few more "really moments"

The last two days beat it all. Let's start with yesterday. The weather forecast was done based on data from few days ago and didn't take into account the cool air that managed to sneak in under the warm air mass causing a severe inversion.

The tasks were set based on 14,000 ft Cu's prediction. Almost 660 km racing task for my class, with the first turn point almost 300 km away. No earlier briefing or earlier launch was called. When we started launching after midday it was clear that the prediction was totally wrong. The back of the grid (where I was positioned) was hoovering at the release height for an hour or so not able to get any higher. The front of the grid managed to reach 3,000-3,500 ft AGL. The gate opened at 1 pm and I was nowhere near the starting height. Few little groups went off but as hard as I tried I was not in the position to go with them. Oh, did I mention that it was totally blue? It is an essential info as you don't start on your own on a low blue day.

Finally I got higher and could start the task from around 4,000 ft AGL. It was 2:20 pm by then. I quickly did the numbers and with the 120 km/h I was hoping to go around with there was just no way I could fly the task during daylight. Then I heard gliders outlanding down the track and some coming back on engines. I decided to pull the plug on this one. I think that I've grown up enough to know not to continue with things that are just no fun anymore. And this one was certainly one of these things.

the essence of Nemo

Oh yeah, and on top of it all I got Nemo again ... I towed behind Nemo 3 out of 6 launches that I had and there are 8 tugs available. What luck!

Today beats it all though ...

We got out in the morning and followed our usual routines: un-tie, covers off, water in etc. We knew that a weather change was coming in the afternoon and it could get nasty. The usual morning sms with grid and launch time info didn't come.

Instead we got this one @ 9:00 am:

"No task today. Extreme weather and wind changes make launching impossible".

Oh yeah, that's sensible. Knowing that tomorrow is going to be total crap with rain bucketing as the very active front passes through, we and quite a few others, decided to de-rig and store gliders in the trailers. So off went the water and we quickly pulled the glider into bits and into the trailer. We closed and tied down the trailer and went for briefing @ 10 am.

As we were heading for briefing this sms arrives:

"Change of plan! Task may be possible, details at briefing, grid 10:30-12:30 on RWY 08"

WTF? How can you legally cancel the day and then an hour later un-cancel it? This is against all the rules. Don't they even know it? You just CAN'T do it. A cancelled day is a cancelled day. Full stop.

Obviously the organisers lack some basic knowledge and they better study the rules before the world comps next year. This is a no-go.

We didn't bother rigging again in the heat. Have I mentioned that it's 43 degrees out there today and blowing gale? In the end they launched 18m and 15m classes and cancelled open. We ended up fixing the bills and getting ready for departure towards home tomorrow morning.

Before that though we're going out for a nice dinner with some interesting personalities tonight.