Food for thought

This is more than politically correct, we should all read it carefully.
http://www.secureav.com/ The glider aviator's model code of conduct.


EX EY

GOOD NEWS

Very good news - Ulf is still on the island La Gomera, but he will be in Rieti ;-)

EX

SA TEAM

Nothing official yet, but the SA team for Lusse will consist of TC Carol Clifford and pilots Laurens and Oscar Goudriaan in the open class, Mannie McLaughlan and Attie Jonker in the 18m, and Quintin Maine and Arnold Geerlings in the 15m
Going to Rieti will be TC Dave Mortimer with myself (standard class) and Andrew Bester clubclass.

Hopefully I am flying in EX (the BEST LS8) with Ulf Dallmann (better than the BEST) to look after me.

EX

one thousand 147 times

The season at Bitterwasser has drawn to a close. They notched up a meagre 147 flights of 1000km or more - not bad going at all. Wish I could go and fly there ...

EX EY

Video on youtube

Mark Siegelberg sent this


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aumO0ZHwAro

You so much want to see this - even if just to remind you how much fun gliding can be ;-)

EX EY

There are no secrets

There are no secrets. OLC reveals that a recent visitor at our club, tagged along by Dick Bradley when Soaring Safaris visited us earlier in the season, is having a good time in OZland. Phillipe Rossier has been flying from Corowa in the last week (and a bit) and has been posting his flights.
2008-02-13 340.65 398.13 60.64 Corowa Rwx Gld (AU / VIC) Discus 2T/18... 0057 0753
2008-02-11 527.11 606.24 91.14 Corowa Rwx Gld (AU / VIC) Discus 2/18m 0142 0844
2008-02-10 507.29 587.80 70.42 Corowa Rwx Gld (AU / VIC) Discus 2/18m 0042 0932
2008-02-09 385.46 460.60 66.04 Corowa Rwx Gld (AU / VIC) Discus 2/18m 0058 0823
2008-02-08 220.38 263.71 46.42 Corowa Rwx Gld (AU / VIC) Discus 2/18m 0142 0846
2008-02-05 329.31 408.01 75.74 Corowa Rwx Gld (AU / VIC) Ventus 2cT/1... 0023 0559
Hopefully we will see some more flights from Phillipe from Worcester.
(makes me envious seeing guys (and girls) flying in the week)
EY EX

ULI GMELIN and VOLKER FIEBIG

Hi all
an advance notice!!
I expect to get some photos of their visit to us in the Duo from this illustrious pair shortly - I will post them. Perhaps we will also get an article from them (as we did from Doc Holiday).

regards

EY EX

THE REAL SOARING PILOT

... but our view (as opposed to the Dunhill/Jude Law view)

