Official Practice Day 4

Today everyone has a racing task between 550km to 590km. The launch was again delayed until 13.35 so the gates did not open until after 2pm. They are managing the launching very well although they use 2 grids which causes a few logistical problems for some teams. Luckily we have 2 captains so one for each grid works well.
Today the forecast is for a max temp of 39C, climbs or 5-7kts to 9000'. The guys are grumbling a bit and seem to think the task is a little overset. We shall see. Again we are experiencing an Uvalde "blue" day with 1-2/8th of Cumulus.
Lisa and Peter are not flying today so we have 4 in the air.

Practice day 3

Late launch today so 4.15 hr AAT with gate open at 1426 was challenging. I started a little low at 1433, had a slow run for about half the first leg but then got up and running OK. Was on course for 153kph until the day started to die. I turned very early in last sector but after getting low lost 10-15mins for a speed around 143kph for 629km. Winner did a little under 153! A bit frustrating but I got away from everyone I flew with so happy with the learning experience. I landed at nearly 7pm, the day shut down not long after 6.15.
I think we are all competitive here.
Tom

Uvalde WGC 2012

I have just arrived in Uvalde and I must say what an honor and a privilege to be so warmly welcomed into the team.  The hot weather looks like being with us for a few more days and we expect to see some very high average speeds, around the 150kph mark. Keep up with our latest information and pilots achievements on our blogs and Facebook pages. David will be flying Tuesday that is for sure, let's make it happen sign up today.
Greg Jackson

Practice Day 3

All but David are flying again today. The forecast is for climbs to 9500' under Cus. They have set a 4 and a quarter task for the 15m and 18m class and a 4 and three quarter hour task for the big wings. Launch was delayed half an hour so we are not expecting them home until around 7pm.
Everything seems to be going OK so far with no major issues that we can't deal with.

Aussie base and Aerial

Practice day 2

We have 5 gliders flying today, David having accumulated over 60 hours already is taking a break.
The forecast was for 7-8000' and blue with a maximum of 38C and that seems to be about right.
The first finishers are just coming home now.
Thanks to the aerial built by Coddling Communications and a base radio provided by David Jansen we can now communicate with our pilots over 100km away. Today's best distance was 118km and was a strong signal.

Official Practice

Today is the first official practice day. They set a racing task of 579km for 15m, a 4 hour AAT for 18m and a four and a half hour AAT for Open. The forecast was for 36C with climbs to 6000' above ground early and 8000' later.
All of our pilots are booked in for Scrutineering today - 4 down 2 to go. So far so good.
Bruce and Brad are the only ones choosing to fly today and plan to land back early for their Scrutineering appointment at 5pm. Once that is done we can start with our normal routine tomorrow.
We are now installed in our team room which is right next to the briefing room. It is a great room with everything we need.
Today there is a major effort to erect the radio aerial on the roof. It is proving more difficult than we thought, but should be finished and ready for tomorrow.
All but a couple of crew are here now and we had our first team meeting this morning in our new base.
Tonight we are all going to Taylors just across the road for a BBQ by Vicki.

Things are starting to wind up into high gear around here. Today they even issued an un-officail task for the un-officail practice day. Tomorrow (Thursday) is the last un-official day and then the airfield is closed on the 27th before all the official practice/scruteneering/contest begins... Tom and I spent the day together and nipped around a 4hr AAT.

Every team member in the air today with a 3hr AAT. Brad and Bruce made the best of it at over 150kph. The sea breeze arrived around 1900.

Some flying today including Tom Claffey for the first time. He seems very happy with Al Tylers ASG29. Bruce and Anita's host family, Rick and Elaine Lutton put on a dinner for the team tonight. The spirit of Uvalde friendship in operation brings back all the great memories of the '91 WGC won by Brad Edwards in the LS6 (Yankee Leader).

Peter Trotter, Bruce Taylor and David Jansen, flying for Australia today. The other gliders will arrive shortly and the rest of the team will be in the air soon. Some minor tweeking here and there but otherwise all running smoothly so far..

Team Captain hard at work

All the team pilots have arrived. Some are still waiting on gliders. No flying today as no tug pilot available however not a bad thing as the ground needs to dry out a little. Warmer and dryer from tomorrow on....

Thunderstorms again today. Next week promises to be dry with temperatures in the high 30's all week.

Now we have hail.....

Another day of thunderstorms with VERY strong winds and rain this evening. I managed to get in a quick 500km flight. The thunderstorm activity should start to abate from here on so I'm looking forward to the ground starting to dry out as the temperatures start up towards 37 degrees. More gliders are starting to arrive however I'm still the only one flying here so far.

Team Taylor has collected the empty trailer from Baltimore and we are now heading 1500 miles to Houston to collect the JS1 from the container... Starting to get excited!!!

Had a couple of days flying, mainly to the northern part of the task area. Challenging as the ground rises more that 1500' above the Uvalde elevation and it takes a bit longer to kick off up there. Left the glider in the hangar today and I wouldn't say it was flooding however the streets of Uvalde are awash after some fairly heavy and extensive thunderstorm activity through most of the day.

Three days of Monsoonal weather conditions. Straight to thunderstorms. No flying. maybe tomorrow?

Practice begins

Three flights so far.

P51 at Uvalde

4D keeps good company courtesy of the Huff Air hangar whilst the rain and thunderstorms keep Uvalde humid...

A poem, written by one of the crew to the Aussie team (well, to Brad) in Uvalde in 1991.

