Cross Country Championship Tables ............................. 26

NZ Ha N g glidi N g XCoNZ h a NG G l I d ING XCo N testNT e ST Cross-Cou N try C H ampioCro SS -Cou NT ry Cham PI o N s H ipsNS h IPS

January 1st to december 31st April 1st 2022 to march 31st 2023 scores on XContest at 14/7/2022

The web site for scoring and uploading your track logs is XContest at: www.xcontest.org/newzealand/ranking-hg-open/

Omarama Hang Gliding Cross Country Classic

Saturday 11 February to Sunday 19 February 2023

Flying around Omarama is always spectacular; expect 9 or 10,000ft and an easy 20km to over 100km depending on your skill and weather conditions.

The Mackenzie country around Omarama is a great place to beat your Personal Best; height, distance etc, move up the XC Champs table, fly legally to 13,000ft or maybe even fly to Mt Cook!

This summer, our usual Waitangi date was nabbed by the Nationals so we’ll go for the week after so people can go on to Omarama for more excellent flying. This time of year gets the most flyable days with the least strong winds and turbulence, but it’s still hot and dry so gives the most XC flying opportunities. Launch and landing areas are massive and the event is stress free; there’s no queues or waiting.

Don’t be put off by stable forecasts, it’s usually better, sometimes has wave and a stable day at Omarama beats coastal flying. Strong winds are more common in Dec-Jan, so if it’s not too windy, it’s on.

Fly open distance, in any direction from any site in the Omarama area. Enter any number of flights and improve your personal best flight. Scoring is by GPS or you can use witnessed launch & landing positions and you can use XContest as always.

Fly the whole week, just the weekends or just the days you want, when you want; it’s up to you, only your best 3 flights are scored. You decide if, when and where to fly and a couple of unlucky flights won’t ruin your total. There’s no pressure and make it as safe as you want. If you don’t like the conditions; don’t fly, you’re not penalised for being careful or sensible.

There’s awards for best total of 3 flights, best single flight, most improved personal best and for best driver.

NZ Comp Organiser’s responsibilities It is the Comp Organiser’s responsibility to; 1. Obtain a list of current members from the

Administrator. 2. Ensure every competition entrant is a current NZHGPA member. 3. Sign up any non-members. Any competitors found to be non-members will be listed and scored as ‘disqualified’.

High at Ohau, on the way to Mt Cook (centre distance) Photo: Bill Degen

Accommodation; free camping, cabins, caravans, motels and hotels. The gliding airfield campground is recommended as it welcomes hang glider pilots, has weather briefings and a cafe that’s often open late. REQUIRED; Advanced rating with mountain/ XC skills. Pilots with lower skill ratings may fly under supervision if conditions are suitable. Printed site briefings are available.

The tracks up local mountains need 4WDs with low ratio gearing for safe descents or brakes will burn out. There’s usually plenty of 4WDs and a spare place or 2 but best to team up earlier if you can. To maintain the Magic Mountain track we ask pilots for a donation but the competition is free of charge. Buscot and Twinburn sites are less scary for drivers.

Bring; spares, a driver that’s comfy with steep mountain tracks, radio, (airband for the MBZ if you fly to Mt Cook), camelback, spare sim card, satellite messenger. Bring your MTB and kite/windsurfers for days off.

If you don’t have a driver, pilots can take turns: this results in expert drivers and a welcome rest day for tired pilots. There’s often time for more than 1 flight per day too.

For more information, updates, registration, site briefings etc; contact Bill Degen at aero@ xtra.co.nz and check www.hgpg.co.nz for updates. Hang Gliding nationals 2023

Registration is open for the Nationals next year. Tom Mulder is organising with Shane McKay and Steve Cronin. Matt Barlow has stepped away from organising the Nationals this year.

Murchison Nationals Competition 2023 Dates:

Practice Days: 2nd and 3rd February

Competition Days: 4th - 11th February

Registration: https://airtribune.com/nzhgnats23/info

Kiwi Favourite in Our thoughts

nick neynens was flying in France with friends when he experienced a collapse close to terrain and sustained serious injuries which have greatly affected his mobility.

