SoaringNZ Issue 49

NEW ZEALAND’S PREMIER SOARING MAGAZINE

CLUB CLASS NATIONALS JS GLIDERS KEITH ESSEX HUMAN FACTORS • CLUB NEWS i s s u e 4 9 M a y – J u l y 2 0 17

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contents may–july 2017 features 14 Introducing Keith Essex 18 Gliding Hawkes Bay and Waipukurau Inc. 60th Anniversary

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Airbus Perlan Mission II

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Club Class Nationals

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Youth Glide. Where Are They?

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Human Factors

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The Wrong Side of the Cloud – A 1981 Event

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Five plus Five in a Day

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2000 feet AGL Glider Tow Challenge

48

Get Home Safe – App for iPhone and Android

Jonker Sailplanes update 2017 Central Districts Gliding Championships

regulars 6 Letters to the Editor 8 Log Book 44 YouthGlide NZ News 45 Airworthiness 46 A Question of Safety 49 Coaching Column 50 Gliding New Zealand News 51 GNZ Awards & Certificates 52 Gliding New Zealand Club News 58 Classified Advertising

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Editor Jill McCaw soaringnz@mccawmedia.co.nz

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ISSN 1178-4784 May–July 2017 3

from the editor may–july 2017 Isn’t it funny how when one thing goes awry, there seems to be a cascading follow on effect with more and more things not going as planned. This is my explanation for why this magazine is in your letter box nearly four weeks later than I intended.

Luckily, other than an advertorial from the GNZ Executive, designed to make you all rush off and book your air tickets to Wellington to attend the AGM, there is nothing time sensitive in this issue.

There is some good reading though and I’m really pleased how this issue all came together. There was the lovely serendipity of the arrival of a historic piece written by Doug Honnor, included in the material supplied with the Hawkes Bay and Waipukurau Gliding Club’s anniversary story. It’s a cautionary tale about disorientation upon entering a cloud, something Doug discovered the hard way. Our chapter from the Human Factors’ syllabus turned out to be on exactly that subject and explains why you can’t trust your senses when you can’t see.

I had a great time interviewing Keith Essex. He’s such a happy, excited person. He loves aviation and gliding in particular. He’s a very talented pilot and his two 1000+ kilometre flights out of Greytown last year, one off a winch launch, are deserving of recognition.

We had a really good response to the questions posed in the last issue with one of the best number of Letters to the Editor ever. I know I upset a few people with my seemingly negative take on our pilots’ performance at the Worlds in Benalla. I hope no-one took it to heart. If I’d written an article about the troubles facing small countries at large international events it would probably have bored everyone to death and very few people would have read it. Thank you to everyone who went beyond just muttering about what I’d said and took the time to write a reply.

I’m off to spend Queens Birthday weekend in Wanaka at the Airwomen’s Rally. I love these get togethers of enthusiastic aviation people. In this day and age, it might be considered politically incorrect to have a group dedicated to Women in Aviation, but when you’re in it, it is exhilarating. There is something about being a bit odd in company of others who are odd in exactly the same way. There are still subtle and not so subtle prejudices that make it harder for women than men to be active members in our clubs, but I’ll save that lecture for another day.

Chatting with Keith on the grid at the South Island Regionals

There’s been a bit of excitement in our house. We’ve got our youngest son Robert home for a fortnight. He’s been working in Australia and now he’s off to Canada with a two-year visa.

Meanwhile, oldest son Alex, along with his mate Nick Oakley, both living and working in the UK, are gearing up for their last punt at the Junior Worlds.

Former New Zealand junior pilot Ross Drake, remembering his days, not that long ago, flying at European contests, has decided to pay forward some of the help he received back then.

Ross, now based in Austria, has put in hundreds of hours of time and a lot of his own money into renovating two second hand gliders, for Alex and Nick to fly in the contest. Alex will be flying the flashest Hornet I’ve ever seen, and Nick will again be flying the shiny Libelle that he flew in last year’s World Contest.

Both gliders are kitted out with top of the range instruments and all the bells and whistles. Mike and Kate Oakley and John

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NEW ZEALAND’S PREMIER SOARING MAGAZINE

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CLUB CLASS NATIONALS JS GLIDERS KEITH ESSEX HUMAN FACTORS • CLUB NEWS i s s u e 4 9 M a y – J u l y 2 0 17

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May–July 2017

Duo Discus with Mt Cook in background.

Photo John McCaw.

Ailsa McMillan and the Women's Worlds Junior Worlds

Competition Deadline for Club News, articles and pictures is 21 August and 4 September for advertising.

Photo John McCaw

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and I, would love to be able to provide our boys with this sort of kit, and everything else they will need to help them fly their very best at the coming contest. We just don’t have the funds to do it. It means so much to us that Ross has provided it. Thank you Ross. A huge thank you.

Hopefully we’ll be able to catch up with Ross and pass on our thanks in person. Because the real excitement here is that John and I are going to Europe. We’re spending two weeks with friends exploring the Italian/French/Swiss Alps, and then we’re heading up to Lithuania for the Junior Worlds. I apologise in advance, the next issue will probably be very heavy on coverage of the Junior Worlds.

Rug up warm, polish your wings and enjoy any winter flying you can manage.

Stay safe Jill McCaw

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letters to the editor may–july 2017 Last issue I threw out a deliberately provocative question - why are our pilots not winning at world level? My goal was to try and stimulate discussion and get people thinking about NZ pilots competing at top level competition.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to pen a response.

Please remember that letters to the editor are welcome on any topic, any time.

World Level Competition I was very unhappy by the time I finished reading your editorial regarding the NZ Team’s performance at Benalla. I believe the NZ team did Gliding NZ proud in all aspects of our operation in Benalla, only to be left with a bitter taste after the only negative sentiment that has come out.

We cannot compete on a level playing field with the rest of the world; we simply do not have the number of competitive glider pilots or the number of competitions. This is a simple reality of our location and size. It would have been much better to acknowledge the significant improvement made by Brett and Steve from the last Worlds to now and the huge personal commitment made by the whole team.

We had NZ's best glider pilot ever at the comp and his result reflects the difficulty of competing at this level and the conditions encountered. Unfortunately, John had a disastrous start. It was a very difficult competition (with not that many flying days) as demonstrated by the Australian’s results. I would point out to those that have not flown at Worlds, they have no idea what it is like and what is involved.

I would also point out that we need more people going and learning at Worlds. It is a very different environment than any regional or Nationals competition we get to fly in. Those who competed invested a great deal of time and money to improve their competitiveness at this level. We do need more of our pilots competing in this level of event to raise our ability to perform with the world’s best in these types of competitions. Look at the huge improvement by Steve and Brett in their second Worlds. We should support all who are prepared to put in the time and money to go to these events as it will benefit us all. A great number of others spent their money and time in support of representing NZ to the world and in support of our glider pilots, they did so positively and without personal gain.

To have yourself as Gliding NZ editor write these words was destructive to gliding in New Zealand and the opposite of what was achieved in Benalla. The New Zealand team did its best in very trying conditions against the best in the world, all the supporting personnel and the pilots did NZ proud and we were the envy of most.

Dr Julian Elder, Piako Gliding Club

members we have about 40 who show up to various NZ competitions with any regularity. That’s not a bad proportion in comparison to other countries but our numbers are tiny.

Secondly, of these 40 competition pilots we have some truly gifted competitors – and I can think of four (10%) who have greater potential for success than those of us resident New Zealanders who went to Benalla. Three of those four (plus the Juniors) showed initial interest in competing in Benalla but withdrew for various reasons. That’s life. And we have had successes in the past, Coutts and Lynskey, Ben Flewett, Dane Dickinson, Pat Driessen and Grae Harrison have all put in top 10 performances. Not bad at all.

Thirdly, the WGC is not like a competition in New Zealand where you have a great spread of ability among the competitors. You have to get your head around the fact that only the very best of competitors, from countries with large populations of these pilots, get to compete in the WGC – only two per class. It really is the Olympics of gliding and coming mid-field is not a disgrace.

Do you cheer for the NZ track & field athletes at the Olympic Games even though they don’t make it out of the heats?

I’ve read your editorial in the SoaringNZ magazine. I’m afraid I’ve been muttering into my beer ever since and have to respond. Why did we do so poorly? Why aren’t our pilots world class?

We were very conscious that we were representing our country and we all really did give it our best. Notwithstanding the support from the GNZ Umbrella Trust, and our crews and supporters, it was a very expensive exercise – financially, time-wise, leave-wise, family-wise etc. But none of us would have missed it for the world.

Well here goes.

I’ll go back to my beer now.

Firstly, it’s a numbers game. I’m no expert on the world wide gliding stats but I would guess that the NZ gliding population makes up about 5% of the world-wide total. Of our 700 – odd

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May–July 2017

Brett Hunter, Piako Gliding Club

Photo Tim Bromhead

letters to the editor may–july 2017 had a case here a few years back where the contest committee banned a pilot from any contest flying because of his aggressiveness and carelessness. He was a very good pilot and a very nice guy but he had gotten several warnings. In my opinion, contest organizers have to take a tough stand and weed out the too aggressive, ego driven pilots. I have never flown contests but I have been on the organizing crew on the national and international level many times.

Frauke Elber, USA – Woman’s Soaring Pilots Association

Should Club News Remain The club news might be annoying part of the magazine to prepare but it is good to have, all the same. There is probably a good percentage of readers who wouldn’t look online and likely really appreciate it appearing in print. I find online content – and especially pdf club newsletters - is like emails falling off the bottom of the screen, something I think I must read/respond to but, oops, too busy, forgot. Whereas a magazine sits around until deliberately stored or discarded, usually only once read first. And it’s physical and tactile, so a) it gets noticed and b) it is actually nice to hold and look at and c) it is often relaxing to look at too (screens often represent a bias towards work and instant response requirements whereas perusing printed material is much more gentle, don’t you think). Maybe I’m just too old and living in the dark ages, but I’m quite happy to be there.

In your editorial you asked, why the Kiwis didn’t do better in the Worlds. Here in the US, we are asking the same question and not only at the latest Worlds but for the last few competitions.

Here we have an answer: first, the US is a huge country with most pilots living either at the West or East coast. The team is selected by how well a pilot has been doing in Regional and National contests. They very seldom fly together as a team. They are not used to team flying. There is very little financial support. Now, compare that with the well to do European teams (Germany, France and Poland mainly). Their teams are an entity, the pilots train intensively together. They are supported by a whole team of experts. They have weathermen, psychologists, strategists. They have financial support. Our pilots are individual pilots and more or less fly against, instead of, with each other. In 2013, when for the first time ever, we had a woman flying in the Worlds (she flew in Argentina and half a year later in the Women’s Worlds in Issoudin where she got a Bronze medal) we at WSPA started a fund to cover some of the expenses. We ended up with $11,000, which didn’t even cover half of her expenses. She had a skeleton crew of two, of which one did not have any soaring experience.

All this influences the outcome. And then look at the age of our pilots. They could mostly be the grandfathers of the European pilots. And again, that is a matter of money and vacation time which here in the States is very low. Although all the pilots, performance wise, basically fly the same equipment, the equality stops there. The surrounding circumstances play a big role.

My second comment is on contest etiquette. I think the contest organizers have to be much tougher on the cowboy type pilots. We

Michael Norton, Editor Kiwi Flyer Magazine

Regarding club news, I think it’s essential to keep it. The movement relies on people, and I believe exposing, in the magazine, the great people and the relationships that are part of the movement has to continue somehow. Plus you get to hear where resources and experts are and pick up ideas. If it’s kept positive, forward looking, and brief enough, it’s okay. Otherwise, the communications just become all technical and dry. We need to keep the people part in there.

In my view, it’s also okay having the news a little dated. If people want up to the minute - look at the club website or Facebook.

Website references in the club address listing will satisfy anyone wanting to look in updated media, I reckon. What would be good in the mag is a next six months calendar showing what major events are on for each club. It would round out the news to give it the contemporary/forward looking aspect. I’m still happy to get colour, glossy printed matter - it’s great to pick up and read and check out the ads.

Tim Hughes, Canterbury Gliding Club

I find the club news a drag and not interesting. From the stand point of having to write them, it’s always difficult to come up with something that is different, interesting, and readable. The pictures are a big part, but then they are usually reduced in size, which makes it difficult to see anything of interest. Many of the pictures have a similar content. So, from my standpoint, the magazine would not lose much if club news was left out. However, I’m guessing you’ll get a cross section of answers, making a clear decision, difficult.

Warren Dickenson, Wellington Gliding Club

May–July 2017

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letters to the editor may–july 2017

logbook may–july 2017

A New Training Syllabus is Needed

9th FAI World Paragliding Accuracy Championships 2017

Warren Dickinson wrote an open letter to GNZ Many gliding clubs do not have a problem in attracting new members. Initially, all ‘new members’ are excited about flying.

They are keen enough to plunk down several hundred dollars and start training. However, as gliding statistics have shown, the real challenge lies in keeping these members long-term.

This requires constant vigilance through a 24/7 presence, friendly well-qualified instructors and good communications.

At Wellington, we believe another key ingredient to keeping members for the long-term is a training syllabus that motivates and excites people of all ages who are learning to fly. The current training syllabus, which is almost 20 years old, simply does not cut it anymore. It was never designed to last this long and as any teacher knows, the ‘classroom’ is dynamic and therefore training resources must change to keep pace.

Generally, all instructors think gliding is exciting, but many fail when trying to impart this excitement to a bored student. This is especially true when grey-haired instructors try to teach students who are 30 years their junior. While all instructors find excitement in gliding, they are not all good teachers to all students. We cannot turn all instructors into good teachers but we can give them good teaching material to work with. The survival of the sport depends on this.

Vlora, Albania, welcomed the 9th FAI World Paragliding Accuracy Championship from 5 to 14 May 2017, with a record participation of 28 countries represented by 147 pilots, including 32 women.

Warren Dickinson, Wellington Gliding Club

GNZ President Karen Morgan replies Thanks for sending Warren’s letter to me for comment.

As it happens, Gliding New Zealand is supporting an initiative started by Martyn Cook of the Wellington Gliding Club, to re-think the way that glider pilots are trained. Martyn has been working on an updated system for over a year. This has been trialled at Wellington since the start of the last flying season.

The current syllabus still meets many of our needs, but as Warren comments, the world has changed faster than the syllabus has. The GNZ Executive, together with the operations team, has looked closely at Martyn’s work, and recently we extended the trial for a second year to allow further development under real life conditions. In the meantime, all trainees are being ‘signed off’ in the current system too.

Some of the strengths identified include the ability for ‘selfstarters’ to prepare for lessons in advance, using common material that both instructors and students can access on their phones at the airfield. If anyone wants to have a look, the material is available freely on the Wellington Gliding Club’s website.

The development was a key presentation at the GNZ AGM in 2016 and interim results and discussion will feature at June’s GNZ AGM/Conference in Wellington. As ever, everyone is very welcome to attend any of the sessions - it is not just for presidents, CFIs and officials. I firmly believe that all attendees gain a lot of knowledge of what’s going on in our sport from the AGM weekend, including this enhancement of training and your feedback is important to GNZ. Karen Morgan, President GNZ

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May–July 2017

CALLING YOUNG ARTISTS FAI Young Artists Contest has been organised every year since 1986. It is an international art contest for youngsters between the ages of 6 and 17.

This year’s theme was Beyond the Clouds and we share some of the winning entries.

The theme for next year’s contest is Flying in the Future. For instructions on how to enter see the FAI Website.

MILESTONE ACHIEVEMENT

90 YEARS SINCE CHARLES LINDBERGH BECAME THE FIRST PERSON TO FLY FROM NEW YORK TO PARIS Charles Lindbergh flew non-stop and solo from New York to Paris on 20/21 May 1927. In doing so he set an FAI World Record for ‘Distance in a straightline without landing’. The distance claimed is 5,809km or 3,610 miles.

To prove his flight, and to show that he had completed the trans-Atlantic crossing in one single flight, Lindbergh carried a sealed barograph in the body of the plane. Barographs record air pressure, and by looking at the trace of the air pressure recorded during the flight, observers could see that Lindbergh had not landed, and had completed his flight non-stop.

Charles Lindbergh

The original trace, which together with other original documents from the record flight are today held at FAI headquarters in Lausanne, shows that Lindbergh flew much of the flight at low altitude. He climbed higher about one-third of the way through the flight, to avoid storm clouds.

Flying a specially-built Ryan Monoplane, the Spirit of St Louis, Lindbergh flew 5,809km in 33hr30mins. He flew alone, through the night, navigating only by the compass, stars and dead reckoning.

Taking off from Roosevelt Field near New York early on Friday 20 May 1927, he was loaded down with 1,704 litres of fuel. He headed east, flying as high as 3,000m to clear storm clouds, and as low as 3m, skimming across the wave tops. He flew part of the flight blind through fog for several hours.

Barograph trace

Replica of the Spirit of St. Louis built in 1977 by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) to honour Lindbergh and his aviation achievements

CALENDAR JUNE 2017 June 10 - June 11 June 17

JULY 2017

July 27 - August 13

Contest dates to be confirmed at GNZ AGM check website for details

Gliding New Zealand Conference & AGM Gliding Hawkes Bay & Waipukurau Club’s 60th anniversary Junior World Gliding Championships @ Pociunai, Lithuania

OCTOBER 2017 October 21 - October 23

NOVEMBER 2017

November 25 - December 2

DECEMBER 2017 December 2 - December 8 TBC

Club Class & Standard Class Taupo Gliding Club’s 50th Anniversary MSC North Island Regionals @ Matamata, Matamata Airfield, State Highway 27, Waharoa, 3474 New Zealand South Island Regionals

JANUARY 2018

January 2, 2018 - January 6, 2018 MSC Cross Country Course 2017 at Matamata

Now planned for after New Year. Followed by a few days of Christmas Camp until Tuesday 9 January.

January 27, 2018 - February 10, 2018 GNZ National Multi-Class Gliding Championships 2018, Multi-Class Nationals 2018 at Matamata by the Matamata Soaring Centre.

