The Advanced and Unlimited Nationals - 2005
CD's Report
The 2004 Senior National Championships were described at the time as "the best ever". Conversely, an unfortunate sequence of events caused the 2005 Championship to be one of the less good BAeA events. As if the loss of Mark Walden in an aerobatic accident was not bad enough, fellow aerobatic pilot Jean-Michel Delorme died equally tragically in another CAP a few weeks later. These disasters were compounded by the consequential grounding of all similar CAP types only 2 weeks before the 2005 UK National Aerobatic Championships. With the great majority of the Unlimited pilots therefore unable to fly, the committee of BAeA decided ~ not without considerable consultation ~ to cancel the contesting of the Neil Williams Telegraph Trophy and to proceed only with the David Perrin Trophy contested by a 4 minute free style flight. In the light of the considerable support provided in 2005 by Michael Bletsoe-Brown of Sywell Aerodrome, and Sywells expectations for 2006, an additional contest for Intermediate pilots was created at short notice. Eventually 6 Intermediate, 13 Advanced and 4 Unlimited pilots entered to compete and simultaneously entertain any visitors whom it was hoped might watch.

As Contest Director I briefed the Advanced pilots on Thursday 8th September at 1300 sharp in the Aviator Hotel. My briefings have changed little in the many years I have been doing them, for they simply outline the rules of play. On this occasion however I took the opportunity to address the Advanced pilots on three issues: 1) that the spirit of BAeA rules is more important than their precise wording, 2) that all pilots are in the same British team and factions must not develop, and 3) the referees' word is final and harassing him is likely to result in a red card !

Under a rising cloud-base all 13 pilots then flew the 'Q'. Alan Cassidy in his Extra scored highest with 70.82% but flying hors de concours was not placed; Gary Ferriman scored 70.01%, Tim Jenkinson 66.75% and Simon Cattlin 66.37%, the final order at close of play on Thursday.

Friday’s met. conditions were so good that it was agreed to fly the next two groups consecutively without a break, as a result of which flying had ceased by mid-afternoon. In the 'Free' Gary scored 76.64%, Tim 76.51%, Clive Butler 73.13%, and in the First Unknown Alan scored 70.82%, Gary 70.01%, Tim 67.75% and Simon 66.36%. The remainder of the afternoon was then taken in compiling the second and third Advanced Unknowns from the pilot-supplied figures. It was good also to see Robert Tinkler up and about again.

Saturday was scheduled to be a busy day with two flights each for every group, but alas the weather gods spoilt it again with weather so poor as to prevent even a weather check. Nevertheless the opportunity was taken to convene an impromptu BAeA committee meeting, at which a date in November was set for a full end of season committee meeting in anticipation of the AGM in January 2006. At the meeting ideas were mooted to enable the BAeA to move forward, but it seemed this would best be facilitated by some new blood on the committee. Most amateur sporting clubs find that their members only get as much out of their Association as they put into it, which means that BAeA will need more voluntary work from its membership if it is to progress.

By 1500 on Saturday it was agreed to be not feasible to start even if the weather cleared, and the contest was abandoned for the day. Sundays forecast was equally pessimistic, but we were not, for we hoped that Met. might again be wrong but in our favour.

Alas they were right and we were wrong! On Sunday gloom prevailed both over the airfield and in the hotel. A preliminary briefing at 0900 agreed a review at 1000, but conditions were such that continuation was patently impossible. Chairman Ben Ellis therefore presented the Advanced National Championship salver to Gary Ferriman and silver and bronze medals to Clive Butler and Tim Jenkinson respectively. Those flying home were reminded yet again that if you have time to spare, go by air, and did so five hours later, filling the wait by, inter alia, collecting the box markers so precisely located by the judges Steve Green and Graham Hill.

Thanks are due to a team now so large it is impossible to list for fear of omitting any, but ALL of whom are not only appreciated but indispensable. At least one consolation of a wet weekend is that it enabled us to watch England regain the Ashes.

ERIC MARSH
Contest Director

                       Senior Nationals 2005 : Sywell : 8-11 Sept
                        ------------------------------------------
                                    Advanced Final Results

 Order   Pilot            Aircraft type   Reg'n     Program1  Unkwn #1  All Grps  O/all %
 ========================================================================================
   1  Gary Ferriman       Extra-300       G-FIII      2605.7    2206.1    4811.8   71.818
  H/C Alan Cassidy        Extra-300       G-SIII      2477.6    2256.4    4733.9   70.656
   2  Clive Butler        Extra-230       G-CBUA      2486.4    2145.0    4631.4   69.126
   3  Tim Jenkinson       Extra-300       G-SIII      2601.4    1833.2    4434.6   66.188
   4  John Dixon          Extra-230       G-XTRA      2447.6    1958.4    4406.0   65.761
   5  Rob Howarth         Laser           G-CBHR      2480.4    1808.7    4289.1   64.017
   6  Ron Allan           Pitts S-2B      G-IIII      2391.1    1802.4    4193.5   62.590
   7  Tony Maxwell        Pitts S-2B      G-IIII      2404.0    1732.3    4136.2   61.735
   8  Cas Smith           Pitts S-2A      G-ICAS      2195.8    1890.7    4086.5   60.992
   9  Simon Cattlin       Yak-55M         G-NOIZ      2131.2    1907.7    4038.9   60.282
  10  Colwyn Darlow       DR-107          G-IDII      2331.2    1577.0    3908.2   58.332
  11  Adrian Howe         Extra-300       G-SIII      2068.0    1768.5    3836.5   57.261
  12  Dave Kaberry        Zlin-50         G-MATE      2035.5    1469.7    3505.2   52.316
 
   British Aerobatic Association
   Results after TBLP at 90% confidence with 1.20 threshold
   Sequence & Group two-pass processing at 12:28:30 on 12-09-2005
   BAeA Scoring System - software Ver 6:3 Apr-05
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