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An assortment of photos from the last day and beyond

The last flight

It's been quite a long time since my last post, Dad has really been on my back about it, he's so anxious to read every detail about my last flight.

DAY 7:

As soon as I landed it was all systems go on the pack up operation. Andy and I stripped out my instrumentation from the glider and reset the glider to the configuration that it was in when I took out the hire. It was actually much much easier than we had anticipated; mostly due to the fact that the amount of time we had to put in to install my gear was so great. We had to reconfigure and adjust things many times, this is usually always the problem with hired gliders. Because we'd been through the process of removing the canopy and opening up the panel so often, the deconstruction process was actually quite fast. It was then only a matter of trying to remember how everything was laid out to start with... I'm not just a pretty face ;-) that's exactly what us youngens use phone cameras for. Easy enough, everything slotted into place and we were off to get ready for the final night party. And no better way to do that then with a Sauna and a few beers.

The sauna culture in Finland is great. 18.00 on the dot was the time the little sauna opened up for the men. The banter and beers all happened just outside the sauna on large pergola by the lake with small jetty attached. Locals, pilots, crew, it was a well used facility and was busy every night. Of my whole time in Finland I'd never miss a sauna more than 2 days in a row. It was a really great experience and I am really going to miss it.

So the last flight, it was a 300km racing task and again like the previous days, an assigned area task was set as a B task just in case the weather didn't play along. I launched in the first wave of 9 tow plans into a developing sky. There were only small cu near the airfield but approaching from the west was good looking sky. As the fleet was launched I climbed away in under the first wisp of cu in a big gaggle and eventually topped out at 5000 feet. By that time the wisp was developed into a nice fluffy cumulus and the start gat would be open in 15 min.  We weren't in any rush to start early so I flew around at cloud base looking for a group to start with. I found Adam with the poms and we were soon in a good position to start. It was nearing 13.00 and we crossed the line with the poms. I wasn't sure that this was an actual start from the poms so I was really milking the clouds slowing right down in the lift. The way they were flying it became apparent that they did make a start and Adam stuck with them the whole day. I had followed a cloud line at too great an angle to be a good start; thinking about a restart, Adam spotted the french coming back to the start line. I'd thought that morning that the french would be a good group to stick with. Their overall scores were very good and if they flew the same as the other days the would have a world champion and potentially all 3 of them on the podium. The teams just below them however, would have to do something special to beat the french and that would mean flying with more risk and in their own group rather then following the french. I though that if I flew with the french that I would be in a nice small gaggle that would work very well together and then finish up with another good result as the previous day.

I started with the Czech's and the Americans just a few minutes behind the french. Running down a convergence line to the south, the cloud base was steadily lowering with the influx of sea air. By the first turn cloud base was 1000' lower and we had only stopped once to thermal. 10 km into the second leg we cored a 7 knotter and shot to cloud base like a rocket. At the second turn we caught the gaggle. It was a very messy gaggle. The standard class had exactly the same 2nd and 3rd turnpoints and were mixed in with a climb. I pulled in at the lower 1/3 of the climb and circled with the group. No good. What ever the climb was it wasn't worth taking. Before I had completed a full turn the gliders up top started to leave, quickly followed by most others. I sat back to watch where the gliders would spread. As I left I found a 5.5kt core on the sunny side of the cloud and took that to base and well above the others who had just left, less then 10 turns earlier. The next climb was marked by standard class gliders in the top half and club class on the bottom. I came in at just about the middle and worked another 5 knotter to the top. I left with Garret and following the standard class to the third turn. Adam was up ahead approaching the turn using weak dry thermals in a large blue hole. Garret and I flew direct on track over terrain with very limited options. As we approached the blue hole it was filling in with wisps of cu but we still chose the slower route. Those that ran the line 45 degrees off track had a much better run and at the third turn Garret and I were just under 10km behind at the same height as a small 9 glider gaggle. By the 4th turn we were right on there tail. I found out later that Garrets team mate was just in front of the gaggle and calling the climbs for Garret. And Garret was pushing very hard. I could not shake him off even though my handicap is so much higher then his Hornet. Every cruise I would be quite a way higher but we would be at the same level at the tops of the thermals. He was flying very well. Just out of the 4th turn and we came into the climb just underneath the gaggle. 60 km from home now and I was in the thick of the gaggle. The climb was good and even though some were leaving early I hung on and it topped out at just over 2000m, my highest climb in Finland. The 3 Germans were up the front and a 30km from home I was just off their tail but higher. The air on the way was lifting very consistently and the final glide was getting steeper and faster. I was flying as fast as I thought I could but the others kept pushing lower. I was slowly reeling in a few gliders but the last 10km I was still much higher. I crossed the line just behind 3 gliders and not that high above them. There were gliders scattered all over the two runways and I was finishing with a big group. I landed straight in on the grass, right down the middle of bitumen runways 26R and 26L. One glider just off my wing tip on the left and one to the right low and in front.  It was a great way to finish a great flight and my first senior world championships. Andrew took some very nice photos and posted here on the day. I rolled to a stop near the end of the runway and jumped out watching gliders litter the ground along the whole width of the landable area, stacking up at the just behind my glider and those next to me.

