliar place, and I enjoyed this flight and the sharing of my local racing knowledge.

Michael Oakley finished ballooning with Ballooning Canterbury, and appeared just in time to launch for Day 6’s ridge and convergence task. It was a real blast running the ridges towards the east coast and as we seldom stopped to climb, TF achieved the fastest pre-handicap time of just over two hours for 290 kilometres.

This was a great task which was perfect for the conditions, well done to tasksetter Jerry O’Neill.

Thanks to all three of my pilots and to the organisers for a fun and successful competition.

Michael Oakley and Karen Morgan.

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October 2012

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PERLAN

SETTING RECORDS FOR SCIENCE

By Dean Sigler, Project Historian

The quest for records often helps advance science, and science often returns the favour. Perlan 2 makes advances in aeronautics and structures, to enable it to achieve record altitudes and monitor the high stratosphere in unique way – a significant distinction from record seeking in balloons and powered aircraft.

SoaringNZ brings readers an exclusive look at the history of the project and the current state of play.

Records and Data Seeking Early balloonists, at untested heights, often found the upper air scarier than anticipated. In 1804, Joseph Louis Gay - Lussac, physicist, chemist, and balloonist, recorded several flights of over 20,000 feet, where he noted occasional states of unconsciousness and dizziness.

Dr. James Glaisher and Henry Coxwell, perhaps ignorant of Gay-Lussac’s reports, sought data on temperature and humidity at increasing altitudes in their September 1862 ascension over Wolverhampton, England, but found temperatures below -30° F, and had trouble breathing as the balloon climbed. Barely escaping with their lives, the pair had collected data on the levels at which clouds form, and the origins of rain.

Gaston Tissandier and his companions Croce-Spinelli and Sivel ascended to over 29,000 feet, and only Gaston survived the ordeal.

As aircraft matured, American, British, French, and Italian aviators began assaulting the heavens. June 30, 1938 marked Flight-Lieutenant M. J. Adams’ 53,937 foot record, flying a purposebuilt Bristol 138, only to have that achievement eclipsed by

Lieutenant-Colonel Mario Pezzi’s record 56,032 feet in a Caproni Ca.161 biplane on September 22. Adams and Pezzi wore pressure suits resembling antique diving outfi ts, in which neither could escape the intense cold.

Sailplanes have reached the near stratosphere in recent years. Earlier pilots were constrained by what could be achieved with thermals and ridge lift, but the discovery of standing mountain waves changed those limitations.

Paul Bikle, Director at NASA’s Dryden Flight Test Center from 1959 to 1971, was a soaring enthusiast and president of the Soaring Society of America. In February, 1961, he reached 46,267 feet over China Lake, California, in his simple, unheated Schweitzer 1-23.

Bikle had his son run his car’s heater at full blast in preparation for Bikle’s landing after two hours at -40° F temperatures.

According to NASA Dryden’s web site, “Bikle’s absolute altitude record for sailplanes was broken on Feb. 17, 1986 by Robert Harris, who reached 49,009 ft. altitude fl ying a Grob 102 over California City, Calif. The current record of 50,722 ft was set by the late Steve Fossett and Einar Enevoldson, as part of the Perlan project on August 30, 2006. Bikle’s 1961 record for altitude gained – 42,303 ft.

– is still unchallenged.”

With good reason. A former U. S. Air Force and NASA test pilot, Einar explains, “39,000 feet is the maximum limit for 100-percent oxygen, without leaks, and a perfect mask. One can then ‘pressure breathe,’ where the lungs are inflated above ambient pressure, which keeps pressure in the lungs at 39,000 feet. You must force the air out to exhale – it gets to be a lot of work eventually.” Einar experienced poorly operating pressurisation systems that caused extreme discomfort at altitude.

An early ‘jerkin’ type pressure shirt was worn, with inflatable

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Photo Kristin Kebbe

Forms show flow of long, slender fuselage.

bladder to counter the internal pressure on the lungs, which squeezed blood to the lower extremities. “So you put on a G-suit (pants with bladders over your abdomen, thighs, and calves.)

You will still faint in a few minutes, because blood still finds the un-pressurised nooks and crannies, and also just squeezes out of your veins into surrounding tissue.”

In Perlan 1, Einar and Steve wore slightly more comfortable astronaut suits, which barely fi t into their DG-505M’s already tight cockpit, with the suits’ unwieldy fi ngers and joints making manoeuvres difficult. Occasional over-pressurisation of a suit would force a hurried return to the airfield at El Calafate, Argentina.

Perlan 1 is retired, and suspended over a display celebrating the pair’s records at Seattle’s Museum of Flight – Einar’s in a wide range of aeroplanes, and Steve’s in ballooning, sailing and fl ying. Their impressive resumes flank the main exhibit hall, where an SR-71, in its flat darkness, and an F-104 in NASA livery, reflect Einar’s earlier experiences.

Photo Dean Sigler

Perlan 2

Photo Kristin Kebbe

Perlan fuselage assembly jig with forward fuselage of coming JetHawk derivative of DuckHawk.

Photo Dean Sigler

Part of Perlan team stands with cabin mockup, which traveled across America to allow people to have imaginary rides in the stratosphere.

Einar and Steve began planning a purpose-built sailplane, Perlan 2, to go after Einar’s original goal and climb to the realm of the nacreous cloud, an image sealed in his mind and hopes – a shining vision of high-flown clouds, first glimpsed in a picture in the offices of the DLR – the German Space Agency. Named for their pearlescent luster, these mother-of-pearl clouds float at 25 to 30 kilometers (15.5 to 18.6 miles). Perlan is Icelandic for pearl.

He and Steve sketched out a pressurised sailplane which would enable more flexible accommodation for the pilots, complete with an oxygen rebreather system, to enable flights up to eight hours.

Greg Cole was commissioned to build the aeroplane, and was busy with initial design, when tragedy intervened with the loss of Steve Fossett during a recreational flight near the Sierra Nevadas on September 3, 2007. Steve’s remains were found with the wreckage of his Super Decathalon a year later, near Mammoth Lakes, California.

Building a Team This devastated the Perlan effort. Steve had been not only an active participant, but a major funder. It looked as though the grand idea would not see fruition. Then, Morgan Sandercock, a coal-mine manager from Australia, stepped in, traveled to Bend, Oregon, made a major donation toward further construction, and became an active participant in the program.

The Project gained additional backing from many volunteers, who contribute their expertise and skills to organising and funding Perlan. Einar Enevoldson is Founder and Chairman of the Board; Greg Cole is Designer and Builder; Morgan Sandercock, Project Manager and pilot; and Ed Warnock provides organisational abilities as CEO, assisted by Business Manager Katrina Halverson.

Dennis Tito, with a B. S. in astronautics and aeronautics, and Master’s degree in Engineering Science, is a major contributor to the project and a future Perlan pilot.

Dr. Elizabeth Austin, Ph.D., Perlan’s Chief Meteorologist and Web Site Designer, heads Weather Extremes, Ltd., a major international meteorological and climatological research and consulting firm.

John David Miller, Vice-Chairman of the Board, is a Principal Engineer and Research Director at Intel, who pilots his own Mooney to Perlan meetings. Jim Payne, Chief Pilot, has flown a

Perlan fuselage with whiffle tree on tail, weights in fuselage, prepared for simultaneous structural, pressurisation tests.

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Photo Perlan Project

Fuselage structure

Outer panel completes one side of four-piece wing.

Photo Perlan Project

Crafting a High-Altitude Sailplane Perlan is a stratospheric soarer, with pressurised cabin for two, and true airspeeds normally associated with business jets. With no engine other than rising air currents, Perlan at its best L:D at 90,000 feet will travel at 275 knots (316.25 mph). Putting the nose down, it will pick up speed quickly, but that confronts the delicate balance between reaching flutter speeds or slowing to a stall in the thin air, all but two percent of the world’s air below.

Greg Cole created a series of airfoils tuned to the weak atmosphere and high true airspeeds; optimised for their positions on the wing, different from those for aircraft that never touch the stratosphere.

Perlan must be strong enough to manage extremes of cold, turbulence, and the simultaneous stresses of cabin pressurisation and flight loads on the airframe.

It must maintain a cabin pressure of 8.5 pounds per square inch, equivalent to 14,000 feet at altitudes up to 90,000 feet, provide oxygen for an eight-hour flight, and include various safety measures to allow rapid and safe return to lower altitudes.

Pressure testing in May proved that Perlan’s cabin area could retain structural integrity even if the rear pressure bulkhead cracked. This was with thousands of pounds in the cabin, over pressurisation, and structural loads beyond anticipated maximums.

Perlan is 1,100 pound empty, 1,700 pound loaded, with a wingspan of 84 feet and wing area of 262 square feet. Its 32.8 foot long fuselage contains two people, scientific and recording gear, and life support systems such as dual-redundant oxygen rebreathers. Because water vapor from exhalation could freeze in the cold cabin, dehumidification protects equipment and pilots.

Built from expensive carbon fiber fabric pre-impregnated with resin (pre-preg), the shell of Perlan resembles a herringbone-woven sleek black fish, its vertical tail like the swooping of a dolphin.

Perlan 2 could not compete with large conventional sailplanes, optimised to combine speed and high lift at lower altitudes. Its broad and lightly loaded wings will find a more fitting setting in the stratosphere.

Workers lift upper wing skin for inner wing panel.

Photo Perlan Project

SparrowHawk, another of Windward Performance’s aircraft, to no less than nine world records, and was outright winner of this year’s online competition for soaring. Doug Perrenod, Board Member, while a Lt. Colonel in the U. S. Air Force, 3D modeled countermeasures for head, neck and spinal cord injuries during seat ejection.

Patrick McLaughlin of Mountain High Oxygen, applied his skills to produce lightweight, compact oxygen systems, and his knowledge of physiology to the cabin pressurisation system. James Murray, a NASA researcher, worked along with Jeff Bozanic on rebreather systems and instrumentation. Michael Batalia adds his fund-raising expertise and contributes to instrumentation efforts.

Curtis Ritchey gains valuable publicity for Perlan through his outreach efforts as Social Media Manager. Stephane Fymat, team member and newsletter editor, ‘publishes’ a valuable chronicle of the project through his bi-monthly newsletters on the Perlan web site.

Eric Greenwell, long-time sailplane pilot and frequent contributor to Soaring magazine, is a board member. Roger Tanner, F-16 pilot and chief instructor at the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB, and sailplane pilot, shares his skills in developing a test flight program for Perlan.

Overflow crowd filled ballroom at 2012 Soaring Society of America convention for Perlan presentation.

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Perlan has high altitude mechanical altimeters and radar transponder, instrumentation and lighting to allow night flight, data loggers to validate the hoped-for world record altitude, and scientific instruments to record ambient conditions outside the cabin.

A drogue parachute will enable a high-altitude emergency descent, and a ballistic parachute will save Perlan and its occupants at lower altitudes. A tail-mounted camera will supplement the view during landings.

Photo Kristin Kebbe

What to Do With a Special Airplane Perlan’s web site proclaims: “Soaring to the edge of space and into the ozone hole.”

“Our mission is to soar up to 90,000 feet using stratospheric mountain waves and the Polar Vortex. We are building a special pressurised high altitude sailplane in Bend, Oregon. In August 2014 we will make the first attempts to reach 90,000 feet in El Calafate, Argentina, the same location as our 2006 record-setting flight,” where they had been able to exploit the high mountain waves.

Elizabeth Austin’s prognostications showed that New Zealand and southern Argentina held the most promise for achieving record heights, but conditions over Omarama, NZ, had disappointed because upper air winds did not cooperate.

