OFFICIALDOM President Glenn Meadows 524 9456 Secretary/Treasurer Phil Jones 817 6447 Hang Gliding Safety Off. Anton Lawrence 817 9404 Paraglider Safety Off. Reuben Muir 483 2619 Club Flying Instructor Geoff Green 473 8834 Editor John Nickolls 268 1743 Ke CAD Representative Vern Rule 424 7974 ARC Representative Dave Selwood 411 7709 Committee: = John Leedom 626 3064 Mike Simpson 413 9173 Eva Keim 483 2619 Andrew Bell 575 8991 . Phil Miller 238 8332 POSTAL ADDRESSES SECRETARY/TREASURER: Send to PO Box 80-138, Auckland OTHER OFFICERS: Refer to latest club list for address. GENERAL CLUB MAIL (NON-URGENT): PO Box 2667, Auckland. CLOUDBASE CONTRIBUTIONS: PO Box 51-662, Pakuranga. CLOUDBASE DEADLINE DEADLINE for the next ‘CLOUDBASE’ is: “4 Feb 94. NEXT CLUB MEETING The next club meeting will be held in the Newmarket Club, Teed Street, Newmarket, at 1900 hrs on 15 Feb 94. The one after that will be on 15 Mar 94. EDITORIAL I've been here ten years now, and still haven't got used to the Seasons being six months adrift to the Old Country. Here we are at the end of another year, but in the middle of summer! It really is weird, and very hard to explain to many people who haven't lived in the Northern Hemisphere for any length of time. in this hemisphere there's probably more flying done, whatever the time of year. Apart from our own local/regional flying, Of course, we've got the HG and PG Nationals next month, and I know they will be both well-attended by AHGPC members, and the Flatlands too. 1 hope all concerned will take care, fly well, and remember to write in with ripping yarns afterwards.I'd like to thak those who responded to the last newsbrief I sent out. As you'll see in this issue, the venue problem has been sorted out. Suggestions were gratefully received. Because I'm still setting up the database, a few gaps appeared when I printed out the labels, and I now know that about six members didn't get the newsbrief. (And someone got two! ) I think it's all clearedd up now. On the same subject (database) some PINs are shown as 9999, because I didn't have the true number, and had to use some- thing to tell the computer to print. If this applies to you, or you see any other errors in the labelling or listing, please let me know ASAP WE'VE MOVED The committee met at the Royal George the other day to discuss, among other things, a new venue for club and committee meetings. A_number of suggestions were made by various club members, and we thank you all for your efforts. In the finish we decided to use ‘The Newmarket Club in Teed Street, only a couple of hundred yards from our old haunt. There is some parking out the front, but it will be snapped up quickly, and is probably jealously guarded by club members. Therefore, it's probably better to park in the old spot and walk across. There are plenty of “No Parking" areas around for the die-hards too! Our meeting room will be off the main bar, and we can get food served in there by arrangement. We are also welcome to use the other club facilities (Pool tables). THE CHRISTMAS 'DO* The next club meeting will be our Christmas ‘do’, and will be held at the Newmarket Club (see above) on 21 Dec. The AHGPC has fixed up finger food for the occasion, and we ask for a donation of $2 a head at the door to cover costs, which I think you will agree is a good deal. We intend presenting the various awards and trophies, but unfortunately don't have any to dish out, unless the current holders bring them in on the night: .MURPHIES LAW AT MOTRS BY Leslie Graham I felt ambitious. We had a picnic planned with family and friends at Matakana. There was a fresh South-Westerly blowing. Perfect for Moirs and conveniently upwind of Matakana. A bit of fast talk- ing and a couple of phone calls, and it was on! My first fly for the season coming up. My kind family dropped me off at the end of Moirs Road turnoff, where I met up with Carl. We drove in and met Geoff, Kevin Ian and Ron. They'd just checked out the new site of “Five Fingers", and decided to come across to Moirs. Bad Move! The gate had a nice new padlock and chain, and a large DoC sign had been erected: No Vehicles! What to do? We had a bit of a debate over 1) trying to remove the gate 2) driving back to "Five Fingers" or 3) walking in. I was keen to drive to the other site, but concensus was for carrying gliders. The last time I did this it just about killed me. I pondered the wisdom of letting my family abandon me here. As I staggered alonbg, cursing those who separated me from my 4WD, I stumbled over on my ankle, and managed to wrench something in my upper arm, trying to recover the situation. After writhing in agony for a few minutes, things settled down, and I managed to continue on with some help from Kevin, who carried my harness. He was sensible enough to leave his glider on the car, where it belonged. (1 wonder if the HG pilot who's done everything and got the hernia to prove it should try PG for a change? Ed) There was a fresh breeze coming up the face, and everyone set uP. I was the last to arrive, and as the others all took off, with Kevin assisting launch, I got ready to clip in, only to discover that my hang loop was wrapped around one down-tube! ‘The re-assembly after a strip-down check had left it tangled. 