Spring is turning out to be a cracker anywhere South of the border with some great flights and photos emerging online.
Unfortunately Level 3.x resulted in the MSC Cross Country and the YGNZ AGM meet and mingle being cancelled but the good news is the Central Plateau Soaring Contest, the first of the season is underway. You can check out the tasks and day winners on Soaring Spot.
We all have our fingers crossed that Aunty Cindy's upcoming game of Red light Green light will not adversely affect the summer soaring season and that the double vaxed of pox city will soon be allowed out to play.
Please check in with your clubs and event organisers regards any pandemic related conditions and procedures that they may choose to impose to ensure the safety of all.
For those that can, make the most of, appreciate and enjoy the flying freedoms that you have.
And post photos for those that can't.
Steve Wallace
GNZ President
Congratulations
GAVIN WRIGLEY & OGC team
For running a week long 'flying start' course to train new instructors, winch drivers and launch point controllers. Pictured with senior students from the Tiwizel Area School.
CARL SHEPPARD
Endurance flight certifciate achieved! Must be spring in the deep south judging by the attire. We won't even ask about the bear.
MURRAY WARDELL
Big 'UP's' to Murray for leading from the front and taking on the presidency of the Auckland Gliding Club.
Can't go flying?
Then glider Sim Pro has the answer for you!
Beer holder included. Beer not included.
How mountain thermals work
Using a combination of lava lamps, on-screen graphics a chopping board and blue tack, Tim does a great job of explaining how he thinks mountain thermals might work.
PS: Don't forget to check out his 'merch' store for Xmas.
There were so many great photos from the month just gone I thought I would include a few.
Practice day at the Central Plateau contest
Spring snow melt from the Dart at the top of the South
Spring flowers on the spring grid at Springfield
John McCaw at Mt Arrowsmith, still plenty of snow here.
Happy days with flights of 300km, 400km and 500km being had from Springfield
Trial Flights, a reminder
Advisory Circular
AC 1-04
With the summer season approaching it is a good time to for all clubs to remind themselves of the contents of GNZ Advisory Circular AC 1-04
We are also aware that TAIC has sent a survey out to about eight of our gliding clubs with a line of questioning that is seeking to understand how trial flights work in our clubs.
Also, a timely reminder from the CAA that they have little tolerance for flights that are paid passenger adventure aviation flights but are not conducted by Part 115 certified operators. Check out the article below from the Otago Daily Times
There has been a couple of AD’s (Airworthiness Directives) that have come out recently that are quite important to the safety of your gliders and it’s your job to ensure you comply with them. Not the engineer’s job.
A recent AD on ASW15a gliders means they are all grounded after 30 days of the AD being issued (August 26th 2021) unless they are inspected and or repaired.
Because of the seriousness of the AD I found it strange the CAA had not notified the owners of these AD’s as I considered this AD rather important and I took this up with the CAA.
The CAA disagreed they should have sent this AD out to owner/operators and said they only send AD’s out if their compliance date is less than 28 days or within the next 50 hours (eg very urgent).
I am following this up with the CAA as they are correct but practically I feel it is a bad idea with many owners relying on engineers to do this job for them and this AD is certainly very important.
I do however agree with the CAA that it is the owner/operators job to ensure they are up to date with AD’s and this has been advised several times before.
To help you the GNZ has an excellent AC3-15 which explains very well what the responsibility of an owner/operator. Section 2.7 in the AC makes it crystal clear what you need to do, so please sign up for the AD’s and then when you see one that might affect your glider just ask your engineer or myself.
see below example of what you might find when the AD points you in the right direction
Landing out
Anton shows what a great land out looks like
The prelanding checks might not have been in quite the right order but check out the last four minutes of the video below to see what a well planned and well executed land out looks like.
Well done Anton.
Height-Hunters
I believe getting across the border is easier when you are in a gang. Food for thought.
From the desk of the NOO (National Operations Officer)
Brief Review of Incident Reports for August to October 2021
glider rolled over protruding concrete threshold marker on aerotow launch, wiped off tail skid
glider crash-landed just short of airfield after sustainer engine failed to start, minor injury to pilot
undercarriage on two-seater retracted after landing, lever not fully locked in the down position
undercarriage on single retracted after landing, handle worked its way out from locked position
self-launching motor glider ground looped during takeoff roll after wing dropped into long grass
glider turned away off aerotow with tow rope still attached, two incidents with same trainee
heavy landing on instructional flight, sideslip on final, instructor failed to intervene in time
winch launch, wing tip dragged on ground, no attempt to release, ailerons initially deflected
winch driver was wearing gloves (OAT 2°C) and hand slipped off throttle seconds after all-out
itinerant power plane landed on closed winching area, taxied across cable, pilot became abusive
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.
