Photos are now online, klick on pictures to the left, and select Hay and Forbes.

The Bogong cup had some bad weather the first days, it has improved now and five tasks have been flown so far. Andreas is in second place after Betinho, way to go!

Back at work in Oslo, another month in Oz would not have hurt :-) Here it’s cold and full winter, Erik got only one flight from Sundvollen while I was gone, I got about 45 hours in thermal conditions.

I’ll upload most of the pictures today, and the rest when I have the film developed and scanned.

Sydney, NSW, Australia
The car got fixed the same day in Forbes, and held together the 400 km back to Sydney. A fan blade had come off, and embedded itself in the radiator mounting, since the fan is big and made of steel it unbalanced the engine badly. The shock absorbers in front are also totally gone, the driver side rattles around and sounds like its about to fall off. The AC compressor had damaged bearings, and the mechanic cut the AC belt. After that the fuel and oil consumption is halved, what a car… I hope it holds together a few more days, since it’s much cheaper than taxis I’ll keep it until I leave.

Driving back to Sydney without AC was quite hot, sticking your arm out the window only makes it hotter, and you get hit by big bugs all the time. Only when I got up in the Blue Mountains did it cool off for a while. I met up with Gordon again at Bill and Mollys place, and we slept there. Their place is by Bronte Beach, and we had a swim before breakfast. Very nice place, with cafes, green free areas, and a clean beach. Today was quite hot, and since the humidity is much higher than inland you feel quite sticky after a while.

We went out to the Moyes factory, to check that our gliders had arrived in one piece. We got a peek at the new Moyes harness that is under development, looks pretty good. I went back to the beach after dropping Gordon off at the Airport and did some body-surfing for a few hours, got some pretty good waves. I’ll play tourist in Sydney for a few days, might pick up my glider at Moyes and fly Stanwell if it’s soarable. Writing this from a internet cafe in Kings Cross.

Forbes, NSW, Australia
Two days ago we got a 135 km task to the SW. It was blue and quite good conditions, but inversion at 1800 meters. After a late tow all tree of us flew together almost all the way, Gordon went ahead after the first TP, and got stuck low around 25 km before goal. Andreas went a little off track to catch a thermal off a dustdevil 16 km before goal, and got a good one that took him high enough to get to goal. I found a weak 0.5 m/s 18 km out, and was joined by two other pilots that came in over me. The thermal took me to 1750 meters, and the three of us glided in headwind all the way in without finding anything, and I landed 100 meters before the goal line, the two others had 20 meters more height, and made it. I lost 250 points on those 20 meters, but still got 20. place that day, would have been 8. if I got over the line. It was over 5 hours flying to make that distance, Gordon got stuck low, and landed out 5 km before goal.

Yesterday I was hit by a gust right before lifting off the trolley, and broke the weaklink and a upright. I was back in the line as last tow out of the paddock. I was really tired and demotivated and really just wanted to land. A layer of cirrus moved in while we were setting up, and only the first gaggle got off before it shaded the area. I flew under it in weak conditions for most of the fligth, got up to 2800 meters over the TP, but after that I never got over 1800. 20 km before goal I was down to 100 meters over the gound, and preparing to land, but got up again and crossed the goal line quite high at 130 km/h. Gordon and Andreas had made goal earlier with good time, about 58 pilots in goal. The task was short, only 118 km.

On the way back out Ford Falcon started to vibrate followed by a bang from the engine, and a even stronger vibration. It still worked all the way back to Forbes. Now it’s in the Ford dealer for diagnosis, they hope to have it fixed today. I’m stuck here waiting for it, and then I’m off to Sydney. Gordon drives a car for one of the tug pilots back to Sydney so that he could reach the plane back to the UK tomorrow. Andreas is leaving for the Bogong cup with Alberto and Johnny Jr.

Forbes, NSW, Australia
The hot day that got cancelled was the hottest day in 18 years according to the local news, our driver had left a thermometer in his car, and it showed 98 degree inside the car…
Four days ago we had a 136 km task SE, I released from the tow too early into a thermal that died, landed, and had to join in at the end of the line. Got off as the third last pilot, by then the cirrus coming from the west moved in and made the whole area shut down. It had been blue all day. I flew with a Japanese pilot for about 40 km, the last glide was from 1800 meters and straight down to the ground without any thermal activity. The main gaggle met a seabreeze front just before crossing the goal line, and about 10 pilots went down a few hundred meters short of goal. Gordon 2,7 km short, and Andreas 20 something short. The next day was cancelled in very strong winds.

