Newcastle South Leagues Club, Merewether.
Gentlemen....start your engines.
Mon, 12/04/2010 - 20:17 — Alby
The weather looks promising, the Marheine’s are keen, and the grass is mown.
So lets go!
Stingfest is ON!!!
Saturday morning. (shall we say 9am?)
Yarrawa International.
Bring flying stuff.
Bring stuff to help you make it through the night.
Bring some antidote.
If you think there’s a remote possibility that you might attend ( like….you have something else to do???…Pull the other one) please drop me a line at wingtech[at]idl.com.au . Or send me a message through this site. We’d just like to get an idea of numbers to help with logistics.
Many thanks and see you there...King!.
And this copy of a previous post is useful...
Things to know…
? Fest II is being run under the umbrella of the Newcastle Hang Gliding Club. Airborne and Wingtech are also contributing.
? It is open to all HGFA members with aero-tow experience. Sting pilots will get special privileges (it’s a STINGFEST after all) but all pilots & wings are super welcome.
? Safety will be a priority and all pilots are asked to help maintain our perfect safety record. Anyone compromising that record will get buried on site and never be spoken of again.
? Aim to get there early – especially if you want some practice in the smooth air.
? Initial briefing will be at 9am Saturday morning - please don’t miss it.
? Tasks will be weather dependent, but will probably include a task similar to (actually the same as) last year, with turnpoints.
? There will be a landing target with actual money on it for the one who nails it first. [No points if more than your feet and the tailpipe touch the ground. Even less points if you pile in.]
Things to bring…
? FIRE – Bring some in your belly. The next STINGKING will have to want that crown SO badly that he/she will sweat steam and belch flames. You want it? You got to prove it! Fly, fly, fly and then fly some more.
? FEAR – leave it at home – you will not need it here, (unless you are the previous King).
? FOOD – There will be a BBQ on Saturday evening. After a big day in the air you will be starving & thirsty. If you want meat, bring some. If you want to have a drink, bring some. Salads will be supplied for the BBQ. Breakfast on Sunday morning – bring it or buy it in town. Worth noting is that the new owners of the Café in Denman now serve HOT coffee and eggs etc without the attitude.
? FUNDS – Sting pilots tow for free on Saturday (it’s a STINGFEST after all). Other wings are welcome but you will fork out the usual $15 to 2000ft for tows (insultingly cheap). Sunday will be a normal tow-day so bring some readies for the tuggies. $10 for the pleasure of staying at the strip might be a nice idea too.
? FURNITURE – usual camping stuff should see you comfy – Plate, eating tools, chair, tent, beer, bucket etc. bring as much or as little as you need.
? FLYING STUFF – Maybe check your equipment BEFORE you arrive? Maybe bring some rings. Maybe bring some weak-link (#8 Donaghys nylon builders line). There’s nothing like being self sufficient with towing supplies.
This may well be the last STINGFEST at Yarrawa due to the proposed coal mine, so turn up and be a part of history. Miss it at your peril.
For the newbies…go to Denman, take the Yarrawa Road south-west to Yarrawa via the deviation. Keep you eyes right then turn off at the bus shelter with the flying in the background. Drive SLOWLY when on the property and use common sense around the strips.
Meetings
Upcoming Events
- February 2012 Comp Round(Club Comp Round)(16 days)
- February Meeting(Event)(20 days)
- Clean Up Strezi Day(Event)(24 days)
- March 2012 Comp Round(Club Comp Round)(44 days)
the king is dead
Alby (actually, it was Georgia) hands out the trams
Happy pilots on Saturday evening watch Splint's 'projection on sail' cinema
Billo
Happy Stingfest to you, Happy Stingfest to you, Happy...
It doesn't get much better, if it does, you're too greedy. Happy ground crew and pilots to help you onto the dolly with no hassles (you even got lollies while setting up!). Obliging towmasters who don't know how to wave you off, lotsa friendly clouds and lazy thermals that said come for a ride on me, and the wonderful hosts of Pete, Christine, Alby and Jan! Stingfest is Stingbest!
My high(est)light was on Sunday at 11:00. The sky was puffing little cu’s everywhere. I got lucky enough to receive a higher than usual tow that put me up above base. That put me in a lovely place to slide around the valley, slowwwwly sinking at about 20' down. The camera got a bit of a workout.
By the time I sank down closer to terra firma the ground was starting to bubble, and I squeaked my first thermal from quite low. It was a tender young thing for the first 15 or 20 minutes at about 40fpm but then it hit puberty and took me back to cloudbase at about 350 up. How nice!
From there I could fly along and in and out of this lovely street, taking cores where they presented themselves. Soon I was lucky enough to share this street with Vic and Jason and two friendly young eagles.
After a while the street went off downwind and the valley blued out, but that was okay as the hills were working by now. Wow!
All around there were gliders taking nice climbs and/or behind the tugs! It was coool to watch people getting up all over the place, either on their own or they were getting dropped off in a gaggle.
After an hour and a half my fun meter was full so I landed so I could help out on the ground for a while.
