 'Great Plains' Fly-in at Ashburton | Last weekend was the 'Great Plains' Fly-In at Ashburton. I had planned to fly the GP One there to show it off at this annual SAANZ (Sport Aircraft Assn NZ) event. But the weather didn't play ball. I waited for 4 days, but along the east coast it was blowing a gusty 25 - 40 knots sou'west all the time. Everywhere south of Christchurch had a SIgMet warning for severe turbulence!. Even experienced southern pilots gave up and drove there in their cars. After the 1st day of the event had passed, I decided not to go. Very disappointing to miss this chance to promote the GP One. |
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The weather inland nearer to the Te Anau basin and Northern Southland was still flyable over the weekend, so I managed some flights in the GP One. Late one afternoon I poked up into the Eglinton Valley to check out a bush-clad river gorge that I've kayaked many times. The beautiful scenery was enjoyed, but the bumpy air and having to go around some rain squalls detracted from the experience.
 Kingston township at south end of Lake Wakatipu. | The next day before I went home to Invercargill, I flew at low-level north-east to Kingston. With a brisk southerly airflow pushing across the Takitimu Mountains, it was very turbulent in their lee. However it was surprisingly smooth further inland, so I climbed up and had a nosey into the upper end of the remote Nevis Valley (the non-control zone route to Central Otago). Wanting to avoid the 'potholes in the sky' and get a smoother ride home, I tried to follow the windward side of each mountain range. |
 Looking west to the Eyre Mountains from above Garston. |  Nevis Valley (non-ATC route) to Central Otago along the back side of the Remarkable Mountains. |  Snow on Mid Dome in summer - not quite what you'd expect. |
