Wednesday 27 May 2009

Serious weather

Taking weather seriously (as we all do) are these two South African websites
http://saweatherobserver.blogspot.com/
http://www.stormchasing.co.za/
Storm Chasing SA has this to say about the coming weekend

Another Stormy Weekend
Tuesday, 26 May 2009 20:34
Recent model guidence has been indicating another possible stormy weekend ahead for the Western Cape and Eastern Cape with temperatures remaining below 10`C for some areas of the Eastern Cape on Sunday. It appears that while the Eastern Cape may feel the brunt of the cold the most, the Western Cape will be in for heavier rainfalls with the South African Weather Service forecasting over 100mm of rain in a four day period from Thursday to Sunday. While the models are still a bit back and fourth on this storm it definitely bears watching. Especially for those in parts of the Western, Northern and Eastern Cape.


EY

Tuesday 26 May 2009

A 90 degree turn - a closer look at humour

I received this from the Wicked Witch in Tshwane

BEWARE OF PEOPLE WHO ONLY LAUGH AT JOKES

The word comedy was invented by the Greeks to give a name to a new kind of theatrical presentation which complemented tragedy. Essentially it was the opposite of tragedy which dealt with the downfall and demise of great heroic figures. Comedy poked fun at corrupt clergy, kind-hearted prostitutes and other ordinary people. Aristotle defined it as an imitation of men who are inferior but not altogether vicious.
Although it was often obscene, comedy became widely popular and philosophers like Cicero, in order to render it respectable, stated that it had a deeper meaning. They held that comedy’s role was to correct the irrational and immoral conduct of the foolish. Satire, or the vitriolic attack on somebody perceived to be wicked, was a tool in this kind of comedy.
Since I want to concentrate on humour, that peculiarly English form of observation, wit, or what Pope defined as nature to advantage dressed/ What oft was thought but ne’er so well expressed, and buffoonery, or what is nowadays called slapstick, will be put aside.
Sir William Temple, in an essay on poetry published in 1690, stated that no other language had the word humour in its vocabulary (That was quite a few years before Afrikaans came into being.)
According to him, the English have more humour because every man follows his own, and takes a pleasure, perhaps a pride, in showing it.
Because humour is concerned with the human condition and the follies of humanity at large, we still laugh when we read Chaucer or Swift.
A description of the posture of archers when loosing their arrows by Roger Ascham in Toxophilus, published in 1545, could be applied to the antics of certain modern bowlers and golfers, not to forget lady tennis players.
One wonders what John Aubrey (1626-97) that gossipy author of Brief Lives, would have made of the likes of Paris Hilton, Presidents Zuma and Mbeki, not to speak of President Mugabe and our own queen of African potatoes.
Jane Austen infused Northanger Abbey, a send-up of the Gothic novel, with humour. Charles Dickens and Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) used humour to their advantage in the creation of some of the most memorable characters in literature.
William Sydney Porter, better known as O Henry, was one of the first American writers to describe life in New York. His own life was less humorous. He wrote short pieces for magazines, married and was employed by a bank in Austin where a paltry sum of money for which he was accountable went missing. He fled to Honduras and only returned to America when he heard that his wife was dying. He was arrested and sent to prison for three years. It was a turning point and he made writing his career. His development of the short story influenced generations of writers. Although he made his characters funny, he treated them with compassion. He left over 250 short stories.
The head of the Department of Economics and Political Science at McGill in Montreal was the writer of about thirty books. In private life he was less funny and rather quick-tempered. He thought it absurd that he had to retire from the university at the age of 65. His intelligence and vast range lifted him above his contemporaries in the field of humour.
Frank O’Connor (pseudonym of Michael O’Donovan) was compared to Chekhov by no one less than W B Yeats for his brilliance as a short story writer. His First Confession and My Oedipus Complex must be two of the most enjoyable stories ever written.
Most people will admit that Lawrence Durrell was a great novelist. He is not as well-known for his humorous stories as his brother, Gerald. The latter wrote the very funny anecdotal My family and other Animals. In Esprit de Corps and Stiff Upper Lip, Lawrence Durrell pokes fun at diplomatic life in remote countries.
Other writers that should tickle anyone’s funny bone are James Thurber (who can ever forget Walter Mitty and the Unicorn in the Garden?), P G Wodehouse with his Bertie Wooster and Jeeves, the ultimate butler, Nancy Mitford, Jessica Mitford and Evelyn Waugh.
In South Africa we have the stories of Herman Charles Bosman, who put the Marico on the international map.

Look out for some of these titles
Black Mischief, Evelyn Waugh
Africa will never be the same once you’ve read this book.
Bosman at his best, a choice of stories and sketches culled by Lionel Abrahams
This is indeed a feast for the connoisseur.
Sonde met die bure and Met Herrie op die ou Tremspoor, C J Langenhoven
A master of the epigram, Langenhoven has an innate sense of the absurd.
Kooperasiestories, P G du Plessis.
Stephen Leacock defined humour as the kindly contemplation of the incongruities of life, and the artistic expression thereof. These stories are examples of the essence of humour.

