Saturday 21.5.2011 – practice day

Today started really early (at 7:35) as we were told to come for organization meeting. I didn’t notice that any meeting took place, as everybody just were doing their own things. I overheard that it will be windy today, but still very good, better than yesterday.

Briefing was at 10:00 and all pilots had arrived with their crew members. Tapio (Tourula) our met man told in the briefing that there is a cold front making some Ac and Sc clouds on Tampere area, but on task area we should have fairly strong thermals (2-3 m/s).

Towings were supposed to start at 12:30. At that point we saw some high cirrus clouds and felt how wind was getting stronger. So it wasn’t that warm weather for waiting in the grid. Anyway we didn’t have to wait for too long, as towings started at 13:00. We have two tow planes and we were hoping that towings would done in 40 minutes. Visa-Matti (competition director) said that as it is first day, it might take a bit longer. Launches took just about one hour. We saw lots of landings back so in total towings took a bit longer.

In this competition start line won’t open as in normal gliding competitions, as competition director will announce when it will be open and how high it will be. That is strange – in a good way I mean. Today altitude was 1000 m QNH and opened at 14:45.

We sat on the Air hotel terrace and saw how Visa-Matti announced the start line opening counting down from 10,…, 3, 2, 1 go, and at the same time pilots went in one group over our heads. That was great to see. Only couple of hours later Markku Kuusisto (PI) was first to finish and he was followed by other pilots 5 minutes later.

We had short and informal Opening Ceremony in front of the Air Hotel at 19:30. Roland and Tapio Pitkänen from Finnish Aeronautical Association wished everybody welcome and safe flights.

Tomorrow briefing will be at 11:00, as every day from now on.