REPORT ON 18^th WORLD PRECISION FLYING CHAMPIONSHIPS RIED AUSTRIA JULY 2008

 

1) INTRODUCTION

This report is prepared to record the preparation and participation of the New Zealand Team at the 18^th World Precision Flying Championships 2008. The writer was appointed Team Manager late in March 2008 following a Special Meeting of the NZPFRA committee.

This report has been prepared with input from the Pilot Team Members

 

The team selected was  

John Brunskill (Pilot)

Gordon Hughes (Pilot)

Daroish Kraidy (Pilot)

Ross Scherer (International Judge)

Vivien Hughes (Team Manager)

Funding assistance was resolved at the above meeting with a maximum of $12,000 per Pilot $6000 Team Manager & $4000 International Judge.

 

2) ARRANGEMENTS

Matters that needed attention included

Preliminary & Final Entries

Travel

Practice

Clothing & Uniforms

Aircraft Hire

Licencing- Sporting and Austrian Validation

Data Loggers

 

3) ENTRIES- Preliminary entries were lodged prior to the deadline set by the organizers-and confirmation of these together with a sample 1:200,000 competition map were received in April.

Entries together with relevant biographical details and arrival and departure dates were lodged early in May via email. Payment was made by Treasurer Ted Mason (using his personal credit card) prior to the early June deadline. Ted was not reimbursed until early July due to delays in getting signing authorities altered and lodged with the Westpac Bank.

 

4) TRAVEL- Arrangements were made by individual participants-with the aim to have pilots present at the first practice day of 7^th July. Return arrangements were varied to suit  each participant.

Daroish Kraidy traveled via Singapore Airlines on Wednesday 2nd with a brief stop in Singapore on to Zurich and then traveled by rail over two days to Ried arriving on Friday 5th July. Judy Kraidy traveled by the same route to arrive at Ried on Thursday 17^th July. After the competitions they traveled to Salzburg and spent several days touring before returning home.

John and Cathy Brunskill & Gordon and Vivien Hughes departed Auckland 2^nd July on Air New Zealand with a stop over at Hong Kong. John & Cathy departed Hong Kong via Lufthansa on Saturday 5^th July arriving at Linz late on Saturday evening. Transfer to the hotel was via prior arrangement with the organizers. Gordon &  Vivien departed Hong Kong early on Sunday 6th July via Qantas (as Air NZ  flight was delayed 3 hours and would have caused missed connections)  and was via London and Frankfurt arriving at Linz late on Sunday 6th to the same collection arrangements as for the Brunskills. The Brunskills traveled to Germany in the car driven by Ross after the competitions for a further 4 weeks touring of Europe. The Hughes traveled to Salzburg with the Kraidys on Minibus provided at a fee by the organizers then traveled to Vienna, London and Las Vegas prior to return on 31^st July.

Ross Scherer departed on 12^th July on air New Zealand via Shanghei to Copenhagen and delays caused missed connections. He then traveled via Piper PA28 with Vagn Jensen from Denmark with further delays in Germany caused bad weather. Ross stayed on for the Rally to return to Denmark with Vagn and then on to Oshkosh.

Individual members made their own travel arrangements and were reimbursed for basic return airfare early in July.

All these travel arrangements with arrival and departures were lodged with the Official Entries and Registrations.

 

5) NEW ZEALAND PRACTICE –Individual practice was over to each pilot. Gordon met with John at Tauranga and went over various techniques and training methods. Practice started early in May.

Team Practices were held in June at Springhill, Kaipara Flats and Thames. These involved the use of GPS data loggers and included several navigation exercises, flight planning and landing sessions at each venue. The use of the data loggers was very helpful with timing errors at TPs in the range of up to 10 seconds some secret time points were put in after the flight and these usually showed larger timing errors.

 

6) CLOTHING & UNIFORMS -after discussions with all  team members and due to time constraints white and black (easy wash and dri)  polo shirts, black caps and a black ( with white panels) windbreaker were selected  with shorts and trousers over to individual selection together with formal black blazer, trousers and shoes with RNZAC or Silver Fern Tie for formal functions. All were embroidered in Hamilton (by firm previously used) with Silver fern and the words “New Zealand Precision Flying Team Austria 2008”

It was with some surprise that the cost of the embroidery was almost as much as the shirts and the quality could have been improved on. The clothes and pockets were distributed in person or by courier.