As Andrew said about the day, the competition was fierce! Out of a scored 1000 points for the day winner I received 892 points and ended up in 28th place for the day... I had beaten all 3 of the German pilots though. First and second place for the day was awarded to Sean Franke and Garret Willet (USA) who I was flying with all day. Sean finished less than 1 minute earlier than I and was 0.4kph faster and I was 0.2kph faster than Garret. The high handicap of the Ls4 in club class is quite costly and that accounted for the loss of 27 places. 

**This was written over the last few days of travel. I am now sitting in sunny Deutschland and have finally sorted out an internet connection. I'm sorry for such a long delay, lots of pictures to upload soon to. 

Closing ceremony, and after, from the crew dude

Hi all!

The closing ceremony happened in glorious sunshine (why couldn't we have had this weather earlier?) at 1000, with quite a few people nursing sore heads from the previous evening's party, but everyone seemed to be present, in one form or another.

Prizes were awarded to the first ten places in Club Class, the first eleven in Standard Class and the first five in 20m 2-seat Class.  The first three in each class of course had podium finishes.

Then the Team Cup was awarded, again with podium finishes, and short but effective speeches were made, all in English.

All the results may be found at www.wgc2014.fi/results which contains the complete set of results for all days.

It's been a fun competition, and I think Eric learned heaps from it.

The FAI flag was lowered, and presented to the captain of the team whose nation will host the next FAI World Gliding Competition, Lithuania.

After that there were the usual chaotic scenes of infrastructure being dismantled, and airfield operation slowly returning to normal.  But Eric had arranged for me to have a ride in the Duo Discus XL (which hadn't competed), so that I could sample the local airspace and flying conditions.

Finland certainly has lots of forests everywhere, and even more lakes.  But there are also quite a few landable paddocks (although there might be some areas where these are quite sparse), and obviously Eric had become adept at selecting these.

The Finland summer can also generate strong lift, and we (I went with one of the Finnish instructors) found lift up to 7 knots, to around 6000 ft.  And today wasn't even necessarily the best day of the season!  Cu's everywhere, although the day went a bit blue towards the end.

The Duo Discus XL is certainly a nice beastie, handles not too differently from a single-seater, difficult to compare it with the Arcus as we flew the Arcus a year ago, and I don't necessarily remember everything about its characteristics, and it goes when you want it to.

Tomorrow Eric and I head out from Helsinki.  Our job tomorrow is packing! (groan)

Cheers!

6 July, from the crew dude

Hi all!!

Well, not much left now except the Closing Ceremony and prize-giving.  And I'm wondering just how many will be in any fit state to attend, considering the success of last night's end-of-comp party!

We've got pretty well everything done now apart from cleaning up the car we've been using, and of course the big pack-up job prior to our departure on Monday.

The rest of this week will probably be good gliding weather, judging by the forecasts.  "Finnish Summer installation successful", although I think there are storms forecast just when I depart Helsinki for the journey home.

This'll probably be my last post then… We're now just waiting on Eric's from yesterday :-)

Cheers

5 July, from the crew dude, part 2

I reckon Eric's got it made.  Now steaming in on final glide.

Meantime, here are some pics of the gliders returning yesterday.

And of Eric just after touch-down!