1 couldnt believe my luck (bad). As I couldn't see any way around it without tools. I set off back to the cars in search of some. Alas! my search waS fruitless, and so another walk back to the site. Murphies Law waS working well for me today, and I cursed my misfortunes. (But wait! There's more! Ed) Arriving back at the site, I find that Kevin has fixed the problem for me, by removing a pin connector and the DT. Why didn't I think of that? As I clipped in. the weather had over-developed somewhat++ started spitting. Oh great; what next, I thought. Takeoff was text-book smooth, and it felt great to be back in the air again. The overdevelopment had killed any activity, so I ridge soared for about 30 minutes, between 1100-1400 ft. Eventually some sun came through, and it started up again. I managed to stay in reasonable Lift up to about 2000 ft, before having to commit myself to drift- ing back with it. Unfortunately, at 3000 ft I found myself cicling in sink, and after some frantic searching, decided it was time to get out of there. VB on and headed straight towards Warkworth. By now there was a strong westerly component, and I was down to 900 £t, wondering which paddock I was going to end up in. A small bump gave me some hope, and I drifted with it for a couple of km, not going up, not going down. Almost at Warkworth now, and the drift is going to take me SE of the township. I decide that this is not an attractive proposition at 900 ft, and elect to land in one of the last paddocks before the built-up area. A nice uphill landing right beside the main road. No wind in the paddock, as I carry my glider down to the roadside fence and drop the A-frame. I had just released the tension when a gust of wind comes up from behind and catches me with one leg inside the A-frame. It rolls the glider over, while picking me up by the crutch, and somersaults me over the top of the glider, setting a new record for a self- launched human catapult! Fortunately, later inspection revealed only minor damage to the top of the kingpost, and some bruising. I packed up and then set off to hitch out to Matakana. First I had to wark through Walkworth (Sorry! Ed) to get oin the right road. and was feeling hot and tired by now. I was just persuading some one whao who had unwittingly stopped for some other reason to give me a lift, when Carl drove by. He had already hitched back and picked up his car, driven out to Leigh, where he'd landed, picked up his glider, and was now on his way back. He kindly gave me a lift out to meet up with my family again, and I spent the rest of the day relaxing. The others all had reasonable flights that day, considering the wind direction. Ron landed at Woodcocks Road, Ian at Pakiri and Geoff at Tomarata, after reaching a maximum altitude of 5000 ft during his flight. Well, you've certainly got to be keen, so I'll be back, hopefully with more flying and less walking in future.AKAIMAI EXPERIENCE, by Peter Smart Sceond day of the Waikato League and here we are waiting (why isthis word in every hangliding story?) on top of the hill. Glider!, suddealy from nowhere a sailplane appears and blasts over our heads with inches to spare, it then shoots out over the plains at 100 MPH, the bastard. Come on Free Flight, design a faster glider. Eventually a decision was made - an open distance to the South. The window opened and the parade of lemmings began. Being a non competing pilot (Saturday was my Sst thenmalling flight) Pmnear the end of the que. : It’s nearly my turti when from T.O. comes a loud “farrq!!!”, followed by glider impact sounds, "AT appears; looking unhurt, but her glider has a newly remodelled downtube. For some reason the next pilot was reluctant to take off. Then it’s my tum, not wanting to cepeat an earlier Kaimei experience (Cloudbase huly 2727777? ‘94), [ran like 2 bastard and didn’t jump (for once). (Vert 1 think it was, Pete. Ba.) Yahoo I'm going up, no I’m not, I'm going down! What liar said it was ridge soatable? I ‘scratch around for 15 niin, getting little pockets of lift, but still sinking, when prudence télls me (no, Pri not fying tandem) to head out to land. Over the landing paddock at 500 ft AGL and the vario started betping: Might as well delay the inevitable, so I start tuning. 