Pieter's First score for the comp is in

Photos

I quick report on my 151km flight on 04/03/2010

Living in Great Brak River I am bordered on the East with the George Airport
CTR. Also to the East the weather paterns tend to be "squeezed in" as the
gap between the Outeniquas and the sea get smaller and smaller traveling
towards Plettenberg bay.

So a long xc flight to the West would be the best option. With the Mountain
range thurther and further away from the sea it's pretty much rolling hills
of about 100 to 200m average height. Awesome terain with plenty of gravel
roads and some nasty valleys.

Our wind pattern is predominantly in the SE/SW sector, only swinging East
post frontal for a very short period.

I've been waiting for this 10-20km Easterly to sinchronize with my
availability for two years.

Taking off, I immediately started with a gentle climb to find the best tail
wind. Finding a nice 10-15km at about 400m asl. There was a nasty inversion
at 500asl with absolute dead air above. The first 2/3 of the flight it stayd
like this, the only problem being my comfort level.

At 350-450m asl I had for the most of the way only about 100-150m above
ground, in the turbelance below the inversion and the rolling hills it was
not the most comforting flying but bearable. So every 15min I would climb
back above the inversion to see if the Easterly hadn't started there. But no
luck, still dead smooth air with no wind.

After about two hours my ground speed gradually started dropping, so I
realised that the wind has started swinging back to its normal SW. At this
stage I averaged 58km/hr for the first 2hrs.

The last hour I spent in the comfort of the still air above the inversion at
550-700m asl. The only problem that even there the wind started to pick up
SW and slowed me down quite a bit.

In terms of flight planning all worked out perfectly. Exactly 3hrs on 13lit
at best distance/economy trim setting. (45km/h). Landing only 12km short of
my goal at Swellendam was a bit disappointing but 151km straightline (155km
track distance) gave me a lot to smile about.

Motor PAP with Ross125, 130cm prop. Wing Dudek Reaction 29

Safe flying to all

Pieter Wolmarans