Newsletter December 2013

16 December 2013

Dear fellow pilot

What great skies we have had in the last few weeks. The local newspaper, the HB Today, published the below:

This photo was taken from an ASH 25M two seat glider while flying from Hastings airfield. After launching to 1,800ft, the pilots Brian and Jason Kelly used thermal and wave lift to climb up to almost 15,000ft while flying over Hawkes Bay, reaching to the south of Dannevirke, west into the ranges, east out to Waimarama and north of Hastings before returning to land after covering over 500km in just over four hours of flying.

Last Saturday, a flight of almost 200km along a sea breeze convergence was completed by Jason Kelly and Graham White in a 3,500ft to 4,800ft height band with only a handful of turns all flight. Starting from Hastings, they tracked south to almost Weber before turning around and following a similar track back. Great soaring for sure.

Have you considered coming to the 2014 Central Districts Gliding Competition? As you will have seen in the latest Soaring magazine, this is a very friendly competition with great pilot camaraderie and is ideal for new cross country pilots.

With approximately eight weeks to go, make it your New Year’s resolution to come and fly the Central Districts Competition from Sunday 09^th to Saturday 15th February 2014. Be positive, grab the opportunity and come. An entry form is available at http://www.glidinghbw.co.nz/links.html – complete this and make payment by 12^th January 2014 to secure the early bird entry fee.

If you are not a solo pilot, twist an instructor’s and the club committee to send a two seater.

If you look up the early New Zealand gliding records, you will see that members of our club were the holders of the two seat 100km speed triangle record. This was achieved in an ASK13! Glass fibre sailplanes do fly further but, as we all know, K6s have flown further than 300km distances from Waipukurau.

Further information will be available at http://cdchamps.blogspot.co.nz/ as confirmed. Details of our club flying can be found on www.glidinghbw.co.nz.

Have a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year. We will send out a further newsletter in January.

Newsletter November 2013

Dear fellow pilot

Wow! Just under three months to the Central Districts Championships at Waipukurau. As well, it is just over six weeks to Christmas. It is time to start hinting to those who ask you what you want for Christmas that it would be great to go to Waipukurau and fly in the Central Districts competition. For sure, that has to be the best present, even if you have to arrange it yourself.

Since our last newsletter, the sky has seen some great days. One day, off the end of the airfield on launch at 500 feet, a great lifting bump was felt. With a few quick turns it was up to 1,000ft and then a rapid climb to cloud base at 7,000ft averaging 7 knots up. Coming back from Wellington earlier this month by car, a convergence line ran from south of Masterton to north of Waipukurau. It looked very enticing. It is a great place for sure with great thermals, cloud streets and convergence lines along with gentle wave.

A number of very experienced pilots have offered to give evening talks and tips to enhance pilot knowledge during the competition. We are also planning some great meals at the Waipukurau Aerodrome during the contest which runs from Sunday 09^th to Saturday 15th February 2014 inclusive with Saturday 08th available as a practice day.

Thanks to those who have so far indicated interest in attending. To ensure we have sufficient tow planes available, we now attach an entry form (http://www.glidinghbw.co.nz/links.html) so you can enter so we can start to firm actual numbers.

Flying prior to the contest can be arranged for those who wish to enjoy beautiful Hawke Bay and further afield. If we are lucky and get a wave day, gold and diamond height gains in our gentle wave can be a real possibility.

Accommodation available is wide and varied from camping and caravanning on the aerodrome to the local camping ground, B & Bs, motels etc. If you require any help in booking accommodation, we can help.

Remember the popular song, with a bit of poetic licence, “All I want for Christmas and New Year is to fly at the Central Districts Championships at Waipukurau.” It does not quite rhyme but sounds good.

We want, subject to mother nature of course, to make this the best and most enjoyable contest of the year so put the dates of this contest (Sunday 09^th to Saturday 15th February 2014) on your calendar and plan for a great fun trip to Hawkes Bay this summer.

Further e-mails will be sent closer to the event while further information will be available at http://cdchamps.blogspot.co.nz/ as confirmed.

Newsletter October 2013

Dear fellow pilot

Welcome to a further update from Gliding Hawkes Bay & Waipukurau as organisers of the Central Districts Championships from Waipukurau Aerodrome from Sunday 09^th to Saturday 15th February 2014 inclusive with Saturday 08th available as a practice day.

We have taken the liberty of including two photos taken on Sunday 29^th September. One is of a convergence line towards the coast. Best guess is that this stretched around 25km with a base in excess of 5,000ft. Great, easy flying for this early in the season. In February, we often have convergence lines running from north of Napier down to the Wairapapa with the good old land breeze and sea breeze meeting.

