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The
European Aerobatic
Championships
Stanioniai, Lithuania - July 10th to 20th
2002 |
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The BAeA
power
Unlimited
Team |
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Chief Judge
Graham
Hill
Assistant
Steve Green
(UK) |
| Alan
Cassidy |
CAP-232 F-GYRO |
| Tom
Cassells |
CAP-232 F-GOTC |
| Patrick
Williams |
CAP-232
F-GJGM |
| Nick
Wakefield |
CAP-232 F-GYRO |
| Nick
Onn |
Sukhoi-26
G-XXVI |
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| BAeA
Teams Abroad - main page |
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BAeA power Advanced Team diary |
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BAeA glider Unlimited Team diary |
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Istra, Lithuania
Wednesday 17th July
1900 local.
 Flying
has finished for the classic part of the European Championship for
2002. Two of us are coming home
happy men; three of us not so happy. I'm sure
we are all wiser. Its amazing how long the apprenticeship can last
in this arena.
Tom has finished 15th overall, Nick W 18th. Both
flew all three programs without any
significant errors; a magnificent achievement under the pressure
that always exists at big events. For the others of us, it is really
a story of not maintaining the mental edge
under the spotlight. Nick O, Patrick and myself linger in the 40s,
the result of just one or two momentary lapses of concentration and
the odd unfathomable judging opinion. We all fly better in training
and, for me at any rate, in domestic events. Somehow its different
at International contests from the way it is at Sywell. As
individuals we react differently on these different occasions.
Perhaps we need to invest money in a psychologist as well as a
technique trainer!!
So the main part of the contest has finished a day
or two early. There will be a four-minute programme tomorrow, but
there wil be no British participation. The urge to get home before
the bad weather hits later in the week is strong. Eighteen days here
seems a lot longer, so much has transpired. The beds here also are
pretty hard, and the hotel spartan to say the least.
See you all sometime soon, I expect.
Bye for now
Alan
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Istra
July 16th
Well then, much to everyone's surprise Lithuania is still sunny and
hot. The good weather is forecast to last at least into Thursday and
the organizers are trying hard to get the contest finished before
then.
Yesterday we completed flying of the first
Unknown. This proved to be quite a problem generator for a lot of
people, including myself I'm afraid. The good news is that Tom and
Nick W both flew very well and after two flights both have secured
places in the top twenty. Tom is at 14 and Nick at 18, with 83% and
81% respectively. My error and break in the Unknown has reduced me
to 70% which is good for only 41st. Nick O is on 67% and Patrick on
66% which place at 48 and 49.
Big names to have problems included local hero
Vytas Lapenas with a 3/4 flick instead of a half. One Frenchman and
one Russian lady also had major problems, so although those of us
who flew less than cleanly feel upset with ourselves, we are in very
good company still.
Flying the second Unknown started this morning.
Patrick, Nick O & myself have all flown. We await the results.
Nick W and Tom will fly tomorrow.
Steve and Graham are working flat out at the
judging line, and are spending hours poring over video reviews
sorting out all the zeroes and protests. But the rest days we were
meant to enjoy have de-materialised in the sunshine and the urge to
finish. They are really going to need a rest soon.
I should be able to send our final impressions
tomorrow night, then we'll be able to get on with the long journey
home.
Regards to all
Alan
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July 14th
Here is the latest news from Lithuania, which is still sunny and
warm with the wind out of the north-east at about 8 knots.
The Free programme was finished last night (Saturday), with not a
little drama and upset. As ever, the British flights were of
variable quality, but the same is also true of the Russians and the
Americans. Only the French have survived without a big-name
calamity.
Tom had a really good free, just at sunset on Friday evening.
Conditions were ideal with the low sun directly on the B-axis behind
the judges. He is now placed 18th overall and is justifiably
pleased. Nick Wakefield had a very clean flight, though with less
bonus for 8 figures, and is 26th; very good for your first Unlimited
International event. My own flight was a bit nervous and untidy in
places, but was good enough for 35th at the end of an eventful
programme. The unusual thing for me is that I am ahead of both the
current World Champion, Mikhail Mamistov and runner-up Robert
Armstrong, both of whom collected zeroes in their seven figure
programmes. It is likely they will claw something back in the
unknowns, however...
The judging has been generally, rightfully, critical under the
direction of Graham and Steve. Among those to fall victim to the
Zero Monster were Nick Onn and Patrick who ended at 45 and 47 on
this programme. There are still some protests outstanding, of
course, but these are the current standings and I doubt much will
change.
