Friday - Practice Navigation Task

The practice task was flown on Friday, as much to test the marshalling and scoring systems as the crews. It was a simple navigation task, travelling from turnpoint to turnpoint, all at a ground speed predicted by the pilots before takeoff. At one turnpoint there were three ground markers, each uncovered at different times so that a pilot who hit the turnpoint on time saw all three. Neither orbiting nor backtracking were permitted. The tracks and times were recorded by GPS-loggers which were downloaded onto the scoring staff computers when the aircraft landed. This task was immediately followed by a powered precision landing, to test the deck marshals. The cold front, which had hung around for a few days, finally cleared to the east and the day started fine. However, with the wet ground and the hot sun the cumulus soon started to build up. The task was flown in showers and, given the need to fly accurately, the aircraft were obliged to fly through them. Some pilots were soaked while others missed them altogether. There were all the usual problems as people got used to the procedures but nothing terminal. One particular issue was that deck markings were unclear and it has been promised that this will improve. Jan Lukeš, the Czech single seat 3-axis World Champion blew all his points by writing "ahoy" in his track, which at least entertained the scorers.