Update 1850 - Eric's long since returned, and all the results are in.  I reckon he must've put the wind up everyone else, and they went up a gear or two, just to keep up with him. But in any case he's done fantastically well, for a WORLD competition, and it's been a pleasure crewing for him.  We've managed to share resources ("resource management", I think the pundits call it :-) ) so that the same amount of work has been accomplished in half the time.

Eric'll tell you all about the flight, and his thoughts on the comp. as a whole.

But I'll just observe that Eric got just under 900 points, yet came 28th out of 38 or whatever, indicating that the competition was incredibly fierce! Or, he came 28th out of 38 or whatever, yet still got 900 points! And they all count for Team Oz...

We're now at the end-of-comp party, where the organisers have put on magnificent salmon, and exquisitely-roasted pig, absolutely fantastic!

The closing ceremony is tomorrow, followed by a massive pack-up job. Fortunately we managed to restore the glider to its former state right after Eric got back. That's that job out of the way.

Cheers!

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5 July (the last comp day!) from the crew dude, part 1

Hi all!

Well, it's all come together for Eric!

Today's weather is much like yesterday's; some cirrus around at the moment but that should disappear.  Wonder what task will be on the cards for today?

Briefing 1000, and we'll find out what's in store…

Stay tuned again!

Update 1000 - task for Eric is 335 km racing. First launch 1130.

Update 1120 - first launch 1145.

Update 1150 - they're away!! And at least 5 of the first 9 (there are 9 tugs) are in one thermal just west of the airfield. Looks like quite a few members of the public out here today too.

Cheers!

Day 6

Today was finally a good day on the scoreboard. I was doing the right things and the main reason for the good result was just not messing up. I had a few slow spots down low. Andy said that he even wrote down my coordinates from the tracker at one point in case he had to pick me up from the area but then that must have been what triggered a good thermal..

By not messing up today I finished 8th. The feeling for the day was just a relaxed and focused state not worrying about the scores or trying to think too much. I just flew my own race and made home.

I started with the Pole's and the fins just behind. We had a very good run into the first turn. The fins were just ahead for the last few k's of this leg. Christian flying VA is a great pilot to watch. He feels the air and extracts energy from the air very well so we had a little workshop session for 15km or so before I dropped off the back.
Past the turn and we had caught the main gaggle where I slotted into the top if the group. After 2 thermals it was just a Swed a Pole and I running to the second turn. Each time we stopped for a climb the gaggle would come in underneath. Around the turn and we had some breathing room on the gaggle. 4 knot climbs were not turned down but the occasional 5 gusting to 6 knot climbs were around the place. 10km from the 3rd turn we saw the Fins climbing and raced off to catch them. Still the Swed, the Pole and I; we came under the cloud 1500' lower than the Fins and couldn't find the climb. The pole and I moved on to the next turn connecting the dots between clouds. The next cloud didn't work so just hoping that the one after would. It did. It was just upwind of the turn and I drifted through the turn in 4 knots.

Almost back at cloud base and we started zig-zaging our wag across the cloud streets trying to fly the most efficient line. The other 2 we just slightly ahead and made the decision to fly more than 30 degree's off track to a good looking cloud. This is where we parted. I continued direct on track where there was a similarly dark Cu looking like a good thermal was beneath. There wasn't. I visualised the others passing well high oder head as I could see them climb well. I pushed on and ran the cloud street deviating more searching for the strong climb that I needed to match the others with their climb before. I chased a  gaggle of standard class guys into a giant thermal and took about 6kts average (bottom to top) back to cloud base at about 4700'. The 4th turn was bluing out and only whispy Cu remained. Out of the turn and I had another good climb.  This time the gaggle formed back underneath and the Swed was now down with them. 

Approaching Räyskälä from the south is scary stuff. There is no where at all to land.. except for lakes and trees and even a swamp or two. I played it conservative following the clouds toward the southwest of Räyskälä where I know a good field is. When I knew I could definitely make it back to Räyskälä then I left back on track for the last control point, 8km away from Räyskälä on the other side from where I was. I had a good margin for final glide now and raced home.

I was the first to cross the finish line by seconds and was the 2nd to land. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face I was so happy with my flight. The scores didn't matter but gee did it make it sweeter when they started rolling in and my name was sitting high on the list.

