Tuesday, 9 February 2016

Information for Pilots



2016 Central Districts Gliding Championships
Saturday 13th February (practice day), competition Sunday 14th February to Saturday 20th February inclusive

Welcome to all.

We thank our sponsors including SBS Bank, Centralines, Alpha Domus Winery and the Noetzli Family Winery and recommend them to you.

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 13th February - initial briefing if flyable starting at 10:30am. If wet, 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.

2. Sunday 14th through to Saturday 20th inclusive - contest days. 10:30am daily briefing – everyday Sunday through Saturday inclusive unless otherwise advised.

3. Planned Meals (subject to confirmation):
a. Sunday evening – our Club is running a Gourmet BBQ at the airfield
b. Wednesday evening – our Club is running a Gourmet BBQ at the airfield
c. Friday evening - at a location yet to be confirmed
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 prior to arrival Ross McDonald, aka Roscoe, phone 021 262 9550 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.

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 5pm to 7pm each night.

Competition Information

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

2. Contest Director is Neil Faulknor - 027-496-6372. Text landout co-ordinates to this number if possible.

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

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

5. Within 5km 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 5km 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. Ops Normal calls on 133.55 hourly or on request in format “Yankee Papa, Leg Two, ops Normal”

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 @ 5NM and @ 2NM 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 miles.


CD Gliding Contest Land Out Information
Please complete and return to the competition director

Pilot:……………………………..…. Glider: ZK-G…………….

Landowner’s name: ……………………………………………..

Address: ………………………………………………………….

Phone Number: …………………………

Latitude: ………………………  Longitude: ………………...…

Date: …… February 2016




Tuesday, 5 January 2016

January newsletter



06 January 2016

Dear fellow pilot

Happy new year! We trust you all had a great break.

We have had a number of great flying days here in Hawkes Bay with thermals and convergences. One day the best climb on the averager was 6.5 knots. The cloud base certainly comes close fast at that rate of climb. Then, later in the same day, a large convergence line formed from the sea breeze in the north and a southerly. It ran from the coastal hills to the ranges. There was no need to turn, just dolphin soar all the way there and back maintaining just under 5,000ft ASL. No struggle, just fun soaring.

Entries are coming in for the 2016 Central Districts Championships which are to be held from Waipukurau Aerodrome from Sunday 14th to Saturday 20th February 2016 inclusive with Saturday 13th available as a practice day. For those who have completed an entry form and paid the entry fee, thank you. For those who have advised they are coming, it will be a great help with tow plane and personnel planning if you get your entries in as soon as possible. If we believe the long term weather forecast, it is going to be a hot, dry summer here in Hawkes Bay. Good thermals and wave should be the norm.

For those who are considering coming, please turn your consideration into a firm entry. Your support helps the gliding movement with the publicity it achieves. It will be a fun contest in a safe flying area with tasks set to take into account both the newer cross country pilots and the guns. If it is your first contest or if you are an experienced pilot, it is only by being involved and sharing knowledge that the sport can grow. We ask all to give serious consideration to entering. Note also that the early bird entry fee requires payment on or before 10th January. So take advantage of the lower entry fee and enter now. An entry form is available on the club web site www.glidinghbw.co.nz/links

Remember that having no crew is not a hindrance to entry as helpers are available if required. All classes will be catered for, including the club class.

The contest director will be Neil Faulknor with weatherman, task setter and scorer Graham White. This is Graham’s home area and he understands the soaring options well.

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 for all, including the other half.

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

So, put the dates of this contest (Sunday 14th to Saturday 20th February 2016 inclusive with Saturday 13th available as a practice day) on your calendar and plan for a great fun trip to Hawkes Bay this summer.


Thursday, 15 October 2015

October newsletter


15 October 2015

Dear fellow pilot

Spring is well and truly here. Wave, thermals and convergences are appearing Hawkes Bay.


The 2016 Central Districts Championships are to be held from Waipukurau Aerodrome from Sunday 14th to Saturday 20th February 2016 inclusive with Saturday 13th available as a practice day.

It is time to consider planning your participation. If we believe the long term weather forecast, it is going to be a hot, dry summer here in Hawkes Bay. Good thermals and wave should be the norm.

We urge clubs and private owners to seriously consider entering. Ask others who have been to Waipukurau in the past - it is a good fun contest in an area with plenty of options of large, safe paddocks in the unlikely event of a land out. A number of quality daily prizes are being put together. If you have no crew, that is no problem - others will help as required.

The airfield at Waipukurau has been booked and we already have some committed entries. The contest director will be Neil Faulknor with weatherman, task setter and scorer Graham White. This is Graham’s home area and he understands the soaring options well. Tasks will be set to take into account both the newer cross country pilots and the guns.

If you want to experience the area beforehand, it may be possible for an experienced instructor to fly with you in one of our club two seaters or to accompany you in a single seater on the weekends before the contest. Feel free to discuss the options with our club.

Club members - if you want to experience a fun contest, motivate your club to bring a two seater along with members and an instructor. It is well worth your while.

As usual, to help plan towplanes, early advice of entry is much appreciated. Plus, you save $40 on the entry fee if you enter and pay on or prior to 10th January 2016. An entry form is attached and also available on the club web site www.glidinghbw.co.nz/links

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 for all, including the other half.

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

So, put the dates of this contest (Sunday 14th to Saturday 20th February 2016 inclusive with Saturday 13th available as a practice day) on your calendar and plan for a great fun trip to Hawkes Bay this summer.

We need support from all clubs to help revitalise the sport. Please pass this on to all your members.





Tuesday, 21 July 2015

2016 Entry form

A 2016 entry form is available at http://www.glidinghbw.co.nz/links.html

Watch this space for newsletters and further information.