Catch up with the tasks and results on the Eastern Regionals Blog.
http://ngccompetitions.blogspot.com/
Saturday 29 May 2010
Friday 28 May 2010
Pre-Comp Practice
A couple of flights reported so far from today, although I like many had to admire the view through an office window.
Steve F-H flew '20' around the presidents triangle,
http://www.bgaladder.co.uk/dscore.asp?FlightID=26480
Peter Stafford-Allen did a quick 352k TIB-NTN-GRL-TIB (92kph!) http://www.bgaladder.co.uk/dscore.asp?FlightID=26489
"The wind was a bit fresh on the way to Newark, 12knots, howver the task was completed at 96kph. A climb to 6k near Cambridge at 7knots sort of sums up the day..........just Mega".
There were a few others out too including AV8, but not sure if anyone else tasked.
Group flying this evening and thanks to Mark, Ray, Will, JRK and Wilko - apparantly flying went on until 20:30. Phil M was the hero on the winch.
First day of the Eastern Regionals tomorrow - lets hope the weather holds out.
Steve F-H flew '20' around the presidents triangle,
http://www.bgaladder.co.uk/dscore.asp?FlightID=26480
Peter Stafford-Allen did a quick 352k TIB-NTN-GRL-TIB (92kph!) http://www.bgaladder.co.uk/dscore.asp?FlightID=26489
"The wind was a bit fresh on the way to Newark, 12knots, howver the task was completed at 96kph. A climb to 6k near Cambridge at 7knots sort of sums up the day..........just Mega".
There were a few others out too including AV8, but not sure if anyone else tasked.
Group flying this evening and thanks to Mark, Ray, Will, JRK and Wilko - apparantly flying went on until 20:30. Phil M was the hero on the winch.
First day of the Eastern Regionals tomorrow - lets hope the weather holds out.
Sunday 23 May 2010
Some (don't) like it hot!
Heading East - Worth The Wait...
...
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Another baking hot day with temperatures rising to 26*C making it very uncomfortable in the cockpit until the sea air finally reached us around 1500BST to act like a mini Cold Front and bust the 1700ft inversion and allow Cu to form, and with climbs to nearly 6500ft QFE Silver Height was easily on. Suddenly there were 2-3 hours of 'comfortable' soaring to be had and a few of us capitalised after a long 'grid-squat' and the odd aborted attempt to soar in the unbearably hot blue conditions. I think I was the only one to go XC, and managed a 100km or so (see the BGA Ladder for details).
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...
........
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Will D was Duty Instructor with Steve F-H helping out with the A/X flights again. There were lots of winching and quite a few aero-tows with a number of ab initio training flights, check rides and solo excusions with the whole of the club fleet out again. CFI Mark W concluded his BI course. Congratulations to our newest (and youngest) Basic Instructor James Francis...and welcome to the instructor ranks. Also, well done to Phil M who passed his GFT in the Grob109 to completed his SLMG-NPPL.
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Saturday 22 May 2010
Rather warm...
The weather has definitely turned warmer - 23degrees! but with no clouds in the sky it was a challenge for everyone to pick out the 3 'duty thermals'.
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Mark W's BI course is running this weekend and our own James Francis was flying on it. Ray Hart and Steve F-H were the duty team, with Pete R on the tug. A busy day with 18 aerotows and 23 winch launches, but the thermals got popping after 1:00pm, when Geoff T took the K21 and soared for an hour. The lift was pretty hard to come by, only 1-2 knots and topped it out at about 2,500ft, but I did manage to keep 'LY' airborne for over an hour, despite not going anywhere. Tim Davies flew 'AV8', and Steve Brownlow in '20' seemed to do a little better but again only local soaring. Jeremy K, sparked with success of his flights midweek, converted to the winch to help his bank balance. Also out flying today were; Josie, Paul and Sarah, Wilko and new member Mark Fiske who 'enjoyed' an introduction to spinning with Ian!
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....
Because of the light evenings, flying continued until nearly 7pm, when the gliders were brought back to the hangar and washed (we have photographic evidence!).
.Because of the light evenings, flying continued until nearly 7pm, when the gliders were brought back to the hangar and washed (we have photographic evidence!).
Tuesday 18 May 2010
Course week - a First Solo and a Bronze Leg.
Mick is training Jeremy Keeling and Alan Merrelles on the course this week. I pitched up on Monday to fly LY, with George tugging. Weather was pretty good with a few showers and at one point a line squall went through. After about 3pm it picked up quite nicely with 2-4knt climbs to 4000ft. Both course members got to go soaring.