Einar notes, “We were not successful in New Zealand on our first attempts but we have not ruled out further exploration there in the future. In 2013, NCAR will be fl ying the NOAA Gulfstream 5 from New Zealand, for further research on stratospheric mountain waves in the Polar Vortex”, giving more insight into the potential for stratospheric waves from New Zealand.

El Calafate held promise because the Andes mountain range can provide sustained high-altitude mountain waves – hence the change of venue and the serendipitous timing that led to the world

record, touching the bottom edge of the stratosphere.

Perlan 2, still under construction, awaits its trip to South America. The 40 foot shipping container that held the 31.2 foot fuselage during its pressurisation tests will carry it, wing panels and attendant assemblies, for its sea voyage. Getting batteries, oxygen and other necessary equipment into a foreign country requires careful planning and documentation.

Perlan will be aero-towed to its release point as with any sailplane. The pilots will then find mountain waves that will loft them to a connection with the Polar Vortex, an intermittent ring of fluctuating air that circulates over the poles.

Weaker in the polar winters and stronger in the summers, the vortex needs to be there when needed. Elizabeth Austin will have to predict airflows at varying altitudes, circumstances favorable to mountain waves, and other factors that will make it possible to break records.

Perlan 2 will carry its crew on a grand adventure, enabling a record altitude and collection of data that might help us understand global weather, the ozone hole, and how various natural and man-made additions to the atmosphere affect these planetary health indicators. Perlan, because of its ability to maintain level flight at heretofore unclaimed altitudes, could provide significant input to our knowledge of the upper atmosphere and its effects on global climate.

See the Perlan web site at www.perlanproject.org and consider making a donation to this worthy cause.

Perlan CEO Ed Warnock stands at extreme right of 84-foot wing assembly jig.

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FLYING THE GLORY OCTOBER 2012

By Tony Tabart

Photos Jo Pocklington

The Morning Glory is an astonishing wave formation that appears in the early mornings, rolling in from the sea off the Gulf of Carpentaria, for only a few months of the year. Flying the Morning Glory has become more popular among glider pilots in recent years, but the effort required to get to Burketown, where the chance of a Glory happening are barely 50/50, make it an intrepid journey not attempted by many.

Australian Tony Tabart has represented Australia multiple times at world championships (he was the first Australian to win a day at a Worlds when he did so in Yugoslavia in 1972), been manager for Australian teams and helped out at the Worlds in Omarama in ’95. He is also a power pilot with an instrument rating and ran a small aviation business for some years. He has approx. 11,000 fl ying hours, both power and gliding. He completed building a Lancair (a high performance two-seater American kit) in 2005, which he owns with his partner Jo Pocklington. Tony has been flying for about 50 years and ‘the thrill is as great as ever.’ At 76 years of age, Tony has no plans to retire from the sport: ‘I’ll continue as long as I have my health and my ability; I’ll be fl ying as long as I can.’ Tony shares his adventures on this year’s Glory trip.

The Morning Glory has been on my bucket-list for quite some time. After seeing pictures and National Geographic articles, the Morning Glory became a definite must-do. We’d even taken our Lancair up to Burketown four years ago but it was late in the season and there was no Glory.

Ian Barraclough invited us to join his 2012, self-launching-glider safari and we jumped at the chance. There was a bit of a rush to finish the C of A on the Ventus 2cM, VH-VTT, and test fl y it, before putting it in the trailer for the trip north to St George to meet up with the group, mainly from Lake Keepit.

We launched from St George for the first leg to Augathella; my partner Jo Pocklington was towing the trailer. Some arrived with difficulty, others had engine starts. There were three motor gliders in the group, who travelled with the most confidence each day, three self launching gliders and two power planes. Next day, all made it to Longreach - a blue day and not great soaring conditions.

The Albert Park Motor Inn kindly supplied a bus for our use to and from the airfield.

We headed off, hopeful of the possibility of reaching Cloncurry, 540km north. Only the motor gliders made it. Predicted high cloud moved in and cut off conditions north of Winton. Jo made it to Cloncurry with the trailer, but I turned back 100km north of Winton, landing back on the airfield there as it was impossible to safely proceed further. John Clark in his DG800 and Ian and Geoff Sim in their two-seater ASH also landed at Winton. We parked on a grassed area behind markers, but were asked by council staff not to do so again.

No phone signals meant no contact with Jo to stop her proceeding, so she had to drive back the next morning, 350km from Cloncurry, to meet up with me. A night of heavy rain resulted in poor soaring conditions, so we put VTT in the trailer at Winton

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and enjoyed a night at the Blue Heeler pub in Kynuna, en-route to Burketown, where we met up with the group once again and hoped to get a chance at riding a Glory.

A quick re-rig that evening and we were ready for action the next morning, even though conditions did not look favourable for a Morning Glory – dry south-easterly breeze instead of a moist northerly, which brings in a layer of moisture from the Gulf. Even though we were up well before dawn every morning, conditions remained unlikely for a Glory for the next three days. On the fourth morning, driving out to the aerodrome in the dark, picking up some of the other crew, a pre-dawn Glory went through like a minitornado, but it appeared to be dry.

On the final morning of our stay in Burketown, determined not to be beaten by a pre-dawn Glory again, we were up even earlier, to be ready for launch at the first glimmer of dawn. On arrival at the airfield we discovered a very heavy dew layer on the wings; a good sign of a possible Glory.

A litany of errors, including aerodrome lights blinking (which meant 10 minutes before switch off), made me rush my checks (stupid!) On take-off and just airborne, the brakes snapped open with a bang and in my rush to slam them closed, I bumped the flaps to full negative, putting me firmly back towards the ground. The over-centre of the brakes was too heavy to allow me to close with one hand, and I was too close to the ground to let the stick go and pull on flaps or close the brakes with two hands, so I had to persist

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with the take-off at a higher speed.

Suddenly, at about 30ft, everything went black and I realised that the outside of the canopy had fogged over. Maintaining vision through the clear-vision panel, I could see reflections in the river ahead of me, so started a gentle left-hand turn to get the aerodrome back in sight. At a safe height, I was able to take my hands off the stick, lock brakes and reset flaps. I continued my climb to the northwest in the dawn gloom without being able to see the coastline of the Gulf, or any sign of the Glory.

As I climbed higher and gained more vertical visibility, a grey monster appeared on my right. It appeared to be 40km away and at that distance, looked stationary. At 2,500 ft I turned towards it and shut down the engine. At that point, I could see that the cloud was moving towards me. Flying straight at it from about two kilometres in front, everything went deathly quiet, except the vario which started beeping in an increasingly rapid tone, indicating strong lift.

I was the only one in the air. I radioed back to the ground: there is a roll cloud.

At the top of the Glory my height had reached about 4,000 ft, and I was met with a most incredible sight, but I was the only one lucky enough to see it. The sun was just appearing as a glowing red ball through a smoke haze, as is common at that time of year in that part of the country. As it increased in height, the glowing red rays of the sun reached the top of the Glory and slowly descended down the back edge, the trailing edge, until the whole of the back edge

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of the cloud was lit flaming red and appeared like burning water, tumbling down over cobblestone rapids. It was the most amazing sight, but I didn't have a camera!

Flying high above the cloud and heading north-west out to sea, a secondary wave cloud became more and more evident (about eight kilometres further back) and appeared to be converging with the primary, perhaps 20-30km ahead of me. Conditions were still unusually smooth and quiet, even for wave – not a bump.

Then, at the convergence point between the primary and secondary, there appeared to be total cloud cover, with great lumps of cloud being ripped upwards and illuminated by the red morning sun. As I reached the convergence area, I felt the first violent bumps of this turmoil, as if explosions were going off underneath me. This was very different from any turbulence I'd ever felt in gliding.

Not knowing how far out to sea I was, and being cautious, I turned south-east to run back along the cloud. Pushing the speed up to 130-knots in smooth air and sliding down the front of the cloud, still in unusual silence, I got to the point where the left wing tip started to slice into the clean-cut cloud. It looked like a knife slicing into thick whipped cream as it disappeared from sight. The impression was that it looked so solid that I would feel drag on that wing tip, and I found myself pushing on the right rudder to prevent it from dragging me in. But, of course, there was actually no change in resistance on the left tip.

At that point, I realised that the cloud had almost reached

Burketown as I could see over the leading edge, so I continued further south-east for about 30km and then turned back. The cloud had travelled quite a long way inland and over rough country to the south of Escott Station. Not having arranged with Jo and the trailer to go a long distance inland, I started to work out how to get back over the top. Slowing down to 60-knots, climbing above the cloud was easy. Diving off the trailing edge, through heavy sink and across to the secondary was no problem. A short flight on the secondary and feeling quite drained and tired with the adrenalin, I landed back at Burketown after about 90 minutes in the air.

Words cannot describe the experience.

With a 350km flight back to Cloncurry that afternoon, I was very weary at the end of the day. There were four cross-country legs en route to Cunnamulla, where we encountered storms. Even though I arrived at 13,000 ft and could have reached Bourke, Jo had had enough driving for the day and we put VTT in the trailer the next morning. This was the right choice, as soaring conditions would have been very poor for the rest of the trip home to Western Victoria.

It's a huge trip from Western Victoria to the Gulf of Carpentaria: 6,000km return and an extra 700km to come back and get me from Winton. Would I do it again? Yes – if it were closer.

December 2012

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Derek Kraak's fl aming paint job helps him go faster. Derek had a really good contest at the Sth Island Regionals.

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December 2012

12/12/12 10:23 PM

Photo Geoff Soper December 2012

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MATAMATA INSTRUCTOR’S TRAINING COURSE

By Ivor Woodfield

This article was first printed in Auckland Aviation Sports Club's newsletter Warm Air. Baby..no..embryo wannabe instructor Ivor Woodfield attended the Instructors course at Matamata.

Early on Friday morning Ray, with his K6, arrived to collect me and we headed off to Matamata and the GNZ Instructors course. I was not too sure what I had let myself in for, and was fairly certain I had done too little fl ying to be anywhere close to ready for what lay ahead.

There were around 38 people on the course, a mix of aspirant ‘B’and ‘C’ applicants, together with a sizable group of ‘refreshers’ and some Instructor Trainer applicants. Then there were the instructors. Three tow planes had been brought together, along with eight twin seat gliders.

We finished our excellent Jan Mace catered lunch, and assembled for a briefing. We were provided with information packs, and as the weather was expected to pack up on Saturday, it was decided that we would see what fl ying could be done on Friday afternoon and leave any theory until Saturday. The weather did not look all that encouraging as we moved the fleet down onto the threshold.

However, by the end of the day, we had successfully completed 58 launches, which in itself was a great lesson in working a glider event.

For myself, I had three flights in three different gliders, with three different instructors. There was very little in the way of thermals until later in the day, and certainly no ridge activity, so I started off doing some spinning in a Puchacz, which was defi nitely

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worthwhile. While up, we also managed to cover off a few basic instructional activities, including circuit planning and landing. It certainly kept the brain active, being in the back of an unfamiliar glider at a relatively unfamiliar field with the air full of other gliders and an instructor in the front closely watching my every move!!

Next, I managed to grab a session in a K13, which was quite a contrast. A shorter flight in the conditions, but still heaps to learn - not least having the trim control on the right, which took a little thinking about. My final flight of the day was in a Janus, which was very different again. More things to learn and to think about, including the requirement to do everything very smoothly, as I had a fairly airsick person in the front.