JULY 2018

July 8, 2018 - July 21, 2018 July 28 - August 11, 2018

World Gliding Championships @ Ostrow, Poland Club Class, Standard Class, 15m Class 18m Class, 20m Multi-Seat Class, Open Class

May–July 2017

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logbook may–july 2017 UBER PIPSTREL PARTNERSHIP Uber Partners with Pipistrel Aircraft to Manufacture Electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (VTOLs) In April, at Uber Elevate Summit In Dallas, USA, Uber and Pipistrel announced a long term partnership to manufacture electric VTOLs. Uber has signed a partnership with Pipistrel aircraft producer for large-scale deployment of electric VTOLs in order to fulfil its mission of providing a safe, reliable transportation service to everyone, everywhere. The goal of this partnership is to enable users of a future Uber Elevate Network to request an electric Pipistrel VTOL.

software and hardware for the management of Pilot VTOLs on the Elevate Network, and provide interface connectivity with airspace controllers/regulators. To enter see the FAI Website.

Uber plans to operate a network through which electric VTOL vehicles in numerous cities worldwide will provide transportation and delivery logistics services.

Uber’s and Pipistrel’s joint goal is for initial vehicles to be used in a flight demonstration by 2020.

Pipistrel will develop aircraft to satisfy short distance urban operations as the basis for the VTOL performance specifications.

Uber will participate in the development of airspace control

90 Years of

Alexander Schleicher Segelflugzeugbau

Alexander Schleicher Segelflugzeugbau has manufactured safe and efficient sailplanes and motor-sailplanes since 1927. They are the world’s oldest sailplane manufacturer and today have 125 employees. Over 9500 aircraft have been built.

Alexander Schleicher founded the business in Poppenhausen at the foot of the Wasserkuppe with the vision of making peoples’ dreams of flying real and there by laying the cornerstone for today’s business. Everything began with the construction of wooden sailplanes developed by a variety of outside designers.

Ulrich, Peter and Edgar Kremer

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After the re-commencement of aviation in Germany in 1951, it was possible for the firm to engage its own full-time designers.

Names such as Rudolf Kaiser, Gerhard Waibel, Martin Heide and Michael Greiner are closely connected with the development of individual aircraft types.

Edgar Kremer, Winfried and Werner Schleicher have carried the firm forward along the lines of Alexander Schleicher’s original vision. Today the company is already led by the third generation, the founder’s grandsons, Peter and Ulrich Kremer.

Alexander Schleicher 22 May 1901 –26 April 1968

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We now have a complete system with Vario Display S and Display M coupled with an Air glide TRX 1500 Flarm / ADS-B / Mode C traffic warning system for customers to evaluate here in Masterton.

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May–July 2017

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logbook may–july 2017

The winning teams L to R: Germany, France, Czech Republic

9TH FAI WOMEN’S WORLD GLIDING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017 Zbraslavice, Czech Republic, 21 May 2017 – 4 June 2017 The Women’s Worlds has just wrapped up after a great contest that included a particular trademark, non-flying event. The Baba Jaga evening or Witches Night involved a large bonfire and elaborate costumes and women new to the contest were inducted into the flying coven.

There were 48 pilots flying from 14 countries. The contest managed 12 days of flying in three classes: Club, Standard and 18m and task turn points included a mountain with the iconic gliding name of Blanik.

Australian Junior pilot Ailsa McMillan, flying Club Class was doing extremely well. A day win on Day 4 lifted her to 4th place overall and a win the following day brought her into 1st place overall – a position she held for the next four days. Sadly, a land out on day 11 dropped her to 4th place and she finished the contest in 5th place.

We hope to bring you Ailsa’s story in the next issue. Ailsa will be flying at the Junior Worlds in Lithuania in July, giving the NZ team some strong competition.

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May–July 2017

Ailsa McMillan

Winners Club 1 Germany 2 USA 3 Germany Standard 1 France 2 Germany 3 Czech Rep 18m 1 Germany 2 Czech Rep 3 France

Sabrina Vogt Sarah Arnold Sarah Drefenstedt

8,662 8,555 8,478

Aude Grangeray Cornelia Schaich Jana Veprekova

8,881 8,736 8,686

Katrin Senne Alena Netusilova Anne Ducarouge

9,297 9,275 9,161

logbook may–july 2017

CAA need you CAA ARE ASKING FOR SUBMISSIONS ON PPL MEDICALS

It’s only in the event of a

CL A IM

that you really find out who has the best policy!

In a move that could have considerable impact on tow pilots and many other general aviation pilots the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is consulting on whether or not an alternative Private Pilot Licence (PPL) should be developed that allows for a lower standard of medical certification. The CAA is also seeking views on what a suitable alternative standard of medical certification might be, taking into account the costs and benefits associated with the various options.

The CAA are investigating following suit with the US and UK, providing the majority of PPL privileges to citizens with driver licence medicals (rather than CAA class 2 medicals).

Submissions close 19 June.

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.

Contact your broker or phone Zandra and talk to the people who specialise in aviation insurance.

“Kiwis providing Glider pilots with aviation insurance for over 30 years”

TELEPHONE 04 473 5593

May–July 2017

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Introducing

KEITH ESSEX

BY JILL MCCAW

American pilot Keith Essex exploded onto the New Zealand gliding scene a couple of years ago and proceeded to win all our contests. To cap his successes in South Island contests, last summer he flew an extraordinary 1000 km flight from Greytown in the North Island.

The likable American didn’t seem too worried when our contest rules meant he couldn’t be awarded the trophies for the contests he’d won. Keith wasn’t flying to win trophies, he was flying for fun.

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May–July 2017

K

eith, who owns and runs a helicopter business in Alaska, was new to New Zealand and most people assumed that he had to have been flying gliders for years. They were wrong. Keith only took up gliding in 2013, four years ago. Mind you, a lifelong passion for aviation and 22,000 hours airtime has helped him catch on to the skills needed for gliding very quickly.

Keith had started flying bush planes back in his teens.

He’d got his licence in a Piper Cub. His first flying job, aged 19, was flying into remote Alaskan villages in a variety of aircraft. He did lots of bush flying, something he attributes to easily transitioning to gliding. Keith says there are a lot of parallels between bush flying and gliding. “You use similar thought processes. You’re judging the weather, what’s ahead of you, where you are, land out options and fuel available. Sure, they’re different machines but there are more similarities than differences.”

Owning his own flying business was a natural progression

Photo Karl Lavtar

Keith and Deb

and due to the Alaskan terrain, ski planes and float planes were the aircraft of choice. “That was in 1991 and the emphasis was on ski planes.” But they still struggled with weather and operational reliability. “There were lots of days we couldn’t fly. I decided we should try helicopters and in 1999 I got an R44 and never really got out of it.” Within a year, the aeroplanes were gone and the business was entirely helicopters. “Maintenance on the helicopters was much more fun,” Keith says. “There’s a higher standard, for pilot and engineer as well. It’s a lot more satisfying.”

Gliding hadn’t held any real appeal for Keith. “I thought it was just old men in funny hats who released over the airfield and came back and landed. From the outside, it looked very boring.” But, every two years Keith set himself the challenge of gaining a different type rating for continuing education. And in 2013, while wondering what to try flying next, Keith and wife Deb attended an airshow and saw a dramatic gliding display by ‘Sky Sailing’, the team of Garret and Boyd Willat. Keith spoke

with them and ended up learning to fly with them. He was only planning to add on a rating and was expecting it to take around five hours flight time, which it did.

“What caught my attention was one day, up against a ridge. I thought “Oh. I get it. You can actually go somewhere.

It was an eye opener. I got my rating and a short time after that I bought a Duo XL. I started flying it with no idea what I was doing.” Later, in September that year, in his downtime from his Alaskan helicopter work, Keith took the glider and his motorhome to Tehachapi in Southern California. He was talked into attempting the annual ‘Dust Devil Dash’, a straight distance race. He had no crew and wasn’t comfortable with the idea to start with. The organiser talked him into it. All he had to do was launch and fly as far as he could. So, he did; flying until the radio went silent and actually turning back because he got worried. Where was everyone? He landed in Austin, Nevada, around 500 km from his start, as it was getting dark.

He pushed the glider off the runway and started the 8 mile walk May–July 2017

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KEITH ESSEX

into town. After a couple of hours it was pitch black. He was eventually picked up by a couple of local cowboys who asked what he was doing and gave him a beer. Getting hold of the contest organisers, he learnt he’d won the competition. He was astonished. “And a kind couple got my motorhome and drove all night to pick me up.”

An invite to Bitterwasser in Africa that November was a different sort of eye opener. Keith flew with some young German instructors and learnt about the possibilities of thermal flying.

Since then, Keith has been spending as much time as he’s able at Minden, Nevada, learning how to fly in thermal and wave.

Keith says he used to average 6-700 hours flying for work a year.

Since he’s taken up gliding his work flying is down to around 300 hours a year.

Keith has actually been coming to New Zealand every two years since the mid ‘80s, but with a mountain bike. He’d driven past Omarama lots of times. “The person who turned me on to Omarama was Terry Delore.” Keith and Terry had met at Minden. “I told Terry I was thinking of doing a season in Australia. Terry said I’d get bored. He knew I was a mountain guy. So, I met with Terry, Theo Newfield and Grae Harrison and we made a plan. Deb and I were coming to New Zealand.”

That was three and a half seasons ago. “We love it. It’s beautiful with mountains and so much more than just gliding.

The best part though is the social scene, the people. People are connected and are socially active. It made it fun for both of us.

“I love the flying. It’s super interesting and never boring. The atmosphere is dynamic and changes quickly so it’s challenging and fun. Somehow you’re more connected to the scenery than you are flying in the States.”

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May–July 2017

In his few short years gliding Keith has competed in quite a few competitions, here and in the States. While he says he’s still learning and he’s in awe of the skills of some of the big names like Dick Butler, Uys Jonkers, and Bruce Taylor, he’s not doing too badly at keeping up. At the US Nationals last year Keith and Dick Butler ended up running neck-a-neck one flight (Dick is flying the massive Concordia) at 181 kph in thermals.

Keith beat Dick by a handful of points. “That was fun, going that fast.”

Going a long way fast is something Keith does well. Before the US Nationals Keith had been flying from Minden. One day the forecast for long distance flights was looking good. “The other guys were prepping as the sun came up, but I’m not a morning person. I started two hours after everyone else and the day was really strong. I’d set a goal to stay below 18,000 feet (the airspace limit) and to go fast. Which I did. My OLC track showed 2674 km at 254 kph. In a way it was boring. It was easy, the energy was marked. The hardest part was in staying below 18,000 feet. I could have flown 3000 km but I had flown ten hours, my feet were cold and I was bored. I like more variety.”

After the US Nationals it was back to work until November when Keith and Deb came back to NZ with Keith’s Arcus. “Last season started with the South Island Regionals. Man, that was tough weather. We still got a fair number of days for the weather we had.”

The highlight of this NZ season though was in the North Island, “Getting my winch endorsement (at Greytown). My first winch launch, I was just sitting there as a passenger and oh, my god. It happens so fast. It was a lot to take in at first.”

A winch endorsement might be a personal highlight but

KEITH ESSEX The Greytown crew supporting and celebrating with Keith during and after his epic flights

Keith certainly impressed others with his flights at the Central Districts contest. And, after becoming more comfortable with the area, he did a couple of longer flights. After winch launching he worked his way into Southerly wave, “it was very difficult,” and did his first 1000 km flight. “The next day was better. I took a tow. About two hours into the flight my flight computer crashed. I had no vario and the computer kept trying to reboot.

It would come on for a bit then crash. I’d have two hours with nothing. I did 1260 km that day. Flying without a vario in wave is not easy. You have to feel it, watch the altimeter and know about where you need to be. Luckily, I had FLARM as a backup flight recorder.

“The people there treated me like royalty. The gliding community at Greytown was my highlight. I love Omarama but there’s something special about the North Island too.”

What is it about gliding that Keith likes? “The core thing, with flying in general, is the country you get to see, the adventures you have, planned and non-planned. I love the sky – the day sky, the clouds, the night sky, trying to figure out what’s going on in my surroundings. In a glider, you’ve also got the challenge of operating the aircraft well, and the crystal ball, trying to figure out what’s going on with the weather. You’ve got to take all the pieces of information, put it together. When it goes together it’s great. But it often doesn’t and then you’ve got to enjoy being frustrated to a certain degree. To have the good days you have to have the bad days. It gives you a sense of perspective and it keeps you honest.”

Keith and Deb will be back in Omarama in October.

May–July 2017

17

Gliding Hawkes Bay and Waipukurau Inc.

60th ANNIVERSARY June 2017

COMPILED BY JASON KELLY FROM VARIOUS SOURCES

THE HAWKES BAY GLIDING CLUB Gliding in Hawkes Bay started well before the current club was formed with flying recorded in 1915 when Tye Husheer, then aged 15, built and flew a gliding bi-plane in Napier. This was really a hang glider with directional control by swinging his body. It had a 5.5m (18 foot) wingspan and 4.9m (16 foot) fuselage. Unfortunately, the police ordered him to destroy it because of his German ancestry.

The New Zealand Gliding Association was formed in 1931 (see page 21) and the first annual camp was held at Dannevirke during the Christmas holidays that year with the second camp held in Hastings.

After World War II, it took a few years for gliding to become re-established in Hawkes Bay. Roy Russell, who top dressed with a Tiger Moth, imported a Rhonlerche two seater training glider ZK-GBE in 1957 and a 13 metre glider ZK-GBF, a K6, for himself.

He intended to form a gliding club and do the instructing but was not very successful on his own.

A meeting for anyone interested in gliding was called on the 3rd April 1957 and about fifteen people turned up. These included Tye Husheer, Roy Russell, Gerry van Asch, Russell Spiller, Chris Brayshaw, Peter Gibb, Doug McIntyre (as a 15 year old boy), Mort Usherwood, Mike Monteagle, Clarry Faulkner, Ken Harris and Ken Francis. The Hawkes Bay Gliding Club was duly incorporated on the 21st June 1957 with Gerry van Asch the first president and Tye Husheer the first vice president.

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The club had to raise £900 to buy the Ronlerche GBE. Three members approached various businessmen including Guy Baillie of Baillie Motors and Piet van Asch (founder of NZ Aerial Mapping Ltd). With these and a few others who put in £100 each, along with £5 debentures, the club soon had the required amount.

As most of the members were Napier based, flying started from the Beacons Airfield (now Napier Aerodrome). A shed was built there and contained both gliders which were derigged. The club also operated from Joll’s Farm behind Te Mata Peak, Roy’s Hill, Ocean Beach, Poukawa and various farms.

Aero towing using Tiger Moths was too expensive for most of the members so the club tried car towing using Gerry van Asch’s Studebaker station wagon. Unfortunately, it was not possible to change gears without causing trouble with the launch so they had to start in second gear and get up to 40 miles per hour. It seemed obvious that the club needed a winch to get airborne and after investigation, Piet van Asch donated a Bren Gun Carrier which Gerry van Asch turned into a winch.

Membership was around 50 in 1961 and members were pressed into service to assist with building a hangar to house the club’s equipment and to end the necessity to rig and de-rig on each flying day. A Slingsby T31 trainer, ZK-GAW, was purchased from the Manawatu Gliding Club in a written off condition for £230 and rebuilt by two dedicated members. It was sold in 1963 as it was not satisfactory as first thought due to its open cockpit.

Four great gliding club stalwarts. Ex WWII pilots.

Win ch

Peter Lyons

ZK-GK A remains after fire

It was replaced with a new Rhonadler K7, ZK-GDA, for £1,500.

This aircraft saw four years of service before being sold to the Piako Gliding Club.

BRIDGE PA By 1965 several factors brought about a decision to vacate the Peak strip. There was the difficulty of getting away from the strip in a sea breeze because thermals were not often present as well as the inability to fly when the winds came from the westerly quarter. These combined with the owner not wanting so many cars on the strip, eventually saw the club move to its permanent location at Bridge Pa. Launching was done with aero tows by Hawkes Bay & East Aero club Tiger Moths and the occasional winch launch until it was decided winching and planes did not really mix and winching was abandoned.

Piper Super Cub ZK-BOY became the club’s first full time tow plane in 1965. This was purchased by Bill Williams for the club’s use and eventually the club purchased it from him. This performed very well until the engine hours expired. At that time, an offer was made to the club to swap it for a Piper Pawnee in flying condition valued at £1,500. This offer was taken up, providing the club with ZK-BOQ in late 1967.

The club fleet then comprised of the Rhonlerche two seater training glider ZK-GBE, Schleicher K6 CR ZK-GEH and an ASK13, ZK-GFL purchased for £2,050. In 1969, both GBE and GEH were written off in separate accidents at the same time and

were subsequently bought back from the insurance company and rebuilt.

The time consuming rig / de-rig and equipment storage problem surfaced again so the main priority was the building of another hangar. This became a reality in 1969 following much hard work by club members. The names of those who donated generously of their time and money for this project can be seen today, set in bricks in the hangar floor.

Once firmly established at Bridge Pa, many away weekends for fun or competitions were enjoyed by members with many a tall story being told around the camp fires.

Fund raising, as always, received much attention, to keep the club solvent and the aircraft flying. The minute books record a number of occasions when the hat was passed around for donations to meet commitments. Low membership numbers were a continual problem, as they are today, with much time devoted to organising open days, public displays and scholarships to try and boost membership.

Mid 1972 saw the addition to the club fleet of K6E ZK-GFE which brought the club’s fleet up to that as modern as any in the country while providing a very competitive single seater. The following year it was decided a further two seater was required and ZK-GDN, a K7, was purchased from the Wigram Aviation Sports Club for $4,500. This K7 was considered a short term measure only as it was of the type the club had owned in 1963.

Another K13, ZK-GKA, was purchased late in 1975 to give May–July 2017

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GHBW 60th ANNIVERSARY

the club two of these aircraft which were considered the best training aircraft of the day and are still considered as such by many instructors today.

The single seaters became under-utilised in the late seventies which prompted the decision to sell ZK-GEH. This was subsequently purchased by a local syndicate of Dave Smith, Malcolm Belcher and George Lane. This was completely refurbished and can still be seen flying today.

