 Random
observations from the Contest Director
It is not simply because Brits enjoy discussing the weather that it opens
most BAeA contest reports, it is because our sport is weather dependant. Met
forecast weather cold but flyable on Friday and Saturday, but un-flyable on
Sunday. Apart from a totally unexpected shower on Saturday morning, they
were right for the first two days but wrong on Sunday, for at the time of
writing it is still flyable. And still cold.
The other reason why weather is highlighted
in these reports is that it tests the endurance, and thereby the loyalty, of
the judges.
Elvington is a comparatively recent venue
for BAeA. From a contest viewpoint it is excellent: prominent line feature
in flat surroundings sparsely inhabited by tolerant neighbours. The
prominent line feature is actually 3500 metres: that is nearly ten times as
long as the runway at Netherthorpe where I learned to fly 25 enlightened
years ago. This means your average STOL Piper Cub or whatever could land and
take off 9 times? Now that would make an interesting ~ if pointless ~
competition. 3500 metres could also accommodate one- to- one airborne duals
with two aircraft performing simultaneously, one at each end of the runway
for direct comparison judging. I saw it done at Oshkosh, and there were not
too many scary moments. Airside facilities are zilch, but Yorkshire Air
Museum adjoins and has excellent facilities, plus a unique museum manned by
extraordinarily cheerful personnel.
In response to ongoing pressure to provide
box markers, eight ninths of the full box were laid. (Not all local
landowners are co-operative, and one was just plain greedy). Steve Green and
Graham Hill spent two days (two days!) placing them (how did we exist
without G.P.S?), then added fully calibrated line poles at two diagonal
corners. Such sophistication is a first in my experience, and a tribute to
Steve and Graham. Our next step must be to obtain a device for determining
precisely the bottom of the box. Also a first was my warning to pilots that
the central ‘X’ was on ground 50 feet higher than the judges, for which
there was to precedent in any rule book.
At Fridays briefing the Unlimited pilots
complained of a north – south axis when they wanted east- west; then on
Saturday they complained of and east-west axis when they wanted north-south.
On Friday they lost and on Saturday they won. Wind was constant on both
days.
Bandits in the box is comparatively rare,
but when they do incur it concentrates the mind. Perversely poor Dave
Kaberry suffered most. In his first flight the RAF elected to practice
(poor) aerobatics close to the north (in spite of my specific telecom to
Church Fenton the day before), and just as Dave restarted there was another
incursion from the west, which fortuitously backed away when I glared at him
(her). As if that was not enough, for Dave’s second flight he had a
supporting cast of 2 thermalling gliders to the west, a wandering high-wing
to the north then east then south, and an oblivious Cherokee type passing to
the south. “Apart from that, the box is clear” was my 126.57 message to
Dave. Earlier in the day an ex-RAF Gazelle flew south through the box en
route to see his Mum, then in the afternoon did the same northbound, this
notwithstanding my clear RT stating our activities.
Whilst the purpose of the event was to
judge aeroplanes, many present judged the the CD’s new motor - a VW Golf GTI
with DSG seamless change automatic gearbox - as highly desirable: 150 mph on
one run, though it struggled to keep up with GH’s new Jag.
 And
finally… results are listed below, but the Unlimited contest was a deferment
of the 2005 National Championship which had been postponed because at the
last moment the fleet which would have taken a major proportion of the entry
had been grounded. It was a contentious decision, particularly amongst those
who had not been grounded but thereby had gained reduced opposition. We all
apply our competitive nature in different ways, and don’t all agree with
each others techniques, but ultimately Top Gun goes to the best pilot, and
on this occasion it reverted to 1994 National Champion Mark Jeffries. Mark
had also - simultaneously - won the Unlimited National Alony Trophy, and
because (rarely) there had been no trophy for the Advanced contest he
offered to convey it to the Advanced winner, which offer was declined by the
CD. Advanced Gold Medal went to Gary Ferriman, and at Intermediate the Roy
Legg Trophy went to Mark Davies.
Thanks are re-iterated to all involved,
but notably to the pilots, without whom 15 selfless judges would not be able
to sit in a muddy field unprotected from a bitter northerly wind for 16
hours only to receive reciprocal criticism from same pilots.
ERIC MARSH
Contest Director, Elvington |