All in all, it had turned out to be a very good day’s fl ying. Saturday was forecast to be fairly rough, so we had to get everything packed carefully away, after which we had an excellent and most welcome evening meal before the bar was opened. Most people headed off for a much needed early night. Overnight the weather really packed in, so Saturday was turned into a full classroom day after a full breakfast. We then had sessions on ‘Personality Types and Learning Styles’ from David Hirst, ‘When to take Control’ from Russell Thorne, ‘CAA Rules’ from Alan Belworthy, the infamous ‘Part 115’ from Iggy Wood, ‘When to Talk and when to Keep Quiet’ from Peter Leaver, ‘Solo Prerequisites’ from Norm Duke and ‘Non Normal Situations’ from Bob Gray. These went on for much of the day, and were interspersed by morning and afternoon tea as well as lunch.

Finally, we had a presentation from Steve Care and George Rogers around standards, including a discussion on competency reviews, various advisory circulars and ‘Threat and Error Management’. The long day ended once again with an excellent dinner, before the bar

December 2012

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GNZ AWARDS & CERTIFICATES OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2012

QGP No 3183 3184 3185 3186 3187 3188 3189 3190 3191

The opportunity to meet with so many others from across the country, and to discuss … the various issues around the sport, was most welcome.

opened. Most people were fairly tired by this stage and so once again early nights were the general order of the day.

Sunday started with rain and low cloud over the ridge, so most judged it to be none too promising.

However, the locals were predicting things would improve, so the fleet was moved down to the threshold, before we all had breakfast. The weather did indeed start to clear, and following a full briefing we were split up to fl y, with the hope that everyone could fit in at least one more flight before lunch. I ended up flying another Puchacz, which turned out to be slightly more comfortable than the one I had flown on Friday. Just as well too. After I had briefed my ‘student’ on cross wind take-off and landing, off we went, so I could teach him in the definitely cross wind conditions.

Once we were safely airborne, it was off to the ridge for around an hour of exercises, including not just ridge fl ying but also teaching spiral dives, as well as various control and turning exercises. Then we were back to the field, to see just how well my pupil would cope with the circuit and landing exercise in a cross wind. Suffice to say that we got back on the ground safely, and I got to learn heaps about teaching such activities in the process.

Overall, this was an excellent course, with lots of input from a great many skilful pilots and instructors. It was a really good opportunity to develop further in the sport, and it was particularly good to see many people there for a ‘refresher’. The opportunity to meet with so many others from across the country, and to discuss, sometimes at length, the various issues around the sport, was most welcome. For myself, I feel I learned a great deal about both gliding and instructing, although I have come away very aware of just how much there is still to learn.

Pilot’s Name Laurence M. Mathewson Darren Smith David R. Muckle Roger Fothergill Delio Fagundes Peter W. Barrell Peter Shields Moritz Althaus Carl F. Henderson

Club Central Otago FC Wellington GC Piako GC Taupo GC Taupo GC Wellington GC Youth Glide Omarama Wellington GC Piako GC

Date Glider 02 10 2012 28 10 2012 30 10 2012 30 10 2012 30 10 2012 03 11 2012 09 11 2012 11 11 2012 11 11 2012

SILVER DISTANCE Philip C. Dunlop Neil Raymond

Auckland GC Piako GC

27 10 2012 PW5 03 11 2012 Club Astir

GOLD DISTANCE Sandra A. Griffin

Tauranga GC

14 10 2012 Discus

GOLD BADGE 321 Sandra A. Griffin

Tauranga GC

01 11 2012

1000 KM DIPLOMA 42 Jamie Halstead

Marlborough GC

13 05 2012 ASH 25e

AIR NZ CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS Pilot’s Name Glider NORTHERN DIVISION David Hirst Discus Neil Raymond Club Astir Philip Dunlop PW5

Distance

Points

332.43km 138.12km 112.16km

334.94 156.09 135.83

SOUTHERN DIVISION No Claims so far OFFICIAL OBSERVERS 09/101 Andrew Austin 09/102 Colin McGrath

Taupo GC Taupo GC

21 10 2012 21 10 2012

GNZ FIRST COMPETITION AWARD 020 Philip C. Dunlop 021 Neil Raymond

Auckland GC Piako GC

07 11 2012 1411 2012

GNZ Awards Officer Edouard Devenoges gnzawards@xtra.co.nz 40 Eversham Road, Mt Maunganui 3116.

December 2012

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By Roger Read

From time to time, gliders may end up arriving back to land in near-dark conditions. To minimise the risk of an accident, it helps if a flarepath can be set up to provide enough light to help the pilot gain and maintain spatial orientation, for a safe approach and landing. The diagram (above) shows the positioning of cars with their headlights set on full beam, aiming about 30 degrees into the field and parked on the edge or slightly inside the vector to be used. The numbering indicates the priority of positioning if the number of vehicles available is limited. The threshold is inset about 150 meters to enhance the safety for the turn onto finals, and the vehicles at the threshold can help by having their hazard lights on, flashing.

This set-up worked well for Terry Delore a few weeks ago, when we had about eight cars available. Terry is one of the few glider

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Photo Geoff Soper

LANDING IN NEAR DARK CONDITIONS

pilots in New Zealand who has completed legal night flying training in a glider, as well as instrument flying in both power planes and gliders. The night gliding was done in CGC's Janus back in October 2002, when he was contemplating the possibility of using night wave soaring to extend the distance records being attempted. PB was fitted with appropriate lighting systems and Bruce Drake provided the launches off the Wigram lit runway. We also made some circuits and landings onto the open grass area of the airfield and, although the trials proved successful, the night soaring option for records was thwarted, when it was deemed any international record had to be completed within legal requirements of the country they were done in. Improved GPS-based technology would certainly make it possible and given half or more moonlight, the night flying in wave is an option that may yet be used to extend some distance records.

For now though, if you end up possibly having to land in poor lighting conditions, cut the flight short and land before it gets dark.

(Alex McCaw wisely did this when he elected to land at Pukaki, rather than press on to Omarama at the end of his 1000 km flight).

If that isn’t an option, call ahead and organise a flarepath at the field you are familiar with and, wind permitting, aim to land to the west, toward any twilight that offers some visual horizon for orientation. Be aware of the temptation to flare too high, as depth perception is diminished; a few extra knots on approach can help you feel your way down from the flare point to touchdown.

And a few words about night flying from Terry to finish: “I was worried about missing out on a record due to landing fi ve minutes after dark, so that’s when Roger Read stepped forward and said: ‘Then comply and get a night rating!’ We did exactly that.

But night record wave flights are not really a simple option, I feel, because of the severe cold - with no solar cockpit heating and the need to have all vents open to reduce canopy icing. This night wave stuff is problematic, as Fossett and I found at Omarama, doing some night wave trials, 17,000 ft at 11.00 pm. It was very cold and the hills felt uncomfortably close, although they were miles away in reality. We purchased some military spec night goggles (US $12,500!) after that, and we both purchased electric socks.”

December 2012

12/12/12 10:23 PM

SAFETY in Mountain Flying PIERRE LEMAIRE

Human Behaviour.

Human Factors.

This is the final in our series of Mountain Safety essays from the excellent booklet Safety in Mountain Flying produced by the Centre National de Vol Ă Voile (French Federation of Soaring) written by Pierre LEMAIRE.

This booklet is the result of the work and experience accumulated in 70 years by the instructors of the Gliding national centre of Saint-Auban-sur-Durance (CNVV).

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PART FIVE OF SAFETY IN THE MOUNTAINS

Chapter Seven

Even the best pilots are subject to forgetting things, to making an erroneous judgment or making a handling error.

Human Behaviour.

Human Factors.

Decision-making process Decision making is right at the core of a pilot’s activity. Human decisions are both extraordinarily efficient, and horrendously fragile. No decision is of little importance in flight. Sometimes an innocuous event may lead to a fatal sequence of events. One must train oneself to follow an organised, structured, and serious decision-making process. And remember that no complex decision should take place under great urgency.

Abandoning the flight

◗

When the situation gets out of hand, or when tiredness sets in, it is often better to stop fl ying the task and ABANDON the fl ight, to return to the home airfi eld, or land safely somewhere on the way.

◗

When the fi rst signs of hypoxia appear, one must start to descend. Headache, tiredness, feeling sleepy, getting bored, a feeling of oppression, a feeling of euphoria, coughing, undefi ned uneasiness, sweating, getting out of breath, losing attention, diffi culties in making mental calculations, difficulties in reading the map.

◗

Above 10,000 ft one should make regular radio calls, so that other pilots can assess your ability to manage your fl ight.

◗

Reduce one’s frustration by remembering: there will be another day.

So, once again, one piece of advice: THINK AHEAD Prepare your flights, always be ahead of your glider.

Evaluate your own abilities and your flying knowledge through a comprehensive self analysis:

◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗

General experience in mountain soaring; Knowledge of the fl ying area and of local conditions; Recent training; Objectives of the fl ight and weather for the day; Compare one’s personal level of preparation with the intended fl ight, and the risks to be encountered.

One can partially reach this goal by following a personal check list.

Following it is very important.

Dangerous attitudes

For example, a detailed list: Preparation

◗

The glider (knowledge, state, limitations, load, oxygen, other equipment,…)

◗ ◗

Weather forecast, conditions during the previous days,

◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗

Choice of task ( duration, areas and waypoints)

Air space, NOTAMs, Procedures (AOP)

Fly within your capability limits, and do not let yourself be drawn into unknown conditions by another pilot.

Supplementary

Air

Operating

◗ ◗ ◗

When one wants to succeed whatever the price.

◗ ◗

Flying beyond one’s capabilities.

◗

Taking off unprepared, in order to save time (additional stress).

◗ ◗

Complacency.

Preparation of the map(s) Escape routes Take-off time Autonomy (L/D. altitude)

Refusing to turn back.

Willing to fl y lower and nearer to the mountain than other pilots.

Following another pilot without possessing his knowhow, nor his knowledge.

Believing that one can do without briefi ngs, debriefi ngs, advice.

Time limit to abandon the task Finish Getting ready for landing Retrieve arrangements Documents: glider and pilot Food and drink Your physical condition Your state of training The goals you really care about Your equipment

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Experienced pilots should be the first ones to be suspicious about their capabilities. Their significant experience leads them to become over-confident, and carry out an incomplete decision-making process.

Factors that may lead to an accident include: disregarding one or several minor parameters; deciding on the reputedly accepted solution to a problem without the appropriate thinking; tiredness provoked by lengthy flights; as well as ageing. This is confirmed by statistics. Sometimes the right solution is to stop flying alone.

December 2012

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The instructor in mountain flying is not all knowing.

He himself must be experienced and well trained, and not take students beyond his own level of expertise.

When one flies in a two-seater, the pilot in command must be clearly designated.

A return to friends and family = a successful flight

The leader must never fl y higher than the follower.

The best solution seems for the leader to be behind!

Pilots flying self-launchers

◗

Statistics show that for similar numbers of take-offs and fl ying hours, there are more frequent and more severe accidents with pilots fl ying self-launchers.

◗

It is a must to be present at daily briefi ngs and listen to remarks and advice concerning safety.

◗

A self-launcher with its engine out and not running becomes a very poor glider.

◗

The operations to take the engine out, to start it, to stop it, to retract it, must be performed in good local fl ying conditions. The variation in the centre of gravity (Cg) induced by these complex operations requires precise handling and a good knowledge of the procedures.

Training above the airfield is necessary.

◗

In a two-seater, the tasks allotted to each pilot must be well defi ned.