TWO CLUBS Glider ZK GMX looking for thermals over our lush plains (17.5m span)

ZK-GK A 2014, photo by Claridge Aviation Prints

ZK GHB

The Waipukurau Gliding Club split off in the 1970s with Geoff White, an ex-Spitfire pilot, being CFI of both clubs.

The seventies saw the rapid increase in tow charges as a direct result of the fuel crisis. This led the club to the decision to build another winch in order to reduce costs and to get around the fuel restrictions placed on private aircraft by the government.

Help from the Raetihi Gliding club saw a team headed by Bob Gorringe, Doug Honnor, Malcolm Belcher and very enthusiastic members work long and hard. The fruits of their labour were realised with the first launch in May 1979 with Wynn Craven the first pilot. This winch was used mainly at a strip cleared by the club at Roy’s Hill where the 6,000 feet of single strand 11 swg wire gave launch heights of up to 3,100 feet with many launches above 2,000 feet. The land beside the river was made available by the Glazebrook family. The winch was also used at Waipukurau, Napier, Bridge Pa and Taupo. The required logistics of setting up at Roy's Hill and returning to Bridge Pa ultimately led to the site being abandoned and the winch sold. The club returned full time to aero tow at Bridge Pa. Easter Weekend 1981 saw the club suffer a setback when the tow plane hit a fence and was written off. This setback turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the insurance allowed the club to purchase a new tow plane, a Champion Citabria, ZK-CPD. This two seater had its 100 HP engine replaced by the 150 HP engine taken from ZK-BOQ and has since proved to be an ideal tow plane for the club’s needs. In recent years, the wooden spar wings have been replaced with all metal wings and the engine replaced.

One of the more controversial decisions was made by the club in 1981 to purchase an all fibreglass, high performance, two seater glider. This was a Grob Twin Astir G103 ZK-GMX which arrived brand new in November at the horrific cost of $45,000.

This again took the club’s training fleet up to as good a standard as anywhere in the country.

During the 1980s, ZK-GFE was sold and a Single Astir ZK-GNF purchased. This was unfortunately written off in a tragic accident and was replaced by another Single Astir ZK-GNI which was eventually sold. A K6 ZK-GDB was subsequently purchased and later sold to Doug McIntyre who allowed members to fly it.

The club struggled for members with membership hitting a low of 24 in 2009. This caused financial problems with insurance costs being a perennial issue. However, the value of having insurance was shown again in 2009 when the K13 ZK-GKA was destroyed by fire after an accident at Waipukurau Airfield.

THE CLUBS RE-JOIN With the Waipukurau Gliding Club also struggling for survival, the two clubs re-joined with formal effect in August 2009 and the club name changed to Gliding Hawkes Bay and

Skylux SLX

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GHBW 60th ANNIVERSARY

Graham White was one of Peter’s many students and has also represented New Zealand. Peter and Graham had an epic flight from Omarama to Bridge Pa in the ASH25M ZK-GRJ when they only used the engine to launch from Omarama and then soared the rest of the way in just a few hours, utilising a variety of lift sources.

THE FUTURE Tow fees have been a recurring issue for the club. A current initiative being pursued is the Skylux, a home built plane with an automotive engine. If this works out as planned, the cost of towing will be greatly reduced.

The formation of the club back in 1957 must have taken great dedication by the founders. The present members owe much to those who have proceeded them and kept the club spirit alive and who have done much to provide the facilities that we enjoy today. This appreciation will no doubt continue to manifest itself in the continued support of present members and of those in the future.

There is so much more that could be written and there are a lot of names left out that have done so much for the club but that would take a book.

Allie Thompson 1st solo 01-11-15. Allie got her QGP on 29-04-17 – the youngest person to achieve this, at the age of 14 years and 5 months.

Waipukurau. The merger saw the club take ownership of the PW5 ZK-GYP. The funds of the merged club, along with grants, enabled the club to purchase ZK-GHB in 2010 which is a Grob 103C Twin III SL. This self-launching glider was bought to encourage cross country flying and has had some great flights from Bridge Pa and also Omarama. Waipukurau Airfield is used as a summer flying base as conditions permit.

Membership numbers have been boosted in recent times with a surge of youth members. This has led to the formation of the Gliding School in 2017 to help foster all students and retain them as members. Doug McIntyre has recently purchased another PW5, ZK-GWG, for youth members to use.

Wynn Craven, the founding editor of the New Zealand Gliding Kiwi magazine, served in most of the club’s executive positions as well as being an instructor and tow pilot. He was a great club stalwart, always available to assist and produced a good club newsletter.

CLUB HIGHLIGHTS Club members have had many meritorious flights for distance, height gains and national records. Peter Lyons and Brian Kelly at one stage held the 100 km triangle, two-seater record, completed in a K13 and also the 500 km out and return, twoseater record, completed in a Janus CM. In that flight, they beat an Air NZ Friendship from Wellington to Bridge Pa. Peter Lyons held the 500 km single seat out and return single seat record in his Cirrus and also won a number of National titles and represented New Zealand a number of times. He was a great cross country pilot and took time to help new pilots learn these skills. Peter is still fondly remembered today with a Memorial Trophy awarded to the most meritorious member.

One of the longest aero tows occurred in the early 1970s, during the National Gliding Championships at Alexandra, when Peter Lyon’s Standard Cirrus was damaged and a replacement was aero towed from Bridge Pa to Alexandra.

On reading the Gliding Hawkes Bay and Waipukurau, 60th Anniversary article, SoaringNZ proof reader Max Stevens took to the archives and found the following NZ Herald article dated 23 May 1931 PROGRESS IN GLIDING It was decided at a well attended meeting at the Dannevirke Gliding Club, at which representatives of the Palmerston North Gliding Club were also present, to take steps to form a New Zealand Gliding Association. The following were elected a provisional committee to further the proposal:- Dr. C. S. Williams, President of the Dannevirke Gliding Club; Major A. R. Claridge and Mr E. C. Dearman, of Dannevirke; and Major Hardie and Mr. C. J. Bosworth, of Palmerston North with the power to add.

The work of the committee is to get in touch with all the New Zealand clubs, ascertain their views on the proposal, then convene a general conference to form the association.

Speaking at the meeting, Flying Officer R.E. Matheson said New Zealand was far behind any other country in the British Empire in air-mindedness, in which he included the art of gliding though the country was well adapted for it.

Gliding had made rapid progress in Europe, particularly in Germany, where gliding pilots were put through very severe tests to compensate for the restrictions imposed in power-flying under the Treaty of Versailles. Trained pilots there soared to remarkable heights and remained in the air for some time, thus enabling meteorological investigations to be undertaken. Gliding, he claimed was a good thing for young people, as it encouraged the air sense and prepared people for becoming power pilots.

May–July 2017

21

U PDATE

As we go to press, the Perlan aircraft is on the road, heading for Argentina and another high altitude soaring season.

B

efore leaving their base in Nevada, chief pilot Jim Payne and co-pilot Miguel Iturmendi had two wave flights to over 30,000 feet. These flights were used to test various upgrades implemented over the winter.

Multiple flutter excitation trials were conducted – both symmetric and asymmetric. Miguel reports he could feel the vibrations from the rear seat but for Jim in the front seat it was already smoothed out. Data was sent to ATA in San Diego for flutter analysis. This can be done in real time in-flight. Data is still being collected to verify the models.

GPS altitude is what will be used to verify any record above 50,000 feet for the IGC and FAI. On the first flight on the 24 April, with 30,960 feet on the GPS altimeter, they pulled the brakes as the lift got soft and clouds were coming in from the west. Flight time was 3.3 hours. On the second flight on 16 May, the lift was strong but ATC held them at 30,000 feet for an hour, and due to a glitch of ATC’s equipment, would not let them climb any further.

As mentioned on their blog, 30,000 feet is still higher than Everest and over halfway to the absolute height record set by Perlan 1. All of the aircraft’s systems worked well and the team is excited to be heading for Argentina.

SoaringNZ asked Jim Payne some questions.

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May–July 2017

Where can we follow your progress? Will there be live tracking this year?

Yes, there will. It will mainly be on the PerlanProject.org site.

Jackie will be blogging. We will also have a “virtual cockpit” online when we are flying so people can follow us in real time.

Have you completed flight testing now following the flights at Minden?

We do not have enough time to do all of the tests that we would like to do. However, we have done enough to be ready for Campaign Two. As you head for Patagonia, what at the goals for this season?

The goal for this year is to safely keep expanding the envelope.

Will you be doing more testing? And of what?

We will be doing envelope expansion, that is, going higher and faster in steps.

Is this the season when you’ll break the Perlan 1 record?

If we are able to break the Perlan 1 record I would be very happy. We are of course at the mercy of the wave. Last year was disappointing. Hopefully, the wave will be much better.

Will you be attempting to get into the stratosphere this season? (or are you still tip toeing higher) In El Calafate in July, I would expect the tropopause to be around FL300 so, yes, we will be attempting to soar into the stratosphere.

Airbus Perlan Mission II pilots Miguel Iturmendi (left) and Jim Payne emerge from the pressurized Perlan 2 glider after soaring it to 30,000 feet above the Sierra Nevada mountain range, while pilot Tim Gardner (right) prepares to secure the aircraft.

Photo by Jackie Payne

Perlan Soars at 26,000 feet

Who will be going to Patagonia and how long will you be staying there?

We have a team of about 15 people who will be in El Calafate at various times. We plan to be in El Calafate from July 8 to September 16. The Perlan 2 will return to Nevada after that time Any words for glider enthusiasts who think this is the coolest thing ever -is what you’re doing applicable to gliding any more or is heading for the stratosphere a whole different game altogether? Is this gliding or is it space travel?

We will spend most of a high-altitude flight at minimum sink speed as we are trying to climb as quickly as possible. Thus, I would say that we are more like a glider than a high speed space craft. Above FL500 the true airspeed is very high so there will be interesting effects such as a very large turn radius.

Is that a really stupid question?

No.

Jim's inflight photo from 20,000 feet shows Lake Tahoe out the right window

The tail camera shot of Minden-Tahoe Airport and the Carson Range shows Lake Tahoe across the top

When Perlan is flying, it will be possible to log into the website (perlanproject.org) and follow the cockpit data in real time.

Miguel's selfie shows the in-flight rebreather mask

May–July 2017

23

CLUB CLASS NATIONALS 27 January – 4 Feb 2017

BY TIM BROMHEAD

The Club Class Nationals 2017 was run by the Matamata Soaring Centre (MSC), in conjunction with the annual MSC contest which caters for non-Club Class gliders.

W

e had seven contest days out of eight, with two devalued days, for 6000 points total. We got lucky with the weather. This year we congratulate: Bob Gray for winning the Club Class Nationals with 5730 points. Impressive! There were very few mistakes made.

Runner up Tim Bromhead with 4836 points.

Mark Wilson third with 4650 points.

Results are available on Soaring Spot. Follow the contest links on the GNZ webpage.

We ran an open class alongside the club class with the same tasks, as we had only a few non club-class pilots. Bob won that

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too, followed by Bill Mace in his LAK 12 and then Tim. A special mention to Tony Davies and Malcolm Piggot, who entered Piako club’s Puchacz and managed to land out 4 or 5 times. And they kept coming back for more!

While the contest itself went very well, the organisation leading up the contest wasn’t ideal. Here’s a rundown of what happened and the lessons learned.

The contest was scheduled so it would start after the Walsh Flying School left Matamata Airfield, and before the Central Districts contest started at the new Greytown site.

The downside of these dates was it would have to be a slightly shortened contest of nine days instead of the normal fourteen

days. This was not ideal and not really intentional either. When coordinating with Greytown, it was somehow overlooked that the Club Class Nationals would be shorter than it was meant to be. By the time it was realised, everything had already been set in place. The MSC did consider moving the contest to a later date, but it was decided to keep it in January so to avoid changing things around on people.

As well as this, the Drury contest was arranged to run in early January.

MSC published the dates and contest information as normal and didn’t get a huge number of responses. Two weeks before the contest was due to start, there were five club class entrants and two MSC contest entrants. The fundamental point was: is this number of entrants enough to run a national contest? We would potentially end up with more volunteers than pilots.

While consideration of this was going on, Steve and I were pre-occupied with the World Champs in Australia and unfortunately, we’re often the ones involved in organising and publicising the contests. While we were in Australia, the MSC sent an email to everyone advising that because of the low number of entrants, the contest was cancelled. There was much outrage (over email) from those who had booked time off for the contest. After a few days, we managed to un-cancel the contest. Nothing like a kick up the pants to make things happen! John Etches confirmed he was happy to be Contest Director and it was confirmed we had tow pilots and tow planes covered. We also revved up a few more entrants to make it

worthwhile. Thanks to Bob Gray, Maurice Weaver and Tony Davies for making this all happen.

Sadly, in that time we did have someone who cancelled their booked leave and wasn’t able to attend as a result. A demonstration of how mucking people around is not good at all.

In the end we had ten participants with really good weather on all flying days, bar one rest day. We also had the opportunity to experience the Aerospool WT9 Dynamic as a tow plane.

Glynn Jackson has the FLARM flight trace data for the tow plane comparison.

So why were entrant numbers so low? Is it because the club class is dying? I don’t think it is. It is also important to not judge the Club Class Nationals in the North Island from this one contest.

This year was an anomaly. We had a world champs with six North Island contest pilots competing. Not all these pilots could, or wanted, to fly Club Class when they got back to NZ. We also had three gliders that are normally based at Matamata away for the contests in Australia.

We also had a new contest site, Greytown, hosting a contest directly after the Club Class Nats. This had a big turnout, which you would expect for a new site. There was also the Drury contest, which was a lot easier for Aucklanders to participate in. This contest also had sponsorship and prizes.

This year, Paul Schofield, in the PW6, was the only Auckland pilot at the Club Class Nationals.

How many contests can most pilots do a year? One? Two? If we put three contests right next to each other, most people can’t do all three. And this year most people chose Drury or the new Greytown site contest over the Club Class Nationals.

The lessons I think are: ›› We need to coordinate the scheduling of contests more carefully around each other. ›› Cancellation of contests should not be made lightly plus it should be questioned who can cancel a Nationals at all? ›› A contest at a new site and World Champs are rare events. So, we shouldn’t make decisions based on this year’s contest alone. ›› We need to put more effort and time into our national contests such as securing sponsorship and prizes. ›› We need to improve communication for contest pilots. I’m working on this with our GNZ software.

Thanks to everyone who helped make the event a big success in the end!

May–July 2017

25

Jonker Sailplanes

UPDATE

BY JILL MCCAW WITH ALICEA VERMASS

Jonker Sailplane (JS) gliders, developed and built in South Africa, have won a national championship in nearly every country they’ve been sold. They have now also won their first world championships with two first places at the 34th World Gliding Championship in Benalla, Australia. Killan Walbrou of France won the 18m class in a JS1 while Russell Cheetham from England flew a JS1-C to win the Open class.

“Jonker Sailplanes feel greatly honoured when we take first place at a championship but it is also motivating because it confirms that we are getting closer to our goal and vision to design and manufacture the most sought after glider in the world,”

the company’s sales and marketing administrator Alicea Vermaas said.

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May–July 2017

W

hen SoaringNZ last did an article on JS gliders in 2010, JS1 serial number 15 was about to roll off the assembly line. That was only four years since the maiden flight of the first JS1 glider which took place on the 12th of December 2006.

We asked the company where they are now in 2017.

We recently finished JS1-C SN120 and currently we have up to JS1-C SN-123 and JS3 SN-005 in production. Although we are still selling JS1-Cs, the best seller at this moment is the JS3. We are already standing at around 45 orders for the JS3 alone, even though the glider was only formally released in December 2016.

Several new innovations have been introduced to the JS1 platform since the development of the prototype. In 2012 JS introduced the 21m version of the JS1, penetrating the open class market; in 2013 the JET Sustainer option built by our

The JS3 is a high-performance FAI 15/18-metre Class sailplane, fully-equipped in its baseline standard. An optional Jet Sustainer System or FES will be available.

15m

18m

8.71 m² 93.75 ft2

Wing Area Aspect Ratio

9.87 m² 106.24 ft2

25.7

32.0

Fuselage Length

6.94 m

22.77 ft

6.94 m

Fuselage Height

1.22 m

4.00 ft

1.22 m

22.77 ft 4.00 ft

Maximum Weight

525 kg

1157 lbs

600 kg

1323 lbs

Wing Loading (max)

60.3 kg/m²

12.35 lb/ft2

60.7 kg/m²

12.43 lb/ft2

Wing Loading (min, 70kg pilot)

38.7 kg/m²

7.92 lb/ft2

37.5 kg/m²

7.68 lb/ft2

"Jonker Sailplanes reserves the right to change the specification and pricing without prior notice" JS3 Technical Info 2017.03.10

Page 1 of 5

JS3 with jet sustainer

European partners M&D Flugzeugbau, and in 2014 the 18m “EVO” outboard wings, improving the performance of the 18m version. A Hand Control system, for pilots with reduced leg function, was also completed in 2014, offering disabled pilots access to a high-performance glider.

How many people do you employ now? Is it still the same design team?

From only three engineers and three technicians originally, we have grown to approximately 120 employees with 16 qualified engineers working on the design team. We also train over 40 engineering students each year.

Will there be another new glider in the future or are you working on consolidating and improving your current models?

There are definitely plans to manufacture more models in the future. As soon as production of the self-launcher is up and running, the design organisation will start with the next one.

There are plans for the 13.5m class and a twin seater.

Speaking of the self-launcher, what’s the expected date for the test flight of that?

The plan is to complete the prototypes and have the test flight before the end of this year.

Is a self-launcher likely to become a standard option for all JS models?

You will be able to choose if you want a JS1C 18m/21m with either a sustainer or a self-launcher.

Are many people buying the sustainer options?

Most customers include the jet sustainer on their JS1-C or JS3.

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JONKER SAILPLANES

The JS3

The sustainer is very light (only 16kg) therefore, especially for the JS3, the wing loading is still acceptable for competition flying with the jet installed.

You are developing a Front Electric Sustainer (FES) option on the JS3 – is this likely to be added to the other gliders?

The FES will be completed and available for the JS3 in 2018.