Nick is a much-loved member of our community and had just moved to France to pursue his flying dreams. We wish him the best in this difficult time. Nick’s friends have set up a page to support his ongoing medical expenses and recovery - if you would like to help you can do so at www.gofundme.com/f/ nick-neynens. Also check there for updates how he’s getting on.

At the time of writing, Nick was in isolation in Annecy hospital with Covid, the pandemic having caught up with him days before he was due to be medically evacuated to Brisbane hospital and then bound for Christchurch. He has confirmed he has no function below the waist at present.

To help him pass the time we asked some rapid fire (and slightly controversial) questions. Q: How is your French going? A: If you know English then basically you know French, but the accent can be tricky sometimes. Q: Favourite French word? A: Bonjour Above; Nick at an X-Alps Q: Best and worst hospital meals? A: The meals are pretty random, sufficient yet odd, but I have a never-ending supply of gifted food. Q: Whittakers or Cadbury? A: Europe has its own chocolate Q: Who invented the pavlova? A: Sounds Russian. Q: Glide or paraglide A: You prefer to fly, or have an adventure? Q: Mantra for the week? A: I flew that many years ago. Q: Words for your supporters A: Make your own decisions!

tHe CouNtrY CoDe

We are all dependent on good relations with the farmers who own the land we fly from. Here are some guidelines to ensure that you and other pilots will be able to continue to enjoy flying there.

ALWAYS CHECK with local pilots before flying at new sites. ALWAYS ASK PERMISSION to fly unless you are absolutely certain that the owner allows use of the site without asking. CHECK AGAIN at Springtime as most farms have pregnant and newborn stock that can easily be frightened and injured. DO NOT show displeasure or abuse an owner if permission is refused. This could hamper getting permission in the future. ALWAYS GET PERMISSION to take a vehicle onto a property. Ensure that vehicles without gliders are not taken onto the property. Put all gliders on one car rather than have a convoy crossing the property.

If stock is near, drive slowly. LEAVE GATES as you find them, gates may be closed to keep stock in or open to allow stock to feed. Ensure that all pilots and drivers understand. USE STILES and gates where ever possible, if you must cross a fence, cross at a post or strainer post. AVOID hay standing or cut unless permission has been given to cross it. AVOID landing in paddocks containing crops or stock. Carefully move off crops to avoid damage. DO NOT LIGHT FIRES at any time. DO NOT SMOKE during fire risk times. DO NOT TAKE DOGS onto any farm or property. DO NOT disturb plants or machinery, move around it. LEAVE NO RUBBISH.

NZHGpA Cross-Country milestone Achievement stickers are awarded the first time a pilot surpasses the ‘milestone’ distances of 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150 or 200km (open distance) on a hang glider or paraglider in New Zealand. the next table lists the pilots who achieved milestone paraglider flights during the 2022 season.

In the North Island, three pilots surpassed NZ25km for the first time; and three achieved an often hard-to-get North Island 50km: Robbie Kerr flying from Te Mata, and Simon Craddock and Mark Curtis flying from Kaimai.

In the South Island there was an extraordinary run of favourable conditions for cross-country during a roughly five week period starting on Christmas Eve and continuing to the end of January. And on a few days it seemed like the ‘stars aligned’ - groups of pilots together on the right days and at the right sites - resulting in clusters of milestone flights being recorded together on those days. The best example was January 14 when 20 milestones were achieved, including six NZ100km, three NZ125km and one NZ150km milestone flights!

Overall, relative to other seasons, it was certainly a superlative year for the number of NZ100km and NZ125km milestone flights flown! The tally of NZ100km pilots increased by 10 to 37, a 33% increase! ThetallyofNZ125kmpilotsincreasedby6to19,a45%increase!

Well done all these pilots, with special congratulations to the new members of the paragliding NZ100km ‘club’. (Stickers will be sent out in August).