The second photo attached was taken in the same flight while returning from Dannevirke to Hastings and shows some of the larger than airfield size areas available in the event of an out landing. From personal experience, when this does happen, in many cases, coffee and cake is offered by the friendly farmer and sometimes, if later in the day, something stronger.

Task setter, Graham White, confirms that tasks will be set to match the weather for all classes from Club Class up to challenging tasks for the Open racing pilots.

Some clubs are intending to bring their two seaters to encourage new pilots and to give them some competition experience. If there is sufficient interest, we will have our self launching two seat Grob 103C III SL ZK-GHB available with experienced instructors for familiarisation flights in the days prior to the contest and for experience flights for others on non-contest days. This Twin Astir is of the improved design with Discus style wings and has great performance while being easy to fly.

To help us with planning, it would be appreciated if clubs and pilots who are interested in coming could advise us of a non-committal interest as soon as possible. Please send an e-mail to info@glidinghbw.co.nz with your interest and intended glider type.

We want, subject to mother nature of course, to make this the best and most enjoyable contest of the year so put the dates of this contest (Sunday 09^th to Saturday 15th February 2014) on your calendar and plan for a great fun trip to Hawkes Bay this summer.

Further e-mails will be sent closer to the event while further information, including an entry form, will be available at http://cdchamps.blogspot.co.nz/ as confirmed.

Newsletter August 2013

22 August 2013

Dear fellow pilot

Spring is almost here. Thermals will start to pop and the winds will converge with some great flying to come.

Have you considered flying in a regional contest? Gliding Hawkes Bay & Waipukurau are running the Central Districts Championships from Waipukurau Aerodrome from Sunday 09^th to Saturday 15th February 2014 inclusive with Saturday 08th available as a practice day.

There are plenty of accommodation choices to suit every pocket from camping on the aerodrome itself to cabins at local camping grounds, motels and hotels etc. Being only 30 minutes from Hastings, there are plenty of options for after hours activities and the other half.

Why come to Waipukurau for a contest?

1. There are plenty of large, safe paddocks for landing with some larger than the aerodrome. If you landout, you may meet the farmer and get coffee and cake while waiting for a retrieve.

2. Great flying conditions with thermals, convergences and gentle wave. While like all gliding contests, weather plays a decisive part and lets us down occasionally, in general, historically the weather is good for flying in February.

3. If we get the odd adverse weather day, it gives an opportunity to visit some great wineries, orchards, bush walks, play golf, go fishing, sightseeing etc. You will not get bored.

4. When else do you have the opportunity to make “gliding” your job for the week with like minded pilots in a low key, friendly atmosphere?

Further information is available at http://cdchamps.blogspot.co.nz/ and this will be updated as time progresses.

Neil Faulknor will be the contest director with assistance from David Davidson.

Put the dates of this contest (Sunday 09^th to Saturday 15th February 2014) on your calendar and plan for a great fun trip to Hawkes Bay this summer.

Further e-mails will be sent closer to the event.

2014 Central District Championships

These are currently scheduled for 09^th – 15^th February 2014 inclusive with Saturday 08th available as a practice day. They will again be based at Waipukurau in Hawkes Bay.

Watch this space for more details.

For any queries in the meantime, please contact Gliding Hawkes Bay & Waipukurau Inc via e-mail at gliding@glidinghbw.co.nz

The future?

Please post your comments below on this blog or contact Gliding Hawkes Bay & Waipukurau with your thoughts.

Central Districts Gliding Contest

The Central Districts Contest has been experiencing falling numbers of entrants over recent years. In 2013 we have had only seven competitors reduced to five by unforeseen events. The consequences devalue the contest and create financial pressures on the organising club.

Discussions to date have helped clarify issues and possible solutions.

POSITIVE FEEDBACK

Pilots enjoy flying from a new site that is surrounded by good land-out areas.

Flying conditions at Waipukurau are usually excellent despite the awful 2011 and 2012.

New pilots enjoy the support of experienced top level pilots who mentor the new competitors.

Cross country skills improve markedly whether the pilot intends to continue competing or just wants to extend their range. For the former, competing at a regional contest is compulsory before entering the Nationals. For the later, the skill level enhancement improves the safety and enjoyment of their personal and instructional flying.

The effort to create a welcoming social environment is appreciated and enjoyed by our regulars.

The facilities for the contest and for campers at Waipukurau are excellent.

NEGATIVE FEEDBACK

There has been a lack of publicity and marketing. Word of mouth and direct approaches are not working.

The cost of modern technology inhibits the use of club gliders and older privately owned gliders.