There are plans to also make the FES option available on the JS1-C Models.

What is the most popular model?

Currently that is the JS1, in the 21m configuration. It is a very popular option for pilots who compete in the Open class but with the new JS3 we will be seeing a lot more JS gliders competing in both the 15m and 18m class. The electrical FES option is also very popular, because it is very quiet in comparison to the Jet sustainer.

The JS3 is a 15m glider. All previous JS gliders were 18/21m variations. How similar are they?

The JS3 fuselage is a completely new design with the same profiled wings only shorter. The JS3, a 15-metre racing class aircraft, is not just a revamp of this older model; it’s a completely new sailplane, with a new, fuselage, cockpit and modified wing. The Jonker brothers and Johan Bosman, JS Chief Aerodynamicist, understood that the key to developing a championship winning glider was an all-new hull, combined with a wing that would still climb well despite having a small surface area and a particularly high wing loading – no small feat. If that wasn’t enough, uncomplicated flight behaviour,

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improved crash safety and improved cockpit ergonomics were also incorporated.

Tell us a little about the Jonkers brothers and how they came to be developing and building high performance sailplanes.

The Jonker brothers, Uys and Attie, were born into a family with strong aviation and gliding commitments. They were teenagers when they helped their father build a glider from plans, which was immediately the object of study and improvements through many modifications.

Uys joined Attie in 1999 to start a composite glider repair facility, as well as a wind turbine blade factory, both of these on the premises of the North West University at Potchefstroom in South Africa. One of their first big challenges was the restoration of a severely damaged Schempp-Hirth Standard Cirrus wreck. They pooled together all their spare cash and purchased a serviceable Standard Cirrus to mould the missing cockpit. After 18 months of working every weekend, they were the proud owners of two refurbished Standard Cirrus Gliders.

The experience gained from their endeavour with the glider repair shop came in handy with the movement from design to fabrication. Here Peter and Uli Kremer, CEO’s of Alexander Schleicher, showed lots of help by allowing the brothers unrestricted access to their manufacturing plant. Starting a student flying group (‘Potchefstroom Akaflieg) and partnering with Johan Bosman, they went on to rebuild damaged gliders, gaining skills to ultimately created and refine their own, ultimately successful designs.

2017 CENTRAL DISTRICTS GLIDING CHAMPIONSHIPS

4 – 11 February 2017

T

BY NOELINE VERHEYEN

he Central Districts Gliding Championships (CDs) is the longest running gliding championship in New Zealand and has been around since 1962. Over the years, it has been renowned for the friendliness and support it provides to up and coming pilots. This is evidenced by the year on year increase in participation. 2017 was no exception with 29 gliders participating.

2017 saw a lot of firsts. The CDs were held at Greytown Soaring Centre, Papawai for the first time. This was the first championship hosted by the Wellington Gliding Club and there were a number of first time competition pilots.* It was a new experience for Wellington Gliding Club to be hosting a championship, however with the guidance of the organiser Tony van Dyk and his team of experienced volunteers, including Neil Dunn from Australia, the competition ran like clockwork.

To allow participants time to get to Greytown and become familiar with the site there were two practice days. The contest was opened on Monday, by the CEO of South Wairarapa District Council, Paul Crimp, followed by a briefing by Contest Director Brian Sharpe and Safety Officer David Hirst.

Gliders and pilots came from all over New Zealand (Auckland to Omarama) to participate. As the Wellington Gliding Club is a winch operation, organisers were grateful for the support from local gliding clubs. Tow planes and pilots were sourced from Feilding, Hawkes Bay, Masterton and Upper Hutt. Two tasks were set each day by Tony van Dyk and Stewart Barton, one for Open/Racing and one for the Sports class.

Weather conditions during the early part of the contest were not favourable and resulted in tasks being cancelled, however Wednesday saw the start of three good soaring days.

Achievable tasks were set, allowing new pilots to experience cross country competition flights without being too far out of their comfort zone. 260km was the longest task. On one of the off days pilots had the opportunity to do some winch flying and another chance to visit the vintage aircraft museum at Masterton. Two barbeques, organised by David and Kath Davenport were held at JR’s and a dinner was held at the Workingmen’s Club.

As an introduction to competition flying, Wellington Gliding Club instructors utilised the Central Districts Championship and their two newly equipped DG1000 two seaters to provide training opportunities for club pilots.

The main north south runway at Papawai is 2200 metres long.

The grid was set out in the middle allowing for takeoffs to be in either direction, with tow planes landing behind the grid. This allowed the launch masters Neil Dunn and Ian Sheppard to run an efficient operation and on one day 29 launches were completed in 42 minutes.

As a developing site, we do not have a club house but have camping facilities available onsite. However, Wellington Gliding Club has forged great relationships with its neighbours including JR’s, an apple orchardist sited directly opposite the hangar, who provided facilities for the briefings, social events and accommodation.

Something that will be remembered is the radio shed! This was the little tin shed near the hangar where I spend my days monitoring the radio and tracking systems during the competition.

Thanks to Tim Bromhead we were able to use his automatic trace downloading web based scoring system.

Prize giving was held at JR’s on Saturday after flying.

Winners OPEN CLASS

1 2 3

TD BA BZ

Tony van Dyk Tim Bromhead Patrick Dreissen

2521 2385 2370

Grae Harrison & Team 2114 Tracey Austin Hamish McCaw

1628 1614

Richard Keir Richard Penman Keith Commack

1204 1160 737

RACING CLASS

1 2 3

PJ NM JJ

SPORTS CLASS

1 2 3

DH LR YP

COMBINED OPEN/RACING

1 BZ Patrick Dreissen 2711 2 TD Tony van Dyk 2573 3 BA Tim Bromhead 2413 The 2017 CDs lived up to its reputation. It was a friendly and supportive event in a good location, with developing facilities.

I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I did and look forward to seeing you at Papawai again soon. *Sadly incorrect. Proof reader Max Steven says: Wellington GC ran a Central Districts Champs at Paraparaumu in Dec 1976–Jan 1977.

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Mike Strathern flies Ka 6E, Foxtrot Mike over Lake Rotoiti and St Arnaud, Nelson Lakes Photo Andy Heap

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May–July 2017

31

Youth Glide

WHERE ARE THEY? We have had good feedback from our series on Youth Glide Alumni. The article on Toni Hunt, currently in RNZAF Mission Support was the highlight of last issue for Christian Gerold, a lapsed glider pilot, now flying big jets out of Singapore. We’re finding these stories inspiring and are pleased that you are too. This issue we’re back with the RNZAF with Hercules co-pilot Tim Leslie, who directly credits Youth Glide for helping him get where he is today.

Tim's Story Flying has always been a passion of mine. Fifteen years ago I received my first half hour flying lesson as a gift for my 13th birthday. From that point on I spent all my school holidays working to earn enough to try and stay in the air. By the age of 16 I had discovered Youth Glide and had taken my first step into the addictive world that is gliding. I set power flying aside and focused on gliding. With Youth Glide on my side, costs were much cheaper than power flying, and it was a bigger and more exciting challenge than flying in the circuit in a Cessna 152.

Once I had finished high school I knew that flying was the career of choice but I decided to take some time off studies before I committed to a career path. Once again Youth Glide was there to help, and through contacts made while gliding, I managed to get a job working for Glide Omarama under Gavin Wills. This was an amazing experience and during this time I managed to gain a QGP and type ratings in a handful of single and twin seat gliders.

While working for Glide Omarama I decided the RNZAF was my preferred career option and applied whilst living in Omarama. Testing for the RNZAF included a flying coordination test, and theory tests involving aircraft instrumentation and understanding the

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Toni Thompson

On the Ice Runway at Pegasus Field in Antarctica

Tim on the flight deck waiting to depart from Baghdad International airport

information these provided. I have no doubt that my experience with gliding helped during this phase. Once flying training commenced, the experiences I had from gliding helped my knowledge in all different aspects of aviation in the RNZAF. It has been nine years since I joined the RNZAF and during this time I have been lucky enough to experience some of the most amazing flying in many different countries, carrying out varying tasks.

Since 2014 I have been posted to No. 40 Squadron flying as a co-pilot on the C-130H(NZ) Hercules. The types of flying on this squadron vary significantly and have included flights to New Zealand and Italian bases in Antarctica, humanitarian assistance missions in Vanuatu and Fiji, advanced tactical training in Alaska and strategic airlift tasks to over 15 different countries.

2016 saw the highlight of my flying career. For 14 weeks we were deployed carrying out tasking in support of New Zealand and coalition forces in the Middle East. This included flights to Afghanistan and Iraq to re-supply our troops with essential equipment. During this time we encountered temperatures well in excess of 40°C, missions up to 18 hours in

duration and landings onto unlit airfields using night vision goggles.

My career will continue with the RNZAF for the foreseeable future. I have just started captains’ conversion for the C-130 and hope in the future to gain my instructor qualification on the T-6 Texan aircraft based at RNZAF Base Ohakea.

Beyond this is unknown but the RNZAF has some exciting prospects with new aircraft potentially being purchased in the next 5 years to replace the air transport fleet.

Although gliding has taken a back seat while I have been in the RNZAF it is something I plan to get involved with again as time permits. Youth Glide is a great organisation that helped me get into a career in aviation and I hope to be able to get involved with the organisation again in the future.

Exclusive Agents Australia & New Zealand Southern Energy Sailplanes John Styles gpgliderausnz@gmail.com

+61 (0) 419 001 769 Web:

www.gpgliders.com C-130H(NZ) on the coral runway at Manihiki, Northern Cook Islands

May–July 2017

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HUMAN FACTORS Chapter 4:

ORIENTATION AND DISORIENTATION

BY JONATHON POTE

Our series on Human Factors, the abridged version, took a rest for the summer issues but returns here with the continuation of the subject of Orientation and Disorientation Previously on this subject we looked at vision and how the eye and the brain work together, and their weak spots. We looked at illusions and depth perception, false horizons and stall/spin accidents on approach. We continue here with the Vestibular System and Orientation and Disorientation.

For the full article, go to the GNZ Website.

Under the “For Pilots” tab, find glider pilots training, training syllabus and scroll down to Additional Training Material. Please do read this as the version printed here is abridged and missing considerable detail.

THE VESTIBULAR (BALANCE) SYSTEM Orientation Ancient man needed to be able to orientate himself (where am I and what is happening to me and around me?) whilst stationary on the ground or moving at up to about 25 kph and accelerating to/decelerating from that speed over a minimum of a few seconds WHILST ABLE TO SEE HIS SURROUNDINGS. Running in the dark was not an option unless in mortal danger.

Even flight in a glider takes you way outside those parameters in terms of speed, linear acceleration and above all, rotation.

Before considering the vestibular system of the inner ear, you must be clear about some concepts: Static implies no movement at all.

Linear motion or acceleration occurs in a straight line, such as in level flight (linear motion) or a stable dive (linear acceleration). The transition phase from level flight to a stable dive with speed increasing includes angular movement as well as linear movement.

Angular movement or rotation implies that an object is changing direction or rotating at a constant rate. The steadily moving second hand of an analogue clock is an example, as is a glider once established in a steady turn.

Angular acceleration or deceleration implies that the

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rate of rotation is increasing or decreasing. In a glider, as a turn is entered, there is angular acceleration until a steady rate of turn is achieved, after which there is only angular movement.

Exiting the turn requires angular acceleration in the opposite direction until nearly on the desired heading, when angular deceleration to zero angular movement steadies the heading.

Orientation implies the person being (correctly) aware of their surroundings and of their position within those surroundings. The senses (vision, hearing, the vestibular apparatus of the inner ear and proprioception – the position

Thus, after TEN seconds in cloud, a glider may be rolling at over 90 degrees a second

with the pilot totally unaware of this.

The Vestibular system Semicircular canal Posterior Canal

Superior Canal

Utricle

Cochlea Horizontal Canal

Vestibule Saccule

Photo John McCaw

The vestibular system which sits in the inner ear. Note the three semicircular canals and the saccule and utricle (the latter two known together as the otolith organs). The cochlea is the organ of hearing.

sensor mechanism around joints and in muscles) provide this information both in static and moving contexts. Vision is the primary source of information. Proprioception, that is stretch receptors around the joints and pressure receptors in the skin (particularly in weight bearing areas such as the soles, palms and buttocks) provide information about the position of limbs etc., and how the person is supported. In good light, the vestibular apparatus (balance sensors in the inner ear) merely provide confirmatory information which rarely conflicts with sight.

A semicircular canal schematically

The vestibular system is very complex but is able to sense both the static position of the head and ANGULAR ACCELERATION of the head.

The utricle and saccule are two small chambers (known collectively as the ‘otolith organs’) containing sensory hairs topped with a bony crystal sensing the static position of the head in one of the two planes equivalent to roll and pitch.

Thus, when the head leans to the left, so the weight of the bony crystals bends the sensory hairs and they lean further over to the left. The brain senses this as a head tilt to the left. The same occurs in the fore and aft (pitching) plane, giving the feeling of the head being raised or lowered.

However, these crystals possess mass and therefore are ‘left behind’ temporarily if there is linear acceleration in either plane. Whilst the input to the brain is identical in each case, it is short lived in the case of acceleration when we run (as we can only reach perhaps 20 kilometres an hour) or lean sideways.

The visual input confirms events so that there is no confusion of static position with linear acceleration.

The semicircular canals (which sense angular acceleration) are more complex. There are three in each vestibular apparatus, roughly at ninety degrees to each other covering pitch, yaw and roll. Each canal is fluid filled and has a hinged membrane across the cavity at one point. Because the fluid has inertia, if the head rotates in one of the three planes, so the fluid will be temporarily left behind, flowing within the canal and deflecting the membrane, thus sending information to the brain. Soon, however, if the rotary motion continues at May–July 2017

35

HUMAN FACTORS

the same rate the fluid will ‘catch up’ and rotate at the same speed as the bony canal. The membrane will return to its resting position ALTHOUGH THE ROTATION CONTINUES. The orientation of the other two semicircular canals means that no fluid movement will occur within them as their orientation is perpendicular to the plane of rotation.

If the head’s acceleration from stationary were to increase by two degrees per second per second, (the threshold for noticing movement) then in the first second it would only rotate by 1 degree, but WITH NOTHING FELT IF THERE IS NO SIGHT OF THE OUTSIDE WORLD, a total of 25 degrees after 5 seconds.

After ten seconds a frightening ONE HUNDRED degrees of rotation has occurred UNOBSERVED. Little wonder that pilots are almost invariably disorientated after thirty seconds in cloud.

The situation is further complicated. Unless the angular acceleration is confined exactly to the plane of just one semicircular canal, there will be fluid movement to a greater or lesser degree in two or even all three canals. This allows the brain to interpret angular acceleration in a combination of yaw, pitch and roll planes. A second important fact is that the system has a threshold and can only detect angular accelerations of about two degrees per second per second or greater.

Thus, after TEN seconds in cloud, a glider may be rolling at over 90 degrees a second WITH THE PILOT TOTALLY UNAWARE OF THIS. A third complication is that all three canals communicate with each other. Fluid movement within any two of the canals due to angular rotation in both of their planes can cause rapid fluid movement within the third canal even although there is no corresponding angular acceleration in that plane.

That is the system as it has evolved over the millennia, and it is very effective in ordinary life on the ground. As light levels drop, so vision is gradually superseded by the vestibular apparatus as the primary source of orientation information, but without conflict with remaining visual input.

The proprioceptive input (body configuration and support) is independent of light levels and agrees with both sight and the vestibular information.

All is well, until we fly in a glider and enter cloud.

Disorientation (and Motion Sickness) When starting to learn to fly, some people do feel slightly strange but quickly get accustomed to the sensations. The same occurs at sea; sea-sickness tends to abate after forty-eight hours, and people ‘get their sea legs’. The occasional conflict between sight (say when the horizon is at thirty degrees, but being in a steady balanced turn the force [gravity plus angular movement] is vertically through the seat) is the basis of motion unease/sickness. This susceptibility to motion sickness is lost over several flights, but returns when regular flying ceases for a few weeks – even experienced aerobatic pilots feel unwell when starting to practice at the start of a new season.

True disorientation essentially entails disbelief about what is being felt. It is essential to overcome this to survive. Rely on your training or die. Thousands of pilots have died for this reason and continue to do so. The instruments tell the true

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You did not use full rudder to enter the spin and hold the glider in the spin,

so which is “the other foot”?

Not such a stupid question after all.

story even although it seems very different to the pilot.

Linear disorientation. This is usually not a problem for glider pilots as gliders cannot accelerate without descending, but hundreds of early jet pilots were killed flying their aircraft into the ground during night flying when they wrongly sensed the nose as rising and eased forward on the stick during acceleration.

Occasionally winch launching glider pilots (especially those trained in aero tows behind less powerful tugs) lower the nose inappropriately as the glider accelerates from standstill to about sixty knots very quickly whilst also rotating into the climb. Again, those little hairs with their weighted tips have been bent backwards due to their inertia and the acceleration, the brain interpreting this as the head looking steeply upwards rather than considerable horizontal acceleration with a slight raising of the line of sight. The instinctive reaction may be to lower the nose inappropriately in the belief that it has been raised excessively.

Angular disorientation. This is the real killer.

Consider this scenario; perhaps you fly into cloud. No problem, you think – I’ll be in clear air again soon. But then the airspeed increases, and when you use ‘up elevator’ to reduce it, the speed increases even more (so does the pressure on your seat, but you expect that with ‘up elevator’). What the hell is happening? You then lower the nose with elevator and speed increases even more. You are in a spiral dive – only aileron can save you, not elevator. Very soon you are at VNE (the maximum safe speed of the glider) and still accelerating. The glider might develop flutter and break up or you might exit the cloud vertically downwards in a spiral dive, lethally low. You have discovered the GRAVEYARD SPIRAL – and are about to join the tens of thousands of pilots who have been killed by it.