An XC Sticker

Matt Jeffery Christopher Adams

milestone Achieved (km)

25 25 Laetitia Bottollier Curtet 25 Christopher Adams Chris Cain 50 25

Anthony Saupin Mark MacKenzie 25 25

Johnny Lawry Greg Allum Robbie Kerr Joshua Short 25 25 50 50

Michele Invernizzi Simon Craddock 25 50

Benjamin French Damian Chaparro Sam Hamill Nina Harrap Charlotte O'Leary Jessica Green Andrew Herbert Jan Franta 25 25 50 50 25 50 & 75 25 25

Wil Killip Jack Cano 25 & 50 25 & 50

Vicki Zadrozny Robert Dunkerley Thomas Wright Mark Curtis 50 50 25 50

Flight date

23/11/2021 29/11/2021 30/11/2021 30/11/2021 29/12/2021 2/01/2022 2/01/2022 4/01/2022 4/01/2022 4/01/2022 5/01/2022 8/01/2022 8/01/2022 14/01/2022 14/01/2022 14/01/2022 14/01/2022 15/01/2022 15/01/2022 23/01/2022 28/01/2022 28/01/2022 31/01/2022 31/01/2022 31/01/2022 11/02/2022 12/03/2022

Open distance

32.4 40.1 49.6 51.3 29.7 33.5 34.3 37.3 38.3 57.4 68.4 27.7 50.8 39.4 39.4 58.4 61.4 31.6 77.7 34.0 32.5 50.2 54.2 57.1 58.4 30.4 53.6

Site Name

Roys Peak Treble Cone Mt Maude Coronet Peak Long Gully Mt Murchison Mt Murchison Te Mata Peak Inwoods Lookout Te Mata Peak Mt Hyde Kaimai Kaimai Coronet Peak Coronet Peak Barnicoat Coronet Peak Treble Cone Treble Cone Kaimai Treble Cone Treble Cone Longslip Mountain Lindis Pass Lindis Pass Roys Peak Kaimai

Clemence Cadario 100 30/11/2021 107.2 Mill Creek

Thomas Rold 100 30/11/2021 107.2 Mill Creek

Glen Stevens 125 & 150 24/12/2021 170.5 Coronet Peak

Leo Chelle Jesse Dhue Dan Pugsley Bradley Franks Kinga Masztalerz Chris Connolly Jesse Dhue Warrick Boustred Jan Zimmermann Stew Karstens 75, 100 & 125 50, 75 & 100 50, 75 & 100 100 100 & 125

14/01/2022 14/01/2022 14/01/2022 14/01/2022 14/01/2022 75, 100, 125 & 150 14/01/2022 125 15/01/2022

75 & 100 100 125 31/01/2022 16/02/2022 17/02/2022 109.7 Breast Hill 109.8 Breast Hill 109.9 Breast Hill 112.7 Breast Hill 141.9 Moke Spurs-Speed Peak 174.5 Coronet Peak 130.6 Sebastopol 103.2 Lindis Pass 117.8 Long Gully 127.2 Barnicoat

Paragliding records Homologated

World and North American records Sub-class: O-3/paragliders

Type of record: Straight distance to a declared goal Course/location: Del Rio, TX (USA) Performance: 556.8 km Pilot: Sebastien Kayrouz (USA) Aircraft: Enzo 3/Ozone Date: 2021-06-20 Previous record: 529.5 km (15.10.2020 - Rafael Monteiro Saladini, Brazil)

Sub-class: O-3/paragliders

Type of record: Free Distance Course/location: Del Rio, TX (USA) Performance: 609.9 km Pilot: Sebastien Kayrouz (USA) Aircraft: Enzo 3/Ozone Date: 2021-06-20 Previous record: no record set yet

Aeronautical Charts

Visual Navigation Charts (VNCs) can be purchased from Aeronautical Information management (a division of Airways NZ) on 0800 500 045, or their web site, www. aipshop.co.nz. VNCs come in two scales 1:250,000 and 1:500,000, and cost $14.50 for a pair of charts printed on a double-sided sheet. the coverage of the 1:250,000 charts makes them handy for planning cross-country flights.

iGC signature bug fixed for Flytec 6030 instruments

Just released is new firmware for the Flytec 6030 (aka Brauniger IQ Compeo+). This version fixes a bug that could cause the 1-second IGC file to be produced with an incorrect signature. The firmware can be downloaded from Volirium at; www.volirium.com/en/volirium/support/software-maintenance-for-flytec6020-and-6030/