PG OPEN ROUND 1 - MANILLA - DAY 4

Task Committee hard at work

Protests were expected yesterday after severe penalties were applied for pilots not checking in by the sign-out deadline of 7pm, including Donizete, the first pilot in to goal.

On further investigation, it was deemed that he did make reasonable efforts to sign out, and he got his points back, making him officially the winner of Wednesday's task.

Now on to Task 4 on Thursday: conditions were initially confusing. Forecasts were contradicting each other so we didn't really know what to expect. When we showed up at the west launch, there was already a fair breeze coming through. And clouds! We haven't seen decent clouds for days.

NZ's Helen Jeffery also
successfully protested
penalty points
(after flying another cracking PB!)

The task was set with the usual 8km start cylinder around Mt Borah, to an 8km cylinder at Woodsref near Barraba, and on to goal at Moree.

Due to airspace around Moree, there was a 21km End of Speed, with goal a 20km cylinder. Over-flying was not recommended or you could be in trouble with the CAA.

While we're on the topic of airspace, pilots had to be careful not to breach the 10,000 foot ceiling. Believe it or not, it wasn't always easy. Several pilots found out the hard way, getting themselves a score of zero or -500 points, whichever is more severe, for the task. Ouch, that hurts.

Peter Slade was again the first in to goal, making it in 2h55m. We know the Aussies are racers but that's fast - this is 134.38km task!

First Kiwi in to goal was Reuben Muir in 3h06m. Big round of applause as well, please, for Andrew Cavaney, who quadrupled his PB flying 123km on task.

Results: Highcloud Kiwi Open Results

Did you know you can live-track us? Check this out while we are flying, expected between around 2pm and 8pm Kiwi time: Kiwi Open Live Tracking

[Update with corrections from Godfrey: there is no "airspace" around Moree. It's a CTAF which requires VHF airband radio monitoring and calls if below 3500ft - any PG/HG pilot with a VHF airband radio endorsement can fly through it; however for this competition it is forbidden to fly there. There is no airspace above 10'000 either - Class E airspace starts at 18'500 in this region. We are permitted to fly up to 14500ft with use of supplementary oxygen. Without Oxy 10,000 ft is the limit for all VFR aircraft, but again, it's forbidden in the Kiwi Open.}