We expect that all pilots coming to the WRE will being flying with a GPS. It is basically mandatory that you fly with one for safety and retrieval purposes. If you land within 9 miles of the airport, we will need to know your exact location in order to get you out from behind locked gates.
If you land off the highway way out on course, you will need to be able to give your location to your driver so that you can be retrieved quickly without inconveniencing others. We expect you all to show up with GPSes.
The basic communication on the radio of your position is distance and bearing back to the Zapata airport. Because it consists of only two numbers it is more likely that these values will be heard and understood. All you have to do it set your GoTo on your GPS to the Zapata airstrip coordinates. You can then read off the values from your GPS.
We ask that all WRE pilots stick to this communication format on the radio. If you land out and have good radio communication, you can then provide your actual coordinates in Degrees, minutes, thousands of minutes. Please set your GPS to display this coordinate format.
We also ask that you set your GPS to statute miles and datum - WGS 84. We all want to be operating off the same page here.
We assume that you also have a GPS in your retrieval vehicle. We ask that if you have a second GPS that you bring it to Zapata. We want a GPS in the vehicle that is chasing you and your fellow pilots.
One of our waypoints is the center of the Laredo airport. You will need to stay
6 miles to the east of the airport if you are under 3,000'. When approaching Laredo you will need to switch your GPS to GoTo Laredo and make sure that you stay at least
6 miles to the east of this waypoint.
When you are much further out on the course, you can switch to another GoTo waypoint. We'll all agree on one later so that we can all understand the nature of your transmission.
Davis Straub
davis@davisstraub.com
www.davisstraub.com/OZ