Newsletter: September 2005 (Note: all external links open in a new window)
Next Meeting: AGM,Tuesday 4 October @ The Valley Club, 10 Daly St, Lower Hutt (MAP).
Minutes: August meeting
Makara Wind Farm proposal
Representatives from Meridian Energy spoke at the August meeting about the proposal to develop a wind farm between Makara and the South Coast on Terawhiti Station. This
project could potentially provide access to two coastal sites that
we currently can't get to (West coast south of Makara, and the
south coast near Karori Rock).
More info: www.meridianenergy.co.nz/WindProjects/
Submission to Wellington City Council and Wellington Regional Council.
Macalistair Park
Airways New Zealand has given the club permission to fly at Macalistair Park! The control tower needs to be phoned beforehand on 04-387 1980, and again after flying is completed. NO altitude gain above launch height is permited! The area is close to the hospital, which has helicopters flying emergency cases in...
TXT alerts
Do you want to get TXT alerts when other club members are thinking of going flying? Fill out the questionaire. Several alerts have already been sent out, and feedback from users is that it is an excellent idea!! To receive alerts you must be a current member, and by the end of October have a current WOF.
Club forum?
Rob Haskett has offered to provide (at no cost) a private club forum on the NZ Freeflyers site. What do people think about this?
Wind forecasts
When I first launched the site 5 years ago, with just the 3 wellington sensors, the uptake and usage was fantastic but back then doing anything on the Net was expensive, and trying to fund it was near impossible. It was then, that we had little choice but to embark on charging using the credit card to fund the site. Its great to be able to offer you some free information again, as well as still saving some information and services for those that do become members.
Click on http://www.wind.co.nz/region.php to get the free stuff.
Besides the cost of delivering on the net coming down, the real drive has been towards the use of SMS or texting from your mobile phone, and this is what people want to do...so in case you don't know, 'anyone' can txt2wind for the latest wind, temp and tide information, instantly to their mobile phone. For most locations, simply inlcude the first 3 letters of the sensor you want in the message body, and send that to 9463, e.g. For Plimmerton 'pli', Point Jerningham 'jer'
More information on how to txt for wind information click
Notable flights
Laurie Ross and Thomas Dobrisek flew from Mt Climie to Featherston via Kiwi Ranch on Saturday 3 September - about 20km. An excellent effort!
WEB SITES - GENERAL
Minutes of the NZHGPA AGM and Special Exec meeting
GPS usage, making retrieves easy, using a GPS in comps
HANG GLIDING WEB SITES
HG FAI comps
HG FAI rankings
PARAGLIDING WEB SITES
PG FAI comps
PG FAI rankings
Email Kris at whgpceditor@backup.net.nz with any news you may have!
Once you have tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned forever skyward, for there you have been, and there you long to return" Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)
