Friday 21 March - Butts Bash

First day of the Butts Bash regatta. The briefing room was crowded this morning. Present - Harry Medlicott RJ and Wendy Medlicott IKZ, Nick Singer MXP, Jim Thompson, Dave Shorter ZDS Tim and Chris Carr XJY and KYL, Rod Loder HDB, Allan Buttenshaw IUZ, Gerhard Stuck UKU, Ray Tilley WK, Don Woodward ??, Me GKW, Ian Sawell HNY, Sam Clift, Jay Anderson MT, John Hoye and Garry Speight. Apologies if I missed anyone.

Garry agreed to fly the tug for the day.

An AAT task was called Spring Ridge 40 km, Bogabri 40 km Manilla Silo 15 km and back to Lake Keepit. I flew in the Grob Twin ll with Sam Clift. Jim Thomson flew with Allan Buttenshaw in it for a few training flights in the morning. We were a bit late taking off, and the conditions were overdeveloping. We went off toward Spring Ridge, following the clouds, but they were a bit dissappointing. There was a big storm just about over Boggabri, and we wondered if we could get round the west side of it, but in the end kept going south just to try and stay up. Eventually we decided to try to get back to Keepit, and then reassess the situation. It was fun flying with Sam because he knows where all the airstrips are, and what is growing in all the paddocks, and who they belong to. And most importanty which ones are good landing paddocks and which not.

After a very long glide across the (unlandable) irrigation area, we had a faily low save near Middlebrook airstrip, and then managed to glide back to Keepit. Once there, we were unable to get up, but just as we were about to land, we hooked a good thermal and got up again. We then went west about 10 km which was enough to poke our noses into the Boggabri circle, and then east far enough to just get into the Manilla circle, and then back to Keepit. As always the best lift was on final glide. We only managed a speed of 50 kph, but at least we finished the task!

Ian Sawell in the junior gave us all a bit of a scare in the evening as a gust front came through the airfield while he was still airborn! All was well however, and everyone got back safely.

Harry Medlicott got the best speed for the day.