Oz Report
Volume 17, Number 258Monday, December 30 2013
Forbes Airfield, Forbes, New South Wales, Australia
https://OzReport.com
"Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."
- In this issue:
Helmet mounted stabilizer Generalized Speed to Fly Theory Sport Class Santa gives a hang gliding lesson Forbes Flatlands, Task 1, day 1 Tracking us Forbes Flatlands, Day 2, Task 2 Results from Task 2
Helmet mounted stabilizer
Fri, Dec 27 2013, 7:32:05 am ESTBill Kerr|video
http://www.rocksolid-tech.com/
The RockSolid Technologies Stubilizer was created to help to put an end to shaky/blurry action videos.
Thanks to Bill Kerr.
Discuss "Helmet mounted stabilizer" at the Oz Report forum link»
Generalized Speed to Fly Theory
Fri, Dec 27 2013, 7:32:41 am ESTSpeed to Fly|weather
http://www.trimill.com/cusoft/PolarExplorer/Generalized_STF_Theory.pdf
The DOS implementation of the theory here.
Find out the optimum circling technique for any glider at any altitude and wing loading.
Calculate climb performance in thermals of different strength and shape.
Plan and analyze cross-country flights and final glides.
Compare circling and cross-country performances in addition to comparing polars.
Calculate more realistic handicap factors based on the cross-country performance for the expected or actual weather conditions.
2 topics in this article: Speed to Fly, weather
Discuss "Generalized Speed to Fly Theory" at the Oz Report forum link»
Sport Class
Fri, Dec 27 2013, 7:32:57 am ESTCIVL|Steve Kroop
CIVL|Steve Kroop
Steve Kroop at Flytec «info» writes:
I had heard a rumor that countries were considering sending Open-Class pilots to compete in Sport Class at the upcoming worlds. Your article in the Oz Report, http://ozreport.com/17.256#0, seems to confirm this. This really is a horrible turn of events. Maybe I am wrong but it seems to me the purpose of Sport Class is to invigorate waning participation in competition by creating a class of competition for the "non-professional" pilots. Sending well-seasoned, accomplished pilots to compete in this class for motivations like showing-off a glider design or padding a trophy case is shameful. It seems like Sport Class is just starting to gain some traction, participation by very experienced and accomplished pilots will either ruin the class or change it into something counter to the class's purpose.
I suspect that problem here is, that in the excitement to get this class going, CIVL failed to properly define the class, allowing the opportunity for special and individual interests to usurp the class. This really is a shame and I hope that Open Class pilots thinking about entering in Sport class will reconsider and give Sport Class the opportunity to develop into venue for pilots that do not want to compete at the Open Class level.
2 topics in this article: CIVL, Steve Kroop
Discuss "Sport Class" at the Oz Report forum link»
Santa gives a hang gliding lesson
Fri, Dec 27 2013, 7:33:10 am ESTJohn Matylonek|video
John Matylonek «john» sends:
2 topics in this article: John Matylonek, video
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Forbes Flatlands, Task 1, day 1
Sat, Dec 28 2013, 7:00:44 am ESTConrad Loten|Davis Straub|Filippo Oppici|Forbes Flatlands|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Jon Durand jnr|Moyes Litespeed RX|Paris Williams|Steve Blenkinsop|Trent Brown|weather|Wesley "Wes" Hill|Wills Wing|Wills Wing T2C
I’ve shaken up the task committee to bring in new pilots and new thinking. Steve Blenkisop, Trent Brown, and Bruce Wynn formed the task committee on the first day. I’ll rotate in other pilots as the week goes on. They called a great task today, a zig zag in a strong cross wind, first south southeast to Grenfell, then north northeast to Gooloogong, then east northeast to Canowindra, then south east to a field near Woodstock. It was named the Child of God task. About 150 kilometers.
The pilots were launched in random order with a small open launch for those who found themselves at the back and were willing to go first. I was off sixth in my line and barely got there in time after handling the unofficial team director duties, weather forecasting, and task committee wrangling. I pinned off early as the tug just kept climbing.
It was my first time on a Moyes Litespeed RX 3.5 in thermal conditions and it was just fine. I climbed right up and waited for the first start window with at first a dozen other pilots. The wind was 10+ mph out of the west northwest. The wind was breaking up the thermals.
We tried heading up wind to get a better start position, but that didn’t work as we didn’t find good lift. Most of the pilots drifted downwind and climbed to 7,000’. I decided to head up wind again and did get to work some lift with only a few pilots as the tugs pulled up the rest of them from Bill’s field below. Those pilots who drifted downwind took the first start clock.
I wasn’t in a great spot for the 2 PM start window so worked to get higher and further south for the 2:20 start and hooked up with Filippo and Jonny as well as a dozen other pilots. I was able to get much higher than the others and took the second clock at 8,600’, 1000’ over Filippo and 500’ over Jonny.