Tomorrow will be a repeat. I just have to relax and get back into the same groove. I can mix it with these guys.

4 July, from the crew dude, part 2

OK, so by now you'll have discovered that Eric got back!  And looks as though he steamed around the course.  Certainly he was heaps ecstatic after he landed.

Of course, as a result he did me out of a job :-)

I'll let him tell the rest of the story.

Cheers

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4 July, from the crew dude, part 1

Hi all!

Well, yesterday turned out interesting (some would say challenging; others would use a different description) and most people outlanded.  I get the impression that those who started immediately had a higher chance of getting home.  Certainly there were trailers roaming all over the countryside picking up downed gliders.  Both on the way out and on the way back we passed several other trailers going in all sorts of directions.

Today might be just as interesting, RASP is predicting good conditions west of Räyskälä for a while, deteriorating later, and hardly anything good east of there.  But I'd better wait for the weather-man to get the best picture I guess.

Two days left in the competition.  What will happen today?

Don't go away…

Update 1125 - I wasn't at briefing as I was busy gridding the glider, but apparently first launch was 1130. That's now delayed to 1145. Task is racing, 314 km.

Update 1325 - there were no more delays to first launch, and they're now all off and away.  The sky's looking great!

Cheers!

Day 5 highlights

Not going to say much about today. But instead just leave you with some pictures.   The wave pre start was unusable for the first leg so it was just a waste of time but still lots of fun. First leg was under Cu then one more climb after the turn and it was all in blue and straight into the paddock from there.

3 July, from the crew dude, part 2

Oops. The day didn't turn out as expected. Eric'll tell you about the flight. Here's what happened on the retrieve.

Google Maps got me there precisely ok. Then things got interesting. The glider was in a pretty soft field, and there was no farmer present, either with of without tractor. The best access to the glider was via a v. narrow country lane, and next to no room to turn the trailer around anywhere. But eventually that was done, then we stopped at the closest point near the glider, which was still 150 metres away. The ground was too soft to push the glider to the trailer, so we had to take the glider out piece by piece. Eventually then we could get the fuselage out, and into the trailer. Job done. But there's a fair amount of mud in the wheel well, so we'll rig it next to a hose and clean everything right out, ready for tomorrow!

Update - all done, and there was enough mud to jam up the tailwheel.  That's now all cleared, and ready to roll!

Tomorrow's RASP forecast is showing that any place to the east of here won't work.  Only to the west is available.  We'll see what happens at tomorrow's briefing regarding the weather!

Now for some pictures.

One part of the grid, from the other end of the field.

The other part of the grid.

There was enough wind today to get all the flags streaming out nicely!

The glider in the high crop.  OK, by this point we'd already pulled the wings and tailplane off… but it looks kinda nice (?) here...

Cheers

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Day 5

We've had a few attempts at day 5 now, I think that it will finally go ahead now.

The sun is shining, small Cumulus are popping and 'Who stopped the rain' was played pre-briefing.

Club class task A is in the black, a racing task zig-zaging all over the place and a 3 hour AAT in blue which has some of all 3 sectors just inside the map folds

Should be a fun day.

3 July, from the crew dude, part 1

Hi all!!

Well, today's dawned bright and sunny, which makes a nice change. Some cirrus, slowly disappearing, and a max of 20. I'm thinking that a 4-hour AAT or 450 km racing task might be in order, except that it'll be windy.

Now at briefing, let's see what the weather-man brings!

Update 1010 - task for Eric is 322 km racing. First launch 1200.

Update 1230 - launches started on time, and Eric's away (well, airborne; the gate opens in 10 minutes). Conditions will be interesting, and possibly challenging, as there's quite a stiff breeze blowing.  We're told it's up to 25 kts at height.

Cheers!

2 July, from the crew dude

Hi all!

Well, yesterday the forecast for today looked very ordinary, from what I could see, although the one presented at briefing looked better.  Perhaps I was looking at the wrong one, because today has indeed turned out better than I thought, and in fact we have some sunshine at the moment!  Forecast is for occasional rain, but also for conditions that might be slightly soarable, and the grid is open, with briefing at the usual time of 1000.  So we'll go there and see what happens, and then await developments (such as launch delays and so on, you know how it goes).

