Bob Struthers. 1987

"HOW TO" SPEND TWO WEEKS AT NARROMIME

After two months of planning and eager anticipation, Louis Trichard, myself and Malcolm Stuart from the Wairarapa Club, duly arrived at Narromime in our hired car on Sunday 18th January. Unfortunately for him, John Carter had to pull out for business reasons.

The day before had been a sweltering 41 degrees but during our stay it was generally in the 34 to 38 degree range - still plenty hot, as you can imagine.

Instead of booming off in a sky full of cu's, we soon found that it was going to take some time to get used to the conditions that prevailed and aircraft that we had not flown before. Although the thermals went high, 5000ft on an average day, 10,000ft on a good to excellent day, they were narrow and shifty, so that tight circles and constant re-centring was the order of the day. The big ones were wide apart, ie. about ten to fifteen km so we had to get used to seeing two or three thousand feet peeled off on the straight glide between thermals. The skies were always blue and it was a case of flying a straight compass course between turning points with the track being confirmed by the occasional feature such as a town, railway line etc.

We soon found that speed was going to be a vital factor in flying 500km, ie. working the strong bands of lift or the top half only of thermals and averaging eighty knots between thermals.

Rarely could we get away before mid-day and it was generally about 1pm before the sky was working properly. In all directions except towards the east, the landscape was an immense flat brown mosaic of large paddocks stretching to the horizon and beyond. Out-landings in the wheat belt of Western NSW were therefore no problem as far as paddock size and spacing were concerned. One had to recognise and avoid standing wheat and irrigated areas and more importantly, the long spans of single (electric -SWER- lines) wires on widely spaced poles which often ran from farm to farm. The normal procedure was, after picking a paddock suitable for an aerotow retrieve, to call base on the radio before landing, giving the general location. Some while later, the Pawnee would come in, hook on and away you would go (about $100 poorer) but mostly we got back. There were only three out-landings for the 4000km covered by the three of us.

It was not until the 10th day of our visit that I managed, after a long and nail biting final glide to 800ft overhead the airfield, to break the 500km barrier. (Diamond C declared distance goal.) On the last day Louis also went through the 500km barrier, landing about 8.30pm!! after climbing to 8000ft in the last thermal of the day about 50km from home. The wings of his LS3 were still smoking when he landed!!

Also on the last day, Malcolm, flying a Mosquito for the first time ever, landed out but exceeded the 300km distance, which was his prime target.

The Caravan Park on the airfield provided good low cost accommodation and excellent evening meals were available in Narromime, only about 2km down the road. The atmosphere was enlivened when Ted Ashwell joined us for a few days after taking in the world champs scene at Benalla.

He jumped into the only machine left, an all metal I.S. 29 and flew all over the countryside. The locals thought a new broadcasting service had opened up at Narromime.

Altogether a marvellous two weeks in a very congenial and relaxed atmosphere. The Aussies were top-notch, especially the O'Donnell family who ran the Narromime Soaring Centre.

Come on the next trip!


Bob Struthers.

March 1987




Bob Struthers enjoys a welcome post-500km-flight beer.