Two Oceans Slope Soarers aerobatics 2012 continues the magic

The story from this side is intended to be shortish, suffice to say that the TOSS team yet again improved on an already immaculate event. Some verbage and Russ's pics will be added as and when time permits.

RESULTS (Kzn Springfield Chickens in bold italics):
Sportsman
 1. 100.00% Dave Lentle (Flightpro Flying Fish).
 2.   86.20% Marc Beckenstrater (Aldij)
 3.   83.89% Luke Johnson (Voltij)
 4.   81.58% Dean Halley (Luna)
 5.   69.54% Anton Benning (Toucan)
 6.   54.20% Mark Phillips (Minivec)
 7.   52.45% Hans van Kamp (Foamy Fish)
 8.   46.78% Schalk Human (Kipper)
 9.   45.24% Noel Cochius (Kipper)
10.  32.35% Ryan Matchett (Kipper)
11.    9.80% Rudi Smook (crashed)

Expert
 1. 100.00% Michel Leusch (OD Maistro)
 2.   93.40% Marc Wolffe (Primerius).
 3.   92.81% Louis Genade (Hans OD)
 4.   87.27% Kev Farr (Vector 3)
 5.   83.82% Christo Le Roux (Derago/Toucan)
 6.   75.29% Steve Meusel (OD)
 7.   69.47% Malcolm Riley (Aldij)
 8.   64.78% Dave Greer (Minivec)
 9.   33.00% Russ Conradt (Quest-crashed)

Inter-provincial trophy (best two Expert plus best two Sportsman)
 1. 348.675 KZN (Michel Leusch / Dave Greer / Dave Lentle / Luke Johnson)
 2. 341.950 Western Cape (Marc Wolffe / Louis Genade / Marc Beckenstrater / Anton Benning)

Feedback from first time attender, Dean Halley:

"What my thoughts were about the TOSS 2012 event and the trip as a whole;

It was a mad rush to get Luke and my gliders safely packed into the transport box and rush to King Shaka Airport on Thursday 26th Jan, but we made it and arrived in Cape town to a howling south easterly +/-35kt, we went to the flat and unpacked the planes as fast as possible, just couldn't resist a sundowner flight on the wrong side of signal hill, it was awesome the KGB was out in full force doing vertical rolls for about 100m up and then diving between the trees, the guys at Dave's flat could see the wings glinting in the sunlight, the landings were quite something.

The Friday morning we made our way to some of the local hobby shops and a few other shops, after a late breakfast or an early Lunch we headed for Red Hill, what an awesome place to fly, the view is something I cant begin to explain to you and the wind and lift was even better, "THE LANDING ZONE" what's that, you come round the back in good lift and try position the plane over a nice bush and then flaps away and full down elevator dropping it in the bush and then you go and find it.....LOL

The Cape Guys put on a well organised competition on Saturday morning with nice fresh southerly winds at a new site called Smitswinkel, I didn't see any shops there so don't know why they called it that but another breath taking view and flying straight over the sea, what an experience. Having never flown there we launched straight into the first round, the Luna did me proud as it didn't miss a beat, although you can ask my caller Luke my fingers were a blur on the sticks as the nerves got the better of me but held it together to have a very good first ever round of a comp at a first time ever flown site for me.

The Sunday I think I was quite relieved there was no wind as we were quite wind swept from the previous two days of sloping, so we had a photo session at Komajie and Prize giving at the famous Dixie's in Simons Town.

What an awesome event we need more of those during the year, bring on the September Zigginanda/Switchblade event we need lots of local entries and support, lets start practicing sessions on the slope!!

Regards

Dean"

These pics from courtesy of Mark Phillips:

Early morning view from our Cape flat

More of the early morning view

Russ and Michel practice day at Red Hill

Just look at the lush vegetation behind the practice folks.

Even Mommy Phillips hung in at the Red Hill practice Friday!

Russ about to launch Michel's Maistro for practice.

Maistro shows how slope knife edge should be done!

The gorgeous backdrop to the Red Hill slope flying.

The wind was more fierce than the sun!

The orange shirted Luke and Dean skulking away with hectic hang overs.

The Sunday Soetwater view.

Rascal sporting the latest in head wear at Soetwater ;-)

Most of the mob with most of their aeries.

One for the Shark dive sponsor.

The Durban travelers, Luke, Dean, Dave, Mark, Russ Michel and Rudi.

The Toss brigade, we salute you.

Michel carrying his winning Maistro.

Some of the accommodation at prize giving.

The ever cheerful Louie.

The very special Bill Dewey with his pretty special lady friend.

The orange shirted Luke and Dean, hung over from the previous evening.

Judge Kurt receives his gift from Chairman Christo.

Judge Andy Andersen receives his gift from Chairman Christo.

The cheerful judge Claude receives his gift fro Chairman Christo. 