Well done to Jeremy who on Tuesday did his first solo - his first one was 27 mins climbing to about 3000ft, then came back to let Alan and Mick fly. The second one was a Bronze leg 1hr7mins and got to 4300ft before coming back.
Well done to Jeremy who on Tuesday did his first solo - his first one was 27 mins climbing to about 3000ft, then came back to let Alan and Mick fly. The second one was a Bronze leg 1hr7mins and got to 4300ft before coming back.
Saturday 15 May 2010
Another Saturday duty.
A busy day and an early start for Saturdays and a late finish. Some cruising around the President's Triangle during a very soarable slot in the weather. Well done folks! A good set of cadet and other ab initio pilots making good progress. Thanks to everyone who helped Mark and me today, especially Tim for stepping in when it was busy.
Sunday 9 May 2010
9th May and before
I had a great flight with Bob Grieve, great thermals and for the first time I took over on the launch, attempted a dodgy landing but as usual failed!! Had really good flights so far with JRK, Mark, Will, Jan, Ray, Mick and Dave
Sarah Jones
Sarah Jones
Two Triangles (...and the rest)
Whilst we were over at Henham Park selling vouchers in the drizzle and cold wind, Dave Taylor completed the presidents triangle from Tib - Twice!! Nice one Dave, it wasnt as bad as it looked then.
http://www.bgaladder.co.uk/dscore.asp?FlightID=25802
http://www.bgaladder.co.uk/dscore.asp?FlightID=25807
Others that also completed the president's triangle today included Dave Munro (now also on the ladder), Will Day and Chris Lawrence. Simon Urry went round but cut the corner at Diss, whilst JRK went to Norwich and back in addition to helping with some instuctional flights!
Come on guys - let's see those flights on the club ladder (especiallly if they are in areas that will help us fight additional airspace). We are currently 14th for total distance in the national stats with 3349.5km in 21 XC flights entered, only slightly ahead of where we were this time last year (2857.7km in 21 flights). It would be great to beat last years record breaking year for NGC.
And don't forget anyone can review their flights on the blog, not just XC stuff!
Thanks to all who turned out to help at Henham Wings and Wheels including Adrian, Clive, Wade and Eric we sold 9 vouchers despite the poor weather.
http://www.bgaladder.co.uk/dscore.asp?FlightID=25802
http://www.bgaladder.co.uk/dscore.asp?FlightID=25807
Others that also completed the president's triangle today included Dave Munro (now also on the ladder), Will Day and Chris Lawrence. Simon Urry went round but cut the corner at Diss, whilst JRK went to Norwich and back in addition to helping with some instuctional flights!
Come on guys - let's see those flights on the club ladder (especiallly if they are in areas that will help us fight additional airspace). We are currently 14th for total distance in the national stats with 3349.5km in 21 XC flights entered, only slightly ahead of where we were this time last year (2857.7km in 21 flights). It would be great to beat last years record breaking year for NGC.
And don't forget anyone can review their flights on the blog, not just XC stuff!
Thanks to all who turned out to help at Henham Wings and Wheels including Adrian, Clive, Wade and Eric we sold 9 vouchers despite the poor weather.
Thursday 6 May 2010
Three TPs and one BBG
Getting urgent that I get some practice in for the Regionals I came to Tibenham on Thursday 6th May with the hope that despite the wind and the cold there would be some good flying.
Locally cloudbase was a bit low at 3k however out towards Thetford another 1K could be had. Some of the thermals were 5 knots plus.
I declared RAT-EDE-NOE for 145klm and hopefully 1.5hours good fun. There were only four problems on the flight apart from a slight in cockpit accident which will wash out.
Rattlesden appeared in a matter of minutes however a voice said stay high at the TP and I immediately fell into a hole. A bit more press on and I expect the strong climb that took ages to find would have been there immediately. Once at cloudbase the run to Dereham into wind was nose down 70 knots and just keep going....really good fun...except for problem two. Out of the mist of cloudbase as I was going north a BBG [ bloody big glider] appeared going south. Fortunately I saw the glider and dived underneath it and took the number 13 [from Dunstable] as the fin passed by. What amazing gliders are EB28s and the wings go on for ever. Time I bought a FLARM I think.
Problem 3 was Dereham and another hole with time wasted followed by a great run to NOE and yes, problem four, another hole and onto final glide.
The lesson for the day is that TPs are bad ideas [or do they sort the men from the boys?].
Thought for the day was perhaps buy a FLARM before it is too late!