7 minutes later Pm back over take off and just under cloudbase. t do I do now?” I wonder, “Let’s see what this cross country stuffis all about.” answer ‘saysel€ (Bypoxia at 3000 ft 71). I stay under my cloud for a while heading to Te Poi, but t stops ‘sucking fairly soon'and I’m on my way down again. I see a couple of gliders on the ground near ‘the Tairanga intersection and decided that I'd be joining them fairly soon. Nearly-overhead “dhém at 600 ft the vario starts again. Do gliders on the ground make thermals? I find that it’s really nice feeling cizcling up over pilots on the ground, i 7 . 2 0 ue ‘90 huicky this time and lose the lift at about 1500. Might as well sée how far Ioan ‘Glide; so Thead off again, crabbing slightly against the SW. Ooh looky another glider on the ‘fotnd, and with Tan Clare's car in attendance. I was going to join them when the spit of ‘competition reared it's ugly head, “Land the other side of the road and you'll beat someone elsel”. Which I did (ao I didn’t break anything!!, yes I did use my wheels), next to a farmers house, in a paddock surrounded by electric fences. Thankfully the farmers son tumed them off forme. Total flight distance 443 10 km. Dave Shaw picked me up op our way to collect some other pilots. Just round the,comer was Steve Dwyer and a couple of paddocks furthe: was Colin's; . rank beginner like myself get so close to these guys?, or mete oe dds minds? And Stuart, when you get to 4000 ft you can leave the: hill. Why did Mark Sharp land in 8 cow paddock, and what was that all down the front of his hamess and on the gloves he dorrowed from Anton??THAT SINKING FEELING oR ELEVEN MINUTES AT FOUR KNOTS DOWN So there I was, a couple of Saturdays ago, on one of the first really good flying days of the Summer, 1500 ft above the quarry at Drury, stooging gently along the ridge looking for lift. Wait a minute, John, you say, (though you'd normally use inverted commas) we thought the site at Drury was closed, and besides, you can't fly for toffee. True on both counts I reply, but who said anything about paragliding? I went to the Auckland Gliding Club strip that morning to measure up a sailplane for a set of wing covers, and couldn't help but notice that conditions were rather good, so when I'd finished my task I drove round to the control caravan and put my name down for a flight. I gave.a hand first pushing a couple ©f gliders out of the hangar, and then walked my aircraft up the strip (behind a tractor), paid my money, and climbed aboard. The aerotow was great, especially takeoff, since the seat is only a few inches off the ground, and during acceleration there is an amazing feeling of inevitability! The Piper Pawnee soon had us passing 1000 ft, and during the climb my pilot, Mark, was yahooing enthusiastically about the buoyancy of the air. There was very clearly quite a bit of activity, and I was looking forward to a good flight with some ‘hand's on’. We dropped the Pawnee off at 2000 ft, and started into our own thing. Mark had me turn the vario up, and started a commentary about what was going on. after a couple of minutes, during which I thoroughly enjoyed the view, I might say, I became aware of an awful moaning sound. No, it wasn't Mark or myself, but the vario, which was making a very pessimistic racket, the needle pointing down the while! Mark too made a number of pessimistic noises, and headed East towards the ridge. With more mechanical moaning, and the hilltop looming in the wind- screen, we turned West again, and got our first bump of ‘up’ as we got to the quarry. But we went through that pretty quickly, and, rather bamboozled, we turned more Northwards, searching but not finding anything useful. We noticed that the-clouds at 3000 ft were heading South, into the ground wind, and Mark began to suspect that the real activity was more in the diraction of Papakura. Mark now got really which when the vario wasn't moaning, it stayed silent. gloomy, and began talking about a possible paddock landing, y didn’t disagree with, as the field did seem a remarkably long way away. Well, we did scrape back in at the finish. getting JustCurrent AWGPC Meabership Listing, Page aD, : PLACE: BLOCKHOUSE Bay BERTA STR T POINT CHEVALIER cK AND