Another scenario is spinning. In training, usually the student is in control at the entry, knows which foot he pushed forward, and thus which foot to use for the recovery: “The other foot, stupid”. Accidental spins are different to intentional spins; if you are turning tightly in a thermal at minimum sink speed (just over the stall), a gust or sudden avoidance of another glider might precipitate an accidental spin. You did not use full rudder to enter the spin and hold the glider in the spin, so which is “the other foot”? Not such a stupid question after all. Quite soon your semicircular canals will have ceased to give you useful information because the fluid within them has ‘caught up’ with the canal structure. Likewise, when you initiate correct spin recovery, the fluid in your semicircular canals continues to move and now gives the sensation of turning THE OTHER WAY. It is not unknown in accidental spins for the pilot to reverse direction of the spin rather than recover due to this conflicting information of eyes versus vestibular system input or to use pro-spin rudder and enter a spiral dive. Two more easy ways to die.

The ‘Coriolis’ effect. Remember that movement in two

HUMAN FACTORS

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Dancing with the wind

A BIRTHDAY GIFT FOR PILOTS?

Jean-Marie Clément

Instrument flying involves providing at least a rate of turn indicator (amongst other instruments such as an artificial horizon and VSI in addition to the ASI, compass and altimeter usually fitted). These allow the pilot to get a visual input from the instrument panel adequate to replace the natural horizon and movement around it and thus to orientate himself. Their use requires specific training and experience, and their accurate use requires currency. They are a great aid to safe flying, but should not be used by untrained pilots. During the World Championships held in New Zealand, a foreign competitor tried a ‘short cut’ through cloud to move to a different standing wave front. He lost orientation, exceeded VNE, and the glider broke up. He was able to parachute to safety.

Instrument flying is covered in depth in the Advanced Syllabus.

TopFly

planes will not only cause fluid movement in the appropriate two semicircular canals, but possibly greater movement in the third canal even though there is no actual movement of the head in this plane, and thus no corresponding visual input to the brain. This gross mismatch of visual image and vestibular sensation causes a most unpleasant tumbling feeling frequently accompanied by feelings of motion sickness or actual vomiting. It is possible to reduce this effect by turning your eyes onto an object and then moving the head to the appropriate position. Ballerinas and ice-skaters rotating ‘on their tips’ move their heads in jerks, rather than smoothly with their bodies to reduce the effect. Try it – but on the ground and not just when you are about to fly.

Look at some lethal traps in Wikipedia – Sensory_illusions_ in_aviation. Bear in mind also that the semicircular canals cannot detect angular acceleration below about two degrees per second per second.

Dancing with the wind

Jean-Marie Clément

May–July 2017

37

The wrong side of the

CLOUD – a 1981 event

BY DOUG HONNOR

Ensure a 5/8 situation doesn't become 8/8

This story, by Doug Honnor, was passed on to SoaringNZ as part of the material for the Gliding Hawkes Bay and Waipukurau anniversary. It’s a great cautionary tale and it marries perfectly with our Human Factors topic this issue. This was originally printed in the Gliding Kiwi and was written by Doug in response to previous GK articles about the sobering effects of cloud flying that had been printed in November 1999 and January 2000.

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I

have been intending to put down on paper an incident I experienced quite some years previously – that of being on the wrong side of the cloud – THE INSIDE! Now on that particular occasion, 20th September, 1981, I launched from Hastings airfield in my Std. Cirrus GJH on what looked to be another promising Hawkes Bay wave day. After release about 2,500 feet I became established in a climb, and proceeded south, levelling out around 9,500 feet – 10,000 feet.

I briefly gained more height, before losing about the normal 3,000 feet to 4,000 jumping to the next promising windward line of rotors.

I re-established my climb and continued south towards Dannevirke, enjoying a delightful scenic day, carrying out a few aero ‘exercises’ and rechecking the instrument functions.

Another precaution I sometimes use in local wave when heading in one direction between prolific rotors, is to make an occasional turn to see what may be happening behind, to ensure a 5/8 situation is not developing towards an 8/8 and obscuring the return passage (I wasn’t carrying oxygen).

As time passed, the cloud cover further to the south was increasing with rotors almost meeting so I erred with caution

It was all on from that moment, as I was already in a turn at speed.

After only seconds, I hadn’t a clue which way I was heading (the compass is no good in such situations). and turned back north for more open skies. After stooging along happily for a while, (I had also taken precaution to turn on and uncage the artificial horizon (A.H.)) I was proceeding comfortably at 90 knots, not losing height with still a safe enough gap between rotor clouds and wider gaps ahead; I was also keeping a good eye on the leading edge, of which I was windward and almost above. I was laying off the drift, but the edge advanced closer, so I thought, “No problem, just turn away a bit more,” but, as I turned away, doing about 80+ knots at 9,500 feet, the air condensed around me into dense cloud! The wave pattern had shifted!

It was all on from that moment, as I was already in a turn at speed. After only seconds, I hadn’t a clue which way I was heading (the compass is no good in such situations). I attempted to maintain stability; didn’t know if I was in a turn or straight and level. Then things really got worse with moderate to severe turbulence. My speed would increase rapidly and the G-loading became alarming, then things eased to quiet for a few seconds before it was all on again with more stronger, disconcerting turbulence and noise inside this grey mass of the rotor. Just after entering I had opened the brakes and tried to read the A.H., however with the gyrations the aircraft was experiencing, the A.H. had done likewise and was acting crazy. The avionics people later told me that in such situations an A.H. can ‘capsize or topple’ and become ineffective (an understatement). Another contributing factor is limited amps. in a glider battery sometimes providing insufficient current for the A.H. to function properly.

At one stage I even thought about bailing out, but promptly dismissed the idea, deciding to stay with the sturdy little Cirrus unless the ship showed signs of breaking up. The other comforting thought (if you could call it that) was that there were no ‘brick-filled clouds’ in the area. I knew cloud base was at least 4,000 feet AGL. So, for the most part I made minimal input, and at times zero, into the controls as I didn’t know which would be correct anyway.

After what seemed an age but was probably only many minutes, the Cirrus with myself tagging along, was spat out the bottom of the rotor at 5,000 feet in a diving turn – not quite a spiral dive, as there was not too high a G loading at that stage (I think). At last I could see the horizon and was able to compose

myself. I levelled the wings (which were still on) and thought, “Where the F--- am I?” I spotted Lake Hatuma and orientated myself.

As the adrenaline settled down, I became established in a climb and headed further north and west of Hastings where conditions were more stable with less cloud. During the remainder of this 3 hour 40 minute flight, I continued around the Hastings-Havelock North area and spent quite some time thinking and soul-searching what to do about this experience.

I was a very current dedicated “B–cat.” instructor, yet in spite of all these skills, including aerobatics competency, I was shattered to have found myself totally helpless.

After landing, I looked down to see dried blood streaks down both shins which had been barked by striking the underside of the padded instrument panel in the severe turbulence. I never felt a thing at the time.

I was determined not to let this frustrating situation occur again. I must either give up flying (dismissed) or learn some basics of instrument flying! This was not to intentionally go into cloud but to have a sporting chance of a controlled exit if this situation should accidentally occur. I upgraded my membership with the Aero Club to full flying, studied ground instructions on ‘Limited Radial Scan’, had some time on the simulator, then progressed to power flying under the hood with exercises in recovering from unusual attitudes and situations, 360° turns etc. I eventually became moderately confident. These exercises were carried out where there was not too much turbulence. I still doubt how one would cope in severe situations.

The main purpose of this article is to warn all non-instrument and budding pilots of the real hazards of being enveloped in (or above) dense cloud, for unless you have the instruments (and more importantly, current training in their use) you are helpless, no matter how good an accomplished pilot you may otherwise be.

Apart from the severe turbulence that can occur in towering cumulus thunderheads and wave rotors, a far worse scenario is where cloud base is below mountain tops (brick filled) which has claimed many a good aircraft and pilot. There may also be power planes.

Five years after my experience, another Hastings pilot, without first checking with the instructor of the day, unwisely took it upon himself to set out in a Std. Cirrus for a distance task south in wave. During the flight, his glide calculator apparently showed he could over-fly rotor cloud upwind to the next gap; however mother nature had different ideas, with wind strength greater than anticipated and lack of penetration, he became enveloped in potentially “brick filled cloud”. The glider emerged, fortunately just clear of very hilly ground level, with the only open space downwind, resulting in a controlled crash over partly flat terrain. The glider was an insurance write-off, however the pilot was extremely fortunate to walk/stagger away from the trail of pieces with a canopy-induced headache and a most damaged pocket and pride.

For the most part, wave can be most pleasurable and fascinating. It is often relatively docile which can lead to a false sense of security. However, as one old time instructor used to

My 15M Cirrus at winching strip during the '80s

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39

THE WRONG SIDE OF THE CLOUD However, as one old time instructor used to say

“Never under-estimate wave – wave can be treacherous and unpredictable.” say “Never under-estimate wave – wave can be treacherous and unpredictable.”

I have read various reports over the years on cloud involvement by non-instrument rated glider pilots, some describing experiences in a ‘Gung Ho’ attitude which should be taken with grain of salt. Others are a downright variation of the facts and foolhardiness.

TO CONCLUDE Rule 1 – Don’t go into cloud So, what to do if a non-instrument rated glider pilot inadvertently finds himself enveloped in cloud?

Theory 1 (Most favoured) The glider can probably fly itself better than you can; so, trim back, hold the brakes fully open and leave hands and feet completely off all controls. The machine should proceed through descending oscillations and emerge safely out through cloud base (if no bricks).

Theory 2 Same as 1 but centralise the rudder. At no stage pull back on the stick, particularly if G. loading is experienced; you could either be inducing a loop or tightening up a destructive spiral dive which causes wings to ‘clap-hands’.

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(It is unlikely the glider will commence a spin of its own volition. Should this occur, it will not stress the structure and is a good way to lose height. Once cloud has been cleared, use standard spin recovery and ease out of the dive.)

Theory 3 Trim back, brakes open, but centralise all controls (I have my doubts and don’t know about this one).

Footnote: I suggest exercises are experimented with in a clear sky to simulate each particular glider’s behaviour as this could vary with type. It is prudent to test theory with practice.

Differing payload weights may also have some influence.

Many have no doubt read articles over the years by some of our top-rated pilots with instrument and cloud flying capabilities and their successful experiences which is okay for those fully qualified in this capacity. Recent examples are some passages in Dick Georgeson’s fabulous book where cloud flying is mentioned in his aircraft equipped for this. Even so, he cites some hairraising adventures. What wasn’t stressed is the importance of pilot training in the use of the instruments, for without this, you may as well not have them. Once trained for such, then you need to keep current.

High contrast high resolution display shows all critical flight data without the need to switch screens

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Display Units Only Digital: US$550 Analog: US$650

XC license adds a secure flight recorder*, Thermal Assistant screen, navigation tools, and serial data communication with third party devices US$600 NZ Agent: Roger Sparks | Mobile 0274 956 560 | Email r.sparks@xtra.co.nz

40

May–July 2017

FIVE PLUS FIVE IN A DAY

BY JASON KELLY

B

eing both a cyclist and a glider pilot, I set myself a goal several years ago of a possible world first sporting double – completing a five hour bike ride in the morning followed by a five hour glider flight in the afternoon. This required planning and the right weather conditions. The forecast for Sunday 22 November 2015 looked promising for good soaring conditions with wave lift likely.

Arising early, I was on the road on my bike before 6 am and headed out from home in Hastings, around the Tuki Valley and then west to the end of the hilly Salisbury Road and back before heading out and back to Aorangi Road into a blustery westerly.

While riding, I was constantly looking skyward and assessing the likely gliding conditions. These changed constantly from not good at 6 am, to promising, to very promising and then back to marginal to poor during the ride. While the bike ride was not a race and was done at a gentle pace, it included over 1,000 metres of vertical climbing and the westerly wind made a strong head wind on the outward journey. By the time I completed my five hours on the bike, the sky was mostly blue with just the odd sign of wave which was not promising.

After eating and drinking, loading my car with the required equipment for a five hour glider flight in wave – flight computer, food, water, oxygen system etc, I headed out to the Hastings Airfield at Bridge Pa to find no one was flying due to strong winds on the ground. However, these abated a little and the tow pilot was happy to tow me.

After preparing the LS4 glider and launching, asking the tow pilot to take me to the wave seemed a little presumptuous under a virtually clear blue sky. At around 4,500 feet, a line of wave seemed to be there so I released from tow. I had to use the energy in the sky to stay aloft. This was provided by upper level winds and suitable atmospheric conditions causing wave lift. As a secondary goal, I hoped to climb to over 20,000 feet to claim a FAI diamond badge leg.

Finding strong lift initially, I quickly reached 15,000 feet near Hastings airfield. However, with no clouds marking the lift, large areas of sink in excess of 2,500 feet per minute and the wave lift randomly moving, it took skill, determination and a little luck just to stay aloft and I rapidly reached a low point of 2,200 feet.

The maths at being 20 kilometres from the airfield, crossing the ground at 4 kilometres a minute, being at 6,000 feet and losing 2,500 feet per minute did not give an appealing answer and I was looking at paddocks to potentially land in if required. The areas of sink were so pronounced that the air traffic controller noted that a commercial airplane was affected by it. After some struggle, further lift was found and I managed to regain sufficient altitude to comfortably continue the flight.

After inching my way south to Waipukurau, a further struggle was endured as I sank to 5,000 feet and again the maths to make the 45 km back to Hastings did not work with over 2,000 feet per minute sink all around. Reaching Waipukurau Airfield just a few kilometres away was also no certainty. Eventually, scrambling back up to 9,500 feet, the only consistent lift of the day was found and I raced back abeam of Hastings Airfield in about 10 minutes.

With my five hours almost up, to finish off my flight, I completed the gliding club’s local 33 km speed triangle from Bridge Pa to Maraekakaho to Paki Paki and back to the airfield in 12 minutes 43 seconds at an average speed of 157 km/h.

Landing after 6 pm, my total flight time was 5 hours 34 minutes and ended up covering from north of Patoka to Waipukurau with almost 600 km traversed over Hawkes Bay. While a five hour bike ride in itself is nothing special, combining this with an over five hour glider flight on the same day, which was achieved under extremely challenging conditions, it was a unique achievement.

While my diamond badge claim had to wait for another time, it was a day to be remembered.

May–July 2017

41

ADVERTORIAL

LXNAV IN NEW ZEALAND Sailplane Services Ltd

Nano 4

Back in 2012-13 Sailplane Services Ltd (SSL) approached LXNav with a view of representing their product range in NZ. Since then LXNav have set the standard in soaring products.

It’s now hard to imagine any new glider arriving into NZ without an LXNav product installed. Owners of older aircraft, when deciding to upgrade, are also steadily moving towards installing these excellent modern products into their panels.

The latest release is the S8/S80 Club vario. This is a line of variometer aimed at clubs and pilots who want a basic modern vario at a very reasonable price. In line with LXNav design philosophy; these variometers can be upgraded, feature by feature, until they carry all the features of their more expensive counterparts. The software upgrade options include Task Navigation, Airspace Indication, Pilot Profiles and Digital Inputs, all of which can incrementally change the Club version into the full version of the S8/S80 range. You can find more on the LXNav website under products – variometers – S80 and S8.

The Nano 4 is a new logger with much, much more. The touch screen has Airspace, Task Navigation, Wi-Fi module, Wind Indication, Final Glide calculation and many more features. All of this is in a stand-alone logger which offers outstanding value.

LXNav provide ‘Bridges’ that allow many modern Coms and Transponders to be displayed and operated from the LX8/9000 series screens thus reducing panel space – a big problem in a small cockpit. Sailplane Services are NZ agents for TRIG communication and ‘S’ Mode transponders – so this is great news for us as TRIG are also becoming market leaders in this area of avionics. eCopilot is a ‘Glass Cockpit’ screen for LSA, UL and experimental aircraft. Again, LXNav use the same software upgrade philosophy that they use for their soaring instrumentation. Already experts in this area, it is a logical step to apply their knowledge to the power aircraft market.

Some new information you may not know Sailplane Services can sometimes arrange ‘special offers’ that can assist with owners wishing to upgrade to the LX8xxx – LX9xxx range, state of the art soaring navigation equipment.

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May–July 2017

These are dependent on the existing type/model and layout so we suggest you ring to discuss these.

LXNav offer ‘trade in’ packages on earlier loggers (theirs and others) when upgrading to Nano or Nano 3 products.

Please enquire.

As well as working with essential ‘FLARM’ proprietary technology, which they build into the LX8/9000 series, they now offer Power Flarm as well.

The LXNav range is now beyond what we ever would have imagined, and as such it would be tedious and difficult for us to list fully all that they can supply and do for NZ pilots. Please visit their excellent website and/or check out their presence on Facebook as they are always up to some new innovation to surprise us. In my honest opinion, having such a successful supplier is hugely beneficial to the soaring pilot, especially in NZ where we need the collective knowledge in order to get the best from these modern high performance instruments.

They also pride themselves as being quick to respond to those technical questions which only the manufacturer is able to answer. Quite frankly – we have never seen a company that has progressed to this extent and we are proud, and lucky to be involved in that progress here at Sailplane Services.

S8/S80

Ross Gaddes +64 9 294 7324 wk +64 274 789 123 mob

2000 feet AGL Glider

TOW CHALLENGE

BY GLYN JACKSON

Glyn Jackson continues his analysis of New Zealand tow plane performance.

I

t has been pointed out by several people that combination climb rate on tow is only part of the story. Tug descent rate is also important, as this also has a significant effect on tug cycle time. In 2015, in an interesting discussion about tug performance, Graham Lake suggested that cycle times are also an important measure that should be part of the presented data, i.e. how long wheels off to wheels on. A big Pawnee will get to height quicker but the LSA can come down faster so cycle times are not that different.

This discussion got me seriously thinking about tug descent rate, tug ground to ground times and the potential value of putting an IGC logger in the tug to accurately measure tug descent performance.

This line of thinking eventually lead to the creation of the 2000 foot glider tow challenge.

There is a beer on the table at the 2017 GNZ AGM for the NZ tug that does the fastest (wheels off to wheels on) 2000 feet AGL (or greater) glider tow.

There is a second beer on the table at the 2017 GNZ AGM for the NZ tug that does the fastest (wheels off to wheels on) 2000 feet AGL (or greater) two seat training glider (2up) tow.