Filippo was charging ahead on his Wills Wing T2C with the extra winglets. He had a great glide and he, Jonny and I came into the first thermal twelve kilometers outside the start cylinder at about the same altitude. The thermal was not that strong, 300+ fpm and that would be the story as we worked our way south southeast. Out on the flats the thermals were broken, we didn’t get to 8,000’ often less than 6,000’, and the thermals varied between 200 and 300 fpm on average. Filippo continued to out race us all.
The wind was blowing us sideways and it took an hour and twenty minutes to go the fifty three kilometers to the Grenfell turnpoint. There is a nice little mountain range (not very high) before the Grenfell turnpoint and unlike the flats it was pumping. I lost Jonny just before the range but found good lift, especially on the southern end just before the turnpoint, averaging 700 fpm to 8,700'.
The conditions had scattered our gaggle and I was mostly on my own now with a few pilots lower than me. The hills past the turnpoint also were pumping and I worked 600 fpm to 9,500' before heading out into the flats. I didn't work any lift until I got to the small hills south of Gooloogong that faced into the west wind (and the sun) and climbed back to 8,600'. The race had picked up significantly with the wind now a tail wind at about 10 mph.
The next turnpoint at Canowindra was almost downwind and I found 355 fpm at a little west facing ridge five kilometers before it. I could see a few pilots down below me and then suddenly there was Filippo also below. Seems he got low and had to slow down. Attila, who thought that the task was wimpy, also got low and was lucky to make it into goal.
I took the thermal to almost 8,000' before the turnpoint and after the turnpoint headed southeast for the last 25 kilometer leg. Now the lift got weak and I was down to 3,500', 2000' AGL. We had thought that this last leg would be a cross wind leg, but in fact it was down wind as the wind still had a north component. I worked 100 fpm and then after getting up a little moved to 260 fpm, which was enough to get me to 5,300' and into goal.
Paris was first in on the first clock with Mike Bilyk and Steven Blenkisop. Jonny came in twelve minutes later. The goal quickly filled up. It was a real race to goal day. Not an endurance day. Still I was in the air for four and a half hours.
Task 1:
# | Name | SS | ES | Time | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jonny Durand | 14:20:00 | 17:12:14 | 02:52:14 | 962 |
2 | Paris Williams | 14:00:00 | 17:03:47 | 03:03:47 | 896 |
3 | Steve Blenkinsop | 14:00:00 | 17:03:58 | 03:03:58 | 894 |
3 | Michael Bilyk | 14:00:00 | 17:03:58 | 03:03:58 | 894 |
5 | Filippo Oppici | 14:20:00 | 17:19:10 | 02:59:10 | 862 |
6 | Adam Stevens | 14:00:00 | 17:07:25 | 03:07:25 | 858 |
7 | Jeff Robertson | 14:00:00 | 17:08:55 | 03:08:55 | 843 |
8 | Christian Voiblet | 14:20:00 | 17:21:36 | 03:01:36 | 838 |
9 | Davis Straub | 14:20:00 | 17:21:55 | 03:01:55 | 835 |
10 | Conrad Loten | 14:00:00 | 17:10:28 | 03:10:28 | 828 |
http://www.forbesflatlands.com/results-show.html?id_results=3&db=results2014&class=results_open
There is a sport class competition also and you'll find the results here.
Thanks to Wesley Hill, the scorekeeper and the pilots for getting their flight in so fast.
14 topics in this article: Conrad Loten, Davis Straub, Filippo Oppici, Forbes Flatlands, Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr, Jon Durand jnr, Moyes Litespeed RX, Paris Williams, Steve Blenkinsop, Trent Brown, weather, Wesley "Wes" Hill, Wills Wing, Wills Wing T2C
Discuss "Forbes Flatlands, Task 1, day 1" at the Oz Report forum link»
Tracking us
Sat, Dec 28 2013, 2:01:59 pm ESTBelinda Boulter
http://www.flytrace.com/tracker/map.aspx?group=184
http://www.livetrack24.com/users/davisstraub/2d
Live track worked pretty well yesterday. Didn't get the turnpoints and there were some big gaps, but not bad for GSM in Next G territory.
1 topic in this article: Belinda Boulter
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Forbes Flatlands, Day 2, Task 2
Sun, Dec 29 2013, 3:05:00 am ESTFilippo Oppici|Forbes Flatlands|Jamie Shelden|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr
A tough day with many down early. Mike Bilyk wins the day:
His glider at goal at Trang. 153 kilometers north of Forbes.
My forecast was for poor lift (450 fpm minus 200 fpm for your sink rate) and low top of lift (6,000' later in the day, 4,000' when we were launching at 1 PM) with 15 knot winds out of the south and no cu's, a strong inversion. It turned out to be even worse.
I was off fifth in my line in ordered launch. The inversion was visible and about 3,600'. Pilots had to repeatedly go upwind to find weak broken lift and then get blown downwind as they slowly climbed. This went on for an hour and a half.
The turn direction was dictated to be right but pilot continually turned left and this made for dangerous conditions in the start cylinder. I repeatedly left gaggles because they were unsafe and you couldn't climb in them.
