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2021 Middelburg Speed Rally

The Aircraft Unlimited Middelburg Speed Navigation Rally – 27 April 2021 by Rob Jonkers

The South African Power Flying Association held a very successful Speed Rally at the Aero Club Centenary Airweek at Middelburg, and is our 2nd event in the third season. It was decided to hold this Speed Rally on Freedom day as the date of choice in keeping with the Centenary celebrations of the Aero Club that featured most of the Recreational Aviation Sections over the four days. Monday turned out to be a relatively quiet day, where we could have rather rescheduled the rally, but was too late to make any changes.

There were 20 racers that entered, some stalwarts could not join due to other long weekend commitments, giving us as organisers a cue that we need to be very choosy to pick dates that are not in conflict with other activities. The weather outlook look to be virtually pristine, with little wind, thus could not have wished for better.

With some arrivals on Monday, we had Mauritz carry out a number of test flights to establish a handicap speed, as there were a number of new entrants, who in fact had joined to be able to practice for the up and coming PTAR. The afternoon initial briefing started at 18h30, with Rob Jonkers who took to the stage and provided a briefing on what to expect for the next day in terms of the planned route, how many turnpoints, distance, departure and arrivals protocol, and a weather outlook. After this Jonty did his signature event promotion of handing out race numbers, where after the club caterer provided a nice dinner spread, before retiring for the evening.

Tuesday morning dawned with beautiful weather, the hot air balloons were up and about traversing the field taking advantage of the wind currents. The briefing was held at 08h00 am and was concluded at around 08h30, where everybody dispersed first for a group photo and then to park their aircraft and prepare for the scrutineers. The route for the day was intended to be a scenic one in a similar area as the previous Witbank event north of Loskop dam, although part of the route went closer to the eastern hills before returning to cross the 20/20 gravel runway.

With all the competitors off towards the northwest, the route had a mix of easy and challenging turnpoints, especially TP10 which was the last turn point before the home run – which by the way was the same last turn point used in the 2019 event. The finish was relatively close, only one competitor having got lost somewhat, one having great difficulty in keeping track, and three aircraft following each other having all mad the same mistake…. Will teach them not to follow the aircraft in front.

After all teams having returned and safe on the ground, the scoring team got to work to analyse the results. This time there were no major scoring issues, and the results were available for the prize giving at 2PM. The prizes are organised into 3 categories, Overall, Handicap, Accuracy, where teams that have featured in the top three in one category, don’t feature in the other categories, ensuring that all have a fair chance at winning a trophy. These scores are also added to the leader board in this manner. The following table shows the top placings.

The following are the individual handicap and accuracy results.

Many thanks to the Middelburg Aero Club for hosting this fantastic event, supporting with logistics and great meals available throughout the day, Nigel Musgrave as the Safety Officer, Dirk and Louna de Vos doing the scoring, Chester Chandler on handicapping, Marc Robinson with his team from Century Avionics for Avionic Scrutineering, Chareen Shillaw for Aircraft Scrutineering, Liz, Clarissa, Leonie, Louna for handing out competition papers to the crews, Mauritz for Test Flights and starting, Bernhard & Adrian as ground marshalls and starting, we for sure had a stronger crew as compared to Witbank earlier this year. Thanks also extended to Santjie White of the ARCC who always watches over us.

Also thanks to our sponsors, Aircraft Unlimited being our signature Speed Rally Brand Sponsor, Flightline Weekly for sponsoring the race numbers, and our team sponsors, Prompt Roofing, Fast Flame Laser cutting, Century Avionics, Beegle Micro trackers, JB Switchgear.

Our next Speed Rally event will be in Secunda on the 28th of August 2021

Click on a photo below to enlarge

Springs Season Finale Speed Navigation Rally – 28 Nov 2020

By Rob Jonkers

The South African Power Flying Association (SAPFA) together with our main sponsor Aircraft Unlimited organised the 2020 Season finale Speed Navigation Rally on Saturday 28th November 2020. Although strictly not planned to have been the end of the 2 nd Season, 2020 being a year what it is, with reduced events, we decided to review the events and shorten the 6 per Season to 4, so Season 2 started and ended at Springs, so that Season 3 would start and end in 2021. For the overall season scoring the best
of 3 events would count towards the Season results.

As the event has evolved, changes have been brought into play, all with the participation of the organisers and competitors, and for this season the overall distance was reduced to 138 nm (from 150 nm), a
handicap overspeed penalty was instituted and allowance to fly with a GPS track-made-good magnetic heading reference. For this final Season 2 event, 32 entries were received. Springs 2019 was also the debut of the Grand-Prix circuit, and was also planned this year, a format that has also evolved over the last four GPs.

The route was mostly to the east and south of the airfield, with a bit more of a scenic route than previous events going close to the vaal dam. The weather on Friday started out real well, the forecast giving late
afternoon thundershowers which were lurking towards the west. Test flights commenced with some new entries requiring test flights and some old entries wanting to retest to re-confirm their handicaps. The test
flights were done by Mark Clulow and Sean Cronin, and had to be curtailed after 3PM as the weather deteriorated.

