ZU-DVE (and ZS-WUO) (and ZEE) Flight Log

[gertcoetzee]

At last! After two weeks of terrible weather, and last night's 80km/h wind (measured at my home in the City Centre), I got to flyyyyyyyyy!

[Arnulf]

Geluk Gert, happy landings in die toekoms.
Dit is nogal 'n prestasie om so veel ure in 'n plek te vlieg waarvan gesê word dis te winderig vir 'n trike.

Groete,
Arnulf

[gertcoetzee]

So what do you do if you can't squak 7600?

[Griffin]

So what do you do if you can't squak 7600?

You could pull out your back-up or, as you are not obliged to have one fitted in the first place, keep on trucking.

[gertcoetzee]

[gertcoetzee]

See http://www.zu-dve.com. Want to advertise your microlight related product on this website? Over 11000 hits in the past year. Need a new server as current server only available for another month.

[gertcoetzee]

See http://www.zu-dve.com. Want to advertise your microlight related product on this website? Over 11000 hits in the past year but now contract with server running out at end of next month.

Almost did the Cape Point flip...

[gertcoetzee]

At last, no more wind and some time to practice for the WCMC competition in two weeks time:

[gertcoetzee]

but wait, there's more....

Download the latest blockbuster - now at www.zu-dve.com a videoclip of me practicing deadstick spot landings for the WCMC competition in two weeks time - be afraid, be very afraid!

[Robin Hood]

S--t Gert That was a great movie of the visit to Asegaaibos. I know I would have had a heart atack with 30MPH? wind, mountains and low cloud. My Missus does not even want me to start the Aquilla when the leaves are moving! Will have to come and experience it when I go down to Cape Town again for the Argus.

And the dead stick landings were very impressive. Very.

[DarkHelmet]

Ya Robin Hood - that wind is quite a scary one when you judge the windsock! But flying in it is not as bad as the winds we have up here!

[gertcoetzee]

Flat front, try to inflate with gooeyi stuff, gooeyi stuff nozzle breaks, take rim apart, new (albeit in box for > 1 year) inner tube in, inflate, pssssssss, take apart ("new" tube split), test flat one, must have been valve since it now inflates, take rim apart, inner tube in, inflate, still leaking, more gooeyi stuff, seems as if it will hold. Takeoff.

[gertcoetzee]

Fuel consumption - what do you get on yours?

One hour in a 15mph westerly - one take off, 1500ft or below and worked out my (or ZU-DVE's) consumption - is this not too high?

[gertcoetzee]

[gertcoetzee]

Had a wonderful weekend with competition flying. Jannie de Kock did a wonderful job placing the flour bombs on the dot, but unfortunately (conspiracies abound) his thottle cable went and he was out of the competition for a couple of seconds, and I took him (gladly) on as navigator. I was going to do it solo, but soon discovered that it is an impossible task - navigating in strong wind, looking for landmarks and waypoints, looking at flapping pictures. Man! Was I glad to have Jannie on board. The first task took us to Wellington, then to Riebeeck Kasteel and almost to Saron, back to Riebeeck Wes where we decided to climb over the clouds, and luckily had a break to glide down to Malmesbury, Paardeberg and Wintervogel. I was glad to have Jannies (bulk/ballast) onboard through the turbulence, but not so glad when it came to the spotlandings, which I practiced so much solo. 0 for that with the first task.

Later on Saturday afteroon we did a fuel task, and after making some calculations with Jannie on board, did pretty well. If you can say 1 liter error over two hours is OK. Soon after takeoff I ask Janne for a bearing (not that I think it is of much help anyway). Bearing? Jannie asks. We did not prepare that. Great fun, but we navigate to Malmesbury, and arch around Kasteelberg to Hermon, Paardeberg and back in two bumpy hours.

On Sunday one more task, and this time GPS is allowed. Turned out to be a bit of a hindrance, but we had a great smooth windless flight to the Darling area, and to a strip (Swartland - farm) for a deadstick touch and go (missed it again) where Stephan and Rob was sitting behind a tree like speedcops to see whether we turn up. On to Paardeberg looking for that blue kaia in a field and end a great competition with a deadstick on, well, the third line. Jannie must have pulled in his breath just at the wrong moment.

I then took two marshalls for flips, but even my kind persuasive personality at 3000 feet could not sway the results.

Jannie & myself came second after that great guru and master of all microlighters in the western cape (who probably has more hours than all the other competitors, with the exception of Frans Grootepas) - Charl Starke.

Well done Charl and all the other competitors. And a great thank you to our chairman and regional MISASA nice guy, Zirk (and gorgous wife Zanie, who has a little Zorro/or Zorrina on board, I can let you know).