THE MAN FROM THE NEW ENGLAND RANGES - BY WARWICK KENNY
APOLOGIES TO “BANJO” PATERSON.
DEDICATED TO BRAD EDWARDS-WINNER 1991 WGC UVALDE USA

There was movement at the glider-field, the word had passed around,
That the next world comps were in Texas USA.
A racing challenge, for top ranked pilots, and a victor must be found,
So, all the cracks had gathered to the fray.
All the tried and noted airmen, from nations, near and far
Were mustered, by their skill, to get it right,
For pilots love hard flying, where soaring battles are,
And these aces snuff the battle with delight.

And Tony Tabart, was to lead the team, manage and, backup,
The old man, with his hair left long for show;
But few could glide beside him when his blood was fairly up-
He would go wherever plane and man could go.
And Ingo Renner, came round to lend a hand,
No better pilot ever held the reins;
For never was, a task, beyond him, and his mighty records stand,
He learnt to fly while soaring on the plains.
And one was there, Brad Edwards, a tall and gangly bloke,
With thinning hair, suntanned skin, and shoulders oversized,
His glider, Yankee Lima, was a well-bred, but proven hope;
And, as such, are by mountain pilots prized.
Brad, was hard and tough and wiry - just the sort that won’t say die -
There was courage in his quick impatient tread;
And he bore the badge of gameness in his bright and fiery eye,
And the proud and lofty carriage of his head.

But still so tall and lanky, one would doubt his power to stay,
And the old man said, “I want to let you know,
It’s a long, hot, and tiring contest lad - what have you to say?”
“Texas is hot, but so am I - let’s go-
I’m as ready as I’ll ever be” -then Ingo, spoke for his friend -
“I think we need your spirit here,” he said;
“I warrant, he’ll be with us, when he’s wanted at the end,
For both his crew and he are mountain bred.”

“He hails from the ranges of New England, up by Lake Keepit’s side,
Where the hills are twice as steep and twice as rough,
And the Western plains that go forever, must be taken in a stride,
The man that holds his own is good enough.
And these New England pilots on the ranges make their home,
Where giant gorges carve those rugged hills between;
I have seen full many airmen, since I first commenced to roam,
But nowhere yet, such pilots have I seen.”
So he went – for their speed, gliders had, on board water, to dump
Therefore, faster through the skies, they could plough,
And the old man gave his orders,” Boys, go at them from the jump,
No use to try- for fancy flying now.
Stay forward in the rankings, and keep your soaring tight.
Fly boldly lads and gain a good start,
For never yet was pilot that could keep the mob in sight,
If once they got ahead, by the half-way mark.

So, they all took off to hold them; they were racing on the wing,
Where the best and boldest pilots take their place,
Then alas, Brad was slowed, when he lost, his vital yaw string
The mob, now from the back, ahead of him they raced;
Charging, past Yankee Lima, with a sharp and sudden dash,
As the whole field shot, to reach the top, by half- way through.
Then, on day four, a life was lost, when two gliders had a crash.
-All pilots are in danger, when they flew.

But fast the oz-team rallied, where, out on the desert track,
Were rounding up the gaggles overhead,
From low, over nodding oil-rigs, they climbed both up and back
To the cliffs of white, that beetled overhead.
But upward ever upward, the others held their way,
Over large corrals, and rolling tumble-weeds;
And the old man muttered fiercely “we may bid the mob good day,
No man can fly them down, from such a lead.”
When they reached day five in the comps, even Ingo took a pull,
It well might make the boldest hold their breath,
The wild salt- scrub grew thickly, and the ground was full
Of armadillo holes, and any slip was death,
But, the man from the New England ranges put his glider out ahead,
He wheeled his aircraft round, and gave a cheer,
And he raced them across the prairies like a torrent down its bed,
While the others stood and watched in very fear.

He scorched across the Texas hills, at speed, that was a feat,
He cleared the rugged canyons in his stride,
And the man from New England never shifted in his seat -
It was grand to see that mountain pilot fly
Now, streeting high above the desert, it was time to make up ground
So flying down the sky, at a racing pace he went;
Skipping past gliders out on track, to boosthis ranking up this round,
And, from the bottom, he began, a bold assent,

Climbing to top, of the leader-board, with two days to the end,
And the watchers with their scorecards, standing mute,
Saw him ply his talent fiercely, as others set out to contend;
Among them, Doug Jacobs, of the U S A, in full pursuit,
He thought he had the jump, by starting late, and then to lead.
And along the ranges, his cunning tactics were concealed;
But from the dim and distant hills, to the finish line at full speed,
Still in front, Brad, in Yankee Lima, was revealed.
He had run them single–handed, and in the scoring it was shown-
As if the mob were being hunted, by a dingo, out on track.
But they faulted, tired and beaten, then he turned and headed home,
And alone and unassisted led them back.
Hailed as yankee leader, Brad was hoisted up on shoulders for a trot,
And that name, they plastered on his car, was no slur.
His pluck was still undaunted and his courage fiery hot,
For never yet was mountain man a cur.

And down by Lake Keepit side, where the pine-clad ridges raise
Their torn and rugged battlements on high,
Where the air is clear as crystal, and the white stars fairly blaze
At midnight in the cold and frosty sky,
And where around the Lakeside the reed beds sweep and sway
To the breezes, and the rolling plains are wide,
The man from the New England ranges is a household word today,
And the pilots tell the story of his ride.