Once yesterday had been cancelled, we ended up doing not very much until a team barbecue that evening.

Plan for today, if it gets cancelled, might be to visit a sports centre which includes a skydiving wind tunnel amongst other things (Eric says it has a standing surfing wave which he might try too).

Stand by!

Update 1010 - task A is 257 km racing, task B is AAT 2.5h version of same. First launch is 1200. Weather looked a bit iffy early on but is forecast to improve, as long as it doesn't over-develop.

Update 1116 - first launch 1230.  Some showers around the place.

Update 1206 - first launch 1250.

Update 1214 - task A is scrapped, task B is active.

Update 1229 - first launch 1315.

Update 1243 - first launch 1330.

Update 1303 - first launch 1345.

Update 1323 - first launch 1400.

Update 1330 - any holes that form in the clouds now result in quick over-development. One huge patch of over-development has just cleared the airfield - to be replaced by the next big patch coming in quickly from the west.

Update 1337 - first launch 1415.

Update 1357 - day cancelled. Surprise, surprise. Too late to go to the sports place. Oh well, another day maybe.

Cheers

31 June - oops, 1 July!, from the crew dude

Hi all!

As yesterday was written off, the Aussies all went off sight-seeing.  First to Hämeenlinna, as Eric mentioned, to see the castle (Häme Castle) whose history I've now forgotten, but for this sort of thing I just view the Wikipedia Article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Häme_Castle) and leave it at that.  It was built (they think) around 1308 or so.

Nearby is a Military Museum, but we didn't have time to go in there as we had arranged to be at a go-karting track at the time.  Go-karting on a wet track is interesting to say the least as the tyres have next to no grip, and the kart can be controlled only in a straight line, on a track which has none.  But the track dried off during the event, to the extent that lap times improved by around 20%… and that was when the aggression kicked in, especially on those races which used a standing gridded start!  At least several people managed to create major updates to the track layout, by getting knocked into the lightweight track barriers and moving them into positions that they'd probably never been in before, and we got the impression that the operators might have been glad to see the back of us!

Then to a restaurant in Hämeenlinna for pizza, and that was that.

Today's dawned rather gloomy, but the grid's open, so we'll all line up, and then await further developments.  Yesterday's competition forecast for today was for reasonable conditions, but a couple of other forecasts seemed to indicate otherwise, so it'll be interesting to see what ultimately occurs.

Stay tuned, as I'm thinking there will be quite a few updates!

Update 1050 - briefing shortly, Tasks A and B have been set, but the weather's looking very iffy. Will be interesting to see what happens! Meantime, a few days ago someone had a remote-controlled helicopter with video camera and heading and 3D position control and hold, cuddling launching. Pretty impressive! I'm hoping those videos might become available somewhere for download or streaming.

Update 1110 - task A has already been trashed. Task B is AAT of 2 hours, scratch distance 223 km or so. First launch 1230.

Update 1229 - first launch 1330.  And if anything the cloud looks worse!  There's been some light drizzle too.

Update 1311 - day cancelled.  Hardly surprising - the cloud's thickened up even more.

Cheers

Go Karting

Today we went to Hämeenlinna to see the castle and race go karts. Weather frustrated glider pilots + motor sport + wet track is not really a great combo... We all had bags of fun, but the owners... Not so much..

Here's a video of my first race while the track was still quite wet.. 

It did dry out eventually and everyone's lap times steadily shortened. This race video has camera adjustments as well as no spin-outs

30 June, from the crew dude

Yo!!

I'll go through what happened yesterday.

Well, that concludes that report.

Total cloud cover all day, starting off at around 6000 ft and ending at 500 ft.  (Yep, that's right, five hundred.)  And rain, easing off during the day, leaving us with mist.

Not much better today, the 500 ft cloud is still with us, no prospect of anything resembling a task.

Yesterday, all the sight-seeing places seemed to be shut.  Today, they'll probably be open, so sight-seeing will likely be in order.

Tomorrow's not looking too promising weather-wise either, but, conditions might change a bit.  We haven't got there yet.

Update 1100 - definitely no flying.  But the forecasting site that the competition uses is forecasting usable conditions for tomorrow, however RASP is suggesting exactly the opposite.  Hmmmmm...

Cheers!