 

7) AIRCRAFT HIRE-due to the high cost of aircraft hire in Austria we explored the possibility of hiring aircraft in other countries including Denmark-the additional time needed to collect and return aircraft together with bad weather contingencies caused us to hire Aircraft in Austria ( a decision well justified as actual weather conditions prior to and after the competition). One aircraft was a C152 with Stol gear and was used by John and shared with South Africa. There was little communication from Austria until a day or two prior to departure and we saved ferry costs by collecting aircraft. We got a C150 @ 144 euros per flight hour which was shared by Gordon & Daroish and to which was fitted Gordon`s modified doors. We paid for fuel regulary and this was deducted from hire prices. The aircraft were of a satisfactory standard.

 

8) LICENCING –Sporting licenses were speedily obtained through the RNZAC (Ray Woolford).  Copies of licences, medical certificates and copies of recent logbook entries were sent by email and Austrian licence validation was obtained on arrival for the payment of 74 euros.

 

9) DATA LOGGERS-we had made arrangements to borrow some from Denmark through Vagn Jensen. Ross provided a copy of computer data from Vagn which resulted in Daroish obtaining a pair of mini loggers from South Africa which we used for practice and a further 3 sets were ordered and transported to Austria by the South African Team. We borrowed a further 2 sets from Vagn when in Austria. It was essential to have at least one laptop to download data and to compare with routes and to clear loggers. At the end of the competitions we heard of software that automatically scores from data logger downloads and Daroish is following this up. There was concern when on official nav practice data could not be downloaded from Gordon`s loggers but this was solved when latest software updates were downloaded by officials.

 

10) PRACTICE AUSTRIA-collection of aircraft gave an introduction to the area. Daroish and John collected aircraft from Krems on Sunday 6^th July in good conditions. Gordon collected the C150 late on Monday in marginal VFR conditions. Early flights  were flown with 2 pilots in order to get to know the country. The 3 practice courses with photos were flown and were useful. In retrospect we could have flown more with each other and using more secret time checks to better simulate actual competition conditions. Landing practice was adequate with both runways and left and right hand circuits being flown.

 

11) ACCOMMODATION We were in the Kobelder Seminar Hotel (together with the British team) at Grossweiffendorf-  about 12 km from the airfield.We did not get rental car until late Wednesday and had to rely on pickups from the airfield. The standard of rooms and meals was good.

 

12) RENTAL CAR-although late the diesel Opel was satisfactory until the arrival of Ross and Judy when double loads were needed –it would have been better to have had 2 cars at that stage. Free diesel fuel was provided.

 

13) MEALS & REFRESHMENTS - these were of very good standard with 2 course lunches and dinners provided.

 

14) COMPETITIONS-were well run – for the Navex’s it was notable that there were very few timed TPs most timed points were at secrets. The landings were held over 2 days Daroish was leading in equal first until final glide landing on last day.

 

15) RESULTS - copies are attached .Daroish was the best performer in 12^th place and Gordon was in 43^rd place while John was at the rear of the field.

 

16) REVIEW - the event and preparation went off well- the team members all got on well together and mixed well socially. The results may have been less than hoped for but the advantage is that we have again been exposed to top level competition and we have a new member in John who now knows what it is like at this level. This should hold us in good stead at both future competitions and organizational levels.

It is apparent that our isolation is a disadvantage and that regular international competition is required if we are to perform at our potential which could be at the highest level. To offset this team members are coming up with several suggestions both to improve standards and to encourage wider participation.

A major problem is the shortage of people to organize future events. With the experience gained in Austria and the use of Data loggers course setting should be easier- but photo and ground targets are needed prior to International events.

 

17) 19^th WPFC POLAND 2009 - the Rally and Precision events are to be separate from 2009 - the Poles are keen to see a team from NZ. If a team is to go a minimum of 4 pilots should be selected so an “Off day” performance would not detrimentally affect the Team Score. Selection should based on best performance and for “blooding” new recruits both with a view from performance and organization abilities.

 

18) TEAM MANAGERS ROLE-it would be worthwhile for a written description of duties to be prepared to assist. Items to be covered should include

Team composition

Preliminary entries

Financial assistance

NZ Practice & Training

Official Entries

Travel

Sporting Licences and Licencing

Aircraft Hire

Clothing & Uniforms

Transport

Giveaways & Stickers

Overseas Practice

Payments for Fuel and Aircraft

Landing scoring

Briefings

Competition Day Transport

Queries and Protests

Payments Certification

Post Event Report

 

 

19 FINANCIAL  REPORT

Expenses incurred for each team member are attached separately.

 

 

Vivien Hughes

Team Manager

20^th August 2008

No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG. 
Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.6.7 - Release Date: 22/08/2008 12:00 a.m.