January 30th 2012

                                                                              Recent News
                                                                              January 2012

This entry is rather late and much of it hardly recent but I must carry on and set something down or else I’ll lose the plot entirely.

Glyn Jackson and Will Hopkirk took the PW5 north to Matamata to fly whilst they attended the 2011 Cross-Country course there.  Glyn turned in an epic flight along the ridge.  From the Kaimai yards down to Thames and return.  Took him about 3.5 hours. 
Had to battle a strong head wind on the way back.
Will had a memorable flight with Trevor Terry in his Duo Discus.  Now everyone wants one!

As club captain, Glyn has been active in getting flying going, some mid-week days have been very successful.  A good way to head off  the weather cycling the wrong way at the weekends.  The RASP (Regional atmospheric soaring predictions) has been avidly studied.  These have seemed to overstate the days a bit with cloud base not nearly so high in actuality but do reinforce the observed trends in the weather.  Nonetheless, Glyn has returned home and put his newly
acquired skills to good use and has turned some good flights locally.  He has, also, announced a small triangle - Stratford/Bush line/Gane’s Airstrip or Douglas.  Distance about 50km, depending on how far you go into circles centred on the mountain peak and Douglas.  He has already done it twice, the fastest speed being 74 km/p/hr.


                              
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

John Tullett & DN over Stratford.  Photo by Glyn Jackson.

January 17th was a good day with several two hour flights.  Glyn, after a relight did 2hrs. 54m. Most followed a convergence line as it moved north, though JT eschewed that and made do with what he found in the way of thermals.  Will Hopkirk treated daughter Maddie to a flight following the completion of shearing but mal de avion intervened and they had to land earlier than intended.

Graeme Prankerd has applied to the Pawnee and is more firmly on the way to getting signed off ready for getting his tow rating.  Brendan Pittwood has applied himself diligently to his training and has been rewarded with several hour-long flights.  Just great to help become more and more acquainted with things.

Looking forward to Julie Woods & Trevor Pease to get going again and then there is Steve Smith who is mulling over whether or not to join the club and begin learning to fly.

                           
                                                                                                                                                                                                               

                    Glyn’s photo of working the convergence on Jan. 17th.  All the
                   numbers pointing the right way.