Wellington Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club May 2003 newsletter WHGPC page Paekakariki take-off working bee A team of people attacked the gorse in early May - photos of the event.... |
Tiger county..... The start of operations.... The "A" Team.... Paekakariki's "new" take-off |
A couple of weeks ago, a determined group of guys spent a few hours clearing what was going to be a northerly takeoff below the lookout at Paekakarki. The day was a last minute call, with the forecast looking like exactly what the new takeoff was designed for, a moderate northerly. Even the tide was Okay, out in the afternoon. A few phonecalls netted those unfortunates that happened to be home, and mid morning Saturday we waded into the scrub and gorse. The biggest task was the railway iron posts down the ridge. The rusty wires provided a good challenge to the chainsaws. After some concerted effort, the posts were out, and we had cleared a runway and setup area big enough to assemble a sailplane! Good flying time was a wasting, so we talked Guy into flight testing the new launch. He didnt need much persuading, except for maybe a reluctance to open his new baby on the newly cleared dirt. We assisted him to the spot we thought best, and prepared to offer him to the windgods, but he was having difficulty getting a balance with the wing. After trying in several places (including me, the unbeliever - give it to me, let me check it!) we came to realise that with the position of the ridge, and the wing, it was going to be impossible to get both wings into clean air equally. Any attempt at launch was going to result in a very quick groundloop. It was becoming very clear to us that the location was hopeless. After some procrastination, we assisted Guy up to the grass just in front of the fence at the lookout. Here, he was able to balance okay and launch. Adrian and later, I launched from there, but it wasn't the easiest of places to get to, or launch from. After realising the day had been a waste of time, I started looking at other options. This search for a safe northerly launch is not over yet! Thanks have to go to the guys that did volunteer, and were able to make it at such short notice - Adrian, Marc, Guy, Moran, Jose, Clive, Shane, and Harry. |
