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The 2007 World Aerobatic Championships
Granada, Spain - June 24th to
July 5th |
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Online Results
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The UK Team |
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Tom Cassells
Gerald Cooper
Nick Onn |
CAP-232 F-GOTC
CAP-232 G-SKEW
Sukhoi-26 G-XXVI |
Mark Jefferies
Kester Scrope
Richard Gee
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Extra-300S G-IIUI
Extra-300S G-IIUI
CAP-232 G-IIVI |
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Team Manager - Steve Green |
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Unlimited Team Training Update - now at Raquena, Spain
The team representing Great Britain at the World Aerobatic
Championships are training at Requena Airfield about 40 miles to the
west of Valencia. The airfield is about 2000 feet above sea level,
which ensures flying conditions that will be very similar to those at
the competition site in Granada. The facilities at the airfield are
excellent a massive club house, with restaurant, hangers and
maintenance facilities. The airfield manager, Paula Herrero has been
very helpful and all the staff here are helping to make things run very
smoothly. The team is staying in wood cabins on the airfield. Requena
really is an excellent place to train definitely worth a visit if you
want to do some flying in Spain.
Five pilots, Tom, Gerald, Mark, Kester and Richard are training with
Eric Vazeille at Requena. Nick Onn is based at Ocania so that he can
train with Nikolai Timofeev. Ian Trask (engineer and video), David
Cowden (BAeF, fundraising and judging) and I (Team Manager) are
supporting the team here. Tom, Mark and Kester have been training since
Sunday. Gerald and Richard were delayed by a magneto problem on
Geralds aeroplane and arrived late on Monday.
The team are flying three times a day overhead the airfield. We have
marked a box to match the configuration of box and runway at Granada.
The pilots are working to finalise their Free Programmes Eric is
checking the sequences to make sure that they can be flown within the
1km box in a variety of wind conditions. It is likely that Line Judges
will be used at the WAC, so its important that the sequences can be
positioned well in the box.
This is the fifth team training camp this year and all of the pilots are
flying very well. Flick rolling technique has been explored in depth
over the last five months and its impressive to see the way that
execution of flicks has improved.
Each day starts with the pilots flying an Unknown sequence designed by
Eric each one becoming progressively more difficult the one today
(Wednesday) was really tough, but legal! Eric designs the sequence one
evening, the pilots learn the sequence overnight, Eric provides a
detailed briefing about two hours before the flights start and then the
pilots are on their own! Order of flight is determined by drawing of
lots and then the Unknown flights are run just as if it was a
competition. David and I judge the sequence, while Eric watches and
makes comments recorded on the video. The pilots are individually
debriefed by Eric after each flight. Its amazing to see the time and
effort that goes into planning and debriefing every flight. But it
seems to work the pilots are coping very well with difficult
Unknowns.
The remaining two flights are used to refine the Q and Free Programmes,
or to focus on specific figures that need special technical work.
Everyone is making good progress and its a great location to train.
Saturday and Sunday morning are here for training and then off to Granada. We
have planned one flight for each pilot in the box at Granada.
The Team Manager caused a major diplomatic incident by forgetting to
check that the BAeF fundraiser and Chief Delegate to Granada (David) was
in the car heading for the restaurant last night. Thankfully we did
notice that he was not around and went back to get him. At least the
incident entertained the rest of the team and took their mind off the
next Unknown sequence for a few minutes!
I hope to send you more updates when we have better internet connection
at the WAC Hotel.
Steve |
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