Hindsight - An exact science!


I am going to give a report back on how things went and what in my opinion can be done and should have been etc. I know hindsight is an exact science, but it is from stuff like this that we learn and improve ourselves.

Flying in Rieti was truly amazing and very different to anything else I have done in the past in terms of gliding. I was not expecting it to be anything else, but I had no idea how different it was until first launch. 

Report by: Janine

As you know by now, yesterday was a no fly day. It was a good call. We took a drive up Terminillo and the heavens opened. We originally thought it was only on the mountain but when we drove down the whole place was wet.

Report by: Janine (Day 11)

Let’s see if I can get the pilot to type something up… Andrew and Conrad are in discussion about today’s task…

Nope, they are still busy.

Well, yesterday was an interesting day. We were sitting in the restaurant, having a cup of coffee at 12:10 because everyone was under the impression that they weren’t going to fly. The announcement over the PA system revealed that the first launch would take place at 12:30 – action stations! Andrew had his best day to date. It’s really nice for the crew when their pilot lands with a big smile on his face and says “I really enjoyed that flight.”

Report by: Andrew

Yesterday was very interesting!!! North wind in this place is very tricky as Dick Bradley pointed out from previous experience.

Conrad and I worked on some strategy and all went according to plan until I lost sight of the leading gaggle after turnpoint 1. The plan was to leave a bit later than the rest and catch up at turn 1 where the critical decision point was and follow them through the tough stuff and then to pass on final glide. I caught up at least 10 minutes into turn 1 and then with the sun in the wrong place I lost sight of the gaggle and was on my own. Got stuck twice but managed to get around.

Report by: Janine 

After much delay and a touch of indecision, the planes were eventually launched and Andrew started his task a while ago.

Yesterday was a really tough day – it was mostly blue skies. There were many outlandings yesterday but once again 67’s crew was lucky and the bird came home.

Report by: Janine 

Well, how did you like RSA’s performance yesterday? I thought that was pretty cool!

Today the weather seems to be more favourable for ‘flat country/thermal’ pilots. The wind is from the north and the ridges and the mountains aren’t working. However, it is looking pretty blue from where I am sitting. There are a few puffs of cumulus so the thermals are out there. I think finding them will be the trick though.

Report by: Janine 

A quick one because the laptop's battery is about to fizzle and die!

Rest day was good - after saying Auf Wiedersehen to Sabine at the bus station, we drove down south and went to the Sabina olive oil boutique. Sabine and Conrad had been there previously and highly recommended it. So Conrad patiently played taxi and tourist guide and took us to go and have a look and a taste too. Put it this way, olive oil will never again be just olive oil.

Report by: Janine 

Well, yesterday things went well. Andrew left first and landed home first. The 67 crew went pretty much ballistic when we heard him on the radio – we almost didn’t because we weren’t expecting him back already. So, with much clapping and jumping up and down the three of us, Conrad, Sabine and myself, welcomed him home with the South African flag flying high at Springbok Camp 2 (Ulf’s camper).