10; AM on Thursday the 19th of December.
We woke up to overcast!!!Nearly no wind and only a bit of blue sky to the SW. Still a bit hazy to the East.
Briefing postponed to 11 AM.
We checked yesterday with our friends in Narromine and Corowa and they had smoke as well.
Allan wrote in his OLC_comment from December 17 ;
“ Day 5 of the Nationals, and after the 3:30 AAT task was cancelled after the start gate had opened, David Collins and I decided to continue the task. Conditions were hazy but well within VMC, and most climbs were only going to 3500ft, but progress was easy and thermals were regular and predictable. Finally we got a really nice climb to 6500ft, which put us onto glide home. Nice pair flying with David – not often you can do it during a competition! “
They flew 248 km.
Charlies airtruk got some more attention since yesterday which is good. Pilot number 6 was Jamie, who I also know since he was maybe 20 !?.
He went back to work after towing in the hangar at the other site of the field.
I got my hat on the winning raffle-ticket number 11.Judy asked me if I had lost it ,but I never got it. I do now!
Some good friends arrive today for a long weekend.
My arm did not hurt last night which is good. The skin is scalped over 2 x 2 cm. But I nicely put it back , did a good job according to the nurse.
More later.
12 AM;
Tasks have been set. First launch at 2 PM.
They will soon be at www.soaringspot.com
12.30 :
402 km for open and 18 m and 443 for the 15 m and st. pilots.
it will be 41 again today. it feel already hotter now.
As they launch again from 18 it’s too hot and too far to go to the field to make pictures from pilots in their gliders.
I hoped for one day that 09 would be open for launches , I can walk there, but ……
2 PM;
Before the estimated launch time at 2 PM, several pilots were send up as sniffer. I guess about 5
CH ,Swiss Chris was one , but sniffer number 1 was Adam. He had some critic on the organization yesterday, so he was asked to go up as a sniffer.
He was singing on tow..” I am so happy…I am flying.”
At 900 ft he reported a visibility of 50 km.
At 3000 ft. 25/30 visibility .
Swiss Chris mentioned 4 kts whilst passing 4500 ft. That was about the max height at that time.
Adam reports “easy conditions” with 3/5 kts. and mentions “it is stable I don’t see a reason to not start.”
Another pilot mentioned 5.500 ft.
They still decided to go to task B. Most probably because of time.
Adam agreed on changing the task in the air.He got the task by phone. In the past this was all impossible, soaring has grown more and more technical.
He successfully entered the B task, he mentioned!!!
He needs 130 points to win in his class, it ‘s clear he is going for it!!!!
Ray [Stewart] is on spot 1 with 3.677 points at this stage. Followed by Pete Temple, Butch and Don [Woodward] Casey ]Lewis] and then Adam with 3.535 p.
In 15m/st. it’s even more exciting as there are 2 pilots equal on spot 1:Bernie [Sizer] Michael [Durrant] ;3.057 p.
So EVERYTHING can still happen for ALL of them, scores are very close which makes it all very exciting!!!
The top 5 still has chances to win.
2 Hour AAT in 18m/open and the same task for the smaller ships.
GOOD LUCK TO ALL.
Start line for 15m./st. opens at 15.05 for task B
Startline for open/18m opens at 15.40 for task B.
They delayed this start line to 15.50!!!
When they go straight away over the start line you know they will be back in hopefully 2 hours. Some time off now!!!
Ellen original from Holland and here with Tim drove up here and said “THAT IS NOT TIM THERE IS IT”. We said no, the letters are not red.
Good,…… the glider came lower and lower over the BIG hangar and our hangar and it was Tim. We could clearly see FA.
We yelled him UP!!!!
Both hangars did him well, He is high up now.
Some struggle. One tug stays ready for eventual re- launches, but it looks pretty good at this stage.
Some strong thermals pass by “rocking” the hangar!!! Still “bloody HOT”!!!!!! Christmas holiday’s start here today!
Back later.
4 PM;
Strong thermals ” rock” the hangar. I heard they are at 7.500 ft.
Looks like a good day.
4.15 PM;
Reports of 8.900 ft.
4.45 PM;
Hear some pilots are over 10.000 ft now. It seems David Pietsch is over 11.000 highest at this stage of all.
Heard also that some were playing the start-game very long. The wind from the S is picking up!!!
Exciting stuff, it turns out to be real good day. The organizers deserve that.
5 PM;
The finish line people are just going to the field. The very first starters from 15 m./ st. might be back in 2 hours. and that would be in 5 minutes.
Swiss Chris might be right the wind from the S is now really picking up.
A small “Disaster” for the late starters?? Let’s wait and see.
5.15 PM;
The tracking still shows pilots at 7000 ft. I could see one CU to the East. Chris mentioned clouds whilst he flew at Jerilderie.
Nobody in yet so no early starters in 15 m/st class. I don’t think they struggle now. Good conditions only more wind from the S.
5.30 PM;
The first pilot announced his arrival. Missed his call sign but you can see it all at soaringspot soon.
Wind from the S ….at this stage 15 kts.
On the request of the safety officer if it was a good day the answer was : “mixed but lovely”. It was NP , and does NOT belong to the comps.
5.45 PM;
Another 2 pilots landed.As you know it does n’t mean anything. It depends all on distance and time. More and more are landing now also from open and 18 m.
Please check www.soaringspot.com for the scores.
6.30 PM:
So far. so good….Saw nice finishes and it looks like a good day.
I am making “socks” for the winglet’s from Diana’s glider.
They had no task in South Africa yesterday, so no scores either.