NZ Air Games

[flyjoe180]

Has anyone seen the coverage on Sky Sports of the New Zealand Air Games from Wanaka? I sat down and watched some the other day after NZ smashed Bangladesh in the cricket after 6 overs on Monday.

Some good technology being used, particularly in the glider races, the graphics and details which reflect what you would see on an Americas Cup race (speed, distance apart etc). However, I noticed some bad commentary with poor knowledge of aviation coming through, so that was rather dissapointing. Usual errors, incorrect types of aircraft being named, incorrect terminology, and what I thouhgt to be rather shallow and poorly thought through questions at post-race interviews.

Good to see this event in NZ skies though!

[sleemanj]

I watched both highlights programmes on Sky, I don't think there were any others?

I wasn't particularly in awe of the production, it was pretty limited in it's scope (lots of chutes, a little gliding, and a little aerobatic), they repeated quite a lot of interview type stuff in the second programme which had already been screened in the first, picture quality wasn't great.

The hang glider speed racing was particularly badly presented I thought from the point of view of a spectator.

The "Virtual Pylon/Gate race" type thing they had going looked unusual, couldn't really tell what was going on there actually, there seemed to be some sort of GPS type device in the cockpit(s) outlining where the invisible gates were, it seemed to have some sort of "big freakin arrow" fly-this-way indicator. Can't see it really being successfull as a spectator sport, physical pylons (a'la red bull) I think are really a necessity there.

I think the internet feeds are still available, but there again there is no indication really of what's actually in the feeds, if it's worth paying the $15 or whatever it is to get access, and it's DRM'd and expires in like a week (no indication on what happens then), so you don't even get to keep the videos if they are any good.

I just don't think it was really arranged well, or perhaps it just kept too low a profile in NZ, they claimed they would have some huge audience, so perhaps it was widely promoted overseas? I certainly hope they didn't lose too much money on it.