PLACE VERA 2/13 ELLERSLIE PARK GA 799 EAST COAST ROAD 25/3 NAINSTON ROAD 498A NETL AVENUE 1/1, SUBRITZKY AVENUE: 27 SEYMOUR ROAD 18 RAMSGATE TERRACE 299 EAST COAST ROAD &3 CLARENCE STREET 97 WALTER STREVENS D 55 GRASSMERE ROAD PARK ESTATE ROAD BERRIDGE: ROAD TE ATATU NORTH HAIRENGI BAY CONIFER GROVE Oe Y aUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND RD2 Thakau 1 RUCKLAND AUCEL AND AUCKLAND BUCKLAND Y AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND USKLAND AUCKLAND TekANINT AUCKLAND AUCKLAND BUCKLAND AUCKLANE - 4 AUCKLAND aC REE OMe Sua ge LVEDERE STREE 18, ROA AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND NSW 2518 AUCKLAND } AUCKLAND BUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND BUCKLAND AUCKLAND BUCKLAND TITTRANGI BUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUSKLAND 2 AUCKLAND AUCKLAND } AUCKLAND P BUCKLAND TITIRANGT RD 'Y STREET MILTON EAST ESTLAKE UEKLAHDS BCH RD iOUNT EDEN KOAD On RANGTIKA ROAD y STAPLEFOND CRegc MOUNT ALBERT BUCKLAND AUCKLARD AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND BUCFLAND HANILTGR AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND $ AUCKCAND P aUEKLAND AUCKLAND BUCKLAND AUCKLAND 1 BR. 58S: AUCKLAND Buck = £0 BUCKLANDTotal listed Nea! t AHGPC Meabership Listing, Fage Surnane NICKOLLS PELLETT PRICE PuxTY QUINN RIPLEY, ROBERTSON ROSS SLATER TOMLINSON TURNER VALETTE VAN DEN Hal VARAINE VARAINE VARAINE WALLACE WALLS ership at 19-12-94: 124 WSTER AVENUE BYCROFT ROAD 2/35 ESPLANADE ROAD 33 MARAE ROAD 32 CHALLENGER STREET! 33 SANTIAGO CRESCENT B4 QUADRANT ROAD 22 HALLORAN PLACE 2721 GLOANING PLACE 64 TATARIKI STREET 55 TAUTARI STREET 54 SPRINGWOOD PLACE 748 COLOMBO ROAD 15 BEL AIR DRIVE 165 MATAKANA ROAD 40 RACECOURSE ROAD 39 WOODSTOCK ROAD E 43 OCEAN VIEW ROAD 92 LYNBROOK AVENUE 3208 LAKE ROAD PUKEKOHE RED BEACH MOUNT ALBERT GLENFIELD. ST HELIERS KUMEU Howick HERNE BAY R52 DRURY MOUNT EDEN GREENHITHE ST HELIERS SLENFIELD ROS WATUKU ROYAL CAK MASSEY TAKANINI PAPAKURA ORAKET MOUNT EDEN WALUKY HILLSBOROUGH WARKWORTH WATUKU FOREST KILL } DRURY AUCKLAND * AUCKLAND AUCKLAND MOUNT EDEN PAPATDETOE, D4 PAPAKURA SHANSON, SANDRINGHAM HATRANGI BAY. TOTARA HEIGHTS AVONDALE ELLERSLIE AVONDALE. ONEHUNGA fantacors. BLOCKHOUSE BAY 1 TAKAPUNA BSONVILLE AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND WHANGAPARADA AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND. SOUTH AUCKLA AUCKLAND BUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND MANUKAU. AUCKLAND AUCKLAND BUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLAND AUCKLANDa couple more ‘up'bumps before we got back into the landing app- roach. In the finish we landed long, and had a hot wait for the tractor-tow back to the caravan. Mark was extremely embarrassed, and I couldn't console him by telling him that that's how I normally fly! (Straight down, and usually ten minutes less than that!) Our conversation, during the wait was pretty interesting, I think, and wedid a bit of note-comparing on similar aspects of our different sports. Cost of the flight was $44, which really covers the cost of the aero-tow to 2000 ft. I reckon it would be good value for any HG/PG flyer to take such an ‘armchair’ ride and talk over flying (and especially soaring) techniques in the process. In my case I confirmed that you don't always fly the way you plan to, I now know only too well what sink sounds like, and dammit I didn't get to fly the thing! Oh well! I've got F19 on the computer, and you should see me dead-stick that! Colonel “Jolly John" Nickolls AFC DFC PH (KIA) COMINGS AND GOINGS Life goes on, and people come and go, don't they. Departing for Australia last month were Andrew and Petra Stephenson. I expect we'll see their names after the Flatlands. And Ken Hardman, who was out here from England earlier last year, and arrived this year just in time to be elected onto the Club committee, has had an off he couldn't refuse from New Plymouth, and has gone South! Arriving in town, and heading for the PG Nationals, are two couples from overseas. Thomas Neff and Nikola von Sigriz came in from Germany, where they recently organized the German PG Open at Garmish, and Liz Johnston and David Newns arrived from the UK. And I'm going to the Marlborough region for a week in the New Year to do some reconnaisance with a view to moving down there, but we shall have to see. Ed. AUCKLAND PARAGLIDING LEAGUE No results in yet, but first reports are that the Auckland PG league inaugural day was 17 Dec, and was organised by Bryan Moore. ‘There are probably some tales to be told about it, but what I did hear