Yesterday the wind had changed to SE, clouds were forming, and we got a 130 km straight line task West. I got off early, and struggled to get to cloudbase for a while. I found the conditions quite shitty whith turbulent and difficult thermals, you had to resenter the core all the way up. It’s been turbulent all the days here, in Hay it was very smooth and predictable thermals, but here it’s really hard work, I have trouble getting all the way up. I was pretty tired towards the end of the flight, after 2 really low saves, and made a mistake just 20 km from goal. Came down in the middle of nowhere, found a thermal 100 meters off the ground and drifted with it in strong crosswind for 5 km without gaining any height. I came in over a farm and landed near the farmhouse 25 km out from the track. The farmer was quite suprised to see me, and his kids did not belive him until I showed them my glider :-) He let me use their radio so I could get into contact with the driver. He then drove me back to the highway planning to pick up Andreas, by then Gordon and Dale the driver had contact.
Gordon got to goal and won the day, Andreas bombed out on first tow, and had to pack up and get back to tow up again, he landed in the same area as I did. There was over 50 pilots in goal, and I only got 340 points for a 136 km flight.

Today it looked good from the morning, though no good clouds had formed in the area. We got a 226 km task NE, I towed up early, got a good thermal off the tow and climbed to 1200 meters above the paddock. The thermal got very weak, and I glided towards a gaggle of gliders circling a few km out. They had been in zero lift, and everyone glided back towards the towpaddock when I arrived. I was too low to reach back, and landed 1 km out after flying thru 6 m/s sink all the way back. I packed up and went back to town, just too tired and pissed off to set up and refly. Andreas came back down from 1900 meters, and just made it back over the fence around the paddock, Gordon locked out on tow at 200 meters, and almost went upside down, he towed up straight after me, we where in the same thermal but he flew to the right on the way back and got slowly up again. Last I heard they were struggling with strong crosswind around the first TP. We have two days of flying left here in Forbes. Gerolf is still in hte lead, but it’s quite tight in the top places.

Just a few images while I have the time to scale down and upload them. I’ll post the full set in better quality when I get home.

This one is me after landing on one of the good days before the comp, I’m sitting on the longest straight road I’ve ever seen. It’s about 15 km straight ahead in the direction of the photo. It’s me and a billion Australian bush flies as you can see from the mosquito net. It is possible to see Gordon in the top right of the image coming in to land next to me. We have gone 170 km out and return here.

The view from the Hay tow paddoc, imagine this 360 degree around you and you have the scene. It’s flat

Setting up at Stanwell Park outside Sydney for a soaring flight. My new Litespeed in the foreground.

Forbes, NSW, Australia
The drive from Hay to Forbes is about 4 hours, we arrived at the caravan park where we live, and signed up for the meet. There’s around 85 pilots in the comp, 5 tugs and 2 trikes are supposed to tow us all up. The towing was OK for me, but I went early yesterday, some later people had to wait a long time to get off he ground. The top 20 pilots have priority, and can come to the front of the line whenever they want. It seems a bit unfair, but as long as one go early it might work.

Yesterdays task was 122 km with one TP and the last 40 km leg into the wind. It was light winds, and blue conditions. I got up OK, and flew around in the start area for a while waiting for the rest of the gaggle to get up. After crossing the 10 km start circle it was quite weak, so I went back and took another start time. It was 15 minutes start gates, and most of the gaggle I was with did the same thing. The conditions along the course was not so good, blue all the way, turbulent and weak lift. Around the TP a throth moved in with high clouds shading the whole area, this shut down the thermals, and almost all people landed in the area around the TP. I got up from 100 meters above the ground, but the thermal died, and I had to land. Our driver did not find us, as we all went down at the same time, and out of radio contact. Eventually we got home at 1:30, and left the driver with his car at the tow paddock, later today we learned that his car did not start, and he had to walk over 20 km to town. He did not show up this morning, and we only got into contact with him this afternoon.
Gerolf almost made it to goal at 117 km, Bethino at 110.

Today was cancelled due to strong wind, but not before we had set up in the 45 degree hot paddock. After rigging down the pool was the rescue to cool down, in South Sustralia its 55 degree, and it’s moving this way… A front with storms is supposed to move in tonight, and we can see big clouds building outside.

Hay, NSW, Australia
Todays task was cancelled, officially due to high winds. I feel that it was a combination of wind, heat, Gerolf leading and not wanting to risk bombing out, and pilots generally tired and thinking ahead to the next comp that starts in two days. It was 43 degrees in the shade out in the tow paddock today, and 40 km wind in the gusts. I wanted to fly, but it was actually quite OK when we did not have to set up in that heat. The conditions today seemed nice, cloudbase at over 3200 meters, and strong tailwind up high if we had to go far to the east.

