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Aviation History
1966
1966 - 0301.PDF
180 RIGHT International, 3 February 1966 New Zealand's new national gliding champion is Peter Heginbotham, chief flying instructor of Wellington Gliding Club, seen here with his Ka-6CR at Omarama (see "NZ Gliding Championships") BUSINESS NZ Gliding Championships Winner of the New Zealand National Gliding Championships held at Omarama, South Island, last month was Peter Heginbotham, flying a Ka-6CR. Joint runners-up were Gordon Hookings (Skylark 4) and D. F. Westenra (Skylark 4), with Keith Wakeman (Ka-6CR) in fourth place. On January 8 Westenra won a race comprising two laps of a 90km triangle with turning points at Bendrose and Ribbon- wood Stations. His time was 2hr 13min. A 120km out-and- return race to Irishman's Creek on January 9 was cancelled because of high winds. A 124km triangle with turning points at Simon's Hill Station and Ohau Lodge on January 10 was won by Hookings in 2hr 4min. Pilot-selected goal was the task for January 11. Errol Carr was the day's winner, wave-flying his Dart to Picton Airfield, a distance of 492.5km. He reached 23,000ft over Mt Tekapo. Heginbotham, who crewed for Dick Georgeson at last year's world championships at South Cerney, made the best distance on January 13 when the task set was a 134km out-and-return to Lake Tekapo Hotel. Conditions were bad and only five pilots scored. On January 15 two laps of a 62km triangle with turning points at Kelland's Strip and Ribbonwood was set; no pilot completed the course but Hookings flew farthest, passing the second turning point. The championships were organised by a committee headed by Reg Smith of Christchurch and were opened by Mr John McAlpine, Minister of Civil Aviation. Among visitors to the contest were Peter Scott, who flew in on his way to make a film in Antarctica. John Messervy, formerly an instructor at Lasham, was task-setter. Awards made at the conclusion of the championships in- cluded the Masterton Cup for the winning open-class team, Westenra and Hamilton; Court Cup for standard-class winner, Heginbotham; Roake Cup (open handicap) Heginbotham; Han- sell Cup for the most meritorious flight, Carr. Heginbotham succeeded Ross Reid of Auckland (who did not defend his title) as open champion. (Flight report by Caroline McQuade, courtesy NZ Gliding Association.) Racing Diners The traditional Royal Aero Club January dinner to honour the King's Cup winner and the Air Racing Champion of the previous season was held in London on January 25. Also honoured on this occasion was one of the best-known nanfes in British air racing—Mr P. B. Mayne, who is retiring from the post of chief timekeeper after some 19 years of clicking stopwatches for the club. Col Gough, chair- man of the club, introduced Mr John Stewart-Wood (King's Cup winner) and Mr Percy Blamire (Air Racing Champion) to the assembled company. Also called upon to speak was Mr Norman Jones, chairman of the now ten-years-old Tiger Club and a consistent supporter of air racing. In reviewing his years of timekeeping for records and races since 1947, Mr Philip Mayne thought the time had come to retire—"Not one competitor on the line last year was racing when I began timekeeping. . . ." He also noted the agreeably sporting nature of air racing, untarnished by commercial con- siderations ("I never once had bad words with a competitor"). New Races For 1966 At the air racing dinner reported above, Gp Capt Norman Ryder, secretary general of the RAeC, made the surprise announcement of a revival of the Goodyear Trophy. Competition for this cup will be at Halfpenny Green on August 29—Bank-holiday Monday. The Goodyear Tyre & Rubber Co Ltd has generously offered £400 in prize money for the race. Continuing the club's policy of arranging chal- lenging air racing for pilots, and bringing the spectacle to the public, the first 1966 National Air Races meeting will be over a new long course at Plymouth on July 9. The second meeting will again be at Tees-side Airport on August 6, where the course was first used last year. The final gathering, to compete for the King's Cup, will again be at Coventry (August 13) over a course slightly longer than the very short 1965 circuit. Not yet announced, but being planned for July 17, is a race based on Rochester Airport and organised by Mr W. Chesson. DIARY r Feb 3 RAeS: "Handling Criteria," by F. O'Hara, 6 p.m. Feb 3 RAeS Southern) Branch: "Restoration of Historical Aircraft," by Air Cdre A. H. Wheeler. Queen's Hotel, Westcliff, 7.45 p.m. Feb 7 Kronfeld Club: "Navigation and Map Reading," by John Neilan; 74 Eccleston Square, London SWI, 8 p.m. Feb 8 Institution of Electronic and Radio Engineers, Scottish Section and IEE Scottish Section: "Radar, Present Position and Future Trends," by E. V. D. Glazier. Carkon Hotel, Edinburgh, 6 p.m. Feb 8 RAeS Luton Branch: "Problems of the Independent Operator, by J. E. D. Williams. Ashcroft School, 5.30 p.m. Feb 9 RAeS Weybridge Branch: "Concorde," by P. Satre. BAC (Operating) Ltd, 5.15 p.m. Feb 10 RAeS Yeovil Branch: Main lecture, Eleventh Henson and Stringfellow Memorial Lecture, "The Domain of Jet Lift," by D. O. Davies and J. F. Coplin. Technical College, 6 p.m. Feb II British Light Aviation Centre: Inaugural dinner. Mount Royal Hotel, London Wl. Note: RAeS lectures other than those given at branches take place in the Society's lecture theatre at 4 Hamilton Place. London Wl.
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