Monday, 17 February 2020

Pilot Information - 2020 Central Districts Gliding Championships


Saturday 22nd February (practice day), competition Sunday 23rd February to Saturday 29th February inclusive

Welcome to all.

We thank our major sponsor Centralines.

Daily briefings will be held in the club rooms on the aerodrome at Waipukurau (there is a map to the airfield on our club web site at http://www.glidinghbw.co.nz/contact-us.html)

The draft programme is as follows:


1. 10:30am Saturday 22nd February - initial briefing if flyable starting at 10:30am. If unsoarable, nothing formal will be arranged. A decision on setting a practice task will be made on the day. All entrants will be required to fully complete and sign an entry form if they have not already done so. Limited aerotowing will be available on Saturday.

2. Sunday 23rd through to Saturday 29th inclusive - contest days. 10:00am daily briefing – every day Sunday through Saturday inclusive unless otherwise advised.

3. Planned Meals (subject to confirmation):
a. Sunday evening – our Club is running a BBQ at the airfield
b. Wednesday evening – our Club is running a BBQ at the airfield
c. Friday evening - at a location yet to be confirmed or a BBQ at the airfield

Numbers will be requested and costs confirmed closer to each planned meal.

There are a number of supermarkets, bakeries and cafes in Waipukurau for other food requirements.

4. Further information will be given at the briefings each morning.

5. Glider trailers - the paddock next to the clubhouse is available for trailer parking. All trailers are to be parked in there or parked immediately to the north of the gliding hangar rather than scattered around in aircraft maneuvering and parking areas.

6. Please ensure that the area where aircraft cross the drive where the concrete pad is remains clear of parked gliders and vehicles at all times.

7. For those wishing to camp on the airfield at Waipukurau Airfield, please contact Ross Macdonald prior to arrival. His cellphone number is 021 262-9550, e-mail address ross.mac@xtra.co.nz and tell him you are coming for the gliding competition. The camping cost charged by the Aeroclub is $15 per night per person. They normally charge us this and it is added to the pilots competition account. Please advise Gliding Hawkes Bay & Waipukurau Club Treasurer John McConville of the number of nights you have camped. A sheet will be provided in the club house for this.

8. Tow fees, meal costs, camping costs and any outstanding entry fees will be invoiced by e-mail after the completion of the contest for prompt payment. Actual tow costs will be charged based on the costs incurred.

Enjoy your time in Hawkes Bay and further afield.

Keep the weather gods happy by having some refreshments for them each evening at the friendly aeroclub bar which is scheduled to be open at least from 6pm each night. Please note it is a cash only bar (no credit cards or EFTPOS available).
Competition Information

1. Grid lines will be allocated for Sunday and then rotated every flying day for fairness. First to arrive in each line is to grid on the far side of the runway so the next glider can go alongside.

2. Contest Director is John Etches, phone 021 980 610. Text landout co-ordinates to this number if possible. All co-ordinates are to be in Degrees: Minutes: Decimal minutes.

3. The Gliding Hawkes Bay & Waipukurau Club contact phone is 027-288-7522. This is for general club inquiries only.

4. The Waipukurau Aerodrome phone number is 06 858-8226. Note this is not always manned.

5. Within 5 nautical miles of the airfield all traffic will use 119.1
                           a. Outside this range use 133.55
                           b. In Napier Control call 124.8
                           c. In Hastings CFZ use 125.8
                           d. In upper airspace call Ohakea on 126.2
                           e. In the Dannevirke/Gorge airspace call Ohakea 125.1
                           f. Transponders are mandatory in Napier and Ohakea airspace
Refer to current airways maps for required frequencies and airspace requirements. These will also be covered in the briefings.

6. All thermalling within 5 nautical miles of the airfield will be left hand. Outside this normal thermal rules apply; first into thermal dictates the direction.

7. Starts are to be given out on only on 133.55 within 15 minutes of starting.

8. Unless being SPOT or otherwise tracked by the competition director, Ops Normal calls on 133.55 hourly or on request in format “Yankee Papa, Leg Two, Ops Normal” are required.

9. Do not taxi or use a motor in rigging or tie down areas.

10. Pilots without a personal crew must have a vehicle attached to their trailer and keys identified and available on the designated board.

11. Cloud flying is prohibited.

12. GPS tracks from a height recording GPS are the only acceptable soaring mechanism. More than one unit may be accepted at the discretion of the Contest Director. GPS units shall be handed in as soon as possible on return to the airfield.

13. Pilots shall announce distance and direction of finish at 5 nautical miles and at 2 nautical miles on 119.1.

14. Waipukurau Aerodrome is 430ft ASL, radio for circuits 119.1. All circuits (both left hand [runway 02] and right hand [runway 20]) are to the west of the aerodrome away from the town.

15. When landing, please consider other aircraft traffic and land to give maximum room to other aircraft and vacate the runway and surrounds as soon as possible.

16. Pilots may land straight in as far left as practical or fly through (High Energy). High Energy finishes must be notified on 119.1. The minimum altitude for a High Energy finish is 100ft AGL.

17. Because of poor mobile coverage, pilots should try to radio the planned out-landing site co-ordinates in degrees, minutes and decimal minutes.

18. Pilots shall complete and hand in land out sheets (see below) that include land out co-ordinates and landowner’s name, address and phone number when available.

19. All distances are to be given in nautical miles.