17 April.
Wind: NE flow 15 -20kph, 30kph at boundary layer. 550ft/m climbs Temp 30deg.
Task: Dalby Airport to Flint, WSW 182Km.
As towing started, the skies above Dalby airport started to blue out. But with a 10km start circle which allowed pilots to find clouds around the perimeter of the airfield. A half an hour before the start the main gaggle was above the town of Dalby gaining good height. As the start neared the cloud started to dissipate and only a few pilots managed to stay high for the start.
The course out to the second forest crossing had good lift which allowed the pilots to stay within sight of each other. Pilots who were fast on this part of the course had good climbs over the second forest but those slightly behind found weak broken thermals just before and this slowed them down and spread out the field.
After crossing the second forest the sky had blued with only a few cumulus clouds and with high cloud moving in, things started to slow down. Good lift could be found to over 6000ft but at around 50Km from goal only light lift and slow climbs could be found and a few pilots started to land out.
If you were lucky enough to stay up, the ground started to give off heat and good climbs could be found. 15 pilots made it to goal, with John Smith arriving first.
Landing out was tough as there was no phone reception and no one in many of the homesteads. On the way back to Dalby well after dark many roo’s made driving back treacherous. We sighted a Brahma bull just before sunset at the side of the road that must of weighed well over 1000kg. Not something you would want to run into.
John Smith had a bad start but he pushed on fast under good clouds and caught up with the leaders at the first forest . Going left of the course line at the second forest and getting in front of the group after the crossing. Finding a few clouds over 6000ft lift in blue and with high cloud moving in the group of three flew in zeros for half an hour preserving height until the sun came out again.
Being the first to find lift, John had the jump on them 30km out and getting to 7000ft on a good climb and being 25km out from goal, John went for goal needing a 22:1 glide. Finding sink along the way he needed to stay in zeros. 10km short until he found lift and then got a 12:1 glide and made it to goal on course line.
Captain Flockheart’s log: A search to windward should always be considered before heading off down wind.
DAY FIVE DALBY BIG AIR
16 April.
Weather: Blue day with 20Km easterly winds.
Task: NNE 57Km to Diamons and d then WSW 49Km to Warra.
The first blue day at Dalby and with winds a bit stronger than forecast, it made for a difficult day.
Towing started for the main launch at 11:30 and with slow climbs to 3000ft, an early start was a bonus. The thermal strength increased above 3000ft but they drifted to the west and pilots who got too far downwind, had a fight to get back upwind to the windward side of the start circle to get in the best position for a start and a cross wind leg to the first waypoint.
Those pilots in the lead gaggle at 6000ft found good thermals for the first 20Km on the way to Diamons. But progressing further on, the terrain became very green and thermals very had to find.
Unfortunately with the wind strength up to 25kph and the weak thermals around Diamons pilots going too fast paid the price and found themselves landing short of Wpt 1. One Pilot made it to goal and that was Niles Vesk, making it in a time of 3hrs 22min and putting Niles into first position overall.
Guy Williams had the best day of the Kiwi team coming 8th for the day and Hagen 10th.
Geoff Robertson was the only other pilot to get around Wpt 1, landing 30km short of goal
Lisa’s Log: The girls flew 45km downwind to Warra planning to give all the pilots who made it to goal a warm welcome. Niles got it all.
Captains Flockhart’s Log: On a blue day Always take the climb to the Top otherwise you will end up in Deliverance country.
Weather: Blue day with 20Km easterly winds.
Task: NNE 57Km to Diamons and d then WSW 49Km to Warra.
The first blue day at Dalby and with winds a bit stronger than forecast, it made for a difficult day.
Towing started for the main launch at 11:30 and with slow climbs to 3000ft, an early start was a bonus. The thermal strength increased above 3000ft but they drifted to the west and pilots who got too far downwind, had a fight to get back upwind to the windward side of the start circle to get in the best position for a start and a cross wind leg to the first waypoint.
Those pilots in the lead gaggle at 6000ft found good thermals for the first 20Km on the way to Diamons. But progressing further on, the terrain became very green and thermals very had to find.
Unfortunately with the wind strength up to 25kph and the weak thermals around Diamons pilots going too fast paid the price and found themselves landing short of Wpt 1. One Pilot made it to goal and that was Niles Vesk, making it in a time of 3hrs 22min and putting Niles into first position overall.
