WAC Day 10 - 4 Minute Freestyle

Just back from the 4 minute Freestyle.   Great flying on show with Hannes Arch, Ramon Alonso and Eric Vazeilleadded to the classic competitors.   I don't expect any results to be announced until the closing ceremony this evening,    My picks were Kairys, Sonka, Holland and Marmy (maybe not in that order).  A lot of variety, Marmy followed Holland - rock'n'roll to classical!   Arch and Ivanoff's displays were BIG, grand music, large in space.   Some were tight and in the judges face.   Truly a mix of styles on display.   Spoke with Aude Lemordant  afterward, and she took off without a watch.....so she just had to wing it!  Her first 4 minute Free.  She did the HSC in Pennant Hills, started aerobatics in 2005, flies for Air France, and is now the Vice-Female World Champion.   Makes me feel pretty slack.

I got some video so will try and upload a bit later.

Day 9.1

Well, the results are out for the technical contest, and with some surprises.   I missed Francois Levot's HZ for a positive crossover snap instead of a negative snap (downward iverted 45 leg of a humpty).   This dropped him down the standings considerably.  Phillipp's HZ also cost him - same applies as at home, NO DONUTS.
Some lovely flying in the last seven, with the cool morning I think the Sukhoi's could start 2-300ft lower at least.   Svetlana and Chmal and Oleg certainly had it in the bottom of the box.
Hats off to Olivier Masurel finishing 2nd in the CAP-232, he flew well and consistently all comp and certainly deserved his scores.   He, Alexander Leboulanger and Nicholas Ivanoff ended up leading the way for the French, ahead of the Armee de l'Air - possibly the loss of Renaud Ecalle has affected them more than we might think.

Tomorrow, the 4 minute freestyle, with some big names flying in:  Ramond Alonso, Jurgis Kairys, Hannes Arch.   Also flying are Rob Holland, Ivanoff, Marmy, Steinbach and Vazeille.

WAC Day9

The final seven have flown.   The re-fly's went first.  Victor Chmal had a solid flight, but Tom Cassels' problems reoccurred and he again landed and went to the technical area.  I doubt he will fly again, but this has not been confirmed.
next up was Oleg S. and it was a neat flight, though I missed some figures.   Gerald in the Sbach flew well, Eric V. said he had some errors, the greatest being overflicking the 3/4 flick on the starting figure, as did many who came in with heaps of smash.

Svetlana flew impeccably, and very low, and no doubt will regain her WC status.   Francois leVot again flew a very measured and correct sequence, and will hold his position near the top.   Unfortunately for Phillipp S. he 1/2 flicked the start figure instead of 3/4, but recovered and flew on well.  The zero will drop him down the table.   We will have to wait until scores are posted.

WAC Day 8

Day 7 was a rest day and the organisers put on a trip to the Italian Air Force Museum in the morning and Trevi on the way back.   The family and I went to Siena, Florence and San Gimignamo instead.  Tuscany in a day, as Annette says!

From the SA Team....thanks guys!   Just wait 'til the World Cup

Again, the weather fine and beaut for flying with 37 pilots to get through, plus the warm-ups.   The remaining top 75% of pilots were again split into three groups, with the lowest ranked group flying first, so they got the cool of the day.
Mike Vaknin flew the 300S around cleanly but had to start quite high.   Jeff Bourbon and Goody Thomas both flew neat sequences in the 330SC.   The Sukhoi's seemed to struggle and didn't impress, until Mikhail Mamistov had his turn, and it was a precise and impressive flight deserving of the score.   Tamas Illes in the Edge 540T flew well, again.  The aircraft is ugly on the ground but presents well airborne and has plenty of performance.   As do the MXS-RH and Edge 540 of Rob Holland and Nicholas Ivanoff, respectively.   The MXS has gained the close attention of the French and others, with it's clean lines and obviously greater performance than the stock 330SC.   Rob flew well only suffering with scores due to over-flicking the first figure, the same error Ivanoff made on the same figure, but 2nd in his sequence.   Late in the day Olivier Masurel and Castor Fantoba flew impressive sequences.  The two CAP-232 left in the competition both have -580 engines.   And Castor is one of those pilots who just looks at home in his aircraft.
Some drama occurred when Tom Cassels had a problem and landed prematurely.   Similarly Victor Chmal had engine problems and landed safely, his aircraft now out of the comp.   Both will re-fly tomorrow morning, along with the five pilots who did not get to fly today.  Yes, we didn't get finished as the judges were tired and called a stop after Castor's flight.   Additional factors no doubt were that two of the Russian pilots needed an aircraft change after the U/S of 'their' Sukhoi, so were entitled to a limited test flight in their new aircraft, which they did this evening.   So fitting this all in today was not possible.
So, to fly in the morning are: Oleg Shpolyansky, Gerald Cooper, Francois leVot, Phillipp Steinbach, Svetlana Kapinina, Victor Chmal (re-fly) and Tom Cassels (re-fly).   An interesting morning.

