Articles Rally (Page 17)

By Cally Eckard

The rally championships were hotly contested this year, with the prize being a place in the South African team to represent the country in the World Rally Championships in Portugal in September.

Six teams of two competed in Brits in April, in three world-class competitions.  The routes were set by three of the teams, being Frank and Cally Eckard on Friday, Rob Jonkers and Martin Meyer on Saturday, and Jonty Esser and Sandi Goddard on Sunday.  This meant an unfair advantage for the teams who did not organise routes, so the results had to be manipulated in order to obtain a fair score.

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Virginia Navigation Rally 2016

(by Rob Jonkers – Photos Cheryl Smit, Mike Wright and Rob Jonkers)

Durban Wings Club hosted the annual Virginia Navigation Rally on Saturday the 5th March. While the skys were clear and sunny, a very strong wind was blowing down the coast, this challenged the competitors to slow their aircraft down while flying south and trying to get the most speed while returning  up the coast.

My navigator Martin and I flew down in the Reims the day before from Wonderboom without a cloud in sight all the way, and not even the traditional haze experienced in coastal areas.

The rally was organised by Mary de Klerk, this being her home stomping ground, knowing the area well. Friday afternoon was spent at the flight school of Durban Aviation Centre who hosted their facilities for Mary to give a lecture on the intricacies of flying a rally and for the fun teams to register and start their route plotting to be ready for the next day.

Thereafter everybody chilled at the pool side of the Durban Wings Club for a boerie roll braai before turning in for the night.

On Saturday morning competitors started arriving at 7.30 for the briefing and to complete and check their plot. The Open teams had to wait for their papers as the plot is done in the aircraft. The first aircraft was off at 9h30 with the route southbound with the start point at Cooper’s Lighthouse, then further down the coast all the way to Ifafa Beach, and then turning inland.

The wind was around 20 knots down the coast, making it very tough to keep to the nominated speed, all the teams zig-zagging and crabbing along the course at full flap, most could not keep to their allotted time over each check point, as the wind pushed them south.

After Ifafa the route got more interesting and difficult, now the wind was from the front requiring full power to compensate, and the terrain rising as well. Finding the next check points throughout the peaks and valleys not an easy task, especially for the Vaalies only being used to the flatlands up north, and then finding that elusive waterfall at checkpoint 6 which was probably a dry waterfall had many competitors lose the track including us, making recovery at the following checkpoints difficult to achieve.

The finish was over the old Durban airport and then return to Virginia via the harbour mouth for a long final onto Runway 05 for a spotlanding on a black line which was elusive to see on the black tar runway against the contrast of the sun, and also had to contend with windshear as the wind the dropped off being blocked off from the seawards facing dunes.

All in all a real fun day in challenging conditions. In the fun class 1st place went to Troy Marais & Darren Holstead who flew a C150

  

And in the open class 1st place went to Frank & Cally Eckard in a C172. In the landing competition 1st place went to Bennie du Plessis and 2nd place to Rob Jonkers in a C152 & C172 respectively.

Thanks extended to the Durban Wings Club, especially Cate Juselius for hosting the event and run by the enthusiastic Mary de Klerk, the two flying schools Durban Aviation centre and Virginia Flight School for supporting the event with entrants, and Tyrone from Comav Insurance all the way from Gauteng supporting the event with wonderful prizes of an enraved leatherman for each of the winning team,  as well as photographer Mike Wright who donated aviation magazines as prizes.

By Alewyn Burger

27 February 2016 was a beautiful day and one of those days that if you had a flying machine you just had to get airborne! So we made the flying even more fun by having our first Fun Rally for the year. Tony Russel from SAPFA (South African Power Flying Association) as always did not disappoint and worked out a cracker of a route, the hardest one to date! 17 teams from across the Western Cape and one from the Big smoke met at 8am for a briefing on proceedings. a Safety Briefing was then held by Space du Preez our resident Chief Flight Instructor. Maps and Clue sheets were then handed out and the confusion began!

Tina & Adam from Mossel Bay in their Cessna 182 and Mark & Tony in one of the Club’s Cessna 172’s.

Sean Carson and his better half Annie on top of things!

Ulu spying on my navigator Nicholas.

Derick’s day job is being in command of a Embrear Regional Jet at Airlink and he reckons this is why God invented co-pilots but he’ll give a try! Too bad after he finished his planning he realised he forgot the hangar keys at home! Hahaha!

Bertie and Jaco made it all the way from Wonderboom. Welcome to the fairest Cape Gentleman!

Husband and Wife team Gudren and Jesse Roos flying their Husky.

Ex Mirage F1 Fighter Pilot and SAA Captain Piet Truter showing young Alan the ropes on his 18th birthday!

Deon and Stuart figuring it out.

After everyone finished Tony hung up the master map just to make sure everyone has the correct turn points. With his experience he was happy to help everyone on the right course.

So after we all gave Tony our desired ground speeds, the take off and turn point times were calculated and off we went with our loggers in hand!

On track!

Spotting one of the observation photos! Mark it on the map for no penalty!

Another observation photo spotted! Fork in the road with a puddle next to it.

Back at the Clubhouse for some prize giving!

Part of the challenge was a spot landing back at Stellenbosch! To no surprise Piet is making a fine aviator out of Alan as he nailed the landing by landing a mere 1 meter from the line giving him first place in that category! Tony congratulating the winners.

In 3rd place Nicholas and me (Alewyn) in our RV6. Proudly the first taildragger and low wing. Sean, your beer is looking dismal and it appears you are aware of it..!

Frank wearing appropriate apparel as 2nd Place it was him and Instructor Marko Nel in a Flying Club Cessna 172.

And in 1st place, Martin Venn and Springbok Rally Pilot Mauritz du Plessis in a Cessna 172. Well done gentleman! They walk away with some Flying Club Golf shirts, rulers and other aviation goodies.

Final Results.

In the end we are all winners because we get to have that cold one with like minded aviators after a great morning up there roaming the African skies!

See you all at the next Rally, in the meanwhile, be safe and keep polishing those basic flying skills!