If you have a Sting, or owned a Sting, or are thinking about getting a Sting, or know someone who has, or had a Sting, or have looked at a picture of a Sting, or seen a Sting in real life, and you can aerotow you should most definitely ring Alby at Wingtech and make sure he hold this fun event again. It is hang gliding at its best.
Here’s a couple of taster pics.
Cheers, Stuie.
http://www.nhgc.asn.au/fly/sites/default/files/imagecache/short/photos/0...
http://www.nhgc.asn.au/fly/sites/default/files/imagecache/short/photos/0...
http://www.nhgc.asn.au/fly/sites/default/files/imagecache/short/photos/0...
http://www.nhgc.asn.au/fly/sites/default/files/imagecache/short/photos/0...
http://www.nhgc.asn.au/fly/sites/default/files/imagecache/short/photos/0...
The King is dead...
A great weekend.
Thanks to Alby for running it, and to everyone who turned up.
Billo
Review
Stinging it was good, thermaling, spinning, spot landing.
A bit windy (just a little drift in the thermals) but lift was fine for being able to stay up and get around the sky. it was nice to fly the mountains.
Attended by Pete, Chris, Georgia, Alby, Jan, Dustan, Billo, GaryN, GarryH, Vic,GlennMc, Jason Mc, Harry, Vic, Stewart, Dick, the Old King Allan and all Hail the new King Dawson.
Glen Mc, GaryH and I hit the spot. Pete and billo managed it too and chiped the tyres up over the spot.
We flew well, ate well. BBQ dinner, thanks to Alby &Jan & Jason for Salads, Chris made us potato bake. We had videos shown projected onto the top surface of splints C4. Billo and I made a trike flight in search of the best photographs late in the day. Next moring, Billo and I went into Widden for photos. Garry was trike flying, Glen Mc went for a trike ride with Billo. Before long we were towing again. I had the loan of Glenns Rev, thank you, and kept it up for the day while he took my Rev out for the day. I got some photos of eagles, also of Vic and Jason with Dangar in the background. A funny moment on the radio was when I announced that i was sharing a thermal with a sea eagle, a wedge tail eagle and an englishman (dick), the most amazing thing was the distance we were inland for a sea eagle! I was late for a gormet lunch with all of the crew.
Thanks all for a good weekend, Airborne for sponsoring tugs and fuel, Wingtech for sponsoring food, organisational tallents, spot landing prizes, the tropy that we all envy and the golden crown. Billo towed a trike out for the privelidge of towing us up all weekend, thankyou. Thanks Pete and Chris for a perfect venue and hospitality, it is great how pete hangs out just to tow us up.
Stingfest was very festival like. Still, I wonder why I was the only one in costume?
Entertainment
I'll be throwing the projector and speakers in the car so if anyone has some flying DVDs then bring them along. Also if anyone takes some video or pics on the day we can show them as well.
Use Your Wings Before The Fat Lady Sings
WTF?
That forecast looks amazing.
Personally I have no idea what any of that means but I'll take your word for it.
Great to see so much interest in Fest 2. Its looking like being the festiest fest yet with a cast of thousands.
If you're undecided...wake up and get packing!
Why stay at home with the tumbleweeds when everyone else is at the universal centre cramming a lifetime's worth of fun into a weekend?
See you all strip-side Saturday 9am.
Dawson, perhaps you could explain that forecast chart over a few quite ales on Saturday nite? No words over two syllables though.
Stingfest Forecasts
Current Forecasts for Yarrawa on Saturday show
- up to 700'/min lift
- about 10 degrees C at cloud base, and 25 degrees C in the paddock
So, dress warm, but then again, every time I dress warm I don't seem to get up. Maybe I'll wear T-shirt and shorts and freeze my arse off at cloudbase. Sounds like fun.
Dawson
For Sure!!!
Can't wait! I'm considering going on Friday as well. Might just sleep in my harness, already hooked-in, I'm so keen......
-Vic
I'm in
I will see you all there first thing Saturday ready for the breifing.
I have Sting, Beer and Meat. Planning on leaving the fear behind. Has anyone got any spare BELLY FIRE I can borrow.
Friday afternoon.
I'm thinking of heading up on the Friday. Anyone else?
Use Your Wings Before The Fat Lady Sings
I'm in
I can't wait, see you all there.
Dawson
I'm going!
Woohoo!
I'll be there, minus the rope and tractor and... I digress, the weather's shaping up reaaal nice!
C'mon all you STING pilots (and all you closet STING pilots), come on up to Denman, it's a beautiful place to fly, and if the coal people have their way, it's not going to be there much longer, so come and enjoy flying over some of the prettiest parts of the Hunter while its still there, and have a STINKING good time doing it.
Cheers
Stuie
I have been looking forward
I have been looking forward to this joust... if any of you wanna be Kings want the title I won't be giving it up easily!
A man with imagination has wings: he can fly.
Congratulations Clever King Dawson!
Congratulations Clever King Dawson!
Looks like you guys had a blast and I'm so sorry I missed it :( Well done all those who made such fun happen, particularly the bringing of chocolate cake. Yet again I have managed to injure myself enough that I will not be flying for at least a month or two, so fly lots for me till I can.