BRIT NATS 2013 - Sunday 25 August

The weather looked dubious from the start. 

The day has been cancelled. No surprise. 

I went to enjoy the afternoon riding the rapids in the Verdon Gorge at Castellane.

 

BRIT NATS 2013- Task 5 (30 August)

With the looming cunims, the Task Committee have set a provisionnal task to the west into the flatlands towards Orison and away from the building storm clouds.   

We are waiting for confirmation on take off at present and watching conditions to evaluate the validity of a task. 

BRIT NATS 2013 - Day 4

A Complex weather system had put a damper on the Meet Director and Task Committee being able to give us a task today. 

Photos taken at 09h15 this morning to the North and the South show tell-tale signs of the predominant front approaching. 

Forecast are strong 10-15km south easterly winds at take off level, at altitude these will lighten and become more southerly, however, swinging round to stronger North westerlies by 15h00 and bringing rain with them. 

Meaning that if a task were to be set, it would have to be short and sharp with all pilots in the ground by 14h30, and even this, if we are able to take off in such blustery conditions. 

For the moment the pilots are assembling on the South launch at Chalvet for further instructions. 

BRIT NATS 2013 - Task 3

We have a task! An interesting "rectangle" using the outer perimeter of the coupe in the first stages and then heading south towards Castellane before heading in the direction of the pic de Chamatte for the final turnpoints. 

The task committee have chosen the last Andre landing field as ESS and goal which shod give the spectators the exciting and colorful sight of seeing all the gliders coming into goal. 

Winds are south easterly turning southerly later so we are taking off from the south launch. 

BRIT NATS 2013 - Task 2

We have a task today. 

A 67km to goal with an interesting start offering several options: either waiting on Chalvet, Coupe or Mouchon ridges. 

Pilots will wait until they are in the air to decide which is the best option and will inevitably be watching who will make the first move and to where. 

The middle part of the task is a standard run, the final turn points are interesting in that we are to fly to the west of the coupe to clip the second to last balise before heading south for the final top up and glide into end of speed section at the Chamatte. 

Weather conditions are better than yesterday with the wind turning westerly at the end of the afternoon. Development should be less than yesterday and the task has been made in order to keep pilots in a more favorable flying zone away from any growing cunims. 

Russell Ogden, yesterdays task winner, kindly have us a debriefing on how he won the day. 

British Nationals 2013-task 1

We have a first task for this third day of the Open. Yesterday was mistral with high winds, the day before was overdevelopment and storms forecast at the beginning of the afternoon. Both previous days were well forecast as the predictions proved correct. Today's task is a gentle introduction for those who have not flown here before, is a 67km race to goal. 

Conditions are good with a slight south westerly wind and the usual valley breezes in the mix. From take off, start and first turnpoints at Cote Longue, then down to Courchon, a return to the large shark fin, and end of speed section and goal at take off. The reason for the pal at altitude is a safety decision to avoid pilots racing low to the end of speed section. 

May the best man win :-)))

More later...