THE REAL SOARING PILOT
A definition of a Real Soaring Pilot has emerged, thus providing us with a standard towards which the next generation of soaring pilots can progress, and perhaps bring back the era of heroism and mystique, when one flew solo in a simple primary on the very first flight and wimps disappeared forever after their first launch.
A Real Soaring Pilot only flies cross-country. Scratching around the home airfield is not for him, and the sweaty hard grip on the stick or brilliant remarks to the lady in the front seat are left up to the wimps. A Real Soaring Pilot flies solo on long cross-country flights, preferably over unlandable terrain, and returns hours after the wimps have tied down and gone home. If he has an evening engagement he’ll simply fly faster, or settle for 300 km that day The Real Soaring Pilot rarely flies less than 300 km except during contests, when a wimpy Contest Director has laid out a shorter task. He will not fly in bad weather unless he can fly in clouds. Not just any clouds: Real Clouds with ice, turbulence, and thunder. No wimps there.
His sailplane
First of all, he never flies a motorglider. He also avoids forgiving types like the Schweizers, preferring character-builders like the ASW-12 and the Standard Cirrus (not just any Cirrus mind you, it has to be one of the early models with the pendulum elevator and no feel). Other sailplanes acceptable to a Real Soaring Pilot are the Nimbus 3, LS-3 (but not LS-1 as there’s inadequate room for him to flex his muscles), ASW-20, and most vintage types. If he has borrowed the Grunau Baby, he loves to out climb the wimp flying an LS-4. He is rarely heard on the radio. A Real Soaring Pilot has short tows, and climbs swiftly in tight turns whether or not the thermals are strong. If he misses, he’ll be back on the ground before the tow plane, and runs to his car to get a second barograph while claiming record-setting soaring conditions. When he returns from a task, it is never with waste excess altitude. Silly computers are for wimps, a Real Soaring Pilot will only use one if he has built it himself (see “his profession”). Otherwise, all he needs is an old PZL with a home-made MacCready ring. No yaw string; he is always coordinated. Actually, with his sensitive feel and great experience, he does not need any instruments at all. No relief tube is needed; he can hold it until he lands.
His appearance
A Real Soaring Pilot smells of sneakers. No cologne. He never wears a jumpsuit with sewn-on club patches all over; he leaves that to the Air Force types or former Air Cadets. He does not change his clothes before he flies; his everyday jeans and T-shirt are quite sufficient for the simple task at hand, although he may add a windbreaker if he plans to fly above 25,000 feet. His hat commands special attention and respect. It was white once before many years of sweat and grime accumulated on it. A Gold C with three Diamonds is, at times, casually pinned on at some random spot. A Real Soaring Pilot frequently sports a beard of the stiff and rugged type. His favourite movies The Thomas Crown Affair, Airplane, Dawn Flight, and Goofy’s Glider.
His profession
He is not likely to be a physician (not enough time), a lawyer (too much risk), an airline pilot (too conservative), or a banker (way too conservative). Most likely, he will be an engineer, as this profession seems to attract the eccentric types with the necessary personality traits of the Real Soaring Pilot. At parties, here we will find the Real Soaring Pilot in a small group where the results from the 1931 Nationals are discussed, along with winch maintenance and Pratt-Read restoration. The Real Soaring Pilot holds a bottle of Molson Dry the way he holds his stick. When the music starts, he’ll dance with Real Women and other men’s wives. Afterwards, if he can’t find his tent or camper, he’ll sleep in the cockpit of any available Real Sailplane. In competition you will find the Real Soaring Pilot high up on the score sheet. You can also recognize him by his flying technique. He always takes off with full water tanks, retracts his wheel so the gear doors brush the runway, and flies the course by himself. Leeches are promptly led into strong sink. His finishes are described by the wimps as “worm-burners” and dangerous, but they are actually precisely calculated manoeuvres performed with great proficiency. On impossible days, he will finally drift in to finish near 7:30 pm, about the same time the wimps are hosing the mud out of their wheel wells.
Finally, the Real Soaring Pilot can be recognized by the quality of his crew (that is, if he has any at all!). These are Real Men or Real Women who hold up a wing tip without complaint, and will have cold beer ready for our Real Pilot as he rolls to a stop.


(I wish)

EY/EX

Jude Law and gliding

Gliding is getting some good advertising
http://www.dunhill.com/en/jude-law

EY/EX

Gauntlet 2 February

We held the monthly Gauntlet on 2 February and though I did not intend flying, after almost everyone fell down, I gladly accepted the opportunity to complete my conversion onto the DG500M under the guidance of Martin Gruenert. When the weather turned out to be in accordance with the prediction, we headed of to Klawer - my first flight there!!! On the way there and back we raced with X32 - one of the most amazing flights i have ever had - thank you Martin and Alan. In the late afternoon Martin and I turned back at Ashton (now already SE) and flew in convergence and wave (there is a divergence between us whether it was in fact wave (2m/s below a lennie and smooth).

Alan wrote as follows

"Hi there

With the exception of Cornelius (whose trace is on OLC) I don’t have any of the competitor’s traces yet. The sad news is that since MIV was unavailable for relights, and because Adriaan was unable to launch himself (we will have to forgive this little foible) we were technically unable to offer every competitor a launch – so Saturday was not a competition day, despite some excellent distances. Thanks Adriaan for giving up your day to launch half the field twice – you da man, bro’.

We eventually started launching the second time at 13h30 when it was obviously cooking. The understandable reluctance of some competitors to be fooled into launching again was soon overcome by reports of 4 m/s in Jan du Toit’s, and Gareth heading North from Jan du Toit’s.

Both Sven and I had an excellent time being lead astray on the return trip from Klawer by Martin – showing us a new route back up the gorges from Bulshoek into the Cedarberg – I would get this demonstrated before trying it yourself! We then topped 240kph southbound on the front ridge racetrack – some of the best conditions I have ever experienced. Play the traces (when both are available) for a fast fun ride. A really memorable flight, thanks Martin.

I think most competitors flew over 300km and were in the pool with the family by shortly after 5pm!

We had a great braai with Dieter Betz (back for more punishment after his earlier visit with Dick Bradley’s Soaring Safaris) and significant other Maria and the other usual suspects. Dieter’s becoming a member so hopefully we will see more of him.

You should really think about flying the Gauntlet, it is really all about having fun. We pay so much attention to the enjoyment stuff that we haven’t scored a single day yet this season! Let’s hope the Marching Gauntlet sorts out the scoring.