Advice from the day is that you should buy some CONFOR foam from Trelleborg [as per S&G]. I put blue foam in the seat cushion and pink foam on my spinal support and the foam made a world of difference. Expensive, yes, but if your cockpit is a bit uncomfortable this foam would be well worth a trial.
http://www.bgaladder.co.uk/dscore.asp?FlightID=25782
Peter Stafford Allen
Locally cloudbase was a bit low at 3k however out towards Thetford another 1K could be had. Some of the thermals were 5 knots plus.
I declared RAT-EDE-NOE for 145klm and hopefully 1.5hours good fun. There were only four problems on the flight apart from a slight in cockpit accident which will wash out.
Rattlesden appeared in a matter of minutes however a voice said stay high at the TP and I immediately fell into a hole. A bit more press on and I expect the strong climb that took ages to find would have been there immediately. Once at cloudbase the run to Dereham into wind was nose down 70 knots and just keep going....really good fun...except for problem two. Out of the mist of cloudbase as I was going north a BBG [ bloody big glider] appeared going south. Fortunately I saw the glider and dived underneath it and took the number 13 [from Dunstable] as the fin passed by. What amazing gliders are EB28s and the wings go on for ever. Time I bought a FLARM I think.
Problem 3 was Dereham and another hole with time wasted followed by a great run to NOE and yes, problem four, another hole and onto final glide.
The lesson for the day is that TPs are bad ideas [or do they sort the men from the boys?].
Thought for the day was perhaps buy a FLARM before it is too late!
Advice from the day is that you should buy some CONFOR foam from Trelleborg [as per S&G]. I put blue foam in the seat cushion and pink foam on my spinal support and the foam made a world of difference. Expensive, yes, but if your cockpit is a bit uncomfortable this foam would be well worth a trial.
http://www.bgaladder.co.uk/dscore.asp?FlightID=25782
Peter Stafford Allen
Monday 3 May 2010
Sunday 2 May 2010
ICL @ TIB - Saturday Results
Final results - speeds are Handicapped:
Novice:
1. Simon Urry - Mosquito - NFN - 58kph
2. Martin Hargreaves - ASW19 - ESGC - 45kph
3. Josie Briggs - Astir - NGC - (20km)
Intermediate:
1. John Roche-Kelly - ASW19 - NFN - 65kph
2. James Francis - Std Cirrus - NGC - 60kph
3. Vernon Bettle - Ventus CT - ESGC - DNS
Pundit:
1. Tim Davies - ASW27 - (ESGC) - 91kph
2. Ray Hart - ASW19 - NGC - 79kph
3. Peter Ryland - DG400(17m) - NFN - 74kph
Sunday was scrubbed and we now wait to see if Monday brings anything ...
Novice:
1. Simon Urry - Mosquito - NFN - 58kph
2. Martin Hargreaves - ASW19 - ESGC - 45kph
3. Josie Briggs - Astir - NGC - (20km)
Intermediate:
1. John Roche-Kelly - ASW19 - NFN - 65kph
2. James Francis - Std Cirrus - NGC - 60kph
3. Vernon Bettle - Ventus CT - ESGC - DNS
Pundit:
1. Tim Davies - ASW27 - (ESGC) - 91kph
2. Ray Hart - ASW19 - NGC - 79kph
3. Peter Ryland - DG400(17m) - NFN - 74kph
Sunday was scrubbed and we now wait to see if Monday brings anything ...
Saturday 1 May 2010
Inter Club League - Saturday
Unexpected weather - a distinct lack of rain - started the morning. Don's bullish behaviour revealed a met forecast from Watton that suggested 3kts to 4K later in the day - showers possible.
Task were set
Pundit: SWAnton Morely, LITtleport, East DEereham - 161km
Intermediate: SWAnton Morely, WHiTtington, East DEereham - 126km
Novice: SWaNnington, PICkenham, East DEereham - 108km
Teams were announced - unusually there are so many TIB pilots in all classes that were were able to have two teams - the official TIB team and the NFN Reserves. This was always going to test my skills as a team captain ... Even after fielding 6 pilots we still had a spare pundit to lend to Wormingford ... not possibly my best decision of the day.
Launching started around 12:15 when Ray Hart took to the skies in Tim Highton's ASW19, I followed shortly after but failed to make a 700' winch launch stick so landed onto the aerotow queue, which was fairly short at the time.
The tug duly arrived at 13:00 and promptly towed me through 3kts at 1200ft, turned hard and I released giving the treasurer 200ft free. The flight passed in a blur of disbelief - "5kts ... this wasn't on RASP!" and with a policy of keeping about 2k I was soon completing the 2nd leg at 104kph and crossed with Ray Hart - FLARM is really useful for keeping tabs on the "opponents". At the end of the third leg I was able to climb onto glide under a large black cloud at EDE and in the excitement nearly missed the TP (another mistake). The final glide back to TIB was uneventful, except for the feeling that I was talking to a brick wall when making 5 and 2 minute radio calls. While doing 100kts with the speed director wailing, a "click - click" acknowledgement is bugger all use!
