Recent News. January 28th 2013

Three good flying days in the last week!  Whoopee!  Things are getting better.

The 19th gave much less than any promise suggested but it seemed to depend on where you were it seemed.  Viv Davy had two 30m flights in DN with John Tullett and Dennis Green, who says he is taking a sabbatical from hang gliding, had an enticing 70m flight in the Twin with John Tullett.  Meanwhile, Glyn Jackson had the first of his outlandings in a York Road farm paddock.  The redoubtable John McFadgen towed him out.  No trouble to an ex-topdressing pilot.  This exploit overseen by Sam Tullett and Dad John in the Twin.
 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
Saturday 26th was a vintage day for most.  A thank-you flight in WZ for young Aiden Hubbert for last week’s landout facility. Then a trial flight for Karl White, all the way down from Auckland.  John Tullett did the honours in The Twin and Peter Williams entertained Duncan Snell for an lengthy flight that reflected the day.  Went all the way out to Mangamingi and back.   The Norfolk Twin with the Wisnewski brothers, Kevin & Berwyn arrived and was towed out by their Wilga.  Peter Cook and Tim Hardwick-Smith both had three hour plus flights.  Tim down to the Patea Dam back to the Ahukawakawa Swamp on the Pouakai Range and then out to Omoana and return.  Meanwhile, Glyn Jackson hurtled into another
paddock not far from last week’s one.   No aero-tow retrieve this time though.  I don’t know who did the retrieve.  I've since been informed that Steve Barham & Sam Tullett were the crew.  Steve Barham got a welcome 40m in the Twin, Sam Tullett had 33m in the Twin with Peter Williams and Glyn, back on the field, rigged the glider and had a relight for a short flight.                        
                                                                                                                                                                                       What better then but to try again on Sunday the 27th.  Not as good as the day before though.  Tim did another 3h 40m and Glyn, this time keeping away from his pet Bermuda Triangle had a creditable 3h 13m.  Found his way out to Mangamingi,this time avoiding the siren song of yet another paddock, thermalled his way back to Stratford.  Peter Cook had a great old scratch around in his Libelle but worked his way back up to height for a 1h 28m flight.  A 44m flight for new member Justin Wonderlick and 28m for Peter Miller in WZ with Peter Williams.  We thought the day had gone but Tim did no less than three low passes over the field then each time regaining height in a thermal overhead before finally calling it a day and landing.

                          
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
And so ends the story.  More to come, for sure.