See you on 1st of March, with your licences, at 09h00, if YOU can handle it.

regards

Alan O'Regan "

A visitor with stature

We are getting many visitors to fly at Worcester but it is not everyday that we get someone like Mark Holiday. (After all his crew at international contests, Daniel Perry was on the famous Nationwide flight that did not quite get to leave Cape Town).
Mark was also just awarded the Aero Club’s Lewis Lang Award as Pilot of the Year – this trophy is awarded annually by the Aero Club to the pilot (could be from any one of the various sections) that the Aero Club consider as having proved to be the “pilot of the year”.
The Soaring Society of SA nominated Mark as having not only won the 15m class at the Gauteng Regionals but also for winning the South African held qualifying Grand Prix. Mark was competing against some of the world’s best pilots including World Champions. Mark - very well done and well deserved.

Mark visited us in late November in preparation for the GP in New Zealand - his flew 620 km at some 132kph in a Twin Astir - a remarkable flight (it is on OLC)
Mark sent me this article (which will appear in our club mag Kraut Koerant, and I am sure elsewhere)

He wrote as follows:

" Seven Hours at Worcester

I felt that part of my preparation for the World GP final to be held at Omarama, New Zealand in December 2007 would be to feel comfortable when running and thermalling close to the rocks. I had spent useful time at the Drakesberg, following Peter Rhia and Mike Barenbrug, and developed a strong admiration for how easily and unceremoniously they stalked and transitioned into wave, but I still returned after a week without a feeling of confidence when flying close to the mountains and generally came away pretty disillusioned about my prospects in NZ.
My strategy was to spend a week at Omarama prior to the official practise days both acclimatising and orienting myself to their mountain conditions. True to form, this week was washed out, as was the first practise day. Thank goodness Sven Olivier had talked me into a training session with Martin Grunert, Worcester’s mountain Guru who apparently had some interesting ridge running techniques at high speed.
With only two weeks to go before I left for NZ, I phoned Sven and asked him to set it up. His weather forecasting skills were stretched to the maximum when he predicted on Monday that Sunday would be good, enabling me to book a flight just before my old crew Daniel Perry dropped his engine at Cape Town International, creating a shortage of seats countrywide. A flurry of Worcester e-mails resulted in them generously making ZS-GOK available for the day.
Sunday dawned early for me and Martin collected me from the airport at 9.30 am. You can imagine my surprise to find GOK ready to fly when I arrived; who said that the Cape wasn’t hospitable?
We took off at 11.45 and Martin quickly predicted that the tug’s route would take us into sink in about 2 minutes. This was my first of many lessons that day in anticipating the ground’s effect on the wind. Martin took the controls after release and we gradually climbed next to the steep mountain edges aiming for the apex of the valley. With what seemed only just enough height we hopped across into an area of inhospitable terrain for about 20 km. I grew a few more grey hairs as we transitioned to the main North –South ridge, which in retrospect was easy and safe, but the entire subsequent flight plagued me with niggling thoughts on how we were going to return by ascending through that pass.
Descending onto the ridge at high speed we smoothly (actually turbulently) stayed right over it, following the undulations in the maximum energy band. It seemed easy, especially as the glider was so responsive at 160- 200 kph. I couldn’t maintain Martin’s speed due to his different flying style which was busy with a lot of minor corrections as opposed to my style where there is usually a paucity of control inputs. He patiently coached me, allowing me to get us into trouble and then taking over when we dropped too far below the ridge crest. We soon arrived at our first turnpoint, Renosterhoek. Our next turnpoint, the N1 tunnel soon appeared, and we beat the same path back again which was excellent training, fewer mistakes this time and I was really starting to enjoy myself.
The next training exercise was to transition across valleys and it felt so slow thermalling for the first time in over two hours having covered 380 km. Thermic activity was hampered by unexpected high cirrus and we decided not to traverse too far inland, returning to the main ridge. To my relief we didn’t return via the pass, and effortlessly returned to the airfield to finish with a bit of training to refine my mountain technique.
A quick beer at the club and then to the airport for the 7pm flight home, it didn’t seem possible that I had boarded the plane in Joburg only 12 hours ago.
It took me about two days to digest all the lessons learnt: stay in the hot zone even if it means following the ridges down, anticipate climbs well in advance, always know the wind direction, go wide around breaches, seatbelt tight and respect the Flarm because closing speeds were often around 400 kph.
Despite my initial anxieties, at no time did I feel we were too close or dangerous. The high speeds and manoeuvrability may have contributed to that and it didn’t take long before we were howling Hee-Hahs every time we felt a surge. What a ride, what a day, we flew 620 km at 132 kph and that included the training manoeuvres!! Do yourself a favour and go to Worcester this summer. I promise you that you will never think of the Twin Astir in the same light again.

Mark Holliday"


Apparently there is some video footage of the flight - once i have it, i will post it.

All for now

EY