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GNZ Newsletter

July 2021



From the president


Welcome to the July GNZ newsletter.

While we have past the shortest day we certainly haven't past the coldest with more than a few of airfields covered in snow at the moment.

As far as I am aware, no club has fitted skis to a tow plane or glider yet but if you could stand the paperwork it would make a great first!

If that is not the kind of winter challenge that floats your boat then there are still plenty of more useful ways you can spend those no fly days.

Polishing the wings of the club fleet is always a good start.

Q. How many members does it take to polish a club glider?

A. Just one. All the rest are there for the talk and the provided lunch.


Get stuck in. Be it work or lunch!

Steve Wallace

GNZ President

Congratulations

JOHN ROBERTSON

Awarded by ex FAI President Bob Henderson at the GNZ AGM, the Air NZ Soaring Award.

For the pilot who has shown the most significant improvement in their personal standard of competition flying.

TIM BROMHEAD

The Friendship Cup.

Awarded for outstanding contribution to the gliding movement during the preceding year.


MAURIE HONEY

Angus Rose Bowl

GNZ's premier service award recognises outstanding contribution to the sport of gliding in NZ.

Maurice couldn't be there in person but technology allowed him to listen in!


The Silverware

Other award winners included.

Air NZ Cross Country Awards.

North Island Division

MICHAEL COOPPER

South Island Division

PETER TAYLOR

Buckland Soaring Award

North Island Division

DAVID JENSEN

South Island Division

GAVIN WRIGLEY


Glidertoons

Well done to Kevin Clark for turning up at the GNZ AGM and selling 20 copies of his glider cartoon book, 'Glidertoons' and thus raising $430 for Youth Glide.

If you want your own copy just drop Kevin a note: [email protected]


And no doubt big thank you from Youth Glide


YGNZ AGM

Click on the pic below to register for the event.



Upcoming Events

Much was thrashed out at this years GNZ AGM weekend, including dates for a whole array of events.

Check out some of them below and get them into your calendar now!




Cross Country Courses


MSC Cross Country and Coaching Course

Sat 23rd Oct 2021 - Wed 27th Oct 2021

Matamata

Springfield Cross Country and Mountain Flying Course

Sat 6th Nov 2021 - Fri 12th Nov 2021

Springfield

OGC Mountain Flying Course

Mon 29th Nov 2021 - Fri 3rd Dec 2021

Omarama

Competitions


Central Plateau Contest

Sat 30th Oct 2021 - Sat 6th Nov 2021

Taupo


Springfield Soaring Championships

Sat 13th Nov 2021 - Sat 20th Nov 2021

Springfield


South Island Regionals

Sat 4th Dec 2021 - Sat 11th Dec 2021

Omarama


Auckland Enterprise Contest

Sat 1st Jan 2022 - Sat 8th Jan 2022

Drury


MultiClass Nationals

Sat 22nd Jan 2022 - Mon 31st Jan 2022

Matamata


Northern Regionals

Sat 5th Feb 2022 - Sat 12th Feb 2022

Taupo


Central District Regionals

Fri 18th Feb 2022 - Fri 25th Feb 2022

Wairarapa


Club Class Nationals

Sat 19th Feb 2022 - Sat 26th Feb 2022

Springfield


MSC Comp and GP Race

Sat 12th Mar 2022 - Sat 19th Mar 2022

Matamata














First in with an ad. Well done Springfield!


Need a new trainer?

Funds for a course?

Competing overseas?


The GNZ Umbrella Trust

The GNZ Umbrella Trust has funds available to help your club purchase a new glider, host a course to train students in competition flying, x-country flying or instructing. Specific funds are also available to assist those pilots selected to represent New Zealand at contests overseas.

The trust does not fund equipment for gliding clubs or trial flight courses for potential new members.

Unsure if what you want to fund will qualify? Before applying you can drop a quick note to the UT secretary Karen Morgan and the trustees will endeavour to give feedback in a timely manner.

[email protected]

Trustees make decisions on funding twice a year in November and June – the deadlines for grant applications are 31 October and 31 May each year.

Click on the link below to find out more.

Umbrella Trust


Safe Winch Launching



From our friend's at the BGA

Where one of Tim's videos is now world famous (although aren't they all)

A key part of the safe winch launching guidance includes;

Always:

- Start a launch with your hand on the release

- If you cannot keep the wings level, release immediately

Why hand on the release? Because you need to pull the release within half a second of taking the decision to release. Why immediately? Because the cartwheel that may follow a wing drop onto the ground can be so rapid that no recovery by releasing or other means is possible.


Incident Reports

From the desk of the NOO (National Operations Officer)

Brief Review of Incident Reports for March to April 2021

  • airbrakes popped open on takeoff - training motor glider - 9th flight of day with ATC cadets
  • cyclist observed crossing winch cable in the early phase of a winch launch, launch abandoned
  • cable retraction began before tyres were attached to both cables - winch cable detensioning
  • 2 seat microlight glider - instructional flight - spun from a gentle stall - difficulty recovering

For more detailed commentary and all previous reports you can access all back copies of the Ops Team Talking newsletter. These have been placed on the Gliding NZ web site under News > Safety Bulletins A link to the GNZ incident reporting form (OPS 10) can be found in the very top menu bar on the GNZ homepage, just to the right of the 'Classified Adverts'. You can now fill this form out on your phone at the airfield so no excuses.


OPS 10 link: http://gliding.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/OPS10v7f.pdf

In the case of an accident, asap please phone: 0508 ACCIDENT (0508 222 433)

Thanks for reading

All contributions, pics, videos and opinions welcome

EMAIL: [email protected]