Manilla Bombathon 1999
(aka 1999 NSW State Titles - Hang Gliding)
D Tim Cummings - tim@eis.net.au
(Click on photos for expanded views)
After
the spectacular stories of last year's flying, our expectations were
shattered by a very difficult week's flying. Everyday was
characterised by strong inversions and very short launch windows with
only one or two tickets away from the hill. Suddenly we had to work
to not bombout. Barraba was now a respectable fly and not just a
glide from our first thermal. Still, the better pilots showed us all
what was possible by consistently getting away. The paragliders also
taught us some lessons by launching early each day and managing to
get away.
We were all impressed by the major improvements Godfrey has made
to Mt Borah. Most launches now have a secondary parallel launch,
enabling two simultaneous launches. The top of Mt Borah is quite
suitable for top landings now.
There were 56 pilots entered making it one of the most popular
Manilla HG comps ever. Conrad Loten won the event for the second year
in a row. Glen Macleod came second and Jon Durand snr was the third
placed hangie at the meet, though he was pipped in the overall
results by Godfrey Wenness, flying his Omega 4 paraglider all week.
Jon Durand jnr took out B Grade in this his last competition as a B
Grade pilot. His record of having never landed in a Mt Borah bombout
paddock still stands even after this week. Jason Turner was second B
Grade in his Fun, and Geoffrey Bennett third.
Final Results
Overall
B Grade
(Click on individual day headings for results of that day)
Up high, there were plenty of rain clouds all drifting from the
west. It looked like a no go day. Len Paton didn't even set up. At
launch the wind was coming from the North East. Godfrey predicted "It
usually swings around to the west. We have only used this launch five
times this year. But today, I've got no idea!". Thanks Godfrey. Big
Jon had set up so he decided to launch early and bombout so that he
could set up on the western side. He launched and after getting very
low, climbed out to cloud base. The race was on. Gliders started
launching, many bombed out, the wind switched all directions, less
experienced pilots spent much time preparing to launch, more
experienced pilots opted for the shorter queue on Godfrey's parallel
but challenging second North East launch. I waited till sunset on the
west launch for the wind to swing west. The rain came, hitting the
east side of Mt Borah closing Godfrey's road. All the vehicles were
on the hill. Many had to leave their gliders on the hill and walk
down the hill back to Manilla. 40 pilots didn't get past the bomb
out.
Those that did get up faced challenging conditions. Dave Redman
followed his GPS 1 km off the course line as Godfrey had given us the
wrong coordinates to his own house. Against all odds, Phil Schroder
(HG), Glen Macleod (HG) and Bob Smith (PG) made goal, with Phil
Schroder (picture) winning. Pity all the retrieve vehicles were
at the top of Mt Borah and the goal official didn't have roof racks.
It was a late night for those at goal.
Monday 22nd March - Rain Stopped Play
Tamworth became heavily populated with bored pilots
This was THE DAY of the comp. The launch window was long and from
the East launch. CMac reflew three times and on his final flight made
it half way to goal. On Neva's second flight, she lost a tip batten
as she launched. The tip batten is fairly important on a Shark, so
with a landing approach consisting entirely of right hand turns, Neva
(picture) landed back on top of Mt Borah, hack sawed a piece of spare
aluminium batten tube to the right length, launched again and flew
half way to goal. The day was worth 1000 points although there were
still 26 pilots in the bombout. Once again two hang gliders (Conrad
Loten, Jon Durand snr) and a paraglider (Godfrey Wenness) made goal.
Conrad Loten won the day.
One lucky pilot saw a Saab 36 seater commercial aircraft at close
range approaching Narrabri airport to land. Apparently, it is legal
to fly within 8km of Narrabri airport so long as you are above 3000
feet agl. Below 3000 feet, if you are in a light aircraft you are
recommended to carry a VHF radio, and in a hang glider you are
required to carry a VHF radio.
Once again we launched from the East launch, taking full advantage
of Godfrey's two parallel launches. Unfortunately, the day was really
stable, and only one thermal in front of launch was high enough to
get away from Mt Borah in. It was a particularly good thermal
although a long way out in front, and the 14 pilots entering the
thermal at less than 500 feet agl, took it to 6000 feet and were able
to get away. Once up there was plenty of light lift for the patient
among us, with 50 feet/min up considered worth calling. Conrad Loten
and Len Paton worked well together to make it all the way to goal.