was that the conditions were not exactly ideal, and that Bryan won his own prize with a flight of 6 or 7 km!O_O eee eee ‘From: tan Clark Te Jobe MihatayCousbone Mag Five Fi E by Jan Clark The previous two days I'd spent down in the Waikato competing in the Waikato league and the weather down there had been fantastic. Come Monday morning the skies still looked inviting so I decided to try the new Auckland site called Five Fingers. Considering it was a Monday, I felt rather lucky to have coaxed both Bruce Williams and Steve Clark away from the usual busy Monday chores most people have lined up. Five Fingers is the name Murray Wardell recently gave to this new Auckland site. It was so called because the crop dusting pilots who used to fly in the area used to know it as the Five Fingers. Looking down on the site from the air one can see five spines leading away from the hill. Its located on SH16 about 24 km north of Helensville and for those of you who know where the Bridges site is, its part of the same hill but just a bit further north. Takeoff takes a westerly straight on but would be launchable in a light south-westerly to north- westerly. It is 800 ft AGL with good set up room, good launch for both hang gliders and paragliders and good bottom landing. The track up to the top is reasonable but requires a 4WD vehicle. The site can be ridge soared in upwards of 15 knots but in my view would be best suited for light and variable days where you could run off into seabreeze convergence. (For further site information call Murray Wardell) Monday was one of those light and variable days. Bruce, Steve and I got to the top of the hill just before mid-day and started to set up. I pushed and shoved my way to the front making sure I would take off first and launched about 12.40 pm into a light cycle. The seabreeze convergence was behind us and I feared that there wouldn't be enough thermal activity out in front of the hill to take me up. Having launched I proceeded to go straight down so I headed out over one of the spines which was in sun and caught the dregs of what felt like a thermal. Slowly working my way back up I got back to launch height and bit by bit fought my way up to 2000 ft while drifting over the back. The day was evidently quite unstable.as between the west and east coasts it had largely overdeveloped. This isn't so bad as long as you're high because you can fly to the darker areas of cloud and get cloudsuck. If you're down low then it makes it difficult because you're flying by the ground and looking out for any patches of sun. 2000£t seemed to be the height at which my concentration‘Fram: lan Clik Te: Joh Nchls/Chudbane Mag Date 12974 Fine: 18:40:24 Pagers decided to wander and losing my 120ft/min thermal T decided to head towards Dills Hill where there was landing, if necessary, by Woodcocks'Rd. After sore close shaves I contacted the convergence at Dills Hill and reached cloudbase at 3400ft for my first time. The convergence line, as you would expect, was running north-south directly over the top of Moir Hill and continuing on slightly angling back to the west coast heading northwards. Following the dangly bits I followed this line replenishing height whenever I could. Rejoining SH16 at Tauhoa I flew towards Wellsford. Following the main power lines towards Port Albert I got low and spotted a bonfire which I headed towards. Flying over a reging bonfire while you're quite low is perhaps similar to flying into a dustdevil. You grit your teeth and hold on! Having just returned from a drought stricken part of Australia I was used to turning my knuckles white but in New Zealand? No! With an average climb rate of, 600 ft/min I managed to climb back to cloudbase without turning upside down. Skirting the western corner’ of the forest west of Topuni I headed towards Maungaturoto. The island becomes significantly wider at this point and often you'll have two convergence lines, one heading towards Dargaville, and the other up towards the Tangihua ranges. Both Bruce and Steve having landed were now chasing me in the car and had caught up to me when I passed over Maungaturoto. The path I felt I had to take was straight into the wops in a north westerly direction. There's nothing better at this stage to hear your driver sey ‘Don't worry about flying into the wops - we'll find you' . Cloudbase had lifted to 4300 ft. The topography of the island is relatively even once you fly past the Brynderwyns. This meant that the convergence line didn't have ground baséd obstructions to upset it and travels in ‘a relatively straight line up