April/May 2009

 Date      Tow Pilot       Instructor      Instructor      Duty Pilot       Remarks
April 4    Richmond      Hdw-Smith                         Jackson
  11       Richmond      Tullett                                 Skene
  18       Sharp            Tullett
May 3    Sharp             Hdw-Smith                         Hopkirk
    9       Richmond       Williams           Cook           Walker
  10       Richmond       Williams           Cook           Arden
  16       Gibson           Tullett                                 Barham
  17       Richmond       Tullett                                 Barham
  23       Sharp             Hdw-Smith                         Jackson
  24       Sharp             Hdw-Smith                         Jackson
  30       Gibson           Williams           Cook           Skene
  31       Sharp            Williams            Cook           Skene


This roster reflects what has happened and what will happen. The weather gets a bit problematic from now on but Sunday, May 3rd looks OK at the moment.

Flying:
There have been some quite good days over recent weeks but Anzac weekend was not one of them. Easter weekend was a bit of a schemozzle with people arriving after the day had been scrubbed because no-one had turned up apart from the instructor and tow pilot who gave up waiting. March 8th saw the No.8 Squadron, City of New Plymouth ATC all having power and gliding flights. We flew ten but the day curtailed when the pilot’s harness broke in RWS. The 21st of March was a classic soaring day with some gliders ranging far and wide. A big blue hole near Te Wera foiled yet another attempt by Steve on his 50k flight. The Discus covered some 80km in its flight and Steve would have done bout the same. April 18th was also a good but more local soaring day. Peter Cook out over Douglas in TE and Tim in the Discus covered 136km moving between Douglas, the mountain, round Eltham and back to Stratford. The honours for the season’s best flight go to Tim for his 50km Silver badge leg. This was from the bush-line near the York Road quarry to a remote finish at Whangamomona and having done that, a return to Stratford. In doing so, he covered 173km. A splendid effort. His story follows.

Taranaki 50k Flight
Thursday 26 Feb looked like it should be a good day. The previous two days had been a bit too good with instability extending well above cloud base making the clouds tall and overdeveloped with a few showers. For Thursday the tephigram showed the instability was still there but a light northerly was forecast along with high cloud coming in preceding the tropical depression which hit over the weekend. The northerly and the high cloud should tone down the over development – if they didn’t kill the thermals altogether.
The task was to start overhead Stratford airfield and head north east to the first turn point where York road meets the bush line. From there east to Whangamomona for the 51km leg (the extra kilometre is to allow for the 500m radius beer can turn points) and then back to Stratford airfield. Since the whole task was a little more than 100km and I was going to land where I took off, using the 1% rule I could take a maximum 1000m (3300 ft) tow.
Ralph Gibson towed me to cloud base 2500ft above the airfield a little to the east. After sampling a good thermal near Toko I crossed the start line and tried to get to the first turn point by using thermals and avoid the big mountain convergence that had set up to the south - the idea being that the convergence draws all the warm air from a big area making it hard to get away from. Anyway the thermals weren’t working and I had to retreat to the power station thermal which gave me a 1600ft 3knot climb. (We’re lucky to have that) This got me into the convergence which gave me an easy run into and out of the first turn point. After leaving the convergence I got a 1000ft 3.3knot climb between Toko and Douglas.


York Road Quarry. The course to Whangamomona began near here. Photo: Peter Miller


Another view of the point where the task began.. Photo: Tim Hardwick-Smith
At this point I was really going to give up local flying and commit myself to going for it. Another spur was that Peter Miller my glider syndicate partner had just presented me with his new medical so this might be the last time I fly the Discus for a while – Peter has a bit of catching up to do. So, off to Whangamomona. The next decent climb was just to the south of Te Wera where it had worked so well on our camp. Then a long glide to Whanga in the blue. Turning there, the GPS said I still had a 15:1 slope back to Te Wera airstrip which was reassuring. I took a 100ft 1knot climb near Whangamomona but left it thinking I could find something better than that – little did I know.


Whangamomona as Richard Arden and Tim Hardwick-Smith saw it during the
Te Wera camp. Photo: Richard Arden.