Congratulations to BZA for claiming both beers.

Finally, many thanks to those people and clubs who have contributed IGC data to this challenge and also to the wider towing performance comparison project. There has been a request to both continue the 2000 foot glider tow challenge for another year and also to allow overseas entries into the challenge. It will be interesting to see if any tug manages to claim the position currently held by BZA. An IGC logger in the tug captures both the combination climb rate and the tug descent rate data and, with the ever growing data set that we are accumulating, it will eventually become possible to use statistical techniques to draw conclusions about the influence (and thus importance) of some of the variables which influence tug performance. This could be an interesting topic for future investigation.

NZ 2000 feet AGL glider tow challenge Tug Tug Aircraft Registration type

Tug wheels off to wheels on time (min/sec)

Tug average vertical speed (feet/m)

Tug average climb rate (feet/m)

Tug average descent rate (feet/m)

Glider tow height gain (feet)

ZK-BZA

Pawnee

4 min 45 sec

866

807

935

2057

ZK-TGC

Eurofox

4 min 52 sec

894

725

1165

2175

ZK-SUG

Pawnee

4 min 57 sec

851

800

909

2106

ZK-DYA

Dynamic WT9

5 min 20 sec

759

759

759

2024

ZK-BRP

Cub

5 min 30 sec

753

634

927

2071

ZK-CEB

Pawnee

5 min 32 sec

740

877

640

2047

ZK-CPD

Champion 7ECA 5 min 52 sec

690

769

626

2024

ZK-DYT

Dynamic WT9

723

727

719

2145

5 min 56 sec

NZ 2000 feet AGL glider (2up) tow challenge Tug Tug Aircraft Registration type

Tug wheels off to wheels on time (min/sec)

Tug average vertical speed (feet/m)

Tug average climb rate (feet/m)

Tug average descent rate (feet/m)

Glider tow height gain (feet)

ZK-BZA

5 min 24 sec

759

683

854

2050

Pawnee

ZK-CEB

Pawnee

6 min 20 sec

634

709

574

2008

ZK-TGC

Eurofox

6 min 36 sec

626

551

725

2067

ZK-DYA

Dynamic WT9

6 min 42 sec

604

578

633

2024

The raw data IGC files are available on request.

To enter the 2000 foot glider tow challenge and/or contribute towing data to the wider towing performance comparison project, please email your tug IGC file to glyn@glynjackson.com

May–July 2017

43

youth glide nz news

needs to be given to Sam Patterson who made his third flight in a single seater, which was also of 1 hour 40 minutes duration. Well done Sam!

TIM AUSTEN

Food and Fun reached its peak with our second annual Mexican Night which saw the Omarama kitchen look more like a beach in Cancún (well, we thought so at least). This was followed by an overnight visit from the Easter Bunny throughout the Omarama Airfield area.

Funding came in the form of the generous use of discounted aircraft and tows from GlideOmarama as well as the free use of privatelyowned caravans in the campground.

YGNZ made a further contribution towards the student attendees flying expenses by way of a subsidy.

Sam Patterson Justin Wills joined in the fun

Easter Mini-Camp 2017 – Flying, Food, Fun At Easter YGNZ President Tim Austin and Gavin Wills ran a mini camp at Omarama. Tim Austin reports.

The Easter Weekend was the perfect opportunity for Tim Tarbotton and me to test-out YGNZ’s new Mini-Camp Checklist – it worked a treat! The checklist focuses on flying, food, fun and funding and helped develop another successful mini-camp. YGNZ was joined in Omarama by Air Training Corps.

Youth Glide and Air Training Corp members and their instructors

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May–july 2017

cadets. It was interesting to find that four of the YG mini-camp attendees had also previously been ATC cadets.

Flying was reasonably good over the weekend, despite some adverse weather.

Three of YGNZ’s internally-generated instructors (Fraser McDougal, Jono Wardman and me) managed to find some victims to impart some knowledge on (we hope) with a strong focus on classroom work. We managed 16 hours from 10 launches ‘claimed’ by the four students attending. A special mention

My name is Sam Patterson and I am 14 and a half years old. I come from Omarama and am working towards my B certificate. I was really lucky to participate in the Easter Mini Camp this year, I did five and a half hours flying over the four days of the camp. This included four hours in single seater GNG. This was really exciting, being able to soar for as long as I did. I learnt more about the behaviour of gliders in thermals and different weather conditions, even though the weather was not the best at times.

There were eight people on the camp, and I really appreciated the time the other youth glide guys and instructors put into helping me gain this experience.

airworthiness that typically occur during acrobatic flying, in combination with very tightly attached belts, may result in unusually high abrasive wear of the retaining pins.

It is possible that an individual latch of the restraint system could be unfastened from the buckle without prior activation of the release mechanism. This doesn't really apply to non-aerobatic glider flight, as most pilots would not have their harnesses done up excruciatingly tight to the point where the pins would become worn. But if you do have a Schroth harness with a rotary buckle then please find and read the SIL to see if it applies to your harness and operating style.

MARTYN COOK National Airworthiness Officer

Corroded rod-ends on the control linkages

Defective Reporting Operators of certificated aircraft, which applies to all NZ gliders except microlights, enjoy a special privilege whereby any defect in the construction or subsequent operation of the aircraft is reported through a worldwide network. The most common form is an Airworthiness Directive (AD), and these can be found on the NZ Civil Aviation Authority website for all known aircraft, engines and accessories (brakes, seat belts, etc.) registered in NZ. A check through the ADs, and writing out any that are applicable to your specific aircraft, is a requirement at every annual inspection.

were in the UK and the British Gliding Association comment was that "the problem is common for all gliders and motor gliders having similar rod ends and stored in humid conditions – especially in an oceanic climate". New Zealand definitely has such an oceanic climate.

Another recent Service Information Letter (SIL) concerns possible faults with harness buckles commonly fitted to German-made gliders. The fault is rather obscure: certain patterns of load changes

Which brings us to the other end of the system. It is important to report all defects that you find, however minor, because often they can be combined with other equally-minor reports to identify a trend or pattern, preferably before someone gets hurt or accidental damage occurs.

For example, I would like to be informed of any uncommanded releases from tow hooks (either nose or belly hook) before the 2000 launch limit on the hook has been reached. This enquiry arises from an isolated incident and I am working with CAA to try and find out whether there might be an underlying problem.

The same goes for other defects with tow hooks, assuming they are being operated within the limits specified either by the manufacturer or Tech-22. Please email any defect reports to nao@actrix.co.nz.

Other forms of promulgation of this information include Technical Notes, Service Bulletins and Safety Information Letters. For example, last month there was an alert from Finland that certain PIK gliders were found to have corroded rod-ends on the control linkages when the gliders had been stored in unvented trailers. Some of these linkages were located inside wing structures and not easy to get at without remote cameras and similar equipment.

This letter was forwarded to all owners of PIK gliders in NZ, but the more general observation would be that control linkages inside wings can corrode and then fail when the glider is stored outside in an unventilated trailer. Some affected gliders

While the alert was for PIK gliders – of which there are only two in NZ – the warning really applies to all gliders stored in unventilated trailers

May–July 2017

45

a question of safety STEVEN CARE National Operationals Officer

All instructors have their own teaching style

We Are All Different Are you learning from one instructor or flying with a different one on every flight?

These are both extremes and neither is ideal for a well-balanced training experience. In a perfect environment, every instructor would teach each lesson the same way and in a style that would perfectly suit you as a student. However all instructors have their own teaching style, level of experience, knowledge and personal views on safety. As a student you have your own learning styles, attitudes and comfort levels on what feels safe. The difficulty with having only one instructor (no matter how good they are) is that it is very easy to miss some very important stuff that another instructor would emphasise more. The problem with multiple instructors is that no one gets to know your flying, or identifies the things you occasionally struggle with or don’t know well. Again, important things end up getting missed.

In larger clubs, the only way we can operate is with an Instructors' roster, meaning that a student can get a multitude of different instructors. In smaller clubs, it often comes down to only one or two instructors. It is something

46

May–July 2017

that cannot be changed easily in any club environment but is important that everyone appreciates the weaknesses of each. In larger clubs, it is good to have instructor mentors and for smaller clubs to visit other clubs occasionally, if they can.

Conflicting Instructions What should a student do if one instructor says to do something a particular way and another instructor says to do it a different way? In an ideal world, this should never happen; but it does. The first thing a student should do is tell each instructor that they are teaching it differently from the other and get them to explain their rationale for doing it their way. It would also do no harm to do some research of your own, maybe look at gliding reference books, QGP manual, the GNZ Instructors' Manual (on the GNZ web site) or ask other instructors how they teach it. In a healthy club environment, there should be instructor meetings (no matter how small the club is). It is at these meetings that conflicting instructions/ opinions are discussed and resolved. They not only add to the strength and maturity of the club in general, but also help identify safety hazards before they occur.

Currency Most of our pilots do this sport as a very secondary interest. Things like family, work or even other recreations very likely rank ahead of gliding. Not being current is likely to be an issue for most of us at some time in our flying endeavours and this can and does affect safety. I have heard even senior instructors say their view of currency is that it isn’t in fact critical to safety and is like riding a bike, we don’t forget. However this is not entirely true.

When I look at our incident and accident stats, I find that currency does often feature. Not always, but often enough to say that to ignore it as a safety threat is not wise. I often do BFRs for pilots who have currency that is less than ideal and it shows. The basic skill of flying is still there, but important stuff gets missed, forgotten, misjudged or overlooked. It is more critical for someone with 50 or 100 hours of gliding versus a 1,000 hour pilot, but it still shows. How do we get around this problem? Being unrealistically restrictive could mean losing club members, but doing nothing is a safety hazard. The best way is to inspire pilots and teach them that getting some time in the air is not just a good safety thing,

but great fun and that the adventure they found in gliding when they first started is still there. The enjoyment and challenges can really be a lifestyle worth having.

All clubs should have currency requirements for club gliders in the SOP and if there are no requirements for private single seat gliders, then say so. When I look at BFRs during audits, I particularly look for comments on the back if currency requirements are not met.

The following is straight out of our BFR AC 2-05 Last 12 Months

Currency Condition Barometer

hours

launches

25

35

More than this – you are in good currency

20

30

You are likely to make elementary errors

15

20

Be careful in adverse conditions; rain, wind >15 knot x/winds

10

10

If not flown for 3 months – CHECK FLIGHT WITH an INSTRUCTOR necessary

6

5

CHECK FLIGHT(S) WITH an INSTRUCTOR necessary

Requirements for instructors are even more stringent.

Just Culture

Central Region

I have covered this in previous articles, but am finding that clubs still do not understand it. What happens is that everyone decides it is a great idea to finger point at others, so lots of OPs 10s come through. Pilots then realise the finger is, or can be, pointed at them, so reporting stops and/or pilots deliberately avoid having to file one.

As of the 31st March, Mike Tucker has resigned as the Central ROO. He has done an outstanding job, particularly in getting the Central Region audits up to date. Some had not had an audit for a very long time, which makes the task quite difficult and the quality he provided has been excellent. At the moment his position is vacant and I would appreciate it if any central OPs forms or enquiries could be forwarded to me meantime.

If your club does not understand ‘Just Culture’ then you need to. Anyone directing blame towards any pilot (either direct or implied) is doing their club a great disservice. It is important that pilots do file reports and the reason for avoidance often has to do with club culture. If the CFI has to file the report (even without the pilot’s name) then so be it, but it is still not a great reflection on the club’s approach to just culture.

I have also seen several instances where CFIs are not passing on OPs10s to their ROO. There needs to be a system. At the moment it is quite administrative, but in the 2015-16 year the most incidents that any individual club filed was 11. This number of reports should not be administrative for any CFI or administrator and therefore no reason for them not to be passed on.

Fitness For Flight The mnemonic IMSAFE is something that every pilot should memorise, understand and practise.

As a safety standard, it is one of the layers of the Swiss cheese model.

Illness – Free of illness and medication.

Especially don’t fly if you have a cold.

Even just feeling unwell can have a significant impact on how you judge and react to particular situations.

Medication – Safe medication only.

Tell your medical practitioner that you are a glider pilot and ask, is it safe for you to fly with the medication that has been prescribed.

Stress – Managing stress well at home and work. I know of quite a number of gliding accidents that were caused by outside stress. It affects judgement and how we view risk. This could also include emotion.

Alcohol – Free of alcohol and drugs and their effects! CAA policy is no alcohol or drugs in your blood system.

Fatigue – Rested and sleeping well.

Lack of sleep robs performance and judgement, particularly for long flights for your level of skill.

Eating – Fed, watered and ready to go.

The insidious effect of lack of nutrition and dehydration are not noticeable until something goes wrong.

May–July 2017

47

GET HOME SAFE App for iPhone and Android AN EVALUATION FOR GLIDING BY ROGER SPARKS

New Activity The flight is created here. It can be saved to “Favourites” for frequent use.

Countdown screen Here you can extend the alert time, check in with the contact person (by TXT or email) or Finish the flight following.

This free App caught my attention recently as a possible alternative to SPOT. It is a totally home grown product by Boyd Peacock in Queenstown. There is quite a bit of reluctance among many to lash out on a SPOT, not so much because of the initial cost (NZ$299) but because of the annual subscription (NZ$236).

If most of your flying is in remote alpine areas with no cell phone coverage then sorry… it’s not for you. You’re better to go buy a SPOT and suck it up!

However, if you are one of the 80% of pilots flying in and out of reasonable coverage then read on.

Here is a typical scenario Just prior to take off you launch the app and activate the countdown Alert timer, say 3 hrs. For the early part of the flight you still have cell coverage and hence the option to ‘check in’ (an automated message to your nominated contact person) or extend the alert time.

Once you have moved into the hills and no coverage, GPS logging continues and the fixes are cached on your cell phone. Every two minutes your cell phone is trying to make contact with the system server.

48

May–July 2017

Live Tracking Usually it’s ‘no thanks’.

Not enough credit Optional, emails are free, TXT messages 30c each time.

Alert Sent Self-explanatory.

As you move out of the hills and back towards civilisation, now briefly, the server connects and quickly downloads the accumulated fixes.

Let’s say you get low and struggle for lift, coverage is again lost and you are really bogged down. You go over your pre-specified alert time. An Sample flight trace sent to the pilot after cancelling flight following. email (free), or TXT message Other than the optional TXT purchases (30c) is sent automatically from the it’s a totally free app. Do I hear disbelief? server to your nominated person Boyd supplies this App free for personal saying you are overdue and it includes use. To make a living he has an upgraded a link to your recorded GPS snail trail version for corporate customers where including the last fix before you lost a commercial rate is charged. coverage. It won’t be totally accurate, Give it a try out. Nominate yourself but will sure narrow down the search as the contact person, set the timer area should that become necessary. and go for a walk or drive. Deliberately You finally dig yourself out of trouble exceed the alert time and watch and get back into coverage, now you the emails raising the alarm! can extend the Alert time, or let’s Battery drain appeared to be about say you land back home and you go 10% per hour on my iPhone. The into the app and press ‘Finish’. An sample flight log was made with the email (or TXT) instantly goes from the phone in my jeans pocket inside the server to the contact person telling aluminium fuselage of a Tecnam! them you are now safe. Another email comes to the pilot with a link to the Here is the link to my flight flight log, just for your information. provided after landing.

Ideally the contact person has emails set to ‘push’. If they are on ‘fetch’ then consider using the 30c TXTs. You can pre-purchase these through the App.

https://app.gethomesafe.com/tracker/ RN52bL8ByDzNX02bs7q3blTCOZJ8OQ3T

More on the web site

gethomesafe.com

coaching column

GNZ coaching programme G Dale provides a quick update on the new GNZ coaching programme.

I mentioned in the last report that we managed to get in a couple of weeks of soaring courses and four one-day coaching seminars last spring. That was a good start in the North Island.

Unfortunately fate took a hand, and I had to return to the UK much too early in the summer on family business, so I didn’t get to go to Springfield. That’s a pity. I’ve wanted to fly out of there for a while.

This rather delays any chance of me getting to do an introductory weekend for South Island coaches until next season.

It’s a long way from here to there!

Meanwhile here’s a list of the volunteer cross country coaches in the North Island, with their clubs listed. They’ve all committed to try to improve the flying of other pilots; some are very experienced cross country experts,

and some are still learning, but all of them want to help people in the sport.

North Paul Schofield Northern head coach Brian Ruddell Kaikohe Jonathan Cross Auckland David Moody Auckland (Drury) Steve Wallace Auckland Tony Noble Auckland Russell Thorne Auckland Ian O’Keefe Auckland Steve Foreman Auckland David Jensen Matamata (Piako) Steve Care Matamata (Piako) Brett Hunter Matamata (Piako) Maurice Weaver Matamata (Piako) Adrian Cable Tauranga Tim Hardwick Smith Taranaki Central David Hirst Joint central Mark Wilson head coaches Wellington

I strongly suggest that those of you who want to improve your cross country skills make contact with the coaches: it has to be a two way thing and they should feel needed!

Meanwhile don’t forget that I’ve published the Coaches Manual on the GNZ website. This isn’t just for the elite. Whatever your experience and ability, you might get something out of it, so have a quick look at least.

I hope to be in touch with you all in the next issue. The competition season has started here so it’s been pretty busy.

Currently I’m sitting writing this in a camper van in Prievidza, Slovakia where I am flying the Flight Challenge Cup. It’s a great place to fly (for Europe...)

Photo John McCaw

G DALE National Coach

George Rogers Wellington (Greytown) Brian Sharpe Wellington (Greytown) Rod Ruddick Wellington (Greytown) Martyn Cook Wellington (Greytown) Kevin Clarke Wellington (Greytown) Stewart Barton Wellington (Greytown) Hamish McCaw Wellington (Greytown) Grae Harrison Wellington (Greytown) Tony van Dyke Wellington (Greytown) Michael O’Donnell Wellington (Greytown)

May–July 2017

49

gliding new zealand news KAREN MORGAN GNZ President

I am hoping for stunning weather all winter and great flights for all of you (while I go skiing).

