Sunday 23 March - Butts Bash Day 3

Another busy day at the club. Garry Speight yet again stepped into the breach and towed, and Jay Anderson took care of the trial instructional flights, before flying home in the afternoon in his Piper Saratoga. The shade sail was erected over the patio in front of the club house - the Carr brothers were instrumental in this, and it was done with the aid of a climbing harness. Missed this part - I should have got a photo!

The task was a 2 1/2 hour AAT Quirindi 30 km, Mullaley 30 km and SplitRock Dam 30 km. The dreaded blipmaps forecast a complete lack of thermals in the lake keepit area by about 4.00 pm, but fortunately they were wrong.

The themals were quite turbulent and difficult to work, and in the area to the south, the cloudbase was onlly about 5000 ft. There was quite a bit oveR over clouding.

I flew the Mozzie again, but had a quite leisurely day, not launching until about 1400. The conditions were interesting to the south, but there was some quite good streeting. I think the trick was to stay high and follow the lines of clouds. Once back in the Lake Keepit, Manilla area the cloudbase was much higher and conditions were better. I managed about 240 km but many made over 300 km in the time.

Ian Sawell flew the junior and did his silver C distance flight - Manilla Silo, Gunnedah a/d and back to Lake Keepit. Well done Ian.

Matthew Minter test flew the Jantar Standard and took a tow to 9000 feet!