the island. Convergence, when set up well, will have two different cloudbases. Between the two cloudbases is a wall of cloud. The higher cloudbase was on the east side of the island leading me to think it was the seabreeze from the east coast that was converging with the airmass in the middle of the isiand. Down to 1500ft ten km north west of Maungaturoto I was close to going out and finding somewhere to land as the hills below looked uninviting. Encountering light lift I spent about 15 minutes slowly climbing back up. Quite often you'll have a narrow escape which should've put you on the ground but then after climbing back up you'll be rewarded with a path laid out for you. This was one of those times. A 500ft wall of cloud towered aboveCO ee Framlan Cth Te: Jo NetateCloudbene Sag Date 129/04 Ti: 185052 Paget me and by flying with one wing in and one wing out I climbed up the wall and then straight lined at 4300ft for the next 10 km! . Approaching the Tangihua ranges I decided it would be neat to fly right over the top of the trig station. what 2 sight! Absolutely beautiful! A hawk appeared out of nowhere and joined me for a short while, checking me out as I was checking him out. The bush clad range with its highest peak at around 2000ft was the scenic wonder of the whole flight while making it all that much better knowing that I had got there under my own steam. Heading northwards towards Tangiteroria on the Whangarei-Dargaville road I slowly realized that I had made a mistake in flying over the Tangihua range. The range had provided a stopper to the seabreeze convergence but on the north side of the range the seabreeze had nothing to stop it and had continued on westwards through | the gap between the Tangihua's and the Maungaru range. The convergence line continued from the Maungaru range but 1 the glide to get there was about 5km and although I was quite high it meant that I would arrive low. It had also overdeveloped with no sun on the ground anywhere within gliding distance. The best thing I thought I could do was to glide and hope I would get something down low. Now 1 that I was getting into the lower foothills leading up to the Maungaru range, little bumps and patches of light lift made their presence known until something resembling a thermal started taking me back up. It was quite rough with spits of rain coming down in the downdrafts of the thermal. Not seeming to be able to get much higher than 2000 ft I glided off to look for a suitable landing and try and sort out which way the wind was blowing. I landed on the face of a hill for lack of any other suitable landing. My final resting place was 4km south of Parakao having covered a distance of 92.5 km. Total time in the air was 4 hrs 15 mins having landed just before 5 pm. Looking back to Monday, it was probably possible to launch from Moir Hill or Bridges so this flight could have been done from either of those two sites. After all, a hill is only used as a stepping stone to a cross country «flight. With close to three weeks of little rain, the : next couple of months will, I'm sure, be almost if not better than last year. Happy flying! :TWO NEW SITES Usually we hear reports of sites closing, but by way of a change there is news of two new sites at extreme opposite sides of the city. One of them, "Five Fingers”, is part of the Bridges hill complex, and is reported in Ian Clark's article in this mag. The site is reported to take Westerly to South-Westerly, and possibly North-Westerly if light. The second site is near Bombay, on Puke- tutu, I think, taking East to North-Easterly winds. Having told you about these sites, I now have to tell you not to go there. Not until you've contacted the Site Monitors to establish their status. Contact Murray Wardell for “Five Fingers", and Geoff Green for Bombay. j KARIOITAHI Phil Miller reports that constructionhas actually started on the building site at Kario. It won't be long before we won't be able to move there for tourists, flocking.to stay at the coast! In the meantime, life must go on. The gate has been reported locked. but Phil now believes it to be open again during the day. If it has to be locked, the builder is agreeable to the club putting a combination lock in the chain. I£ you find such a lock on the gate, try the Club PO Box number on it. And remember to lock the gate behind you on departure. Also, note that cars should not be taken right up to the water tank, but should be parked in the area at the foot of the slope leading to the tank. Don't block the track. and if you do go to the tank "in error" and