◗

A self-launcher requires extremely precise handling.

more

maintenance

An accompanied flight (by a generally experienced pilot in mountain fl ying) cannot be done unless the pilot is in practice and has a good knowledge of the know-how of his accompanying pilot and must pay attention to their tiredness and state of mind.

and

Managing Mountain flights The management of flights by instructors (or pilots with a lot of experience) in mountain flying, is an important safety factor.

Radio calls giving position and intentions allow pilots to be monitored, to receive advice and to be helped in their decisions in case of difficulties.

Giving one’s position regularly reduces the search area in case of a missing pilot. The club, the society, the group, will worry about the absence of a glider in the evening; an individualist will have fewer opportunities to be rescued.

To fl y with a community of pilots will reduce the possibility of risky experiences, along with a more friendly atmosphere on the ground as well as in the air.

Experienced pilots have a tendency to limit their radio calls. Doing so, they lose a chance of getting help, while they appear in the accident statistics. Like everyone, they need training and preparation.

The incident report is important to help the whole community improve safety. One should not hesitate to share one’s experience, if possible in writing.

Chapter Eight

Essentials in Instructing Main Principles of Pilot Development in Mountain Flying

◗

Perfect control of the attitude in fl ight, of the flight path relative to the terrain and to other gliders;

◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗

Stability in turns;

◗

Planning the local landable fields during the fl ight, alternative plans, and escape routes;

◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗

Organisation and precision in the landing pattern;

◗

Ability to make the appropriate choice of areas and turn points;

◗

Managing the fl ight, organisation, anticipation, managing priorities, study of good solutions;

◗

Following the procedures, the recommendations, the rules;

◗ ◗

The decision making process;

Departure from normal flight; Stalling, spinning, spiral dive; Organisation of the visual scan; Basic techniques of climbing using slope/ridge lift (dynamic fl ight) and using ridge lift and thermals (thermodynamic fl ight);

Orientation, map reading; Management of the autonomy of the glider; Detecting the wind, drift; drift correction; Flying in strong winds; Flying near the terrain; Changing from slope soaring to circling; Crossing over crests and passes; Practicing wave fl ights and knowing their difficulties; Knowledge of the glider; Ability to follow and to anticipate the changes in the weather;

Ability to abandon the fl ight;

December 2012

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SAFETY IN THE MOUNTAINS

Regular training flights in single-seaters will increase the acquisition of techniques, and reinforce individual confidence.

This solo training must follow a geographic and technical progression adapted to the basic capabilities of the pilot.

Each club should build a pilot progression form, corresponding to its region and conditions.

The mountain pilot must know how to identify departure from normal flight: the stall, the spin and the spiral dive. He must know how to avoid them, and how to get out of them.

Accurate control of the glider is essential for efficiency in climb, as well as for safety, in slope/ridge flying, in wave or in thermodynamic flight. Precision in landing has to be mastered, to allow a possible outlanding in difficult conditions, or on a short field.

◗ ◗ ◗

Detection of the risks and threats; Capacity to analyse, self-criticism; Ability to judge one’s psychological condition;

All the points reviewed in these Safety in Mountain Flying articles must have been addressed in flight or during briefings.

One should go one step at a time.

For a flat land pilot, the development of skills in mountain flying must be organised in progressive steps, so that, little by little, he widens the geographic domain of flight through different weather conditions, alternating discovery and learning flights in a two-seater with flights in a single seater.

Going through the different steps, technical or meteorological, too rapidly, provokes the risk that, one day, the pilot is put into a situation that he cannot handle.

Learning through the trial-anderror process is dangerous in flying.

It is often accident prone.

The experience of seasoned pilots is good to share, as long as it is not showing off in the club bar.

Mountain flying is not without risks. But, as one can guess from seeing the photographs, or reading everyone’s reports, it also brings intense pleasure.

These risks, properly mastered through instruction, training, decisions adapted to the situation and pilot capability, respect for the environment (the mountains and the forces at hand), will diminish to make room for the magic of flight.

Flying safely in the Alps requires the greatest respect of the mountains and of the natural elements.

Summing Up

This precision implies a good visual scan, the control of the attitude of the glider and a good command of the speed. The first flights involving changes in the local landable field are possible only if precision in handling the glider is acquired.

The proximity of the terrain means that one must always have a reserve of energy by using a minimum speed of 1,45 Vs, though this is not the sole criteria to fl y safely. Frequently turbulent conditions also require rigour in symmetry (i.e. flying symmetrically), and adapting the distance to the terrain appropriately.

Wind is an essential parameter in mountain fl ying. The pilot must always be concerned by its strength and direction, not only at that particular time during the flight at altitude, but also on the ground, on his chosen path, and particularly when nearing the terrain.

Good control of the flight requires, in all its phases, the management of changes in location, climbs and descents, to stay at all times in the proximity of a landing area.

The risk of a collision exists. There again, anticipation of the flight path is paramount, and the pilot must carry out a constant visual scan for other gliders.

Risks involved in high altitude flying, in tiredness and in human factors must be understood.

Flying in mountains is one of the flying activities that can bring the most satisfaction and pleasure to the pilot when it is performed within his area of competency, which he will widen progressively.

THANKS: Understood!

This booklet is the result of the work and experience accumulated in 70 years by the instructors of the Gliding national centre of Saint-Auban-sur-Durance (CNVV).

The writing and the presentation have been the work of Pierre LEMAIRE. Team of instructors at the CNVV in 2011: Jean-Marc CAILLARD, Olivier DARROZE, Aurelien DURIGNEUX, Roger EYRIER, Yannick GENDRON, Philippe LEGUEVAQUE, Pierre LEMAIRE, Philippe LEVY, Eric NAPOLEON, Nicolas VERON. Some other seasoned instructors also participated in its writing.

Special thanks to Jacques Noel for his propositions and his iconography research, Michel Mioche and Emmanuel Gato for their careful reading .We also thank Karine Girault, graphic designer, for her patience and her professionalism in the realisation of the model.

Photos by: Daniel BADAROUX, Philippe DEPECHY, Pierre LEMAIRE, Jacques NOEL.

Flying in the mountains demands instruction on the ground as well as in the air.

Learning the basic techniques and complementary piloting skills, as well as discovering the different meteorological conditions, have to be performed in two-seaters. These flights, although with the purpose of tuition, leave room for enjoyable fl ying in the marvellous surroundings that can be found in the mountains.

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Translation: The translation was the hard work of Jean-Renaud FALIU and Helen HINGLEY. Thank you very much.

SoaringNZ thanks Pierre Lemaire for letting us reproduce the booklet.

Copyright Objectives: Safe Mountain Gliding produced by the Centre National de Vol à Voile (French Federation of Soaring) written by Pierre LEMAIRE.

December 2012

12/12/12 10:23 PM

COCKPIT

CONFUSION By our American correspondent Jim Herd

From my perspective here in the USA, there is a huge and growing plethora of confusion in the soaring cockpit. And I suspect much of this is just as relevant in New Zealand.

od!

We all face a series of significant challenges as we fly sailplanes.

Heck, that’s part of the attraction. Over the past decade or so, a bewildering array of avionics has come to our rescue, or maybe not.

It all boils down to a few simple concepts - situational awareness, air traffic separation, flight data computing, and recovery in the event of an accident. All very noble goals, to be sure. But …..

There is a segment of the soaring community (including many Kiwis I know, and you know who you are) that would like to deploy all this stuff out the window while soaring over a convenient rubbish tip.

Their mantra is to keep their eyes outside the cockpit. I don’t exactly subscribe to that line of thinking, but they are on to something. Let’s take a look, and you can be the judge if the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, or not.

Most of us could not live without our beloved flight computer, so let’s take that as a given, but what about the PDA moving map that often accompanies it? None of us would probably argue about a transponder, partly because it is mandated in many parts of the world (but not in the USA). What about the ELT (another mandate for you folks) 121.5 or 406? With GPS positioning? PLB anyone? Xaon PCAS anyone, for traffic separation by detecting transponders? SPOT has become a must for most of us, but Spidertracks is greatly superior, even if it does cost a bit more, and it is home-grown Kiwi technology.

In the USA, we must now deal with the ADS-B mandate also. More on that later. And of course, who could forget Flarm? For serious cross country missions, many pilots also want a satellite phone, for universal coverage, as well as their trusty cell phone.

And now, let’s contemplate powering all this stuff in the cockpit, along with antennas, power cables, and interconnect cables. And of course, almost none of this stuff is tested or certified to operate with each other, so it will likely ‘cross-talk’, and most of it doesn’t come with explicit installation instructions for your make, model, and cockpit equipment. Uh-oh, I’m starting to get confused. Heck, I haven’t even

sat in the cockpit for a ground briefing on operating all this stuff yet! Need I say more? Given all the regulatory controls, which differ greatly in each country, there is clearly a pressing need for some rationalisation and consolidation here.

The USA version of Flarm (called PowerFLARM) is perhaps on the right track, because it functions as PCAS and works with mode-C, mode-S, and ADS-B, as well as being a soaring product, with a separate frequency to detect all other gliders so-equipped. But it is brand new this season, and teething troubles are still being worked out.

And then we have the insidious and unspoken factor - what is coming next? Technology has moved incredibly fast in the past decade and is likely to keep accelerating. So anything we buy and install and learn now, may be of limited value if it becomes obsolete in the near term, with better and cheaper products with more integrated functionality. This is what happened to Mode-S in the USA - it was quickly overwhelmed by ADS-B. ADS-B is a profoundly powerful concept that is already sweeping across all of aviation in the USA. The concept is to take much of the workload away from ground-based Air Traffic Control and place it in the cockpit. That includes weather reporting, terrain awareness, and traffic separation. By definition, you can only do this if every aircraft is ‘squawking’ with some type of new ADS-B box that ‘talks’ to all the other airborne objects. Yikes!

And let’s look at ELTs. The limited data available demonstrates that the new 406ELT technology dramatically reduces false alarms over the old 121.5 models, but 406 makes very little improvement in the actual task of rapidly alerting emergency services to the exact location of a downed aircraft. Why? Simply because the box must fully survive any impact to get its job done, including the antenna, battery, g-switch, electronics, etc. So surely it is past time to dump this fatallyflawed concept in favour of satellite breadcrumb tracking that does not need to survive to be able to pinpoint a downed aircraft? And yes, I know that 406ELT has been mandated in NZ! I’m sorry to hear that.

The moral of the story for Kiwi soaring is to get ahead of the game and plan your sport’s pathway to the future. You have a manageable sized country and admirable relationships with your governing bodies, so you stand a chance of rationalising this mess.

Yes, this is a call to action!

December 2012

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AN EXCITING DAY OUT

By Lionel Page

By Lionel Page

Lionel Page is an instructor with Auckland Aviation Sports Club, based at Whenuapai, where he has been fl ying since 1993. While other clubs get excited about ridge running, AAV love it when the Westerlies blow because they can soar the cliffs along the West Coast. Lionel tells us about his first coast run.

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One Saturday in the middle of October the wind was blowing hard. I had looked at the Met Service report the night before, which mentioned 25 - 30 knot NW winds, turning to SW through the day.

I wondered if a run down the West Coast would be on. So when I turned up at Whenuapai and saw Dave Foxcroft at the gate, I knew an attempt was on. It would appear that Lionel Page and Dave Todd had the same thoughts.

We did some last minute weather checks and managed to convince the towie to come out and take some idiots up in these strong winds, while we prepared our mighty steeds.