Thereafter at 18h30, Jonty Esser as the MC introduced Rob Jonkers who took to the stage and provided a briefing on what to expect for the next day in terms of the planned route, how many turn points, distance, departure and arrivals protocol, and also how the scoring system worked in terms of penalties as well as the expected weather conditions, which looked like overcast to start with lifting after 9 am and 10+ kts of gusty northerly winds.

Jonty Esser then took to the stage in his signature competing crew introductory theme song videos and race number handouts, and also including introductions to the event and team sponsors. For this event,
an event sponsor was secured as Aircraft Unlimited, an AMO based at Rand Airport and Jonty introduced the new owner Andrew Lester and his team. They would also provide AMO support for aircraft during the
event. Thereafter everybody was treated to a buffet meal before retiring for the evening to the music of one of the competitors Leon Joubert and his band re-living the 70s real music era.

Saturday morning dawned with windy and low overcast cloud conditions, with the decision to start the briefing an hour later at 9 am, and the start to be an hour and a half later at 11h30 for an over the field
arrival at 1 PM. Once the shortened briefing was over, everybody prepared their aircraft and got them sorted into the parking bays. Aircraft were then also scrutineered with all portable electronic devices
sealed up in bags. For this event Mark & Shane from Century Avionics were on hand to also block off / seal Aircraft GPS and autopilot systems.

Scrutineers Lizelle, Louna, Bernhardt and Adrian were on hand to seal up all portable GPS capable devices, handing out papers at the allotted time, and also checking the fuel tanks were full. Starters Mark
Clulow and Sean Cronin set up at the starting line adjacent the threshold of Runway 03, who would release each aircraft at their allotted time slot. Each team then received their envelopes with their loggers at 20 minutes prior take-off time, taxi to the starting line within 10 minutes of brake release. 1st take-off was at 11h30 for the slowest aircraft and last take-off at 12h100, with planned arrival at 1 PM.

With all the competitors off towards the east, the route had a mix of easy and challenging turn points, this time some river crossing also in the mix, and a little more scenic than previous Springs events. In general
the competitors found the course easy enough this time round, with the photographs now in larger format to identify the ground features more prominently, which can be seen in the results where many had a clear
round in their tracks. At just before 1PM, the first aircraft over the line was a little early, and then followed by at least three quarters of the field within 1 minute, with tail enders after that.

After all teams having returned, the scoring team got to work to analyse the results, completing the individual scores by 3 PM. A Season ending gala prize-giving evening was arranged, which turned out real
great as most of the teams stayed over or got dressed in their finest black tie. The evening got under way at around 6 with starter platters and then at 7 with Rob Jonkers showing everybody’s tracks – from the
most accurate to the most creative.

Thereafter Jonty had Andrew from Aircraft Unlimited and Rob Jonkers hand out certificates to each of the teams. Prize-giving got underway with three trophies going to best husband and wife team – Eric and Antoinette Addison, best Father and Son team – Apie & Frederik Kotzee and best school entry – Legend Sky from Rhino Park. The most creative track trophy went to the first time Chipmunk team of Grant Timms and Duncan Ritchie.

The GP race winners were Dane Laing in an RV4, Johan van Eeden & Cor Esterhuisen in an RV7 in 2 nd place, Leon Joubert in a Lancair in 3rd place.

Then followed the Springs event results in navigation accuracy, handicap and overall. Then as this was the end of the 2nd season the Season results and winners in each of the categories were also announced.
The final results for all the teams for Springs and the Season will be on the Speed Rally website.

Jonty then thanked all the officials who put in the effort to make the Speed rally what it has become, Adrian Cronje as the Chief Marshall, Nigel Musgrave as the Safety Officer, Dirk de Vos doing the scoring,
Mark Clulow & Sean Cronin doing test flights and starting, Marc & Shane for Century Avionics for Scrutineering, Lizelle Kruger, Louna de Vos, Bernhard Jansen handing out competition papers to the crews as well as Scrutineering (we missed Chareen Shillaw who could not join this time round) , Jonty & Lizelle & Sandy for putting together an awesome Friday evening launch event, and Gala Dinner on Saturday, the ATNS team for managing the ATC for the weekend, and Santjie White for being everybody’s Guardian angel. Thanks also to the East Rand Flying Club for the excellent airfield facilities.

Also to the sponsors Aircraft Unlimited, who was the main sponsor of the event, Flightline Weekly for sponsoring the race numbers, team sponsors JB Electrical – Leon Bouttell and Martin Meyer, Fast Flame
Laser Cutting – Hendrik & Jandre Loots, Beegle Micro Trackers – Quintin Kruger and Johan Whiteman, Prompt Roofing – Leon Joubert and Sandi Goddard.

Our next Speed Rally event will be in Witbank in the 6th of February 2021.

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