Brainstorms over Winston Park

Does anyone know what happened to the designer/vendor of the Brainstorm, Jacques v d Lingen from Steiltes? These models were purchased from him some while ago and there is interest on our slope for more, but I cannot get hold of the seller. Any ideas??

Jart inspiration

I see quite a few of the BERG lads have been bitten by the Jart bug, and in fact, Mike May has already started a build log on their blog documenting his build. By way of inspiration, here are a few pictures of my EPP Jart bought from Leading Edge Gliders some time ago. She has been flying the Winston Park slope for close on 6 months now without incident. Very smooth flyer with an excellent roll rate. Cant wait to see a squadron of Jarts over Tamatieberg.

Team Winston checks out Derek's Dale - Sunday 16 September 2007

Team Winston's John Coulson and Brand Conlon assembling their Graphite 2M and Toko. Third slopeateer Paul Paul Boswarva getting the low down on the area from Dave.

Team Winston almost ready but Andre Leusch playing safe and not assembling the Sharkie till he sees wot all the fuss is about.

Wind protection the order of the day - Dave had quickly decided sloping in drizzle was a preferable option to RC Cars in drizzle, fortunately the rain held off at the slope.

Brad fired up to get going......

Rob Pirie showing the latest style on landing approaches for good pics - hard on crunchies, though.....

Paul on landing approach with the slippery Banana 60 inch.

The windblown smile says it all......

Roving photographer Rob shown the old school neck strap approach.

Paul about launch Brad's screamingly fast 490gram ballasted Toko.

West slope view over Inanda dam.

The motley crew, John (Graphite), Andre (Sharkie), Brad (Toko), Dave (JW) and Paul (Banana).

Same crew with Rob the camera man instead of John.








The wind was helter and landings skelter but quite an enjoyble outing for what was looking like a grisly day. Some testing of a possible F3F course was encouraging. Greg West arrived late and treated us to latest in splat landing approaches......

Personality sneak peaks from Rob Pirie at Springfield

The man Russ'cle in full concentration.








Surfer Pete and Dion Thompson distrustful of this new old oke taking pics - Dave still programming.....









Andre Leusch with the legendary Springfield Shark, now in red.











Les Ward with the Dion Thompson Graupner Secco - speedy little beastie uses a home made EPP fuselage.

Winston Westerlies

So, while the BERG guys were celebrating their Blog's birthday at Tamatieberg just outside Volksrust, the locals were blessed with a south westerly wind all day on Saturday, and some of the regulars took advantage of the conditions and flew all afternoon. Glen and Mike were the early arrivals, followed by Greg West, Bill Williams, the terrible twins Paul and Brad, and very late in the day a pilot whose name I didnt get, but who was flying an ex Brad Conlon Toko. We also had a visit from Jason, who has relocated here from Cape Town, and was looking for a second hand tx so that he can get airborne again.

I finally got to see the famous Vannessa V tail belonging to Bill fly, and what am impressive sight she is in the air. Bill flys her without trepidation and she responds with grace and poise. The hardest part of the flight according to Bill is getting her down again, especially on the restricted landing space at Winston Park. An attempt at capturing her on video was thwarted by flat batteries in the video camera, the charged batteries having being swopped out by Bill's daughter to power her camera - Oh the joys of having children!!

Then the hooligan brigade took to the skies with Brad and Greg flying Toko's and Paul piloting a Banana, and for the next half an hour you heard "right to left" followed by the whistling sound of air molecules being shattered by a very efficient wing section at high speed. It never ceases to amaze me just how far back over the backside of the slope these planes can go, and still be brought back to the front side with ease.

Then the beginners were allowed back on the slope with Windrider Bee and Frank Cavazos Boomerang EPP wings. Late in the afternoon, I gave the Richter Weasel Pro a whirl, but the conditions were just a little too strong for it and I landed before the turbulence put her somewhere that I had not intended, and which would have entailed either climbing trees or hiking down the slope to retrieve.

Here are more pictures of the pits, prior to the "heavies" arriving....

Front, with Tx Windrider Bee,centre Brainstorm (local design)

and left rear a Sticktime Bat Hawk

Opposite picture - L - R Richter Weasel Pro, Frank Cavazos Boomerang

with Tx, a scratch built Ed Slobod Ridge Rat and another Brainstorm.

The only down side to the whole day was returning to my Corolla to find the one plastic hubcap missing, presumably stolen by the juvenile skateboarders who were playing in the cul de sac when I arrived.

Heres to more westerlies, Winston Park, good friends and happy flying. Till next time....

Simon's long lost model retrieved at last

A Cliff Watching novel, By Ileined Dover !!

I lost the plane on the 25th of February!

Took 1.5 hours to get up, very steep, the grass was long and flat and you slid on every step, it was strange, it was just like walking on ice. Half way up there is a steep rock cliff. Lots of loose rocks, every step had to be checked. Bruce and his wife, Rose, came up with me, with their 2 dogs. I found it as per the pictures with the port wing in the ground.

I could clearly see from the Microlight that the glider was hanging inverted in the trees. It had then fallen and landed on the wing tip, also causing the fus to crack behind the wing root. Infact the only damage from the actual crash was a hole in the starboard wing tip, from the tree on impact the rest of the damage was from the fall. The top of the cliff was covered in nettle's, 3 types were available for you stinging pleasure, a small twig, a waist high bush and a tree!! I managed to get touched by all flavors on the way through, and then proceeded to slid down the cliff towards the plane only to fine out I was heading for all three types, in a clump, grinning at me, I made a full and yelping contact with said obstruction.

Dismantled it, wrapped it up, and it took a 30 minute slide down the cliff.

All easily repairable.

When I got home put in a new battery and all working fine.

Well worth getting, BUT I knew were it was.

Simon

Verulam / Inanda Slope nick named "Derek's Dale" by Russ

The recent untimely passing of Derek Dillion prompted Russ to call the North Coast hidey way slope "Derek's Dale" in rememberance.

Russ has been doing some homework on this interesting spot and reports as follows:

"Had a great session on the slope this morning, wind coming dead on to the slope, light but good lift at 8.30 am, yes am. I know you were at work, that is tough, somebody has got to use the wind that is sent for us.

Finally met the owner or should I say previous owner as he has sold that magnificent old home and environ to wait for it, Etekweni Municipality who are going to re-develop it into a conference centre with Chalet type accommodation and use the existing building as the main facility, phew! Hope I live long enough. They have owned it for over two years already, City Hall works slowly.

On the South face there is a straight stretch of 120 meters ideal for racing or timed pylon flying.

Attached find some pics of the slope and farmhouse, which is +- 120 years old and originally built by the Australian Armstrong who did the cattle and cane thing, before moving down closer to the sea, the offspring of which has levelled the new Polo fields at Ottawa, home to Plane Game for a short while.

Please forward this on to anybody I have missed as this slope is truly amazing and we would love to see as many people up at the renamed "Dereks Dale", sooner than later.

Regards

Russell Conradt
0828227887"