Guy Williams had the best day of the Kiwi team coming 8th for the day and Hagen 10th.
Geoff Robertson was the only other pilot to get around Wpt 1, landing 30km short of goal
Lisa’s Log: The girls flew 45km downwind to Warra planning to give all the pilots who made it to goal a warm welcome. Niles got it all.
Captains Flockhart’s Log: On a blue day Always take the climb to the Top otherwise you will end up in Deliverance country.
DALBY BIG AIR DAY FOUR
15 April.
Weather: Light easterly dropping off around midday and increasing late afternoon. Clouds.
Task: WNW to Warra then NE to Jandowae, ESE to Bell racecourse then back to Dalby 133Km.
With light lift above the airfield, it was a slow climb to cloud base at 5900ft. Gaggles formed to the west of take-off but had to keep moving up-wind to stay within the 5Km start circle. Most pilots were in the air when the 12:30 start gate opened but not all made it high enough to leave.
John Smith was one of the lower pilots and lead the lower pilots to the first thermal from start. It was a good climb and even the higher pilots stopped to top up. There was a fast pace to Warra and the few pilots that got low at the turn-point had slow climbs up.
The lead gaggle had a fast line to the second turn-point but those who got low along this part of the course had slow climbs out as the cloud shadows on the ground left very little room for sun to get through. Many low saves were made on route to wpt 3. John said over breakfast the next day “That if he had got a save at wpt 3 that he would have gone to Jesus”. But when John’s feet hit the ground he accepted the inevitability of his position and realised the only way he was going to get to goal was by car.
With the high cloud moving in and the wind picking up the day started to slow down with a lot of pilots landing around Bell. Big John went well north of the task line to Bell and this manoeuvre won him the day.
Those lucky enough to get around Wpt 3 had a 21Km run to Dalby airport with a sky that was blueing out, so those who stayed high managed to get to goal, with around 12 pilots making it in.
Conrad was the first Kiwi in with quite a few pilots dropping just short of goal.
It was a very technical day and the cycles very different from the previous days when climbs where everywhere. Most of the young guys who had been doing well did not make goal with most of the old timers making it. Staying high seemed to be the best course for the day.
Another great day at Dalby and it does not look like there will be a lay day as the forecast for the rest of the comp is good.
Quote of the day from Captain Flockhart log: "Survive the course filters".
Advice for the day “Pace yourself”.
Weather: Light easterly dropping off around midday and increasing late afternoon. Clouds.
Task: WNW to Warra then NE to Jandowae, ESE to Bell racecourse then back to Dalby 133Km.
With light lift above the airfield, it was a slow climb to cloud base at 5900ft. Gaggles formed to the west of take-off but had to keep moving up-wind to stay within the 5Km start circle. Most pilots were in the air when the 12:30 start gate opened but not all made it high enough to leave.
John Smith was one of the lower pilots and lead the lower pilots to the first thermal from start. It was a good climb and even the higher pilots stopped to top up. There was a fast pace to Warra and the few pilots that got low at the turn-point had slow climbs up.
The lead gaggle had a fast line to the second turn-point but those who got low along this part of the course had slow climbs out as the cloud shadows on the ground left very little room for sun to get through. Many low saves were made on route to wpt 3. John said over breakfast the next day “That if he had got a save at wpt 3 that he would have gone to Jesus”. But when John’s feet hit the ground he accepted the inevitability of his position and realised the only way he was going to get to goal was by car.
With the high cloud moving in and the wind picking up the day started to slow down with a lot of pilots landing around Bell. Big John went well north of the task line to Bell and this manoeuvre won him the day.
Those lucky enough to get around Wpt 3 had a 21Km run to Dalby airport with a sky that was blueing out, so those who stayed high managed to get to goal, with around 12 pilots making it in.
Conrad was the first Kiwi in with quite a few pilots dropping just short of goal.
It was a very technical day and the cycles very different from the previous days when climbs where everywhere. Most of the young guys who had been doing well did not make goal with most of the old timers making it. Staying high seemed to be the best course for the day.
Another great day at Dalby and it does not look like there will be a lay day as the forecast for the rest of the comp is good.
Quote of the day from Captain Flockhart log: "Survive the course filters".
Advice for the day “Pace yourself”.
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