Black Sands 2010 info

[philip]

I had a nice time Sunday catching up with the sights and people. Sadly, while visiting my coastguard connected sister-in-law I responded to a cry for help by a distressed dad to help look for his missing diver son out at Gannet Island. Circled for half an hour till the professionals arrived without success. A good friend of mine was similarly taken cruelly by the sea a month ago. Sad how quickly the best of times can turn into the the worst of times.

[Dave Homewood]

That's very sad Phillip, sorry to hear that.

[Bruce]

Some of my pics: (will do the airfield ones first... sorry to those on dial up - I hope these are appropriately sized!)

[Bruce]

Beach Photos - My ride was courtesy of Bill Izard in Jodel D11 ZK-DBY (Thanks Bill!)

Raglan Harbour Mouth on climb out


Heading up the coast:


Gibsons Beach downwind for landing (the aircraft already parked indicate the scale!)


On Base leg, number 2 in the sequence (note the impressive approach path!)


Turning finals - not your normal airfield approach!


Aircraft on the beach (a new record of 27 aircraft landed this year)
















For those who have flown to the beach in previous years, it was quite surprising how the dynamics of the exposed coastline had changed the beach. Our parking this year was 100m or so further south, the area where we parked last year, up near the northern headland on nice firm sand, had been scoured out down to a solid shelf of sandstone rock, complete with rock pools. Probably as a result of big South westerly storms over winter, But you can always blame "Global Climate Change"^(TM)...

[FlyingKiwi]

Great photos Bruce, looks like you got lucky with the weather! Looks like it was a whole heap of fun. Might have to see if I can make it next year!

[Dave Homewood]

Good stuff Bruce, well done.

[Ykato]

I agree all Great Photo's Thanks for Posting / shareing - Very cool cheers.

[Bruce]

Heres some really interesting statistics about black sands....
I have just finished loading the aircraft arrivals sheet from our comms van into a spreadsheet. I used the "remove duplicates" function to take out multiple landings and came up with the total arrivals figure of 105 Aircraft.

What is pretty saddening is that the number of landing fees paid to us at the registration desk was 76

The Camp ground didnt get many pay directly to them, which means that up to 28% of aircraft were flown by cheap, cheating B*stards!

for people owning aircraft which I'd guess would cost on average $100K ea, it seems sad that $5 to mow the airfield is too much for them......

[eieio]

Next time we will have to organise I D cards so it is obvious who has not paid the registration fee........shame and name ,or name and shame,this item can be part of our review of the event. So, come on you dodgers ,no pay,,,no airfield, no fly .

[stu]

Dear Santa or Easter Bunny or whatever deity needs asking, can I please go to Black Sands next year?

Great photos, would really loved to have made it down there.

As a matter of interest, in 2008 I paid my registration fee on arrival then, when the monthly bill arrived from the aero club, there was a landing fee for Raglan included. Maybe some crossed wires somewhere but, considering the small amount and as it was for a good cause, I paid again.

Even hiring an aircraft to fly down (or up or across) is quite a financial outlay - about $400 in my case - so if you're prepared to cough up that much what's an extra few dollars in landing fees? I guess some people are just tightwads....

[Dave Homewood]

Stu, the extra fee was for the water landing mate.

[stu]

Nov 11, 2010 11:21:29 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Stu, the extra fee was for the water landing mate.

But technically it was an approach and overshoot ;D

[Dave Homewood]

;D Thankfully!

[eieio]

Stu, it looks to me as if the aero club [knowing where you went] auto-charged a landing fee for Raglan. Waikato SAA pay collected fees to the camp office on the sunday before we depart.