Finally around the first start time a bunch of us including Christian, Filippo, Jonny, Attila, Mike Bilyk, Steve Blenkisop and I and a good number of others headed north down wind to get to the edge of the start cylinder for the second start time. The lift continued to be weak and broken and the gaggles slightly less dangerous.
We were able to stay just inside the 15 kilometer start cylinder to get the second start time, but we were not high and the lift was crap. We headed off without getting up and went searching for something better than zero sink.
We caught bits and pieces but nothing solid and helpful. Thirty kilometers out I was low with Christian and Filippo when Jonny came in even lower and landed right below us. The wind was blowing hard and we kept getting pieces of good lift so we continued to work it until it went away. We all landed together a few kilometers past Attila and Jonny. Many had already landed. A good number at the launch paddock.
Steve, Paris and Mike were still up but going slow as they stayed in whatever lift there was.
I was picked up early by Brett the driver and he left me off in Parkes as he headed north and I tried to hitch hike south to Forbes. Got a ride with Filippo and Christian.
Hopefully a fuller report soon.
Jamie gets to within 29 kilometers:
4 topics in this article: Filippo Oppici, Forbes Flatlands, Jamie Shelden, Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr
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Results from Task 2
Sun, Dec 29 2013, 2:40:25 pm ESTAttila Bertok|Conrad Loten|Davis Straub|Filippo Oppici|Forbes Flatlands 2013|Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr|Jon Durand jnr|Paris Williams|Phil Schroder|Rohan Taylor|Steve Blenkinsop|Trent Brown|Wills Wing|Wills Wing T2C
http://www.forbesflatlands.com/results.html
Task 2:
# | Name | Glider | Time | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Michael Bilyk | Moyes RX 3.5 | 02:29:20 | 1000 |
2 | Paris Williams | Aeros Combat GT | 02:29:23 | 998 |
3 | Glen Mcfarlane | Moyes RX 3.5 | 02:29:24 | 997 |
4 | Jonas Lobitz | Moyes RX 4 | 02:29:44 | 990 |
5 | Conrad Loten | Moyes RX 3.5 | 02:29:55 | 986 |
6 | Anton Struganov | Moyes RX | 02:29:59 | 985 |
7 | Trent Brown | Moyes RX 3.5 | 02:31:41 | 963 |
8 | Lukas Bader | Moyes RS | 02:32:29 | 954 |
9 | Steve Blenkinsop | Moyes RX 3.5 | 02:44:27 | 900 |
10 | Adam Stevens | Moyes RX 3.5 | 02:46:21 | 885 |
11 | Yasuhiro Noma | Moyes RX 3.5 | 02:42:51 | 865 |
12 | Guy Hubbard | Moyes RS 4 | 02:49:13 | 864 |
13 | Gavin Myers | Moyes S5 | 02:53:42 | 832 |
14 | Ryosuke Hattori | Aeros Combat | 03:02:39 | 776 |
Cumulative:
# | Name | Glider | Total |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Paris Williams | Aeros Combat GT | 1895 |
1 | Michael Bilyk | Moyes RX 3.5 | 1895 |
3 | Conrad Loten | Moyes RX 3.5 | 1815 |
4 | Steve Blenkinsop | Moyes RX 3.5 | 1795 |
5 | Glen Mcfarlane | Moyes RX 3.5 | 1785 |
5 | Jonas Lobitz | Moyes RX 4 | 1785 |
7 | Adam Stevens | Moyes RX 3.5 | 1744 |
8 | Anton Struganov | Moyes RX | 1737 |
9 | Trent Brown | Moyes RX 3.5 | 1699 |
10 | Lukas Bader | Moyes RS | 1669 |
11 | Yasuhiro Noma | Moyes RX 3.5 | 1598 |
12 | Guy Hubbard | Moyes RS 4 | 1579 |
13 | Ryosuke Hattori | Aeros Combat | 1454 |
14 | Geoff Robertson | Moyes RX 3.5 | 1244 |
15 | Tony Giammichele | Moyes RS 3.5 | 1234 |
16 | Rohan Taylor | Moyes RS | 1228 |
17 | Gavin Myers | Moyes S5 | 1181 |
18 | Jonny Durand | Moyes RX 3.5 | 1166 |
19 | Filippo Oppici | Wills Wing T2C | 1079 |
20 | Christian Voiblet | Wills Wing T2C | 1053 |
21 | Davis Straub | Moyes RX 3.5 | 1051 |
22 | Rod Flockhart | Moyes RX 3.75 | 999 |
23 | Andrew Luton | Airborne C4 | 970 |
24 | Phil Schroder | Airborne Rev | 936 |
25 | Attila Bertok | Moyes RX 5 | 911 |
14 topics in this article: Attila Bertok, Conrad Loten, Davis Straub, Filippo Oppici, Forbes Flatlands 2013, Jon "Jonny" Durand jnr, Jon Durand jnr, Paris Williams, Phil Schroder, Rohan Taylor, Steve Blenkinsop, Trent Brown, Wills Wing, Wills Wing T2C
Discuss "Results from Task 2" at the Oz Report forum link»