Sgt Major CD Bill receives his gift from Chairman Christo. 

Rudi receives a special prize from sponsor Southern Hobbies for a challenging week end.

Steve Meusel had a quiet weekend by his standards - first Toss aerobatics he has not placed in?

Fourth placed bridesmaid in Expert - Kev Farr, receives his awards from Christo.

Third in Sportsman Luke receives the beat trophy.

Second in Sportsman Marc receives his awards from Christo.

Dave Lentle receives some of his many prizes.

Dave Lentle receiving the First in Sportsman trophy.

Big Louie Genade receives his third and Experts awards.

Marc Wolffe receiving his second and Expert class awards.

Marc Wolffe receives his second in expert in trophy.

Michel Leusch receives his expert first place awards. 

Some of the Durban mob having some Sunday evening Signal Hill fun.

The sun sets on the forth even more awesome Toss 2012 event.

The Durban lasses Claire and Natalie enjoying the Signal Hill Sunset.

RIP Sheldon Mcglone

Sheldon passed away at last night after a battle with, to use his Facebook term, the big C. The whole Durban aero modelling community sends its condolences to Pam and the boys.

I first came in contact with Shel at DMAC in the '70's and then, apart from a brief visit from Shel and his Pivierre thermal glider, met up with him from time to time at the various hobby exhibitions where the modular model trains mob also displayed. Sheldon got really big in to small model trains and RC racing yachts!

Russ and Sheldon became an item at the various DMAC thermal soaring competitions in recent years, where he started with a two metre glider and progressed to a couple of electric thermal gliders and then a more serious "Shadow" competition RC soaring glider, where he enjoyed much success. Russ also got Sheldon involved in the evening foamy flying at Kings Park and Sheldon certainly had maximum value out of that little plane.

Good buddies are as important as family and Russ saw this last journey of Shel's through, with Pam and family. Russ even coaxed Sheldon out of his sick bed to go hobby shopping a few short weeks ago and Sheldon reciprocated by coaxing Russ in to the new no go (for Russ ;-) hobby emporium in Westville!

http://www.facebook.com/sheldon.mcglone

An early mention of the Mcglones at DMAC in 1974

The team orange Witblitz racing team of Dave, Adrian and buddies Russ and Sheldon.

The man himself relaxing at Summerveld.

Sheldon with his foamy park flier - probably the best aero modelling value ever!

Sheldon with the Shadow competition glider at Karkloof Country Club.

KZN slopers doing it for themselves

This one specially for the "builder of the model" rule fan, John Monk ;-)

Much as I am relieved to have some molded slopers available for us less building gifted slope fliers, I have much respect for those folk building their own. One of the great features of the Two Oceans annual aerobatic competition has been the success of folk like Mark Wolffe and Steve Meusel in achieving excellent results using low tech and home crafted models.

It is thus great to see the Durban area top slope pilots Michel Leusch and Russ Conradt doing some build your own creations ahead of TOSS 2012. Russ reported a successful maiden flight of his new "Quest" at Springfield yesterday and we look forward to seeing Michel's new beast in action soon.

Michel's biggie sloper planform

Finishing touches still ongoing for Michel's beastie

Underside of Russ's new "Quest" SD8020 section sloper

Russ with "Quest" at the successful maiden flight - Toksix influence!

The combo we look forward to seeing fly in due course.

v1 rocket

Now listen here, children...... ;-)

Was watching Coach Rudi yesterday at Switchblade, immediately starting practice on the basic loops, rolls and Immelman turns, after maidening the new Cleopatra Fish and the mob having left. 

It then dawned on me that the Durban team was for the fourth year in a row squandering valuable practice time, aided and abetted by those who should know better, old hands Dave and Russ. Certainly no excuse about weather either, probably the best winds in a couple of decades.....

Yes it is a great weekend away in perfect slope conditions with like minded people and results secondary but a bit of encouragement from Adi saw fifteen minutes of practice turn the tricky alternating role from a disaster to something relatively reasonable - it certainly helps ease the stress if you know what to do before the time!

A flu relapse had precluded this week's Jo'burg trip but cabin fever and a rare power failure drove yours truly out the home to seek medicine and plot this simple exercise, to gently prod the folk along.

A half dozen of the most reasonable (personally) option manoeuvres were selected and some manual cut and past saw the mandatory manoeuvres stuck on one A4 page and the "reasonable" options stuck on another A4 page, with the total A3 then shrunk down on to A4 and heat laminated for feathers, per the pics below. The logic for my expert class was to exclude the masochistic four point rolling circle and eight point roll and then work backwards from highest K factor. The reason for putting six options instead of four options on the back page was so that six could be practiced and the final four determined just before the event.

The logic on the extra practice routine was because I had been fortunate at the last minute to be talked out of the simple looking but damn tricky inverted flat eight by Russ and Michel a couple of years ago, as some of the Toss locals showed in running out of down elevator and space!