After rigging and DI’s were completed, we lined four gliders up on the grid. Dave F in the PW5 went first, I followed in the Astir.

Mr Rook (towie extraordinaire) negotiated some squally showers on the way out and dropped us off at Bethells Beach. I do recall the comment from our towie, who said, “I do not have enough fuel to go to Australia,” as we hit the coast. I assumed this meant I needed to release from my yellow security blanket.

I was instantly in lift at 2500 ft and found Dave miles below me, to-ing and fro-ing up the coast between Piha and Muriwai.

We waited about an hour for the others to be towed out. A messy, squally shower had delayed their launches. However, time passes quickly when you absorb the spectacle of the West Coast beaches, cliffs and the power of the sea.

With the gaggle finally together, we proceeded south, where we ridge soared at 90-100 knots along the cliffs. Lionel and Dave

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Gliders involved were a PW5, Kestrel, Mosquito, Astir. Pictures were taken off a Go Pro video camera.

Todd screamed ahead and made the leap across the Manukau Heads. Dave F and I followed at 1800 ft. Halfway across we were down to 1400 and by the time we reached the other side, we were at around 800ft. Although the gap is not massive, the wild unforgiving seas below make this puddle jump a tad nerve wracking. The lads in front confirmed the other side was definitely working.

I passed the PW5 on the way over, who was slightly lower but comfortable. It is always good to see someone lower than yourself.

Hitting the other side and rocketing along the cliff tops is an exhilarating experience. I was a tad conservative, keeping a little further above the fascinating, gigantic craggy sand dune cliffs that have a green grass carpet on top than others might have. The ride down was surprisingly smooth and I could push out from the coastline and still be in lift. We reached the mouth of Port Waikato, where one has to get a climb to 1800 ft to then make a comfortable crossing to the cliffs. The PW5 was not able to achieve this desired height; Dave T in the Kestrel kindly came back and escorted me across, so I got the experience of making the crossing. We then decided we would return as a group to Whenuapai, rather than proceed to Raglan. This was a team flight so we would stay together.

While I gathered some height, Lionel became my buddy and Dave Todd followed VF North. I left the cliffs at Port Waikato at 2000 ft and made it comfortably back to the coastline, then we screamed north up the coast. You could see the sand twirling up the cliffs. Once again the ride was smooth and MP sounded like a jet at 100 knots.

The two Daves had made the jump at the Manukau heads.

Lionel and I were about to commence the run, when a squally shower came in over Whatipu, with another one behind us. Dave Todd advised that we should delay our crossing, so Lionel and I turned back and waited for the weather to clear. When we did get to do it, the reverse puddle jump was fine and although you are lower at the Whatipu end, the climb up the cliffs ensures that you are not going to land out.

The two Daves had proceeded from Muriwai back to Whenuapai at this point. Lionel and I made our way up the coast to the bowl at Muriwai. At 2100 ft we headed for home. This is where we hit the most severe turbulence that I have experienced. The downwind and landing approach was challenging and rough, as the wind packed more punch. The turn onto base leg became a massive skidding turn, and movement over the ground became a crawl to the finish line. However we got all safely home, we packed up and had a wee ‘fanta’ to assist with debriefing.

For me it was a most momentous flight. One of the best I have experienced. I have been fortunate to fl y the Southern Alps, which was special, but this trip was equally as exciting - fl ying fast along the rugged coastline. Thanks to my fl ying companions for their guidance and support, and our ground and launching crews.

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Mike Strathern landed TJ on the Maitland Strip above Lake Ohau.

SCENIC L

By Jill McCaw When you fl y in the Southern Alps, land outs are alw beautiful terrain is that land out spots are also very Country course held the week prior, quite a few pilo

The Hunter Valley strip is a well known glider rest area for pilots attempting to get to or from the Wanaka/Aspiring region.

This is Frank Saxton's landout with TH.

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Glentanner has a huge sealed runway, making it perfect for pilots This is Alex McCaw and the single Astir MQ with Mt Cook in the ba

December 2012

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C LANDOUTS are always a possibility. One of the benefi ts of fl ying over such so very picturesque. During the South Island Regionals and the Cross few pilots ended up sitting on the ground in gorgeous places.

It’s only in the event of a

CL A IM that you really find out who has the best policy!

Contact your broker or ring Brian or Arden and talk to the people who specialise in aviation insurance.

“Kiwis providing Glider pilots with aviation insurance for over 25 years”

TELEPHONE 04 473 5593 t for pilots not making it back across the ridge after attempting turnpoints in the Mt Cook region. ok in the background. See story on page 15.

admin @ aviationcoop.co.nz w w w. av ia t i o n c o o p.c o. nz December 2012

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VINTAGE & CLASSIC

THE WENLOCK OLYMPIAN GAMES

Photo Vincent Cockett

By Bruce Stephenson (Event organiser)

Ka6 grid lineup.

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Mick Wells EoN Olympia.

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Photo Jon Hall

VINTAGE & CLASSIC

Just a small selection of the stunning models present. Photo Jon Hall.JPG

The small town of Much Wenlock in Shropshire, England (which has a Photo Vincent Cockett

historic link to the modern Olympic games) has hosted an Olympian Glider Competition. Much Wenlock hosted a precursor to the modern Olympic Games in the 19th Century. One of the mascots of the recent London Olympics was named Wenlock in the town’s honour. Gliding was an official demonstration sport at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.

Photo Vincent Cockett

Irene van der Zwan's Ka6.

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Photo Stuart Naylor

Ka6 Winners.

Gold medal Switzerland, Silver England, Bronze France.

Photo Olivier Guitton

Firmin Henrard Belgium receives best restored Olympia award.

Photo Olivier Guitton

Photo Olivier Guitton

VINTAGE & CLASSIC

French Nord as flown by Carl Adissou.

The great Wally Kahn presents Bernard Gabolde his medellion.

Olympia gliders were originally designed for the 1940 Olympics at Helsinki, where gliding was to be a full sport, however war intervened and the Olympics were cancelled. Whilst gliding’s Olympic debut was short lived, the Olympia gliders went on to become extremely popular among gliding clubs around the world after the war. “The relatively simple design called for a wooden structure, making it suitable for flying clubs to build themselves.

This, coupled with its good fl ying characteristics and performance, and easy handling on the ground, was a major reason for the glider’s popularity and widespread use in the post-war years.”

Deutsches Museum.

The Midland Gliding Club teamed up with the Vintage Glider Club to host the first Wenlock Olympian Games Gliding Competition, featuring gliders harking back to an age when gliding was briefl y an Olympic sport.

The Midland Gliding Club, based at their airfield on the Long Mynd, was proud to host the Competition, which ended on Saturday 21st July. A field of more than 50 pilots from seven countries converged on the Long Mynd for a week of tasks involving best distance flown and the fastest time over a set course, typically at around 100Kms. The week opened with aerobatic gliding displays, which delighted spectators. The pilot was German aerobatic pilot Christoph Zahn, who was fl ying a replica of the Habicht glider which made its public debut at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Shortly after the display, many of the gliding competitors appeared overhead the airfield for their first race of the week, as

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they made their way to their turning point of one of Shropshire’s most famous landmarks, the Iron Bridge. For the following two hours, the skies above Much Wenlock were a gliding arena.

With sponsorship from EBLEX, the organisation for the English Beef and Sheep Marketing Board, two classes of gliders were racing. One class was made up of Olympia gliders, which were developed as the first Olympic mono-class glider for the 1940 Games, whilst the more modern successor to the Olympia, the Ka6 was the basis for the second class.

Despite the promising start on the Sunday, the weather prevented tasks being set on Monday through to Wednesday. With racing resuming on Thursday and Friday, the eventual winners of the Gold medals were Bruno Wettstein from Switzerland in the Olympia class and Adrian Emck from Great Britain in the Ka6 class.

Supported by the British Gliding Association, among the VIP’s attending the medals ceremony was Max Bishop, Vice President of the International World Games Association, who said: “Gliding has a great future in multi sports events and Wenlock has shown the way forward.”

After the medals ceremony, the airfield opened with model fl ying and a unique line-up of gliders that charted the history of gliding, by the Vintage Glider Club. MGC Chairman and Competition Director, Jon Hall, said that the week had been a fantastic success which he hoped would inspire more people to take up the sport.

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Gliding Hawke’s Bay and Waipukurau is pleased to be hosting the

2013 CENTRAL DISTRICTS GLIDING CONTEST at Waipukurau from 20-26 January 2013

BONJOUR MONTREAL

Saturday 19th is a practice day

By Roy Edwards

Please pay Entry fees to HBS bank account 031355 0690287 00 or by cheque to Gliding Hawke’s Bay and Waipukurau, 204A Knight Street, Hastings 4122.

We look forward to seeing you there David Davidson Contest Director

Photo Graham Palmer

Waipukurau has an excellent reputation for settled weather in January with thermals and convergence predominating.

It is an ideal early level competition with plentiful safe land out options.

The CHB Aero Club provides camping/caravan accommodation at the airfield with good clubhouse facilities at $15 per person/night.

The entry fee has been set at one hundred and seventy dollars ($170) reduced to one hundred and fifty dollars ($150) for early entries before 1 January 2013.

During this last Kiwi winter I had the opportunity to spend six weeks in Montreal Canada. It was summer and the weather was gorgeous for a frozen Kiwi. Some years ago, Montrealers Gerry Savey and his wife Christiane made a number of winter escapes from Canada to the soaring summers of New Zealand. I was fortunate to have met them on a number of occasions. The most memorable being when they came to the PW5 Nationals in Masterton (Note: That was when we had ten or twelve PW5s competing). Gerry will be well known to a number of Kiwi pilots as the loveable Frenchman from Canada, with his adorable wife.

Let’s not dwell on how fantastic the city of Montreal is in the summer; it has films, comedy, fireworks, Grand Prix, dance and almost continual festivals.

The most impressive thing for this grumpy old glider pilot was the GLIDING CLUB! Aeroclub des Cantons de l’Est has 15 members but their club rocks. The two seat trainer is a DUO DISCUS XLT, which they use for ab initio training, as well as a cross country trainer/fun machine. The US Border is only about 25 km to the south but it’s about 1000 km north before you run out of land, so 300 and 500 km afternoons are not rare events.

Needless to say, they are a cross country club and have two LS4Bs, one ASG29 and also have an ASH31Mi on order. As a note, they have trained 4 ab initio pilots on the DUO who then converted on to the LS4B. To help these babies get in the air, they use an HK36 Super Dimona with a retractable tow rope, so that after towing duties are complete, its towpilot can relax with some soaring time.

A relatively short drive on the freeway from Montreal, the Club resides on the Aeroport Bromont, where they have a nice hangar setup, beer fridge included.

The official language of Quebec Province (i.e. where Montreal is) is French, but everyone at the club speaks English. Even though Marc, Chief Pilot, gives his briefings to the team in French, I could follow the basics. Of course he would have briefed me in his impeccable English if I had asked for it. The airfield at Bromont has a flight information service but they use either English or French, as a number of US pilots hop over the border to deliver corporate guys and girls to the nearby IBM plant. One of the members, an F18 pilot, had even put an F18 in there for a promotional day.

I can’t sing the praises of this club highly enough - warm, friendly and helpful, each and every person I met. No club politics here. They are solely concentrated on how to get in the air and enjoy their passion for soaring.

My flight with Fred was fantastic. It was very easy to map read, as on the flat land there were clumps of hills every 30 kilometres or so.

Now, where did I leave my Canadian passport application form?

