Articles Rally (Page 23)

Brits Airfield welcomed 35 airplanes on Saturday 13 November to celebrate the Peter Hengst Memorial Day. Peter was a loyal and active member of Brits Flying Club for many years, and the project is held annually in his honour. His wife, Crystal, was present, preparing breakfast and coffee for all the visitors.

The EAA and SAPFA members braved the heat to spend some time together and swap flying anecdotes.

SAPFA took the opportunity to hold a “Fun Precision Flying Competition”. 17 pilots took part, many of them contenders for National Precision Flying Championships which are scheduled for the end of November, also in Brits.

Hans Schwebel, chairman of Brits Flying Club, long-time Rally and Precision pilot, and the newly instated Vice President of the GAC (General Aviation Commission) of the FAI, put together a route that was both challenging and enjoyable. The normally rigid rules of Precision were relaxed slightly for the day, to enable pilots to adjust their skills from Rally Flying to Precision Flying. SAPFA are also trying to encourage more Rally pilots to attempt Precision, in order to expand the field available for National selection, and to improve South Africa’s chances next year at The World Championships.

Frank Eckard won first place, with up-and-coming Jonty Esser hot on his heels. Ron Stirk from Brits was placed third, and Rob Kennedy fourth. Congratulations to all the pilots who attempted Precision Flying for the first time.
Mike Cathro came first in the Sportsman class, with Keith Irwin second, Wynand Uys third and Rob Jonkers fourth.

Thanks to Brits Flying Club for hosting the event, to Hans for preparing the route, to Crystal and Ursula for preparing the delicious breakfast, and to Nella for running the club.

Brits Flying Club has generously offered to host the World Precision Flying Championships in October 2011, and if Saturday’s event is anything to go by, then our local and overseas visitors are in for a treat.

FULL RESULTS

2010 Brits Fun Precision Rally 13 th November 2010
OPEN CLASS
Pos. Reg Pilot Theory Mkrs Flight Photo Other Landings Total
1 MOC Frank Eckard 0 0 474 40 0 0 514
2 EYS Jonty Esser 0 0 588 40 0 0 628
3 IWD Ron Stirk 0 0 598 80 0 0 678
4 FHD Rob Kennedy 0 0 696 100 0 0 796
5 KNH Adrian Pilling 0 0 947 60 0 0 1007
6 CNZ Walter Walle 0 0 1037 40 0 0 1077
7 FDK Jan Hanekom 0 0 1303 40 0 0 1343
8 CNZ Steve van der Merwe 0 0 1690 100 0 0 1790
SPORTSMAN CLASS
Pos. Reg Pilot Theory Mkrs Flight Photo Other Landings Total
1 CHJ Mike Cathro 0 0 762 40 0 0 802
2 EYS Keith Irwin 0 0 980 80 0 0 1060
3 ESO Wynand Uys 0 0 1314 140 0 0 1454
4 KEZ Rob Jonkers 0 0 1895 140 0 0 2035
5 DED Telly Thomas 0 0 1944 120 0 0 2064
6 FLF Ralph Hurwitz 0 0 1946 140 0 0 2086
7 IFY John Shaw 0 0 2109 100 0 0 2209
8 DED Senio Do Pereiro 0 0 2300 140 0 0 2440
9 FDK Alan Wesson 0 0 2218 320 0 0 2538
10 UFO Ben van Zyl 0 0 2500 320 0 0 2820
11 IRL Sean Murphy 0 0 2500 320 0 0 2820

 

Jonty Esser - Competition Director
Jonty Esser – Competition Director
By Jonty Esser

On the 18th of September 2010 a fun filled flying competition took place at Pietersburg Civil Airport, with competitors coming from as far as Gauteng and Hoedspruit.

These fun rallies are hosted by SAPFA (South African Powered Flight Association) and are held monthly at different venues. These fun rallies has been an innovative and genius format derived from the FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale – The World Air Sports Federation) rally rules by SAPFA members, to introduce the sport to keen aviators, making it not only fun but competitive also focusing on enhancing pilot skills and constantly recruiting Pilots for the National team to compete in the World Championships.

The day started with the formalities of the highly important and comprehensive safety briefing presented by the safety officer of the day Mr. Leon de Villiers, followed by the Pilot’s and Navigator briefings presented by our Local Springbok, National Team member and Competition Director for this rally, Mr. Jonty Esser.

The navigators and pilots received their clue sheets and necessary blank maps, and immediately set off to work as the first take off was to be at exactly 11:00:00. Many of the competitors were first time rally pilots and navigators so help was at hand from the Competition Director. The route was setup to ease the new teams in up until check point 5 thereafter the degree of difficulty was increased. The route took the competitors from Pietersburg Civil Airport to Dalmada, then onto the University of the North from there out to the north then back to the Steven Lumber Mills, then back out to the Ebenezer Dam Wall, there after the climb for the Highest point in the Wolkberg Reserve flying down the mountain range to Chuniespoort and back to Pietersburg Civil Airport.

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By Cally Eckard
Grand Central, with its olde-worlde air and historic significance was a perfect location for a rally designed to fly over some of our rich and famous locations. From Nelson Mandela Bridge to Soccer City, over luscious golf courses, and from townships of Soweto to Sandton City, the teams thoroughly enjoyed the sights of Jo’burg while also concentrating on timing, navigation and safety.

For the first time, we held a briefing on the Wednesday evening before the rally. Most of the pilots attended, and many of them achieved really good results. This briefing was really helpful, as maps and instructions were handed out, and we all “flew” the route together on Google Earth, finding most of the photographs, and identifying features which helped the teams to fly the route more accurately during the rally.

The fifteen teams included two helicopters, which were of great interest to everyone, spawning arguments over whether rally flying in a helicopter would be an advantage or not.

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