1 minute read
NZ Womens Open Distance Record!
by NZ HGPA
1/12/2022; the weather forecast showed an epic, really cold day with a lot of wind. So i packed all my bivouac equipment and clothes and hiked up to the launch being really nervous: my first flight in a new area, with a lot of wind and the chance of landing in the middle of nowhere with the need to hike out for several days.
Only a couple of days before I arrived in Queenstown and got to meet the local legend and also Ozone Team pilot Benjamin Kellett. We made a plan to fly one way to Mt. Cook, which is inside an MBZ. So I tried to get the airband radio exam done last minute the day before but couldn’t find someone to sign off my practical exam.
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We took of early and flew to Wanaka pretty fast, already freezing after the first kms. I arrived really low after the crossing to Mt Maude and was already on my landing approach, Ben and Leo already at cloudbase again and crossing Lake Hawea. I thought it was over, but slowly I managed to get up and even catch up to the others. What a relief!
The wind got stronger and we all thought that flying into the flats was looking much better than staying in the mountains. Turned out to be the right
In the end we split up, right before the MBZ. I carried an airband radio but did not want to take risk going there without the practical exam. Actually I really got excited by the challenge of flying around this airspace. So Leo and Ben continued straight and I managed to fly around the MBZ!
But in the end I had to land. Suddenly there was a strong easterly wind (seabreeze) that pushed me toward the airspace with every turn. So I had to land after 176km. The others continued and broke the Coronet Peak record with 198km.
Apart from one little hike and fly, it was my first time flying together with Benjamin Kellett and Leo Chelle;- and we managed to fly together for the whole time! For me there is nothing more special than to share this experience and make memories like this together. Crossing 4 lakes and landing at a fifth one - what an epic experience!
I still can’t believe I broke the New Zealand Womens Open Distance Record on my first XC flight in the area. It would have never been possible without Ben & Leo!
