The Oz Report

2001 Flytec World Record Encampment

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It's over.  Yup, finally the long and extended WRE has come to a proper and fitting end with multiple world records as the weather returns to what we had expected all along from Zapata.  Gorgeous cumulus filled skies.  Early morning launches.  Light to moderate winds (they could have been stronger).  Only over development in north central Texas stopped more records from falling in the last few days.

David Glover set the new rigid wing distance to declared goal record at 220 miles yesterday, taking a photo of the intersection of College and Llano on the northeast corner of town in Rocksprings.

David Glover <david> writes:

The harness Velcro blew out again, this time 35 miles into the flight (another painful flight).  I landed on the outskirts of town.  The couple who own the 1000 acre ranch where I landed brought me water, beer and helped me breakdown the glider.  They insisted on fixing a home cooked catfish dinner along with more beer and drinks.  They offered me a shower (felt great) and bed for the evening.  Could it get any better?  Dick and Pat Herschap win the hospitality award for wayward hang glider cross-country pilots.

That's right, the Velcro separated from chest to toe in this harness that the round man is flying, just like on his last flight with it.  This time, he pointed his toes and just kept flying for the next six hours laying on two buckles – he has the welts to prove it.  Now this is the hard way to set a world record.

On the same day Betinho broke the longest standing distance world record in hang gliding, Larry's Tudor's distance to goal record of 304 miles.  Betinho flew 311 miles to Mertzon to set the record.  He was high there, but could see the over development to the north so he decided to land.

Josh Cohn set the new distance to goal record for paragliding two days ago, and at the same time set the new American record for distance – 200 miles.  Godfrey Wenness holds the world distance record for paragliding at 208 miles.  Josh set the record at 192 miles, and then kept going trying to make 200 miles.  He just made it.

Kari set the women's hang gliding distance record at 250 miles on the same day that Josh set his record.  She wanted to really smash the previous record (Tove Heaney, 230 miles) but she is now more aware of just how difficult that can be, even in a place like Zapata.

Funny thing about expectations.  We had some extremely high expectations for this WRE.  We were whispering numbers to each other, like 400, 450, and 500 miles (no one was buying that number when I said it).  We set our expectations far beyond what anyone had ever done before.  Numbers like this are not considered within the realm of possibility in almost all hang gliding circles.  Only cynics and nihilists are unimpressed.

Now that we didn't meet some of our highest expectation, it seems like we didn't do our best or didn't get the best weather.  The bad days here are days where it is only possible to go 200 miles.  There are plenty of places where 200 miles flights are extremely rare if not impossible.

This is extreme flying at its best.  You've got to be able to stay up in the early morning weak lift at low elevations over areas where you'll have a long walk out if you go down.  Then you race during the day, across lots of other unlandable terrain and then slow down to hang with whatever is there in the evening.  The amount of preparation required is beyond extensive.  This is no 2 to 3 hour race.

Hopefully we'll be back next year with even more adventurous pilots who want to see just how far it is possible to fly.  Perhaps you will join us then.

Betinho says he wants to come back for the month of June.  Manfred wants two months – June and July.  Jim Neff wants three weeks around the solstice.  Seems like all the other WRE pilots want to come back.

South Texas hospitality

You would not believe how well we were treated by the locals here in Zapata.  We were invited to many barbeques and had some of the best food you could imagine.  And it wasn't just one time or a couple of barbeques.  We had more invitations than we could respond to.  And still we went to as many as we could.

Not only that but we have the support of the local newspaper publisher, and Sheriff, the chamber of commerce, local ranchers, and towns folk.  We've been out to a couple of hunting lodges for dinners and offers to stay over night.  Most pilots been staying in very modestly process suites here at the LakeFront Lodge (there is not lakefront anymore).

We are planning to come back next year and make the WRE an even bigger deal.  Zapata is very happy to be the town with the most number of hang gliding records.

Final Flytec Contest number

I haven't looked at your entries yet, give me a couple of days to do that.  The final numbers for the contest:

Rigid wing = 406.8 miles

Flex wing = 435.4 miles

Paraglider = 200 miles

Total = 1042.2 miles

David = 220 miles

Pick up Dave's ATOS?

David Glover had to leave his ATOS where he landed, just a little south of Interstate 10, on the way to Hearne for California and Colorado pilots.  If you'd like to help Dave out, and pick up an extra $100, please contact him about taking a small detour and picking up his ATOS and dropping it off in Hearne, Texas at the US Nationals: <david>.

Thanks.

2001 Brazilian Nationals

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José Luiz Moura Velloso <joseluiz> writes:

From August 26 to September 1st we will be holding the Brazilian Nationals in Brasilia, the same place that will hold the World Championships in 2002/2003.  It will be a nice opportunity for pilots to learn the place and conditions, before the Pre Worlds next year.

Brasilia is one of the best flying sites in Brasil, and we have held competitions here for the last 10 years, always with good conditions.  Last year we have 6 valid tasks (out of seven), with an average of 90-km tasks.

This competition will be open to foreign pilots, and we are looking forward to having you all come and fly here.

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Davis Straub
co-author of Windows Me Secrets
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