CD's Report
Aviation might be light years behind James Allison’s world of motor
racing, but British Aerobatics has progressed since I directed my first
contest at Wickenby in 1991. Then we operated from a derelict tower with
minimal staff and an audience only of farm animals. Fifteen years later we
operate from a smart hotel at a real aerodrome with a staff: pilot ratio
exceeding 2:1 - typically t here were up to 30 volunteers serving 15 pilots,
not counting the aerodrome and hotel personnel. In addition an estimated
1000 spectators attended Sywell, plus countless thousands viewed it on local
TV.In business terms the event
costs more than it earns, which means that BAeA membership underwrites the
contest; the ethos of this is that an aerobatic championship is a high
profile event designed ~ inter alia ~ to provide exposure for our sport and
thereby attract more pilots into BAeA membership. Alas organisational
requirements are not limited to the days of the event, for preparations
continue throughout the year, peaking during the actual week with volunteers
tramping through the fields to locate box marking sheets and line judging
poles, transporting required equipment, generating publicity material and
resolving the logistics of sustaining 20+ judges in a remote corner of
Northamptonshire
The first team, the Unlimited entries,
were decimated last year following the catastrophic grounding of a majority
of the fleet, and that situation continued with the result that only 4
entered this year. Advanced pilots numbered 12 including some new'ish faces.
As CD I opened the first briefing by reminding pilots of both the rules and
codes of conduct expected of BAeA pilots. The line between humorous baiting
and mischievous harassment of officials by contestants was sometimes being
crossed, so tongue in cheek I reminded the latter of my threat to introduce
football referees cards to fouling pilots: red was disqualification, yellow
was points penalty, and a new white card was a final warning. Hopefully we
will never be reduced to such a scheme.
 Not withstanding the previous few days of
balmy weather, Thursday morning was truly horrendous and prevented every
single entrant from transiting. Consequently, the “no brief – no fly”
concession was invoked and several late arrivals received 1-to-1 delayed
briefings. An improvement in conditions facilitated a few Advanced flights
but Sywell's strict 1800 curfew prevented completion of the Q’s. Friday
morning looked promising, but the rest of the day saw intermittent cloud, so
by the evening the contest was about 1½ days behind schedule. Happily
Saturday was as good as was forecast but in anticipation of a reversion to
bad on Sunday I announced a deferment of the second unknowns to Sunday,
anticipating the Masters and 4 minute freestyle on Saturday. Grumbling
opposition to this was countered by a comprehensive brief from Alan Cassidy
and persuasion from me that the flight should be seen more as entertainment
than competition.
The strategy of shifting programmes
worked, for against all expectations (see below), Sunday was flyable and
facilitated a second unknown for Advanced pilots, the remaining Unlimited
pilots electing not to fly in the gusty conditions.
Thanks to the strict safety disciplines we
impose within the BAeA, hairy moments are rare, but still disconcerting at
the time, particularly for the subject pilot: one did not take lunch but
still took his siesta during his flight, and another had an on-board tool
elope to establish an intimate union with his elevator controls. I.L.A.F.F.T.
etc..
| Helpers throughout
were just too numerous to mention but several do deserve special
recognition: |
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• |
Alan Cassidy, just
for being Uncle and answering innumerable technical, strategic,
operational and general knowledge queries, always correctly. |
|
• |
Steve Green, H.O.C.O.,
for spending hours before and during the contest negotiating with
miscellaneous bodies for numerous purposes. |
|
• |
Jen Buckenham for
co-ordinating shed-loads of paperwork for (occasionally)
disorganised pilots and judges, and providing sustenance for same. |
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Graham Hill for
acting as local guide and host for South African guest judge John
Gaillard. |
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John Gaillard for his
very professional and authoritative style as chief judge, with
highly analytical conferences after every flight to ensure absolute
judging consistency. |
|
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Peter Macintosh, ex
Red Arrows (who incidentally provided an 11 ship low-level
fly-by-with- smoke “tribute to British Aerobatics” on Sunday
morning), who spent two days transiting to and from Scotland to
judge, and who was delegated to brief the contest on weather.
Somehow he established one-to-one communications with live RAF
forecasters, and twice a day provided our group with met reports
which were not only concise and precise but outstandingly accurate:
for instance, Sunday’s conditions had been of concern for some time,
but on Saturday night Peter said it would be OK; when Sunday dawned
clag, pilots and crew planned departures, but on Peter’s assurance
of “flyable between 12 & 1300” I insisted on a full briefing at 1200
and first flight at 1300. And that is exactly what happened! Good
old RAF. |
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Patrick Margetson
Rushmore, who climbed to the roof of the Aviator Hotel and provided
a p.a. commentary on the afternoons' flying. |
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• |
Chris Cain, BAeA
Glider Rep who provided not only a Fox glider, tug, crew and pilots
for two excellent contest sequences, but also his lovely partner
Cindy Copsey to present the awards to the various champions listed
elsewhere. |
In closing the event, Alan Cassidy
reminded us that it had been just a year since Mark Walden had died in the
tragic aircraft accident at White Waltham, and the occasion was commemorated
by a few moments of silent contemplation.
Eric Marsh, Contest Director |
