Sleap Nationals CD report

For various reasons, the Advanced and Unlimited National Championships were to be held later in the season than I believe they ever have. “October is too late in the year” were the calls. Would this be the case?

I was to be the Chief Judge, but a work commitment ruled me out in the weeks leading up to the event. Rod Hervé stepped into the chair, so we were all set to go, except we weren’t. The Contest Director also picked up a last-minute work commitment, which ruled him out too. Fortunately, my work was cancelled, so I was able to step into the CD role, so now we really were ready to roll.

Day 1.

11 advanced and 3 unlimited pilots entered to play, including Igoris Lobanovas from Lithuania, complete with his trainer Eltonas Meleckis, but one in each class had to withdraw, so 10 and 2 it was to be, many sharing aircraft, so we were relying on their serviceability holding out. Unfortunately the Fowlmere GenPro experienced a major mag drop before it had even departed. A quick mag change and its’ pilot, Maciej, was on route to join the fun. The fun was confined to the ground though. Low cloud on the first day presented a good opportunity to submit figures for the Advanced Free Unknown 2 (P3).

An excellent dinner at the Pegasus Café at Sleap Airfield followed and we retired with the usual aviation ‘stories’ ringing in our ears.

Day 2.

With a strong frontal system approaching from the North West, I decided to push the briefing back to 12:00 to let us all have a relaxing morning before the 15:00 sequence selection deadline. Sequences selected, we concluded this meeting outside, looking at what the ‘back of the front’ had left in its wake. Developing low cloud and an increasing wind was the answer, exactly what our BAeA weather guru, Paul Brice, had predicted.

Day 3.

The Shawbury TAF contained two little words that made us all very happy – Sky Clear! And so it continued, a beautiful autumn day. 08:00 briefing, 08:15 bacon butty, 09:00 first pilot was how the day started and by lunchtime, we had the Free Knowns in the bag. 13:30, we launched into the BAeA drawn Unknown for both classes, finishing well within our 16:30 curfew. In the results, the Advanced pilots were very close at the top and the Unlimited guys had a score of one Hard Zero each, so all still to play for. It was clear that this had made itself a three sequence competition, so all we needed from day 4 was enough good weather to fly 12 Free Unknown sequences and some kind weather to allow everybody to fly home. Would it be good enough?

Day 4.

It dawned another lovely morning, if a little misty, but what cloud there was, was 3,700ft above the field, so not a problem, but, and it was a big but, there had been a major change to the wind direction and strength. In the interests of fairness, I reversed the flying order for the final day. The strong wind caught out a few to begin with but the wise had an eye on their comrades’ performances and adjusted their own planning accordingly.

The sequences were tough and the wind even tougher. Some put in fantastic performances while others dropped the ball here or there, but a fantastic effort from everyone, summed up by my favourite radio call of the weekend from Yorkshireman Simon Wood who, instead of calling ‘sequence complete’, laughed as he called “Eee, that were fun”.

And it was too, all of it. The flying and the company. The utter professionalism of all the pilots, business-like in their self-marshalling, aggressive in the air when necessary and all with the highest regard for safety makes me proud to be a member of this great club, and they’re my friends too, which is even better.

Thanks to Jen for her scoring input and paperwork juggling, especially when the CD says, “let’s change the flying order”. Rod and his team of judges and assistants, thank you! And of course, to Bruce Buglass and all at the Shropshire Aero Club, a huge, big thanks!

Many congratulations to our new National Aerobatic Champions, Tom and David.

Brian McCartney
Contest Director