allow your glider to accidentally fall off, come straight back down again. PARACHUTE REPACK We had hoped to organise a reserve parachute repack before the New Year, but it's proved hard to set up. I'm aiming to get the next repack at Whenuapai (where we did one last year), but as we won't have a ‘CLOUDBASE’ until February, we may have to advise | everyone by telephone. In the meantime, there's nothing to stop anyone organising there own repack, if their ‘chute is out of date. Contact Free Flight, Wings and Waves or myself. This applies especially to anyone entering the Nationals i hi aoe mee oeHoliday park gets time A last minute deal by “meeting Mayor Peter "After the meeting Mr "We will getthe kiosk Kariotahi holiday park © Aitken read a fax re- Doncaster toldthe'Post’ up this summer. The developer Malcolm ceived shortly before themew deadline would busy time here stars in Doncaster has kept the from Mr Doncaster's give sufficient time to February and stays busy roject alive, lawyers confirming fi- get work started. through to July-Augusy,” Franklin District nance was in place. “We can't start till we he says. Council was threatening Instead of immedi- get confirmation from’ Council has set aside to revoke the lease for ately revoking the lease, the lawyers. All that $84,975 this year as its the reserve land on council deferred further stuff takes time,” he share of providing storm whichMrDoncaster in- actiontill next year, set- says. ‘water drainage and seal- tends to build a kiosk, ting February 10 as the Finance is being pro- ing a public car park, restaurant and other fa- last date for signs that vided by solicitors ater plusa contribution tothe cilities. construction is_a third bank tumed the effluent disposal system. Atlastweek’s council underway. project down. Article taken from the WAIUKU POST November 29th. As of the first weeks of December construction work has been seen taking place on the land which could explain why the gate is now locked or was it those motor cross bike riders who where starting to skid the place up on a more frequent basics that finally cooked our goose. Tearooms approved : . Planning consent fora tearooms to operate on the Spittal's property on Karioitahi Road has been Also from the same paper, for ‘granted by Franklin District Councils hearings eom- those who prefer a cup of the hot a mmede report says the tearooms will pro- stuff prior to heading home. vide a much needed facility for people visting the Its the old house, last on the left beach. going out to Kario. Cheers from Peter T. Waiuku MEMBERSHIP REMINDER Don't forget that club membership subscriptions for the coming year are now DUE. There have been a lot of renewals, but still quite a few to be done. Enclosed with this issue of ‘CLOUDBASE’ is a membership application, in case you didn't get one with your last 'Airborn'. Please fill in and return it to our club Secretary/Treasurer as soon as possible if not already done. This is especially important for entrants to the Nationals. The renewal fees for this year are $100. Post forms and money to PO Box 80-138 Auckland.FOR SALE t te pavertisement is the last month in The date) neve Ce Seinued. unless You. advise, the Balter which 1G Unnecessary calis. Please advizs the Editor when Tougment is sold. Any hang glider oe. paraglider sold ocuimi have a current, warrant of £itnes2- preferably issued immediately prior to sale. ORIGINAL _K1_GLIDER (01/95) CRIGIND ition,’ blue.and-white, less than 10 bre, no harness, $4000 -ono. Contact: Jerry Stuart, Tel 372 8432 xS.155 (02/94) @ESxwith blue leading edge, new wires, no harness, spare DTs. $2300. Contact: Alastair Simson, Tel 528 5156 K1_Ic GL (03/94) Mint condition (no, it doesn't have a hole in i Green and White. $3500. Contact: Kerry Thompson, Tel 630 7899 » Blue, ZE WINDICATOR 200 mowrrnogron 200mm DINGHY RACING MODEL © SUITABLE FOR YACHTS 2 TO 4 METERS warenats ua. Sraatuzeo LOOK To WINDWARD NONE BETTER UNDER THE SUN ogee. WINDICATOR 200... wsounrastas : AN ESSENTIAL AID TO YACHT RACING — WOOSONY TF OnE as erereeran merece peer eer es er This could be a good thing to set up in your back yard. For more info contact Mike Simpson on 413 9173. HAPPY HOLIDAY on behalf of the President and Committee of the AHGPC, I would like to wish all members a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and much successful Mid-Summer flying. There will be no ‘CLOUDBASE’ in January, and no club meeting either. Business as usual in Feb~ ruary., when I hope I'll be awash with stories and photos from both HG and PG Nationals, and elsewhere. Jolly John-