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CLUB DIRECTORY Link for club info www.gliding.co.nz/Clubs/Clubs.htm Auckland Aviation Sports Club Club Website www.ascgliding.org Club Contact Peter Thorpe pbthorpe@xtra.co.nz Ph 09 413 8384 Base RNZAF Base Auckland (Whenuapai) 021 146 4288 Flying Weekends, Public Holidays Auckland Gliding Club Club Website www.glidingauckland.co.nz Club Ph (09) 294 8881, 0276 942 942 Club Contact Ed Gray info@glidingauckland.co.nz Base Appleby Rd, Drury Flying Weekends, Wednesdays, Public Holidays Canterbury Gliding Club Club Website www.glidingcanterbury.co.nz Club Contact Kevin Bethwaite kevin.bethwaite@airways.co.nz Ph (03) 318 4758 Base Hororata Road, Hororata Flying Weekends, Public Holidays Central Otago Flying Club (Inc) Club Website www.cofc.co.nz Club Contact Phil Sumser phil.sumser@xtra.co.nz Base Alexandra Airport Flying Sundays, and by arrangement Glide Omarama.com Website www.GlideOmarama.com Contact Gavin Wills gtmwills@xtra.co.nz Base Omarama Airfield Flying October through April 7 days per week Gliding Hutt Valley (Upper Valley Gliding Club) Club Contact Wayne Fisk wayne_fisk@xtra.co.nz Ph (04) 567-3069 Base Kaitoke Airfield, (04) 526 7336 Flying Weekends, Public Hols., Mid week by arrangement Gliding Manawatu Club Website www.glidingmanawatu.org.nz Club Contact Ron Sanders Resanders@xtra.co.nz Base Feilding Aerodrome Flying Weekends, Public holidays Gliding Wairarapa Club Website http://www.glidingwairarapa.co.nz/ Club Contact Diana Braithwaite Ph (06) 308 9101 Base Papawai Airfield, 5 km east of Greytown Ph (06) 308 8452 or 025 445 701 Flying Weekends, or by arrangement Hauraki Aero Club Club Website www.flyhac.co.nz Club Contact Ron Bergersen d.rbergersen@xtra.co.nz Ph (027) 277 4238 Base Thames Airfield Flying Weekends and Public Holidays Hawkes Bay and Waipukurau Gliding Club Club Website www.skyhigh-photography.com/Main/ Aviation_and_Spaceflight/HB_Gliding_Club.php Club Contact David Davidson Dhcd@clear.net.nz Ph (06) 876 9355 Base Bridge Pa Airfield, Hastings 0272 887 522 Flying Sundays. Other days by arrangement Kaikohe Gliding Club Club Contact Peter Fiske, (09) 407 8454 Email Keith Falla keith@falla.co.nz Base Kaikohe Airfield, Mangakahia Road, Kaikohe Flying Sundays, Thursdays and Public Holidays Marlborough Gliding Club Club Website http://glide_marl.tripod.com Club Contact bmog@paradise.net.nz Base Omaka Airfield, Blenheim Flying Sundays and other days by arrangement Nelson Lakes Gliding Club Club Website www.glidingnelson.co.nz Club Contact Frank Saxton franksaxton@gmail.com Ph (03) 546 6098 Base Lake Station Airfield, St.Arnaud Ph (03) 521 1870 Flying Weekends and Public Holidays Norfolk Aviation Sports Club 44

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Club Website http://www.geocities.com/norfolkgliding/ Club Contact Kevin Wisnewski wizzbang@xtra.co.nz Ph (06) 756 8289 Base Norfolk Rd Flying Weekends and by appointment Omarama Gliding Club Club Website http://www.omarama.com Club Contact Yvonne Loader loaders@clear.net.nz Ph (03) 358 3251 Base Omarama Flying 7 days a week by arrangement Otago/Southland (YouthGlide Omarama) Club Website www.youthglideomarama.org.nz Club Contact Tom Shields tom.shields@century21.co.nz Ph (03) 473 1721 Base Omarama and Dunedin Flying By arrangement Piako Gliding Club Club Website www.glidingmatamata.co.nz Club Contact Steve Care s.care@xtra.co.nz Ph (07) 843 7654 or 027 349 1180 Base Matamata Airfield, Ph (07) 888 5972 Flying Weekends, Wednesdays and Public Holidays Rotorua Gliding Club Club Website http://www.rotoruaglidingclub.blogspot.co.nz/ Club Contact Mike Foley roseandmikefoley@clear.net.nz Ph (07) 347 2927 Base Rotorua Airport Flying Sundays South Canterbury Gliding Club Club Website www.glidingsouthcanterbury.co.nz Club Contact John Eggers johneggers@xtra.co.nz 33 Barnes St Timaru Base Levels Timaru & Omarama Wardell Field Flying Weekends, Public Holidays & by arrangement Taranaki Gliding Club Club Website www.glidingtaranaki.com Club Contact Peter Williams peter.williams@xtra.co.nz Ph (06) 278 4292 Base Stratford Flying Weekends and Public Holidays Taupo Gliding Club Club Website www.taupoglidingclub.co.nz Club Contact Tom Anderson Tomolo@xtra.co.nz PO Box 296, Taupo 2730 Ph (07) 378 5506 M 0274 939 272 Base Centennial Park, Taupo Flying 7 days a week Tauranga Gliding Club Club Website www.glidingtauranga.co.nz Club Contact Roy Edwards royedw@wave.co.nz Ph 07 578 0324 Base Tauranga Airport Flying Weekends and Public Holidays, Wednesday afternoons and other times on request Wellington Gliding Club Club Website http://www.soar.co.nz Club President Philip Milne milnelaw@gmail.com Ph 021 803 37 Base Paraparaumu Airport Bookings Ph 04 297 1341 (clubhouse) Ph 027 618 9845 (operations) Flying Weekends and Public Holidays 7 days a week December through to March Whangarei District Gliding Club Club Website www.igrin.co.nz/~peter/gliding.htm Club Contact Paul Rockell rockelkaym@xtra.co.nz Base Rockelkaym Ridge, Gibbs Road, Puhi Puhi Flying Weekends and Public Holidays

GLIDING NEW ZEALAND CLUB NEWS It is with great pleasure that we welcome Rotorua to the club news page. This is the first time that Rotorua has appeared in these pages in the history of the magazine. Their scribe assures us they will be regulars from now on.

Remember the club news is your chance to share with the rest of the country and abroad, some of what makes your club the best gliding club in the world. Club scribes, please watch the deadlines (but we'll make allowances for special circumstances so contact me before you panic) and likewise, the word count is supposed to be 300 words to allow everyone to have a say. If you need more words than that, you probably should write a real article about that special event.

Deadline for club news for the next issue 11 January 2013.

AUCKLAND We have had a very successful October and November (so far). The weather has provided some really good soaring and the ‘real’ thermals have begun. There has been a bit of rain and some stronger westerly winds but in general we have not had too many cancelled days. Congratulations to one of our younger members – Philip Dunlop - who succeeded in fl ying to Matamata for his 50km flight. This flight was undertaken on a difficult day with a low cloud base (often only 2500 ft.) and very soft thermals. To make his achievement even better, he out-distanced Maurie Honey (in his PW5 SN) who landed near Te Aroha. On the previous weekend, David Hirst did a 300km flight following our season task of Wharepapa South – BOP sheds – Hikutai and achieved 330Km in the club Discus CS. There’s a lot happening back on the field as well, with support dinners being held to help fund Campbell McIver (another promising young student) and Philip to the Omarama Youth Soaring Development Camp in mid-December. This will be a fantastic introduction to some serious gliding, and we all support them as much as we can.

We have just finished a massive weekend, when we were visited by the ATC No. 3 squadron. The squadron set up camp for the weekend and made the field a hive of activity. Thanks to all those who donated their time to help give these kids a great introduction to gliding. We also attended this year’s ‘Big Boys Toys,’ where we had a stall using Jonathon Cross’s Discus 2cT FR. Just the machine to impress those who love ‘toys’ - though I’ll bet they weren’t all just boys. Thanks for trusting the AGC and the general public Jonathan. We also had our Duo and Discus single taken down to Taupo for the Central Plateau.

Robert Smits and Neil Harker flew Duo DX and David Hirst was in CS. Doug Henry also took his

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Auckland: Doug Henry with LL, “The Sexiest Glider on Any Field” apparently.

Aviation Sports: Derry Belcher waiting in Mike Romeo

LS3 and they had a great time, by all accounts.

As I write this, the Duo, PW6 and the Discus CS are down in Matamata, preparing for the cross country course and the Regionals, which take place over the next two weeks.

We have some very keen members - some young, but also quite a few others who are showing lots of interest in the sport and learning quickly how to stay aloft in the South Auckland and North Waikato sky. They are too many to name but we welcome them to the world of soaring flight and the intricacies of the Auckland Gliding Club. We are here to have fun and for the most part we can provide that in the challenging way that only gliding can. As always, visitors are most welcome.

Ross

have set aside the morning of the first Sunday of every month exclusively for them. In this, we have at least two instructors to try to ensure they get individual attention, good guidance and a push in the right direction. We also continue to have regular sessions with the local ATC Squadrons to complement this work.

We accomplished our customary deployment to Matamata over Labour weekend. This time, we put the Twin 2 in its trailer for a road trip down rather than aerotow. We did this in some trepidation, mindful of the trials and ordeal that usually acompany putting her back together. This time, thanks to some greasing of all the pins, one chief and lots of Indians, we had her mostly assembled in 20 minutes. We had two great days, with the ridge working on both days and one unwelcome day of rain. As usual, the Piako Club hospitality was superb and we got to enjoy a delicious Jan Mace roast dinner, with excellent company.

Congratulations to Steve Wallace for his win in the open class of the Central Plateau competitions.

Graham Lake

RNZAF AUCKLAND AVIATION SPORTS CLUB It’s been some time since we contributed to the club news. It’s not that we were inactive and not fl ying, but winter and early spring were an endless series when whatever good days there were happened during the week and the

weekend either rained or was overcast and dead and we had a series of sled ride days. The highlight of some weekends was if someone got over 30 minutes…sigh. Things are starting to improve and some decent flights are being enjoyed and marveled. We have even had thermals during the weekend. We have managed to turn the storms to advantage, with a number of west coast runs to Raglan and back.

We did manage to get a number of our folk through solo and a couple through QGP as well.

Both Ray Burns and Ivor Woodfield successfully attended the recent instructor’s course at Matamata. Ray has progressed through his supervison phase and has been let loose on an unsuspecting world. Ivor is now working through his supervisory stages and will soon add to our instructor pool. All going well, this should free up more time in our trusty Libelle to the benefi t of yours truly.

Just as well, as there is plenty of competition for our club singles.

Ray Burns has been instrumental in getting our YouthGlide program up and running. We have around a dozen in our youth category, and we

Auckland: a picture from my retrieve during the recent Taupo Comps. From L to R, Neil, Leopold and Colin - fantastic retrieve team. Neil did the driving, Colin did the diplomacy and navigation, and Leopold ran around with Colin’s hat.

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Central Otago: Looking north along the Garvie Range in early November. The Nevis Valley is on the left.

CANTERBURY A busy period is ahead for the club over the next couple of months as Jerry O’Neill’s crosscountry course gets under way at Omarama, to be followed by the Southern Regionals, also at Omarama. The Youth Soaring Development camp is to be held there just before Christmas under the control of Roger Read. Several years have now passed since the first of these was held and already some of their members are now instructing and others helping with various tasks around the club. Immediately following that will be the club’s Christmas camp, which will again last for about three weeks.