DISCUSSION POINTS

1          Should we continue as a sanctioned contest? The consensus seemed in favour.

2          Should we move to Taupo or Masterton? The consensus was to stay at Waipukurau.

3          Should we fund-raise for portable GPS units that could be leased/lent to early stage competitors? This needs to be explored.

4          Can our small club continue annually without burn-out from our members? This year there was a huge input from the Waipukurau members. Their local knowledge is invaluable.

a. Retrievals take time and energy but with increased fields the other pilots can provide more assistance

b. We are very dependent on Graham White for weather and task setting. There is no obvious relief.

c. Neil Faulknor has indicated a willingness to adopt the Contest Director role.

d. Tow planes/pilots. We are fortunate that Keith Cammock has made DAL available as a back up towplane. There is no immediate need for more tow pilots as long as we have the support of Manawatu.

MARKETING

This is the key to success and has been neglected. We are fortunate that Trev Terry, who has had considerable experience, is happy to assist with this. It is important that our members learn from him to continue in the future.

ENTRIES

There have been no Wellington or Taranaki entries for some years and it is their contest also. Marketing will need to concentrate on them while continuing to encourage other visitors from further afield. Pilots who have completed the Matamata cross country course would benefit from coming to Waipukurau. 

2013 Results & photos

See also http://www.soaringspot.com/cds2013/news/story2.html for comments

and http://www.soaringspot.com/cds_2013/results/open/daily/day1.html for task details.

Central Districts Gliding Championships held from Waipukurau, Hawkes Bay

Final overall results:

#	CN	Pilot	Team	Glider	Total
1.	XS	Graham White	Hawkes Bay	LS 8	2956
2.	TD	Tony Van Dyk	Hutt Valley	LS 8	2619
3.	ML	Tracy Austin	Taupo	Std. Jantar	1930
4.	TT	Trev Terry	Taupo	Duo Discus T	1859
5.	HB	Jason Kelly	Hawkes Bay	G 103 Twin III SL	889
6.	NJ	Jason Price	Hawkes Bay	LS 4	741
7.	LO	Ian Sheppard	Manawatu	Mini Nimbus	0

A competition told in pictures:

1. Take an airfield

2. Add a weather man, task setter and scorer (Graham White)

3. Add pilots, towpilots and ground crew 

4. Have a briefing

5. Grid the gliders

6. Add the pilots

7. Get in the glider to fly


8. Land out among the local fauna.


9. Have a day off due to the weather (in fact, only two all competition)


10. Declare the winners and award the prizes

Graham White - Open Class & overall winner                       

Tracy Austin - Club Class winner

 Saturday 26th January results

1.	TT	Trev Terry	Taupo	Duo Discus T	13:45:57	15:24:38	01:38:41	79.2km/h	158.3km	750
2.	XS	Graham White	Hawkes Bay	LS 8	13:46:36	15:27:25	01:40:49	76.5km/h	153.1km	700
3.	ML	Tracy Austin	Taupo	Std. Jantar	14:06:41	15:55:01	01:48:20	64.9km/h	129.8km	480
4.	TD	Tony Van Dyk	Hutt Valley	LS 8	13:58:33	15:24:43	01:26:10	60.5km/h	121.0km	396
5.	HB	Jason Kelly	Hawkes Bay	G 103 Twin III SL	13:55:16	16:23:41	02:28:25	58.3km/h	144.1km	354

Friday 25th January results - non competition day

Thursday 24th January results - non competition day

Wednesday 23rd January results:
Graham White - LS8 - 681 points
Tony van Dyk - LS8 - 647 points
Tracy Austin - Std Jantar - 582 points
Jason Kelly - Grob 103 Twin III SL - 234 points
Trev Terry - Duo Discus T - did not fly
Jason Price - LS4 - did not fly
Ian Sheppard - Mini Nimbus - did not fly

Tuesday 22nd January results:
Tony van Dyk - LS8 - 687 points
Trev Terry - Duo Discus T - 676 points
Graham White - LS8 - 575 points
Jason Kelly - Grob 103 Twin III SL - 280 points
Jason Price - LS4 - 251 points
Tracy Austin - Std Jantar - 244 points
Ian Sheppard - Mini Nimbus - 0 points

Monday 21st January results:
Graham White - LS8 - 1,000 points
Tony van Dyk - LS8 - 889 points
Tracy Austin - Std Jantar - 624 points
Jason Price - LS4 - 490 points
Trev Terry - Duo Discus T - 433 points
Jason Kelly - Grob 103 Twin III SL - 21 points
Ian Sheppard - Mini Nimbus - 0 points

Sunday 20th January results - a flying day but non-competition day