News (4)
Latest articles from the ASAA.
Update on preparation for the 2017 Nationals in Wagin (WA)
Written by Peter BrynerAt this stage there are 28 entrants for the event. The event covers three days, from Friday 29th September through till 1st October. It is to be held at Wagin Airfield.
Use this link to see where it is: https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/Wagin+Airport/@-33.3157673,117.3566135,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x2a36d9ff51b6ab57:0x314bd0961f407477!8m2!3d-33.3157673!4d117.3588022. Driving is a 2 and half hour trip from Perth Airport (222k) south down the Albany Highway. After Williams look out for signs to WAGIN, turn left.
Access to the field is from Sunday 24th September, with practice flying available from Monday 25th September (which is a public holiday in WA). A camping area is illustrated in the attached image. This image is an early draft of the layout.
Anyone planning to use the camping area should contact a local SAWA member for assistance on arrival. Camping, including showers and toilets, is also available at the Wagin Showgrounds and Caravan Park. The usual fees for camping on Shire grounds apply. Fees for camping at the airfield are $5per per person per day to cover the cost of providing toilets and shower facilities. This will be collected at registration.
Other accommodation around Wagin may already be booked out. If you still have problems please let us know.
Registration: Registration begins at 9.00am Thursday till 5.00pm and again on Friday 7.00am-9.00am. The registration tent will be easy to spot. Please do not forget to bring your heavy model registration and your MAAA membership cards. Fail safe settings for throttle will be checked during Thursday or prior to your first flight.
Thursday afternoon and evening we are running a Judging School, (experts willing and available!). The ASAA AGM will be on Saturday evening followed by a dinner at the Recreation Center (about 2km in Wagin itself). Transport there and back will be by Community Bus.
Flying can only occur with the operation of an Airways Radio (on 126.70MHz). VF rules apply during practice and a 1000ft height restriction will be in place over the competition days.
Catering: Your registration fee covers you for breakfast and lunch over the three days of the competition. Volunteer caterers will be providing a varied supply of food. Hot water for coffee and tea provided and extra drinks can be purchased. You pilot pack will contain vouchers to redeem each meal or drink.
This is an event that has been promoted to the public in and around Perth as well as to people in the region. With State Government funding, public access and use of a full-size airfield comes a level of organisation and risk mitigation that places a high level of responsibility upon all concerned. At the pilots briefing the full guidelines will be covered.
Congratulations to Gernot
Gernot Bruckmann (left), a professional radio-controlled aeromodel pilot from Austria, won gold at the 2017 FAI F3P World Championship for Indoor Aerobatic Model Aircraft in France, when it finished at the weekend. The win came after a close-fought week-long competition that was held at the Rotonde Gymnasium in Strasbourg between 19-25 February 2017.
Full results: www.f3pwc2017.fr
Pictures: http://bit.ly/2lXB4fC
November 4,5 and 6th 2016 saw 37 R/C pilots from all over Australia converge on the Cootamundra Sate Field which is just south of Coota itself. The field is situated in a river flat bounded by hills to the west, and a sight rise far in the east. The main road south is about 500m to the east. John Mainwaring and his team worked frantically to prepare the site as there had been heavy rain in the weeks leading up to the competition.
By the time the West Aussies arrived early the field was looking pristine. Two EAST-west runways were mowed into the ample grass. And with the warm weather arriving snakes were likely in the long grass. Needless to say our landings were on the strip and not in the grass.
The camping area filled progressively during the practice week, with the WA boys chewing through the fuel. The weather stayed nice till the end of the week, and started blowing quite briskly on the second day of competition. Enough to distort the Aerobatic box far off to the left on the Advance/Unlimited flight line. The wind dropped in the evening and made the freestyle event a pleasure to watch, beer in hand. Smoke on. Congratulations to the freestylers, this is a highlight of any competition. Tim McDonald flew brilliantly as did Aaron Garle. How hard is it to judge the artistic merit of a flight. Good to see the younger competitors show their skills in this event.
The ASAA dinner was held in the Coota Pub. The bus trip in as well as the dinner had us entertained by small drones flying about. The NSW vs the rest of Australia saw NSW win the "Boat Race". The return trip to the field was provided by friendly local volunteers. Our guide took us past Don Bradman's birthplace and we got to know some of the local history.
Results
| Class | Place | Name |
| Basic | 1st | |
| 2nd | ||
| 3rd | ||
| Sportsman | 1st | |
| 2nd | ||
| 3rd | ||
| Intermediate | 1st | |
| 2nd | ||
| 3rd | ||
| Advancd | 1st | Peter Bryner |
| 2nd | Tim McDonald | |
| 3rd | ||
| Unlimited | 1st | Mark Easton |
| 2nd | Harley Wall | |
| 3rd | Aaron Garle | |
| Freestyle | 1st | Tim McDonald |
| 2nd | Aaron Garle | |
| 3rd | Mitch Heit |
Preparations for the 2017 Nationals in Wagin (WA)
Written by Peter BrynerSo far there are 19 entries on the ASAA Website for the ASAA Nationals being held in late September 2017.
Over the weekend of 18th and 19th March, a small group of Western Australian IMAC enthusiasts visited the Wagin Airfield to consider preparations. The weather was great but marred by a northerly blowing across the runway! Some nice cross-wind landings on the wide full-size runway made everyone happy.
The group met with the Wagin Shire CEO, Peter Webster and Airport Manager Greg Ball. Some new hangars are being built and an aircraft maintenance business will operate out of the airport. The Shire is extremely supportive of the event, helping out with the venue for the AGM, we also have use of the Shire bus to get us there. The Shire has also put money in for us to sponsor international pilots.
SAWA will find out if its grant application is successful in late May, so look for more announcements then.
Peter Bryner
