After scratching around all week to try and muster a team,
Henry managed to get one by Friday. That night, they assembled at NHL for prepare and to consume the required
beverages before an early start to RAF Keevil. Showing the youngsters how to
do it, the pundit demonstrated what preparation truly means by digging out a
logger that Charles Babbage would have been proud of but which refused to talk
and then the careful preparation of body with 4 pints and some red wine.
Team HOG, JD7 and H5 left NHL at 0700 for the most dangerous
phase - following Henry! Hopefully his knowledge of network protocols is better
than national speed limits...
After a swift rig for the LAK 12, only an hour!, it was off
to brief. A 183 km hourglass shaped task was set, Keevil - Bishops Caundle -
Salisbury cathedral - Shepton Mallet - Keevil. Pundits had to go around the
turn points whilst the intermediate/novice classes had 5 km/15 km barrels
shortening the task for them.
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| JP and Matt carry out a self-brief of the airfield before they launch and see it |
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| The off-line grid |
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| Coming back from the blue towards Salisbury |
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| Final glide to Keevil |
ICL - a Pundit’s view (John Pursey)
“So a week of badgering from Henry and Matt and a glimmer of
hope in the forecast with a cold front clearing, meant that previous domestic
promises of attendance at events were forsaken and a last minute drive to NH
made Friday evening
Dismal skies to start did not help but on we sped. Keevil
for those that have not been is an amazing place with acres of tarmac to rig
and fly from and winch launches at £6. The ICL briefing was great, good weather
info and commendably pragmatic approach to site checks. The local team were
spot on with their tasking, as the sky overhead started to shows perfect little
Cu while to the East the Cu were already merging and the far west showed the
back of earlier grot.
After a series of encouraging reports from the task setter
flying as a sniffer, the grid launched. The retrieve winch set up really showed
its advantages with an epic launch rate. Tarmac to roll forward gliders with
even the most corpulent of pilots was another obvious plus.
The task was cunningly set with all classes flying the same
but with ever larger barrels for the lower classes. Team DSGC once airborne
switched channels and were off. The day proved locally very good though the
lack of cloud at times held back those with smaller wings despite good climbs
in the blue.
I stayed high and comfortable and enjoyed 4 new turning
points, none of which I can actually say I saw. Oh for the days of cameras and
sooty barographs. Climbs of 6 kt were not uncommon and one of 8+ prompted
getting out the camera though it was 7+ by the time it was ready.
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| 7.2 in the blue |
Radio calls
showed the communal good DSGC progress and randomly the LAK slid over Matt in
Sophie near the Park as we did leg 3, the cunning task setting keeping the groups
together. A completely unnecessary climb near the final TP cost me 15 minutes but
what a view and a very comfortable final glide to land just behind Matt. Henry
flopped in shortly after to make it a good day for team DSGC even if not the
fastest round the course their speed at queuing and consuming BBQ will be of
legend!
Well done to Henry for his captain's enthusiasm and Matt on
only his fourth solo X-country.
Now to account for the broken domestic promises...”
After all flying had been completed the BBQ was fired up and
the bar opened, as well as discussing the days flights we also had the
opportunity to answer the lifelong conundrum: "What is faster along a 6000 ft
tarmac runway, a HpH Shark jet or an Audi R8?"
Thanks to the team and all those at Keevil for the great day
and a task which made the most of the weather. And in answer to the question;
with the car from a standing start and the glider at cruise speed, the Audi can
outrun it down the strip. But with a jet assisted RAF style beat up the ‘Vorsprung
Durch Technik’ didn't stand a chance!
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| Team North Hill get ready to leave |