WAC Day6

We watched the first group fly the 1st Free Unknown yesterday morning.   Some very good flying, a credit to the pilots.   Conditions were about perfect.   To us at the tents the standout flights were Nicholas Ivanov in the Edge 540 and Mikhail Mamistov in the Sukhoi 26M3.   I missed some Olivier Masurel's flight (CAP-232), but he obviously continued on his form from the Free.  Ivanoff's flight was such that the pilots applauded him as he walked back past the tents after the flight.   He flew with speed, accuracy and energy, and right in front of the judges - a great flight.   Francois Levot also flew very impressively - a very measured and correct performance.   Full scores are up on the results page for viewing.
After flying was over the Spanish did their paola and sangria thing, which was much appreciated.   Unfortunately I had family commitments also, or I could have settled in for a while longer.
Tomorrow Groups II and I will fly the 2nd Free Unknown.   Another complex sequence ( see earlier post for link to sequence diagrams) that will be a test for all.   The French and Russian designs are smart, both using a linking figure to commence the sequence.  That said, I think the Czech sequence is the best, it will be ineteresting to see which sequences the pilot's choose to fly.

WAC Day5-6

Day 5 we  had a few raindrops and we stopped flying for it to clear.   That afternoon we got one flight in and then it stormed, shutting everything down.   Everyone pitched in to secure aircraft and tents and no damage was done, but no more flying took place.   At this point we were only halfway through the third group of pilots.  Yesterday briefing was slid until 1030 due forecast unsuitable weather early, but of course it was fine!   Then we flew the two warm-up pilots, one competition flight, and then the judges video camera broke.   So it seemed like the wheels were starting to fall off and the good lead on the schedule we had built up was slipping away.    After the obligatory 2-hour lunch, we started flying (with a warm-up pilot! - the by now Known Unknown).   The we got down to business and flew the remaining Group III and all of Group II.   Results are now up on the civa-results page.
The temperature yesterday after the change was appreciably cooler and aircraft performance was noticeably increased.  Mike Vaknin, the USA pilot in the hired Extra, flew a very neat Unknown.   Vittorio also got the knife around without a break, but did not do as well.   The scores tally with what we saw, but the 'cheats' on the b-axis from our view point are quite apparent.   These are the tricks we need to learn - cross-box positioning figures are a luxury in many cases.   Using all your opportunities to correct for wind or position figures for the best viewing by the judges is the key to success.   Oftentimes the highest K figure on the sheet is positioning.   Another feature of the top scores is energy.   Flying with panache and speed, without sacrificing accuracy.
All the Free's and Unknowns sequences are available from the WAC website at 
http://www.wac2011.it/wac2011eng/?page_id=24After flying last night the Czech's hosted beer and nibblies, after flying today the Spanish not-the-Spanish-Team is hosting.
Today it is cool and clear, light northerlies forecast, so the direction of flight is opposite what it has been.    The plan is to fly all Group I today, then stop and have tomorrow off before the 2nd Free Unknown.   Also, it has been briefed that only one warm-up pilot will fly - the Russian - and the French are not happy!
The 25% cut after Programmes 1 and 2 looks like being enforced, so 11 pilots will be dropped.   Paul has 7 behind him, Richard only two, so it is unlikely we will go through unless there are is some absolute carnage today, which seems unlikely.

WACDay4

Overcast and cool this morning with haze.   Pleasant temperature and smooth air, for a change.   Richard flew first after the warm-up pilots and unfortunately zeroed figure 7 and had to break.   The rest of his flying was fairly neat and scoreable, with some axis errors.   Due to the poor horizon and starting altitude needed, orientation was difficult, he said.
Paul flew sixth and made it around OK, his flying improving through the sequence.   He managed to work down to the front of the box, but was out on the downwind side a couple of times.
No scores up yet, so we will wait and see.   Other pilots in our group have zeroed some figures and a SA in the MXS had to break also.

We have worked with the Swiss to design the 2nd Unknown, and have submitted it to the Jury.   Whether we get to fly it remains to be seen.

