A flight experience, by Grant Tatham
The last day was looking like being the best yet. The first place had changed about five times already, there were a dozen pilots with the ability and points to take the comp - there was only about 200 points separating the top ten. Anton had done his temp trace for the days forecast. This had proved useful in setting the tasks, and decision making in the air. It was looking like a lightwind day, moderate lift to 4000', and then diminishing lift to 4500'. Zero cloud.
The task was a rectangular course, the Waipukarau airstrip to Waipawa, west to Tikikino, south to Onga Onga, then back to the strip, about 50 kilometres. The first pilots to launch found very little lift, and landed, to re-join
the queue. Dennis Green towed up to the standard 2000' and climbed out over town. It was obvious from the ground the trigger temperature had been reached, Dennis radioed to report a climb rate of 1000 fpm.
The race was on to get into the air. I was one of the first group to tow out, (thanks for being gracious and letting me in, Trev) and struck the resident thermal, two paddocks away, at 600'. A moments hesitation, a look at the vario, which was reading 1000 fpm plus, and still another hesitation as I realized I really wasn't that high, then ping off, bank up and ease out, into steady 500' up. I milled round over town getting low again, as I waited for more people to join us. Then Guy said he was on his way. I felt I had to keep him within sight, we had worked together well on the previous days, and though the points between us were close, we had agreed to work
together again. A glide across to Tom Collett marking a thermal halfway to Waipawa, climbout, then to the turn point over Waipawa. There was good lift on the ridges to the west of the town, though others were making much better use of it than myself. I was flying with a bunch of topless gliders at this stage, and the difference in performance, glide, and speed was disheartening.
I was 1000' below everyone, and in the dregs of the lift. I made the decision to go across town to get the turnpoint, then scurried back to the thermal. I'd already had a bad experience at this town - bombed in the
riverbed a couple of days earlier. And that was just the beginning of that saga, but that's another story.
After shifting round a bit, I climbed to about 2500' then ran towards the top of the main ridge, in the direction of the next turnpoint. All the way across the ridge, zero, nothing better. I decided to carry on, the ridges
continued, slowly dropping into the valley on the other side. A minute later, behind me Guy tells me the ridge is working well, he was climbing out, to eventually top out at 5500'. Me, I was starting to sweat. And only
in a T shirt! Luckily, the last ridge was working, and I climbed out, broke through the inversion, and topped at 4500'.
Then the big glide across the flats. I had watched Chris Lawry go before me, and maintain well. Halfway across, a glider was low, and turning, but drifting fast to the south. It was Dennis Thorpe, and I realized he was down
in the seabreeze. He soon landed. The trees below were showing a solid breeze from the bay, from the NE. I climbed a little in the same cycle, then decided to push on, the lift wasn't consistent enough, and I was drifting
away from the turnpoint. Now I could see gliders low and landing below and behind me, all suffering the same fate, the seabreeze. It was a push cross/into wind to Tikikino, down to 1500' AGL, then turn and run downwind
racing the seabreeze. The chances of climbing out now were pretty slim, but min sinking, I was heading in the right direction. Down to 500', and some light lift gave me a glimmer of hope. Ten minutes later, and a hell of alot
of circles, still drifting, I was back at 4000'.
Guy had left his departure from the ridge a little later then me, and paid the price. He was caught by the seabreeze, and though he found light lift the same place as I had, it wasn't solid enough to climb in, and I watched him land below me, just short of the third turnpoint. Trev called up, to report being on the ground short of Tikokino, and Fraser was there somewhere with him.
By this time, I had out run the seabreeze, and was able to work nice consistent flatland thermals, rounded the Onga Onga turnpoint, and headed for home. It seemed an easy glide, but I'd seen the 'easy glide' turn into
the heartbreaking '200 meters short', so was working everything along the way. I had a call from someone at the aerodrome to say the seabreeze was in there, and thanked my usually lacking self-control, and good height. One kilometre out, I knew I had it, and the dive across the aerial goalline was great. The beer thrust into my hand, which I proceeded to tip into my helmet as I took the helmet off, was pretty good too!
Tasha and Chris got in before me, Tasha two minutes faster, though quite a bit earlier. She had a struggle over Waipawa, and leaving a bit earlier perhaps made it more difficult for her. Incidentally, it goes without saying
she and Chris are pretty good pilots, and a couple of times thermaling close in with Tasha, I have to comment on her smooth thermaling technique. She makes it look easy.
Thanks to Andrew Bridger, for spending most of his holidays hanging out at the aerodrome, and driving for us. Hope the flights at Te Mata Peak make up for some of the time you gave us. I look forward to flying with you in the next competition.
Thanks also to Dave and Trev, Dave for his efforts in organising the whole thing, Trev for his commitment to the scoring. Also thanks to the tug guys, Anton Lawrence, and Mike Bennett. Those guys took a hammering for us, from sunburnt noses to towing in shithouse conditions sometimes.
The comp aerotow format certainly opened up the options for flying. Some of the more stable days, we managed some reasonable flights. Those same days at a hill would have been a waste of time. Till next time...
