GNZ Newsletter
September 2018
From the president
Welcome to the September GNZ newsletter.
Spring has sprung. The days are getting noticeably longer and day light savings is the end of this month!
With the better weather also comes thoughts of dusting off the glider and getting back into some cross country flying. Beware though as it can also be a dangerous time of year and accidents often occur early in the season, when pilots are less current.
Personally, I always like to practice a good few short field landings before heading off on my first cross country of the season just to make sure I'm current and accurate.
Many clubs also hold beginning of the season briefings to help their pilots refresh and mentally prepare. If this is not something your club does then maybe it should.
I'd really appreciate please, no accident paperwork to cross my desk this season. I'm sure you feel the same.
Stay safe
Steve Wallace
GNZ President
What are your plans for the season?
Speaking of big plans and dreams...
After 5 weeks of preparation in El Calafate, Argentina, and 2 weeks of practice flying the Perlan 2, Airbus Perlan Mission II set a new unofficial World Record for Absolute Altitude without an engine of 60,669 feet (18,492 meters). Two days later on August 28th they broke this again with an unofficial 65,605 feet (19,996 meters).
Some you may remember the beginnings of this project when Perlan 1, a modified DG 505 flew from Omarama in the early 2,000's with some good ol' kiwi help.
You can follow these missions live on a 'Virtual Cockpit' by going to the website http://www.perlanproject.org/ and you can be notified when a mission is in progress by signing into the twitter account. https://twitter.com/PerlanProject
Watch the video
Perlan mission II
Youth Glide New Zealand
An update on what's up
Freedom of flight film festival
We are very pleased to advise the 'Youth in Gliding’ video, premiered at our AGM in June, has been selected for screening during the forthcoming Freedom of Flight Festival. Not only selected, but rated by the judges as tops in the NZ Short Film category!
The festival films will be aired at theatres in selected NZ centres over this coming Nov / Dec. Check it out here :
https://www.freedomofflightfilmfestival.com/shows
And whilst you’re doing that why not make a short list of local colleges and service groups you can approach to arrange their own special viewing. Take along the Presentation as well. (Both video and Presentation are here:
http://youthglide.org.nz/policy-resources/#_presentation
YGNZ AGM - meet / mingle / fly / BBQ / activities
To be held on the weekend of October 6/7 at the Auckland Gliding Club, 264 Appleby Rd, Drury.
For all the details and to register you interest: http://youthglide.org.nz/events/youth-glide-meeting-mingle-2018/
The Competition Scene
IGC World Rankings now available to NZ competition pilots
Are you a competition pilot? Have you ever wanted a World Ranking or to know where you rank in the world? Thanks to the efforts (and personal payments) by Auckland Gliding Club pilot Christian Derold, all SRC sanctioned contests now qualify for points towards your world ranking. This will be retrospectively applied to the 2017/18 season so you don't have to wait for this coming season to have a ranking.
All you have to do is go to the IGC website and self register:
http://www.sgp.aero/igcrankings/pilots/add-a-new-pilot.aspx
For a list of this coming seasons events and competitions and events click on the below link:
Thanks for reading
If you have a photo, video, article or burning issue and you think the monthly GNZ newsletter might be the place, feel free to make contact.
EMAIL [email protected]