WACDay3

Rich and Paul did not have to fly today, so took it easy and watched some of the other groups fly, or lounged by the pool at the hotel.   Still very warm, and hazy, which affected the performance of aircraft and pilots noticeably.
We submitted our Free Unknown sequence for vetting at 0900.   By 1030 all the Free Unknowns had been juried and posted for viewing.   After some assistance from Coco Bessier, Sergei Rakhmanin and Alan Cassidy - we chose to fly the Russian sequence rather than our own!  See above.   Rich is first up tomorrow after the warm-up pilots, and the third group should all fly before lunch..
We watched all of the top group fly their Frees this afternoon.   The full results are up, so go and have look at civa-results.com.   Rich and I thought Mamistov, Shpolyansky, Kapanina (apart from her roller), Ivanov, Masurel and Cassels flew very well.   Many struggled with altitude in the heat we thought and this spoiled some figures.   The design of some Frees were also 'challenging' we thought. - not what was needed on a performance-sapping day.   It was a pleasure to see the older CAP-232 flown well around a sequence, and they still seem to appear very good flicking machines.

So, we need to be in the top 75% after the Unknown to go through to the 2nd unknown.   It will be a challenge, but we'll give it a shot.

WACDay2.2

Both Paul and Rich flew the Free last evening.   Rich ~66%, Paul ~64%.  The first group of pilots completed the Free and scores are posted.   Will see whether the Jury enforce the cut or not.
We designed our Unknown submission last night,  I'll put it in at brief this morning.  The guys will have a day off, maybe watch some flying this arvo - the top group.  Then tonight design the second Unknown.

WACDay2.1

Just had the Unknown submission meeting - all good fun, just like at home.  You put up a figure and the french shout 'non,non' at you..... Not quite that bad, but some preparation is essential, which we had done fortunately.

Due to less than ten 'teams' here, the remaining competitors/countries drew lots to submit a figure, then the ten drew lots again for order of figure submission.   We got to submit the 8th figure for the first free unknown, but missed out on the 2nd Free Unknown.  However, Vittorio, the Italian we share the aircraft with made it, so we worked together to submit a figure we could reasonably fly in the 300S and deny others an option, for the 2nd unknown also - the 5th.  (we did both Unknown figures at the same briefing).
The first Unknown figures are shown.   Tonight we will draw some sequences over a birra grande or two!

WACDay2

Another fine day in Foligno.  Serious discussion has taken place regarding moving the Oz Nats here....?

Flying recommenced on the Q programme, and that was done by lunch.    Standout flights were Nicolas Ivanoff, Mikhail Mamistov and Tom Cassells.  Final scores for the Q are out, and unfortunately we are in the last group of three.   This means both Rich and Paul will fly their Free this arvo, and the warm-up pilot is out right now.   The judges are south, direction of flight to the west.

Day1.2

Paul flew a little while ago and was pretty neat. Provisional scores just out - 62.94%. Wind and temp had picked up this afternoon and some top pilots were pushed to the back downwind corner of the box. Paul coped better than many with the changed conditions.
More Russians flew and some of the US team. Plenty of smash but rushed with some of them. Rob Holland flew very well, I thought, and right in front of the judges. Check the civa-results page for all the scores and links to the individual score details.
So, both our pilots have qualified and now on to the Free, probably Saturday.

WACDay1.1

We're off and running! Richard flew his Q and did well, no donuts and a provisional score of 66.14%. Some good flying, the French warm-up pilot Francois Rolet, was one of the best! Castor was neat, as was Aude Lemordant. Surprise leader thus far is Svetlana Kapanina with 77% - we didn't think it looked like that, however, we weren't on the judging line.
Just starting after lunch break, with judges moving to the West of the box. Paul flies 3rd.

WAC Day 1/2

Pilot briefing yesterday was longish and hot in a steel hangar. Not much different to ours, and then the draw. Richard drew 8th and Paul 16th, amended to 6 and 16th today due the American in the Extra drawing 11. Rich will follow Castor Fantoba, and Paul is bracketted by Jeff Bourbon (USA) and Victor Chmal(RU) - nothing like diving in the deep end!
The opening ceremony last night was in the centre of Foligno, Piazza Repubblica(sp?) with all the local dignatories and officials, as well as local drum band and flag tossers. Culturally significant to the locals, not sure how it all fits in though.
The organisers have done an excellent job publicising the event to the locals and getting their support. Very important considering we are flying right next to houses as the airfield is surrounded by built up areas. Some new houses are actually within or on the boundary of the box, luckily unoccupied at present.
We led the 'march' up the sreet to the officials podium, teams in alphabetical order. Like a centipede with two left feet, though the french tried to call the time! Then the speeches, drummers/flags throwers and then dinner in the 800y.o. stone and fresco 'community centre'. many pilots were keen to depart to prepare for the Q, but others stayed until late.
Thursday a.m. here now, the warm-pilots have just flown, awaiting the first Q flight - Yoshi Moruya in an Sbach 342. The boys are walking through the Q, again.