However, by the time they got there, 6:30 pm, the goal official had
packed up and gone home. Fortunately, they both carried GPS and the
GPS Verification System used at this competition was able to
calculate times they crossed the finish line. Conrad had passed the
start gate 54 seconds before Len, and crossed the goal line 50
seconds before Len, meaning he was slower by 4 seconds but the early
bird departure and arrival points made Conrad Loten (picture)
the day winner.
Craig and Matt Worth were a formidable duo flying as a team and
both made the turnpoint. Dave Redman had put the coordinates of the
Boggabri goal paddock instead of the Boggabri turnpoint into his GPS.
When he got to the paddock, he couldn't see any silos, so he flew to
the set of steel silos he could see a couple of kilometres on the
other side of town. In the process his GPS track log showed he flew
within 5 metres of the (correct) concrete silo sector off to his
left. If only he had mounted his GPS on his left wing tip his track
log would have gone into the sector and he would have been given
turnpoint. Bad luck Redfella.
However, turkey of the day award goes to Tony Oniper, who was at
the top of the one launch thermal that was happening for the day,
realised his VG cord was tangled, wound down to top land on Mt Borah,
untangled the VG, launched again and bombed out. A total of 44 pilots
bombed out.
Today was the day of the paraglider. Rhett Rockman
(picture) was showing everyone there was lift around flying around
for an hour before the task was set. When the task was set he top
landed and launched again and flew 59 km of the task. Godfrey
Wenness, Tony Oniper and I launched about half an hour later, and
then noone launched for about an hour. Deciding not to wait we headed
down the course line with Rhett about 15 km in front. Tony and I
struggled in the light lift and eventually landed just outside the 10
km bombout zone. Godfrey persevered in a very light thermal where I
had landed, and three quarters of an hour later was still circling
above the same paddock. I guess that is the advantage of having a
harness that resembles a lounge chair. You can take your time in
thermals. Godfrey went on to fly 37 km of the course. The nearest
hang gliders, Mike Jackson in the demo Aeros Stealth and Jon Durand
jnr only flew 33 km of the course. 43 pilots bombed out.
Billo said we are going to keep doing it until we get it right.
The only problem was that when there is a strong inversion at 5000
feet asl and ground level climbs to 2800 feet asl, it doesn't make it
easy to find the next thermal. Godfrey (picture) and Rhett launched
early again, but the thermals proved too small for even two
paragliders, and in Rhett's enthusiasm pushed Godfrey out of a
thermal 19 km down the course line. Rhett managed to fly to just past
Barraba. The day was getting late, but the hang gliders had a speed
advantage over the paragliders. Conrad and Redfella patiently
thermalled during the peak time of the day across the high country
between Manilla and Bingara, where the thermals were only reaching
1500 feet agl. Redfella eventually landed close to the peak of the
high country yelling something like "No more circles". The infinitely
patient Conrad Loten showed us that goal was possible on this
impossible day. 43 pilots bombed out.
The predicted change wasn't going to make it, and the conditions
were even more stable. We used the North East launch. Tony Oniper set
up his glider early, but everyone else left their gliders on the car
believing the west launch would come on later. Little Jon "I've never
bombed out here" Durand (picture) offered to fly Tony's Shark over to
the west launch. To everyone's surprise he soared above the ridge for
half an hour and landed on the west launch. That's when we decided
the North East launch was the one and he had to carry the glider
back.
After the task was set, all the early flights were sled rides to
the bombout with not even a bump. Jon Durand snr was one of the first
comp pilots to launch and he was rewarded with a thermal just out of
the bombout paddock. None of the 10 pilots underneath him were able
to get out with it. He took it to 6000 feet and then flew over the
back. He got his next thermal at 500 feet agl. A couple more thermals
were working today and goal looked possible. Big Jon's instruments
even told him he was on final glide. But then that south westerly
change came through and everyone decked it. The Queenslanders won the
day with first Mike Jackson, second Glen Macleod, and third
Jon Durand snr. 42 pilots bombed out.
That's It
Despite the weather conditions, we all had a great time. Billo
should be congratulated for single handedly running the show again,
and the local paragliding community thanked for their support. The
area would make a great location for next year's hang gliding
nationals.
This report provided by the Canungra Hang Gliding Club
(http://tinny.eis.net.au/~tim/canungrahgc/)
After
the spectacular stories of last year's flying, our expectations were
shattered by a very difficult week's flying. Everyday was
characterised by strong inversions and very short launch windows with
only one or two tickets away from the hill. Suddenly we had to work
to not bombout. Barraba was now a respectable fly and not just a
glide from our first thermal. Still, the better pilots showed us all
what was possible by consistently getting away. The paragliders also
taught us some lessons by launching early each day and managing to
get away.