This same red herring inverted flat eight manoeuvre shows up again in Sportsman where again the newbies might be tempted, so thought it worth doing a similar exercise for the Sportsman class, where I would likely be guiding a couple of folk. The outside stall turn and 3 turn spin joined the inverted flat eight on the scrap heap, along with the below eight K factor too simple and cheap options.

This left seven option manoeuvres to practice with the theory that the more hot stick folk like Dean start with the higher K factor stuff at the bottom and the clubbies like Rudi and Mark aim from the top of the shortened list with lower but still useful K factor stuff. All theory and all are obviously welcome to do their own thing - the sheets will be there if you wish to give it a whirl, though :-)

Rough cut and paste before shrinking

The final product, heat shrunk in A5, mandatory front and option back

 The scan versions here for any folk who may like to do their own printed of same:

TOSS 2012 Dave suggested Sportsman practice

TOSS 2012 Dave Expert class practice

A look at the other freebase half pipe compo suggests it will suffer from the same K factor thing of a couple of years ago, where a very average high K factor score still blitzed a well flown medium K factor. I have not a clue how to approach that event, should be quite a giggle...... ;-)

The real deal Black Eagle

Simon Nelson and family took these amazing pics at a bird park, whilst on holiday in the Drakensberg, last week:

Mid week madness!

Springfield may not be a Switchblade or Inanda but it remains a magic after work slope spot - as Grant, Dean, Simon VL, Guy, Morne and Dave found last night. Dean and Simon managed to nail the Coke bottle once each and Grant must be dizzy from all the side to side attacks at same..... ;-)

Just a couple of cell pics, Dean's LED equipped Radian Pro keeping going well in to the darkness!

Slopers out and about on the weekend

Despite the BBM moans, we are having a pretty good sloping Summer and the mob headed up to Switchblade on Saturday. Newbie Simon Vacy-Lyle was under Ant's wing and Morne had his newly finished Ninja to test fly, then gave friend (also) Simon some flying lessons. The normal suspects Travis, Grant, Luke, Russ, Dean and Rudi were all in attendance and tearing up the mountain as always. Yours truly had a scare again with the bind on Sharkie and opted out thereafter but was kept busy when oldie Dave Hooker and Alfred arrived with Phase 6 and Middle Planes to be wrung out. Guy and Dave Botterill popped in for a short while to take in the action. Most impressive plane for me was Travis's pocket rocket Swift glider - just as kick down fast as the electric version!

All in all a pleasant afternoon was had by all. The six pack of beer award goes the Dean for the first of the newbie wing fliers to achieve a "reverse Sutherland" (half outside loop coming downwind - close to the pilot's nose!) and was wise enough to keep the outside half loop smooth and large with no flicking - well done Dean, name the beer brand!

Sunday saw yours truly headed for Kingsburgh in pleasant e-fly weather conditions to take in the last chance practice ahead of the TOSS event in January. May make no difference to the TOSS result but been great fun doing the learning curve and was chuffed to crack the sixties in terms of percent result, The determined Simon Vacy Lyle found his way down there just in time for the final flights of the experts and was quite taken with the power flying.

This Dean pic says it all, "there is nothing like standing on Switchblade (or Inanda ;-) and slope flying!"

Luke's new speed freak plane just launched, Grant Dean and Russ looking on.

Morne teaching helicopter friend Simon the joy of slope soaring!

Simon and Morne display Morne's kit built Ninja after successful maiden flight -worth all the hard work!

Luke "play DS'ing" as the mist close in and we all head home.

Could not resist adding the Kingsburgh sea view pics from Colin Addis - oh for some Kzn on the coast slope sites! 

Complete change of pace for this Springfielder, flying the pattern league round at Kingsburgh for some TOSS practice.

Another special reminder from Colin of the magic day and how photographs fib - could slope a Gentle Lady though ;-)

Pattern Day Results

Dec 11th 2011

At Kingsburgh Model Aircraft Club

The next event is pattern coaching by Ivan Olivier at the Howick field on Jan 7th and 8th. The next Pattern round is on Jan 22nd at the Valley club.

Judges

Des Cooper, Bruce Clark, Ian Morris

SPORTSMAN
		Rd1	Rd2	Rd3	Av of best 2
1	Steven v Niekerk	47,8	66,4	65,8	66,1
2	Dave Greer	59,6	63,9	63,9	63,9
3	Colin Addis	55,5	61,7	62,9	62,3
4	Gijs Wijgers	56,8	58,9	59,9	59,4
5	Stan Hausmann	54,6	60,0	57,3	58,7
6	Lionel Smith	21,9	55,9	53,9	54,9
MASTERS
1	Mark Savage	67,2	70,8	69,1	69,8
2	Arthur Eggar	56,1	63,0	67,9	65,45
F3A
1	Jason Barker	75,5 P	76,8 P	69,4  F	76,2
2	Neil Allen	64,5 P	63,2 P	66,1 P	65,3
3	John Dorse	59,4 P	64,9 P	64,1 P	64,5

This was our first look at the Kingsburgh club's new field at Umkomaas, which has only been in use for four months. With a brilliant view from the top of a hill overlooking the sea and the village, and good facilities, it was very successful. The pattern line we set up was not parallel to any runway or other feature, and some pilots struggled to find the correct box to fly in. The runways also required accurate flying to land on, which kept people on their toes.