The executive have been busy since I last wrote. There are developments with our training materials. We had a productive meeting in March between Max Stevens, our hard working Operations volunteers Steve Care, Peter Thorpe and Graham Erikson, Roger Read (the originator of the current system), Martyn Cook (the latest developer) and yours truly. The on-going trial of the evolving system will continue at the Wellington Gliding Club for the next summer season and we expect that the results will be a safe, efficient and inspiring training system for the future. In the meantime, please keep on using the familiar system, as no change will occur until GNZ is confident that the ‘new’ is at least as robust as the ‘old’.

GNZ’s coaching initiative got off to an interrupted start last season.

G Dale ran weekend courses in the northern and central regions and area coaches were appointed (see G’s report elsewhere in this magazine). Thanks to those volunteers for attending and offering to help other pilots. The southern region will get its turn next summer. In the meantime, it is clear that record keeping is as important as coaching – we need to know who needs coaching, who can do it, who is matched-up, pilot achievements and what people are learning. Tim Bromhead is now developing an on-line facility for coaching, using the funding that we received from Sport New Zealand.

Congratulations to Nick Oakley and Alex McCaw who have been selected to fly in the Junior World Championships at Pociunai in Lithuania over July and August 2017.

We wish you fine weather and strong thermals.

50

May–July 2017

The Nielsen survey results will be presented at the AGM and in the next Soaring magazine. In the meantime, thanks for making us the sport that had the highest rate of response – you blitzed all the other sports. Well done.

Other funding from Sport New Zealand is being used to recognise youth achievement over the summer – Silver C legs, instructor ratings and the like. The money goes to Youth Glide to help them run more camps to train more youth to reach more achievements. Well done to those who did so well at the camps and minicamps. In particular, I want to recognise Allie Thompson for being our youngest QGP. Trained by Hawkes Bay, Youth Glide in Omarama and Taupo, Allie has a completed QGP at age 14. Welcome to our fantastic sport Allie.

A neat new plan is being developed

by Brian Savage of the Omarama Gliding Club. It is an on-line ‘league’ system to provide motivation and support for emerging cross country pilots. It will involve task setting in your local area, and allow you to learn to make the most of the soaring days (within glider availability). Again, there will be more on this at the AGM. One long-term bugbear has finally been resolved with CAA. In the past, a number of motorised gliders were registered by CAA as microlights.

This left them as neither fish nor fowl – operating neither under GNZ nor under the microlight organisations and there was a big gap in the middle. After some tweaks to GNZ’s documentation, microlight gliders can now be operated legally under our Part 149 Certificate. Basically, for pilots this involves using GNZ’s pilot and instructor qualification system, and for maintenance the microlight system operated by RAANZ and SAC under their Part 149 certificates.

Currently there are nine gliders which are registered as microlights.

This column is intended to give readers an ongoing insight into the activities of the GNZ Executive and its Committees. Rather than a detailed report on matters currently under consideration, here are some recent items of significance.

The big change from pilot only fees to affiliation fees for both pilots and gliders has been a success from GNZ’s point of view. The load has been spread in a different way, but it has also been an opportunity to look much more closely at the New Zealand glider fleet. I have spoken to a number of owners of the less used gliders and hope to facilitate the sale of some of these to our keener new members.

Have a look at the advertisements on the GNZ website – and if you want to sell your ‘parked up’ glider, advertising there and in (SoaringNZ) is free. I hope that it has not been too difficult for treasurers however the bulk of the work was completed

by Laurie Kirkham, who sorted out which gliders were operated at which clubs. Thanks Laurie, for your hard work on this project. I called those few glider owners who are no longer club members, which led to a couple of interesting afternoons full of reminiscences of days of old. Interestingly, fears by some commentators that this would lead to dozens of gliders being de-registered have proven to be untrue.

At our annual meeting with CAA in March, it was conceded by CAA that club glider towing is not ‘hire and reward’, meaning that tug engines can be ‘on-condition’ again (officially this is called TBO escalation). It is good to get this cleared up for you.

If you have an aerobatic rating, you have until 30 June 2018 to convert this to the new system. See GNZ AC 2-06 on our website for full information.

This came about thanks to a lot of pushing from Graham Erikson, aided

by Max Stevens, as CAA conceded last year that the rule that they wrote was impractical.

It’s too late to say see you at the AGM – so, it was good to see you there – and if you missed it, consider coming next year.

GNZ awards & certificates

FEBRUARY 2017 – 2017 APRIL 2017

EDOUARD DEVENOGES GNZ Awards Officer

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

QGP No 3352 3353 3354 3355 3356 3357

Pilot’s Name Phil King Lindsay McLane Ole Termansen Bo Vikstrom Svajunas Gedrimas Alexandra G. Thompson

Club Glide Omarama Piako GC Glide Omarama Glide Omarama Glide Omarama Hawkes Bay GC

Date 7 2 2017 7 2 2017 10 2 2017 18 2 2017 4 4 2017 29 4 2017

SILVER DURATION

Sarel Venter Piako GC 5 3 2017

Glider Puchacz

GOLD DURATION

Sarel Venter

Puchacz

Piako GC

NZ RECORD – 300 km, Triangle, Speed, D15, General Terry Delore ASW 27b

5 3 2017

FOR SALE ASH26e (GRL)

km/h 1 1 2017 198.11

WORLD RECORD – 300 km, Triangle, Speed, D15, General

Terry Delore ASW 27b 1 1 2017 AIR NZ CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Pilot's Name Club Points Northern Division

David Austin Taupo GC 1419.40

Matthew Findlay Auckland GC 1358.90

Michael Cooper Tauranga GC 1327.19

Neil Harker Auckland GC 988.56

Dion Manktelow Auckland GC 917.16

Glyn Jackson Taranaki GC 710.93

Sarel Venter Piako GC 626.05

Malcolm Piggott Piako GC 530.71

David Muckle Piako GC 477.61

Noel Bailey Piako GC 462.98

Dan Mathers Auckland GC 412.09

Stephan Hughson Auckland GC 340.79

Geoff Gaddes Auckland GC 264.22

David Dennison Piako GC 239.99

William Kemp Piako GC 179.94

Peter Wooley Auckland GC 173.67

Jonathan Pote Auckland Aviation SC 168.36

Nathan Graves Auckland Aviation SC 76.39

Dave McIver Auckland GC 71.42

Dougal Wickham Taranaki GC 64.55 Southern Division

Jason Kelly

Glyn Jackson

Peter Taylor

Hamish McCaw

Ken Montgomery

Sam Tullett

Colin Winterburn

Hawkes Bay GC Taranaki GC Canterbury GC Wellington GC Nelson GC Taranaki GC Canterbury GC

1410.48 1018.93 497.08 278.17 215.13 201.34 165.17

Official Observers 09-121 Simon Petersen 09-122 Timothy M. Austen 09-123 Jonathan Wardman

Taupo GC Omarama GC Omarama GC

17 3 2017 24 3 2017 24 3 2017

198.11

Serial number 111 Hours 950 Engine 105 hrs (only 6 years old)

Cobra trailer, wing walker and tow out gear.

This is a fabulous self-launching motor glider in very good condition with the ever popular and fully supported rotary engine.

For more information call Nigel 03 327 4822 or Dave 027 201 7120

FOR SALE

SCHLEICHER KA-6BR ZK-GLX

PRICE $8,000 A lovely historical, iconic design, L/D 32:1, winner of the 1960 and 1963 ‘Worlds’ plus innumerable National and local trophies since. See SoaringNZ #48 article on history of this actual Ka-6.

4600 launches, immaculate condition and no predictable expenses bar annuals for some years.

Borgelt variometer, Icom IC-A5 radio, Trig transponder, custom tail dolly, cockpit/wingroot cover, tinted canopy & wing wheel. Currently flying from Whenuapai, trailer has new WoF. Sale due to health.

CONTACT: JONATHAN POTE jonathanpote47@gmail.com M: 0210 236 9728

May–July 2017

51

GLIDING NEW ZEALAND CLUB NEWS

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 Swamp Road, Springfield 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 Hawkes Bay and Waipukurau Club Website www.glidinghbw.co.nz Club Contact E-mail: info@glidinghbw.co.nz, Ph 027 2877 522 Base Hastings Airfield (Bridge Pa) and Waipukurau Airfield (December & February) Flying Sundays and other days by arrangement 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 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

Flying Weekends and Public Holidays Norfolk Aviation Sports Club 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 Bruce Graham bruceandstell@xtra.co.nz Ph (03) 358 3251 Base Omarama Flying 7 days a week 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 President Adrian Cable adrian.cable@xtra.co.nz 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 Brian Sharpe bwsharpe@xtra.co.nz Ph 027 248 1780 Base Greytown Soaring Centre, Papawai Airfield, 5 km east of Greytown Bookings Ph 027 618 9845 (operations) Flying Weekends and Public Holidays 7 days a week December through to March

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 the editor 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 22 August 2017.

AUCKLAND Starting to draft this news article, listening to the rain showers on the roof over Easter was depressing to say the least.

Since February it’s been unseasonably wet and we’ve even had a few days of closed operations due to the field being so soggy.

Luckily, Auckland missed what many others were subjected to. All the same it has been a disruption to member training and trial flights and flying in general is difficult, even when the weather improves.

We have spent the season trying to encourage flying activity as much as possible for 2016-17 but we are starting to wind down now. Despite the above, some days have been great, albeit hard to pick.

The good thing is that at this time of year the water dissipates quickly in the sun, and in fact shortly after Easter some good autumn soaring flights were made with cross country flights going as far south as Maungatautari (230 km O&R). Overall, we have had a year of good (but not fantastic) activity so we cannot complain.

With a bit of extra help we recently had a young member achieve solo on Thursday 20th , just a few days after her 16th birthday.

Congratulations to Ana Loader. We are currently training 24 pre QGP pilots which is an encouraging figure. However the on/off weather is not helping. Not that all those pilots turn up regularly and we could do a lot to

Masterton Soaring Club Club Website www.nzsoaring.solutions Club Contact Michael O’Donnell modp@inspire.net.nz Ph (06) 370 4282 or 021 279 4415 Base Hood Aerodrome, Masterton Flying 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 Auckland: Ana Loader first solo

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May–July 2017

CLUB NEWS

ND

Auckland: Dylan Watson AGC D2 ZK GBI

Canterbury: Autumn flying

assist them to move towards their next step in the soaring adventure.

Those that attended an evening with David Collard enjoyed a great night. David is a retired Canadian Mounted Police pilot who flew single and twin engine Otters high into the Arctic Circle in the ‘60s through to the ‘80s. The stories were great and his presentation was really gripping. Thanks to David for the visit and the aviation yarns, it was a great night.

We have nearly completed the re-roofing of our Villa based clubhouse/bar. Thanks to Simon Gault who donated the roofing iron.

There will be some left to provide the roof for our number two winch shed as well.

Simon also found some new decor for the bar following a recent restaurant revamp.

Added to that is on-going support from Pilot Breweries – a great product and sponsor.

On the subject of the no. 2 winch – we will most certainly be using this portable launch tool to enjoy coastal soaring from our Douglas Road airstrip in the ensuing Westerly winds. It is still early days but it is expected that this coastal site will provide lots of fun along our spectacular and rugged North Island west coast.

I have just procured our next Summer Instructor so I can confirm that for next season we will again be open for business 7 days a week, for our members and visitors.

We hope to have two onsite helpers who can ensure an efficient operation mid-week. This should be fun.

Now we are settling in, as you do, for autumn and winter and looking forward to a great season for 2017 and 2018. Whether your next soaring adventure is to take place in Omarama, Greytown, Matamata or Taupo please feel free to drop into Drury for some gliding hospitality.

RG

CANTERBURY It has been a good autumn for the Canterbury Gliding Club with plenty of aviating, some civic contributions, families enjoying days at the field, club working bees and socialising in good measures, just like a gliding club should be. The season also included jolly dining at a local Italian restaurant to round out the club life.

In April, Mike Oakley ran the annual Scout Aviation Camp with many young folk and leaders getting a ride in a hot air balloon, aeroplane, helicopter and a glider flight during the weekend. All hands were on deck for a lot of winch launches, along with the tug operating normal club flying during each day.

Despite the expectations for increasingly stable weather or inversions keeping a lid on things, the autumn has had great weekend days, frequently with thermal and wave flights. Pete Chadwick has been getting some envious glances as he drives about in his new ASG 29Es. On the more stable days,

club gliders have been well used with plenty of training. New Youth Glide member Ben Carlisle is enthusiastically working his way through the training syllabus. Congratulations on first solo to Scott Parlane from a winch launch and to two newly minted C cat instructors, Peter Taylor and Karl Ridgen.

Abbey Delore and Edwin Oude Vreilink are continuing with instructor training and Graham Johnson completed a tow pilot rating in the Dynamic, DYT. Members have been contributing other skills to continue developing the facilities with working bees on the club’s classroom and an operations hut underway on the less grand flying days, along with maintenance and upkeep on club equipment and the continuing challenge of ensuring only the fibreglass kind of birds are inside the hangar and the feathery ones remain outside.

Thanks all for stepping up to contribute to club life in those ways.

Tim

Canterbury: Working bee

May–July 2017

53

CLUB NEWS

Central Otago: Central Otago Mayor, Tim Cadogan about to enjoy a flight with Doug White

Gliding Hawkes Bay and Waipukurau: Richard Keir 2017 Central Districts Champion

CENTRAL OTAGO

Wairarapa really doesn't have anything to report. Sorry!

David

We've been flying most Sunday afternoons although the soaring has been somewhat limited. Winter has arrived with temperatures in the single figures but it's an ideal time for training and trial flights. Our local Mayor, Tim Cadogan, recently enjoyed a flight with instructor Doug White in our Twin Astir. Nick, Wills and new member Dave McKenzie are making good progress with their training.

Once the wave returns, I'm sure the private singles will be keen for an airing.

JR

GLIDING WAIRARAPA It would be great to report that we've been doing lots of flying but the last couple of months have been fairly horrendous weather-wise, either with crosswinds that are too strong or two separate instances of the Ruamahunga river flooding the airfield. It's drying out now but as a consequence Gliding

GLIDING HAWKES BAY AND WAIPUKURAU A simple analysis of club flying readily confirms what we all know – it has been a very poor soaring summer. A soaring day has been defined, simply as any day when members have flown for more than an hour using the available natural lift sources. On this basis, we have had only just over 40% of the average number of soaring days this season compared with the previous three.

The club was well represented at the Central Districts Gliding Championships in February with Richard Keir retaining his Sports class trophy in his PW5. While Graham White was unable to compete, he flew his LS8 to Papawai on the first practice day and back to Bridge Pa on the last day of the competition.

The Skylux auto tug project continues to progress slowly with numerous delays and frustrations all being dealt with as they arise.

Initial towing trials with Graham White's LS8 were undertaken with a time of 5m 17s from wheels up to wheels down, recorded for a 2,500 foot tow.

With a substantial increase in youth membership, a sub-committee of Grant Jarden and Kirstin Thompson was formed and with the assistance of other parents and members, has established ‘The Gliding School’. The aims of The Gliding School are to provide consistency and structure with student progression, value for money, a clear pathway for the students to progress through to QGP and beyond, a clear road map and expectations for students and families to follow, show Gliding Hawke’s Bay and Waipukurau as a professional, well run organisation and to ensure the growth of the club through mentoring students. All student pilots, regardless of age, have been invited to

Gliding Hawkes Bay and Waipukurau: SLX

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May–July 2017

May–July 2017

54

CLUB NEWS

Nelson Lakes: Mike Casey

join. They meet at 9 am each Sunday with the plan to have the first student in the air by 10 am. David Davidson is assisting with syllabus progression and theory. Sixteen-year-old Josh Ferguson has been the first pilot solo under this initiative.

Preparations are well in hand, thanks to David Davidson and Kirsten Thompson, for the club’s 60th anniversary celebrations.

These will be held on the weekend of 17/18 June 2017. Past members and supporters are encouraged to attend. Further details can be found on the club’s web site at http:// www.glidinghbw.co.nz/60th-anniversary.html

NELSON LAKES Nelson Lakes Gliding Club has been busy with an Ab Initio course earlier in the year. This was successful and snagged us a couple of new addicts and there have been a few good flights throughout the season to be had by all. Unfortunately, our flying week didn’t produce the best conditions with northerly winds restricting flying over a few days. (A now very busy inland route from Picton means a very busy road so any risk of cable over the road means no flying!!)

A big congrats to Mike Casey on his first solo. Well done on progressing through your training and putting up with us instructors.

We had some of our youth attend the YouthGlide camp in Omarama a while ago and from what I hear (apart from a cheeky, low fly over) they behaved very well and learned a lot. They now have their eyes firmly set on our LS4 after converting down there.

Hurry up with that QGP, lads.

With the arrival of winter some of us (especially me) have our gliders stuffed into small spaces, giving them a bloody good spruce up in preparation for the coming

Nelson Lakes:

season and hoping for some exciting winter soaring days to arise. Happy soaring.

Marc Edgar

TARANAKI For us, the season has been a bit like the Curate’s egg – good in parts. The effects of last winter held on for quite a while so that slowed things up, then November was a total write-off. Things did though make a turn for the better. Glyn Jackson led the charge, with flying in the SI Regionals and then in the Nationals. Peter Cook did well at the Plateau Comps and now and again at Taupo. So far as I can tell, Peter leads our club in OLC points and the Taranaki Club is about 7th in the NZ Club rankings.

There have been some long-ish flights out of Stratford. As for straight line distance,

I’m not sure but there was plenty of fun, no doubt. The newly acquired Janus has been impressing with a number of good flights and good climbing ability. From now on, the house thermal will assume greater importance, so keep those heaters going everyone! The keenly anticipated progression to solo by Dennis Green happened a few weeks ago so that leaves the instructors with a reduced workload. The two Junior Pilots are yet to begin serious flying. Two busy days in March and April were spent providing glider flights for the local ATC units.

