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Tuesday, September 09, 2008

HTL#6 Silverton

Way down the flight line (had to put on the big zoom lens to get this one). Gordon and Craig already flying, Michelle preparing to launch Simon's modelHerman flying, Dion timing. Those 2.4GHz transmitter aerials just don't look right.Gert flying, Rudi timingThe August winds didn't disappoint us again this year at the Silverton HTL. The day started off with a light wind and regular and nicely defined thermals but strengthened as it went on to end off with a strong and gusty wind with fragmented and very fast moving thermals. This proved very challenging and both Piet and I found it difficult to read the air and follow the thermals with our Sagitta and Tsotsi models and had to change to more suitable models for the last two rounds. Need I add Monday's weather was perfect with light winds all day and the beginning of our first highveld summer "heat wave".

Gordon flying, Grabe timingVolney put together a very interesting but confusing contest for us: F3B duration rules with 200m winch lines, F3J flight line spacing and all classes to fly 10 minute max so that they could all post open scores.

Jochen flying, Piet timingThe contest pace was brisk with Volney at the helm and Grabe helping out from time to time. The only delays were for line break fixes - of which there were many.

The lunch break was planned for after the contest, but due to the many delays and the boeries rolls being ready before flying finished, most of the guys just couldn't wait and tucked in while flying.

ETB Team in action: Paul and Dion getting Herman's new model awayBreakfast ...... and lunch. Martie sporting her Croatian shirt.Field conditions for landing were good. The grass had obviously been well watered the day before the contest producing huge patches of shoe clinging, slippery mud where the grass had been harvested. The combined dry and dusty dirt road to the field and the slushy mud entrance road resulted in very messy cars, but I'm sure the Silverton carwash vouchers are in the mail.
Team Geriatrix during one of their many rest breaks
All in all, another great HTL contest. Nice to have some green grass underfoot and great to see a few more BERG entrants. Final results were Conrad, Craig and Paul on the top three list. Piet placed 6th with consistently good flying, I slipped down to 15th with two bad flights (three launches on one flight before I found a patch of usable lift - the little Sagitta just not able to stretch between thermals from launch height) and Jochen ended 20th - not bad for his first contest flying a standard Tsotsi.

And to Evan, our special thoughts are with you and your family this week.
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