Afternoon storms....Eish

[Big-D]

I think it was Tuesday 2 weeks ago

I got to the Aviators Paradise at +-17h30 – Weather looking kinda strange (weird clouds) but flyable, I opened the hanger with the intent of taking Precious for a flip. About 10 minutes later the wind starting blowing unlike anything I had seen in a long time and a storm of note was brewing. I remember seeing some trikes in the air at Rosslyn in the circuit on the way to AP and my first thought was that I hoped these guys had landed safely.

I carried on mounting a video camera to my trike in the hanger with the wind violently shaking the hanger doors and I could sense that a storm was now only minutes away – That came outa nowhere I thought and the next thing I knew I heard Dale and some other okes at the AP clubhouse shouting. I ran out to see a trike being shaken , not stirred around the sky unlike I had ever seen!!! I thought this poor guy was going to crash at our airfield today I better phone an ambulance quickly…. He tried to line up the runway but was being TRASHED by the wind and at one stage looked like he was flying backwards. Through all this I started praying for this guy and kept thinking that I was pretty amazed that he had kept the trike stable until now.

Dale told him over the radio that he was experiencing severe rotor from the Magalies and that he should go land at Brits where it would be better, Now I have never flown in wind half as bad as that and I tell you the last thing I would have wanted to do was fly anther 7miles to a different airfield in conditions like that….But this oke did. He was calm and decided to listen and fly to Brits for a better chance at landing. Pretty impressive pilot I thought but was very worried about him landing safely the whole night and dreaded to read about a accident on the forum the next day -Thankfully nothing.

I phoned our mate Henk this morning for a quick (excuse the pun) chat and to ask when he will pop by Aviators Paradise with his GT450. He answers “ I was there Tuesday 2 weeks ago but had a little trouble landing and followed some oke on the radio’s advice and landed at Brits.”

Henk, from now on I will call you HENK – Jy mag maar vlieg my maat :D

D

[Thunderboy]

Met GROOT EISH JA

[DieselFan]

A GT450 going backwards? Now that must be some moerse strong wind I bet Henks arms are bigger than Arnold's!

[Big-D]

Don't know about his arms but he has brass balls for sure

[Chunky]

And......

All of that was after a good 8 hours of flying that day. He flew from panorama to Pieterburg. From Pietersbrug to some other spot 2 hours away, Then back to Pietrsburg. Then to Warmbaths, then brits....

Big Iron Balls that man.

[Duck Rogers]

Chuck Norris se gat!

[Big-D]

I tell you :D :D

That storm was scared of Henk, not the other way around

Chuck Norris - I like it!!

[Aerosan]

Screw Chuck we`ve got HENK Long live HENK Well done

[afskies scribe]

Quote from one of Demon's posts following the Africa Cup 2006 up at Numbi:
"On that note, Saturday evening saw a formal meeting of the dreaded Rietfontein naming committee - its just not good form to have RF associated pilots without proper names... [snip]
...Henk Wolmarans, who has been sniffing around the GT450 like a dog after a bitch on heat from the time it was still in the box, and who has flown a few outings with us now,
becomes in future and for all time known as .....HENK.."

Says it all, doesn't it

[Bacardi]

[Big-D]

To the tune of "Riders on the Storm - The Doors"

Here is to HENK

[Bennie Vorster]

HENK

You had some good luck up till now. Remember a good pilot also know when NOT TO FLY.

[Aerosan]

Yes Henk just as Bennie says There are those times a man MUST NOT fly like when it is very dark outside and you cant see, and then those mornings you as the wife "flying or sex " and she says "what!! flying!?....not today mannetjie...." but other than those? I cant see a problem

[Morph]

HENK

You had some good luck up till now. Remember a good pilot also know when NOT TO FLY.

I don't believe Henk would deliberately go up in this weather. What we must learn from this is the following
a) you can always get caught out by changing weather
b) when this happens do a precauthionary landing and wait the storm out
c) heed the advise from others about local conditions and when neccessary divert to another field
d) Fly the aircraft

IMHO Henk passed with flying colours.

[Thunderboy]

I was wondering

What would happen if you were caught in winds, turbulance where it was impossible to land - keep direction - control

would it b better to do your est at landing and risk the injuries and damage or if you had a GRS/BRS to use it