Forbes practice

Yeeha out of the flooding rains of Queenlsland, into the sunshine of Forbes new South Wales Australia. I will try to get some different angles with my GoPro camera during th competions here at Forbes. Everyone is starting to arrive here, Jamie said Carl is having troubles with the snow getting out of Europe and has just jumped on a plane from Dubai and should get to Sydney at 0700hrs, so I hope he makes day one. We tasked a 100mile triangle on this day, Attila being the onlt one to make it all the way around Trent and Dave cut a corner alittle but still made it back to Forbes airstrip. Myself landing about 20ks short late in the day and Barnsie about 25 or 30 short. Realy fun day about 4 and half hrs in the air with 3-700fpm climbs to 7000 plus feet. The day noticeably softened at around 1630hrs and I passed up a few too many 2-300 fpm climbs, Doh!. Did the first half of the triangle with Attila, lots of fun flying with these guys, you learn so much. Worked on getting Kiero here to no avail!! "next year Kiero"..

I will try to update when I can here at Forbes, enjoy and happy new year!

Here is a quick video of the days events.

Just for fun! Forbes 2001.



When I grow up Flocky I want to fly helicopters, you know them one's with the rotor blades!



I just wana stop this towing BS and go hanggliding!

The first three Covert's arrive downunder!

More Covert pics to enjoy!!

The back end of the business!




Even comes with both custom deployment bags, quite heavy fabric though.



The harness is starting to fill out to a nice shape and mould to my bodies lumps and bumps.

I have now packed both chutes in the harness and when the bloody rain stops I may actually be able to test fly this thing. The build quality is 1st class quite obviously  built to handle a terminal chute deployment and then some. The sizing is spot on, so what you ask for you will get, if you want a loose fitting XC harness add 1/2" in length and width, if you want an all out racing harness Jeff Shapiro will make it so, room for you and your speed sleeves! The twin chute setup makes the harness hook in around 2kg more, but has added safety and a more symmetrical look than most harnesses. The boot detail is awesome in the way it moulds the composite plug ( with carbon fibre hatch), and I also love the neck/shoulder gasket, complete with it's own mini zipper. The main zipper is held with four layers of Velcro, therefore adjustable and replaceable during the middle of that all important competition where there never seems to be an industrial sewing machine handy. I will try and upload more pics and write something more once I have flown it..

The reflector is the handle for the drogue chute.



This harness is basically a rock climbing harness in disguise.

Look at that CLEAN carbon booty.

Rain rain! when will it stop.

Just some of my fav pics, this one by Dirk one of our local pilots, of me flying over Canungra, nice Clouds eh!. 

And the ones we love at times and hate when they eat our gliders topsurface!

Canungra Classic The Interview..

Canungra task 3

This is where I landed on day two after spending more than an hour trying to chase down the lead gaggle whom were working really well together and staying high. I landed at the base of this hill and walked down, the other side of that hill was westerly sun and the Boonah T turn point! Ahh well at least I tried. Most of the pilots today landed in the crappy northerly air on Tambo but I think around ten pilots got away on Mt Misery and down the Kerry Valley. Storms are brewing now and there is a real likley hood of a stopped task. Tomorrow is calling for rain and wind on Saturday so this could be it for the 2010 Classic

2010 Canungra Classic we fly!!

At last we get a fly from Tambo with a around 56k's to fly no one makes it but Jonny gets close, so we have had one day scored and one cancelled at this stage.

And yes my friends I and soon to take delivery of my slickest bit of hanggliding kit yet! That is the Covert, Look at em there eh!, sitting and waiting on the pruduction line.

And this one from Jeff Shapiro's "Skunk Works" pics, whilst undergoing testing in a subsonic wind tunnel.

Canungra Classic 2010

Well the first day of the Classic is canned due weather, low cloud and showers all day very dreary indeed.

Back to OZ.

Well what a trip,

Great flying, food, coffee and people. I have learnt more in the four race days of the pre worlds than I did in the ten at Forbes, learning plateau's you gotta love em! Flying with 150 pilots from all walks of life around the globe was the best and I cannot wait to do lots more. Competition flying is quite simply a well organised week of cross country comparison's, in this case from Manfred all the way to the wooden spooner. So many great stories of woe and glee, all the while just loving the technical aspect in striving to become faster and more efficient. Thank you Jamie and Karl for my retrieve I owe you both. Thanks Vicki and Greg for the home cooking and accomadation. And a big thanks to my employer Qantas Airlines for getting my glider there and back in one piece . In the meantime ogle some more of my pics.

Pre Worlds Monte Cucco 2010 ends.

We arrive at launch with clouds well below the hill but as the day warmed it actually became a nice taskable day! Jeff OB certainly liked it beating Manfred by a matter of seconds to first.

















"Now Jonny, Manfred's just over there, pull the bar this time" Heather Mull gives Jnr some last minute task instructions, Kinda!

Diesel Monto Cucco stlye!

Yes we had to wear these silly caps, keeps something out of the water?? Nitts maybe..

last day Pre worlds

We drive up Monte Cucco in the cloud but it is quickly lifting and we will get one more task in I would say. I am on the hill with a mobile internet card which has been so slow, when I get some high speed internet I will post some pics of the comp.

Task 1

Wow, what a place just like Canungra at home except 100 times bigger. Flew a 103 km task today with 150 other hangie's, so you can imagine the gaggles. There was probably about 80plus pilots in goal today, so not a day not to make goal. We flew from nth Monte Cucco cris crossing valleys and mountains via 6 waypoints landing back at Sigillo. How good is Italy? Chow.

Day 1 canned

Low cloud and wind! Oh well we can always have more pizza and coffee. Checked out the new WW Covert harness today and wow does it look slick. Looks like we will fly Sunday, Monday and Tuesday looks windy, Chow.

Briefing Italian style..

We have just finished our safety briefing on the eve of the comp, the wx looks like improving tomorrow as it has been rainning for two days here. Trying to get a decent internet conection is hard here hence no pics for a while. I think there are something like 150 pilots at this meet, so there will be big gaggles I would say. Icaro seems to be doing a roaring trade selling their certified helmets, and we are told there may be "random" sprog measurements this year with every glider measured next year. Everyone is ecited and looking forward to the next 9 days or so. Trent and I are happily wearing our "Dead Bull" Tee Shirts.

Mt Monte Cucco

We are finally here in Sigillo, with mount Monte Cucco in the background. Have set my glider up today and all looks good to go. Sue is relaxing in the B&B's hammock as I assemble my glider. Hangie's and Para's were flying at 2030hrs this evening in the glass off. Hopefully get in a fly tomorrow, but forcast is for wind at 18kts.

Ducati an Shoppin!

Police Italian style, Alpha Romeo.

Sensational day - visited and toured Ducati factory in Bologna - simply amazing. Heading down to the Coast to Ancona where all the ferries leave for Greece and Yugo .

More italian food and wine at this rate I'll need an RS4!

Italy.

Managed to take my glider with me on the plane and then it was on to the hire car, I hope Hertz does'nt see this one. Finally in Italy, drove our Skoda down from London through France and intp Italy.

It has been the most beautiful car trip ever! simply breathtaking.

Currently in Bologna home of Ducati. Pre Worlds start on the 31st Whohaa!!

Fly Fly Fly