The Speed Run and Top Landing

Merewether is great.

It is a low coastal site at 270' ASL and one of many headlands that interrupt the endless string of sandy beaches along the eastern seaboard. It has a low topography varying between sheer cliff, shallow slope, cusp shaped bowls and level beach. The skill requirements to fly this site start at the student level and so it is here where many solo flights over past years have ushered-in several generations of pilots. I learnt to fly at Merewether under the tuition of a brilliant instructor. Since then my teacher has largely been the explorations and gradual understanding of this site's diverse character.

The Speed Run: approach over the tree canopy and match the descending gradient of the track leading to launch.

The down slope to launch maintains the speed as you fly over the take-off and out into open airspace as the hill drops away.
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Top landing at Merewether is a skill never perfected. During identical conditions successive approaches will feel different. The LZ is small with a shallow down slope, the back corner is in wind shadow and there is some turbulence at the edges. As little as a few degrees change in wind direction transforms everything into a completely different ball game. A lot of hardware and some body parts have succummed to its nuances when the site is not treated with respect and caution. A healthy regard for the site will keep you in the minority.

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Often it is safer to run-out the landing rather than tempt fate by slowing down with the nose-high during the flare.

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Merewether is a complete site that nutures all levels of skill from student through to the advanced.

A Home of Hang Gliding

The forecast said a southerly wind at dawn but it never arrived so my first flight at Stanwell Park is postponed, again. All good things are worth waiting for...
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What to do today? The thought of heading south from my home to fly Stanwell Park had planted a seed, of doing something that could be regarded as a privelege in the world of hang gliding. For here in Sydney is Moyes Delta Gliders.

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Everyone knows their product particularly their high performance thoroughbred; the litespeed (and variants). Most will also know that Bill Moyes is regarded as one of the fathers of hang gliding, along with John Dickenson and Dr Francis Rogallo. Others will know that Bill's son, Steve, is a past world champion and has been a competitor in more World Titles than anyone else (14 I believe). Current world champion, Atilla Bertok, is on the Moyes team. Gerolf Heinrichs is their chief designer and regular World titles podium place getter. Jon Durand recently broke the world hill launch distance record by flying 517km...
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Enough background. A visit to the Moyes factory should at least be interesting so I made the 40 minute drive to Botony Bay. Here is the short tour with some nice surprises along the way.

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Bussiness looks good! I walked in the back entrance and was greeted by boxes of new wings straight out of the mint and ready for the freight terminal.

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I felt like a young boy looking at a bowl of red lollies but not allowed to have any. Carbon outers... Just saying it out loud is music to the ears. I have wanted some for a long time.
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A gold shot; A father and a son of hang gliding. Hang gliding pioneer Bill Moyes with son and ex world champion Steve.
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Wow! Bobby Bailey designer of the ubiquitous tug, the Dragonfly, with Bill Moyes.
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Ever seen one of the worlds best in their prime doing production-line work? Here I found Jon Durand teasing apart 1000's of battern fittings. No discrimination in this factory. Nice to catch-up with this young lad and soon to be world champion. He flies to Arizona on Wednesday where he will compete and probably win that one too.

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To be expected, wall to wall trophies won by both Bill and Steve.
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Vertical intergration with the sail loft on-site. The wing skins; mylar and dacron, handled by another Steve, a kiwi by birth and despite this a top bloke (just kidding, about the 'kiwi' bit). Steve is a long-time keen pilot and a craftsman judging by the quality of his work.
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Ever seen alcohol labeled in honor of hang gliding? Neither had I until today. I suspect it maybe sake.
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Yep, its a factory with all the standard features.
Nice to see hazmat plackard with CO2 fire extinguisher (sorry, always on the job).
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As I walked up stairs to say 'hi' to Vicki who runs the office I found more sign of wings on the way. Rolls of pristine sail ready to dress aluminium (and no doubt some carbon).
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As I walked through the factory I saw an illustrated presentation of Leonardo Da Vinci's inventions and just to the left was this photgraph of where powered flight all began. Orville and Wilbur making their 'giant leap for mankind'. It was subtle but obvious that Bill Moyes has drawn inspiration from the roots of human flight. I got the feeling that this purity of motivation maybe at the core of the Moyes success story.

Banana Republic

So, what are you supposed to do with a bushell of perfectly ripe bananas?

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Mum's secret recipe now revealed!

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First check the pantry and see if you need shop for the following ingredients:

1 cup of brown sugar

120 grams of unsalted butter

2 cups of wholemeal self raising flour

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

1/2 tespoon bicarb soda

2 eggs

1/4 cup sour milk

2 ripe bananas

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Second, follow these instructions

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Melt the butter and cream with sugar.

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Add vanilla.

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Sift dry ingedients (flour and bicarb) then add 1/3 to mixture

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Add each egg, one at a time and beat into creamed mixture.

Add half of remaining dry ingedients and stir in.

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Add milk then add remaining dry mixture and stir away.

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Add mashed bananas, stir thoroughly.

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Cook in moderate oven (150 degrees Celsius) for 45 minutes.

.All the effort was rewarded with my beautiful better half declaring, "mmm, that's wonderfull". We skipped supper and dined on slices of cake with Baileys and milk.

. Voila! Three cooling with one in the oven and there are still bananas left over (it was a long day).

Tip: For some reason the texture is much nicer the following day.