With the return of better weather the gliding hours are increasing, with some fl ying taking place during the week as well. The warmer conditions are also making the grass grow and much time is being spent keeping the entire area mown.

Several areas surrounding the strip are being prepared for the sowing of Lucerne and this will give quite a good income.

Recently, several members again disappeared over the ‘ditch’ to Queensland, where they enjoyed the great company and warm hospitality of the Darling Downs Gliding Club, and of course, Aviation Sports:IV on the ridge early evening at Matamata.

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the fantastic thermals that abound.

John Shuttleworth, who is well known in gliding circles, paid a fleeting visit recently. He began his gliding with us way back in 1958, when we were based at Burnt Hill, and he is still going strong. Another old member who flew back then, Ron Skurr, a retired farmer, also called and has offered to drive the tractor and cut grass for no return but just something to keep him occupied. A great example to younger members.

It is time to again wish the Editor and all gliding folk a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all of us at Canterbury.

Stewart.

CENTRAL OTAGO We’ve had an okay mix of wave and thermal fl ying so far this spring. Most of the fl ying has been done by the usual quartet of Vivienne, John, Phil and Pete, usually fl ying their singles. The club Twin got a good airing on Sunday 28th October, when John gave visiting pilot Ronald (from Yorkshire) a two hour tour of the local ‘hills’. Ron sat in the front shaking his head in disbelief for most of the flight, trying to take in snowy mountains, strong thermals and high cloud bases. The day Aviation Sports: Graham Hodge, Roy Whitby and Steve Foreman wait their turn at Matamata

was a real ripper, and Pete went north to Tekapo and back for another quick 300K. Vivienne is enjoying her HP18, having fl own a bunch of long flights now. A new vario is on order for the summer thermals.

We flew mid-week recently, launching by winch and heading towards Southland for the second time that week. The Sunday had been in wave, but this time it was thermals, a bit stable at first but the isolated climbs topped out at 10,000’ later in the day. On both flights, the views were stunning, with green valleys and more than normal snow on the local mountains. What a great place to fl y!

JR

NELSON LAKES GLIDING CLUB After a particularly bad run of wet weekends, the weather started to swing our way at the end of September, when the Club ran its first three day course ‘Intro to Cross-Country Soaring’.

The course, run by Jerry O’Neil, Frank Saxton and Mike Strathern, was well received from six budding cross-country and post-solo fl yers.

Many of the Nelson Gliding Club’s members

Aviation Sports: Peter Coveney and Graham Hodge.

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CLUB NEWS

Central Otago: Lake Pukaki.

have continued to develop and test their skills: Pete Mundy has been pushing into new areas since the course, in his Cirrus HD, and Ken Montgomery heads straight to the Raglans like an old timer. Many others have taken advantage of the improved soaring conditions to revisit old haunts.

The club’s LS4, CX, has been well used, and there is normally a crowd of QGPs hanging around it on the club days. April Rumsey, Andy Heap and Ken have especially favoured this glider and have been using it extensively.

Dave Smith has started to get some lengthier flights in locally, and he’ll be due to start pushing out over the summer. Nick White has come a long way in less than a year, and is threatening to get away more and more. A recent foray

by Nick down to Omarama enabled him to double his fl ying hours and climb to over 19,000 ft during one flight. Both of these guys (amongst many) are standouts running around supporting on the ground.

There have been good turn outs on the club days, and the first weekend of November saw very good conditions. The chat radio frequency was busy, with eleven gliders in the air. A small team flew down to Hanmer Springs via the Turk Ridge

Nelson Lakes;

and back, with climbs to 8,000 ft in excellent thermal conditions and big smiles on everyone’s faces at the end of day.

Two new gliders have recently arrived. Mark Edgar has brought his Skylark, BX, down from Taupo, and Robert Wallace has added LX, a DG200, to the line-up.

We also welcome a new member, Andrew Lush, an experienced glider pilot who has made a return to the fold.

Ken Montgomery PIAKO GLIDING CLUB We have had a really busy time since our previously reported season opening. The westerlies have ignited the ridge and the weather has been kind enough to let us get there. More recently, the thermal activity has increased, giving us all a chance to brush-up on our skills. Whilst the period lacks any single flight of spectacular notoriety - ooh not true – Will Kamp converted to PW5 and has been getting down to business nicely – however, it has been quite action packed in terms of events and happenings, particularly in October.

There were (for some) two long weekends in the month of October, 12 – 14th and 20 – 22nd

Central Otago: Mid Dome 5 Rivers.

and a lot of fl ying was done. First up was the National Instructors course, with 40 odd attending, from Kaitaia to Nelson, three tow planes and eight two-seaters. The grid was a busy place, as they rotated through their exercises – 52 flights launched on the Friday and 30 odd on the Monday - meant the rear set of eyes were essential.

The Sunday was the day of the wind storm that created a bit of havoc around the country.

Fortunately it didn’t hit us too hard, but tested the picketing skills of the Auckland team, who were forced to venture out from the lecture room to entertain the rest of the crew whilst they put extra ties on the ASK21’s wings. Meanwhile, the room was able to soak up a few hours of stimulating lectures, and a few finished off with some simulator time with interesting results (just a whisper I heard).

I understand most went away pretty satisfied and with the right boxes ticked on their logs/GNZ forms etc. It is encouraging to see this aspect of gliding is not suffering for want of numbers.

Labour weekend saw the arrival of Aviation Sports Club (from Whenuapai) at our airfield for their regular visit. They certainly were not short of gliders and even bought their own tug RDW to Piako: Photos from the good area on course. Didn't take any in the blue stuff for some reason.

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CLUB NEWS

Nelson Lakes: Marc Edgar's Skylark.

Piako: Neil and Robert ready to launch into an impressive sky behind.

Piako: Delio with an interesting way to fly to keep cool.

complete the entourage. It was great to see them getting a crack at the ridge, which is what they come for, but so often miss out on, due to nature ruining their plans. 60 odd launches in total for the two clubs for two days (Sunday was nil fl ying) was a good number.

November has been active so far and particularly with increasing thermal action, so let’s hope that continues. We have also experienced some new faces arriving at the club for trial flights who look likely to progress to members, which bodes well.

Coming Events: OMG (sorry I have daughters) it’s nearly Xmas – the Santa mail box is set up at the post office, leave applications are being done and closing down parties planned. More importantly, the logistics planning of our Christmas and Raglan camps are now in full flight – where did that year go?

I take the opportunity to wish my fellow club members, their families, and the gliding community at large, enjoyable, rewarding and safe fl ying over the holiday season.

PC

ROTORUA Since Autumn, we have had few fl ying days, but the ones we have had have been fantastic.

Great weather, people, and thermals. Mike Foley has been busy getting checked in the back of the Bocian before again fl ying the Astir, after a break from it. Our two students currently in training, Bob Bailey and Callum Tytler, are both doing well and not far off solo. John Currie and Don Grigg have been busy too, as they carry out their duties as instructors and, when the weather is appropriate, fl y a vintage EON Baby. Quite a sight to see.

We owe special thanks to the Tauranga club, who have made their Pawnee available to us while our regular tow plane receives a new engine. Summer is now almost here and, like everyone else, we are hoping for great fl ying weather.

TARANAKI Flying has been a bit sparse so far this spring, but here’s hoping we are poised for better things now that our Twin Astir is back with us and back in action. Many thanks to John Tullett for making

Left and below - Taranaki: These pictures of the York Road Quarry were taken by Peter Millar. From a thermal trigger consideration there are several factors: 1. Adjacent National Park bush.

2. The excavated shingle area & buildings.

3. Some bush on either side of the quarry. All of the above differentials contribute to trigger points and heat resource.

If all that fails, then we have the power station!!

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Rotorua: bocast.

his K7 available for club use for nigh on fi ve months.

A party of fi ve or six went off to Matamata for the instructors’ course and all valued the experience. Glyn Jackson took the PW5 to Taupo for the Central Plateau comps and had one or two good flights, along with several frustrating ones. Peter Cook was a late entrant but made good progress.

Tim Hardwick- Smith has gone down to Omarama for the Mountain Flying course there and then the South Island regionals. He has taken his half of the Discus with him - and my half too!

Yesterday (Nov. 10th) was an interesting day, with a NW airfl ow converging over Stratford, and a local airfl ow there from the SW. Some good thermals to 5000ft, and several one hour flights.

PJM. TAUPO The last few weeks have seen some great flying days and some not so great, but optimism is high with the expectation of an awesome summer.

Colin McGrath’s Skylark ZK-GBX was sold to Marc Edgar. Marc is the grandson of the original owner Des Bird and son of David Edgar, so this little Skylark has gone home to roost. I am sure Taupo: Team Taupo.

Taupo: Colin and Marc. (For the eagle eyed, this is the same glider noted as arriving at Nelson Lakes in the photo across the page.)

Marc, and later on, Marc’s son, will have many wonderful hours of flying enjoyment.

The soaring season kicked off with the Central Plateau Soaring Competition. There were 16 entrants, for a fun and friendly week. Congratulations to Steve Wallace for taking out first place, and showing the big boys in open class on how to do it in his little ‘mozzie’ GKT. Second and third respectively were our club members Trev Terry and Roland van der Wal. TGC entered the Twin Astir as Team Taupo.

Trace Austin was at the reins, and he had four very keen back seat drivers during the week: Joe Ward, Dan Visser, John Chittenden and Bill Dawson. Joe, Dan and John all got to experience how to park a ‘concrete swan’ in a paddock, while Bill was the only one lucky enough to complete a task - this being on the last day of the competition. A great week was had by all.

Thanks to all those club members, associated members and member’s spouses for the effort that went into getting the club ready to hold this event, and for all the effort and work that went into the running of the event.

Since the competition, there have been a few memorable flights. Rob Lyons with Trev Terry in the Taupo: Roland above Mt Ngauruhoe prior to final glide home.

back seat of the Duo Discus GTT, flew around Lake Taupo, covering about 230 kms in 2 ½ hours. Roland, on the same day, did a modified version of flying around the lake by having a final glide from Mount Ngauruhoe back to Centennial Park in his LS6 - GVH. And not to be outdone, was Joe Ward’s flight.

The main objective for the Team Taupo entry into the CPSC was to encourage newer pilots to the sport to take on the challenges of cross country flight. Joe put his new found encouragement to the test and took off in the club’s PW5 and went down the valley. On return from Norman’s Corner, he ran out of lift and outlanded in Broadlands. This was a memorable flight due to the fact that Joe has now broken that umbilical cord that has been holding him to the field. Well done mate!

We also wish a warm welcome to new members Roger Stokes and Rose-Anne Bury. Rose-Anne also holds a CPL and Tow pilot rating and will be our youngest tow pilot, sorry Brent!

Congratulations to Elliott Clapperton for achieving his solo status. As reported in the last issue, Elliott only recently joined us and is well on the way to QGP. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very safe and enjoyable New Year.

Trace Taupo: Colin's last flight in GBX. (There it is again.)

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F O R S A L E • WA N T ED • S ERV I C ES • E V EN TS

We take our classifieds list from the GNZ website and from ads detailed with us personally. To update your ad, please go online or advise Roy Edwards, our webmaster. Ads notified to me will appear on this page but we are unable to make changes for you on the web page.

Please contact the webmaster if your item sells.

GLIDERS ASH 25M, ZK-GRJ • in top condition, possibly the best available.