Unabashedly, we can inform you of yet another grant, this time towards equipping the fleet with FLARM units. This, I’m told is a Good Thing. It should help when working the local convergence lines which do have corners to go around. Added to that is the airfield camera, by which we can catch a

Taupo: Campbell, Hugh, Allie, Tom and Tony – Toby sitting

May–July 2017

55

CLUB NEWS

Taupo: Allie and Tom

Taupo: Allie in PW5 with Campbell McIver

glimpse of the hangar and conclude whether activity is happening, or not. I discovered another aspect of modern technology recently. I was processing the club timesheets whilst seated in one of the Lounge / Dining cars of the 'Ghan', travelling south of Alice Springs in mid-April. Just to say I could, I suppose. Good fun though.

From about May 24th, our gliders undergo their annuals and preparations have been made for this. Hopefully it won’t be as much work as last year. And to finish off, one of the Tullett K6 gliders has been sold to Tim Hardwick-Smith.

PJM

coming to a close, it will time to catch up on maintenance and to conduct some evening training classes. Until next time, fly well.

Trace

WELLINGTON Like most of NZ, our new gliding site at Papawai was cursed with bad weather for a good part of a false summer. Nevertheless, we managed to keep our heads above water

TAUPO What happened to summer? This is the question we have been all asking ourselves.

Thus it has been reasonably quiet around here in Taupo, due to the lack of sunshine and no real soaring conditions. However, there have been some good flights by a few club members where they have ventured away from the local area.

We had three members attend the Central Districts Championships - Trev, Hugh and Trace. All had a great week of flying, socialising and playing tourist and they each enjoyed the change of venue and the region.

Our Easter camp was a quiet affair with only Campbell McIver and Allie Thompson with her family attending. Nonetheless, it was a weekend for Allie to remember as she attained her QGP certificate. Congratulations Allie.

We have Terence Tsang from Hong Kong with us and he will be here in NZ until he achieves QGP. Terence wants to become an airline pilot and is starting off his career with gliding.

Our overseas members have departed for another year and a huge thanks goes out to them. The club recognised Sid Gilmore’s yearly contributions by making him a Life Member. Congratulations Sid. So, with winter coming on and soaring

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Wellington:

and fly as much as possible. We continue to attract new members, thanks in large part to the friendly welcoming nature of Brian Sharpe, Ross Sutherland and a number of overseas summer instructors.

Plans are well underway for a purpose built training centre at Papawai. To date we have raised about $170,000, and we hope to start construction over the winter so the building, complete with a kitchen and ablution block, will be ready by November. Ross Sutherland is busy compiling a list of projects to keep us busy over the winter.

Our 24/7 summer operations have now finished for the season. From December 2016 to March 2017, we launched 926 flights, which does not include the 130 launches for the Central District competition. This compares with 510 launches the previous summer. We had 2-3 excellent overseas instructors who really contributed to this success over the summer. Next summer we aim to repeat this with hopefully a better run of weather.

A big development this autumn has been the construction of an east – west vector,

CLUB NEWS for use in the westerlies (see photos). Our experience suggests that we will be able to winch launch directly into the wave, and we estimate that 15 – 20 % of our launches will take place on this vector. Once the council installed a culvert over Tilsons Creek, Jim Bicknell and Stewart Barton started moving and levelling huge amounts of dirt, making the vector a reality. All will be completed and seeded with grass by 1 May. And finally, on Sunday after the CD competition (see article in this issue) in February, Keith Essex took up a challenge to be the first to clock up a 1000 km yo-yo from the Papawai site (see photo). He flew for over seven hours between Hawkes and Palliser Bays at altitudes of 9,000 feet to 22,000 feet.

As if that was not enough, he then completed a similar 1250 km flight on Tuesday!

WD

Wellington: Wave conditions for Keith Essex flight

2017 VINTAGE KIWI RALLY – TAUMARUNUI

What a difference a week makes. One week out from our Taumarunui Rally at the end of March, the weather was fantastic and the long range forecast was promising.

However, a day after our arrival, the weather gods played a very cruel hand by producing a low in the Tasman Sea which quickly developed onto a much deeper one. It remained there for six days whilst it circulated a series of fronts with some very heavy rain that lashed most of the North Island and created all sorts of flooding and wind damage mayhem. However, in Taumarunui we stayed in a sort of micro climate, just short of its southern tentacles and flew in what thermals could be found, under a sky of ever threatening and thickening high cloud. Thus we achieved only three days actual flying out of the planned for nine.

With the forecaster’s constant threat of this ‘Weather Bomb’ moving onto our ‘neck of the woods’, we decided to call it a day, de-rig before it all came our way and go home with our tail between our legs. On the bonus side we all flew, drank a lot, ate a lot and talked a lot. Twelve sailplanes, including a few ‘newbies’, turned up. We had a Schleicher KA6e from Stratford, a self-launching Russia from Wellsford, a Standard Cirrus from Hamilton and a two seat TEST self-launcher.

Aero-tow launching was provided by the Wilga based in Inglewood. One of the main logistical issues was how to provide Av. Gas as there are no longer GA refuelling facilities

at Taumarunui. 900 litres was trucked all the way from Inglewood by Kevin Wisnewski, who then returned the following day with his Wilga to tow. It was a fantastic commitment.

Thank you so much Kevin.

The local council held a community open day with a Dinner at the Domain and they asked if a glider could be put on display.

V.K. was more than happy to oblige as the council were very supportive of our using their airfield. A Libelle was dispatched and became the star attraction it seems.

A couple of the attendees did get out and about a little over the King Country wilderness. Kevin Clark in the Open Libelle GOS and Tim Hardwick–Smith with Discus b GXC, struck out some 25 kilometres towards the mountains, under a heavy

and increasingly overcast sky. The TEST team ‘newbies’ however never seemed to be on the ground. They had only planned to be there for three days (due to work commitments) so they made sure they did not waste a minute. Due to the changing conditions, some pilots had some very good long flights, others however had shorter ones. A mass de-rigging session took place on the Wednesday with the fleet having endured the previous night in the rain. Luckily Wednesday was fine before the really bad weather set in on the King Country and southern areas the following day.

The Vintage Kiwi Team

May–July 2017

57

F OR S A L E • WA N T E D • S E R V IC E S • E V E N T S

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 our webmaster.

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GLIDERS SILENT IN • Self Launching Sailplane -$46K. Alisport (Italy) self launching sailplane with retracting Alisport 302efi FADEC 28hp engine driving a monoblade propeller. For full details, Google ‘Alisport Silent In’ or <alisport.com>. Airframe 890hrs, engine and propeller less than 4hrs (new 2013) Removeable winglets, tinted canopy, usual instruments plus Trig TT21 transponder (with Mode S). Wing wheel, tail dolly and one man rig gear. Excellent open trailer with current reg. and WOF. Currently registered as Class 1 microlight. Neville Swan. Phone 09 416 7125, email nswan@ xtra.co.nz Nimbus 2. ZK-GKV. • A well known glider and glider type. Serial Number 124. At this price and at an L/D of 49:1 where can you get better L/D for your dollar. 49:1 – best LD for money. Brand new PU paint on the fuselage and wing PU only 5 years old. Double bladed air brakes. New Schempp Hirth canopy, new mylar seals on wing, good road trailer. Price Reduced. $28,000. Steve Barham. Phone 021 642 484, email barham@xtra.co.nz Nimbus 2b ZK-GIW • Maintenance and Hours updated also Flamview and Flarm. Mouse installed. Next ARA due Nov 2017 updated hours 1881hrs 561 flts. PU Paint, Fixed Tail plane, All Surfaces Sealed and Mylared, Tabulator Tape, Mask Winglets, Double Bladed Airbrakes, Tinted Canopy, Adjustable seat back, L-Nav, GPS-Nav, Oxy, C Mode Transponder, National Parachute, Tow out gear, Trestles, One man electric wing rigging cradle. Trailer refurbished and New Trojan Axles fitted. Glider located at Auckland. $45,000 ono. Marc Morley. Phone 027 462 6751, email morleym27@gmail.com Std Astir CS77 ZK-GMC • 1820 Hours total time. Recent annual and ARA inspection. New nose hook. Becker AR3201 radio Terra TRT 250 transponder. Good trailer. Can be viewed at the Tauranga Gliding club. May consider a syndicate. $22,500. Ben Stimpson. Email bstimpson@xtra.co.nz Phone 027 555 5485.

LS8a • Amazing glider which handles like a dream. PU paint, cobra trailer, carbon panel, LX9000, leather interior and all the bits you would want and race ready. Hadleigh Bognuda. Email hadleigh@ezyvet.com PW5 • Requires refinish to make airworthy. Paint has cracked on upper surface of the wings. Phone 0274 738 231, Adrian Cable email adrian. cable@xtra.co.nz Std Cirrus • If you have any interest in a Standard Cirrus, please give me a call. I am trying to convince the club to upgrade. $30,000. Douglas Lovell.

Email doug@waipapaeyecare.co.nz Phone 021 118 5797.

ASH26e • This is a fabulous self-launching motor glider in very good condition with the ever popular and fully supported rotary engine. Airframe 1000 hrs, Engine 110 hrs, Cobra Trailer, Wing Walker and tow out gear. $195,000 David Tillman. Email david@mfree.co.nz Phone 027 201 7120.

Ventus 2cxt, GBZ • Half share. Current owner Patrick Driessen (Drury Club). I will be taking ownership in October 2017. This is a high performance, current technology, aircraft with excellent flight characteristics with a sustainer engine. This is a unique opportunity to own a plane of this type at half the price but still enjoying the benefits of one of the best aircraft in New Zealand. To be based in Matamata. Maurice Weaver. Email project. technologies@gmail.com Phone 021 757 972.

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May–July 2017

Mini Nimbus C. ZK-GKS • 15m flapped carbon wings. 1500 hours approx.

All mandatory mods complied with. Never damaged. One fussy owner for last 27 years. New Gadringer harness and Tost release hook. Current American GQ Security parachute. Twin batteries, mode C transponder, oxygen, dust covers, descent tow-out gear and water meter with digital readout. Spare wheel doors, Tost wheel & brake assembly, transponder.

Original gelcoat showing its age. German Pfeifer trailer in near new condition after nut-and-bolt restoration 2014. Glider and trailer have always been hangared. $42,000. Peter Wooley. Email wooleypeter@gmail.com Phone 021 170 2009.

Taurus 503 VH-NUF • 20 month old Taurus M powered by an air cooled two stroke two cylinder 50 hp Rotax 503 engine. Two seat, side by side, spacious self-launching glider. Only 114 Total hours and only 30 Engine hours. Comes with Pipistrel 5 year extended Warranty. Fitted with every possible extra including a Galaxy Ballistic parachute and a full set of instruments including an LX9000 with ProStick control. Even has an E22 Tost nose release. Beautifully finished with acrylic paint and a very high build quality. Spacious cockpit with leather seats and trim and maximum cockpit load is a generous 190 kg. Large blue tinted canopy with excellent visibility. Includes a dedicated Cobra trailer for long distance travel. Price $AU190,000 negotiable. Grant Rookes/Owen Jones. Email grantliz@sekoor.co Phone +61 4 0799 8959 +61 8 9332 7382.

DG808B • with Free Semi Portable Hangar. 2002. Approx 500 hours. Approx 30 hours on engine. LX9050 with v8, remote stick, AHRS and flarm (approx 2.5 years old), Mountain High EDS o2 Full outdoor covers. 2016 Cobra Trailer or option to take without the cobra trailer if you want to save some money $170k. You will still get the old home built trailer. All rigging and tow out gear.

Includes free semi-portable hangar. There are some conditions, you would need to collect and take down. Would need to be collected by agreed date.

Hangar comes apart and packs down to manageable size. $190,000.

Douglas Lovell. Email doug@waipapaeyecare.co.nz Phone 021 118 5797.

LS 4 • GMU and Hangar shares (15 metre space). The South Canterbury Gliding Club offers for sale LS 4 and hangar shares in the sunny side of the east hangar at Omarama. MU has a good quality trailer, Oxygen. Top surface of the wings and tailplane have been resurfaced. $65,000. Paul Marshall. Email P_Marshall@xtra.co.nz Phone 021 331 838.

GMB Grob 102 Astir CS77 • Standard 15m. Under 1,000 hours #1768 Price negotiable to right buyers. Seeking potential keen young light-weight owners for delightful to fly Astir. Cockpit weight limit 88kg incl parachute. New ARA inspections & instruments done before handover. Maintenance up to date Great Doug Hay custom built trailer in good condition. Easy rigging system, one person’s assistance required for just six minutes, the rest is a one-man rig. Excellent ground handling tow out gear. No canopy damage. L/D 37 dry, 38 when ballasted. Borgelt & Winter varios. Terra Transponder + mode C & S mods. Microair 760 VHF Radio. $20,000. Warren Pitcher. Email warrenpitcher@xtra.co.nz Phone 0274 720 338.

ASW20 Cl • Brand new Winglets and 17 meter extensions. RA is fully equipped for cross country flying with an excellent Clam shell trailer. For a full list of details just call. $50,000. Email Jevon.mcskimming@police.govt. nz Phone 027 704 6948.

Discus 1a • ZK-GYO. Cobra Trailer with spare wheel. 2 sets of winglets.

Cambridge M20 with Winpilot and Ipaq. Flarm system. Becker AR4201 radio. Borgelt B40 varios. Terra transponder. Mountain High oxygen system. Carbon fibre cylinder. Twin battery system. Gear-up warning.

National 360 parachute – rectangular canopy. Tow-out gear (Tail dolly, tow bar, wing wheel, stand). Factory manuals. Location: Upper Hutt/

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

Deadline for receipt of advertising for our August 2017 issue is 22 July 2017.

Wellington. $70,000. Tony Flewett. Email tonyflewett@gmail.com Or Russell Schultz. Phone 04 526 7882, 021 253 3057.

HANGARS 18m hangar spaces in the Omarama Hangar. • $ 30,000 or near offer.

Contact Mike Hamilton Phone 03 962 1530, mike.hamilton@hamjet.co.nz.

15 metre space Omarama. • The easternmost hangar at Omarama. It has a lovely view to the east so you can watch the progress of the sea breeze, and is nice and sheltered when you are putting your glider away during a strong westerly or norwesterly blow. It is the best of both worlds, as you can enjoy the warm sunshine while fettling your glider in the morning, and stay in the shade in the heat of the late afternoon. The price for 15,000 shares is $16,000 but I am open to negotiation. Please contact me at jack. luxton@btinternet.com, or if you want to be shown over the space. Karen Morgan. Email morganjones@xtra.co.nz Phone 027 299 0301

AVIONICS Winter 80mm mechanical vario • Good condition. $250 Tim Cosgrove.

Email timcosgrove@hotmail.com Phone 021 505 407.

Borgelt Flight computer • 3 units plus the extra remote control. $200 Douglas Lovell. Email doug@waipapaeyecare.co.nz Phone 021 118 5797.

Available in 24mm ($5) or 32mm ($6). Tim Bromhead. Email tim@pear.co.nz Phone 021 217 9049 Tost High Powered Winch • Up for grabs is a high powered winch, on the back of an Izusu truck. Perfect for any club that needs a new winch. Comes with 2 new reels of wire each 1500m long, three new parachute assemblies, cable splices, crimping tool etc. V8 small block engine rated to winch up to 750kg gliders. $45,000 Bruce Drake. Email Drakeaviation@hotmail.com.

Phone 03 313 4261 PW5 trailer • Two PW 5 trailers. One open one aluminium clam shell. Offers invited. Adrian Cable. Email adrian.cable@xtra.co.nz Phone 027 473 8231

WANTED Wing and Fuselage cover for 15 meter class, single seater • Waterproof cover preferred, any reasonable condition. Gerold Simmendinger.

Email gerold.simmendinger@web.de Phone 021-070-9391 Instructors Wanted, Omarama • Experienced Instructors required at Omarama from October through March in one of the three following categories: 1. BCat Instructor, 1000 hrs, 500 hrs at OA; 2. BCat Instructor, 1000 hrs, tow rating, 200 hrs tail-wheel; 3. BCat Instructor, 1000 hrs, 500 hrs OA, German speaking; Extensive cross-country coaching as well as basic instruction experience is required. Email Guy@glideomarama.com Phone 03 438 9555

Becker 4201 radio • We have several Becker 4201 up for sale. All in good condition, all come with paperwork. harnesses or connectors on request.

Discounts can be done if more than 1 are purchased. $585 Price includes Postage. Ross Drake. Email hcdswiss@gmail.com Vario, LX100 • complete with flask, tubing and manual. Removed in serviceable condition, replaced with S80. Free freight within NZ, 30 day right of return/refund. $400 ono. Andy Mackay. Email andymacfly2002@ yahoo.com Phone 021 174 4719.

Serviceable Microair M760 radio • no microphone but requires electret mike. Can be fitted and tested by prospective buyer with money back assurance. $350 or best offer. Andy Mackay. Email andymacfly2002@ yahoo.com Phone 021 174 4719 Cambridge Vario readout • Suit LNAV or SNAV. As new large size readout.

Requires 80mm hole. Never used. $75. Roger Sparks. Emai: r.sparks@xtra. co.nz Phone 0274 956 560.

Glider Radios • Due to the European conversion from 25 KHz to 8.33 KHz, there are numerous glider radios redundant. A Becker 3201 would cost around $NZ 200 landed in NZ. Contact robert_mersiowsky@gmx.de or jonathanpote47@gmail.com if interested.

OTHER FOR SALE Parachute originally used in a K6 • As far as I’m aware this parachute has never been used. It was repacked about 2012 by a master parachute packer in Masterton and was certified fit for use. It has been stored at home in a linen cupboard so is dry and free from mould etc. Am happy as condition of sale for the chute to be repacked (at purchaser’s cost) and certified as fit for use as a condition of sale. Selling as I no longer have a glider to use it on. All reasonable offers considered. Email paul_clarke@clear.net.nz Phone 027 264 2254 Tim’s Glider Tape • Fresh Batch Now Available. Custom made wide insulation tape, just for us! It has the perfect stretch and stickiness.

May–July 2017

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SAILPLANE SERVICES LTD Specialist Composite Aviation Engineering

NZ agents for Schempp-Hirth Sailplanes, LXNav Soaring Equipment and Trig Avionics all state of the art equipment for soaring aircraft.

Ross Gaddes email ross@sailplaneservices.co.nz phone +64 9 294 7324 or +674 274 789 123