Hi Folks, with just a week until Christmas, no doubt you're all thinking of gliding! Here are the upcoming gliding events over summer.

New Roster Up

Check it out at http://glidingmatamata.co.nz/members/roster/
Please check what dates you're on, and organise a swap or replacement if you can't make it. In particular check the christmas camp and raglan trip dates.

Christmas Camp - Flying Boxing day to 8th Jan

For those new to the club, we fly everyday from boxing day to the 8th of Jan. Bring a tent or hire a cabin, it's a load of non-stop flying fun. Make the most of it by bringing out some friends, and stay a night or three.

There will be instructors rostered on every day, so training and trial flights will be available.

Cross Country Flying in a twin

If you're interested in going cross country, even if you've never done it before, let Tim or Bob know. We're keen to encourage more cross country flying, so get in touch and we'll organise it.

New Years Eve Dinner

The annual New Years Eve dinner will be on again this year. All club members & families are invited. Contact jan at wajvmace@ihug.co.nz if you can make it so we have an idea of numbers. We'd love to see a good turn out again this year!

Walsh Flying School 6th-21st of January

From the 6th-21st of January is the Walsh flying school. The way the airfield operates is different due to the large volume of trainee traffic. There is a control tower, so to fly during this time you need to be proficient with your radio procedures. Be aware we also need clearance to taxi on the airfield unlike normal.

While a bit of a pain, it does give us an excellent opportunity to experience flying with a control tower, just as the Tauranga club does all the time.

Raglan! 9th - 17th January

It just so happens we plan our annual Raglan trip to coincide with the Walsh Flying School. Please check the roster and let us know if you can't make it, or if you can help out, the more helpers the better.

We'll be flying both twins over, and if anyone wants to bring the single seaters they are welcome to organise it. We obviously try to get lots of trial flights, but we also want our club members out and flying too. If we happen to get a good westerly, we will try and organise a trip up the coast.

That's all for now, have a great Christmas!

Terry Delore &John Kokshoorn have potentially set a new 2500km world record in New Zealand yesterday.

Full details at stuff.co.nz and there is a backup of the article below.

stuff graphic of track.pdf

2500 world record flight.pdf

Steve now Senior OO

Speaking of world records, congrats to Steve Care for becoming a senior official observer. This means Steve can now officially observe world record flights, so get planning!

Club Tasks

The club tasks have been posted in the clubhouse for a while, and yesterday Tim & Bill attempted the Care 200, a 200km ridge task. Bill set a swift time but unfortunately missed a turnpoint. Tim completed the task, but thermalled around slowly. The time was 2hrs 23min, just 46knots, so that should be easy to beat on a good ridge day. If you do the task, write your time up on the noticeboard in the clubrooms, and the fastest time at the end of the club year wins a trophy!

Club tasks are here. Give them a go, they're great practice for competition tasks.

Folks, The Auckland Gliding Club is holding its annual gliding competition from Saturday 9th Jan to Sunday 16th Jan 2010.

The format will be a bit different from the past, in that there will be only one class. This will a "Sports" class for all gliders - the same as the USA Sports Class.

This is an ideal opportunity for ab-initio competition pilots or for those wishing to brush up their skills before the Taupo Nationals.

The general notice is at:-

http://glidingauckland.co.nz/?q=system/files/The+2010+Drury+Gliding+Competition.pdf

The entry for is at:-

http://glidingauckland.co.nz/?q=system/files/Entry+Form+DC10.pdf

Well done Fin, here are the total results after the final day.

Full results and task details available at:
http://www.soaringspot.com/taupo_cp_2009/

Welcome Back Harold!

Harold is returning to Wednesday towing starting tomorrow, and looks like it might be a good ridge day if it's not raining :)

Congratulations to Keith- 50km badge flight

It turned out to be a rather tough day and flight, and ended up being 100Km as he came back! Good work. This also enables Keith free entry to his first regional competition, and $100 of tow fees, thanks to the offer from Gliding New Zealand. This is offer is open to anyone who hasn't previously entered a competition, and who hasn't done their 50km flight yet. Full details available here:
http://www.gliding.co.nz/latest-news/all-news/44

New Webcam Added

We've added a new webcam - this should be a lot more reliable but is not nearly as good quality. Currently it's set to update only on the days we fly, Wed, Sat and Sun every 20 mins. We'll keep the high quality one going too, and this updates every 30 mins mornings we fly, and twice a day every other day. The weather is now working reliably too.

