Day 6

Day 6

Day 6

Storm front

Ooops, we must be having a BIG contest soon!!!

OOOPS - we must be having a BIIIG Contest - it is easy to predict when the contest is scheduled to start - just look at the weatherforecast below. The first contest day won't match the scheduled start!

The longrange forecast for Welkom

Tomorrow
07/12/2010
25°
Rain showers. Gentle breeze, 4 m/s from north-northwest. 2.2 mm precipitation per 24 hours.
Wednesday
08/12/2010
31°
Cloudy. Light breeze, 3 m/s from west-southwest. 0.1 mm precipitation per 24 hours.
Thursday
09/12/2010
27°
Partly cloudy. Gentle breeze, 4 m/s from west-southwest. 1.2 mm precipitation per 24 hours.
Friday
10/12/2010
30°
Partly cloudy. Light breeze, 3 m/s from southwest. 0 mm precipitation per 24 hours.
Saturday
11/12/2010
30°
Rain. Light breeze, 3 m/s from west. 2.5 mm precipitation per 24 hours.
Sunday
12/12/2010
23°
Rain. Light breeze, 3 m/s from west-northwest. 13 mm precipitation per 24 hours.
Monday
13/12/2010
28°
Rain. Fresh breeze, 8 m/s from northwest. 6 mm precipitation per 24 hours.
Tuesday
14/12/2010
22°
Rain showers. Moderate breeze, 7 m/s from west-northwest. 19 mm precipitation per 24 hours.

Mango Groove

Wonderful evening in Kirstenbosch with Christelle, Kara, Mieke and Volker en Angelika

20years later and Mango Groove is even better!

Storms FAJS

Perfect 1000km weather

... departure lounge FACT

Day 4

Day 4 started off well. After crossing the startline i managed well, and half-way down the task, i was comfortably in the zone, running into the second turn (having decidedly the best flight yet in the contest). The run into the turn was going to be delicate, but do-able. Ahead of me ten or so of the gliders turned back 8k before the turn (as if rounding the turn). I immediately grabbed the task sheet, neither they, nor i (and the others continuing with me) would make such an elementary mistake. I and 6 or so rounded the turn. The gaggle we were in had now largely dissipated. I was with two dutch pilots and the previous day winner and we followed a more southerly route. When crossing a mountain range Roman Marcek did what i would have done - once he had the neccessary height he crossed the pass. But Steven Raimond and Bass Seifert had started ridge soaring. Interesting idea i thought, but perhaps not good racing tactics. I changed to their frequency to hear Steve saying "Nouw gaat wij maar naar huijs." Though i knew we still had 200km ahead of us and it was 16h00 local, it was certainly doable. I changed to the Brits frequency to hear Jay Rebbeck say - "confirm the day for the standard class cancelled". I asked for confirmation from him - "yes, out team captain advised the day is cancelled for us".
Bad news. No need to ask anything further. I climbed back to final glide for Prievidza and 10k out requested landing instructions.
It is a very beautiful sport. But you have to be ever so careful - if you take (high) risks you will pay the price - and sometimes even a small error will have a serious and out of proportion consequences. I think what Roland Stuck had said in his address at the briefing this morning was most accurate. It remains our own obligation to make sure that we arrive back at the airfield safely - or if we outland, also to do so safely.
T1

Bye

False Bay ahead

Grabouw

Wavebars ahead

Theewaterskloof

11000ft in wave saturday

The parade

Adderley str 2010 fever

Fact tower

Betty's wave

JS 1Certified

I really loved the flights i had in the JS1 (#1) at Tswalu. To have built and now be producing the JS1 is a remarkable achievement. It has now been type certified in South Africa. Below the press release just in from Iain Baker

Sven
This is just a short press release for the gliding community worldwide and there will be a more explanatory and detailed press release for the aerospace industry, general aviation and local SA media when the formal handover of the TC is made. As you can imagine, there are a lot of happy people here in Potch.
Kind regards

Iain Baker

The press release

Jonker Sailplanes

Press Release

March 19th, 2010

JS1 Revelation Awarded the
First South African CAA Type Certification


On March 12th, 2010 the Jonker Sailplanes JS1 Revelation 18-metre class sailplane received South African Civil
Aviation Authority (SA CAA) Type Certification.

This is a historic milestone for the JS1 Revelation, for Jonker Sailplanes (JS) and for the SA CAA as this is the first
South African designed and manufactured aircraft certificated to modern airworthiness standards. The certification
requirements for the JS1 Revelation are the latest issue of EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) CS-22
Certification Standards for Sailplanes and Powered Sailplanes.

For this pioneering work, the SA CAA formed a highly capable team from CAA Engineering, led by Kavita Vanmari.
Throughout the Type Certification (TC) process the SA CAA team was thorough and meticulous, while being
practical and working with JS towards the common goal of TC. As this is the first TC awarded by the SA CAA, it
was essential that the process was rigorous, especially as the TC will be subject to the scrutiny of EASA and FAA
prior to their validation of the TC.

The TC award follows an extensive programme of engineering analysis, ground-based structural testing and flight
testing to demonstrate that the certification requirements have been met.

There will be a formal handover of the Type Certificate by Captain Colin Jordaan, CEO/Commissioner, SA CAA at
CAA Headquarters, near Johannesburg, South Africa during April with full local and international media coverage.

With a TC to the highest and latest international standards, the JS1 Revelation can now be operated with South
African registration in any ICAO country.

A copy of the Type Certificate is attached.

For further information please either contact Jonker Sailplanes directly or the regional JS agent, or see
www.jonkersailplanes.co.za

A flight with reflections

It was not so easy to get into the glider this Saturday. I released under the closest clouds, which as it so happens was nearly directly overhead the crash site where Adriaan lost his life last Sunday, and where Adri so miraculously had survived. I could not identify the site, and heavens know how Chris Loedolf managed to located it.
It was a weak post-frontal day, with a descending cloudbase to the east, small convergenses all over, and blue to the west and north west. Over Worcester, and in the blue no-one could get away from the winch launches.

After i had been as far east as i could go, i turned back and from Brandwacht glid over to the convergence on the Slanghoek mountains. I was concerned that the enticing clouds may in fact be the result from a westerly flow, which would place the Slanghoek range in the lee. I had better arrive high (i said to myself). Indeed, as i got closer it was clear that the flow was from the west and Slanghoek was in the lee. I got a strong turbulent climb on the northern (lower and accessible) part of the ridge.

This is the view from much higher.

Now to get back to the convergences the other side of Vic Peak and the Brandwacht dam.

After i managed to cross the big blue and went as far east towards Robertson as i could go, i did not quite manage to run the convergence line pictured above to its natural end at Jonaskop (from Brandwacht) and had to turn back.

At the end of the day, with the sun setting in the west.

Rest in peace Adriaan.