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BMFA F3F League 1 6th April (Hole Of Horcum)


Martin_N

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Hi All,

 

It’s that time of year again and the BMFA F3F league 2014 is about to start. Details of all the events and how to register can be found at the following locations:

 

http://www.gbsra.co.uk/bmfa-league

http://www.bmfa.org/ContestsEvents/ContestandEventCalendar/tabid/309/Default.aspx

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This year the first event is organized for the Hole Of Horcum on the 6th April. Therefore registration is now open and will close on Wednesday 2nd April at 10pm.

 

Please forward the following required details to martinnewnham@btinternet.com

 

·         Pilot Name

·         BMFA or equivalent insurance details.

 

Note: If insurance cannot be verified then an additional £5 will be charged which will provide 30 days BMFA insurance cover for the pilot.

 

·         Gliders.

 

Entry to BMFA run contest will be £10 for 1 day contests.

 

As per previous years a weather call will be made on Friday evening before the contest confirming whether the contest will run or not.  This will be published through F3F Yahoo groups email and on BARCS website. Included in the mail will be the meet time and location.

 

The various clubs used to run F3F contests can be found at www.gbsra.co.uk

 

I look forward to seeing you all to get the new 2014 season on the way.

 

Thanks

 

Martin  

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Just a note to you all, the 2014 bmfa f3f rules can be downloaded from the gbsra website documents page.

So no excuses you can't find them or you haven't read them :)

Thanks

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we will be in all sorts of trouble if folk start reading the rules.

:P

Agreed Mike :) but it's my interpretation that counts :)
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Hi All,

To confirm registration is now closed BMFA f3f league 1.

I will post the weather call on Friday evening which will include meet time and location.

Hopefully see you all Sunday.

Thanks

Martin

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Hi All,

Having looked at the weather and discussed conditions with local knowledge being the key input, unfortunately it has been decided to call OFF Sundays contest.

Sorry all it looks like we will have to wait a little longer.

Thanks

Martin

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Rocket Ronnie

Well it looks like the forecasters have got it wrong again, which has cost a cancellation of yet another F3F event that could have gone ahead.

The question has to be asked, are we being a bit premature with our weather calls.

Ronnie

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Well it looks like the forecasters have got it wrong again, which has cost a cancellation of yet another F3F event that could have gone ahead.

The question has to be asked, are we being a bit premature with our weather calls.

Ronnie

Come on Ronnie .thats not fair after the event!the guys that do the call can only do their best on the info given.It,s been lashin down here all morning! :D

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Rocket Ronnie

Come on Ronnie .thats not fair after the event!the guys that do the call can only do their best on the info given.It,s been lashin down here all morning! :D

Hey just saying. Are we all getting a bit soft ????

Btw hardly any rain here in Leeds

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Baldyslapnut

We made a weekend of it and did a bike race in Hull on Saturday then stayed in a B&B. They would have charged us if we had cancelled. So I prayed to the XC Weather God on Saturday night.

 

I hope to get a few flights at the HOH in between the showers. We arrived at 11.30am and it had just rained hard in Pickering. There was one local chap flying and the lift was very good. However, heavy showers could be seen approaching. We flew for 90 minutes and towards the end I was struggling to launch my F3F plane on my own. The wind was gusting as strongly as the day we test flew the Aresti which was 50 mph.

 

The first two flights with the F3F plane were at 3.8kg and if had been in the comp I would have ballasted to the FAI limit. My last flight was okay but the plane was like a rag doll. The hill was blowing out. 

 

We did a dash for the car at 2pm when a huge front headed towards us. On the road down to Pickering it rained very heavily and for a sustained period of time.

 

If the comp had run it would not have started until 11am and would have had to be stopped at 2.30pm. We may have restarted but it would have been at least an hour break.

 

We all want to race but with some people driving 200 miles plus I would say it was a good call.

 

At least I got some flying in and every flight was sub 30 seconds easily  :P

 

Greg

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Thats good to know Greg, glad you got some flying in. Sounds like good conditions.

 

I am with Ronnie on the weather call, I think we are probably leaning a bit too far towards the 'off' if there is a chance of rain. We lost Eastbourne (the last comp) when it was flyable till 3pm and today it might just have been possible by the sound of it.

 

If a comp is called on and the forecast has rain in it, some people won't travel anyway so the numbers reduce a bit and the chances of getting the rounds in increase. Like you're B&B booking, I had flights booked for Eastbourne that I couldn't cancel. I have become wise to it now though and this time we booked a hotel that we could cancel last minute.

 

I think if the wind speed and direction are looking favourable and there is say a 60% chance of rain we should be giving the comp a chance. Forecasts are seldom spot on and it could go either way in the intervening 36 hours but I would be willing to take that risk and hide behind my new sportsbrella if the worst happens. I don't think we would blame the organisers if it didn't happen.

 

I know local knowledge is king in making the weather call but I think the parameters are worthy of discussion. Are we right to err on the cautious side or should we risk getting wet?

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Seriously?

We had 28 entrants 4 rounds is the minimum would we have got 4 rounds in. Maybe we should go back to the 6 pilots minimum to run a comp and chase all over the country.

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paul garnett

Its all well and good after the comp, if anyone wants torun the league so tthey can make the difficult call on the weather, then step forward..

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Baldyslapnut

John Phillips will tell you I did it for a number of years in the late 80's.

 

It is a difficult job. You have to find suitable sites with supportive clubs.

 

Try to make the dates fit around F3B and other dates. Such as F3J and F5B.

 

The Friday night call is right. It gives people chance to arrange other things. We booked a B&B knowing it could be cancelled. Having left home in the past at 5.15am to get to the HOH. It makes me shudder thinking about having to slap myself in the face to stay awake whilst driving home. Despite the car windows being open, music blasting out and Tom Mac and Dave Woods snoring loudly.

 

I compete in National Cycling Races. It is similar to F3F people drive from all over the country to ride. Depending on the weather the event can be called off moments before the start time. I have driven many hundreds of miles only to be turned away at the last moment. Wasting the whole day and up to £100 of diesel.

 

We have booked B&B's for the F3F Nats, Scottish F3F Nationals and the Welsh Open. If they are cancelled we will have a Plan B like today. 

 

Greg

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Hey just saying. Are we all getting a bit soft ????

Btw hardly any rain here in Leeds

They could have done with some water in Sheffield though !    8-)

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What do you think though Paul? Is calling off for rain right when wind looks good? I know its not easy and I am not having a pop at the organisers and Im not proposing a change to the weather call on Friday night. Just asking do we have the parameters right and would we all accept a little more risk in the hope of getting more comps in?

In a way its a fair comment being after the event, but if it was my call I would have gone towards optimism on both occasions. Maybe that's just me. Maybe its beacause I bought a sportbrella.

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In the 2 and bit seasons we have used the weather call for the bmfa league I think we have got it wrong twice, does it really need to have more variables added to what already seems to be working?

Sunday's call from what I have read and been told was 100% correct call.

Thanks

Martin

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