Sunday the 8th proved to be everything predicted. I had arranged Lloyd for the launch, and skysight indicated 3500 ft at 12 p.m. under Cumulus.
The plan was to fly from Waikerie, Maggea, Wunkar, Morgan Woolpunda and back to Waikerie, keeping close and clocking the distance as an AAT task.
After some mulling about I launched at 1:30, with Lloyds skill for towing I released straight into a 4 knot thermal essentially directly above the start line, with a light northerly of only 2 to 3 knots this gently pushed me past the start line at about 3000 I continued to take it to the top departing the thermal at 5200 feet or there abouts.
Tracking North about 2K to cross the start line a quick 180 and I was on my way to accomplish one of the fastest legs I had ever flown, a trailblazing 98 km per hour…. to Maggea and the day was well underway.
Bill radioed on 126.7 to see what conditions were like, and needless to say promptly D.I’d Hotel Papa and was soon air born to join me. By this time I had at least 50 km under my belt and was on my way to Wunkar, with conditions Peaking at almost 6000 ft under CU.
Understanding the conditions would deteriorate around 4 p.m. I pushed on to Morgan making the turn point at about 4000 feet.
I picked up a weak thermal and struggled to 4500 with another attempt about 10 km down track nothing sound, until about 10k out of Waikerie when a good 3 knotter took me to 5 1/2 enabling me to squeeze a little more out of the day and proceeded to Woolpunda bagging 204km’s and possibly the winter trophy.
Bill enjoyed an awesome flight of 150km and probably would have threatened my position had he launched a bit earlier.
The next flying weekend will be on the 28th hopefully the weather will be terrible otherwise you may find the entire fleet with flat tires, good luck!