Yesterday I got 30’th place, 50 something overall, I have had two bad days because of towing problems, and one DNF day when I lent my glider to Gordon. The comp have been good training though, with lots of hours in the air, and the glider is now quite competitive.
Gordon lost one place yesterday to Mike Barber who got to goal, and is now in 4’th. Andreas stays in 7’th place. Gerolf wins, Atilla second, and Mike Barber third.

We have the presentation night tonight, and then we leave for Forbes tomorrow morning before it becomes too hot, it’s a 4 hour drive NE. Now it’s off the pool to cool down, before we pack up our gear. I’m writing this from the software shop in Hay, I’ll try and compress a few photos later tonight or tomorrow and upload to these pages.

Total results, pictures, and more are at www.dynamicflight.com.au
Also check out the OZ report, for “who’s Davis fighting with today?”. It’s like a soap opera at times around the setup area.

Hay, NSW, Australia
Late last night we took Andreas and Gordonds gliders out to tow for testflights, I flew Gordons glider because he was still working with the repairs on the carbon backplate. The glider was OK, but a bit scary to fly as the sprogs was a little too low and the bar pressure went negative while flying fast. We had made some modifications to the outer battens on our gliders, and Andreas reported improved handling and glide performance. I made the same changes to mine, and it felt really good today, more stable in thermals, and definitively improved glide performance. We towed up around 20:30, and watching the sun set while thermalling a big smooth thermal is really great. We packed up in the light from the car and full moon.

Todays task was 151 km out and return, directly east, with crosswind from the north. I got off OK, and flew with Andreas for the most of the task, I lost sight of him a while after the TP, and had to work some really weak lift by myself. Some cirrus clouds moved in over us from the west as we started, and it was very weak conditions going back towards goal. Only 4 made it, I landed 20 km short, Andreas 10 km short, and Gordon 7km short in the middle of a 5×5 km paddock. We had to drive offroad with our Ford Falcon to pick up the glider. Gerolf got to goal, and increased the lead over Atilla who landed about 12 km short. Mike Barber got to goal, and is sniffing on third place.

Tomorrow is the last day, it will probably be a out and return or triangle depending on the wind. Saturday we drive to Forbes.

Hay, NSW, Australia
Today is rest day, as we have had 6 days of flying. Everyone seems to be quite tired, so it’s a good idea to have a day off before the two last days. My right hand is quite stiff and sore after flying the glider with a right turn in it for many hours. I finally got it sorted out yesterday, so now it goes straight. Seems like all Litespeeds come out with a right turn from the factory, it has something to do with the way the sails are made. The sprogs and consentric rings are set to compensate that from the factory, but some gliders like mine still needs some adjustments.

Gordon is fixing his glider, it needs new divesticks, otherwise it’s OK. The harness also broke from the deployment forces, he’s got a proto M2 harness, with a carbon backplate that broke. It was not properly reinforced around the load areas. Davis Straub had some extra carbon and epoxy stuff for the ATOS, and Mike Barber know how to fix the backplate. Yesterday Gordon borrowed Steve Moyes glider, and Zypy’s harness.

Yesterdays task was 265 km SW, to Hopetone in Victoria, pretty long task… It was quite windy at the paddock, but light higher up. It was alos quite stable, and totally blue until late afternoon when a few whisps formed. People started towing quite late, and I got up around 15:00. It was bumpy on tow up to 100 meters, and the totally calm sinking air all the way up, I towed all the way up to 2000 feet, when the tug pilot waved me off. I did not find anything until I spottet Atilla circling low over the SE corner of the tow paddock, glided in over him and got up to the inversion at 1000 meters with the rest of the gaggle. We drifted outside the startgate at 15 km, while working broken and weak lift up to 1500 meters. I was in the middle of a gaggle with 15 pilots, and we glided off on course. I got hit by some turbulence with full VG, and lost some height doing a 360 in sink to get back on course again. It was a long glide towards the gaggle ahead, and I arrived at the bottom, only to find sink. That was basicly it, went downwind over some waterholes and treelines that might trigger thermals without any luck, got a small thermal that triggered off a truck that passed on a road i crossed, but I was down to 30 meters, and could not drift with it into some ricefields. I landed around 30 km out, It felt unbelivable. It’s a small comfort that lots of people never got out of the tow paddoc. Some cheated and went back to restart after landing out near the towpaddoc, I could have done the same but I did not think it was allowed. (There’s a big discussion about this today, many pilots thought like me)

Nobody made it to goal, Davis came close and landed 17 km before goal, Gordon flew a little over 200, and Andreas 170 km. Gerolf and Atilla landed 30 km before goal. We got home by 1:30, so it was a quite good retreive. (We did blow a tyre though, not one day is boring out here. A new tires is only $90, wich is cheap compared to European prices)