I landed to find Ray's shakedown flight before the Eastern's had been quite useful. Apparently the copy of GlideNav I has set up for him was in metres and an ASW19 doesn't have quite the same glide performance as a Nimbus 2.
After derigging scoring began ... as is traditional at Inter Club leagues there were many obstacles ... the club computer had rejected it's copy of windows, my laptop needed SeeYou, Airspace, TPs and COM port drivers, John Roche-Kelly's GPS wasn't talking to the logger, Martin from Wormingford was convinced his logger turned off mid flight.
It was a successful day. 11 pilots launched on the three tasks with only 1 land out and 1 failure to start - Jim White is right "Turbos are the devil's work".
Interim results - speeds are Handicapped:
Novice:
1. Simon Urry - Mosquito - NFN - 58kph
2. Martin Hargreaves - ASW19 - ESGC - 45kph
3. Josie Briggs - Astir - NGC - (20km)
Intermediate:
1. James Francis - Std Cirrus - NGC - 60kph
2. John Roche-Kelly - ASW19 - NFN - Awaiting 2nd logger
3. Vernon Bettle - Ventus CT - ESGC - DNS
Pundit:
1. Tim Davies - ASW27 - (ESGC) - 91kph
2. Ray Hart - ASW19 - NGC - 79kph
3. Peter Ryland - DG400(17m) - NFN - 74kph
Dilemma of the day: When you fly for another team when they are short of pilots - how hard should you try?
Task were set
Pundit: SWAnton Morely, LITtleport, East DEereham - 161km
Intermediate: SWAnton Morely, WHiTtington, East DEereham - 126km
Novice: SWaNnington, PICkenham, East DEereham - 108km
Teams were announced - unusually there are so many TIB pilots in all classes that were were able to have two teams - the official TIB team and the NFN Reserves. This was always going to test my skills as a team captain ... Even after fielding 6 pilots we still had a spare pundit to lend to Wormingford ... not possibly my best decision of the day.
Launching started around 12:15 when Ray Hart took to the skies in Tim Highton's ASW19, I followed shortly after but failed to make a 700' winch launch stick so landed onto the aerotow queue, which was fairly short at the time.
The tug duly arrived at 13:00 and promptly towed me through 3kts at 1200ft, turned hard and I released giving the treasurer 200ft free. The flight passed in a blur of disbelief - "5kts ... this wasn't on RASP!" and with a policy of keeping about 2k I was soon completing the 2nd leg at 104kph and crossed with Ray Hart - FLARM is really useful for keeping tabs on the "opponents". At the end of the third leg I was able to climb onto glide under a large black cloud at EDE and in the excitement nearly missed the TP (another mistake). The final glide back to TIB was uneventful, except for the feeling that I was talking to a brick wall when making 5 and 2 minute radio calls. While doing 100kts with the speed director wailing, a "click - click" acknowledgement is bugger all use!
I landed to find Ray's shakedown flight before the Eastern's had been quite useful. Apparently the copy of GlideNav I has set up for him was in metres and an ASW19 doesn't have quite the same glide performance as a Nimbus 2.
After derigging scoring began ... as is traditional at Inter Club leagues there were many obstacles ... the club computer had rejected it's copy of windows, my laptop needed SeeYou, Airspace, TPs and COM port drivers, John Roche-Kelly's GPS wasn't talking to the logger, Martin from Wormingford was convinced his logger turned off mid flight.
It was a successful day. 11 pilots launched on the three tasks with only 1 land out and 1 failure to start - Jim White is right "Turbos are the devil's work".
Interim results - speeds are Handicapped:
Novice:
1. Simon Urry - Mosquito - NFN - 58kph
2. Martin Hargreaves - ASW19 - ESGC - 45kph
3. Josie Briggs - Astir - NGC - (20km)
Intermediate:
1. James Francis - Std Cirrus - NGC - 60kph
2. John Roche-Kelly - ASW19 - NFN - Awaiting 2nd logger
3. Vernon Bettle - Ventus CT - ESGC - DNS
Pundit:
1. Tim Davies - ASW27 - (ESGC) - 91kph
2. Ray Hart - ASW19 - NGC - 79kph
3. Peter Ryland - DG400(17m) - NFN - 74kph
Dilemma of the day: When you fly for another team when they are short of pilots - how hard should you try?
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