Dobry den, folks, only it's not a bit dobry, it's raining again,

Last night the sky cleared at about 6.30pm but wind stayed stubbornly out of limits until nearly 8.0. At last, seven or eight pilots flew the unknown. Our Jamie was final flight of the day, launching into gloom with the tug nav lights very bright, but he took full advantage of a bright patch of sky as he got into the box, and flew a cracker. We all thought his performance best of the day, accurately flown and well positioned. Judges were pretty much in agreement as he scored well and is 4th out of 14 for that sequence so far. He landed at 9.10, so it was a long old day at the airfield for so few flights. However.....

Getting up early today NOT necessary as rain and low cloud have ruled OK all day. It is 3.15pm now, yet another re-brief due at 5.0pm, but it looks worse than yesterday and the sat pictures show cloud cover from here to the UK without a break. Crap in any language!

It was great to see some friends of ours who came out to CZ for a few days just to see us in action. Denis Woodhams, his lovely wife Margaret (thanks for the big hug, it's been over a week away now!), and Mike and Brenda Littler. The Woodhams are proprieters of the excellent Arrow Mill Hotel, near Alcester in Warwickshire. Denis flies just about everything and has done aerobatics in SU39,  Tiger Moth, Harrier....and the front of a Fox. Mike is Manager of Wellesbourne Mountford airfield, does a lot of flying, Helis and fixed-wing, and will give in and take up aerobatics if we just try once more. They got to see a few flights last night, at least. Thanks for coming, chaps...sorry about the weather! Chris Cain couldn't stand the rain and shot himself.....see right!

Nashledanou,
Andy

Ahoj!

No news has not been good news, I'm afraid. The weather has been cruel and left us endlessly hanging about without flying. Two pilots, Eric from Holland and Ferenc from Hungary, were able to do the unknown at about 6.0pm yesterday, and then it rained....again! Today has been worse. It is 4.0pm now and the hangar still full. We are re-briefing at 5.0 but I think chances are slim for today. Forecast for the next couple of days much better but we are running out of time. Let's hope!

I took an evening off and went to visit my Czech Dental nurse in Mikulovice last night. Wonderfully hospitable family who made me drink for Britain. Took sore head across border to Poland this morning...actually rather releived not to be up early. Still, it was a matter of national pride, you know!

Na zdravie,
Andy

Hi All,

A frustrating day today. Dawned blue and calm, everyone got excited and ready, then early cloud formed (you know, those nasty  fluffy little cumulus things that straight glider pilots like) at just a hundred metres short of the 1200 we need. 3.0 pm now, and I would not be surprised if nothing happens....it's getting greyer! The unknown we should be flying has 9 figures and 10 rolls ...(!!!) The EGAC website is rather slow in getting results and progs on, so a pic is attached of the Polish copy.

Results for known:	Jerzy Makula  Alexander Panfirov  Valentin Barabanov Ferenc Toth	Poland Russia Russia Hungary	79.44 79.03 78.98 78.01
and......	33rd  Paul Conran   42nd Jamie Allen     45th  Andy Cunningham 48th Chris Cain		69.98 62.64 59.61 54.86

  

We ALL have good excuses for not doing better, mine probably the lamest....my hand slipped right off the stick during the second inverted part of a 180 outside rolling turn, NOT helping the score. Everyone has been very helpful though, suggesting all sorts of ways I can stop my hand slipping off my stick in future.

Czech Republic is wonderful. Lovely rolling countryside, with mini-mountains here, forested on the tops. The real ones are further north and east. Roads are empty, buildings pretty, girls have fine architecture, food excellent, beer CHEAP and natives friendly. Provision of accomodation has been a partial success. Dick and Judy have good hotel with rest of judges. Jamie and Chris/Cindy each have HUGE apartments overlooking the town square. Paul has a good sized room in the rather seedy Pension above Excalibur restaurant (which really has torn the arse out of the Arthurian bit....complete with suits of armour and sword in stone!). I myself have vacated the cupboard I was given, at the same establishment, in favour of a room in a rather beautiful house two miles out of town, sharing with Polish team member, Staszek, the younger Makula and his delightful partner, Anna. I am hoping for better scores when I take on the alter-ego, as devised by Dick, of Andrseji Cunnilingski.

More tomorrow.  Happy landings, and Ahoj!
Andy