Once again the site was absolutely fabulous thanks to all the hard work put in by Don and Andrew with help from Rod , Robert , & Alec . I arrived on Thursday and spent about 30 minutes sweeping the tarmac , everything else was already done . Some of us managed to test fly in the afternoon .
Practice was Friday and also a chance to fly as much as possible of NASS Sport Jet . This was to save some time over Sat and Sun because we knew we had good entries in most other classes . We also wanted to fly Classic F2C and F2F . Saturday started with Saturdays flying started with the Half A Team Race which only got to the first pit stop before the GREMLINS arrived . Ian Thompson and Grant Potter didn ’ t start the second heat so they were out . Brendan changed models but still didn ’ t finish a race . The final was a good race with only 9 seconds separating the 2 models which was also the time difference between the same two models in the heat . There was very little wind which of course suits these sweet little models . Both models were powered by Barny ’ s little motors . What is going to happen when these motors wear out .
F2C Team Race . The premier International event had the 2008 World Champion pitman from Australia Grant Potter with his father Geoff flying . Ian Thompson had a model that I think he bought off the internet , then fitted it with what he called a Lerner / lerner motor . This was not the top of the line motor but boy did it go . Andrew and Don flew . Adrian and Graeme teamed up so we had 4 entries . The two fast times were awesome to watch . I am not sure which race it was but Ian shut off a bit late and also had to overfly Grant who was pitting one segment behind . He basically landed the model into Rods hand . How Rod hung onto it I don ’ t know but it got a round of applause from everybody . They also set a new NZ record . The Potters time was only 6 seconds slower . It was also good to see Graeme and Adrian flying some F2C .
Class B Team Race . No flash times here but great to see Adrian ’ s new Classic B go 10 seconds quicker than in his race in Hamilton 2 weeks ago . He used a hotter fuel but he thinks that the Enya 29 twin ball bearing motor still needs a lot more running to get the best out of it for Class B . His next problem that I see is keeping it slow enough for Classic . I had fitted a smaller venturi to the X29 to try and extract a few more laps per tank in the hope that I can complete a final on 3 tanks so cutting out one pit stop but I lost about 24 laps . So much for taking a gamble and not test flying .
F2F Good to see how these models go . Robert didn ’ t finish the first race or start in the second race . The Potters second race was only 3 seconds slower than their first race . Graeme ’ s second race was one and a half minutes faster than his first race . Ian had a first lap crash so the two up race was only flown over 100 laps as a final .
Sunday ’ s racing started with Slow Goodyear . 11 entries , is this popular or what . We also had 8 entries at Hamilton on the grass . Good flying and some good times . Look at the times to get into the final , 14 seconds between 1st and 5th in the heats , then look at the final times . 28 seconds between 1st and 3rd .. This has to be a great event for the guys who don ’ t do much flying and / or are new TR fliers .
Fast Goodyear . The Potters unfortunately crashed as they started to practice on Friday [ wingover into the deck , write off ]. The motor appeared to be okay [ it is a MK3 Rossi 15 prepared by Tim Gillot in America ] and do his motors perform . I had a spare model [ actually it was Ashley ’ s Mr D rebuilt model with the GO 21 .] I checked the Potters lines to see if they would fit which they did with a few connectors , then sorted plugs , props , fuel for them . They had their hot thumb so they were complete . In the heats Robert had to withdraw after bursting a tank twice , Graeme had a DQ after he picked up my lines on landing . Sometime during the heats Grant decided to fly for me , Brendan was already flicking , so Graeme
Don gets out of the way in 1 / 2A
then pitted for Geoff . My model was also a Mr D with a Rossi 21 . Rob Wallace had starting problems also a Mr D with a Go21 . Rod had a quick time also with a Mr D powered by an OS 21 . Ian was getting tired , Rods model is fast and heavy so I think Glen flew the final . Rod finished in a good time but the starting on both of my models was going off so we withdrew and so did Geoff and Graeme . I have some mods to do .
Percentage Speed was the last event for the day and by this time it was about 3 o ’ clock so it was all go for the next 3 hours . Unfortunately a lot of the team race guys had left so we didn ’ t have a lot of people left for timing . We had classes 1 , 2 , and 3 as well as the jets . Thirty two flights with only one of those an attempt . Of course the highlight was Andrew ’ s flight of 217 + miles per hour , by crikey he was running around that pylon very damn quick . I am sure most of you will have seen Glen ’ s U tube clip . A great way to finish off a fabulous weekend of flying . I think there was about 6 of us left at the end doing the clean up and we left the field around 6.30 ?
Saturday night we had another great evening at Meg and Andrews house . Too cold for a BBQ so we all sat around inside . Meg did her usual fabulous meals for us and the left overs came out to the field for our lunch . Thank you very much Meg .
Thank you to the Potters for coming over from Sydney to fly with us . Thank you to John Taylor for coming over from Brisbane to fly with us .
Thank you to all who came to fly and also did some timing and lap counting . Something I thought was very good was Geoff Potter picking up the microphone and talking the pilots thru their flying technique , getting their positions correct which makes it easier for everybody to fly .
I am sure there is more stuff to tell the guys that weren ’ t there but just a huge thank you to everybody who helped .