Despite gloomy forecasts from Windguru of rain and wind, just the same as at our previous event, we had a stunningly good sunny day with gentle breezes. Some modellers said that it was the first time in months that they had seen their plane against a blue background.

Thank you to our two regular judges Des and Bruce, with Ian Morris joining them, for a sterling bit of work.

In Sportsman Speedy van Niekerk got his act together for rounds 2 and 3 to end up on top, with Dave Greer proving that flying slope soarers does make you a better pilot. Colin and Gijs put in a solid performance. Stan left his large plane in the car, and flew a small one instead. Lionel Smith of control line fame entered Novice, as he had not tried pattern before. When he saw that he was the only entrant he bravely went for the much more difficult Sportsman class instead, and flew well when he worked out what to do.

Mark and Arthur did good flights in the Masters class, particularly when Arthur got to grips with the flightline.

Jason gave us a good display of what the patterns should look like. I flew my ex John Brink "Superman" with Plettenberg power, and enjoyed its smoothness. John Dorse had a big shake up during the week when a battery pack burned out while flying. He landed his Wind110 quickly enough to save the model when he saw a sudden heavy smoke trail.

Regards

Neil Allen

POSTSCRIPT

Having now enjoyed a few of the pattern leagues in the second half of the year, only armed with a R1275 Diamante, R300 Dualsky 900 watt motor, cheapie ESC and a single 3300ma Hyperion battery, I can attest to just how much fun can be enjoyed in the Sportsman class, for very little cost. Gys Wygers has had similar reward from a Big Stick and Colin Addis from a scratch built Neil Allen design, not to forget Stan's Big Beast. Go on give it a tonk, you may surprise yourself and have just as much fun! Cheers Dave.

Springfield comes to the rescue

There were some very frustrated slopers on the BBM group through the misty and rainy Saturday - the grand plan being to visit Switchblade for the forecast NE on Sunday. Travis reported back mid Sunday morning that Switchblade was still shrouded in the inland mist and fearless leader Russ made the call to switch to Springfield, which turned out an inspired decision as more and more folk keep cruising in all afternoon! 

The Springfield shuffle has evolved to a bunch of foamies combating on the front, ala the TOSS and Hermanus mobs, whilst us crunchie flyers played further out and snuck through for the odd "right to left!" from time to time. It was enjoyable to thermal the flying fish Sharkie right back down wind and generally explore the slope.

Gareth was the first to leave his mark on the Springfield pole with his newly refurbished ex Andrew Leusch crunchie - someone please write Gareth's name on the pole with a marker!

Production car race driver Reghard Roets is now one of the hard core BBM slopers and it was a pleasant surprise to have fellow racer, now rally driver, Guy Botterill pop in for a quick decko. Guy has banged his Toko at the mo but will be back.

Foamy fliers Grant and Travis were now studying the various mouldies as the next step up and Mike Smith had a ball with his weasel but decided to keep the Graphite for another day.

Not to forget the successful maiden flight of Rudi's "PE special" Corex Mig.

Russ unfortunately lost his Ash right down the bottom of the slope and there are many offers of assistance to locate to today, such is the comradeship and pulling power of the BBM group calls for magic afternoons like this.

Travis said it best with this BBM post afterwards: "Awesome day guys. Thanks for introducing me to another WICKED spot. Had a lot of fun today thank you."

Mike, Travis and Grant sporting the latest designer T shirts.

The original car park of vehicles with "the pole" - kept filling up all afternoon.

Russ, Grant, Travis, Michel, Mike and Dean just enjoying flying.

Young Thomas in foreground (Russ's nephew) learnt on a simulator and said to Russ  in his own words "I haven't had  so much fun in ages!"

Some of the sky occupied by foamies and birds. 

Andre, Brendon, Gareth, Grant, Michel, Travis, Reghard and Dean

The evergreen Dennis Bird flying his "twinkle roll" Kipper.

There was even a "rent a crowd" bunch of locals spectating.

The gorgeous Fox, Michel flew it a treat.

Brendon's colourful e-wing.

Travis and Brendon ballasting up the single tiplet wing.

Michell's Swift still awesome on slope power alone!

Almost looks like a pylon 1 race turn ;-)