A new issue of the FlyPaper newsletter is available by downloading the file from the link below:

flypaper 2017 jun.pdf

This is to let everyone know that the Club Class Nationals and MSC Contest planned for Matamata is back on and all go.  We don’t expect a large fleet but there are enough keen pilots to make it a good competition.

The competition days are Sat 28 Jan through to Sat 4 Feb 2017. 

 The normal Club days will carry on - the first 3 contest days are on anniversary weekend, then Wednesday and the following Saturday. Club flying will be going on around the contest launch on all of these days.  There will also be the opportunity to fly the other days during the week.  So don’t avoid the airfield because of the contest, we’d be keen for you to be at the airfield every day and fly as much as possible.  You may also be asked to help with the launch and maybe go on a retrieve in the afternoon which can be good fun!

We’re expecting it to be nice low key event given that there are low entries, and we encourage any Club pilots who would like to join the contest to get in touch with Bob Gray (021 949145,or  bgray@xtra.co.nz) this would be good opportunity to a have a taste of competitive gliding.  We’ll be tasking various classes to suit the pilots and gliders that enter.  

After tonight's committee meeting, I have a few updates to events in the recent FlyPaper Newsletter.

1. The committee has decided to cancel our visit to Taupo Gliding Club this weekend.  I am sure the Taupo club would welcome PGC members who showed up with a glider on the day.  However, there will be no PGC gliders or instructors.  The next PGC flying day is Wed 25 Jan.
2. I am told that the national club class championship will not be held from 27 Jan to 4 Feb as planned.  There will likely be some sort of event or club flying on that week - so keep your eye on the booking page of the club website.  Hopefully there will be some sort of gliding activity from Sat 28 Jan to Mon 6 Feb
3. Our club meeting to discuss our twin glider options will go ahead at 10:00 Sun 5 Feb as planned.
4. The PGC cross country weekend will take place on Feb 18/19.

The January 2017 issue of the FlyPaper newsletter is available and can be downloaded here!

flypaper 2017 jan.pdf

Hi all, Gliding New Zealand has been producing videos of the world champs. Check them out on the Gliding NZ facebook page. Note you can still watch these even if you don't have a facebook account :) Just click "not now" and put up with the white box at the bottom of the page.

https://www.facebook.com/Gliding-New-Zealand-NZ--106056376128462/

Yesterday was a good day for Steve and myself, with a solid number of points for the first contest day. John was late and ran out of daylight, so had to start his engine to get home. Most others came mid field, with solid points. All the points are close except for Kawa in 15m who was another 5km/h faster than everyone else... See results at:
http://www.soaringspot.com/en_gb/34th-fai-world-gliding-championships-benalla-gld-2017/results

Looks like another hot blue day today.

Mark in OB

Brett in VZ

Alan and Kingaroy tow pilot Neil

It's all very exciting

Hello from Australia! Today is practice day 3 of the 34th World Gliding Champs.

To recap, we've got 6 NZers flying, plus crews, families and helpers. Pilots flying are Alan Belworthy (ASW27) and Steve Wallace (Ventus2) 15m, Mark Tingey and Brett Hunter (JS1s) in Open, and John Coutts (Ventus3) and myself (18m).

Crewing and helping we have: The Wallace family, The Coutts family, The Belworthy family, Barbara Hunter, Mark's partner Angela, Terry & Karen, Julian (Team Captain) & Janet Elder, Robert Smits, Lyndsay Stephens and arriving soon weather man Dave Hirst and there are rumours others such as Ross Gaddes, Steve Foreman and Paul Schofield are going to turn up.

It's amazing the effort everyone has been putting in, and we're nearly organised! There have been a few technical issues such as radios not working, and Steve's glider needing quite a bit of work such as tire change, wing leaking water (Still!!!), ASI not working due to crimping of a pipe. Otherwise all gliders are working smoothly.

The ASG29 I'm renting is working out very well, it has an LX9000, oxygen, parachute, and everything is working smoothly. I can even fit in it, after a bit of wrangling. No seat pan for me, and pedals at full extension which is how I end up in most gliders.

Official contest website. It has heaps of info, links, news and videos
http://www.wgc2017.com

So where to find results? On soaring spot:
http://www.soaringspot.com/en_gb/34th-fai-world-gliding-championships-benalla-gld-2017/results

Where to follow up to the minute news? On Facebook generally, there are a number of channels to follow:
Official WGC https://www.facebook.com/WGCBenalla/
Gliding NZ - we'll post most team news there https://www.facebook.com/Gliding-New-Zealand-NZ--106056376128462/
Tim - I'll post the odd update on my page, but will stick to the GNZ page. https://www.facebook.com/tim.bromhead

Live Tracking - I think we'll be launching between 12 and 1pm normally (2-3pm NZ time), and depending on the day can fly until 6pm (8pm NZ). Only 1 person of the 2 in each class will have a tracker. And the're delayed by 15 mins or so.
http://www.wgc2017.com/live!/tracking.aspx?contestID=25780

I've also set up my own tracker on SPOT and also my cell phone which I'm trying out so Robert (crewing for me) knows exactly where I am.
https://track.gs/4jSBLH

I've still got a Give a Little funding page open if anyone wants to help contribute. Total costs so far are around $11,000 so every little bit helps!
https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/tim2glidingworldchamps

Today is the final practice day, with a BBQ at the club tonight. Tomorrow is a no fly day and opening ceromony. Then on Monday, we are into it. Bonza!

Cheers,
Tim

John's brand new Ventus 3 to fly

Karen and Terry looking casual

Steve and Robert sorting stuff

John sorting his radio

Just some of the landings. It gets pretty full on with 120 gliders landing at once...

Hi folks, a few things.

First up John Shuttleworth's funeral will be held at Piako club's hangar on Saturday, 22 October at 11am. There won't be any flying that day.

Australian Nationals

There are 2 days left, with the weather looking more like Matamata today. Low cloud, and showers forecast. Results are going up on SoaringSpot:

http://www.soaringspot.com/en_gb/55th-australian-multiclass-nationals-kingaroy-gld-2016/results

There are pics and notes from the contest available on the new Matamata Soaring Centre facebook page, I believe it is public so you don't need a facebook account to read https://www.facebook.com/MatamataSoaringCentre/

Spring Flying

Some pics from Gerard Robertson from Auckland who came to visit and had good flying on the ridge. Sounds like the Auckland field is a bit soggy, so glad we could help!

The next issue of the Flypaper newsletter is ready for viewing.  You can download by clicking the file below:

flypaper 2016 sep.pdf