Only 8 Days to go! A record turn out expected with 53 pilot registrations received so far! Please read the following information carefully so things run smoothly leading up to and during the Nationals. Mt Murchison and the Nelson/Marlborough Area is a special place to fly with strict access requirements, and overall there is still a significant fire risk. Accordingly please ensure you fully comply with all rules and restrictions including vehicle requirements.
Competition HQ
The competition HQ and location for registration and morning briefings is the open air dining facility at Riverside Camping Ground, Murchison.
Access up Mount Murchison
Access up Mount Murchison in the days leading up to the Nationals is restricted. Any ‘out of town’ pilots wanting to fly Mt Murchison are to go through Nelson and Marlborough Club members to gain access and NOT just attempt to drive up the mountain on their own accord. Free flying is permitted on the 25th and 26th of January in conjunction with the Cross Country clinic (see below for departure details).
Cross Country Clinic / Practise Flying
A cross country clinic will be conducted on the 25th and 26th of January. The clinic will be based out of the Riverside Camping Ground in Murchison. The cost is $10 per day for those pilots attending – 12 pilots registered for this so far. The format for both days will be as follows:
8:30am to 10:30, Theory, Q&A
10:30am to 11:30pm, Depart Riverside Camping Ground to Drive up Mt Murchison
11:30am to 4:30pm, Fly
6:00pm to 7:00pm, Flight Debrief/Theory, Q&A
Pilots to bring UHF radios if you have them.
Final Registration Documentation
Final registration documentation will be available for all pilots to fill in and sign from 7pm Friday 26th of January through until 9:30am on Saturday 27th January.
First/Mandatory Briefing
All persons involved in the competition including pilots, drivers, and officials, are to attend a mandatory briefing at the competition HQ on Saturday 27th January at 9:30am.
Daily Briefings
Daily briefings will take place at the Comp HQ starting at 9:30am. The general format for the briefings will be as follows:
- Safety Matters
- General Points
- Results
- Weather Forecast
- Task for the day – Bring your instruments to the briefing
- Vehicle Movement Plans
- Waypoints
Instruments
Please ensure you bring all the necessary charging and downloading cables for your instrument. The organising committee and/or scorer are not responsible for this.
Mid Week BBQ
A mid week BBQ will be put on for everyone. The cost is $10 per person. For pilots this cost is already covered in your entry fee, so it is just $10 for every additional person. Money will be collected a day or two prior to the BBQ. The location for the BBQ is the Comp HQ.
Prize Giving/Final Dinner
The location of the final dinner and prize giving will be the Comp HQ. The menu for the night is gourmet pizza and salads etc – dessert too of course! Pizzas will be pre ordered according to what everyone wants; there will be a list passed around throughout the week. The cost is $30 per person – pilots are covered via their entry fee.
T Shirts
T Shirts are $30 each. For pilots this is covered in your entry fee, however if additional T Shirts were ordered this will money will need to be paid (either online or at the comp) prior to receiving the additional T shirts.
Equipment Requirements
All equipment used during the Nationals is to be airworthy. Gliders are to have a current Warrant of Fitness, and parachutes repacked within the last 6 months.
VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS & FIRE SAFETY PLAN
Rules:
- No fires or flames of any type.
- No smoking.
- Only enter permitted forestry areas if not in RED condition.
- 0.9kg fire extinguisher plus shovel in each vehicle or do not enter.
- Each vehicle to carry a minimum of 5 Litres of water.
- A Larger extinguishing device is to be present on launch.
- Spark arrestors are required on non Turbo Diesel Vehicles.
- No speeding up or down the mountain. Every effort should be made not to overheat vehicle engines and/or break systems.
- No parking or stopping over long dry grass areas.
- No driving on fields where pilots have landed without permission of land owner
- All vehicles travelling on Forestry Roads are to have a minimum of Third Party Vehicle Insurance.
- All vehicles are to have a current WOF and Registration.
In the Event of FIRE
Ensure your own safety and the safety of others in the area.
MANDATORY REQUIREMENT - Dial 111 in every situation EVEN if you are able to put the fire out. OR radio the Director to dial 111 and stay on the line to provide information. (From Forestry – there is no problem if the volunteer fire fighters turn up and have nothing to do).
If safe to do so use fire equipment and attempt to extinguish the fire.
If not safe, or no longer safe to extinguish the fire, evacuate to an area of safety:
For Tapawera; either retreat back down normal access road and assemble in grass paddocks at entrance to Forestry; or if unable to retreat, leave vehicles and move to the grass paddocks to the south of launch/forest. Exact areas to be confirmed and pointed out to all persons prior to driving up to launch.
For Inwoods Lookout; either retreat back down normal access road and assemble in grass paddocks at entrance to Forestry; or if unable to retreat, move to the large skid site where launch is away from flammable materials and stay in vehicles. Exact areas to be confirmed and pointed out to all persons prior to driving up to launch.
In all cases report your position and status as soon as possible to the Meet Director or other pilots/persons, so all persons can be accounted for.
Report any Fire incident to the Competition Organisers, as soon as possible.
Conclusion
So a bit of reading there. As requested in the introduction, please get on to things early and ensure you fully comply with all instructions and rules.
If there are any last minute queries please get in touch with either of the comp organisers;
Matt Barlow, 022 153 7965, or
Shane Mackay, 021 140 8204
Other than that good luck with your final preparations and travel, cross your fingers for great weather, and we look forward to seeing you all soon :^)
