Narromine.
2-Seater Nationals.

I left you last Wednesday on a day the scores were not yet all there. It turned out to be a bad day for team Rock/Jacobsohn as they only got 38 points for 23 km. That meant they dropped from their comfortable spot 2 overall to spot 10 after task 3.

Task 4 was a prey for Allan and his mate,in the Duo Discus T,  so was task 5 !!!! 2 Times…. 1000 points the first 1000 points of the comps and over long tasks; 3 hour AAT with 332 km and a speed just over 100 km.h. as the only ones and a set 501 km with a speed of 124 km./h.
As Allan mentioned in his OLC comment;
—“Day 5 of 2-seater Nationals. Great day, first with cu. The models were predicting only scraps and that is what we got. Everyone played start games as usual and we started at 2:04 on a 500km race. Good climbs all the way round, and it was a real struggle to keep up with the Arcus. We almost managed but they beat us across the line and by 1km/hr.—”
Peter and Brian in the ARCUS were on handicap runner up, but still proud on spot 1 overall with at this over 300 points on runners up Allan and his mate.Mark Rowe is on a third place now in the Duo Discus, I guess this one is the one the French team flew in Benalla during the Pre worlds.

With Mark in the middle and behind him Terry; waiting for the clouds to pop up and a distance to fly from 500 km.!
As shared by the organizers.

Task 6 one but last day!
A SERIOUS task again !!! And that so late in the season !!! Can’t say anything else then, that  Narromine had a TOP SEASON !!!!
563 km. for the 2 seaters ……and all participating pilots on this day FINISHED ABOVE 112 km./h.!!!
So all high -lights!!!
Daily winners Peter and Brian in the ARCUS with 147.64 km./h !!!!
The other top 3 pilots did not make mistakes either; Allan was 2d and Mark 3d.
So nothing changed in the top, and I guess it will not on the last day, but between the number 2 and 3 is a difference of 180 points, so …..lets wait and see.
Allan’s comment about task 6:
—-“560km task for the penultimate day of the 2-seater Nationals. A Classic Narromine day. Start was over 9000ft, racing at 100-110kt, only stopping for 7 or better. Best climb of the day was 10kt bottom to top, got me to final glide (just).—”
Melbourne Gliding Club member,  pilot Murray Stimson’s  [Duo Discus XLT] comment ;
—“Fantastic day. Started as soon as the gate opened and had Cu all the way. Saw 11 kn average from 7-12kft.—“

Pilots ready for 563 km. ..tick, tuggy ready to launch them….tick….
As shared by the organizers.

Task 7 last day!!!
A 4 hour AAT was set !!!!! So a new long day for the pilots. Allan was in the mood and”got”  another 1000 points over 526 km. their third win. [speed 130.38 km./h.] .
But Peter and Brian [556 km. and speed 130.12 km./h] and Mark [490 km.] did not give in and were 2d and 3d.
So with those results the new CHAMPIONS were known; Peter and Brian in the ARCUS.[6290 points]
Allan and his mate had 5989 and Mark and his mate 5689.

Peter Temple and Brian Rau.
As shared by the organizers.

Another great competition from Narromine.
I heard they were asked to bid for the WWGC ,but I also heard that would be a bit too much.So Lake Keepit , another great spot on a fabulous lake, will send in a bid now.

Narromine is at this moment number 3 on the OLC looking at the airfields with Bitterwasser and Kiripotib ahead of them.
766 Flights and 105 pilots and at this stage a total of over 325. 000 km. NOT BAD!!!!

———-

The Soaring Convention 2016 in the USA is HUGE and was on from February 18-20, so last weekend. Of course the SSA [Soaring Society of America] makes their presence felt.
—-“Soaring! Your sport for the 21st Century. Check it out at the SSA Convention, Greenville, SC. February 18th-20th.—“

One of the gliders on display;
“Gorgeous, polished aluminum Schweizer 1-26E SN 605”
Picture and text by Marita.J. Rea [Vintage and classic sailplanes].

Tony had ,as I read, an excellent talk about his WGC 13.5 m.in Pociunai, where he flew with Francois Pin.[3d spot]
As shared by Alibert.

Not only a display,also lectures as by Pete Alexander about “Dissecting the sky;Discovering energy lines”, or Tony Condon about the “13.5 m. WGC; New gliders, electric power and team flying” and Dick Butler about building and flying the CONCORDIA ” Lessons learned” etc.,  but also social events;
—“Amazing atmosphere during the banquet and awards ceremony. Many great pilots and members being recognized for everything they do for the soaring community.”—
One of my friends Erik “Herbie for me,” Moser , received an award ; The Warren Eaton Trophy, the highest award of the SSA.

Herbie with the award and young Garret Willat talking about flying faster and farther.
For ALL the news about this convention last weekend

ssaconvention.org 

———–

The European Season looks promising. A splendid sky here on Friday!!!A few great skies already in February!!!
So Peter, from MillenAir is ready as well and he has maps for you for the new season;

—“MillenAir Glider Supplies is having a pre-order discount of 10% for all 2016 Air Million VFR charts scale 1:1.000.000. The big benefit of these charts is that you only need 1 chart to cover all of Germany / France or the complete Alps. As a result, the costs for a complete coverage are much lower. No more changing of charts in-flight… All on 1 map!
Normal price 19,80 EUR, PRE-ORDER PRICE 17,95 EURO. Valid until 15 March 2016. Deliveries mid-April.

Have a look at the website for the complete coverage:
http://www.millenair.nl/shop/pilot-supplies/vfr-charts

———

Last Saturday was a 1000 km-day in New Zealand. USA pilot Keith Essex, well known from long distance flights from Minden in Nevada, was the one who did it; 1.040,52 km. with  142 km./h. in an ASG 29 E. flying to the N and S of Omarama in not even the best wave due to ”  lots of moisture coming from the south and west. ” But still a good enough day for just over 1000 km.

Spanish pilot Igor [Discus 2 /18m.] mentioned :
—“Just an amazing flight! More than 600k! More than 150 Kph! More than 8000m! Delighted!!! I could have done more repeating the well proven line, but always try to explore and do something different…” —-

And UK pilot Daniel flying the Twin Astir over 535 km. said:—‘”Wave marked by rotor-cumulus and lenticular cloud. A couple of times we had to change wave bars to avoid showers.”—-
Not bad either!!!!!…Finnish pilot Jyri Laukkanen…….speed 177 km./h. over 761 km. in the Ventus 2.

So a VERY HAPPY DAY IN NEW ZEALAND!!!For all news www.onlinecontest.org on February 20.

A good day as well for Kari another Finnish pilot who topped the OLC list last Friday with a 550 km. flight[ 500 FAI triangle]  in the good old LS 6 in Australia from Tocumwal.

And what about a St Cirrus flight from Temora so late in the season from…807 km. [642 FAI triangle]

The weather is still HOT. Also in Darwin, were it is not only hot but also very humid!!! They had the hottest February since the 1950’s.