Now we have to prepare intensively for the first Unknown. Flying
will start later this morning and carry on into tomorrow. The
Russian figure is an interesting combination of spin, flick and
vertical roll on a depth-charge. Will probably catch out a few.
There are a couple of vertical up flicks, which also usually find a
victim or two. The Italians persist with the 8-point roll at the
bottom of an outside loop from the top down. This is not now an
unknown as we have done it several times in the last few years. We
await developments with interest.
Best wishes to all,
Alan
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July 11th
Hello again from sunny Lithuania. This time it really is sunny
and hot. Will be 32 degrees today.
Everyone finally assembled at the contest site yesterday morning for
a 9 o'clock briefing. We drew for the Q Programme from 56 pilots
from 10 countries, although the 2 Americans are hors-de-concours,
just having to participate to qualify for next year's WAC Team.
The four of us who trained at the non-contest airfield of Pociunai
had a great time there. We owe a great deal to our hosts at the
gliding club who made us feel very welcome and looked after us with
great hospitality. Eric Vazeille has done a good job as trainer, and
we are probably better prepared this year than ever before. We now
each have the task of overcoming our individual psychological
gremlins and flying as well as we can during the contest itself. I
should also say thanks to all those back home who have been kind
enough to wish us well for the contest.
The lunchtime opening ceremony yesterday was the not unusual mix of
children's folk dance, military band and parachutists trailing flags
of competing nations. Although sunny and warm there was a bit of a
breeze so we did not melt completely while standing on the parade
ground in our blazers and ties for about an hour.
Flying started after lunch, at about 3pm local time, the judging
line having been set up under the control of chief Graham Hill and
his able assistant Steve Green. UK is thus well represented on the
ground as well as in the air. Patrick and Nick Wakefield flew
yesterday afternoon. Both have good qualifying scores. Alan and Nick
Onn flew this morning, Alan first of the day and Nick 4 flights
later. Scores are still awaited. Tom is last of us 5 at number 36
and will perform shortly after lunch at the current rate of
progress.
The organisers plan is to complete the Q flights today and then have
a briefing for submitting the figures for the first Unknown. As
there are 10 countries, all will get to throw in a figure, although
the Americans will be last to choose...
I will try to get more information to you when I can.
Best wishes
Alan Cassidy
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From the excellent EAC web-site....
A.Pekeliūnas - Mayor of Panevėžys region -
says :
"Let
our eyes and hears enjoy the feast....
I am happy that aerobatics is taking
hold in the beautiful Paįstrys area, finds its way to the
hearts of young people and encourages them to try their forces."
NHB
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July 3rd
Hi Everyone,
Here we are in sunny Lithuania. Actually it was cold, damp Lithuania
for a couple of days, but now is like real summer.
Tom and I flew here last weekend, with a Saturday night stop in
Herringsdorf, Germany, at a hotel complete with Irish piano-playing
crooner. Really quite bizarre as this is as far east as you can go
in Germany - hardly anyone speaks English. Russian gets by more
easily but with some hard looks. Nick Wakefield arrived by schedule,
along with trainer Eric Vazeille, on Sunday and we all arrived here
at Pociunai gliding club within about 30 minutes of each other.
Patrick was held up by weather in Poland, however, and did not make
it here until Monday lunchtime.
Nick Onn is ensconced with the Spanish Team (and Sukhoi trainer)
further north, so we are just 4 CAP pilots here.
The airfield is a big grass affair a bit like White Waltham without
the railway line. We have been exceptionally well received by the
very friendly locals. We have a fair number of box markers and our
training is going well. Eric is an exceptionally good coach and
always succeeds in finding some tough technical stuff for us to do,
so we are always learning.
There is a modern clubhouse built here for a major gliding
competition a few years ago. We are getting all meals on site as
well as having a four-bedroomed chalet in the forest to sleep in.
Tomorrow we we have a chance to travel and fly a slot or two at the
contest site itself. Then we'll come back here for more as we have
this field to ourselves.
This is the site of the Yak-refurbishing factory that Mark
Jeffreries uses and we owe him a debt of gratitude for arranging for
us to use the facilities here. Mark actually dropped in Monday to
collect a new Yak 52 and left early this morning for the return trip
to UK. The factory owner is also kindly letting me use his office
and PDQ line to send this email. Thanks to Vytas of Termikas, who
also happens to be a member of the Lithuanian Gliding Team for the
European Champs coming up very soon.
The contest proper starts next Wednesday, so expect more news about
then.
Best wishes to all
Alan
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