Gliding back to TeWera there was a promising looking cloud over the airstrip, which didn’t work – bugger. I had now been about 30kms without finding a decent thermal and I was down to 2300 ft. The high cloud was really starting to move in and the sun was getting dimmer. Some cloud over the Makahu tunnel was the only option to check out before I called Steve Barham on the radio to come and get me before landing at Te Wera. To cut a long story short the cloud gave a nail biting 1knot climb back to cloud base at 4400ft. The GPS went from saying I had a 58:1 slope back to Stratford to 25:1.
It was with some feeling of relief and elation that I set off on the final glide to Stratford using the speed to fly thingy on the electric vario. The actual glide through what must have been mostly subsiding air was about 33:1 (either that or we paid too much for the Discus, Peter) which meant arriving overhead Stratford airfield at 1000ft after a 29km final glide. The club’s PW5 should have been able to manage that as there was a small thermal cloud near Douglas and I did fly through some lift over the hills near Peter Gains airstrip.


After landing and putting the glider away I was able to shout Official Observer Steve a beer, download the flight off the flight recorder onto my laptop to see if I had “dunnit” and give him a copy – modern technology! Landed at 1705 and total flight time 2 hours and 41 minutes. This might seem a bit seem a bit mundane to other gliding clubs but this hasn’t been done in Taranaki for a long time and it was certainly exciting for me.
This is a good route for 50km flights with ample airstrips to make it safe. Also inland Taranaki thermals a typically stronger and higher making it possible to get back to Stratford even from a long way out.
Thanks to Ralph for towing, Steve for waiting around and being OO and Peter for organizing the day and letting me fly more than my half share of the Discus.

Tim Hardwick-Smith
March 2009.

Stats: March:
                      Aircraft               Time               Flights
                     JB                       4hr 03m         (11)
                     WZ                     7hr 46m         (14)
                     TE                      3hr 14m          (5)
                     GH
                     XC                      5hr 04m         (4)
                     RWS                   4hr 18m         (34)
April:
                     JB                       1hr 53m          (2)
                    WZ                      2hr 54m          (5)
                    TE                        2hr 03m          (4)
                    XC                       4hr 17m          (3)
                    GH                      1hr                   (1)
                    RWS                    2hr 12m         (15)

QGP lectures:
The opening lecture in this series was held earlier this month, the topic being: Aircraft performance & Technical knowledge. The next will be on Thursday May 14th, 7.30pm at the Arden domicile.

Airfield:
As you might know, the Stratford District Council has raised the concept of selling the dairy to raise money to set against town water supply infrastructure. Hitherto, the farm has provided money to maintain the aerodrome. (as was originally intended) The TGC, together with the Stratford Aero-Club has made a submission against the proposal as it currently stands.

50 years on:
The Taranaki Gliding Club was formed in 1960. Prior to that, for a couple of years, the NP Aero-Club ran a gliding section using a T31. We need to mark the occasion, so in May 2010, we will. The TGC’s first president was Harry Smith and Batch Collins the first CFI. Debentures were sold and a Rhonlerche two-seat glider ordered from Alexander Sleicher of Germany. There was a mixture of aero towing and winching with some chequered results as people gained skills and explored various areas. The full story will be related later, but we have much to be thankful for many years of effort that have got us to where we are now.


Rhonlerche ZK-GCI in its original colours being winch launched, probably at Kaimata. Photo: Mona Jones.


GCI in its latter day colours being aero-towed out form German Hill in 1970 by Doug Phillpotts’ Super Cub. No hangar as yet. Photo: Peter Miller.

Website:
The website was parked last December because of a possible problem. Unfortunately we have lost the ability to maintain the website as it presently is set up.
A new website will take its place and one that is easier to use/maintain and more commercially responsive. We will, ultimately, need to get funding to cover the capital cost.

25 years back:
Peter Hull soloed on 18/3/84.
Jim Giovas converted to the Blanik.
Dave Alexander completes 30min. in the Rhonlerche.
He was shortly transferring to Christchurch and Bob Jans takes over role of treasurer.
Louis Trichard (25/3/84) completes his 30min plus another 30min to
make sure!
A take-off incident involving the Cirrus, prime causes being that wing
runner was wearing gumboots and the glider pilot did not promptly
release.
The TGC buys a Standard Astir ZK-GNG from Mr Ogilvie of Christ-
Church for $31000. Some committee members provided bridging
Finance of $5000.
Jim Chaplin purchased the Cirrus GHP for $19500.

Papa Mike.