NZFF

Only two aircraft arrived from Auckland while others waited for the weather to improve... which didn't happen. The bbq cranked instead, several pilots flew models (including myself) until mid afternoon when several pilots had a fly in NUT and XRA.
I flew in XRA - my first time in an Extra 300. Very light ailerons - insanely light. Good feedback from the elevator but the stall beeper kept going during my tight turns...
Cloud base was 1400', about the height we came out the top of the loop at
I came away with a healthy respect for RedBull pilots who did what I was trying to but 1000' lower at 220Kts, not 160 like me.

Several of the waiting pilots were going to fly XRA with a safety pilot after the recent loss of ZK-MAD.

The heavy cloud made photography a nightmare, but you get what you can.




Me at the helm

Great tricks ! and flying .. Mercer , .. we have a little gap between Auckland X and Hamilton X , any chance any off you guys getting high alt photo

Ian Warren wrote:

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ Nov 30 2009, 12:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Great tricks ! and flying .. Mercer , .. we have a little gap between Auckland X and Hamilton X , any chance any off you guys getting high alt photo

I was just a guest and I didn't expect a chance to go flying yesterday. I don't fly full-size generally these days (damn family budget).
We fly cameras under r/c helis and are limited to 400' (according to CAA). Suitable for smaller "life-style" blocks. If I was flying full-size like I would like to be, it wouldn't be a problem

This is an example of our typical "workshot"...





More examples at Ascend Photography Ltd

Can your camera face straight down? If so it is fairly easy with photoshop to stitch a number of photos together - could possibly work for an aerodrome, but you'd have to find a time with both good lighting and no traffic!

redkiwi wrote:

QUOTE (redkiwi @ Nov 30 2009, 10:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Can your camera face straight down? If so it is fairly easy with photoshop to stitch a number of photos together - could possibly work for an aerodrome, but you'd have to find a time with both good lighting and no traffic!

It can pivot straight down. I stitched 3 shots together for a project a couple of years ago. Hard work and not perfect... The better option to be honest would be getting a fly with someone with a Bantam microlight or similar and getting up to 3000'!!!

This is what we shot a while ago - 3 merged shots:



Way short of an entire airfeild...

Nice shots Pete Was this the northern Flying NZ competitions?

Daniel wrote:

QUOTE (Daniel @ Nov 30 2009, 12:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nice shots Pete Was this the northern Flying NZ competitions?

I went a long as a photo observer - I'm sure it was the NZ Aerobatic Club.
They had marked a box out across the paddocks and Marinka Hood arrived as "Chief Judge". As the Nationals are at Waikpukarau mid year and the Brian Langley Trophey in North Shore around Feb, it was a chance for a judged get-together. I was hoping to take some aerial shots but playing / stick-time was more fun!!! Anyone can loop and roll but to be judges in a box is a whole different game!!!

Several planes waited at Tauranga and Auckland for the improving weather which failed to arrive until late afternoon - after I had gone. They may re-schedule, but everyone has something on...