Kaimais HG League

Crusty HG pilots struggling with technologyAfter missing out the previous weekend as HG league was postponed, don't ask me why, and making some bad calls weather-wise prior to that, I was desperately keen to get in some thermal flying. League was called for Kaimais and weather forecast looked good.

Paeroa briefing

Day 1 Kaimais

Where are the Cu'sTurned out a lovely fine day but with an obvious inversion. Wind direction was light west with cycles coming through. 12 HG pilots (a big turnout for HG these days) and a similar number of PG. Thankfully Jeff Ripley was there to help us load our 1^st Competition route as I was struggling with the user friendly Compeo technology. A 60km task was set, up the range 28km, and back down to Te Poi. I scratched around slowly down from launch to 1200ft before eventlly getting a low save out over the road and managed to thermal up through the inversion to 4000ft. The thermal location required guesswork (skill for some)  as it was a blue day. I managed 20km in 1hour 20min. Thermals were rough and often short lived, but it was a challenging day and I wasn't bored for a minute. @ 4 HG made TP1 and 1 made goal. Not to be outdone, Jeff R. flew down the range just short of TP1 and back to Matamata. On landing I was greeted by a friendly farmers wife who brought me out a cold beer. Lovely! Photos by Dennis Thorpe.

Day 2 Paeroas

Sunday weather didn't look as good with NE forecast. Paeroas called so a leisurely breakfast in Matamata wAtos HG launchingith Auck. PG pilots then off to the range.Turned out to be a good call as sky looked good. Due to wind and it being Sunday, task was called to Whites Rd (30km). Good strong thermals on the range and no problem going up. I flew out the front to a cloud and thermalled up to cloudbase, 4600ft, then over the back. Tried circling in 3 teasing bits of lift before the 4^th turned into a useful thermal taking me up to 4500ft. Downwind towards goal and I sucked out badly over the new farmland south of the power station. Unzipped to land but as I still had a few hundred ft I drifted over the last paddock before the pine forest and what do you know, a thermal kicking off. So from 1600ft up to 5300ft, cloudbase was higher over the back. I could have left thermal much earlier and glided to goal but it was a great ride and I was in no hurry to land. After Compeo told me I was over goal I tried heading into wind but it proved pointless so I flew back to land in goal with 3 other HG and, of course, Jeff R. showing us up again. Making goal was something I seldom achieve so I was wrapt with my flight. Thanks Natalie for the pickup and Andrew for the cold beers. Photos courtesy of Dennis Thorpe. Paeroas Panorama