Monday 25 May 2009

Post le weekend

Peter Farrell reported back on Sunday's weather


Surface turbulance up 100’, possibly 200’ agl
Surface wind W
Wind speed at 4000’ was 25 and at 8000’ was 35km/h
Wave from 3500 over Rawsonville
Cloud (lenticulars) zero at 12:00 and 7/8 at 5pm
Cloud Base at 3pm was 7500’ and about 4000’ at 5pm
That’s as I remember it.
Pete

It is good to know that the model forecast on turbulence is of practical use.



The sunset on Saturday after a day of flying of the winch.
EY




Friday 22 May 2009

Le weekend 23 - 24 May 2009

SATURDAY

Surface wind - NNE 10, 5000ft NNW 40, 10000ft NW 70, 15000ft NW 80, 20000ft NW 60
Layer of EXTREME surface turbulence, and MODERATE at 3000 - 5000ft, and LIGHT in between to 7000ft Windshear is 20ms per 4-km Wave from 18000ft upwards Cloud - solid overcast from 23 000ft upwards to 35000ft
Max 20.7C Dewpoint 6.3C Trigger 23.3Expect 0.5 ms to 3000ft
Boundary layer energy 1 J/kg

SUNDAY
Surface wind - NW 30, 5000ft NW 40, 10000ft NW 70, 15000ft W 90, 20000ft 110
Layer of EXTREME turbulence on the surface, and light from 5 - 10 000ft. Shear is 18ms per 4-km Moist lower air results in 3 - 5/8 CU from 4500 - 8000ft Wave wave from 14000ft upwards Max 18.4 Dewpoint 6.7 Trigger 17.7 Expect 0.9 ms - 1.3 ms to 5200ft

As is normally the case, i would expect the wave conditions to be far better than forecast and the surface winds slightly stronger than forecast.
EY

Thursday 21 May 2009

Stormy skies

the view from my office this morning - we had, unusually, thunder and lightning at daybreak.


Wednesday 20 May 2009

The SparrowHawk: 3 ultra-light world records!!!

In meanwhile Jim (Jetpilot) Payne continues his endeavours
http://www3.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?dsId=828099

He commented as follows

My first thermal cross country in the SparrowHawk. Not a straight-forward day ... mostly blue along this route ... but good enough to claim 3 ultra-light world records: 500 km O&R speed at 92.54 kph, O&R distance at 622.4 km, and free O&R distance at 630.8 km. Thank you, Greg Cole. Circled White Mountain Peak for 100 Benbrook Challenge points.

Way to go ..

Ocana and other stories

Today is day 3 of the British Overseas Nationals in Ocana, Spain. It must surely rate as one of the nicests contest to fly in - http://www.soaringclub.com/senasa_scoring.html Gary Stingemore in a 29E is leading, but in 4th place in a 19 is Rose Johnson, with hubby Iain in a LS4 in 6th place (all of them have lots of frequent flyer airmiles to New Tempe, South Africa)

On day 4 is the Austrian Gliding Grand Prix -http://gliding-grandprix.lokf.at/ there Heimo Demmerer took 1st place on day 1, and overall in the lead is Eduard Supersperger, Heimo second and Wolfgang Janowitsch in third The results are at http://www.soaringspot.com/ggp2009/results/ and there is live tracking (using Silent Wings) for those with time and bandwidth on their hands.

The summer in the north is definitely picking up speed ;-)

EY

Sunday 17 May 2009

The 10 Commandments (for the club house)

Back from his travels to Omarama Jerry Betbeder sent me this - I believe it adorns the wall in the clubhouse at Omarama

"The 10 Commandments for sitting around the Clubhouse

All those hardy souls who sit here shall obey the following commandments, passed
down from On High

1. Thou shalt greet the Strangers to this land with Warmth
and Enthusiasm, lest verily they perceive thee to be a grumpy sod.

2. Thou shalt pass Judgement of a Righteous Nature on all takeoffs and
landings. Thou mayest resort even unto a Highly – Variable Points System if it
causeth sufficient humour.

3. Thou shalt remain in Contact with the Launch Point via the Radiophonic
Device at all times, lest thine Bollocks answer for it.

4. Thou shalt conduct Conversation and Banter of an Idle Nature and
Righteth the Wrongs of the World, yea verily.

5. Thou shalt, when called upon by the Radiophonic Device, render
Assistance unto the Launch Point in a manner most forthcoming.

6. Thou shalt be of Happy and Sunny Disposition when called upon to render
said Assistance, even if it pains thee.

7. Thou shalt not resort to Discussion of Serious Issues, nor verily
Blaspheme against Bretheren, unless they doth rightly have it coming.

8. Thou shalt render Assistance forthwith and immediately to those Bretheren
Seeking Egress or Lodging for their Flying Contraptions.

9. Thou shalt happily volunteer to go forth into the Wilderness to retrieve
Those Bretheren who have Fallen from Lift.

10. Thou shalt seek Succor in Liquid Refreshment and Manna (though it be
foil-packed) in a manner best becoming, unless there remain a number of
Bretheren at a Significant Altitude or Distance."