Nationals entry form & Details now available

Some details about the National competition 2010 are now available:
http://taupo2010.blogspot.com/2009/11/countdown-starts.html

Cross Country Course & Regionals Coming Up 23rd Nov-5th Dec

Helpers will be welcome, and in the past have often filled spare seats! During the X-Country course all club gliders will be in use. During the competition the singles will be in use, and there will probably be normal club operations around the competition on the normal club days. Towing will be available every day. More details to come.

Things are heating up, see you out there, and safe flying.

Please find attached your invitation to the first Mini Rally of this flying season.

We hope to see at least as many people as last year – a very enjoyable long weekend with 12 Vintage & Classic gliders, 3 tow planes (Wilga, Tiger Moth and Citabria), fishing, flying, gliding, swimming…. It was great flying and it was an excellent family event as well.

We’ll do it again and this year the dates are 13-15 November. See you there!

For more info about last year see http://vintagekiwi.gliding.co.nz/rallies/2008/Raglan/Raglan%202008.htm

With kind regards

For VK,
Robert Smits

Raglan 2009 invite.pdf

By now most of you will have heard the tragic news about Ross Annabell's fatal gliding accident in the Bombay Hills last Wednesday. Ross was a long time member of our club (14 years), although had based his gliding at Drury for the last couple of years, since buying Ventus VP.

Ross was quite private and did not particularly enjoy having his photo taken. His widow, Henny, has very few photo's of him and would dearly like a copy of any personal photo's of Ross, that might be out there. Please email me at s.care@xtra.co.nz .

The funeral is this Thursday at Papakura, 11am and notice is below:-

Steve

NZ HEARLD NOTICE

Ross Alwyn. Passed away suddenly as a result of a tragic accident on 28 October 2009, in his 61st year. Much loved husband of Henrietta (Henny) for 35 wonderful years. Beloved son of Keith and Bonny Annabell. Soninlaw to Lyn Naeff. Loved brother and brotherinlaw of Pat and Barry, Adrian and Debbie. Uncle to Andrea, Josh, and Kyle. All correspondence to Fountains Funeral Directors, PO Box72341, Papakura 2244 Auckland. A farewell service for Ross will be held in the Fountains Memorial Chapel, corner of Wood and Elliot Street, Papakura on Thursday 5 November 2009 at 11.00am followed by private cremation.

• Published Saturday, October 31 2009 

Well, what an amazing Labour Weekend. We had heaps of gliders & people from about 4 different clubs, at least two amazing days of flying conditions and lots of fun all around. It was the first weekend in a long time where all club aircraft were in use, so that's great to see.

Thanks to the Whenuapai and Auckland gliding clubs for traveling down.

Dinner on Saturday night was a big success also, with around 50 people attending. Another big thanks to Jan for the delicious feast.

Some other events coming up:

• Central Plateau Competition @ Taupo 31st Oct - 7th Nov
• XCountry Course @ matamata 23rd-27th November
• Regionals @ Matamata 29th-5th of December

Also a TV program 'Sportstar Insider' about Richie McCaw & gliding is going to be on Discovery Channel on the 5th of November, keep an eye out for it. There was an article about him & gliding in the Herald today.

The Auckland Gliding Club, Aviation Sports Gliding Club (Whenuapai), and Piako Gliding Club’s members are all invited to come and fly at Matamata this Labour Weekend.

• I have arranged the weather.
• I have arranged The Dinner.
• I have arranged the Dissertation During Dessert. (3D)
• I have arranged an alternative program for non-pilots in the committee room.
  (ie port & cigars - or similar!)

Roast Dinner $10 @ 7pm

Desert & Coffee $5 @ 7.45pm

Combined $15 

Saturday Nights Dissertation - Kaimai Wave Flying with wave exponent Adrian Cable (A Cat Inst) This is to encourage and give confidence to pilots that fly this area, to explore the wave safely. It is an area of flying that used to be very common at Piako but has diminished in recent times. Adrian has immense experience in the wave patterns of our area so here is your opportunity to take advantage of this.

An indication of attendance would be appreciated.

Preferably email Jan at wajvmace@ihug.co.nz by Friday 8pm

or phone the clubhouse 07 888 5972 between 9.30am and 10.30am Saturday.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Bill Mace
PGC
Club Captain