GN Z Awards and Certifi cates

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 fl eet was moved down to the threshold, before we all had breakfast. The weather did indeed start to clear, and following a full briefi ng we were split up to fl y, with the hope that everyone could fi t in at least one more fl ight before lunch. I ended up fl ying another Puchacz, which turned out to be slightly more comfortable than the one I had fl own 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 defi nitely 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 fi eld, to see just how well my pupil would cope with the circuit and landing exercise in a cross wind. Suffi ce 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.

QGP No Pilot’s Name Club Date Glider

3183 Laurence M. Mathewson Central Otago FC 02 10 2012 3184 Darren Smith Wellington GC 28 10 2012 3185 David R. Muckle Piako GC 30 10 2012 3186 Roger Fothergill Taupo GC 30 10 2012 3187 Delio Fagundes Taupo GC 30 10 2012 3188 Peter W. Barrell Wellington GC 03 11 2012 3189 Peter Shields Youth Glide Omarama 09 11 2012 3190 Moritz Althaus Wellington GC 11 11 2012 3191 Carl F. Henderson Piako GC 11 11 2012

SILVER DISTANCE

Philip C. Dunlop Auckland GC 27 10 2012 PW5 Neil Raymond Piako GC 03 11 2012 Club Astir

GOLD DISTANCE

Sandra A. Griffi n Tauranga GC 14 10 2012 Discus

GOLD BADGE

321 Sandra A. Griffi n 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 Distance Points NORTHERN DIVISION

David Hirst Discus 332.43km 334.94 Neil Raymond Club Astir 138.12km 156.09 Philip Dunlop PW5 112.16km 135.83

SOUTHERN DIVISION

No Claims so far

OFFICIAL OBSERVERS

09/101 Andrew Austin Taupo GC 21 10 2012 09/102 Colin McGrath Taupo GC 21 10 2012

GNZ FIRST COMPETITION AWARD

020 Philip C. Dunlop Auckland GC 07 11 2012 021 Neil Raymond Piako GC 1411 2012

GNZ Awards Offi cer Edouard Devenoges

gnzawards@xtra.co.nz 40 Eversham Road, Mt Maunganui 3116.