Thanks Jerry, perhaps someone will frame it for our clubhouse?

EY

Friday 15 May 2009

Le Weekend

Peter Wooley said:
It could be surprising to some what is achievable on such a “northerly” day. I have launched (not by winch, mind you) to Vic Pk, flown a declared 500km northwards, and finished back above Vic Pk. I nice Diamond Distance, which could include a Diamond Height while hovering at Vic Pk, for some pilot yet to pick those up. And not a difficult task provided you think your moves through first.

The conditions for this weekend, however, is somewhat extreme

Saturday
anabatic warm front - speed 55kts to the SE, frontal distance 689km to the NW, vertical motion 452m/hrs
Surface wind - 40NW, 5000ft 90NW, 10000ft 120 NW, 15000ft 150NW, 20000 ft 190NWWe don't often get it this strong this low!!! and at 26000ft it is a measly 220kph
Wave NIL FORECAST Cloud 2000t - 8000ft 5/8; from 19000ft upwards to 40000ft 5/8
Shear is predicted at 28ms per 4km
Rain is forecast
Severe surface turbulence with moderate to light CAT to 8000ft and again 10 - 12000ft and then at 20 000ft upwards
No thermic
Max 11.4 Dewpoint 8.2 Trigger 12.7 Expect 0.2 ms - .02 ms to 1500ft
Boundary layer energy 0J/kg
Sunday
Anabatic warm front - speed 23kts to E, frontal distance 266km to the West, vertical motion 170m per hour. Rain in 5.2 hours IE 19h20 !?
We also don't often see such strong SW at altitude.
Surface wind - WNW 30, 5000ft w 50, 10000ft WSW 80, 15000ft SW 120, 20000ft SW 170
SEVERE Surface turbulence and strong from 7000ft - 11000ft Windshear remains 28ms per 4km
No rain
Wave - Some wave at 12000 and 19000ft
Cloud 5 - 8/8 from surface to 7000ft!!!
Max 11.8 C Dewpoint 9.3 Trigger 13.2 Expect 0.1 ms - 0.4 ms to 3000 ft
Boundary layer energy 1 j/kg

We will just have to go out and take the opportunities as they present themselves.

Sven

Thursday 14 May 2009

The JS 1 streaking home


Francois Caffa sent me this picture all the from France of my finish on the last day at Tswalu - it brings back very fond memories

Wednesday 13 May 2009

Table Mountain and the front

After a nice autumn day yesterday the front is set to hit us today. Table Mountain is shrouded in cloud whilst Lion's Head basks in the rays of the morning sun



Tuesday 12 May 2009

Complexity

The view from the right hand seat in the Stemme in a recent flight with Hans Sterling - There are not many aircraft as complex as this (certainly not gliders)



A front moving in

The view from my office window: Table mountain obscured by the lenticular forming over it as the NW blows - another one over Lion's head


Thursday 7 May 2009

Le Weekend 9-10 May

Whilst Jim Payne is pushing the edges in the Sparrow Hawk, autumn is fully with us. This coming weekend looks like this:

Saturday has a nice strong inversion from 7000ft up. The airmass does not have the normal turbulence associated with an easterly flow, but strong surface turbulence is indicated - so watch the ridges

Surface wind - 10E, 5000ft 20ENE, 10000ft ENE10, 15000ft SE20, 20000ft SE 20
Wave NA
Cloud NA
Windshear is very low at 2m/s per 4km
Max 20.5C Dewpoint 5.5C Trigger 19.4C
Expect 1.1ms - 1.4ms to ft 5500ft
Cloud Blue, except for a clearly indicated convergence line from the winch release point stretching all the way to Audenberg and then curving in a big loop back to Vic Peak (the orientation of the loop depends on the inclination of the pilot, ie either via Badsberg or McGregor)
BOUNDARY LAYER Energy 43 J/kg
(a new indicator which will be watched by all - also the newly appointed whether sub-committee)

Sunday is very similar, but the surface turbulence is at MAXIMUM Please be careful if you are on the ridges.
Surface wind - E 10, 5000ft NE 20, 10000ft NNE 20, 15000ft NE 20, 20000ft N 20
Windshear still at 2ms per 4km
Wave NA
Cloud BLUE (except for the aforesaid convergence line which remained in place overnite and grew in strength)
Max 21.7C Dewpoint 6.4C Trigger 20.8C
Expect 0.9 ms - 1.4 ms to 5400ftCloud BLEU

Enjoy the convergence line

EY

Saturday 2 May 2009

Dale Kramer - an incredible story

I met Dale and Carmen Kramer in 2000 at Mafikeng. Dale flew K1 in the standard class. In early April 2007 Dale flew an incredible 1637 km in his LS8 for the longest flight in Northern America that season http://www3.onlinecontest.org/olc-2.0/gliding/flightinfo.html?flightId=-837502820
(it was not the full distance flown as the logger memory wrapped around the start)
On 17 April 2007 Dale set of on yet another distance attempt - it did not go that well. His incredible story of the flight, his rescue and recovery is at http://www.sailplanes.info/16April2007/k1.html
It is well worth the read.

Friday 1 May 2009