Regionals Day 5 - again

And so we come to the end of another Regionals. The weather was less kind to us than last year, but still with Nils's excellent forecasts we managed 4 contest days plus a couple of good efforts. Today like yesterday was hard to judge, two tasks were set, with Task B actually longer than task A in case conditions were better than forecast. In the event it all went to worms. The grid launched with task C but found it increasingly hard to stay up in the gusty thermals with a lowering cloudbase so they very sensibly came back and landed.

Boys with their toys

John cooked up another barbeque while Richard went off to buy prizes for the podium places, which were:

3rd place - Jan McCoshim and Dave Byass

Jan collecting the beer

2nd place - Jim White

Jim with a smile

1st place - Denis Campbell

Denis thanked Jim and Tim for inventing the Handicapped Distance Task format which he said had revitalised his interest in cross country flying. He also noted that in two years time he will have been gliding 50 years and at that point the beers would be on him! And finally.....he remarked that having an engine definitely made it easier.

Richard handing over the trophy

Richard thanked all those who had worked hard to make sure the comp ran smoothly - Pete the scorer, Bob the grid marshal, Jane and Bob running control, Chef John, as well as Nils the forecaster, all the tug pilots, and last but not least, Shelagh and Chris in the office.

Next weekend we will be hosting a team from Lasham for the InterClub League.

Regionals Day 5

The day started damp and the briefing at 1130 was indecisive about whether or not there would be a task. In the end two short tasks were set with a rebrief after lunch. It was a bit breezy out on the field but the snifter reported a cloudbase of over 3000ft, although thermals were broken. At this point George appeared with his trailer, he rigged in record quick time while the grid launched on task B. After watching them all struggling to stay up the Director scrubbed before the gate opened - George just had to park out ready for tomorrow. Everyone landed back - except Denis who set off to prove that the task was possible - in a Ventus 2cxt. He made it round but did have to use his engine.

Meanwhile the rest of the competitors, officials and club members were tucking into John Hubb's excellent barbeque and Jan's salad selection.

Some serious drinking going on

Chef John

No, we don't know either! Add your own caption.

Regionals Day 4

It turns out that George managed to liberate his glider on Wednesday evening after all. The price of the key to the gate was £100 but fortunately a householder with a garden backing onto the field allowed him to derig through his garden gate - with help from his crew William and John Hubb.

How to fit a 15m glider through a 2m gate

After overnight rain, Thursday's weather was less than promising at briefing but Tasks A and B were set and the grid was set out. As the cold front disappeared to the SE the weather improved, but with time passing they fell back to Task B - Bicester NW-Stony Stratford-Didcot. It was a bit breezy with big gaps and a couple of pilots took relights but eventually they all set off. There were good climbs to be had but the wind was a bit tough on the shorter wings. Steve got back first but in the event was beaten by a whisker by Jim, with Denis in 3rd place. Ashley dropped in to Bicester but was soon retrieved by Dave and Jan in LH.

Steve finishing

Today was a scrub, but in other news, Tim Peake dropped in at the Royal International Air Tattoo at Fairford. Fortunately our cadet Maddi was on hand to explain how to fly a glider.

'While flying you must always keep a good lookout.....'

Regionals day 3

The forecast today was affected by the approaching front and the top cover casting a shadow over proceedings. Nonetheless the Director set a task of 304k out Alconbury way and launching proceeded in the usual efficient fashion. The competitors set off at much the same time and to start with made good progress but conditions deteriorated and Jim, Nils and John came back. The others struggled on, and five landed out. Steve and Jan had aerotow retrieves, Ashley and Howard were rescued from fields, and George, who very nearly made it back, had to leave his glider in a field overnight because of a locked gate. Denis and Geoff made it all the way round. Richard made it to Alconbury but skipped one of the TPs.

Howard hoping to improve on yesterday's blistering 96kph by polishing the u/c doors

Ashley's good looking field near Olney

Howard's retrieve from near Waddesdon

Richard's view of Alconbury

Meanwhile back at Booker, Jo continued her training with a lot of flying in a K21 with Bob D, and the Wednesday evening group took over at day's end.

A great gliding intro and regionals day 2.

A fantastic gliding day today. A 320 Km cross country for the Booker Regionals Competition pilots, with Denis Campbell romping round at 115Kph.  Many pilots were heard commenting that today was their fastest ever cross country flight.  Special congratulations to Howard Joseph who took the club ASW19 round and got 4th place.

Richard and Jo arrive in style

Our latest course member Jo had a comprehensive introduction to gliding. A trip in the K21 in the morning to practice stick and rudder co-ordination, then a speedy cross country in the Duo Discus with Richard.

Delighted CFI Richard thanks his student Jo for a great flight in the Duo.

Flying continued well into the evening with a busy Tuesday Evening group back to normal after recent closures.

Regionals Day 1 - third time lucky

Today was a good racing day and the task (Devizes - Oxford East - Ilsley) was 215km for those with the highest handicap. Jim White romped round in just over 2hrs, with Denis Campbell on his heels and John Otty not far behind. No landouts.

Denis Campbell in 370

Nils Wedi in EN

Dave Byass in 161

It was very pleasant back at the launchpoint for those waiting for finishers - warm sunshine and a light breeze.

The judging panel

Booker Red Kite Regionals Day 1 - again

The day started with breakfast, served up by John on his trusty barbeque. Then at briefing Nils showed some more of his colourful graphs and suggested that there was the possibility of a task later in the day.

Having set up the grid, a number of people set off on a sweep of the field to check for items left behind after the recent community events on the airfield. It was well worth the walk as we found some interesting items to add to those found on previous days.

After lunch, Jan and Jim took a launch in a K21 but found cloudbase still low and thermals weak. By mid afternoon things looked a little better and Nick and Jane launched. Nick found cloudbase of 3000ft and some nice thermals, but conditions on track were leess than promising so in the end it was another scrub, followed by beers on the verandah.

Cooking up a storm

FOD plod - the view from the tower

Treasure trove

The view towards Henley

Booker Red Kite Regionals Day 1

Saturday started well with the launchpoint set up and gliders gridded. Nils the Met Man gave an in depth explanation of the weather and the Director set an HDT task to the south and we waited. Eventually the Director launched for a sniff around but reported that cloudbase only just made 2500ft QFE and there were large poor areas near the airfield so we scrubbed. And then the sky cleared, but it was too little too late. Some competitors took off for a bit of practice, others packed up ready for whatever Sunday brings.

The Grid Marshal and the Met Man share a joke with the Treasure

Just lying around...

....or standing

The LS8 - deceptively spacious

In other news, Maddi checked out on trailer towing with her new car (and licence), including reversing round corners and a trip round Handy Cross.

Sunshine successes

We've had some type conversions this week. Jetsada Machom and Mark Dyos took advantage of yesterday's good soaring conditions to convert to the Junior, and at the weekend David Lowe flew his new Discus for the first time.

Jetsada. The T-shirt? No, we don't know either.

Mark

We haven't yet tracked David down for a mugshot.

Remember that the evening groups are flying again, so come on down to the airfield make the most of the long summer evenings.

Proper gliding weather

Yesterday was an excellent day, and Nils (EN) set a task down to Goodwood and up to Northampton and places in between. He set off with Denis (370) and Steve (HA) and a few hours later back they came, with Steve having completed his first 500. Some esoteric rule about barrels and sectors means he can't claim it for a Diamond, so he'll just have to do it all again!

Steve being congratulated by the task setter

The task

Today was a bit different - hot and blue - but it was easy enough, if a bit nerve wracking, to make progress as the climbs were consistently over the villages. Having a wet hat helped!