Please Note: Entries many be declined at the discretion of the organizers on safety grounds.

Organising a Competition - General

Organising a competition is an involved process. In order to give you, the pilot, the best and safest experience, we, the organisers try to identify and manage any foreseeable risk. To help us achieve this we ask you to take seriously your personal responsibilities for safety, as described below, and on the "To Enter" page and on the entry form.

Please remember, you must conform with the minimum entry requirements.

Flying in Crowded Skies

The pilot numbers have been limited to a perceived safe limit for each competition. This is to help avoid collisions at or near the take off areas or nearby thermals. For those not used to flying in large groups it is important that you know the rules of the air and that it is second nature. For XC competition entrants in particular: if this is your first experience in crowded skies, our advice is wait until the sky is less crowded before you take off. When you're comfortable with the space you have to manoeuvre, you are far more likely to make safer decisions and core the thermals more efficiently. You will also have the advantage of more experienced pilots showing you the best route along the course.

Check Your Equipment

Apart from your normal pre-flight checks, your equipment must have a current Warrant of Fitness to fly legally in New Zealand. This is easy to obtain if your equipment is in good order. For more information see the  www.nzhgpa.co.nz website

Understand the Nature of the Risk

Flying is dangerous and we are all aware of the severity of the risk and seriousness of the consequences. Competitions have an added element of risk due to other pilots and competitiveness. Recognize this and therefore make judgments conservatively. When conditions change, so do the risks. If in doubt - land safely. The organisers can only ever point out their identified risks for you, but cannot eliminate them. Unforeseen risks include other peoples actions, or changes in conditions. Trust no-one in the air.

Familiarize yourself with the area.

Study the competition maps at length - this helps with location information for use on your radio, or during times of emergency. The coordinates of competition launch sites and possible turn points for the Nationals are included under the Waypoints List. Lading in occupied deer and horse paddocks is forbidden.

Weather

Being the end of spring and flight paths being on the edge of the Southern Alps, the weather can be expected to be changeable both in temperature and wind speed. At times it is cold both on launch and at altitude. Arrive prepared and check at briefing the likely temperatures to be experienced that day. There could be snow showers and launches from snow. Nightly frosts occur on an average of 2-3 nights a month during this period, yet conversely day time could be 33 degrees C with balmy evenings. The weather is best described as changeable.
Forecasts can be obtained on (for a global view) www.metvuw.com/forecast/forecast.php?type=rain&region=nzsi&noofdays=3  and for a local perspective (Mt Aspiring National Park, Southern Lakes.Mt Cook) www.metservice.co.nz/default/index.php?alias=mtaspiring

PLB – EPIRB

We recommend that a PLB or EPIRB unit should form part of your essential equipment, particularly for cross country flights. This is only a recommendation but the safety issues are self evident. If a pilot wishes there are hire units available through the Wanaka Conservatory office. These units must be reserved in advance of use. The hire charge is 1st week $25, 2nd week $15 and subsequent weeks $10.(Refer Entry Form if you wish to hire a unit) These units are supplied by the Southland Locator Beacon Trust www.locatorbeacons.co.nz and come with the unique feature that they can be remotely activated. Although they operate on 121.5MHz they will be serviceable throughout this competition until they are phased out in February 2009 when the newer 406 MHZ units will be the only ones supported. As the change date approaches newer models are beginning to enter the market but at this stage the older units, with the remote activation, are the best choice, albiet for hire but not purchase.