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....