Schleicher self-launching two seat motor glider, complete with German trailer. Fully equipped, re-finished by Sailplane Services in Autocryl, in very good condition. Low hours. Annual just completed. Always hangared. Fully instrumented. Contact Brian Kelly, phone 06 876-7437, e-mail: Erinpac@ xtra.co.nz Ventus b Turbo – GSP • NZ$74,000, but his arm can be twisted a little bit if you have a good story and he takes pity on you. 15 and/or 16.4 metre.

Includes trailer, oxygen and parachute plus GPS. In good condition and competition ready with trailer. Phone Auckland 09 478 8858 or email tony. timmermans@paradise.net.nz ASK 13 • Fresh annual inspection. King KY97A com, Borgelt B40 electric vario with rear seat repeater. New winch hook and tailplane fittings installed at last annuals. Further details, please contact Alan, 0274 960 748 or a.belworthy@xtra.co.nz Std Cirrus GXA • Will also consider ½ share based in Matamata.Best performing Std Cirrus in NZ, re-profiled wing, all Std Cirrus 75 mods done (reshaped nose, wing roots, double-blade airbrakes). 2800 Hrs logged, gel coat in good condition, tinted canopy. Fibreglass clam-shell type trailer.

M-nav computer, Terra mode-c transponder, Icom radio. Genuine 37:1 performance. $28K ono, Contact Karl on 0274 999 183 or karltht@yahoo. co.uk ASW 20F ZK GYR • Equipped with Cambridge 302 and IPAQ loaded with Seeyou Mobile. Parachute (2004 new) and repacked Feb 2012,radio, transponder, oxygen system, wing covers, wing extensions and winglets, recently upgraded trailer with internal winch, insured through to 31/10/12.

Price $52,000, to view check out http://discuscs.blogspot.co.nz/2012/01/ gyr-looking-really-clean.html Contact Paul 0274 409462

Slingsby Kestrel T59D 19m, GHQ • Well maintained high performance glider with 1,500 hrs flying time off 646 launches. Instruments, oxygen.

Glider is a past world record holder, being first to achieve a 1,000km predeclared out and return. Trailer and wing and canopy covers included. Price $19,000, but open to offers. Contact David Clark 021 108 0783, divandprue@netspeed.net.nz ASH 25, ZK-GX7 • Placed 1st and 2nd in Open Class at last two Omarama New Zealand nationals (with a little bit of help from the pilot) 1,700 hours.

Serial no: 25016, the lightest Ash to come out of the factory. Instruments: Glide computer Ilec SM10B, Becker radio, O2 EDS, 25.6 winglets, transponder, 4 water ballast bags, 1 parachute. Trailer: Aluminium Top Cobra Tandem wheel, tows extremely well. Cobra lifting tail dolly. NZ$150,000.

Hangar space also available in Omarama to fit the ASH (35m) - right next to the airstrip. Contact: Garry Wakefield, phone +64 3 357 8995, or email garry@investment.co.nz TeST 10-M • Self launch microlight glider 15 mtr single seat self-launch glider. Rotax 447 UL retractable 40 hp engine. Brauniger ALPHA MFD digital instrument panel for flight & engine management. XCOM VHF 760 Transceiver. Becker ATC 4401-1 Transponder with mode A plus C. Glider is finished in epoxy paint and has tinted canopy, winglets and HI high performance air-brakes and ground-handling equipment inclusive canopy and wing-covers. Asking price: $67,500 emailgeraldv14 squiggle gmail.com LS4a GKP • $55,000. Imported by and maintained by Sailplane Services.

Only 1069 hrs since new. Really nice condition with very good Komet trailer and tow out gear. Strong parachute, Colibri secure logger, Mode C transponder, Borgelt B500 vario and B2500 Glide Computer. Located at Whenuapai. Contact Peter ph 02102251470, 094737979 or email petercove@ihug.co.nz

HANGAR: Two adjacent 18m hangar spaces in the Omarama Hangar • $30,000 each or near offer. Contact Mike Hamilton Phone: (03) 9621530 email: mike.hamilton@hamjet.co.nz.

Hangar space, 15m, east hangar at Omarama • Asking $2000/m or reasonable offer. Contact Linda vindaloulou@gmail.com, 033487009 or 0210718402.

DG 300 Elan. • GOZ Full panel. Road trailer. $45,000 or near offer. Apply to Errol Shirtliff. Phone 035268724 or email shirtliff@xtra.co.nz

Hangar Space for rent at Omarama 15m • Call Paul Chisnall on 021 1622396 for a good deal.

Discus B ZK-GPV • NZ$78,500 includes oxygen, C transponder, Ilec vario with speed to fly, rate of turn indicator, mounts for two extra batteries, blue tint canopy, ‘chute, ground handling gear and good trailer for easy two person de-rig/rig. Superb handling characteristics with 41/1 performance.

Please contact John Bayliss 092781760 or baylissj at pl.net

Hangar Space 15 m at Omarama • We need the cash for new toys so here’s the deal, $1500 per metre. First in gets a bargain. Call Paul on 021 1622396 or Nigel on 027 2741624 or email pchisnall@xtra.co.nz

DG200 GNA 15M 40:1 L/D XMAS SALE • $27,000 or near offer. Current ARA. Tidy condition just finished cut and polish. Cambridge GPS, Mode C transponder, Radio, parachute, wing covers and ground handling equipment. Oxygen system available. Good trailer with recent new galvanised sub-frame. Best value L/D and ideal XC performance suit low time pilot.

Total 2400hrs Contact: Mike gdg200@gmail.com Tel: 04 904 0651 Libelle 201b GIU • 2358 hours 1688 launches (20 August) O2, Transponder, 6 channel Tait radio, Borgelt B40 vario, Chute, Trailer. Good original finish. Annuals currently underway. $20K. Phone Paul 021 331 838 Cobra 15 (ZK-GJE) • In good condition with a refurbished trailer. Easy to fly and fully aerobatic with a 38:1 glide ratio, comparable with a Libelle or Standard Cirrus. Includes tow out gear, Borgelt B40 vario and a parachute. $12,000 ono. Contact Russell Jones on 09 575 9788 or email:prismconsult@gmail.com

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Hangar spaces for sale in Omarama • 20m and or 15m next to the runway. $1,800pm ONO. Both in the most eastern hangar. Contact: Garry Wakefield, phone +64 3 357 8995, or email garry@investment.co.nz

OTHER FOR SALE Second hand Accusat MT410 406/121.5 Mhz Personal locator beacon • (Non GPS type) Battery due replacement July 2014. $350 o.n.o. Contact Lionel Page, Aviation Sports Club, 021 333031 GPS-Nav/L-Nav for sale • Complete unit, wiring, cables and flask. Available because I’ve up-graded to an LX V7/Nano combination. $900 ono contact David - david@puketiro.co.nz or 0274 517757 Chalet Omarama Airfield • new build - biggest and warmest - completed Oct 2012 - Fully furnished - move in and put the kettle on. raymar@vodafone.co.nz

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GNZ members are eligible for one free non-commercial classified advertisement per issue.

Deadline for receipt of advertising for our February issue is 22 January 2013.

Generic Aviation GPS • 4.3” display, touchscreen, running full Winpilot 12, also runs IGO car nav software, can run LK8000 or XCSoar, has media player, e-reader, complete with suction mount, charge cables (mini-USB), micro-SD card etc, $120 ono, ph 021 174 4719 or andymacfly2002@ yahoo.com Any junked Terra TRT 250 transponders • for parts resanders@xtra. co.nz 021 026 22191 Free. HP iPaq HX4700 with faulty charge socket • Has USB cradle and battery that lasts for approx 1 hour. Has been used previously with XC Soar software. Free to a good home, ideally someone else with an iPaq that needs parts (e.g. battery, screen, cradle, memory card etc), so they can make a working one. The stylus is missing, but the hx4700 is ‘meat stylus’ compatible. Interested parties should e-mail pete@fiberphone.co.nz.

The editor of the Canadian soaring journal has available some old issues of S&G magazine. The issues are: 1948 Jan to Jun, Sept to Dec; 1949 Feb; 1950 Jan, Feb, Apr to Aug, Oct; 1951 Jan to Sep, Dec; 1952 Feb to May, Jul to Oct; 1955 Jan/Feb, May/ June.If interested, e-mail Tony Burton at t-burton@telus.net.

FOR SALE

OMARAMA CHALET Get a syndicate together – make it more affordable – enjoy a rental income when you are not using it.

Under construction now – Act fast to choose your layout

Available as completed shell to allow buyer to finish or completely finished to buyer specs.

No more sites available

PHONE 0274 774 885 FOR SALE VENTUS BT 16.6 METER TURBO SAILPLANE ZK-GSP

WANTED Old copies of Gliding Kiwi: Nos 1 to 6 (late 1955 – Dec 1956 – these were known as the NZ Gliding Bulletin Circulars); Vol 1 No 9 (Sep 1957), No 15 (Mar 1959), No 16 (Jun 1959); Vol 3 No 8 (Dec 1963); Vol 25 No 4 (AugSep 1999); Vol 25 No 11 (Oct-Nov 2000); Vol 27 No 3 (Oct-Nov 2002).

Many thanks to Jon, Roger and Miles for filling in many of the previous gaps in my collection. Errol Martyn, P O Box 6482, Upper Riccarton, Christchurch 8442, ph 03 343 5408, Email – errol.martyn@xtra.co.nz

FOR SALE – ASW 20CL ZK-RA 1984 Serial Number: 20772

Serial No 58 Manufactured 1985 – painted in PU paint system – good NZ made trailer – Total airtime 2958 hours (approx.)

– Engine time 37.32 hours Prop time zero hours on new blades Equipped with Ilec SC electric vario system, Winter mechanical variometer, Cambridge GPS Nav and screen, Terra transponder, ATR 720 com unit. Has CAA approved winglets on 17.6 meter tips.

15M & Optional 16.6M Tip Extentions, Tinted Canopy with Tilt-up Panel, Disc brake & Tailwheel, Blow Turbulators, Factory Ballast Bags, Transponder & O2 System, Cambridge 302 DDV & 303 Nav, Full 'Tow-out' Gear, Annuals due Nov 2013, we also have ASW 20 Winglets but they professional fi tting, as never yet been used, low hours at 1800 $59,000. Trailer details: Yes, locally built, Clamtype (composite top) in excellent, well maintained condition.

Phone 09 294 7324

This glider represents excellent performance, retrieve avoidance and especially good value for money.

Special price for a quick sale – please enquire.

Selling o.b.o Ross Gaddes

0274 789 123

OMARAMA CHALET One of the originals, built early 90’s, recently refurbished, with new carpet, tiled kitchen/ bathroom flooring (heated). New kitchen with ceramic cooktop, dishwasher, sink waste disposer, fridge/freezer and microwave.

Enquiries to Alan Holgate.

Phone 03 454 2144 or 0274 367 442

Golf Mike Bravo For Sale Grob G102 Astir CS77 Standard 15m Serial No.1768 Less than 1000 hours total time. Second highest performing Astir next to the Speed Astir … a delight to fl y. New ARA & inspections, carried out before handover. ADs and required maintenance all up to date. Custom built trailer; registered, Easy to use trailer attachments. Easy rigging system.

Excellent ground handling tow out gear. $28,000 ono.

Contact: warrenpitcher@xtra.co.nz

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QUINTUS

NE

W

BETTER BY

design

NEW ZEALAND AGENT FOR

L X N AV The most advanced soaring instruments and trig avionics

Please contact us for servicing onsite at our Omarama workshop.

Sailplane Services Ltd email sailplaneservices@xtra.co.nz phone 09 294 7324

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